Tobit
- February 14, 2019
- Vectura Games
Get on SteamA relaxing walking simulator game with biblical narration from the book of Tobit. Relive a narrated biblical story of Tobit in an engaging forest environment.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The graphics and light effects are good, creating a visually pleasing environment.
- The narration is well-performed and can be relaxing, especially when muted and paired with other music.
- It's a free game that offers a unique experience of walking through nature while listening to a biblical story.
- The walking speed is painfully slow, making the experience tedious and boring.
- The game lacks interactivity and exploration, with invisible walls and dead ends that frustrate players.
- The constant reading of biblical text detracts from the atmosphere and enjoyment, and there is no option to turn it off.
- story36 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story, based on the apocryphal text of Tobit, is criticized for its lifeless narration and lack of engaging delivery, which detracts from its rich content. While some appreciate the slow-paced exploration and the opportunity to ponder the biblical themes, many find the experience tedious and boring, particularly due to the monotonous voice acting and repetitive environment. Overall, the storytelling could benefit from a more passionate and dynamic presentation to enhance player engagement.
“The point of this game is to ponder the story of the apocryphal Bible text of Tobit, and I appreciate the relatively slow pace at which the game/story unfolds.”
“But I will at least admit that the story is very rich and does hold some okay parts, if only it was narrated with a little more love.”
“Finding items that help tell the story in that forest and then you get to hear more would be way more rewarding and help the visualization.”
“Sadly, the narrator, who's supposedly a professional voice actor, presents the entire story in such a lifeless, expressionless, and disinterested tone that it honestly feels like they're void of any interest in the actual story being told.”
“Everything just felt so dead that I honestly couldn't focus on the story no matter how hard I tried. Every time more text appeared, especially in a long paragraph, and the narrator spoke again, I just groaned in annoyance rather than listen to what came next in the story.”
“All you do is walk extremely slowly through a detailed but repetitive forest for two whole hours while a lifeless narrator tells you a story from the Bible.”
- music7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as atmospheric and pleasing, but many players found it distracting or mismatched, leading them to mute it in favor of their own playlists. The background sounds, including a Christian-themed guitar score and biblical narration, received mixed reviews, with some players wishing for an option to mute these elements for a more immersive experience. Overall, while the music contributes to the game's ambiance, it may not resonate well with all players.
“The scenery and music are very atmospheric and pleasing.”
“Good background sounds and music.”
“I ended up muting the whole game, and instead I put on some nature/piano music from Spotify that matched the game a whole lot better.”
“The sort of Christian store guitar music in the background, the narration that sounds a lot like a cassette tape of biblical stories.”
“The game itself and the music are pretty, but it can be kind of hard for some of us to hear the whole purity schtick.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its nice graphics and pleasing music, contributing to a relaxing environment. However, many users feel that excessive text reading and non-stop chatter detract significantly from the overall experience, undermining the intended ambiance.
“The graphics are nice, and there are some atmospheric sounds that are okay.”
“Scenery and music are very atmospheric and pleasing.”
“What could have been a decent atmospheric game is spoiled by the non-stop chatter.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics in '[i]tobit[/i]' are generally considered good, featuring nice visuals and effective light effects, though some users feel it resembles an unfinished tech demo despite its polished appearance. The overall aesthetic may appeal to a specific demographic, and the atmospheric sounds complement the visuals well.
“The graphics are nice, and there are some atmospheric sounds that are okay.”
“Good enough graphics and light effects.”
“I feel like I played an unfinished tech demo, but then again the visuals are way too polished and the narrator's voice is way too professional to be 'just a tech demo'...”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for being excessively slow and tedious, with players often feeling disengaged and frustrated by the lack of meaningful interaction and the monotonous walking through an unremarkable environment. The incorporation of a dull biblical narrative further detracts from the experience, leading to a sense of boredom and a desire for the game to end.
“It just becomes a trudge within the first 5 minutes of gameplay and ultimately makes you wonder when the game will be over.”
“But even with that, the game as a whole is still a huge slog with gameplay so unhurried that you'll either quit before you even make it halfway or spend the majority of the time either laughing maniacally as your sanity slowly diminishes or continuously complain to yourself about the length of the game and when it'll finally be over.”
“The gameplay consists solely of painfully slow walking along the totally unremarkable map while some guy with an unexpressive voice preaches some impossibly boring story from the bible.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a double-edged sword; while some players find themselves laughing maniacally out of boredom due to the slow pacing, others feel that the experience is more of a frustrating slog than a genuinely funny one. Overall, the humor seems to stem from the absurdity of the situation rather than intentional comedic elements.
“The last half consisted of me almost going insane, laughing out of boredom because of how badly my senses were being deprived.”
“Even with that, the game as a whole is still a huge slog with gameplay so unhurried that you'll either quit before you even make it halfway or spend the majority of the time laughing maniacally as your sanity slowly diminishes.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with players finding the story dull and the narrator's delivery uninspired, leading to a lack of engagement. The beautiful forest setting fails to compensate for the monotonous gameplay and unremarkable narrative, resulting in an overall uninspiring emotional experience.
“On top of an already boring story told by a bored-sounding narrator, you're also placed in a forest that, despite being beautiful, is the only thing you see.”
“The gameplay consists solely of painfully slow walking along the totally unremarkable map while some guy with an unexpressive voice preaches an impossibly boring story from the Bible.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game received mixed feedback, with users noting that while the voiceover performances were satisfactory, they did not significantly enhance the overall experience.
