The Works of Mercy
- September 26, 2018
- Peпtacle
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamThe Works of Mercy is a psychological thriller. The game's plot revolves around mysterious killings committed on seemingly random victims. Only this time it's the player who becomes the murderer.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The graphics are beautiful and atmospheric, showcasing the potential of the Unreal Engine.
- The voice acting is surprisingly good, adding some depth to the experience.
- The game offers a unique concept of moral choices that affect the outcome, which can be intriguing for players.
- The game is extremely short, taking less than an hour to complete, and lacks a save feature, forcing players to restart if they exit.
- Many players experienced numerous bugs and glitches, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
- The story is poorly executed, with vague plot points and choices that often feel meaningless, leaving players confused and unsatisfied.
- story92 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its intriguing premise but criticizing its execution. While some appreciated the psychological horror elements and potential for depth, others found the narrative linear, poorly developed, and lacking in meaningful choices or consequences. Overall, the story is seen as a missed opportunity, overshadowed by technical issues and a lack of engagement.
“On a brighter note, the story is good.”
“The storyline is really good.”
“Great story, interesting gameplay.”
“The story wasn't built properly; everything lacked weight due to long waiting times, the absence of consequences and reactions of anyone and everything, including the main character, whose changes in psyche weren't palpable at all.”
“The plot makes zero sense, it's boring, and there's literally no point to any of it.”
“The graphics are nice, and the story is there, but it was poorly executed with sub-par voice acting, no driving force, and little to no explanation of certain interactions in the game.”
- graphics80 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising their realism and quality, particularly for an indie title, while others express disappointment over significant downgrades from initial trailers and demos. Despite the impressive visuals, several players note that the game's execution, story, and performance issues detract from the overall experience, leading to a sentiment that the graphics alone cannot redeem the game's shortcomings. Overall, while the graphics are a highlight, they are marred by bugs and a lack of optimization.
“Amazing graphics, realistic and very disturbing but also confusing but worth playing.”
“The graphics of the house are gorgeous, although I feel the character models could have had a bit more work done.”
“For the first 10 minutes of gameplay, I was still impressed by the realistic graphics and textures of the game.”
“Graphics are majorly downgraded compared to the trailer and early demo; the game has loads of bugs and long waiting times between and after the given objectives.”
“The graphics have also been severely downgraded from what was shown initially, and roughly 80% of what was shown on the Kickstarter has been left out.”
“The graphics have been severely downgraded, performance has tanked, there is no save function whatsoever, it's increasingly difficult to figure out what you need to do, and worst of all, it lasts less than an hour of playtime.”
- gameplay42 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its linearity and lack of meaningful choices, leading to a disappointing experience that fails to encourage replayability. Many players found the mechanics shallow, with the game often described as a walking simulator, and noted that the short gameplay time and bugs detracted from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciated the graphics and story, the consensus is that the gameplay does not live up to expectations.
“For the first 10 minutes of gameplay, I was still impressed by the realistic graphics and textures of the game.”
“I think the gameplay is different; I do wish it was longer, but besides that, I do recommend this game.”
“Great story, interesting gameplay.”
“Decisions have no impact on gameplay and are very linear.”
“The gameplay is so straightforward that the story is losing its potential, which is why it's such a boring game.”
“There wasn't enough gameplay to keep me engaged, nor was there enough of the thought-provoking content I was promised.”
- stability12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent freezes and crashes after just a few minutes of play. Players have reported numerous graphical glitches, incorrect subtitles, and various bugs that detract from the overall experience, leading to a frustrating gameplay environment. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, with many users expressing dissatisfaction due to the persistent technical problems.
“Game freezes and shuts down after a few minutes.”
“The final game is buggy, the subtitles are often incorrect, the sound appears to be sleazy, and the biggest lack of the game is the short gameplay time.”
“80 minutes of bugs and glitches.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game received mixed feedback; while some players appreciated the quality of the music and voice acting, noting specific tracks as enjoyable, others pointed out that the game featured very little music and sound overall.
“The music was good.”
“"I like it when a woman smells of mint" was nice, and the color distortion and music were a very nice part in my eyes.”
“The game had very few music and sound in it.”
“The voice acting is fine for an indie project, same with the music.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "The Works of Mercy" is described as eerie and intense, successfully creating a creepy ambiance. However, some users note that the combination of poorly designed human models and random disco lights detracts from the overall horror experience, resulting in a somewhat inconsistent atmosphere.
“The atmosphere is great.”
“The works of mercy manages (somehow) to combine awfully looking human models with a pretty lame horror atmosphere while also adding a bit of walking simulator and random disco lights from time to time.”
“Eerie, intense, and definitely created a creepy atmosphere.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users noting that it is short, can be completed in about an hour, and feels overpriced for the experience it offers. Overall, players express that there is little incentive to play again after the initial run.
“It was okay and the story was alright but short and too expensive for a game with pretty much zero replayability that you can beat in an hour.”
“I feel like the game has 0% replayability if it was even playable the first time.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by clever elements like the language sliding bar, which initially confuses players but ultimately leads to amusing interactions, particularly with characters like Eugene. This blend of unexpected comedic moments adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience.
“The language sliding bar was a nice little bit that made me laugh at the beginning. At first, I thought the devs just didn't want me to see my own reflection, then you know... I spoke to Eugene/my listy boi.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is heavily criticized, with reports of severely downgraded graphics, poor performance, a lack of a save function, and confusing gameplay, all contributing to a frustrating experience that lasts less than an hour.
“The graphics have been severely downgraded, performance has tanked, there is no save function whatsoever, it's increasingly difficult to figure out what you need to do, and worst of all, it lasts less than an hour of playtime.”
