Thing-in-Itself

About

"Thing-in-Itself" is a single-player Romance Interactive Fiction game with an intriguing story and good graphics, exploring the struggles of understanding another person in a relationship. This 15-minute game, based on Immanuel Kant's concept, has no win or lose conditions and features inspired voice acting, aiming to connect the mediums of game and short story. The game presents a thought-provoking, emotional journey with a modern relationship theme.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 87 reviews

story11 positive mentions

The game features excellent voice acting that effectively conveys the emotional weight of the story.
It presents a unique and interesting exploration of Kant's philosophical concept of 'thing-in-itself' through the lens of relationships.
Despite its short length, the game manages to evoke strong emotions and provoke thought about communication and understanding in relationships.

The game is extremely short, with many players feeling that it lacks depth and a compelling storyline.
Player choices have minimal impact on the outcome, leading to a sense of frustration regarding the lack of meaningful decisions.
The graphics and overall presentation are considered subpar, which detracts from the immersive experience.

story
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
78%
5%
The game's story is a brief, interactive narrative centered on the struggles of understanding relationships, particularly through the lens of a couple's disintegration. While some players appreciate its philosophical underpinnings and emotional resonance, many criticize its brevity and lack of impactful choices, leading to a feeling of incompleteness. Overall, it offers a simple yet relatable experience, but may not satisfy those seeking a deeper or more engaging storyline.
- “The story and dialogue were powerful, and most likely something most of us can relate to!”
- “Thing-in-itself is a lovely experience that uses its story to give meaning to its main concept, and both are richer because of it.”
- “Very nice, short dive into philosophy with a relatable story.”
- “It felt like the game’s story exists entirely because of lack of communication.”
- “There isn't much of a storyline, and the decisions you make change very little, if anything at all in the game.”
- “The philosophy is deep, but the story feels incomplete.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by strong voice acting and a touching narrative that resonates with players, often evoking personal reflections and feelings. While some critics question the depth of the emotional experience, many praise the game's ability to blend philosophical themes with heartfelt storytelling, creating a memorable and impactful journey. Overall, it is described as a deeply emotional experience, though some players feel it could benefit from further exploration of its philosophical elements.
- “The voice acting is very good and carries most of the emotional weight.”
- “Just be prepared for an emotional ride.”
- “It's a very touching game.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
28%
27%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and one-dimensional, with a deliberately minimalistic art style that some players appreciate for its fit with the philosophical themes. While many reviewers acknowledge that the visuals are not groundbreaking and could be improved, they often emphasize that the graphics are a minor issue compared to the engaging story and strong voice acting. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose within the context of the game, though opinions vary on their quality.
- “Great voice acting, cool visuals, and some moments got me feeling like I was there; it's haunting how cool it is to have a philosophy game... I want more!”
- “I loved the art style, sound design was good, and the voice acting was well done.”
- “Though, considering this is an indie game, I will not criticize the art style (which is facade-esque).”
- “The deliberately one-dimensional art style certainly is.”
- “The game is a text adventure, with point and click elements, which relies a lot on philosophical issues - the game revolves around a couple who's on the verge of breaking up - and way less on the graphics, since everything's flat and awfully designed.”
- “Also, the graphics are... they could be better (anyway, this is not much relevant).”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
45%
11%
The music in the game is highly praised for its fitting and emotional quality, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and narrative experience. Reviewers highlight the excellent voice acting and sound design, which together create a melancholic tone that resonates with the characters' journeys. The dynamic changes in music and sound effects throughout the story reflect the protagonist's emotional state, contributing to an immersive and engaging experience.
- “I enjoy this game for several reasons, the biggest being the music, atmosphere, and the voice acting; often this game reminded me of short films in such ways.”
- “The game has fitting music and excellent voice acting that brings Molly and Ted to life.”
- “It focuses on a concept that I knew nothing about, and brings it to life via a realistic script and melancholic tone that is set by the subtle yet powerful voice acting, and perfectly matched music.”
- “They had just returned from a party where the music was terrible.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is characterized as a simple, interactive short story experience that lasts about 15 minutes, with potential for an hour of gameplay through achievement hunting. While it effectively conveys emotions and ideas in a minimalistic format, some players feel it lacks depth compared to other games with more complex decision-making and multiple endings. The basic point-and-click mechanics may not justify the price for some, but it can be a worthwhile purchase if found on sale.
- “Now moving on to the more nitty-gritty, this game offers a unique gameplay experience and story.”
- “It is really impressive how the 'thing-in-itself' is able to convey so many ideas and emotions in such minimalistic and short gameplay.”
- “Anyway, this took about 15 minutes to play through, and I imagine a hit or miss approach to achievement hunting will net you a solid hour of gameplay overall.”
- “As you would probably expect with an interactive short story, it’s very simple in terms of gameplay.”
- “Gameplay consists of basic head cam point-and-click in an entry-level 'I just downloaded Unity for the first time' setting.”
- “I was expecting more out of it, but that may be because I am getting spoiled by games that have so many different endings and where our decisions really make a difference in gameplay and the endings.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the multiple choices and achievements that encourage additional playthroughs, others find the short duration and limited environments lead to a lack of long-term replay value. Overall, those who enjoy the experience may find enough incentive to revisit it, but many feel it ultimately lacks depth for repeated sessions.
- “There are multiple options at times, so I imagine you could get a bit of replay value from it from that perspective.”
- “The journey has 10 achievements that unlock as you choose Ted's actions and choices, which gives replayability to what would otherwise be a 15-minute short story experience.”
- “If you enjoy it enough, there's sufficient replayability and achievements to justify another couple of playthroughs.”
- “The 'journey' has 10 achievements which unlock as you choose Ted's actions/choices; this does give replayability to what would otherwise be a 15-minute short story experience.”
- “As I said, the game is rather short and it has, of course, no replayability - it takes place in the same room, and after some hours you'll have explored every possible scenario.”
- “On the other hand, it sure is short and it lacks replayability (or maybe after a month or so it will have a similar effect as during your first playthrough).”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive music and voice acting, creating a cinematic experience reminiscent of short films.
- “I enjoy this game for several reasons, the biggest being the music, atmosphere, and the voice acting; often this game reminded me of short films in many ways.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players noting its clever writing and comedic timing that enhance the overall experience. Many find the jokes and humorous situations to be well-integrated into the gameplay, contributing to a lighthearted atmosphere. Overall, the humor is considered a standout feature that adds to the game's charm.

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