The Samaritan Paradox
- April 18, 2014
- Faravid Interactive
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"The Samaritan Paradox" is a point-and-click adventure game where you play as a retired professor trying to solve a mystery surrounding a dead friend and a controversial ancient artifact. Using your wits and the help of questionable characters, you'll explore a world of intrigue, moral dilemmas, and dangerous consequences. The game features challenging puzzles, a rich narrative, and multiple endings based on your choices.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features an interesting and original story that keeps players engaged throughout.
- Puzzles are challenging and mostly self-contained, providing a satisfying experience for players who enjoy problem-solving.
- The retro pixel art style and haunting audio contribute to a unique atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- The game suffers from pixel hunting and clunky controls, making it frustrating to interact with certain objects.
- The ending feels rushed and unsatisfying, leaving many plot points unresolved and disappointing players.
- Voice acting quality is inconsistent, with some performances feeling amateurish and detracting from the immersion.
- story90 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mix of intriguing and original elements, featuring dark themes and unexpected twists, though it suffers from inconsistencies and plot holes that detract from the overall experience. While some players found the narrative engaging and well-developed, others criticized it for being poorly executed and lacking emotional depth. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a highlight for some, but it is marred by frustrating puzzles and uneven voice acting.
“The story is just fantastic and really well done!”
“Great old-school graphic adventure with an interesting plot and some shocking twists in the story as we dig deeper in the mystery that lies in there.”
“Fantastic, gripping story that leaves you eager to see what will happen next.”
“I think the game is meant to have a sort of dark and gritty tone, but it never shone through, making some of the story beats feel horribly out of place, especially the 'twist' ending, which was utterly unpredictable and came entirely by surprise with no foreshadowing of any kind at all.”
“The story is mediocre.”
“It was not very engaging and its story was all over the place, giving no real satisfaction in the end.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a divisive aspect, with many reviewers noting the use of outdated pixel art that lacks detail and can hinder gameplay, particularly in puzzle-solving. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and find the pixel artwork enjoyable, others criticize it for being mediocre and poorly executed, leading to frustration with visibility and interaction. Overall, the graphics evoke a retro feel reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures, but they often fall short of modern standards.
“Nice pixel artwork, fitting music, suitable sound effects and a thrilling and unique story!”
“The story was pretty interesting, complete with a sick twist; the puzzles were fairly challenging and varied; and the graphics, though pixelated to bring old point-and-clicks to mind, have fairly fluid movement that makes sense.”
“Great old-school graphic adventure with an interesting plot and some shocking twists in the story as we dig deeper in the mystery that lies in there.”
“There are lots of pixel-graphics games out there that look way better than this.”
“A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“More often than not, I was simply stumped by the graphics; there were a lot of key set pieces that were tough to make out, meaning I never thought to mouse over them in order to find my next clue.”
- music17 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its haunting quality and pleasantness, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and fitting various scenarios. While some users noted that the music occasionally clashes with the game's themes, it is often described as a strong element that complements the visuals and storytelling. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing positively to the gaming experience despite some technical issues.
“The music is also quite pleasant though it doesn’t always fit the theme.”
“This attention-grabbing style of storytelling and graphical coolness was supported soundly by a great soundtrack.”
“Worst adventure game I've played in a long time, really bad. Technically the worst one I've ever played (music stops as soon as voice acting starts, controls suck, horrible scrolling, washed out graphics, horrible font, locks up when you alt-tab out of the game to read a walkthrough, almost no sound effects).”
“Bottom line - I'm all for challenging riddles and what not, but if it requires me to know music theory and Greek mythology and make the right guess, then this game wants me to play with a walkthrough.”
“Music: subtle and well-matched for the different sections of the game.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the puzzle mechanics and the unique "two worlds" feature, while others criticize the obtuse puzzles, pixel hunting, and frustrating quick-time events. Technical issues, such as character clipping, further detract from the experience, leading to a general consensus that while the game has potential, it suffers from significant gameplay flaws.
“The puzzles and gameplay aspects other than stuff I mentioned above are actually pretty good.”
“I particularly liked the 'two worlds' gameplay, which offsets the rather serious and somber tone of the main story.”
“But, you know, it's still a good adventure game mechanically.”
“As a first problem, the gameplay features obtuse puzzles, pixel hunting, and frequent quick-timed actions, all of which are extremely frustrating.”
“While thankfully short, the mechanics for these were woeful; your character often clips through doors and hiding spots only to be discovered and start the sequence over, which was pretty annoying.”
“Gameplay: 2/5.....(basic point & click)”
- emotional4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has received criticism for its shallow characters and a story that feels both boring and forced, lacking depth despite attempts at seriousness. Players have noted issues with the game's interface and voice acting, which detract from the overall emotional experience.
“You are looking for a deep emotional story; however, I felt the characters were a bit shallow despite the seriousness of the narrative.”
“It feels like the emotional elements have been included primarily for their impact.”
“The story is boring and the game is buggy.”
“It's a pixel hunting game with a clunky interface, bland voice acting, and a dull story.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating and tedious, which detracts from immersion. While some stealth segments are also seen as tedious, the puzzle difficulty strikes a balance that is generally well-received.
“As a result, frustration and tediousness take over and completely break any sort of immersion.”
“The grinding feels excessively repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“The amount of time required to level up is overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including numerous bugs and malfunctioning achievements, which detract from the overall experience.
“Boring story, buggy game.”
“On top of this, it is buggy and achievements do not work properly.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game lacks humor, with users noting its dark and twisted narrative that feels more Nordic than comedic. Unlike classic titles like Monkey Island, it fails to incorporate any lighthearted elements, resulting in a serious and ultimately boring experience.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a bleak and depressing tone, which significantly impacts players' emotions, often leaving them feeling similarly downcast.
“The main characters and general atmosphere are so bleak and depressing that it's kind of made me depressed as well.”
“The game lacks any sense of immersion, making it hard to feel connected to the world.”
“The overall vibe feels lifeless and uninspired, which detracts from the experience.”
