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Vaudeville

55%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
graphics, stability
55% User Score Based on 260 reviews

Platforms

PCPCSteam DeckSteam DeckWindowsWindowsLinuxLinux
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About

"Vaudeville" is a single-player, mystery open-world game that utilizes AI technologies for an experimental whodunit experience. The game features AI-generated dialogues, music, sceneries, and illustrations, creating an immersive story in an original setting. This game also serves as an experiment on human interaction with AIs, offering innovative gameplay and a unique experience. Support the project on Kickstarter or wishlist it on Steam.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Vaudeville screenshot
Vaudeville screenshot
Vaudeville screenshot
Vaudeville screenshot

55%
Audience ScoreBased on 260 reviews
story7 positive mentions
stability12 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique concept of AI-driven character interactions, providing a fresh take on the detective genre.
  • Players can experience humorous and engaging conversations with NPCs, leading to unexpected and entertaining moments.
  • The potential for future updates and improvements is promising, with many players expressing excitement for the game's evolution.
  • The game is plagued by technical issues, including crashes, unresponsive AI, and inconsistent dialogue that often leads to confusion.
  • NPCs frequently provide contradictory information, making it difficult for players to progress in the investigation.
  • The lack of a clear structure or guidance leaves players feeling lost and frustrated, as there are no tangible clues or evidence to collect.
  • story
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and intriguing, while others criticize it for being convoluted and frustrating due to AI inconsistencies and bugs. Many users noted that the narrative lacks variability, often leading to repetitive experiences, and the AI's tendency to provide irrelevant or misleading information detracts from the overall immersion. Despite these issues, some players appreciate the unique interactions and potential for humor within the AI-driven storytelling framework, suggesting that with further refinement, the game could significantly enhance its narrative experience.

    • “In all seriousness, this game is shockingly good; the idea is wonderful and it's executed in a way that you can either goof off for hours on end or play the story either way.”
    • “The mystery, interesting interactions, story, characters, and much more keep me driven to solve the cases.”
    • “In conclusion, Vaudeville delivers an engaging detective adventure with immersive storytelling and captivating character interactions.”
    • “The ending and story are just lame, the AI almost never listens to you, the game crashes randomly, and I feel like I lost brain cells playing this.”
    • “Unlocking new areas in the story mode is a nightmare and I had to look up so much stuff to figure out how to progress.”
    • “The AI, while intelligent overall, will often withhold necessary information (or flat out make up false/irrelevant information related to the story), leading to frustrating and misleading experiences.”
  • gameplay
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its execution despite initial excitement. While some appreciate the innovative AI interaction and variety of mini-games, others criticize the clunky visuals, slow load times, and lack of meaningful gameplay mechanics, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game is seen as needing significant improvements and support before it can be recommended.

    • “A variety of mini-games keeps the gameplay engaging and diverse.”
    • “Being able to have a conversation with an NPC, having to think of the correct line of questioning without choosing from a list of prompts is a rather intriguing new mechanic.”
    • “If you like mysteries, crime-solving, and innovative gameplay, this game is an absolute must-play.”
    • “In theory, it's cool, but the actual gameplay sucks.”
    • “So, overall, it's definitely amusing to chat with the AI, but the gameplay aspects leave a lot to be desired.”
    • “The actual gameplay visuals were clunky and cartoony and looked like the old Vampire: The Masquerade game from the early 2000s.”
  • graphics
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the poor optimization and outdated visuals that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the vintage-inspired aesthetic and unique character designs, others point out significant graphical glitches, lack of polish, and inconsistencies in style that make the game feel unrefined. Overall, the visuals are seen as a major drawback, hampered by technical issues that hinder gameplay enjoyment.

    • “The game features charming, vintage-inspired graphics, though they lack some polish.”
    • “Vaudeville does what other games don't in that its entire development strategy is in putting as much depth of personality and moral ambiguity into an eccentric and honestly flamboyant art style of what feels like a legion of characters who were based on the founding members of community gardens in the roaring twenties.”
    • “Graphically, the game does have its moments, with a distinctive aesthetic that captures the essence of the vaudeville era.”
    • “So far, the most frustrating thing in this game is the terrible optimization; the graphics look potatoey and outdated, yet my PC still has trouble loading areas of vaudeville in less than 30 seconds.”
    • “What I didn't expect is how phoned in the rest of the game is - watching videos of gameplay, it's clear the character models could use more than a little work (some of them look straight out of The Sims 3), and a lot of the visuals for the game are stock purchases or clearly made with bare-minimum effort, if custom made.”
    • “Graphical bugs, crashes, hard locks, and UI inconsistencies plague the game, hampering the enjoyment and requiring improvements.”
  • humor
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd and often chaotic AI interactions, which can lead to hilariously frustrating moments for players. While many find the nonsensical dialogue and the ability to manipulate NPCs amusing, others feel that the lack of structure can make conversations tiresome. Overall, the game is seen as a source of laughter, particularly for those who appreciate its quirky, unpredictable nature, despite its early access issues.

