The House in Fata Morgana

I truly mean it when I say that The House in Fata Morgana is one of the best stories I have ever read in my entire life, and I would go as far as to say it IS a perfect story, it actually has 0 flaws, I recommend it to anybody, I went into it blind, with absolutely no context and I believe that is the best way to experience it, so, what are you waiting for?

I can't even begin to explain how much i love this game. This is an experience like no other and I highly recommend to everyone. Truly a must read!

the most beautiful visual novel i have ever read in my entire life, with the type of story that haunts you months after finishing. incredibly bewitching prose tied together with breathtaking imagery; the house in fata morgana has truly raised the bar for this genre.

It's an interesting read—nothing special, though. It's definitely not on the level of The Lord of the Rings.
I think I would have appreciated it more as a teenager. The story wasn't always engaging for me, but the artwork and music are great.

One fun thing I noticed is that they initially tried very hard to translate the game with an old-fashioned English literature style but gave up after a few chapters, switching to more regular American English.
In the first chapters, they came up with a new synonym for almost every word to avoid ANY repetition, but in the last chapter, they repeated "implore" about four times. So, the translation is rather inconsistent, but it's not a big deal.

I have only completed the first chapter, but I just can't stop thinking about it. I'm so glad I decided to give it a read all of a sudden. This visual novel is gonna ruin my life.
Will update this review once finished.

Uma visual novel das mais brabas. Desenhos lindos, personagens cativantes, apesar de alguns serem rasos e irritantes só "porque sim", hehe. A música é um dos destaques, por bem ou por mal, porque tem uma interpretação interessantíssima de letras em Português por alguém que talvez não tenha noção nenhuma da língua, o que faz com que os versos sejam um pouco reconhecíveis, mas meio alienígenas? É difícil de explicar, mas foi uma sensação muito interessante a primeira vez que ouvi o diacho da música do passarinho.

O jogo entra em temas que eu sinceramente não esperava e que, honestamente, não imaginei que poderiam ser abordados como foram. Dado todo o contexto de produção e até da própria era onde se passa a história, foi um take até bem gentil e empoderador pra esse tema. Não falo o que é porque é um mega spoiler, mas valeu a pena.

Ótima história, músicas interessantíssimas e arte belíssima. Recomendação facílima se você gosta minimamente de visual novels.

Nota naval: C9

Alright, I do not mind visual novels. I loved Fate Stay night, though I did not get that hear.This one though, is ughh. The story starts off with incest. Then it goes into someone who gets way too sword happy. Everyone tells me it gets good, but I do not know when, and honestly I have too many other games in my library to play to figure this out. Rule of thumb, is if something does not intrigue you by the third hour, third chapter, or third episode stop watching/reading/playing. I'm sure there are probably a bunch of great plot twists I might be missing, I just do not care. Like, it is seriously hard to care about any of these characters.

First 8 hours or so took me weeks to get trough, but the latter 16 hours I completed in one day. Peak fiction in every sense.

this fatamoru sh*t serious, get ready to die behind it...

It's peak writing.
I'm not too familiar with visual novels so this felt quite long but the "reveal" made it worth taking the time to properly digest the scenes. The music is awesome. The art is awesome. The story is so beautiful. There is simply nothing bad left to be said about this game.

The story was so depressing I had to stop playing. I don't mind dark narratives, but I felt like this game treated it more like a gimmick -- as if somebody dared the writers if they can make things even worse than they are every time they stopped.

NOTE: My play hours are well above 10, probably 30 or 40. Not sure why Steam bugged out on counting them, check my achievements.

Music is great, visuals are nice but the story is... bland. Each door comes up with the same trick of "Bully the author's beloved Mary Sue. Things look better. BAM! REDDIT TIER PLOT TWIST BABYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Rinse and repeat. The time wasted having to click through "..." or "hm..." is abysmal. If I had a dollar for every time the writer mentioned how beautiful and stunning the MC is, I'd go buy a better visual novel. Door 2 (I think) with The Beast, is actually very good, but goes down from there quickly.

I almost couldn't get through the first door, the pacing, the annoying characters...
I promise you, stick through it and you'll be rewarded with one of the greatest stories told, one of the best MC's I've ever experienced, absolute transformation and drop-dead gorgeous artwork.

Yes there are pacing issues at times, but this is one of the few times I can forgive the game for it's flaws, because the story is utterly captivating. I'm so glad I finished it.

The beautiful art style is what got me into this game. It is really atmospheric and lures you right into its world. The vibes overall are eery and gloomy which I liked a lot!
It has beautiful soundtrack and is extremely story rich. You'll need around 30 hours just for the main story which was a big bonus point for me since most VNs nowadays are rather short.
Story is very good with a lot of unusual plottwists and connections you make later on.

