Trick and Treat - Visual Novel | Game Brain

Trick and Treat - Visual Novel Game Cover

"Trick and Treat - Visual Novel" is a thrilling mystery visual novel that takes place in a forest with a legendary monster. After an attack, the protagonist encounters two girls, Ashley and Lilian, whose intentions and hidden secrets are unclear. The game is in English and offers about 3 hours of gameplay with a little romance.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,419 reviews

story424 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

Engaging story with multiple endings that add depth to the characters.
Cute character designs and a charming atmosphere.
Free to play, making it accessible for everyone.

Poor translation and numerous grammatical errors detract from the experience.
Limited artwork and repetitive backgrounds can make the game feel dull.
Some choices feel forced and do not significantly impact the story.

story
923 mentions
46 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story of this visual novel is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative and multiple endings that enhance replayability. While some reviews note issues with grammar and pacing, the overall sentiment highlights a charming and emotional journey, often described as cute or cozy, with intriguing character arcs and plot twists that keep players invested. However, a few critiques mention predictability and clichés, suggesting that while the story is enjoyable, it may not break new ground in the genre.
- “This visual novel got better and better the more endings you completed, with different branches adding more context to the plot and the characters.”
- “The story is cohesive, and there is actually a part or two where you won’t know what’s going to happen next.”
- “The story was great and though it was partly guessable, it was amazing.”
- “The story is boring, generic, and just bad.”
- “The story is very boring.”
- “The story itself was already fairly generic, but had the writing been fleshed out a bit more before releasing, I could understand the glowing reviews it had somehow snatched up.”
music
170 mentions
49 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players noting its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the story effectively. While some tracks are described as repetitive or generic, others are praised for their beauty and emotional impact, contributing to the overall experience. However, there are mixed opinions regarding the originality of the music, with some recognizing it as royalty-free or familiar from other sources, which detracts from its uniqueness.
- “The music adds to the eeriness of the story well.”
- “The music is pleasing and fitting of the theme.”
- “The soundtrack and backgrounds are very well done and capture a perfectly creepy and emotional atmosphere, the overall vibe of the game is perfect for anyone who's into RPG horrors.”
- “The music in the main menu sounds really cliché and lacks personality.”
- “The music gets repetitive and annoying quickly, just like the art, because I had to stare at the same three pictures the whole time.”
- “The soundtrack is looping and slightly annoying, and doesn't set much of an atmosphere after the first five minutes.”
graphics
104 mentions
31 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic and simplistic art style, while others criticize it for being outdated, bland, or poorly executed. Many agree that while the visuals may not be the strongest aspect, they are often complemented by fitting music and an engaging story, making the overall experience enjoyable despite the graphical shortcomings. Overall, the artwork is described as decent but lacking variety, with some users noting that it serves its purpose within the context of a free visual novel.
- “The visuals themselves are nice to look at, with most of the action taking place in the backdrop of a forest scene wreathed in black, and there's even a cool fog effect you see here and there.”
- “Trick or treat has nice atmospheric visuals and a fitting soundtrack, which not only sets the tone in the background, but also catches your attention with pleasant melodies.”
- “The story is so well written and I didn't want it to end; the characters had a lot of depth to them, many endings, and stunning graphics and music.”
- “The aesthetic is hokey, and menu navigation is terrible.”
- “Not the best visual novel I've ever played; the graphics are weird and bad, and the UI needs a huge overhaul.”
- “What made it so boring is the lack of variety in the visuals and music, which defeats the purpose of it being a visual novel.”
emotional
61 mentions
90 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, with many players reporting tears during various endings, particularly the true and secret endings. While some found the story boring or poorly written, others praised its heartfelt and bittersweet narrative, which fosters a deep connection to the characters. Overall, the game is recognized for its emotional depth, making it a memorable experience for those who appreciate impactful storytelling.
- “The last ending was truly emotional, and even made me almost cry.”
- “This game is freaking amazing, it is one of the only games that made me cry a little and I hope you see why.”
- “A rather short yet gripping tale that takes you for an emotional rollercoaster and finally, somewhat unexpectedly, warms your heart.”
- “The game has several endings, some are available from the start but the rest must be unlocked by completing the previous ending, which leads to restarting the game, progressing again through the boring story, choosing the new option, seeing the new ending, restarting the game, progressing again through the same story, choosing the new option, you get the idea.”
- “Horrible English and an absolutely boring storyline.”
- “Rather boring story with a predictable twist.”
atmosphere
37 mentions
65 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its effective use of music and visuals, creating an engaging and immersive experience that complements the story. While many players appreciate the emotional and eerie tones, some note inconsistencies in the soundtrack and minor grammatical issues that detract from the overall ambiance. Overall, the game successfully captures a compelling atmosphere that enhances the narrative, making it appealing for fans of story-rich visual novels.
- “The atmosphere of the game was perfect, the characters I loved to watch, and the three achievement endings were done amazingly and beautifully.”
- “The soundtrack and backgrounds are very well done and capture a perfectly creepy and emotional atmosphere; the overall vibe of the game is perfect for anyone who's into RPG horrors such as 'Ib'.”
- “It's like you really can feel the atmosphere.”
- “The game is filled with annoying misspellings and just weird phrasings that really put off the atmosphere that the developers tried to create.”
- “I had only briefly skimmed the reviews before downloading it for myself, and I went with the assumption that there'd be a little more atmosphere and tension given that it's a Halloween theme, but that was a mild disappointment.”
