A Light in the Dark Reviews

It's a mild recommendation. The story has an interesting premise : 2 poor girls kidnapping the son of a CEO. The gameplay is more interactive than your average visual novel ; you have a stamina bar and a limited number of actions : you can chat, rest or observe. You can't do everything, will you prioritize studying the apartment for a way to escape, resting your wounds or trying to learn more about your kidnappers by chatting ? In practice it's fairly simple to do the right things and I got one of the two "best" endings available in about 2.5 hours. The game's defaults really shine in repeated playthroughs. The skip function is badly designed and don't skip voiced dialogue, defeating its purpose. It's especially annoying because the game severely limit your saves. You can only save at the start of each day (there's a max of 7 days). I understand that this help build tension for a first time player but it's just annoying for subsequent runs. It's also often not clear at all which of your choices lock you in a particular ending. This is a common occurence in vn, so I recommend using a guide after your first time, especially since skipping is not designed correctly and the story gets repetitive after that first play. Without spoiling anything, I think the author(s) did an ok job with the story with the limitations of the premise (1 location, 3 characters). I think it's highly personal if it's something that will click to you or if you'll find it preachy. Personally, I think it was too bleak for its own good, not so much in the situation itself but in all 3 characters attitudes, especially the protagonist. I thought back to my psych classes and the concept of "learned helplessness" popped out quickly after playing this game. Both the protag and the main kidnapper have near fatalistic and deterministic worldviews. "The world is just unfair" is something both characters says often with nothing else to add apart that it's an awkward attempt to expose how much the rich kid and the poor girl have in common. I get what the author(s) was trying to do, but it clashes a lot with the all-around bleakness of the story. I'm a strong advocate for "show don't tell" in storytelling and it's sadly not something this story offers enough. EDIT : I forgot to say, but the default controls for the game on Steam Deck are super clunky. You have to use the virtual keyboard in-game to press the 'Q" button and it's not easily remappable. Weird.

Steam Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) Title: A short but deeply moving experience that quietly stays with you. A Light in the Dark may seem like a simple visual novel at first glance, but it left a much deeper impression on me than I expected. It tells the story of a rich boy who gets kidnapped by a girl from a completely different world—and yet, instead of being about violence or thrill, it's about understanding, empathy, and how two broken people slowly begin to see each other as human. The game doesn't rely on fanservice or flashy tropes. It keeps everything grounded and real, and that’s what makes it hit even harder. The writing is sharp, mature, and sensitive. The emotional weight builds up gradually, and by the end, it feels like you’ve lived through something meaningful. The art and music are understated but beautiful. The limited choices and short length (around 5–6 hours) work in its favor—it never overstays its welcome and makes every scene feel important. If you love emotional, character-driven stories that focus on slow, meaningful bonds—this is absolutely worth your time. No cheap drama, just two people slowly changing each other's world in quiet, profound ways.

I like it, although the story needs more branching and expansion.

The narrative is compact but powerful. It’s less about twists and more about emotional depth. The game tackles socio-economic issues in a grounded, personal way, exploring the perspectives of both the captor and the captive without painting either as wholly good or evil. It's not for everyone—particularly those who prefer action or complex gameplay—but for readers who appreciate subtle storytelling and nuanced characters, it's a quiet gem. Score: 8/10