Definitely a recommendation for VN fans and lovers of everything gothic and gloomy! ࣪ ִֶָ🥀.

This is a game you cannot describe, it has to be experienced to be understood. One of the most beautiful pieces of fiction I have had the pleasure of playing. It brought tears to my eyes and made me reconsider so much of what I thought of myself as a human being. Please do yourself a favour and play it!

This VN emotionally manipulated me like 20 times.

Recommended 👍

Life changing, glamorous, extravagant, exquisite, perfect, beautiful, amazing, glorious, pretty, outstanding, rich, splendid, terrific, superb, insightful, excellent, delightful, fabulous, first-class, fantastic, gorgeous, electrifying, lovely, interesting, marvellous, thoughtful, wonderful, poetic piece of work.

This VN has ruined my life but ig its pretty good

Incredible story and great gameplay. If voice acting was there than this game would be Perfect.

不喜欢这个故事

I don't write reviews, but this one is an exception. To this day after 20+ years of consuming media, this is the best written-story I came across in ALL forms of media. Learned a lot from all of the well-written characters in this novel

A Masterpiece of Storytelling – 10/10

The House in Fata Morgana is nothing short of an absolute masterpiece. The writing is some of the best I’ve ever seen, with breathtaking visual descriptions that bring every scene to life. Each character is crafted with masterful attention to detail; their thoughts, actions, and emotions feel incredibly real and deeply human. It's important to note that, for being a Japanese-written story set in hundreds of years ago Europe, this is also one of the most forward-thinking pieces of writing I've ever read.

The soundtrack is phenomenal, perfectly setting the tone for every moment and immersing you even further into its hauntingly beautiful world. This is, without question, one of the greatest stories I’ve ever experienced. I really wish I had more to say than just "it's good," but it's really something that needs to be experienced first-hand. If you enjoy visual novels, or even just great storytelling, I couldn’t recommend this enough. 10/10, an absolute must-read.

words can’t express how incredible this VN is! the best of the best, forever my favorite! ♡
the story, the characters, everything about it is amazing!! what a magnificent masterpiece.

finished the main game, requiem, and reincarnation in 33 hours, so probably faster than most. nonetheless, this was my first time ever reading a visual novel and it was amazing from start to finish. it had its flaws, and sometimes the pacing was quite annoying to get through, but it was a great story, very emotional, and each character was brilliantly written. michel and jacopo are goated protagonists, and i loved morgana as an antagonist, aswell as every other character in their respective roles. the artwork is beautiful, but the soundtrack is on another level.

I am around halfway done I imagine with this story, and I love how many times you get punched in the gut.

Best story in gaming

I don't really leave many reviews on games, but after completing this game I cant see why i wouldn't. I initially bought this game a few years back but took a long pause from the game, until recently i finally found the motivation to continue progressing through the story, and God I am so glad that I did.
Just this week alone I've spent more than 4 hours each day, just captivated by the emotionally wrenching stories exploring the depths of human despair and the lengths that one might go for the person they love. The OST is phenomenal, complimenting each and every story and character, and the art is equally as remarkable. This game may not be for everyone however, as this entire game is primarily comprised of reading and is filled with incredibly tragic experiences.
This is one of the first visual novels that I have read, and I'm not too confident that many will top the House in Fata Morgana. To me, this is certainly one of the greatest and impactful pieces of literature I've read, and you're doing yourself a favor by purchasing this visual novel.

I've read a few other reviews, and something that'll stay with me is:
"You were able to bear them because they weren't your tragedies."

10/10.

amazing

i am in severe emotional pain

The House In Fata Morgana is most likely the best modern Shakespearean story in the world and will likely stay that way.

This is a tragic tale from top-to-bottom, it does not hold back anything and will make you observe the cruelest of fates, but, it does make it all worth it in the end. In this story; no visualized character will be forgatten, no untied end will be allowed, no song will escape the perfect scene and no effort will go unrewarded. It is a story that I concider to be extremely close to a masterpiece. It does not linger much like the longer VNs either, it is comperatively short in its full-lenght VN market, where a game could demand 50 to 100 hours.
The few shortcomings for me was some character conclusions felt hollow compared to rest, but that is to be expected if you don't want to leave any character unconcluded.
I would like to share that there seems to be a console remake of this game already released in 2021. And, with a bit of google search, you could find a way to port that version to this one. It does seem to be a much higher quality with renewed visuels, added cg, story... etc. I was not aware of this until the end of my playthrough, yet, it did not bother me and still gave me one hell of a story to share.

