When The Letter was kickstarted in 2015, most of the advertisements were off the colorful scenery and character relationships. Though stunning, it gave the impression that the game was your standard visual novel. Many overlooked the game, and as a result, Yangyang Mobile and East Asiasoft Limited realized they had to showcase the game’s more horrific storyline in order to attract attention. Thus, the ad revenue changed. The colorful scenery took a backseat, and the game’s bloody imagery, dark themes, and primary antagonist took to the stage. When the game was released in 2017, it flourished. Gaining a 9/10 rating on Steam, downloads increased by the day and the game was given 4/5 stars on Google Play. 

What is The Letter? 

The Letter is a single player horror visual novel. This kind of game allows the player to make decisions for characters when they come to a crossroads which alters that character’s relationships and wellbeing. Unlike most indie games, each choice changes the storyline and alters the ending.

The story is broken up by chapters, each being from the perspective of one of the seven main characters. Each chapter has 3 – 4 endings, with each chapter blending into the next to show the passage of time. The overall game has 4 standard endings as well as the true ending, meaning the game has more than 50 endings. 

Because of that, the runtime of the game is hard to pin down. The true ending can take up to 22 hours, but investing extra time into character relations could add or cut up to 5 hours. Thankfully, the game remembers which scenes the player has seen, and enables the skip button whenever read dialogue appears. 

What is the game about?

The Letter follows seven characters and their run-in with the legendary Ermengarde Mansion. Though it’s rumored to be haunted, Isabella Santos, the opening act character, is the real estate agent who is tasked with selling the mansion. After receiving a concerning phone call from her partner, Rose, Isabella finds herself exploring the mansion, moving further away from where she’s authorized to go. Isabella soon finds herself in the attic, and on the floor, she’s met with a single crumbled letter. After reading it, a monster-like woman chases Isabella through the house and pushes her down the stairs. The fall knocks her out and the last thing she hears is the woman laughing at her. 

When Isabella sees the woman following her around the mansion’s open house and hearing her laugh, Rose assumes Isabella is suffering from a concussion. She tries to warn the people around her but Isabella is eventually told to go home. With everyone telling her she’s imagining things, Isabella tries to move past it. But when she sees the woman in the car window and hears her laugh, Isabella has a feeling everyone in the open house is in danger. She makes it the player’s goal to break whatever connection the ghost has to the seven main characters by any means necessary.

Is the game worth it?

The Letter is a mobile game, free to play on phone, xbox, computer, and more and is free to download on both Steam and Google Play. The first thirty minutes of the game (the opening act) is also free to play. The total cost of all seven chapters is twenty dollars. 

Every character, background and otherwise, has voiced lines. Making an appearance are Howard Wang, and Amber Lee Connors, voicing two main characters. Each background is hand painted and animated. Characters move and react to their environment, and their animations help enhance the world building. 

If a visual novel is your type of game, I recommend playing the opening act. It’s free, and if you decide it’s not your cup of tea, it costs you nothing. If you’re not a fan of horror or reading, maybe The Letter isn’t for you.