MazM: The Phantom of the Opera Reviews

Reading the original Leroux novel is an annual tradition for me. If you're a fan of the story like I am you'll likely love this game. I started originally with the movie, then read the original novel, then Kay, and loved this game even more for the darker elements of the story. This game expanded upon that and gave some new twists and even made me think of the some of the characters and themes differently. If you're looking for a good story, I think the game is worth playing.

I never read or watched Phantom of the Opera; I came from a position of total newcomer. I'll review this as a game first and foremost. While I generally recommend it - the story is heart-wrenching, tense, and interesting all the way through - the game adaptation is... bad. The graphics are amazing, the pictures are wonderful, and there are moments where the writing (as in character dialogue) suddenly becomes stellar. The further in the game, the more of those moments are. But otherwise? First of all, the pacing. Oh god, it's so slow. It feels like there are a lot of completely unnecessary scenes, a lot of ridiculously drawn out dialogue, padding in the form of sluggish and boring minigames, and sometimes just walking, walking, walking. I'm a very fast reader and it took me 18 hours overall to beat this, mostly because of the padding. It's absolutely terrible and the biggest strike against the game. Second, the soundscape. It's very bad, but sometimes... it's good. Scenes often are padded with anime impact sounds, which most of the time are annoying, and sometimes just plain wrong. One character (Jammes) in particular tends to scream and run around in the most inappropriate situations, and nobody reacts. Does she not actually scream? Is it just for the player? Who knows. That said, the sounds related to the Phantom add some intensity and spice; lots of creepiness to go around. The Phantom's voice actor is pretty good as well - in fact, all characters' voice actors have a certain flair - but you don't hear the characters speak, merely grunt or laugh or sigh. But it fits; perhaps it's even great. Third, the music. This game is a mobile port and it shows just how wide the chasm between what the expected quality is on mobile and on Steam is. Almost all music pieces loop after 10-15 seconds, oftentimes less. And this is a game about music, mind! Especially jarring are the moments when the characters sing on stage; you have some 6 second loop of an opera piece, where it just repeats. It's criminal. And the worst part? The music is actually pretty good. It's fitting, it sets the mood, it sounds good. But the looping problem makes it almost unbearable. Fourth, the look. Nothing bad to say here; it's great. Characters are emotive, have lots of different portraits, expressions; it's incredibly tense to see a certain character slowly reveal their darker and darker side, until they almost become completely unhinged - and for the rest of the story, you'll always remember those insane eyes. The look is probably the best part of the game. And the character designs are lovely as well; everyone is unique and very fitting to their role. And finally, the story. Apart from the pacing problems and writing hiccups, it's fantastic. But that's Gaston Leroux’s story, so props to him. Like I wrote before: it's tense, it's intriguing, and it's heartbreaking. I can see why this is a literary classic. Overall - I'd like to not recommend this game, but I can't, simply because it showed me the wonderful story of the Phantom of the Opera. I'd say go read the book instead, but the game... well, like I said, it's bad, but it's also got wonderful moments. Can you handle the bad to get to the good? Up to you. Hope that helps!

I am a shameless Phangirl and Erik!Simp, and I've noticed several other Phans have given this game negative reviews, but I will actually defend this game as a worthy addition to different interpretationsf of Gaston Leroux's classic novel. I have read the original novel in two different translations, and have a third on my shelf I've been meaning to read. I have seen the Musical!Movie and have a DVD of the Royal Theater adaption. I have read many Phantom retellings and many are unique takes. Including Susan Kay's. And I feel that this interpretation is just as valid as others. First, of all I feel just how human this game is. Yes, Erik is extra level evil in this, while in the original novel he does make the right decision in the end, and redeems himself, this version takes any sympathy you could possibly have for him and chunks it out the window. And I can understand why many Phans hate this. But in the end, I actually say...isn't this in many ways more realistic? I have sadly meet several 'Eriks' in my life, and most of them had this ending instead of a last second redemption. So, to see such a sad, and pitiful version evoked a lot of emotion out of me. It actually really fits a gothic tragedy in a way that Erik's fate was handled here. While, I can't phangirl over this one, I can appreciate the sheer humanity of the character here because in many ways this is what would happen in reality from my own understanding and experience with human nature. I actually liked this Christine, and her growing a backbone and becoming a stronger and layered character instead of what most adaptions do. Her growth is amazing, and I loved it. I also enjoyed Raoul's redemption as well. I liked the dept that was given to the side characters especially the Persian who is left out of more adaptions. I just feel a lot of phans are being too hard on this game. It isn't as romantic as most modern versions are by any means, but at the same time the original novel wasn't meant to be a romance. Leroux never intended a gothic romantic classic. He just wanted a detective story that Hollywood and Broadway decided was actually an epic love story and changed it. So, as a diehard Phan/Eric!Simp, I approve!

