Buy Cinders

Remember when your grandma used to read you Cinderella and you were thinking: "what's wrong with her, why she never stands up to those nasty sisters and horrid stepmother, at least, she could drop some flies in their soup, get some ants to their beds and some giant spiders to they rooms".
Well, Cinders doesn't do all those childish things, but your childish dream can be more than fulfilled in this game. Cinders can do things and go places and be mean if need be, and there is need, as we all know.
Another great thing about Cinders, we see motivations behind actions, nobody is evil just for the sake of making somebody else look pitiful.
This VN is satisfactory on many levels. It looks nice too, dialogue is good and great at times.
There are many endings and some heavy choices. Choices are most of the time too obvious, though, but it's hard to expect otherwise when we are talking about so well known tale.

I recommend it for all VN fans out there.

As far as visual novels go, I have to say that CINDERS is my favorite, thus far. The game takes the player down a very mature path within a classic children's fairytale. The player has complete control over the decision making process of the main character. Thus, with each choice the player makes for Cinders, her personality changes as the game progresses. There is a large number of outcomes for this character based on those decisions she is presented with throughout the game. For instance, with the decisions the player chooses for Cinders, she could become very evil or good, very sexual or timid, and/or anywhere in between. I honestly couldn't believe the number of outcomes this game presents the player with! The replayability is enormous. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous. The music is beautiful. I applaud how the devs implemented the 'fast forward scene' ability within the game as even though this is a VN, thus a lot of reading, it allows the player to choose whether to read through a scene over and over if they wish OR fast forward through a scene that they have previously experienced. Please remember, there are NUMEROUS outcomes to this game and over 300 different possible decisions to be made (at minimum)! The player can also choose the rate of speed that the dialogue is presented, which gives the player a chance to choose either the slower paced dialogue which visually allows 'emphasis' placed on certain words or phrases 'spoken' by each character OR to speed it up and read at the players pace. I literally just finished the very last outcome for this game before writing this review. I sat back and just said "WOW!" (yes, it's that good!) I highly recommend this game to any VN lover --- and would really like to see others at least give it a shot. It truly is a very well thought out game!!!

Out of all the VNs I've played on Steam, this one takes the cake. It has a lot more content, variation, and depth compared to most other titles and it's an interesting take on Cinderella. The choices are not limited to A or B and the multiple variations per ending add a nice twist for those who enjoy somewhat specific/customized paths. The art is also very beautiful. That's a huge deal for some people so I'm glad that it was the first thing about this game to captivate me.

5/5. It's a solid VN.

First of all, if you aren't into visual novels this isn't for you. But on the otherhand, if you are then i garuntee you will love it if you play it all the way through.
PROS:
This game has four different main endings each with a couple different epilogues you can get through the choices you make. I've seen some reviews on here that say the choices don't matter, which i have to disagree with. Every visual novel game will have choices that seem meaingless and pointless and may not exactly contribute to the main story, but they are there to give you a sense of control. Other choices will be vitally important like the first choice you make. It can change the whole story depending on what you choose. Some people are bothered by no voices or terrible music or any other thing that falls under that category, these people will be so pleased with the musical choice the creators went with. It is beautiful and one of my favorite soundtracks of any game i have ever played. It makes the game 10x better in my opinion. Like i said before, there are four main endings each with their own epilogues; if you are one of those gamers that like to get all they can in a game but hesitates because it takes too long, you will be pleased to find that you can skip through all the dialogue so it makes the replay value go up. Another thing to add would be the artwork for this game. It is amazingly beautiful. Most visual novels have static(stay still) artwork that changes when you move forward in the conversation, but this game has dynamic artwork that moves. Granted it is not much but fires flicker, and dust particles in the sunlight are visible.
CONS:
Saying all this, there are some faults. Not many, but they are there. Some characters seem useless and very unnatural along with some situations. Sometimes the words lag behind if you are running something in the background. There, that's all the cons in my opinion. Time for the assessment.
ASSESSMENT:
Story: 8
Replay Value: 10
Music: 10
Characters: 8
Artwork: 10
OVERALL: 9.1
If you like visual novels, you will thoroughly enjoy this game.

