Upirja

Great little folk/gothic horror game! It gets a little slow towards the later chapters but it was a pretty enticing experience overall. Even if the graphics are very simple, the visual style is still very well designed and helps support the mood and atmosphere of the game as the setting and ambiance are definitely its strongest points. The soundtrack is also very good. It's like dungeon synth with mock Gregorian chants. It fits the game perfectly. The weakest part of the game definitely is the localisation. Most of the dialogues and objective notes are written in broken English and the voice acting can sound a little silly most of the time. I don't know that the voice acting was truly necessary here.

I think this is probably the second best vampire game I have ever played, it comes right after that absolute masterpiece called "Nosferatu: the wrath of Malachi". Upirja is a unique game, it PERFECTLY captures the mood and the atmosphere of the first vampire novels, and of gothic horror in general. The main game is fully story driven, and focuses on investigation. Your task is to unveil the mystery behind the upirja, a disease that brings its victims to death for excessive blood loss, and that is decimating the population of a few lonely villages on a snowy mountain landscape. You are alone, you are helpless, and this upirja seems to be much more than a common disease. Something much darker is going on in this lost corner of the Earth, and you will soon face your worst fears as you roam amongst the dark dead trees, the snow dunes, and the decrepit remains of abandoned villages. Of course, upirs are the original vampires. They are quite different in many respects from their modern counterparts, and you can clearly see all the research that has been undertaken for the realization of this game. You may even consider it as an educational experience, a fun and thrilling way to explore the ancient legend of vampires as it was originally intended. The graphic style is minimalistic but very very effective, the atmosphere is PERFECT, even FLAWLESS, and the soundtrack is more than appropriated. This game is a sort of interactive novel you may say, a dark but incredibly fascinating gothic tale that is absolutely a must-have for all fans of victorian horror, an occasion to feel on your very skin what an unaware investigator might have felt in front of the unknown, the otherworldly manifestation of feral horrors that go beyond our imagination. If you are into story and atmosphere driven interactive adventures, and of course into myths and folklore, then immediately dive into this little masterpiece, and let the twisted adventure absorb you. And, if you are in the mood for some action, don't forget to try the three unlockable minigames! They offer a much different experience compared to the main game, each one of them focuses on a particular challenge, and they are very very tough. Albeit they are obviously related to the main story, they are not truly necessary to fully enjoy the game, but they are a very nice idea, fun time killers that will offer a few more emotions to the bravest players! Cheers guys!

I'm giving it a thumbs up because I liked my experience with it, but I would advise this is definitely not a game suited to everyone. This game doesn't have a lot of intense action in the main plot, and most interactive gameplay is found in the mini-games (which aren't bad by themselves). Also, the game should be thought of a as horror mostly in the sense of it having a lot of gothic vibes as opposed to it being outright scary or disturbing. The main story is mostly a walking simulator set in a landscape of snowy hills with forests and small villages. You spend most of your time moving between locations so you can go speak to a few specific people to advance the plot. The plot itself is very linear and there is no real benefit to exploring outside of it, since locations only contain useful interactions at specific points. You will cover the entire map a few times over while completing the story. So if you dislike games involving a lot of walking, this won't be the game for you. It's only in the third and final chapters that you will encounter situations that pose any sort of gameplay challenge (two brief combats). However, the 2 of the 4 mini-games expand on these mechanics and provide a way to challenge yourself. The other 2 mini-games have mechanics not found in the main story and are based in the perspective of the vampire. These were the 2 I enjoyed the most but I found all worth playing at least once. I don't mean any of the above in a negative way, I actually quite like low-key games which are more about atmosphere and exploration than intense combat, difficult puzzles, or challenges. I have a big soft spot for all games with retro aesthetics, I love some good ole potato graphics. All the voice acting sounds like a bunch of muppets talking, which you may either find charming or irritating (you can turn the voices off in the main menu settings). There are a few times the translations aren't perfect, but I personally think that sort of stuff adds charm and character to a game (especially since it's set in a wintery Eastern Europe). There are 6 chapters total, each of which can be completed in about 15 minutes. I wasted more time than was necessary completing them because I spent a lot of time uselessly exploring (like I mentioned, you won't gain anything from doing so). If you are someone looking for a chill game to play for an hour or two, and you enjoy retro-style graphics in a walking sim game, it's worth your consideration. If you want something more fast-paced or action focused, this game probably won't appeal to you.

Un juego de exploración con una atmósfera retro y gótica, acompañada de una mecánica minimalista, donde nos limitaremos a recorrer el pueblo nevado y a hablar con sus habitantes la mayor parte del tiempo. En este sentido, se puede apreciar un aspecto detectivesco, ya que siempre andamos tras alguna pista. Me ha parecido un acierto que esté ambientado en otro siglo y que sea en una zona rural plagada de supersticiones antiguas. La religión, la magia negra, los ritos olvidados, los mensajes del más allá...todo eso y mucho más podemos encontrarlo en Upirja ¿Recordáis las películas de vampiros antiguas que incluían un pueblo aislado asolado donde las desapariciones y las muertes estaban a la orden del día? Eso también es Upirja. A destacar también la inquietante música, que nos pondrá los pelos de punta en más de una ocasión. Los desarrolladores han añadido además varios modos de juego con distintos retos para completar la experiencia. Os lo recomiendo. An exploration game with a retro and gothic atmosphere, accompanied by minimalist mechanics, where we will limit ourselves to going through the snowy town and talking with its inhabitants most of the time. In this sense, a detective aspect can be appreciated, since we are always after some clue. It seemed to me a success that it is set in another century and that it is in a rural area plagued by ancient superstitions. Religion, black magic, forgotten rites, messages from the afterlife... all this and much more can be found in Upirja. Do you remember the old vampire movies that included an isolated town where disappearances and deaths were commonplace? That is also Upirja. Also noteworthy is the disturbing music, which will give you goosebumps on more than one occasion. The developers have also added several game modes with different challenges to complete the experience. Very recommended.

A masterpice!

Bon petit jeu gothique d'"horreur" bien qu'il ne fasse pas vraiment peur, sorte de courte légende d’Europe de l'est, avec quelques mini jeu en plus. Sympathique, musique appropriée.

Really underrated little gem, great seeing people attempt to bring our balkan mythologies to life