This is one of the best written visual novels that I have ever played with multiple stories that appear self-contained but blend into a larger overarching narrative. The writing is beautiful and emotive. Be aware, the story explores themes of abuse. I won't say anything else here for fear of spoilers but if you like gothic stories with dark, twisty mysteries at the center, you will definitely enjoy this game!

this was the first vn game to actually stab me in the gut, twist the knife, shoot me point blank 70 more times, and toss my body out a window into the ocean with how brutally devastating this story was. this was the first piece of media to ever make me cry, sob, get on my knees, and scream and wail like a banshee and i mean that 100% seriously.
this story will never leave my heart

though, i do want to warn that the first few chapters may seem a bit bizarre, dramatic, and wild, but they are meant to be like that. it will all unravel itself, it will all make sense, and all the pieces will put themselves together if you just keep digging further.

with that aside, everything about this was beautiful. the art, the music, the writing, and especially how realistic the characters were. god i've never been slapped in the face with the most gut tearing writing before, hitting me in the back of the head with, "We cry at tragedies because we draw parallels with our own lives" and goddamn it they were right.
my words alone won't do this story justice, but you'll have to trust me that this experience was more than just worth it. this game's narrative and writing is fairly similar to regular book novel writing so even if you aren't familiar with visual novel games, i guarantee you'll be able to enjoy this.

truly, the house in fata morgana has changed my life and perspective entirely for the better

The greatest story of all time please bless yourself by playing it

Its A visual novel

Fataing my morgana rn

This certainly wasn't the happiest story to read over Christmas, mistakes were made.

(originally posted on my backloggd)

the house in fata morgana surprised me by being truly as beautiful and powerful as i've heard many say. the art feels like something from a storybook (so many facial expressions on its delicately drawn sprites!), its music will stay with me for the rest of my life, and the care poured into its characters and intricate story completely won my heart. *so* lovely. as others have said, it is definitely a visual novel that's best experienced without knowing too much of what's ahead. still, you should know some of what you're getting into.

the basic premise is that you awaken in a dark mansion with a maid kneeling at your feet. she somehow knows you, although you don't know who you are. so, to help you regain yourself, she walks you through a series of memories that take place within the house.

the house in fata morgana is a genuinely brutal tragedy. it has themes of grief, relationships, martyrdom, misogyny, patriarchy, power, isolation, religion, ideas of normalcy, forgiveness, and obsession. there are men being awful. you will see characters in their lowest places, struggling with mental health and who they are. even when it's a little on the nose or theatrical, fata morgana handles these themes with impressive grace. this visual novel is easily a favourite of mine.

for content warnings, there is also torture, murder, gore, sexual assault (mainly off screen, but still intense), and abuse. there are more warnings you can look up, at the risk of spoilers! as well, the authors note that not all the language they use they agree with, but that occasionally makes it hard to tell what words are used intentionally or not. (so, a reminder that words like 'w**re' and 'savage' aren't to be used as insults, and to call sex workers what they are - sex workers, etc.) later in the story, i was also surprised by someone leaning hard into bioessentialism. but! i'm glad i kept reading. many characters in fata morgana deserve a chance to grow. considering their circumstances, they often have so much working against them.

it was the story's tenderness that caught me off guard moreso than the brutality, however. what a relentless, heartbreaking examination of seeking a better everyday life! the story as a whole just has so much love, patience, and respect for its characters and the trauma they carry. one scene depicts someone experiencing gentle touch at the hands of a lover after knowing only violence - i had to take a break afterward. i will never forget the beauty of that scene.

in terms of accessibility, fata morgana includes extremely photosensitive characters while unfortunately ignoring any readers who might be similar. there are a few white screens and many intense rapid flashes of white as the story unfolds. some can be predicted, but definitely not all of them! they were effective, i guess? they didn't make me feel good.

but. otherwise. some things quite close to my heart fata morgana has spun into words and set to one of the most stunning soundtracks i've ever heard. its characters truly seem to breathe, grounded by the music and brought to life by lovely prose and detailed art - with its cheesier moments being easy to forgive. and, while the story may not get everything right, it's powerful to find characters so well written that you see parts of yourself reflected back to you even if you took your own path and live a different identity. the moments i couldn't strongly relate to also had such emotional weight that i could still appreciate everything very much. the story felt quite long, but it is all so expertly woven together that in the end i didn't mind.

so, if you're okay with its themes, i'd recommend the house in fata morgana again and again and again. it's worth the time for something this beautiful! i would adore if, perhaps, we both fell in love with this flawed masterpiece.

Story & artwork are overrated in 2025. Much better visual novels out now. It also hard crashed on me and had to power off then restart an entire chapter.
Just because it's the highest rated game on the Switch, doesn't mean it's the best one.

This is one of the best stories that have ever been created. I aint lying, its peak. Im literally still crying while writing this review. This has the best narritive and is the best game I have ever played. I dont know if there will ever be another story that will impact me that much in the future than this one.

The Art has a great gothic style that I dont see often, which is perfect for the theme of the vn. The music is so unique and fits everytime in any scene. This music felt like an angel made it.