It's rather unusual to see a visual novel coming from somewhere other than Japan that doesn't attempt to merely emulate those that do, but instead takes hold of the genre and carves a unique path for itself that shows VNs have a lot more to offer than we've thus seen. In the case of Cinders, it also manages to update a classic fairytail into a far more mature and modern story, turning Cinderella into a newly captivating adventurer that eschews many of the originals childish elements for mystery and intrigue. It stumbles a bit along the way, as if walking in its own pair of undersized glass slippers, but on the whole amounts to something unexpectedly enthralling and maybe just a bit magical.

I can't imagine anyone is unfamiliar with the story of Cinderella, so I'll skip the introductions. The vile mother and sisters, sad girl living as a servant waiting for the world to change, glass slippers and prince charming are all here as you'd expect, but where Cinders differs is in taking a simple fairy tail and turning it into a mature and intriguing story that is wildly different than how you remember it. Character interactions are full of personal dialogue and emotion, turning the original cliches into actual people you can relate and empathize with. Cinders sisters might be cold, but once their reasons are explained it's hard not to feel sorry for them despite their cruelties. The prince may appear to live a life of carefree amusement, but on the inside his constant questioning of his actions is tearing him apart and making him question his own motives. There are certainly moments when it becomes overly self indulgent with some of its writing, and a few endings feel a bit hollow (though that's to be expected with how many there are), but these moments are overshadowed by the majority of the dialog, which is hugely engrossing and when compiled with the element of your own choices becomes even more compelling, as you shape the outcome to any number of different paths.

Which brings me to one of the few areas Cinders slips up a bit, at least in the view of someone who wishes to see more than the one ending they arrive at. Throughout the story (which should take you around 2-5 hours depending on your reading speed) you encounter a myriad of choices which change the story and eventually decide your characters fate. The issue arises in the sheer number of decisions that can have an impact on the ending, and the very limited number of saves you are given, which means you are required to skip through huge amounts of text again and again as you reload and make minor alterations to your choices in the attempts to see a new ending. It all becomes greatly repetitive and takes far more time than it otherwise might had you been given more freedom in the number of saves you have, as well as making it quicker to skip through dialog you've already read before.

But ultimately it's a somewhat inconsequential complaint as for those not obsessed with seeing every ending, the first run through the story isn't the least bit affected and just as captivating as ever. Least I forget Cinders is also remarkably pretty to look at, with fantastic art and a ton of minor details bringing the picture to life, from background objects to character expressions. It's a bold new direction for visual novels, a genre that's been stagnant and underrepresented outside of Japan for a long time, and a brilliant first attempt by developer MoaCube which I hope is but the first of many more to come.

I admit I'm new to the visual novel scene, but as a starting point, I found Cinders to be very satisfying. The art is gorgeous (especially backgrounds!) and chock full of effects. It also makes me happy that the relationships between the female characters are the crux of the story - the stepmother and Cinder's sisters are complex characters, neither good nor evil; Cinder's behavior towards them brings out other sides to them, and lead to different futures. It also pleased me that the endings aren't entirely depended on whom Cinders falls in love with - they're about her choices for her future and who she wants to be in life. A hot guy can come along if he wants, sure. But Cinders is more than just a vehicle for player romance, she's a young woman looking for her path in life, for better or for worse. It was a pleasurable experience with lovely visuals, and I'm really looking forward to the team's next game, which looks like it will be even better.

Despite the idea and the setting, Cinders is NOT a fairytale story about mistreated girl getting her happy love ending with the help of fairy godmother. Sure, there is a fairy, there is a ball, there is a Prince, there is a lost slipper (altough it's not a glass one, and she didn't really lose it...).

What you get here instead, is a story about dealing with your broken family. Both, your Stepmother and your Stepsisters have developed troubled personalities hidden under masks of the roles they trying (or are simply forced) to fullfil, and it's up to you to chose what kind of "happy ending" do you want to get, not only for yourself, but also for your family. Will you try to work things out together and help them develop? Or will you destroy them, to get what you want? Or maybe you'll run away from everything and search for your Happy Ending somewhere else? Or maybe you'll become someone you used to despised yourself? Even though the story is set in stricte fairytale world, it portrays MODERN issues of many dysfunctional families out there. And that I find the biggest attraction of this game, along with very beautiful aesthetics.

