The game's concept is bold and unique where it asks players to wait for 400 days until an event occurs which I am all in for. Specifically, the game has many interactions that require time which I call waiting mechanics or interactions. This asks the player to be patient and come back instead of actively finishing/completing it. At its core, this is an art game exploring concepts of loneliness and isolation as the player is effectively trapped within a prison.
That being said, I think the game fails so much by allowing the players to bypass this wait in-game and a choice to leave which most players will do because of their inherent agency. This conflicts with its adventure side where much of the progress is gated of by time and randomness effectively being a time waster.
If the player did want to wait until the event, not much content or activities are available to fill that space. I resent that public domain books are its main content where in-game lore would have been better and I would just read them outside the game with a better software. Fishing, planting, building or anything repeatable with a time barrier would have supported this art concept far better.
This is not actively bad, but its concept and waiting mechanics is actively deceptive which I dock a tier from it. Either way, I do not recommend this game despite its novelty.
That being said, I think the game fails so much by allowing the players to bypass this wait in-game and a choice to leave which most players will do because of their inherent agency. This conflicts with its adventure side where much of the progress is gated of by time and randomness effectively being a time waster.
If the player did want to wait until the event, not much content or activities are available to fill that space. I resent that public domain books are its main content where in-game lore would have been better and I would just read them outside the game with a better software. Fishing, planting, building or anything repeatable with a time barrier would have supported this art concept far better.
This is not actively bad, but its concept and waiting mechanics is actively deceptive which I dock a tier from it. Either way, I do not recommend this game despite its novelty.
I turned this game on like a year and a half ago and never touched it again. If you do this and then awaken the king, he ends all life and casts everything into shadows, not that the shade had attatchment to anything if you never did anything. According to my friend from Spain, the game instead encourages you to discover the world and give more of a purpose to the shade so that it isn't wasting its life in waiting for the king to wake up.
But how does this message translate to the player when it's one of those idle games you need to come back at the game's pace to complete? The game wants you to make the life of the virtual character have more projects and meaning but as such it robs the player of their time to do something with their lives...
Yeah, that's what happened to me, since my schedule got tighter and my real life goals got more compelling, I even forgot to come back to this. I'm not saying it's a bad game since I haven't technically "played it" yet apart from leaving the game on standby for 400+ days, but before doing anything with it I want to make notice of the weird genre it chose to present its message.
But how does this message translate to the player when it's one of those idle games you need to come back at the game's pace to complete? The game wants you to make the life of the virtual character have more projects and meaning but as such it robs the player of their time to do something with their lives...
Yeah, that's what happened to me, since my schedule got tighter and my real life goals got more compelling, I even forgot to come back to this. I'm not saying it's a bad game since I haven't technically "played it" yet apart from leaving the game on standby for 400+ days, but before doing anything with it I want to make notice of the weird genre it chose to present its message.
This review contains spoilers
Given the core concept, there was no way it was going to be a well reviewed game. But it has a really good message, and its very well made. It's really a shame that not everyone has the time to experience it. It can be kinda easy to forget about it and just come back when everythings over, but I think that's part of it. I have a lot more to say about it eventually.
Looking back on it, the music makes me weirdly nostalgic now.
This is an idle puzzle game, which takes place over the course of 400 real life days.
It runs in the background.
It has good artwork, secrets, music, etc.
It requires a LOT of patience, and I am shit at puzzles but fortunately a Steam guide gave hints.
You should probably get it if you have patience and are good at puzzles (even if a lot of them aren't very intuitive at all).
This is an idle puzzle game, which takes place over the course of 400 real life days.
It runs in the background.
It has good artwork, secrets, music, etc.
It requires a LOT of patience, and I am shit at puzzles but fortunately a Steam guide gave hints.
You should probably get it if you have patience and are good at puzzles (even if a lot of them aren't very intuitive at all).
Que conceito interessante tem esse jogo. O rei vai dormir por 400 dias e você precisa esperar dentro de uma caverna até lá e É ISSO. Você pode passar os 400 dias do jogo parado esperando ou você pode explorar a caverna e coletar recursos para tornar sua espera mais agradável.
Eu fiquei impressionado com o livro, Moby Dick, que contém mais de 1000 páginas dentro do jogo. Eu parei para ler o livro todo? Não, mas ainda acho muito brabo que tenham feito isso. Minha maior crítica em relação a isso é que apesar do jogo estar disponível em português, os livros não estão.
O tempo passa mais rápido se você fizer ações como ler (talvez para passar a sensação de que o tempo passa mais rápido quando você se ocupa), então é possível terminar tudo mais cedo se você aproveitar o que o jogo tem a oferecer.
Meu maior problema com o jogo é o quão LEEEEENTO o protagonista anda. É de se esperar que alguém disposto a esperar 400 dias dentro de um jogo tenha mais paciência com um personagem andando na velocidade "velha na sua frente em rua estreita", mas a demora de chegar de um lado da tela até o outro realmente me gera um nervosismo inexplicável e como eu não acho que sou um floquinho de neve especial, eu recomendo que vejam um vídeo do personagem andando para ver se isso é um ponto negativo para vocês também.
Eu fiquei impressionado com o livro, Moby Dick, que contém mais de 1000 páginas dentro do jogo. Eu parei para ler o livro todo? Não, mas ainda acho muito brabo que tenham feito isso. Minha maior crítica em relação a isso é que apesar do jogo estar disponível em português, os livros não estão.
O tempo passa mais rápido se você fizer ações como ler (talvez para passar a sensação de que o tempo passa mais rápido quando você se ocupa), então é possível terminar tudo mais cedo se você aproveitar o que o jogo tem a oferecer.
Meu maior problema com o jogo é o quão LEEEEENTO o protagonista anda. É de se esperar que alguém disposto a esperar 400 dias dentro de um jogo tenha mais paciência com um personagem andando na velocidade "velha na sua frente em rua estreita", mas a demora de chegar de um lado da tela até o outro realmente me gera um nervosismo inexplicável e como eu não acho que sou um floquinho de neve especial, eu recomendo que vejam um vídeo do personagem andando para ver se isso é um ponto negativo para vocês também.
I love the slow pace of this game and that you're not obligated to do anything, it's your choice what you'll do with those 400 days.
Beatiful soundtrack that enhances the feeling and atmosphere of the game.
It may not look like that at first, but there's quite a lot of things to do in this game, but don't worry about completing and rushing the game, there's more than enough time to do everything.
This game does brilliant job with the concept of time and its passing. It's a nice change of pace compared to modern games and even if you're not a patient person, I highly recommend it.
And the Shade smile when his home its decorated is absolutely adorable.
Beatiful soundtrack that enhances the feeling and atmosphere of the game.
It may not look like that at first, but there's quite a lot of things to do in this game, but don't worry about completing and rushing the game, there's more than enough time to do everything.
This game does brilliant job with the concept of time and its passing. It's a nice change of pace compared to modern games and even if you're not a patient person, I highly recommend it.
And the Shade smile when his home its decorated is absolutely adorable.
I really really really wish I hadn’t spoiled the endings for myself. It would’ve been a way better experience if I had used my brain to figure it all out for myself.
Hauntingly beautiful music. Really nice art style and very interesting premise. Cool mysterious world to explore. Cute lil guy. You can decorate your cave and make your lil guy happy. What’s not to love?
Hauntingly beautiful music. Really nice art style and very interesting premise. Cool mysterious world to explore. Cute lil guy. You can decorate your cave and make your lil guy happy. What’s not to love?