This game is way too underrated... First of all, forget about the movies, the game uses the original Book as for it's base, (with some extras ofc but it's not that influential) and i must say it did an amazing job! So well made, amazing details, and hooollysheep. It's so beautiful. The game keeps it simple. Click to move, objects and mini games are easy, yet entertaining. Conversations are useful, and funny. Characters are well made, the music on point (I mean, i really would suggest to put it into the "good music material" ngl.) the athmosphere gets Spooky when it's necessary, but it can also be pretty chill to play. Also, if you missed an achievement, or a collectible ( you can literally see when starting the chapter how many you need to collect btw..) you can always replay the chapter. Honestly, if ur such a POTO fan, then definitely give it a go! If you're not familiar with either the book, or the movies, worry not, it literally gives you a summ up about characters, and events, so you won't get lost either! :) I really wanted to write this rating because i almost missed an oportunity to play such a sweet, intense and spooky game cause of the lack of reviews / mixed ratings. Not to mention, POTO is one of my all time favorite books. C:

Bad. Bad. Completely disregards the themes of the original novel and does a bad job of it. Compassion is a strength, not a weakness, but this game would convince you otherwise. Just read the book--it'll take you less time and be more enjoyable too.

I've been a fan of Phantom of the Opera (book and movies) for years and this has been such an entertaining way to enjoy the story. I'm genuinely frightened during some scenes and it's fun and thrilling, even if you already know what happens.

TLDR: This take on the 1910 novel of Phantom of the Opera gave me a ride that kept me coming back for more even if I did know the order of events. With a soundtrack that compliments the story progression this is by far one of the best visual novels I have played this year. Highly Recommend, I will keep an eye out for future projects from this team. Growing up and in the later years of my public education I was incredibly enthralled with the world that was the Phantom of the Opera that I got to see the actual musical on Broadway, got the chance to play Music of the Night in my high school advanced orchestra (even memorizing and playing it at gigs) that it goes without saying, I had high expectations going into this. There was a lot for them to live up to given my obsession with it and what I got was everything I wanted and more. The game play is a simple and plain point and click adventure type of experience with a few "mini-game" sequences that appear throughout including pattern recognition sequences, a single run sequence that is easier than those in their previous game Jekyll & Hyde, and a few swipe in a direction sequences. Most of the story is told by interacting with specific individuals and finding footnotes that add to a "diary" of sorts that gives more background on events, characters, symbols, and a few other categories. These footnotes will generally show up naturally near the character with natural story progression with a few exceptions. While I truthfully, didn't use much of the background information footnotes or the summary of interactions between characters (cause I binged the game and all events were fresh in my memory) I did find the latter screen neat but cluttered. You had all the key figures to the story in a branched sequence and upon clicking them info about their relationship with other characters. What makes it cluttered is that when you get to the main characters like Raoul or Christine those notes are incredibly long due to all the interactions for them in the game. This however doesn't detract from the game as it's only there for the players benefit if they needed a quick refresher about something in a previous chapter. What could make this frustrating is that it's organized by character not chapter, but I find that to be a pickier note personally rather than a true hindrance to the game. The interaction in turn with all the main characters was incredibly intriguing for me. Each of them felt alive and three dimensional rather than a caricature created off the most basic idea of the character they are meant to portray. The story explores difficult topics that we still see even today with the ostracizing of those who are different from what modern society deems "normal", and the effects it has on those individuals depending on their surroundings. Here the phantom is not romanticized, here the phantom is pitiable and the actions he takes are not ones easily, if ever, forgiven. Due to the actions the phantom takes against Christine in his warped pursuit of love, parallels are also drawn between the relationship between Christine and Raoul as well. It was this dynamic between the three main figures that despite knowing how everything ended that had me holding my breath waiting to see how different sequences would be handled. My favorite motif that I didn't even realize explicitly until the end was the prevalence of a black rose and roses in general. This simple addition added another layer to the complex relationship between the main cast and hinted to the ending to those unfamiliar with the story from the very beginning. Even if you already know what a black rose symbolizes it simply gives you a general idea of what kind of story you're in for, and no, it's overall not happy. This is ultimately a tragedy, that you start to unfold through a story as a detective in the beginning. You listen to people regal their tales of what happened and how it ultimately affected the lives of those involved. In the end this is easily one of the best visual novels period, I have ever played, but it's not perfect. Some may not like the more kinetic tone the novel takes with only a few minor choices making an impact. Despite the high regard I held the original works, this version entertains, offers an additional new ending instead of just the canon ending of the book, and most of all left me thinking of it long after I finished the story. If a story can manage to make me think about it days after I finished it, that's a story well told in my book. Highly recommend and will be keeping my eyes out for future works by this group.