On the downside... The game felt like it lacked some more individual panels to look at (as this is what the gameplay is all about- to look at lovely pictures and read a story you can influence with the choices of your own ). Possible romance options could have been developed much further ( 'cmon! You give us 3 handsome dudes and make us lick the window instead of touching the shinies >.< ! ). And unfortunately, there is no voice-acting, at all. All this makes me feel that 15,99€ is way to expensive for the content it offers. Even though, I still give Cinders thumbs up \o/.

I adore this game. It's a beautifully illustrated interactive storybook rather than a traditional game. I should mention that I purchased it directly from Moa when it was first released and they kindly gave me a Steam key when it was released on Steam.

The story is a familiar one: you are Cinderella and you have to decide how the events play out. How will she/you react to your stepmother's machinations? Will you tell her off or be meek? Do you love the prince for himself or do you just want to increase your social stature? Do you fall in love with a childhood friend instead of the prince? Do you choose no one at all?

The graphics are flat-out gorgeous. The art is lush, vibrant, and full of life. Replayability is high due to the vast number of choices you can make. I've finished one playthrough and am currently playing again to try some of the other options. In the original version I had some issues with crashing and saves not actually saving and in one instance I had to completely restart, but these issues seem to have been fixed in the Steam version as I have not experienced any crashing/lockups/etc.

Take a look at the screenshots and if you're even remotely intrigued, get this game. You won't be disappointed.

Wonderfully drawn, mature and brilliant visual novel reimagining Cinderella's story. It’s highly replayable, well-written and absolutely winning on the field of gender representation.

A beautiful adaptation of the classic tale of Cinderella. The artwork and music was stunning and the game in general felt very fluid. The various endings for the game were quite interesting, though I would recommend to save before choices as in any VN, to avoid having to repeat some dialogue. The characters were well defined and their interactions were quite interesting, especially Cinders and Sophia. It's a breath of fresh air especially seeing Cinderella not being portrayed as a Mary Sue. In short, it's a gorgeous game that really can be considered as beautiful piece of artwork.

Finally, I finished Cinders,.. so surprise for the ending.. it's too real and too close to player's personality.. such a great game indeed, a lot of options and endings,.. Not like the old way of fairy tales, we can choose to be the cinders we truly are.

Fantastic arts with options to live our Cinders as we desire.
I like it that we can change the story and get the Cinders we want eventually.

I absolutely love this game. It's smart, funny and beautiful. If this game was a girl, I'd ask her to marry me.

A more mature and realistic take on the classic fairy tale of Cinderella. Ever wonder why the stepmother is mean, despite being a single aging noble trying to keep her house together? Ever wonder why the Stepsisters are cold and bitter? maybe they don't have it so great either!

No, this is not disney where everything is black and white. This is a great take on Cinderella, where if you really want to you can try to live the classic fairy tale and marry the prince at the end, but why do that when you could fix the relationship with your stepsisters? or screw the prince, go for the ruggedly handsome captain of the guard instead! your call.

Very enjoyable experience, with characters who act realistically and a great style of art. (I especially love the Scoundrel's hat!!)

MoaCube* has broken an arm, leg, thigh--heck, let's throw in hands too while we're at it. Praise to the writers in this project. Because of them, my expectations for visual novels have been a little more quenched. The writing is ridiculously good compared to all visual novels. Great quotes. A lot of time has been put in each choice point. Most of the time, the "better choice" is not clear or possible-there may be more than one. It's pretty fast pace. The story quality is on par with Jisei/Kansei/Yousei in that aspect. A bit slow towards the end though. FYI This is NOT a game stressed as a dating sim. Your choices will give you an ending that doesn't really stress on the "person" you are with but rather, your final situation. Finally, a huge applause to the art, music, and animation (lip/eye movements to background animation). MoaCube* has really outdone themselves on this project. A must play.

I absolutely love this game! The artwork is beautiful (for the female characters anyway. They could have spent a little more time on their male counterparts) and the dialogue is surprisingly intriguing for a game of this type. It has some deep moments. I recomend this game to everyone. If you liked Kinetic novels like Junipers Knot you will really enjoy this.

Cinders is very much an interactive novel more than it is a game. By biggest gripe is that whilst you do make choices that can alter the storyline and the ending, there isn't much variation aside from a few scenes playing out differently and a different set of text showing up for the ending 'cutscene'.

