The Safe Place
- March 22, 2023
- Anate Studio
Get on Steam"The Safe Place" is a social point-and-click adventure drama set in a post-Soviet city during the economic crisis of the early 90s. Players control an engineer named Alexander who, after accidentally killing a man, enlists the help of a 12-year-old girl named Christina to cover up his crime. As they navigate their mutual problems, players will encounter classic adventure puzzles and dramatic plot twists in this emotional roller coaster ride. The game features fully voice-acted dialogues in English.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features stunning graphics and art that effectively capture the post-Soviet atmosphere, making it immersive and visually appealing.
- The story is engaging and thought-provoking, exploring complex themes of poverty and moral choices, with strong character development.
- Voice acting is professional and adds depth to the characters, enhancing the overall experience.
- The autosave system is unreliable, often leading to frustration as players may lose progress due to random save points.
- Inventory items lack descriptions, making it difficult to identify objects and leading to excessive clicking and confusion.
- The pacing is slow, with a main character that moves too slowly, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- story50 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is a dark and poignant exploration of poverty, domestic abuse, and crime set against a backdrop reminiscent of communist Russia, featuring a morally ambiguous protagonist whose poor decisions diminish player satisfaction. While the narrative is compelling and enriched by excellent voice acting and interconnected puzzles, many players found it too short and filled with unresolved plotlines, leading to a mix of admiration and frustration. Overall, it is recognized for its emotional depth and has been nominated for awards, appealing to those who appreciate challenging quests alongside a strong storyline.
“It's a story of poverty, domestic abuse, and crime; of struggling to overcome being a victim of others or simply of circumstance.”
“Interesting story, it shows the dark side of the Soviet Union, and how this evil state negatively affected people's lives.”
“The story is an absolute wreck of fantastic meaning that it's great and you feel very sympathetic about everything.”
“But the really egregious thing about the game is the story.”
“The main character makes loads of bad decisions along the way, over which you as the player have disappointingly little control, making him very unsympathetic and draining away any feeling of satisfaction from what might otherwise be an emotionally gut-wrenching story.”
“Although the voice acting was excellent and the main character was sympathetic, I found the game to be too short, very depressing, and full of unresolved plot lines.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game effectively captures the immersive atmosphere of a post-Soviet city in the early 1990s, resonating particularly well with players familiar with that era. Reviewers appreciate the authentic depiction of the time and place, making it a compelling experience for those seeking to relive the atmosphere of Ukraine during that period.
“If you want to feel the atmosphere of the early 1990s in Ukraine - welcome.”
“It adds to the general game atmosphere, which I find very immersive.”
“The atmosphere of the post-Soviet city in the early 90s is well conveyed.”
“If you want to feel the atmosphere of the early 1990s in Ukraine, welcome.”
“The atmosphere of the post-Soviet city in the early 90s is well conveyed.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players appreciating the simple and effective mechanics alongside a moving story, while others criticize the frustrating saving system and character AI. The puzzles are generally seen as manageable, with hints available for those who need assistance, but there is a desire for more varied endings to enhance replayability. Overall, the gameplay experience seems to evoke both enjoyment and frustration among players.
“Simple and effective gameplay with a moving story.”
“It would be nice to have several endings in the gameplay.”
“The puzzles were very doable, but it was nice to have hints available should players want or need them.”
“But considering the annoying system of saving, the stupidity of all characters, and how bad the gameplay is, I honestly regret the 8.25 euros I've spent on this game.”
“There are several comments about the gameplay.”
“As for the gameplay, it would be nice to have several endings.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautifully melancholic tone, complementing the visuals and enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the fantastic soundtrack as a standout feature that adds depth to the gameplay.
“Beautifully melancholic game with a fantastic soundtrack.”
“I really like the visuals and the musical accompaniment.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews for the graphics are notably repetitive, indicating a lack of specific feedback or detail. Overall, the graphics are likely a significant focus of discussion, but the absence of varied commentary suggests a need for more in-depth analysis.
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional impact of the story diminished by the main character's poor decisions and the lack of player control, leading to a sense of unsympathy and reducing the potential for a satisfying, gut-wrenching experience.
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to frequent miss-clicking caused by numerous small hotspots, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The grinding in this game leads to a furious amount of miss-clicking, and because there are so many small hotspots, it makes playing the game unfortunately tedious.”
“The excessive grinding results in constant frustration due to miss-clicking, making the overall experience feel tedious and unenjoyable.”
“The grinding mechanics are poorly designed, leading to a frustrating experience filled with miss-clicks and tedious gameplay.”
