The Whisperer
- December 16, 2021
- Studio Chien d'Or
Get on Steam"The Whisperer is a single-player Horror Point and Click game set in 1814 Lower Canada, where players investigate an abandoned trading post and solve puzzles to uncover the truth behind two winterers' disappearance. With an intriguing story, pretty visuals, and a creepy atmosphere, the game offers an authentic point-and-click experience, serving as a prelude to The Whispering Valley. The game lasts around 45 minutes."
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Gog Com
Reviews
- The game has a captivating atmosphere and sound design that effectively creates a creepy and immersive experience.
- It serves as a solid prologue to a larger game, generating anticipation for the upcoming title, The Whispering Valley.
- The visuals, while simplistic, are well-executed and evoke a strong sense of place, particularly in the winter setting.
- The game is extremely short, often completed in under an hour, leading many to feel it should be free or priced much lower.
- Gameplay mechanics are clunky, with issues such as pixel hunting and a sluggish inventory system that can frustrate players.
- The story is vague and lacks depth, with minimal narrative development that leaves players confused about the plot and character motivations.
- story45 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story is a brief prelude to a larger game, centered around the mysterious disappearance of individuals in a cold Canadian winter, but it often feels vague and underdeveloped, with minimal narrative depth conveyed through a few notes. While some players appreciated the atmospheric setting and engaging premise, many found the storytelling lacking, leading to confusion and a sense of incompleteness. Overall, the game offers a short, immersive experience that leaves players wanting more in terms of narrative clarity and challenge.
“It's one of those very rare cases of classic 1st person point-and-click adventures with excellent atmosphere, aesthetics, and an engaging story.”
“The whisperer did its job as a prologue well; I'm hooked to see where this story will go next and I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel to come out.”
“The atmosphere is wonderfully rich and immersive, the story is immediately compelling, and the gameplay is incredibly intuitive.”
“This one has almost no story, so it's difficult to see how it might be a prelude, and if this is anything like the game it is to precede, I won't get that game either.”
“The 'mystery' you are meant to solve is not really a mystery; the story is told in a few short notes but doesn't make much sense and is pretty straightforward.”
“I think that there was supposed to be a story, but it was told in a way that I didn't really care, had no motivation to move forward, and the ending had no impact whatsoever.”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its creepy, immersive qualities, effectively creating a sense of isolation and tension that enhances the horror experience. While many reviewers appreciate the rich sound design and visuals, some note that the game is short and lacks depth in gameplay mechanics and story. Overall, the atmospheric elements are considered a strong point, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of point-and-click adventures.
“The atmosphere is wonderfully rich and immersive, the story is immediately compelling and the gameplay is incredibly intuitive.”
“Mysteriously chilling atmosphere with classic mid-2000s point & click vibes.”
“The atmosphere and narrative of the whisperer is compelling and foreshadows promising things to come in the whispering valley.”
“It's really a click-fest, but at least it's got a creepy atmosphere and is available cheaply.”
“There was a very ominous atmosphere that was unnerving, even though barely anything happens.”
“Together with a simple but somber soundtrack, they really emphasize the oppressive atmosphere of the game.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as good, with a simplistic yet effective aesthetic that enhances the atmospheric experience, particularly in its winter horror setting. While some players noted that the visuals can be basic, they also appreciated the attention to detail in creating a desolate environment, complemented by strong sound design. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's eerie ambiance, despite some criticisms regarding movement controls and occasional lag.
“The setting itself is really cool, and the visuals, while basic, are actually pretty nice.”
“I'm a sucker for winter horror and the whisperer nails the snowstorm aesthetic very well.”
“The audio and the visuals capture the loneliness and desolation of a winter wilderness so well that it doesn't matter that you're wandering around in broad daylight.”
“The gameplay is a mix of weird point and click controls, laggy visuals, long loading times, and running back and forth across the (admittedly small) map multiple times.”
“Point and click, low graphic quality, not a horror game in the least, absolutely not story rich, as I think 4 or 5 notes you pick up throughout the entire 30 minutes of gameplay (10 of which were retracing steps or repeatedly attempting an action to find just the right spot to click) covers the whole story.”
“- graphics: game looks simplistic but there is something about the snow piles and sparse brush that makes the land feel desolate and some areas inside buildings look particularly nice.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a straightforward 3D point-and-click adventure, praised for its rich atmosphere and intuitive mechanics, but marred by clunky controls, bugs, and laggy visuals. While some players enjoyed the classic indie horror experience and found the gameplay engaging, others reported frustrations with interaction issues and repetitive navigation across a small map. Overall, the gameplay offers a mix of charm and challenges, appealing to fans of the genre despite its technical shortcomings.
“The whisperer is a very classic indie horror experience, it has the moody, isolated atmosphere to feel lost in, a lot of mysteries and the point & click gameplay adds to a certain old-fashioned charm - who doesn’t like a classic?”
“The atmosphere is wonderfully rich and immersive, the story is immediately compelling and the gameplay is incredibly intuitive.”
“Inspired from scratches, the game uses similar mouse controls to explore around and the gameplay is mostly straightforward.”
“Gameplay itself is alright, but a bit buggy; I found that I needed to click slightly below things to have the game register my clicks, and any time I'd finish interacting with an object (in the world or in my inventory) my camera would shoot upwards slightly.”
“The gameplay is a mix of weird point and click controls, laggy visuals, long loading times, and running back and forth across the (admittedly small) map multiple times.”
“Looks nice and has a nice atmosphere, but the mechanics are clunky and quickly became a frustration.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's music is minimal, primarily relying on diegetic audio to enhance the atmosphere, yet it effectively contributes to the overall spookiness. Reviewers praise the sound design and a simple, somber soundtrack that together create an oppressive and immersive experience.
“Great music and fantastic sound design really carry most of the game's attempts at spookiness.”
“It's very spooky and atmospheric, and the music and visuals are great.”
“Together with a simple but somber soundtrack, they really emphasize the oppressive atmosphere of the game.”
“There's not much music to speak of in the game; it uses diegetic audio to help build the atmosphere.”
“Together with a simple but somber soundtrack, it really emphasizes the oppressive atmosphere of the game.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized for lacking transparency and fairness, as developers did not credit the original creators of the game assets, leading to accusations of plagiarism and labeling the game as a cash grab. Additionally, the game appears to serve more as an advertisement for another potentially similar title, raising concerns about its overall value.
“The developers didn't provide up-front credits for any of the artists and real game developers who created the assets, so this feels like plagiarism and a cash grab.”
“This asset flip is more of an advertisement for another game the developer made, which is probably also an asset flip.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, primarily due to its short duration of around 45 minutes and a lack of features like achievements, secrets, or alternate endings that could enhance the experience. Players suggest that adding such elements could improve replay value.
“The game offers a variety of choices that can lead to different outcomes, making each playthrough feel unique and engaging.”
“With multiple paths and hidden content, I found myself wanting to replay the game to discover everything it has to offer.”
“I think the developer could add some simple things like achievements and maybe some secrets or alternate endings to introduce some more replayability.”
“But be aware that this game is short (I beat it in ~45 minutes) and doesn't offer much replay value.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits notable stability issues, with users reporting bugs that affect gameplay, such as misaligned click registration and erratic camera movements after interactions. Despite these problems, there is optimism for future improvements and a desire to explore the game further.
“Gameplay itself is alright, but a bit buggy; I found that I needed to click slightly below things to have the game register my clicks, and any time I finished interacting with an object (in the world or in my inventory), my camera would shoot upwards slightly.”
“I'm definitely interested in looking into Whispering Valley in the future, though I hope for a longer, less buggy game.”
