Whispers in the West

About

Whispers in the West is a single player and multiplayer role playing game. It was developed by Infinite Whys and was released on July 25, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Whispers in the West" is a narrative-driven strategy game set in the wild west. You play as a detective, uncovering a mystery through interactive conversations, clue-gathering, and crime scene investigation. The game features a unique morality system that affects the story's outcome, providing multiple endings. Your choices and deductions shape the town's fate and the characters within it.

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72%

Audience ScoreBased on 85 reviews

graphics7 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and engaging co-op experience, allowing players to work together to solve mysteries in a charming Western setting.
The art style and soundtrack are well-received, creating an atmospheric and enjoyable environment for players.
The game is accessible, as only one player needs to purchase it for others to join using a free demo, making it easy to play with friends.

The pricing structure is criticized for being predatory, with most content locked behind expensive DLCs, leading to a lack of value for the base game.
Many players find the gameplay shallow and the mysteries too easy, resulting in a lack of replayability and depth.
Technical issues and bugs have been reported, including problems with character selection and game freezes, which detract from the overall experience.

graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its charming and atmospheric art style that enhances the immersive experience, particularly in capturing the essence of an old western town. However, others criticize the overall visual quality as low and simplistic, lacking the depth and detail expected in contemporary gaming, which detracts from the experience for those seeking more advanced graphics. Despite these criticisms, the unique art style and attention to detail resonate positively with fans of indie games.
- “I absolutely love the art style—it strikes a perfect balance between charming and atmospheric—and the soundtrack is a delight, with calming melodies that set a wonderfully relaxing mood.”
- “The attention to detail in the graphics and sound design further enhanced the immersive experience, making me feel like I was truly a part of this mysterious world.”
- “The graphics give you the perfect backdrop of an old western town, even the excitement in getting to pet the cat.”
- “It's unclear if this is due to a lack of budget to arrange someone who can create graphical assets properly, or a lack of talent.”
- “Regardless, the overall visual quality of the game is very low, beneath what PC gamers have come to expect in this era of cutting-edge photorealistic 3D graphics.”
- “While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its humorous and engaging narrative, particularly in the context of a point-and-click detective format that encourages puzzle-solving. However, many criticize the limited content in the main game and the reliance on paid DLCs for additional missions, which they feel detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the storytelling has its strengths, the pricing model and content availability have left some players dissatisfied.
- “The game's gripping narrative, set in the atmospheric wild west, follows a cleverly written plot with intriguing characters and unexpected twists.”
- “I loved trying to piece it all together and discovering new bits of the story based on what each character said, and seeing that some things didn't add up made me feel like a real detective!”
- “The price is well worth it for the intricate story, beautiful graphics, and fun puzzles.”
- “Hardly a success story; gamers just weren't all that interested in the game.”
- “All missions need to be paid as DLC, which makes the content very overpriced.”
- “☐ no story”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The gameplay is characterized as straightforward and intuitive, primarily revolving around point-and-click mechanics and dialogue interactions, though it is often criticized for being shallow and lacking depth in mystery-solving. While some players appreciate the simplicity and detective elements, others feel that the limited content and basic graphics do not justify the price, especially given the game's reliance on repetitive dialogue and minimal interactivity. Overall, it appeals to fans of casual detective games but may not satisfy those seeking a more complex experience.
- “The game excels in its core detective mechanics, offering straightforward and intuitive gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is solid and with an added bonus of multiplayer.”
- “All in all, despite the issues I had with it, I would definitely recommend this game as someone who loves detective games that highlight deductive reasoning but wants gameplay that is simple with not-too advanced graphics and answers that aren't fed to you.”
- “Thankfully I bought this on sale for just under £4, but even the sale price isn't worth it for what little it gives you in terms of maps to play and actual gameplay.”
- “For gameplay purposes, because the user interface for this game is mostly just barely animated 2D static images and reams of text you have to click through, it might as well be a browser game.”
- “The gameplay is very shallow and consists more of spamming all dialogue options than really 'solving a mystery'.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and catchy melodies, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Reviewers appreciate the well-composed soundtrack, which complements the charming art style and adds to the game's relaxing and engaging mood.
- “I absolutely love the art style—it strikes a perfect balance between charming and atmospheric—and the soundtrack is a delight, with calming melodies that set a wonderfully relaxing mood.”
- “Catchy music that will make you want to kick your boots off and hum the tune all night.”
- “Music is wonderfully composed, and the gameplay itself isn't too difficult to grasp.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many reviewers noting its short duration and limited content. While the inclusion of multiple playable characters offers some variation in responses, the lack of progression and randomization diminishes the incentive to replay. Additionally, the high price of DLCs is criticized, especially given the minimal replay value after completing the main content.
- “With 4 different playable characters, the replay value of each case is increased as the townsfolk will give different responses to each of the characters.”
- “The game is about 40 minutes long and has zero replayability.”
- “While the base game provides a glimpse into its potential, the limited content and lack of progression or randomization can affect its replay value.”
- “The DLCs are just a bit too pricey, especially since there's very little replay value once you solve the mystery.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its charming art style and delightful soundtrack, which create a relaxing mood. Players are immersed in a rich and engaging world, particularly within the captivating narrative set in the wild west, filled with intriguing characters and unexpected twists. Overall, the presentation and atmosphere contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
- “I absolutely love the art style—it strikes a perfect balance between charming and atmospheric—and the soundtrack is a delight, with calming melodies that set a wonderfully relaxing mood.”
- “'Whispers in the West' boasts an enthralling plot, immersing players in a rich and atmospheric world that leaves them eager to uncover the truth.”
- “The game's gripping narrative, set in the atmospheric wild west, follows a cleverly written plot with intriguing characters and unexpected twists.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its smooth performance, with players noting that the optimization contributes to an engaging experience, particularly in relation to its intriguing and well-crafted mysteries.
- “It runs smoothly, and the mysteries are intriguing and well thought-out.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for seamless gameplay even in complex scenarios.”
- “I appreciate how the game balances performance and visual fidelity, making for an enjoyable experience.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of "Whispers in the West - Co-op Murder Mystery" has been criticized as a cash grab, with a low initial price of around $5 USD that only grants access to a limited portion of the game.
- “Whispers in the West - Co-op Murder Mystery has a cash grab price of around $5 USD, but that's just for a small part of the game.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as essential content is locked behind paywalls.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features that should be included in the base game being sold as additional purchases.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is a standout feature, with well-written characters and amusing dialogue that enhances the storytelling experience. Players report enjoying the comedic interactions and the lighthearted atmosphere, which contribute to a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
- “One of the standout features is the game's humorous approach to storytelling and character interactions.”
- “When my friends and I played, we had so much fun laughing at the silly characters and splitting up to piece together all the evidence. We were sure we'd fail, but we managed to solve the mystery with seconds left to spare, which felt great!”
- “I really enjoyed my time with Whispers in the West - all of the characters are well-written and the dialogue is pretty funny at times.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized due to bugs, with players experiencing issues such as being locked out during the tutorial, which hindered gameplay.
- “It was also buggy - my co-op partner got locked out in the tutorial and couldn't pick up the package.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the overall experience.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the emotional engagement of the game, highlighting how its manageable difficulty allows for an enjoyable experience focused on storytelling and character interactions. The sense of discovery and the challenge of piecing together the narrative evoke feelings of intelligence and satisfaction, enhancing the overall emotional connection to the game.
- “I loved trying to piece it all together and discovering new bits of the story based on what each character said, and seeing that some things didn't add up made me feel like a real detective!”
- “As an adult, this game isn’t particularly hard, which was nice because it allowed me to enjoy the ride and made me feel smart.”