29 people found this review helpful
3
Recommended
0.0 hrs last two weeks / 12.3 hrs on record
Posted: Oct 11, 2024 @ 10:44am
Product received for free

Sigh of the Abyss is a beautifully illustrated, well-crafted dark fantasy story. A story that takes shape around the choices you make, for light or dark.

The Story

You wake up bloody and with no memories. Two strangers greet you and take you back to their dwelling in the exotic Renaissance port city of Carolise to get cleaned up and rested. Who you are or rather what you are, is a mystery. You are called an Envoy but what that means is up to you to discover and what powers the Abyss grants , for you to choose.

The story is well constructed and engaging. I love the idea of having your romance options customizable upfront. Getting to choose your abilities mixes up the gameplay, opening up different options while closing off others. This offers fresh dialogue and experiences for multiple playthroughs.

Multiple playthroughs are needed to achieve all endings and all achievements but there are plenty of save slots so no need to hold back saving often.

The romance options are all wonderful. Each character is unique. Alpheon, Malec and Ascanio are the male choices and Sylas and Marané round out the female options. I chose to romance the male leads first and it was a tough choice.

Gameplay & Features

Settings & features include; screen mode, resolution, options to turn off or on approval and romance choices, message speed, auto delay, skip modes, font sizes, and audio controls. This also includes controls for turning off and on voice acting. A CG gallery is unlocked as you play and also includes a codex that unlocks as you play. There are plenty of save slots too so do not be shy in saving.

In this novel you can tailor your experience including seeing only the romantic content you wish to see. There are five romance options, three male and two female. At a certain point you will be able to customize your romantic preferences, males, females, or a mix of both or none.

At the start of the game you will choose your name and eventually your special gifts. You start with 7 skill points and can allocate them into three areas. Physical prowess (super strength), Shadow magick (manipulate the shadows and see what they see) or Enthral Mind (manipulate the minds of others).


The abilities you chose will unlock extra actions or text you can take, opening or closing different opportunities.

The Visuals & Audio

I really enjoyed the voice work in this game where select scenes are fully voiced. My only gripe, which is a personal one, is that the main character (you) is also voiced. This for me breaks the immersion of being the main character. It is only in select scenes but is present in the few romantic parts I experienced.

The soundtrack is very well done, not intrusive and fits the atmosphere of the story which feels mysterious and exotic. The ambient sounds are also well implemented, doors creaking, water spilling, floor creaking etc.

Visually the sprites are beautifully painted. Each character is unique. The backgrounds are for the most part painterly and not highly detailed and they remind me more of concept sketches than finished pieces. The faces and poses of the sprites are animated as well as some details in the backgrounds (like a waterfall).

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3346760216
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3346759663


Overall Experience

The depth of the story and character development in this novel is one of the best I’ve experienced. A fully fleshed out story of mystery, danger and intrigue. There is romance but it is not the main focal point of the story, but woven into it. So if you’re looking for just spice this is not the novel for you. Also note romance in this game is a slow buildup, and I mean slow. You get to know the characters through activities and conversation. This game is not short, and when romance started to bloom for me it was well into the novel, about 5-6 hours in. Well worth the wait mind you as by the time the romance started to bloom I had built up an understanding of the other person which made it more special.

There is a lot of choice on the players' part throughout the story. Some of the choices are not path altering but there to establish a relationship between characters and yourself. You start to actually care for the characters around you, and not just the main five characters but the side characters as well.

I only managed one playthrough before the game's official release but the one pass took me around 10 hours to complete. I took my time enjoying my first experience with the story and characters but look forward to future playthroughs to experience the story from a darker perspective. I am curious to see how the story branches in both paths and to romance other characters as well. I highly recommend this visual novel and am eager to see what the developer puts forth in the future. 💖

Otome Lovers wishes to thank Rascal Devworks for providing a review copy for this game.

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6 Comments
Jester Oct 12, 2024 @ 10:38am 
@Amjara Thank you very much for your kind words and for letting me know a happy ending is possible! :) I've been craving a good and serious story, but wanted to make sure I could come out of it feeling happy or at least hopeful, so I'm relieved a good ending is possible! I'm super excited to play now. I'm also one of those players who goes for the moral and good options as well, so hopefully I'll have no trouble getting a good ending too!
Amjara Oct 12, 2024 @ 8:10am 
@Jester I am sorry to hear your going through a sad time but my first play through did end with a happy ending :) So yes you can definitely have a happy one.

It will depend on how you play of course but I am one to chose moral options and try to do good and it led to a good ending.
Jester Oct 11, 2024 @ 5:10pm 
Thank you for the thorough review! I am quite excited for this game. I was wondering, is it possible to have a happy ending? I'm in a place right now where I don't think I could play something too sad, so just trying to figure out if I should get it now (and play immediately) or wait. :)
Amjara Oct 11, 2024 @ 3:07pm 
@IDiivil that is playing at a regular pace and allowing the VA's to read their lines. The story is only partially voiced, most of it is you reading it. Romantic scenes/important moments and the beginning are voiced.

I am also a fast reader by nature, so how fast or slow you read will alter your play time.
Damsel of Distress Oct 11, 2024 @ 2:42pm 
this looks really, really interesting. dark fantasy and renaissance! thanks for the review. wishlisted!
IDiivil Oct 11, 2024 @ 12:30pm 
Question: When you mention 10 hours for one playthrough, was that allowing the VAs to read their lines all the way through, or just playing/clicking through as you personally read the lines?