Trials of Harmony ~ Experimental Visual Novel

About

"Trials of Harmony" is an experimental visual novel that traps you in a death game, accessible only through a mobile messaging app. You must guide a group of survivors through a series of twisted trials, making decisions that determine who lives or dies. The game features logic riddles, word-puzzles, and a points-based system, with an estimated 10 hours of nail-biting gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Trials of Harmony ~ Experimental Visual Novel screenshot

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 17 reviews

story6 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a unique phone interface that enhances immersion and adds a fresh twist to the visual novel genre.
The writing is generally well-crafted, with natural dialogue and interesting characters that keep players engaged.
The soundtrack and sound design are well-executed, effectively complementing the game's atmosphere and enhancing the overall experience.

Puzzles can be overly simplistic or derivative, lacking originality and often requiring external help to solve.
The text speed is frustratingly slow, and the auto-advancement feature can disrupt the flow of the narrative, making it tedious to progress.
Character development is inconsistent, with some characters feeling underexplored and the antagonist's motivations lacking depth.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
53%
16%
The story of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and suspenseful, particularly from chapter six onwards, while others criticize the early chapters as tedious and lacking entertainment value. The narrative is noted for its immersive presentation through an IM interface, though some feel it suffers from derivative elements and a lack of meaningful player choices. Overall, while the story has its strengths, it may require patience to fully appreciate.
- “It has a wonderful story that keeps suspense rolling, as well as characters that are fun and enjoyable to the umpteenth degree.”
- “Although the premise is a touch derivative (primarily of the zero escape games, with a hint of danganronpa), and although there is the occasional typo, awkward word choice, or monologue that would be thumb-cramping for someone to type on their phone in real life, overall this phone-chat visual novel tells a satisfying story.”
- “The characters are well defined and the story keeps you entertained until the end.”
- “The story lacks even the slightest bit of entertainment value until the final act.”
- “It's so extraordinarily tedious to play through, despite the intrigue I have about the story.”
- “This game would be better written as a text-based story than a phone-mystery novel because the main chatroom feels really dead, and everyone just seems to wait on one person to send a message.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, seamlessly transitioning between relaxed and tense themes that align perfectly with the narrative's emotional shifts. While some players find the music soothing to the point of inducing sleepiness, the overall sound design and melodies are considered a standout feature, reminiscent of industrial electronic styles that complement the game's unique smartphone interface.
- “The soundtrack and sound design is where the game shines.”
- “The soundtrack seems to always fit the atmosphere perfectly — whether it's relaxed, upbeat music when the characters are chatting at the start of a new day, or tense, agitated music when dealing with the psychotically-minded game master in charge of the death games, the audio experience never feels out of step.”
- “Atmospheric music choices, clever use of the phone interface and chat concept, nice and judicious use of effects.”
- “The idea of a death game all set within the confines of a smartphone interface is a neat idea, but that means other aspects, such as the music, atmosphere, and text, have to make up for the lack of visual elements typically presented in a visual novel.”
- “It doesn't help that the music makes me sleepy, especially since the game takes forever to complete.”
- “I hate to sound like a broken record, but it is reminiscent of the grungy industrial electronic music of 999.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Gameplay is characterized by a straightforward "fill in the blanks" mechanic that involves spelling or selecting answers, which allows for smooth progression. While some users find the chat and mini-game mechanics awkward and note issues with unskippable credits, these elements do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “The plus side being that there's minimal friction between mechanics and forward progression.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's not very complex.”
- “It’s a 'fill in the blanks' type of mechanic, whereby you either spell out what needs to be done out of a preset combination of letters or pick a certain answer.”
- “My only complaints are achievements behind unskippable credits and that the chat and mini-game mechanics are a bit awkward at times, but nothing that ruins the game.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is effectively crafted through a well-suited soundtrack that enhances both relaxed and tense moments, complementing the unique smartphone interface. The clever use of audio and visual elements creates an engaging experience reminiscent of the Zero Escape series, appealing to fans of atmospheric storytelling in visual novels.
- “The soundtrack seems to always fit the atmosphere perfectly — whether it's relaxed, upbeat music when the characters are chatting amongst themselves at the start of a new day, or tense, agitated music when dealing with the psychotically-minded game master in charge of the death games. The audio experience never feels out of step.”
- “Atmospheric music choices, clever use of the phone interface and chat concept, and nice, judicious use of effects.”
- “The idea of a death game all set within the confines of a smartphone interface is a neat concept, but that means other aspects, such as the music, atmosphere, and text, have to compensate for the limited visual elements typically presented in a visual novel.”
- “The atmosphere reminds me a little of the Zero Escape games, so if you are a fan of any of the games I mentioned, you might enjoy Trials of Harmony as well.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The graphics of the game are noted for their unique aesthetic, particularly appealing to fans of mobile gaming and visual novels. While it may not offer the detailed environments and character expressions found in other titles, it effectively captures the escape room theme with a distinct anime style that may attract players who appreciate this genre.
- “If you are interested in the concept of an escape room themed visual novel, but if the anime aesthetic and its associated tropes put you off, this is a good one of those that may be more to your liking.”
- “I've played my share of death/survival games, and the only thing that makes this stand out is the aesthetic and the fact that it's on a phone.”
- “So if you're all about exploring branching paths in visual novels, do set your expectations accordingly.”
- “In a game like 999 or VLR, you have graphics that visualize the environment, and character portraits have different expressions and so forth.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, which detracts from their overall enjoyment, even though they remain intrigued by the story.
- “It's so extraordinarily tedious to play through, despite the intrigue I have about the story.”
- “The grinding feels endless and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- “I find myself doing the same repetitive tasks over and over, which makes the game feel like a chore.”