Firework (2021)

Firework is a heavily narrative-based Chinese horror game that controls like a 2D adventure, but with no real action. The gameplay is very simple with no combat, chases, or quick-time events, only a few minor puzzles. Though the puzzles are the primary gameplay here, they're frankly quite simple and none of them really gave me much pause before I arrived at the solution. Given that, despite the 2D movement controls and ability to roam around, this in some ways feels more like a visual novel than a more interactive game. The focus is primarily on the story with lots and lots of text throughout, uncovering clues gradually to reveal the game's mystery. It definitely feels like Detention was an influence here given the perspective and atmosphere, but that game I felt had much more intricate puzzles and while the gameplay was light, I did feel it added some tension to the horror rather than just being a medium for the experience.

As someone who isn't typically into visual novels, I thought this was just "okay" for what it is. The light gameplay feel of it kept me a bit more engaged than just turning a page on the screen, which is one of the main reasons I struggle with visual novels. However, the story itself I just felt was about average. The mystery is unveiled with good pacing, but the revelations are not nearly as impactful as I expected them to be. I also found the story difficult to follow at times. This is partially due to the characters' Chinese names I'm less familiar with, but also because the bulk of the characters are essentially off-screen for the whole story, making it much harder for me to try and remember who is who for awhile while initial foreshadowing is being dropped. Still, the game wasn't ever boring and I did appreciate the addition of the atmosphere the environments provided to give the story a bit of extra pull across its 3-4 hour length.

Spooktober 2024 Game #7 Complete!

Interesting little game. In some ways the gameplay and puzzles were so simplistic and the story so heavily text-based that it feels more like a visual novel than anything else. But yet again, the theme of my list for the month this year seems to be variety and this provides even more of that as it was quite unlike anything else I've played this month.

Fireworks delivers an impressive horror experience with an amazing story full of twists and turns that keep you engaged. The puzzles are straightforward and simple, allowing you to stay focused on the narrative without frustration. Clocking in at under 4 hours, it offers a concise yet captivating journey, combining simple gameplay with an eerie art style that enhances the overall atmosphere. However, the game lacks voice acting, which could have elevated the storytelling by allowing characters to convey their emotions directly. Despite this, Fireworks succeeds in creating a memorable horror experience.

This is a spooky mystery walk, click, and read game heavily influenced by chinese folk religion and spirits. Overall it's a great experience if you like this genre of story game, and I would highly recommend it if that theming intrigues you. The plot and mystery aspects are ok, but where it really shines is the use of imagery. The seemless flow between horror rooms, abstract environments, and interactive scenes is really cool and mixes up the experience.

One downside is that it can be hard keeping track of the characters until you are further in, since they are long Chinese names that are only discussed through text for most of the game.