Whitestone
- September 15, 2023
- Hailstorm Games
"Whitestone" is a single-player Role Playing game that takes place on the 'Sunchaser' airship during the early 1900s. As Jack, an apprentice archaeologist, you must investigate the disappearance of your friend and the madness consuming the crew. With elements of horror, action, comedy, and romance, the ending you receive depends on your choices and actions throughout the game. A controller is highly recommended for gameplay.
Reviews
- Engaging social gameplay with well-developed character arcs and a compelling story reminiscent of Persona games.
- Beautiful steampunk art style and excellent graphics that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Intriguing plot with multiple choices and endings, providing a good reason for replayability.
- Combat mechanics are poorly executed, with frustrating glitches and a lack of depth compared to other action games.
- Inventory issues where items purchased or picked up do not appear, diminishing the value of in-game currency.
- Surface alignment problems in dungeons lead to characters getting stuck, negatively impacting the exploration experience.
- story16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring good character portraits, enjoyable story arcs, and intriguing characters, complemented by excellent music and graphics. While the narrative is engaging and avoids many clichés, it suffers from technical issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, players appreciate the social gameplay elements intertwined with the storyline.
“Interesting characters and story!”
“Intriguing story, like the environment, the mood of the game, excellent music.”
“Great story line.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received high praise for their outstanding detail and charming steampunk art style, especially considering it was developed by a smaller company. Reviewers appreciate the visuals' ability to enhance the storytelling and social gameplay, contributing to an engaging atmosphere filled with mystery. Overall, the graphics are described as a standout feature that adds significant value to the gaming experience.
“I love the steampunk art style and I can't wait to meet more characters.”
“For a game built by a smaller company, this game really has outstanding graphics as the detail is something I noticed right from the beginning.”
“The visuals have a ton of charm and I especially enjoy the setting.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is well-received, combining elements of JRPGs with challenging Soulsborne-like difficulty spikes, and features engaging social mechanics. While some players found the mechanics initially overwhelming, the overall experience is enhanced by a compelling story and impressive graphics.
“Nice story, good graphics, and well-made social gameplay.”
“I was a little overwhelmed with the mechanics at first.”
“Pretty solid gameplay reminiscent of a JRPG mixed with Soulsborne-like difficulty spikes.”
- music4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised for its excellence, significantly enhancing the atmosphere and complementing the intriguing story and environment. Reviewers highlight how the soundtrack effectively contributes to the overall mood of the game.
“The music is excellent and really lends to the atmosphere.”
“Intriguing story, like the environment, the mood of the game, excellent music.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is significantly enhanced by its excellent music, which has been consistently praised by users for its contribution to the overall experience.
“The music is excellent and really lends to the atmosphere.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous glitches and bugs that detract from an otherwise strong social system and narrative. Additionally, the combat mechanics are described as frustrating, further undermining the overall experience.
“A great social system and story falls apart due to glitches, bugs, and a combat portion that is miserable to play through.”