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The Thin Silence

A basic platform-puzzle game which confuses as often as it frustrates.
The Thin Silence Game Cover
57%Game Brain Score
story, music
gameplay, atmosphere
84% User Score Based on 19 reviews
Critic Score 56%Based on 4 reviews

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The Thin Silence Game Cover

About

The Thin Silence is a single player action game. It was developed by TwoPM Studios and was released on April 27, 2018. It received neutral reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"The Thin Silence" is a narrative-driven adventure game following Ezra Westmark's journey out of self-imposed exile, exploring themes of depression, self-doubt, and trials. With a unique item-vs-environment interaction mechanic, players navigate 4-5 hours of challenging gameplay, interspersed with moments of quiet contemplation and stunning visuals. This game emphasizes endurance through difficult moments rather than success.

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The Thin Silence screenshot
The Thin Silence screenshot
The Thin Silence screenshot
The Thin Silence screenshot
The Thin Silence screenshot
The Thin Silence screenshot
The Thin Silence screenshot
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84%
Audience ScoreBased on 19 reviews
story9 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • The Thin Silence features a compelling and emotional storyline that effectively explores themes of depression and self-doubt.
  • The crafting system is engaging and adds depth to the gameplay, allowing players to create useful items to solve puzzles.
  • The atmospheric music and pixel art graphics enhance the overall experience, creating a moody and immersive environment.
  • The character's movement is excessively slow, which can hinder exploration and frustrate players.
  • The story is often disjointed and confusing, making it difficult for players to fully grasp the narrative.
  • The user interface and control scheme are clunky, with limited customization options that detract from the overall gameplay experience.
  • story
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "The Thin Silence" is a complex and engaging exploration of mental health and recovery, featuring a protagonist named Ezra whose journey intertwines personal struggles with broader political themes. While the narrative is praised for its emotional depth and character connections, many players find it disjointed and confusing, with some elements failing to cohesively mesh, leading to a less satisfying overall experience. Despite its shortcomings, the game is recognized for its gripping plot and the meaningful way it addresses stigmatized issues surrounding mental illness.

    • “The thin silence is a well-crafted game that weaves the intricacies of mental disorder into a storyline of recovery and self-worth.”
    • “Twopm studios manages to create an intriguing story revolving around mental health issues that are even today unjustly stigmatized.”
    • “It tells a story of hope and meticulously explains it.”
    • “The story is so disjointed and confusing in an obvious but poor attempt to be vague that the only reason I finished the game was because I was hoping I might finally get some good answers at the end.”
    • “Since it also covers broad spectrums of mental illness and political topics, the story and its original meaning seem to be lost sometimes, especially in a game that only takes roughly four hours to beat.”
    • “The game has several pieces of story that do not mesh at all well together.”
  • music
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its beautiful and calming qualities that complement the game's slow pace and emotional depth. The ambient soundtrack effectively creates a melancholic mood, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Overall, players find the music to be a standout feature, adding a relaxing and immersive layer to the gameplay.

    • “Beautiful music too.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is very depressed, the ambient soundtrack fits that mood (it’s really good by the way).”
    • “You can feel depressed and sad in movies with such slow-paced scenery, calm music, and a dark atmosphere, but not in a game like this.”
    • “The game pace is slow, but atmospheric, and the music adds a lot to the overall feel.”
    • “Nice platformer/puzzle game, with a relaxing atmosphere and music.”
  • gameplay
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay primarily involves progressing through the map by solving logic and word puzzles, which are complemented by a gripping plot and solid core mechanics. However, some players feel that the character's emotional struggles could be better integrated into the gameplay experience. Additionally, the introduction of new items can create a sense of disorientation, challenging players to adapt to evolving mechanics.

    • “The gameplay centers around progressing through the map by solving logic and word puzzles.”
    • “What the thin silence lacks in terms of graphics is more than made up for in terms of its gripping plot and its solid core gameplay mechanics.”
    • “I do wish the character's turmoil had more representation in the gameplay (e.g. like when you want to read that note and the character refuses).”
    • “This level of emphasis makes it hard to root against, despite its shortcomings from a gameplay perspective.”
    • “Just as the player gets comfortable with the game’s mechanics, a new item is introduced and players are immediately disoriented.”
  • atmosphere
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is described as deeply depressing and eerie, effectively conveyed through slow-paced scenery, a fitting ambient soundtrack, and moments of silence that enhance the emotional weight. This combination creates a nuanced experience that invites players into the complex mind of the protagonist, reflecting the struggles associated with depression.

    • “The game pace is slow, but atmospheric, and the music adds a lot to the overall feel.”
    • “The thin silence is atmospheric, dark, and eerie, succeeding in bringing to light some of the struggles that those who deal with depression face every day.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is very depressing; the ambient soundtrack fits that mood (it’s really good, by the way).”
    • “Pervasive depressing atmosphere.”
    • “The silence adds nuance to the game, building to the atmosphere and seeming to provide an avenue for players to gain entrance into Ezra’s wonderfully multifaceted mind.”
  • graphics
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics feature appealing pixel art and well-designed backgrounds that enhance the game's emotional depth, though they may not fully capture the essence of influential characters. While some players feel the visuals are adequate, they believe the game's strong narrative and gameplay compensate for any graphical shortcomings.

    • “The pixel graphics and backgrounds look good and work well for the game.”
    • “The feelings of the character are considered at all times, which shows in the background with text and visuals alike.”
    • “The graphics are good for what you get.”
    • “However, the pixel graphics didn’t convey the characteristics you’d expect from influential people.”
    • “What the thin silence lacks in terms of graphics is more than made up for in terms of its gripping plot and its solid core gameplay mechanics.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game aims to explore deep emotional themes such as suicide and depression through its main character, but some players feel it falls short of delivering a profound experience, often resorting to superficial narratives. However, the carefully crafted levels and challenging puzzles foster an intimate emotional connection between the character and players, enhancing the overall emotional journey.

    • “Players progress through this emotional and touching storyline by completing carefully crafted levels that are comprised of challenging puzzles and making use of various items that they pick up over time.”
    • “The similarity in Ezra’s and players’ labors helps players forge an intimate emotional bond.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the cumbersome inventory and crafting system, which can lead to frustration when trying to discover item combinations. The lack of a speed-up option further compounds the slow pace, making the experience feel laborious and potentially discouraging.

    • “Inventory and crafting can be tedious; a few times I didn't realize what combinations of items I hadn't tried, and it nearly made me quit (exacerbated by the lack of guides available).”
    • “With no speed-up button, the game forces you to take things nice and tediously slow.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is criticized for being disjointed and lacking depth, leaving players unsatisfied with the story and exploration of themes like depression.

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56%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

The Thin Silence is a action game.

The Thin Silence is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

The Thin Silence was released on April 27, 2018.

The Thin Silence was developed by TwoPM Studios.

The Thin Silence has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

The Thin Silence is a single player game.

Similar games include Sea of Solitude, Minute of Islands, Call of the Sea, Shady Part of Me, Ether One and others.