But other than that it is a well crafted title. The art work is good and unlike similar games the characters have some (albeit limited) animation. Since you will probably play through the game multiple times there is a very useful function that allows you to quickly skip through dialogue you have already seen, stopping at anything that is new and at any choice you have to make.

If you are a fan of reading and fairy tales you will probably enjoy the game. If a wall of text sends you in to a fit of rage then you should probably avoid this one. Overall I'd give it a thumbs up.

An exellent Visual Novel game with a compelling, strong and intelligent female lead. Art and music are both gorgeous and complement each other. The story and characters are exellent as well as one's impact on them through the decisions one make.

Recommended for a mature audience who does not see everything as either black or white.

A visual novel based on the story Cinderella.
This game really presents itself well; it's probably the most polished visual novel I've played, with the only real issue being a typo I found. Simple things like the effect of text appearing on the screen look really great.
The art style is colorful, beautiful, and detailed. There's some animation effects on the backgrounds which adds a lot more to the feel of the game than you'd expect. Just small things like water of a lake shimmering, fire moving, sunrays, and things like that. The only character animations are really facial expressions, and sometimes they'll shift poses, but that's more of a rare thing... though the characters will change outfits or poses for different scenes.
The music is really well done and there's a good variety here, but nothing I really focused on much.

There are 4 endings, but multiple variations of those endings based on how you treated certain characters and things like that. So there's some replayability here, but the story still plays out mostly the same, with just some extra scenes and dialogue peppered in based on some choices you make. A lot of times I felt like the banter back and forth may not add a whole lot to the story, and doesn't create that much extra character depth... ultimately leading to longish periods of time between choice branches. This could also limit replayability, but there is a button to fast-forward through the dialogue that will still pause when there's a choice to be made, or when you reach a new scene you haven't seen before. A really awesome feature. Even though you can skip through quickly using this method, it still takes a LONG time to fast-forward through everything. The story is kind of that long... I think when I started a new story to get a different ending, it still took me an hour to play through even though I fast-forwarded through the majority of the story.

The choices in this game can affect a lot, I think. Even though the majority of scenes STILL happen no matter what, the differences in the story with how the characters treat you (and even how your character treats them) provides a more personal feel... rather than picking options that feel out-of-place of your character, your character changes with your options. It's pretty nice in this way.

Another really awesome detail this game provides is when you unlock achievements (which relate to the story and in-game decisions.) With each one you unlock, a change happens to the main menu screen... most of the time an item gets added to the scene. It's really a nice detail and just goes to show how much attention was put into this game. There's also a "reward" menu where you can see all the unique things you've unlocked, which is nice.

Overall, the game is plenty long... I think my first play-through took around 3 hours... which is fairly typical. The long-windedness of some of the dialogue is the only thing that started to fatigue me. There are a lot of choices to be made to keep the interaction up and keep you engaged... the pacing is pretty good overall. When I first started playing the story seemed to throw in your face the fact that the story is Cinderella, which I found a bit annoying and obnoxious, but after that was over with I really enjoyed it. It's Cinderella, so don't expect anything crazy with the main story... you're able to personalize it a bit with your own choices, but all the major plot-points are always hit.

I'm definitely keeping an eye out on what this developer puts out next. I hope it's a new, unique story with the same love and care put into it that this game had.

I can say this game was a treat to play. It takes the story of Cinderella and puts more control for Cinderella's character (in this case Cinders) to make her own way. It even allows a bad ending if you play extremely Genre blind. It is a visual novel and reads like some classic literature where there are long dialogues that are more banter than plot advancement, which may not appeal to some.

That said, the art and music is positively beautiful and it does a good job of making characters attractive without overly sexifying them. Though I do wish that Cinders would ♥♥♥♥ing stand up straight. Which does not really matter except for certain late game events where her posture hurts the effect she's supposed to have. It does suit the early parts of the story and is positively nitpicking on my part.

There is some discussion on whether the game really promotes independence, as a lot of the independence options are tracked as evil or morally questionable. This is a legit complaint, but I question if it's to fit the time period rather than our own sense of values.

Anywho, good game.

Amazing story-line and very worthwhile dialogue to read through.
I really like the option to press ctrl and fast forward through dialogue that you already have read (assuming you're doing a second playthrough) - best of all, it stops exactly where the new dialogue begins (assuming you made different choices), very handy and helps you not be bored by multiple playthroughs!