The Safe Place

Developed by Anate Studio, The Safe Place validates F. Scott Fitzgerald’s opinion: “Show me a hero, and I’ll write you a tragedy.” The game uses a proven third-person point-and-click interface to weave together exceptional writing, graphics, music and voice acting, creating a compelling and tragic story. Although there are slight flaws, such as a lack of item labels and one poorly clued puzzle, The Safe Place is a game that snags the player into a web of emotions that spirals out from that most benign of starting places — good intentions.

The story revolves around Alex, an engineer with problems on his mind. He needs more money to support his growing family, but money is hard to obtain since the country is in an economic crisis. One night, Alex’s frustration overwhelms him, and he commits a crime witnessed by Christina, a young girl trying to overcome a frustrating situation of her own. The knowledge of each other’s circumstances binds them together, and with the player’s help, Alex tries to guide Christina through her problem and into a safe place.

Players use the left mouse button to interact with the game world. The magnifying glass at the middle of the lower-left corner of the screen reveals hotspots. The inventory is accessed by pointing the mouse at the top of the screen. Unfortunately, the items that the player acquires aren’t labeled, making it challenging to solve the many inventory object puzzles.

The hand-drawn graphics are enchanting and a prominent strand of the web that ensnares the player. The locations are familiar and relevant to the narrative. The landscape is snow-covered and looks quite realistic. Falling flakes add to the ambiance. My favorite locations were the garages with their intriguing puzzles and the brightly colored office.

Listening to this game is a treat for the ears. The introductory music track builds to a sinister crashing crescendo that pushes the player into the story. The “Bus Stop” tune stokes feelings of melancholy and stoicism, as if empowering players for the tasks ahead. Music isn’t the only thing that will delight players' ears. The voice acting is excellent, vivifying the characters and successfully conveying emotion. Players will feel Alex’s desperation and frustration as he fears he will be caught. Christina’s tragic circumstance will shake players to their core, as, over time, her reactions to the pain clearly manifest within her voice. The graphics, music, and voice acting help the player empathize with the characters as they brave the conundrums that spring from this absorbing narrative.

Many inventory object puzzles will challenge players. Alex is an engineer under the player’s guidance, readily combining items to achieve his goals. For instance, at the garage he uses a board, a barrel, a chain, an icicle, and an oil lamp to construct a catapult. At one point, Alex needs to fix a washing machine. I couldn't figure out how to do this logically, and I finally succeeded through sheer luck.  The Safe Place boasts a clever system where players can unlock hints by collecting statues. When the player clicks on the question mark icon in the lower-left corner of the screen, the game presents a vertical column of lock icons, and rows of empty squares are beside them. Clicking on a lock reveals the actions to accomplish that task. Again, the process would have been easier to understand if the items had been labeled.

The Safe Place's flaws, as mentioned above, don't significantly detract from the overall experience. Players who enjoy a good tragedy will appreciate the game's well-written and deeply affecting story and its unique perspective on the consequences of even the smallest actions. 

While the gameplay may not be groundbreaking, it is solid and enjoyable, with a good mix of challenging puzzles and engaging dialogue. The Safe Place will stick with players long after they've finished it, leaving them with a sense of poignancy while reflecting on their choices. Overall, I highly recommend it to adventure fans and anyone looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant experience.

The Good

• A powerful narrative and premise
• Well-crafted graphics, music, and interface
• Generally well-clued puzzles.

The Bad

• The washing machine puzzle is ineptly clued
• Inventory items aren’t labeled, making them difficult to use.

Our Verdict

Very good

A game of very high quality. Although some aspects might have been executed better, we would recommend this game without hesitation.

The Safe Place is a compelling, expressive interactive tragedy. It contains an engrossing story brought to life by well-executed writing, graphics, music, and puzzles that will arouse the emotions of its players.