Developer – Pierre Feuille Studio

Publisher – Pierre Feuille Studio

Platforms –  PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Developer

Chronique des Silencieux is a game that promises an intriguing story of secrets, lies, and mysteries, but fails to deliver on its potential due to poor translation and lack of guidance. The game puts you in the role of a rookie private eye hired by an old history professor, Victor Dousvalon, to help his daughter Catherine uncover his past. You will have to explore various locations, interview witnesses, and piece together clues to solve the case. However, the game is hampered by its translation from French, which is full of errors and inconsistencies that make the text hard to follow and the story confusing. The game also offers little direction or feedback, leaving you to wander aimlessly and guess what to do next. The game tries to emulate the classic adventure games of the past, but ends up being frustrating and tedious instead.

The game’s premise is intriguing, as you are faced with a peculiar case of a man who refuses to tell his own story, and a daughter who suddenly wants to know more about him. The game also boasts a rich historical setting, as you explore the southern France of the 1970s, with its political and social turmoil. The game’s graphics are decent, with a stylized art style that captures the mood and atmosphere of the era. The game’s sound design is also good, with a fitting soundtrack and voice acting that add to the immersion. The game’s gameplay is based on the classic point-and-click adventure genre, where you interact with objects, people, and your inventory. The game’s main mechanic is the interrogation system, where you have to ask questions, detect lies, and confront the silent ones with evidence. The game also features a notebook, where you can review your clues and make connections. The game’s puzzles are mostly logical and challenging, requiring you to pay attention to details and think creatively.

However, the game’s translation is a major flaw that ruins the experience. The game’s text is full of grammatical, spelling, and formatting errors that make it hard to read and understand. The game’s dialogue is often unnatural and awkward, with characters using incorrect words, phrases, or punctuation. The game’s story is also affected by the translation, as it becomes unclear and inconsistent. The game’s text often contradicts itself, or leaves out important information. The game’s translation also makes it difficult to follow the clues and solve the puzzles, as you are not sure if something is a mistake or a hint. The game’s translation is a huge disappointment, as it prevents you from enjoying the game’s story and gameplay.

The game’s lack of direction and guidance is another flaw that makes the game frustrating and tedious. The game does not offer any explanation of its mechanics, leaving you to figure out everything by yourself. The game also does not give you any indication of your progress or objectives, leaving you to wander around and try everything. The game’s map is large and confusing, with many locations that look similar and have nothing to do with the case. The game’s hint system is also unhelpful, as it either gives you vague or obvious hints, or tells you that you will be penalized for using it. The game’s lack of direction and guidance makes the game feel like a chore, as you waste time and energy on irrelevant or unclear tasks.

Chronique des Silencieux is a game that could have been a great detective adventure, but is ruined by its poor translation and lack of guidance. The game’s story is intriguing, but is obscured by the errors and inconsistencies in the text. The game’s gameplay is challenging, but is hindered by the confusion and frustration caused by the translation and the lack of direction. The game’s graphics and sound are decent, but are not enough to save the game from its flaws. Chronique des Silencieux is a game that is not worth your time or money, unless you are fluent in French and have a lot of patience.