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Notes of my silence

Notes of my silence

by Kostrum Games

Price $2.99
Avg Players 0
Released Aug 14, 2023
AdventureAnimeAtmosphericDrama
View on Steam ↗

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About this game

What players are saying

▲ Recommended 1 hrs

"Notes of My Silence" enchants with its simplicity, sincerity and truly unique storytelling approach.



I truly urge my English-speaking friends to give it a try. The game costs next to nothing and is absolutely worth the hour it takes to complete...




Yes, it’s a short visual novel, but an incredibly emotional one — it touches the deepest corners of the soul. At the center of the story is Stefan, a young pianist who loses his hearing in a car accident. For him, this is not only a physical trauma but also an emotional one, as music was an integral part of his life. The loss of his ability to hear calls into question everything he once loved and strived for. But this novel isn’t just about pain and loss; it’s about choice — whether to surrender to circumstances or fight for a dream.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3365068444

The game offers two main paths.

One ending demonstrates how inner fears and despair can completely destroy a person. In contrast, the other brings hope and shows that even in the darkest moments, there is a way back to the light. A special touch is the newspaper that appears after completing the game, revealing additional details that make you ponder the significance of every choice.

One of the most unusual mechanics of the game is the use of sign language.

Throughout the gameplay, you learn essential gestures and phrases along with the protagonist, which are then used to interact with other characters. This is not only an intriguing feature but also a way to feel how Stefan communicates in his new reality — a world of silence. This element deepens the connection with the character and highlights the importance of communication, even under the most challenging conditions.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3365067220

The audio accompaniment adds to the drama:

the silence is occasionally interrupted by carefully selected sounds — a heartbeat conveying anxiety or the faint sound of a synthesizer that Stefan hears more in his imagination than in reality.

The game’s visual style is distinguished by its cozy simplicity.

The warm color palette, detailed character expressions, and first-person perspective make the novel feel like an intimate story told just for you. This style feels incredibly alive and human, amplifying the emotional moments to an even greater extent.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3365067674




An ideal example of how even a small independent project can make a significant contribution to the development of the Ukrainian gaming industry. If you want to support an original product and experience something truly unique, this game is undoubtedly worth your attention.




FOR UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY:


Зачаровує простотою, щирістю й по-справжньому унікальним підходом до розповіді.

Так, очевидно коротка, але надзвичайно емоційна візуальна новела — вона торкається найглибших куточків душі. У центрі історії — Стефан, молодий піаніст, котрий втратив слух унаслідок автомобільної аварії. Для нього це не лише фізична, але й емоційна травма, адже музика була невід'ємною частиною його життя. Втрата здатності чути ставить під сумнів усе, що він колись любив і до чого прагнув. Але ця новела — не лише про біль і втрати, а й про вибір: змиритися з обставинами чи боротися за мрію.

Гра пропонує два основні шляхи. Одна кінцівка демонструє, як внутрішні страхи й відчай можуть остаточно зруйнувати людину. Натомість інша дарує надію й показує, що навіть у найтемніші моменти можна знайти шлях до світла. Особливим штрихом є газета, котра з’являється після проходження гри: у ній розкриваються додаткові деталі, що змушують замислитися про значення кожного вибору.

Однією з найбільш незвичайних механік гри є використання жестової мови. У процесі гри ми разом з героєм запам'ятовуєм основні жести й фрази, які потім потрібно використовувати для взаємодії з іншими персонажами. Це не лише цікавий момент, але й спосіб відчути, як спілкується Стефан у новому для нього світі... Світі тиші. Така деталь створює глибший зв’язок, а також підкреслює важливість комунікації навіть у найскладніших умовах.

Аудіо супровід додає драматичності: час від часу цю тишу переривають ретельно підібрані звуки: серцебиття, котре передає хвилювання або слабкий звук синтезатора, який Стефан чує скоріше у своїй уяві, ніж у реальності.

Графічний стиль гри відрізняється затишною простотою. Тепла колірна гамма, деталізовані міміки персонажів і використання перспективи від першої особи роблять новелу схожою на інтимну історію, яку розповідають лише вам. Цей стиль виглядає напрочуд живим, напрочуд людяним і робить емоційні моменти ще більш вражаючими.

Ідеальний приклад того, як навіть невеликий незалежний проєкт може зробити вагомий внесок у розвиток українського ігрового простору. Якщо ви хочете підтримати оригінальний продукт і отримати щось унікальне — ця гра точно варта вашої уваги.
31 found helpful Steam ↗
▲ Recommended 0 hrs
I haven't played a visual novel in a long time. Sadly, their presence is being meagred now and this genre is Undervalued in terms of evolving preferences. However, this short visual presentation featuring visceral art and hand-drawn art-come-to-life game has more than enough to offer to leave your minds baffled.

A story about kinda autistic or a queer person transcended into his own intricately woven world distanced from societal norms, and far from the exterior world, has more than just silence to offer. Don't inhale the relaxation of those mysterious piano keystrokes, there's could be a loud storm waiting to shatter your silence Or not. But who and what is this person ? Anyways, I will leave the review totally spoiler-free.

Lack of visual-novel games in market is just a stark reminder of how developers and big game makers focus more on cinematics, gameplay, graphics, heavily rendering and everything but story. As the genre itself suggests, there has to be a story more than anything that can enable the audience who is going through sequence to connect the dots from beginning to end with possibly an event or that dream chase you can absolutely relate with a life event. This succinct visual narrative will evoke restrained emotions, keeping tears at bay. Be prepared to hold back your tears, as you will rejoice each and every moment you spend at end ensuring the deliberate selection of prudent choices.

If you want to actually enjoy a game offering such profound and an indulging experience, explained in visually appealing and satisfying comic narrative style, then this game is a must have. I hope we see a great number of visual novels based games and lose the genre to history.
18 found helpful Steam ↗
▲ Recommended 1 hrs
An outstanding short-story which includes a sign-language mission, a black cat and postie, the postman.
There's Ukrainian Voice-over for some parts (obviously not all because you play as Stefan who lost his hearing).
I like short games. Notes of my silence is definitely worth playing!

If you want to check Kostrum Games' newest game, you can visit [i]Kami: Parade of Senses[/i}
There's already a demo ;-)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2764320/Kami_Parade_of_Senses/

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16 found helpful Steam ↗

Reviews are by Steam users, hosted on Steam.

Latest updates

The demo of Kami: Parade of Senses is available now!

874 days ago
Kami: Parade of Senses is a non-linear Visual Novel with Point & Click elements. Visit 10 main (and ??? secret) locations, complete quests and choose your path. The demo version has only the prologue, but there are a few secrets you can find. Be careful :) https://store.steampowered.com/app/2764320/Kami_Parade_of_Senses/

Update 0.1

1031 days ago
Somehow we missed a few mistakes and fixed them. fixed some mistakes with commas in the Ukrainian localization; reduced volume of sharp sounds; now game starts in full screen mode by default.

Notes of my silence on Steam!

1032 days ago
Yesterday our first a bit global game - visual novel "Notes of my silence" was released! We want to thank everyone, who supported us during the development and who has already bought the game. We will be glad to see your reviews and support in future. All funds from the game we will use for your next project. Follow development and the other news you can in your networks at this link :) https://linktr.ee/kostrum.games?fbclid=PAAa

Posts come from Steam's official announcements feed.

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