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In The Amateur Deity Society, we’re taken back to 1998. This interactive fiction game has a unique premise that mixes retro nostalgia with the eeriness of dream-like, supernatural encounters. While The Amateur Deity Society brings a refreshing concept to the point-and-click genre with its unsettling, static-laced encounters and minimalist interface, I feel it falls short of its potential. In this The Amateur Deity Society review, I’ll talk about how the game’s sparse visuals, intriguing yet complex story, and limited interaction style make it an unusual but challenging experience that could have used a deeper dive into its psychological and narrative elements.

Story – A Glimpse into Dreams and Deities

The Amateur Deity Society’s story is an intriguing concept. The game follows Denise Novak, a high schooler with sudden ambitions to create a new program. She ends up working together with a classmate she clearly doesn’t enjoy the company of to do so. But this isn’t any program. It will be the simulation of a world created by a handful of high schoolers and fuelled by Denise’s bizarre dreams.

While the setup feels fresh, the story leans into technobabble and philosophical questions that don’t fully land. The dialogue feels occasionally heavy with science jargon and pseudo-religious discussion that can be hard to follow. Yet, at its best, it touches on eerie, dreamlike sequences. I particularly enjoyed the unsettling “conversations” with the Dreamer. This cryptic figure in Denise’s dreams felt equally off-putting and compelling. It’s important that I point this redeeming feature out in my The Amateur Deity Society review, because the dreams were my favourite part of the game.

Gameplay – Interactive Fiction Meets Minimalist Design

As a point-and-click, story-driven interactive fiction, The Amateur Deity Society is simple but not very accessible. The game’s intuitive, menu-driven interface is designed to keep interactions straightforward. In this way, it feels similar to a digital “choose your own adventure” book. But, your choices don’t affect the unfolding narrative; you’re stuck on a linear path. Even with the back-and-forth that occurs, the new options that appear as you explore are limited.

While each character’s dialogue appears in differently coloured text boxes. While this aids in readability and helps players distinguish voices, the interaction options remain limited and don’t offer much depth. There is a lot of text to read on-screen, which lowers its accessibility level.

The minimalist design can also feel underwhelming. The game’s focus on text-based interactions might appeal to fans of old-school text adventures. But, there is little visual flair to keep players engaged. Additionally, the fixed dialogue choices detract from the immersive experience. The absence of varied interactions makes the game feel like it’s not offering enough to keep players engaged.

The narrative has great potential, and at moments, it’s easy to imagine this as a psychological horror. Complete with its chilling pop-ups and disconcerting dreamscape interactions, it could have been perfect for the genre. However, the developer didn’t design the game that way, and I feel they missed an opportunity for deeper exploration.

The protagonist, Denise, is challenging to connect with due to her abrasive and often condescending tone. While the intention may be to add edge, it can feel alienating and makes it harder for readers to emotionally access the story. I

Audio and Visuals – Sparse and Understated

The audio and visuals in The Amateur Deity Society lean heavily into minimalism, which can be a mixed bag. On the one hand, the stripped-down design ensures there are no distractions from the text-heavy story. This creates an almost hypnotic focus on the unfolding events. However, the lack of visuals and expressive character designs can make the game feel a bit lifeless. This limits the immersion and emotional connection with the characters.

Audio – Tension in Static and Silence

The audio design in The Amateur Deity Society is as minimalistic as its visuals, punctuated by occasional bursts of unsettling static that suit its eerie atmosphere. Moments like Denise’s contact with the Dreamer feature loud, jarring sound effects that accentuate the tension the story itself sometimes lacks.

However, the developers use this approach sparingly, which makes the rest of the game’s audio feel lacking in depth. A more developed soundtrack or soundscape could have elevated the game, as it hints at unsettling elements that creators don’t consistently maintain.

Visuals – Minimalist to a Fault

The game’s visuals are extremely minimalist, which allows focus on the text but can feel overly bare for a visual novel. The creator presents all of the characters faceless, with no visual distinction or animation, and the absence of detailed backgrounds or imagery makes the screen often feel empty.

The retro-inspired interface certainly fits the 1998 setting, and the colour-coded dialogue boxes help with clarity, but the limited visual engagement can make the game feel somewhat monotonous. In my opinion, The Amateur Deity Society could have benefited from adding some other visual elements or art to create a more immersive experience and to better represent the surreal world it aims to build.

Verdict – A Unique Concept That Falls Short

The Amateur Deity Society brings an intriguing concept to life. With its story-driven point-and-click adventure, it touches on intriguing themes of spirituality, dreams, and control. However, it struggles to maintain tension or depth in several areas of the story. The game shows moments of eerie brilliance, but it doesn’t capitalise on its potential for psychological horror or rich storytelling. The Dreamer sequences were where The Amateur Deity Society came alive.

For fans of retro-themed, text-heavy games, a unique experience awaits here, albeit one that might feel more niche than mainstream. Its rigid gameplay design and absence of visual or interactive elements hinder immersion, and without more developed characters or a deeper narrative payoff, it doesn’t fully deliver on its imaginative premise.

For my The Amateur Deity Society review, I have to give this game a 5/10. I can clearly see the effort that went into creating this game and building its world, but it feels lacking. Narrative storytelling needs emotion, and I just didn’t get that in The Amateur Deity Society.

Want to play other narrative games with text? Check out my list of the Top 10 Dark Cosy Games on Nintendo Switch for games like Along the Edge and Disco Elysium.

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