    • “Overall though, the game is absolutely a 10 out of 10 just for the hilariousness it can ensue.”
    • “The AI conversations are simply hilarious, both from watching streamers and playing the game myself.”
    • “However, despite all that, it is highly amusing and an excellent platform to interact with some excellent AI storytellers, and I've gotten a couple of hours laughing like an idiot at how well crafted they are.”
  • stability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and glitches that severely hinder gameplay. Many players find it unplayable due to issues like freezing on launch, poor save functionality, and unreliable voice recognition. While some appreciate the concept, the overall experience is marred by its lack of polish and significant technical problems.

    • “This is buggy as hell, so don't purchase expecting AAA polish.”
    • “Very cool concept, sadly it is completely unplayable due to major issues such as graphical glitches that randomly close the dialog while you are trying to write notes and the microphone ceasing to work after a few questions.”
    • “I wanted to play it, despite all the bad things I heard about it, as the concept of the game seemed really cool, but my PC had a literal stroke trying to play this as it is a buggy mess.”
  • replayability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is primarily driven by unique NPC interactions and the potential for varied outcomes in the murder mystery, with some users rating it around 5/10. While the procedural generation of solutions adds depth, the overall experience may still feel limited for some players.

    • “This is infinitely replayable due to the unique NPC interaction.”
    • “And shadows of doubt create a unique murder mystery with infinite replay value.”
    • “Replay value, if any, comes from talking to the characters and messing with them.”
    • “Replay value: 5/10”
    • “I purchased this game under the assumption that the solution was procedurally generated, justifying the use of a versatile AI chatbot, providing decent replayability, and bringing meaning to some of the more unremarkable characters and concepts.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting poor performance and long loading times despite having capable hardware. Many find the graphics to be subpar and outdated, contributing to an overall frustrating experience.

    • “Performance optimization is exactly as you have planned.”
    • “The performance optimization aligns perfectly with your initial plans.”
    • “The optimization of performance has been executed just as intended.”
    • “So far, the most frustrating thing in this game is the terrible optimization; the graphics look potatoey and outdated, yet my PC still has trouble loading areas of Vaudeville in less than 30 seconds.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect initially engaging but quickly become bored and frustrated due to its tedious nature and limitations, such as touchy voice controls and restrictive note-taking options. While it has potential for fun, the overall experience tends to be more frustrating than enjoyable.

    • “It's cool for half an hour, but becomes unbelievably boring, tedious, and frustrating afterward.”
    • “It has amazing potential to be a fun gimmick, but the voice controls are very touchy, and note-keeping (as the developers want you to do) is limited by the small note pages, making it tedious in general.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely regarded as atmospheric and memorable, contributing significantly to the overall experience.

    • “It's definitely atmospheric and memorable.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a vibrant setting infused with jazz and neon, which reflects a deep sense of emotional turmoil and complexity. Players experience a rich tapestry of feelings that enhance the overall narrative and atmosphere.

    • “A city soaked in jazz, neon, and emotional confusion.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that the game's monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab, with comparisons drawn to poorly executed crypto and NFT games. Players express concerns over severe bugs and crashes, suggesting a lack of effort and polish from the developers.

    • “The other game (also $20) from the same studio has reviews mentioning severe bugs and regular crashing, giving cash grab vibes. I'm reminded of studios that put out crypto/NFT games, where the creators hope the novelty of new technology will distract from a lack of effort and polish, hiding the fact that they didn't bother to learn basic development.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, with essential features locked behind paywalls. It seems like the developers are more interested in making money than providing a fair gaming experience.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that the game heavily encourages in-game purchases for basic content. It feels like a constant push to spend more money rather than enjoying the game.”
  • music
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music aspect of the game is highlighted through engaging interactions, such as discussions about classical music with characters like Marina H, which adds depth to the overall experience.

    • “After I beat the story, I just talked to Marina H about classical music.”

Buy Vaudeville

17h Median play time
12h Average play time
2-22h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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