I cried multiple times at the end. Big fat ugly tears and I dont regret that shit. This is my first review, but trust me. Buy it. Even at full price. Finish it. You will not regret it. (If one of my close friends are reading this, hit me up, imma buy it for you for free)

I haven't read it while, but I felt obligated to share this piece
https://youtu.be/Kdg7T42s2I0?si=fQIru6SFNwU-G41_
included in the bundle version of this game's monstrous 6 CD-long soundtrack, included in the collector's edition I own. I put this on one day while doing some work, and after listening to probably 5 hours worth of material, this was on the last disc. In my 20 years of life, I'd never thought a simple piano-only arrangement would be the first song to ever make me cry, but it did. I just thought that was a good enough reason to give this game a review. The prior 5 hours of absolutely submerging myself in the thick atmosphere of this incredible OST might've helped, but it really stirred up emotions and memories in me of playing the original for the first time in 2016; the first VN I truly connected with, start to finish, from its incredibly unique direction in art and soundtrack. Like most of the VNs I've dabbled in, the story could be tightened up a bit and gets too melodramatic at times, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't fully engaged in literally every chapter, barring maybe the 4th door (Ch. 4 of 8~10?). I care about these characters. What a cathartic ending. I owe it a reread.
P.S. I might as well share this cover of Cicio I stumbled upon on YT as well, it's great
https://youtu.be/vOlX9AGBHXg?si=0vFFBKhMWV95gCsW

Music: Good.
Story: Verbose, boring and overrated. The only commendable plot is the face reveal of Bestia.
Artwork: Ancient.

yeah this is one of the best vns out there. goated story, characters, music, atmosphere. peak

perfect

Pretty much a masterpiece, and lived to every expectation said by the visual novel community. The characters and the whole journey through time periods were spetacular. I feel like the latter part kind of reminds me of Eternal Darkness, even if both are nothing alike.

I'll rarely see a story of this scope ever again, maybe in indie games, perhaps?

It is the best everything I've played, reducing it down to just simply a visual novel doesn't do it justice. The art, the writing, the music, the characters— and the meaning it holds, some of the stories are very dear to me. 10/10

Great game.. Amazing pacing for a visual novel

damn...

Incredible game. Although it starts off slowly, once you get to the good part--you'll know when you see it--you'll be crying. However, please be aware that there are flashing lights throughout the game. If you have a condition prohibiting you from being exposed to such things, do not get this game.
Besides that, the game itself is not for everyone, which should be obvious enough. If you don't like it, then suit yourself. More sorrow for me haha ^_^

What drew me into this game was that out of all the visual novels ever created, this one is the highest rated on Metacritic. At the time of writing, The House in Fata Morgana is the 25th highest rated game of all time on Metacritic, beating out games like Elden Ring, Skyrim and Persona 5 Royal. Although that release of the game is actually the Nintendo Switch version (a newer release that is much better quality than the steam release), I recommend downloading a free patch called THiFM: Remaid of Dreams so that you can play the Nintendo Switch version of the game on the steam release. Anyways,

What makes this game the 25th highest rated game of all time on Metacritic?

The Story: 10/10
The first 3 chapters (or doors if you played the game), were slow at times, but the game rewards your patience with absolutely brilliant storytelling in the last 4 chapters of the game. If you have the patience to read for ~10 hours, then you will be rewarded in the 2nd half of the game.

The Characters: 10/10
Undoubtedly the strongest aspect of the game. The characters are well written and sympathetic given the tragedies all of them had to go through.

Art: Subjective
This visual novel stays away from the usual anime art style of the genre and adopts a more naturalist art style. I think the art style is why the game is able to be so highly rated on Metacritic; other highly rated visual novels like Umineko or Higurashi are nowhere to be found presumably because of their usual anime art style.

The House in Fata Morgana is a well-written visual novel that I would recommend to people who have already played a visual novel. If this is your 1st visual novel, then perhaps you will be disappointed since visual novels are for people who like reading novels with some very minor gameplay. This game supposedly being the 25th greatest game of all time can be misleading because of it's medium, but as a piece of fiction, it's fantastic.

The most tear shedding, anxiety inducing, suspense building, drama bombing, guilt tripping, mind altering, eye twitching, bladder grabbing, leg shaking, spine tickling, nerve wrecking, hope shattering, closure providing, life changing story I have ever played. Please try to go into this visual novel blind.

The House in Fata Morgana te abre las puertas de una mansión perdida en la eternidad en cuyos pasillos y habitaciones resuenan las historias de quienes alguna vez tuvieron el infortunio de habitarla.

Es una novela visual que trasciende lo narrativo, conmovedora y tan bien escrita que sin duda marcará un antes y un después en tus recuerdos.