Misericorde: Volume One

Misericorde: Volume One
Developer(s)	Xeecee
Publisher(s)	Xeecee
Platform(s)	Windows, Mac OS
Release	March 23, 2023
Genre(s)	Kinetic novel
Mode(s)	Single-player

Misericorde: Volume One is an indie mystery kinetic novel developed and published by Xeecee, and the first of a planned episodic series. It was released for Windows and Mac OS on March 24, 2023. Set in a convent in England in the year 1482, the game revolves around a murder that was committed within the premises. The game's main character, Hedwig, is an anchoress who was confined to a cell, and therefore had a foolproof alibi. She is forced by the convent's Mother superior to leave her cell and assist in finding the culprit. The game's art is monochrome, with retro game-style heavily dithered photograph backgrounds and anime character sprites. The game received positive reviews from critics for its writing, citing its memorable characters as a strong point.

Plot

The main character of the game is Hedwig, an anchoress who has been confined to a cell for the last 20 years to interpret scripture. When Sister Catherine, one of the convent's most free-thinking nuns, is murdered, Hedwig is the only one who could not have done it, and is therefore forced to leave the cell and investigate by secretly evaluating the other nuns.

Reception

Maddy Myers of Polygon praised the chemistry between characters, describing the game as both haunting and "quite humorous". Calling it "rare to see an ensemble cast this well developed and characterized", she stated that it was one of her favorite games of the year, saying that each nun had her own distinct voice and secrets. She stated that she was so interested in seeing the second episode that she subscribed to the developer's Patreon after beating the game. Jen Lennon of The A.V. Club put Misericorde on her list of top games of 2023, calling the game "devastating" and comparing it to Pentiment, though she noted that game's element of player choice. She called the lack of choice fitting, as the game was about Hedwig taking control of her life and telling her own story. William Hughes of the same publication said that the game drew players in with "considerable skill" and that it was one of the year's most involving narratives. Elijah Gonzalez of Paste rated it the 4th best game of the year, saying that it "completely absorbed" him in its setting, and calling the wait for the next chapter "painful". He noted that the game "establishes a cast of characters who prove just as complex as its political machinations". Ashley Bardhan of Kotaku called Misericorde one of the best games of Steam's 2023 Visual Novel Fest, describing the art as "fantastic".

Further reading

• Rowe, Willa (2023-04-19). "'Misericorde' Is the Best-Written Game of 2023". Inverse. Retrieved 2024-12-18.