Game Thoughts - Firework by Shiying Studio

Note: This is a repost from our WordPress, which we don't update anymore.

I picked this game up since I got myself a copy of Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders and we got recommended some other Chinese horror point-and-clicks/puzzle games by Steam. I didn't want anything that would have any jumpscares so this was appealing to me.

I didn't know anything about it, and I am glad that it's the case. It was quite a rollercoaster of emotion, and solving the mystery was a real good journey.

Now, from what I've been saying, you can all guess that, as much as I would like to try, we're never completely objective in our reviews.

If anything, these are more of a consolidation of our thoughts about the games we play, rather than a reference for other players.

Just putting that out there. - Kochi

What's It All About?

You play as Lin Lixun, a police officer who was called to investigate a fire that broke out in a funeral. As you would think, it's pretty mysterious, and in looking into it, you get dragged into a bigger, but mostly abandoned case...

That of the Tian family death.

Writing

I would say that the setting is pretty realistic, despite the supernatural/paranormal involvement in the story. It seems to be set in a rural part of China, where a lot of people still believe in superstition despite being in modern times.

And apparently, that belief is part of the cause of a family's death...

I like how the game explores how people feel trapped by their circumstances, and how they respond to it or not. It may strike a chord with other Asians, like ourselves, in particular, since the kinds of circumstances are very common in those societies.

I also like how the main character is not just someone looking into other people's lives, but he also looks into his own and makes a decision on how he will go ahead with the rest of his life and his career with the special ability he has. And just like the people he's investigating, he also had something that trapped him. The main difference is that he's alive, and he can break free, and this makes him a good foil for this other living character.

lol I'm not gonna spoil so much, but there, everything is quite relatable.

Art

We had a new viewer come in once during our playthrough of this, and they said that the art was good. And I gotta agree. It mostly had this ink-drawn + paper cut art look, with a bit of photo collage for the zoom-ins. Some parts have a doodle-like look to it, but that's because of the kid character that's involved.

Audio

There are a few tracks used, including the one for the title screen, but they are quite notable, especially the one that's played at the end... Yeah, I'll leave you guys to find out what it is. Either that, or just go for the OST.

Gameplay

The basic gameplay is pretty simple. You just go right or left using the directional keys, and then select/investigate things using Z. X is where the menu is, and you can save pretty much anywhere.

For me, most of the puzzles are pretty okay. They make you think a bit, but few take a much longer time to solve. The longest I had to do was the washing machine one, as well as the slide puzzle, but the latter is mostly because I'm bad at it in general.

I would also say that the guidance is pretty good. Important spots that you have to investigate have a magnifying glass symbol when you pass by them, making it almost impossible to miss a detail. And many times when you have to go up close to do something, you're given a chance to go back and search the room before proceeding. Pathways also open and close depending on where you need to go.

The sidescrolling can be a little jarring at times, and it's part of where the horror comes from. One time, you're on a street with a store, and the next, you're in front of a dead family's house. The presentation is just so good that way, kind of like how a set would change in a play while characters walk around the stage. Also eliminates needless travel, which is nice, considering you're just walking, and you're kind of slow at it.

Overall

If you're a fan of horror puzzle games, especially those with an Asian theme, I would recommend this. It has a great, touching story, tasteful art and music, and the gameplay is not frustrating at all. The horror is also the good, atmospheric kind.

But... Don't believe the devs when they say "no jumpscares". There is at least one. However, they do not rely on it for scares, unlike, say, the Paper Bride series.

If you would like to get the game, you can find it on GOG and Steam. It's a paid game, yeah, but at least it's not too expensive, and definitely worth it.