CINERIS SOMNIA Reviews

Certainly a great and thought provoking game 8/10.

Cineris Somnia was a very mixed experience from me. I almost gave up on the game entirely about 2/3 through as the slow pacing and unclear objectives were getting me frustrated, but after a few months, something about this game drew me back in to finish. Having just finished it today, my earlier frustration has been outweighed by appreciation for this game's strong atmosphere - mostly thanks to it's great visuals and music. TLDR: it's a flawed work of art that will definitely be too clunky for many to enjoy, but for those persistent/patient enough with a love of dreamlike aesthetics, it's a worthwhile experience. In more detail, the pros: - beautiful, unconventional graphics (not "good" graphics in the AAA sense, but more in the tastefully designed sense through use of lighting, textures, etc - very reminiscent of 90s/00s games that made creative use of graphical limitations such as Shadow of the Colossus or Silent Hill 2) - great, melancholy soundtrack - intriguing, sad stories the cons: - unnecessarily slow pacing with many unskippable slow animations and cutscenes - unclear direction in terms of where to go or what to do next (it feels a lot like an old school point + click puzzle game in this way - for some this might even be a positive, but I don't like getting stuck repeatedly as it drives me to walkthroughs which breaks immersion for such an atmosphere-focused game) - too much backtracking necessary between locations (especially due to slow character movement) - some character models and animations are noticeably low quality Conclusion: technically speaking, the cons outweighed the pros for me with this game, BUT the atmosphere and mood Cineris Somnia manages to conjure was a valuable enough pro to balance things out. It's a game that would have benefited from a handful of user experience improvements, but at its core is still a worthwhile and interesting concept that shines through its lack of polish. It's an unusual game that doesn't fully sit in a single genre with either it's story or gameplay, which is a good thing in my book. It evokes a strange uplifting-yet-lonely mood that only a handful of games I've played do - prime examples being Ico and Riven. It's a rare atmosphere that I have a strong love for and so few games (or any other media for that matter) have it that I know I'll remember this game for a long time despite its frustrating moments.

LOVE this game !!! I'm not much of a gamer but this one really fit my taste and i'm glad i got to play it when i had plenty of time ^^ one thing that might come off as a con of this game are the maps - i started with the sanatorium chapter and the first hour of playing was hard for me, however after learning how to navigate yourself with at least one map i think it is pretty easy later on as i myself stopped having trouble and had fun :) the controls were slightly confusing to me st first but not a bad thing at all. another thing that caught my attention (positively of course even though there are many great things about this game) was the parts of the mansion chapter where you have to run and hide from Ophelia at times - i need to admit i didn't expect this little surival play and as a person very sensitive to horror in games at first i was really scared lol but to my surprise it became my favourite thing especially when i figured out the map better ! the story/stories are interesting and absorbing as well imo, characters are GREAT, i really felt for Charlotte and wanted to take care of her so bad :( lots of good stuff about this game honestly, simply worth a try and i absolutely do recommend it :)

There are some games you just have to appreciate the existence of. I've reflected on this game for some time now since I played it a while ago and found it still floating around somewhere up there no matter what I did. In terms of tone this may be one of the most dreamlike games I've ever played. I see that phrase used for games that delve heavily into surrealism and the abstract but I feel it most here in Cineris Somnia. I fully acknowledge that by nature of gameplay this is not a game for everyone, but it feels perfectly tailored to my interests. This, to me at least, is a perfect game. A perfect piece of art as well. The tone is somber and the atmosphere is thick with melancholy. Its soundtrack is dotted with struck piano keys that seem to disappear like ghosts in the air. It's a game that's hard to describe to someone who hasn't played it I suppose, a bit like describing a memory from a long time ago, or recalling a dream shortly after you've woken up. Cineris Somnia is a game that feels as wistful as it does horrific. I want more games like it.

«So I cried. Doesn't make me less of a man.» In all seriousness, the game’s story isn’t a shameless tearjerker, but can hit you pretty hard if you’re sensitive to some of its themes. Good stuff. The game’s really easy and mostly consist of simple puzzles and running around fetching things for other characters. There are even glimpses of a light survival horror, but you have to be really sloppy to fail those sections. Environments are gorgeous, and you play as the most beautiful man in a world (straight out of some bishounen anime) rocking an awesome black coat. What’s not to like?

What an absolutely lovely psychological horror game. This game is not hard by any means, and if you have any sort of brain capacity, you won't need a walkthrough. The puzzles are challenging but not mystifying - and if you really are struggling, there is a photo of your destination attached to each objective in the journal. I was able to 100% the game without any guides, just a bit of thinking outside the box in some puzzles. I unfortunately missed a few of the vanishing letters, as well as the record for the gramophone in Marie's chapter, so make sure you interact with EVERYTHING and don't be afraid to spend time backtracking through the levels; you'll more than likely be rewarded for going back! The story and its direction were extremely well-done, imo, I just wish there were more people to theorycraft with :,) (please feel free to hit me with a FRQ if you want to talk about this game, I'm obsessed)