The game itself is not bad, a few glitches here and there, subpar dialogue, and a few typos.. Game play is rather minimal and way too easy. My biggest gripe as a extremely fond Phantom fan is the portrayal of Erik in this version. The developers turned him into a caricature of himself. Too over the top... And that's coming from a reader of the original novel where Erik is quite over the top. As a visual novel it failed to capture the nuance of Erik as well as the the profound, but ambiguous connection Erik and Christine share. A sadly wasted opportunity. Its a real pity. The way they used powerful, emotional lines from the novel also fell completely flat because of the way they re-contextualized them through the change to Erik's character and the relationship between Erik and Christine. Even Raoul was more of a jerk than in the novel. Probably because of some misplaced need to teach young girls a lesson about relationships. Blegh. I saw it coming when I saw the warning page at the start of the page talking about triggers. It really undermines the reader/ players intelligence. I've read plenty of fanfic a 100x better than this, some of which analysed the relationship between Erik and Christine in an unflinching, realistic light. And those were free. If you're a Phantom fan, don't waste your money. It has nothing of the true heart of this story that makes it a classic loved and cherished by many. If you're a casual who wants a classic horror visual novel... its all right I guess. At least I have one more adaptation of PotO for my collection now.

"Masquerade! Paper faces on parade!" A story-oriented adventure that captures the essence of the original through gaming. If you're feeling too lazy to read the original or if you're looking to have more fun, this might be a suitable option.

[i] [h1] Rarely can a book or a game leave a mark on your soul and help you realise something new...  [/h1] To be honest, I am not familiar with the original book of the French writer Gaston Leroux. But I hope that one day I will read this legendary book. In the meantime, I am writing a review based on what I know about this interesting story. I've loved the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and the 2004 film adaptation since I was a kid. I fell in love with a romantic story about a love triangle between a mysterious Angel of Music and an ordinary chorus girl from Sweden named Christine Daaé. I can't count how many times I reviewed this film and I was genuinely surprised how my opinion and attitude to the choice of the main character changes with age. But today we are talking about a game based on this wonderful story. I did not expect anything serious and high-quality, from a small Korean studio that makes simple games for mobile phones. To tell you the truth, I didn't know anything about them until I came across this project. I am no longer a child, and I still liked this project. Despite the cute cartoon graphics and the complete lack of voice acting (for the full immersion in the game, I would like to hear the wonderful voices of the characters, but I understand that to demand this from a game that was originally developed for mobile phones is dumb) you still genuinely care about the characters and Eric even looks creepy. And now directly to the analysis of this game. In comparison with the legendary film, I want to note that this story is less romantic, it reveals the characters' character and PTSD much better, with the accompanying bouquet of Eric's mental illnesses. There is no clear division between "bad" and "good", there is no boundary between "good" and "evil". You understand that people are not born evil or good, their character is formed exclusively from their experiences and moral views. This makes the characters feel alive and real. The story is disturbing, dark, and sentimental. But not as sentimental as in the movie. The image of Eric in the movie is really too romanticised. Maybe this is due to a lack of screen time. In the span of 3 hours, it is impossible to solve this story from the point of view of psychology. As a musical, the film is simply amazing. But this game reveals and shows what the film could not show. [b] Humanity, acceptance, and hopelessness. [/b] The importance of making the right choice and how complex the relationships between people are. For me, a lot of things became a discovery, I recognised myself in the characters and constantly rethought my behaviour in certain situations. This project shows that many people get lost, thinking that society does not accept them for some reason beyond their control, and begin to hate and despise it and themselves. But in fact, [b] the only thing that affects people's attitude towards you is your personality. Your words, choices, and actions. [/b] This game helped me to look at the world around me in a different way and I am immensely grateful for this. I recommend this project to everyone, regardless of how old you are and whether you like the concept of the story about "A Ghost living in the basements of the Paris Opera building". Thank you for this unforgettable experience [/i]