The VII Enigma

About

Fate, love, death... Can the enigma be solved? The VII Enigmais a character-driven sci-fi mystery visual novel. Set in a shadowy world of dystopian conspiracy, you must defy the fabric of reality, navigating the desperate path to the 'true end' against the tyranny of time itself.

Genres & Tags

Adventure

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

story24 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The VII Enigma features a compelling sci-fi story that explores deep themes of personal connections, societal issues, and the consequences of choices, keeping players emotionally engaged throughout.
The character development and backstory are well-crafted, providing an emotional rollercoaster that enhances the overall narrative experience.
The soundtrack is memorable and effectively complements the story, enhancing the emotional impact of key scenes.

The initial pacing can be overwhelming due to heavy exposition and scientific concepts, which may deter players who are not fans of science fiction.
Some character designs and art styles may appear inconsistent or unappealing, potentially affecting immersion for certain players.
The gameplay is mostly linear with limited choices, and some choices can lead to abrupt bad endings without clear indications, which may frustrate players.

story
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
3%
The story of 'The VII Enigma' is a complex sci-fi visual novel that explores themes of personal connections, societal power struggles, and the consequences of choices through a time travel narrative. While the beginning may feel slow and laden with exposition, the plot deepens significantly in the latter chapters, revealing engaging character arcs and unexpected twists that keep players invested. Despite some criticisms regarding pacing and character development in the finale, the overall writing quality and emotional depth make it a compelling experience for fans of the genre.
- “The story kept me intrigued from the very start, and I've only been more and more absorbed by it the further it went on.”
- “Moreover, the stakes keep rising as we progress through the story, with things getting more intense with each chapter, the hair-thin narrow escapes the characters experience that keep you on the edge of your seat, and the clever use of the game's sci-fi concept that we didn't think of at first but end up realizing with sudden 'aha' moments when they happen.”
- “Although this story does start off using well-established sci-fi tropes, the further the story goes, the more it deviates from the norms, and the more it shifts into something more character-driven and psychological.”
- “Being the first big work of the author, some moments in the beginning change the pace of the story too suddenly, and the last chapters reminded me of silly action movies from the 90s.”
- “Way too positive reviews state the finale is emotional, but while I was engaged in the story during the middle part, most characters went off the radar for the sake of the main ones near the finale, and the villains were acting not far from classic popcorn movie ones, describing their actions and making silly mistakes.”
- “I understand going for darker and more debatable takes on some themes present in the story, but the true ending felt like an unworthy happy one for most characters, pushing the deus-ex-machina trope quite a bit.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The graphics are generally considered decent, featuring a unique non-anime aesthetic that sets it apart from many visual novels. While some users found the character art inconsistent with the backgrounds, the dialogue busts were well-received, and many noted that immersion into the game quickly overcomes initial hesitations about the visuals. Overall, for an indie studio with a limited budget, the graphics are appreciated for their artistic effort.
- “I generally enjoyed the visual aesthetic, and it is among the minority of visual novels that has non-anime visuals.”
- “In an artistic sense, for a little indie studio without a budget from a Kickstarter campaign, the graphics are nice and the music is fine.”
- “I admit I went in with pretty low expectations, because for me personally I don’t really like how the graphics look (character art mainly).”
- “The images of the full character models that we see at times may look a little different and odd in their art style to some of the backgrounds, but the busts during dialogues are pretty great.”
- “The visuals are decent.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's soundtrack is widely praised for enhancing the story and emotional depth, making it a standout feature. While the music is generally well-received, some tracks are noted as overused, which diminishes their impact despite the promise of a larger variety. Overall, the integration of music with the plot and characters is seen as a key strength of the game.
- “The story and emotions are greatly enhanced by the excellent soundtrack the game has.”
- “The soundtrack is very good, and for me, it was a big highlight.”
- “Few music tracks felt overused compared to the promised 30+ songs, lowering the impact of these.”
- “In a nutshell, it's the weaving of the plot, the characters, and the soundtrack that make it.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its ability to evoke a wide range of emotions, with memorable music enhancing the experience during both tense and heartfelt moments. However, some reviewers felt that the emotional impact diminished towards the finale, as secondary characters were sidelined and villains resorted to clichéd behaviors, detracting from the overall emotional depth.
- “There were many moments that took us on an emotional rollercoaster and had me asking myself the difficult questions about our existence.”
- “Virtually every tune is memorable and conveys the emotions of the scene, whether it's tension during high-stakes scenes or tugging at our heartstrings during emotional moments.”
- “That was quite the emotional roller coaster.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The gameplay is primarily linear, requiring minimal player input, with most interactions limited to making occasional choices presented throughout the plot.
- “The gameplay is mostly linear, requiring little from the player aside from making occasional choices.”
- “The gameplay feels restrictive, as the plot is primarily linear and offers minimal player agency.”
- “Overall, the gameplay lacks depth, with most of the experience revolving around predetermined choices.”