Children of Silentown is hands down my favorite game of 2023 (so far)! The story is captivating and kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I found myself completely absorbed in the game and had a hard time putting it down, even when I needed to take a break. With a genre so saturated, it’s easy to miss a gem like this. The game manages to stand out from the crowd with an intriguing narrative, vivid graphics, and excellent sound design that make it an engaging experience from start to finish.
Lucy is growing up in a mysterious village deep in a forest, where people disappear without a trace. Despite her fears, she takes it upon herself to investigate the disappearances. She is joined by her little friends in a hand-drawn adventure game that unfolds with a dark and eerie atmosphere.
Pros
Story: The story captivated me from the start. I was fully immersed in the plot and couldn't wait to see how it all unfolded. The game was so engaging that I found it difficult to put down and take a break.
Gameplay: The point-and-click mechanics works seamlessly. The controls are intuitive, easy to understand, and streamlined. The game also has hidden features and puzzles that require players to search and combine objects, which I found to be a refreshing and enjoyable aspect of the game. It's the type of gameplay that I've been looking for in a game for some time.
Fear Factor: The game does a good job of creating a sense of unease through the use of visuals, music, and storytelling. It's not overly frightening, but it does create a sense of tension that keeps you on edge. One jump scare involving a bird caught me off guard and made me jump. Overall, the game manages to strike a balance between being unsettling without being overly terrifying.
Easter Egg: My favorite Easter egg in the game is the protagonist's name, Lucy, which means light in Latin. It's a clever touch that sets the stage for the player to understand from the start that the protagonist will play a role in bringing light to the village.
Audio: The music is a standout aspect of the game, it was surprising to see how much it added to the game experience and how the player interacts with it. It was a great addition to the game and enhance the overall experience.
Graphics: The visuals are beautiful, it's a style that I personally love. They are crisp and whimsical, and it feels like you're playing an interactive graphic novel. The character design, particularly the eyes, is cleverly done. The eyes are not overly detailed but still convey the character's emotions effectively. It also contributes to the game's eerie atmosphere, adding to the overall unsettling experience.
Cons
Story: Although I am a fan of the story, I have some questions left unanswered. The ending felt a bit rushed, and the storytelling felt unfinished. It doesn't detract from the overall game experience, but it did leave me with some lingering concerns. It's not as bad as Jenny Leclue- Detective, but it did bother me a bit.
Save: I didn't come across a "save" button while playing and was a bit worried about losing my progress if I turned off the game. I'm not entirely sure if this is the case, but I did notice some players had a small message at the bottom of their screen saying "saving." It could be that my outdated Nintendo Switch doesn't have the proper layout for newer games. Additionally, I noticed that the loading screens were a bit lengthy, which could also be related to my older Switch, even though it's regularly updated.
Task-List: The game does not have a task list or "notebook" feature, which I found to be a significant drawback. The game is quite long and requires players to put it down and come back to it at different moments, making it challenging to remember where you left off or your current mission. This was my biggest criticism of the game.
Audio: The music in the game is great, but I found the audio during the mini-games to be a bit overwhelming. I heard the sound of wood chopping repeatedly for 10-15 minutes during a puzzle, and I found it to be quite distracting. I was disappointed that there wasn't a switch in music specifically dedicated to each puzzle format.
Puzzles: As mentioned previously, I’m not a huge fan of puzzle games in general, I’m not patient enough. Although during a great majority of the game, the puzzles were alright, with a nice balance between gameplay and mini-games, there is one part of the game where it’s non-stop. To be honest, I gave up and looked at a walkthrough. However, if you’re a huge fan of puzzles, this would rather be in the Pros list.
Children of Silentown is a gripping game with a great story, captivating characters, and a tense plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. It's an engaging point-and-click adventure game with a unique art style, a dark and haunting theme, and a fantastic plot. The only thing that could have made this game better is if it had been longer. The gameplay and visual novel aspects of the game were great, but I would have loved to have had more ways to interact with the environment. Also, it would have been helpful if there had been a task list or a way to save our progress, especially if the game is as long as it appears to be.
The game is very short, with only 5 chapters, but it's fantastic. Try this game out if you're looking for an engaging story with a twist!
Total Game Time: 10+ hours
Games similar to Children of Silentown: Lydia, Limbo, Gone Home
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