- “The soundtrack is looping and slightly annoying, and doesn't set much of an atmosphere after the first 5 minutes.”
humor
15 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding the bad translations and typos to be the highlight, often leading to unintentional laughter. While some jokes and the absurdity of certain scenarios are appreciated, the overall comedic value tends to wear thin quickly, especially in the context of a short gameplay experience. Ultimately, the humor may appeal to those who enjoy a more absurd or meme-like approach, but it doesn't consistently deliver a strong comedic impact.
- “This game could be interesting if the bad translations did not have me falling out of my chair laughing.”
- “But, if you think that bad translations are funny, this is totally worth it.”
- “That true end is the most hilariously contrived final act I have seen in a long time.”
gameplay
14 mentions
21 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The gameplay in the reviewed titles is largely criticized for being simplistic and lacking depth, often reduced to clicking through dialogue with minimal interaction. While some users appreciate the intriguing stories and character development, many find the mechanics unengaging and repetitive, leading to a sense of boredom. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a secondary element, heavily reliant on narrative and art rather than offering substantial interactive experiences.
- “Trick and Treat is a short and intriguing visual novel, with 1-2 hours of gameplay and multiple endings.”
- “Gameplay is greatly executed as is the story with the exception of grammar mistakes; obviously anyone can understand and you'd be sure to play it again in the future due to its plot and narrative.”
- “Amazing storyline, loved the characters and the gameplay.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, coupled with a few largely pointless questions/prompts that don't suddenly turn this into a proper interactive video game or anything.”
- “Gameplay is basically flipping a coin, but with little variation in the outcome.”
- “Since it has no gameplay to speak of, beyond 'click for more text', everything hangs on the story and the art.”
grinding
12 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is characterized by tedious and repetitive gameplay, particularly due to slow dialogue progression and excessive text that requires constant clicking. Many players found the experience to be boring and frustrating, as it detracted from the enjoyment of making meaningful choices and reaching different endings. While some appreciated the backstory and overall concept, the grinding ultimately overshadowed the game's potential.
- “The first time I went through the game was tedious.”
- “The dialogue is slow to progress, which is made extra tedious by the fact there is barely any illustration to go along with the seemingly endless beginning.”
- “Legit one of the most boring things I've tried in a while... all I did was spam my mouse forward and engage in 2-3 decisions max... at least my insomnia got solved for tonight, thank you Trick and Treat for the amazing tedious experience of massive walls of scrolling text about some magical forest with girly cats.”
character development
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
Character development in "Trick and Treat" is noted to improve significantly as the game progresses, with players finding the evolving stories of the two main characters engaging, especially by the time they reach various endings. However, while the character arcs are praised, the overall character design is criticized for being generic and lacking depth, detracting from the visual appeal of the game.
- “Like many visual novels, Trick and Treat is slow at the beginning, but the story and the character development of the two girls you meet get more interesting as the game progresses and even as some endings are reached.”
- “Good story, good character development, good for Halloween or for any day of the year, short and sweet.”
- “Then, as I reached the 'secret' ending (through the help of Google), the character development turned out for the better.”
- “The art and overall character design leaves much to be desired as well, rather basic with no attempts to design their own backgrounds, which would have been a nice addition.”
- “The character designs of Lillian and Ashley were extremely generic and the art was mediocre at best.”
- “I don't know exactly what's off, but I feel like others understand what I mean when I think I can see the difference between DeviantArt-tier original anime creations and actual professionally-drawn character design.”
replayability
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the eight distinct endings and varied story paths that offer a decent amount of replay value, while others feel that the differences between endings are minimal, leading to a more limited overall experience. Despite the interesting story and engaging music, the overall consensus suggests that while there is some replay value, it may not be substantial enough to warrant multiple playthroughs for everyone.
- “Cool little game, the story I thought was interesting with 8 endings and different choices/routes, so loads of replay value. Plus, you get an auto feature to skip the parts you've been through. Nice music and graphics!”
- “Ahead of you is a great adventure, if a somewhat short one, but there are eight different endings which increases its replayability greatly.”
- “Length-wise, it is not the longest I have come across; however, it will no doubt keep you interested throughout its duration, and as I said, it has a great deal of replayability.”
- “However, the different options and story paths vary drastically from one another, so there is a little bit of replay value, amounting to a couple of hours in total.”
- “Replayability: 2/10”
- “-lots of (same-ish) endings, so +replay value”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from stability issues, including buggy achievements and frequent glitches that can cause it to crash unexpectedly. Players are advised to save their progress regularly to avoid losing significant gameplay due to these random closures.
- “The game has some glitches where it will randomly close, so you need to remember to save regularly; otherwise, you'll have to start from the beginning.”
- “Buggy achievements.”
optimization
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its strong optimization, delivering good graphics and an engaging narrative despite its short length. Players recommend utilizing community guides for a complete experience, indicating that optimization contributes positively to overall gameplay.
- “Without a doubt, this is a short game but with good graphics, an excellent story, and it is super optimized. I emphasize that if you want to complete the game at 100%, reading some guides from the community will help you in your progress.”