PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse Reviews
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse is a masterclass in atmosphere, successfully blending Japanese folklore with a "summer horror" aesthetic that keeps you uneasy from beginning to end. While the lack of voice acting and slow opening hours may prevent some players from truly enjoying this game, The Mermaid's Curse is a great visual novel that honors its predecessor’s legacy while offering something new.
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Review in Italian | Read full review
As you progress through Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse, you are pushed to fully immerse yourself in the mindset of an investigator. Studying becomes a ritual in this game. In the same way that the best aspects of the genre are satisfying, discovering its final truths is just as satisfying.
PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse is a fantastic story that may even make you wish the game was slightly longer. For those who want a mystery that transcends a lifetime set in a beautiful fishing village backdrop, this is for you. While not puzzle heavy, when they appear, they are well thought out and clever. When focused on the narrative, the story is well paced. The writing is smart enough to reiterate the things you need to know without feeling too repetitive. After this entry into the series, I hope Square Enix knows they have something precious in their hands and continues to revisit this series in the future.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is a masterclass in how to do a mystery visual novel right. Gameplay-wise, it doesn’t change up too much from the original game, but why fix what isn’t broken? Its alluring gameplay loop of investigative work and puzzling will keep you completely engrossed, and by asking you to think outside of the box and embrace failure to find the truth, it leaves a unique lasting impression that’ll stay with you long after you put the controller down. It really does prove that the brilliance of the first game wasn’t a one-off, and fingers crossed, this won’t be the last mystery that we experience in the world of Paranormasight.
The Mermaid’s Curse doesn’t beg for attention. It remains quiet, focused, and at times unsettling. It trusts me to read, to think, to fail, and to try again. That trust makes it one of the strongest adventure games I’ve played in recent times. It’s bold, innovative, and channels the spirit of Square Enix’s golden era in the late 1990s.
Review in German | Read full review
While it lacks the jaw-dropping twists of its predecessor, Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is an excellent supernatural story that weaves historical and mythological tales into an intriguing and often deadly mystery. If Square Enix continues to put such effort and care into these games, I hope Paranormasight can become a new long-running series.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse delivers a much more intimate mystery by focusing on personal emotional arcs and a cast of characters that feel really well-developed. The experience, though, is occasionally weighed down by a lot of expository lore dumps. Nevertheless, it is a clever mystery game that manages to stay interesting until the very end.
Swapping J-horror for maritime mystery, The Mermaid’s Curse remains a cerebral treat with its clever encyclopedia-led puzzles and atmospheric 1980s setting. While clunky docked navigation and the loss of its predecessor’s chilling edge dampen the experience, the intriguing lore ensures this budget-friendly visual novel still hooks its audience.
A gem of a game with quirky characters and an intriguing plot that's hard to put down, Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse is a game that I believe everyone should experience. A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review. Reviewed on Switch 2.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is a tense, thoughtful sequel that builds on Square Enix’s cult mystery with a more intimate setting and a culturally grounded curse rooted in Ise-Shima folklore. Through timeline manipulation, bad endings, and careful deduction, it challenges players to rethink assumptions while exploring grief, guilt, and tradition. Though fairly linear, its layered narrative, strong character work, and confident reliance on text over voice acting create a deeply immersive experience that lingers long after the credits.
PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse is an appealing and unique thriller visual novel that, despite some minor drawbacks, provides an enjoyable experience. As such, It’s a visual novel thriller and mystery fans shouldn’t miss.
I was straight away addicted to the storyline and the mix of real-world Japanese history and fantasy. The graphics and music complement each other, fully immersing you in the story
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse might not be the scariest follow-up, but it doubles down on effective storytelling, better writing, and better characters. What you end up experiencing is a crafted story that will linger in your thoughts as you play. My mind would drift to The Mermaid's Curse when I was in public, getting groceries or in the car on the way home, and it was because of the incredible writing that I'd scramble home to pick up and continue uncovering clues to learn the truth.
PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse is an entry that more than meets the stratospheric standards its predecessor set and shows the full power of Takanari Ishiyama and his team, now free to do whatever they see fit, without the clear restraints seen on the first game, thanks to fan support. Long, long live one of the best mystery series in the visual novel genre!
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Mermaid's Curse is a grand story about belonging, the finiteness of life, and finding your place in the world that is extremely easy to recommend to any fan of adventures and a good suspense story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse is Square Enix's newest visual novel that's full of fun twists and turns. (Review written in Portuguese for Entertainium Brasil)
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Review in German | Read full review
PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse is the easiest 10 I've ever given in my life. Immersive, impactful, and thrilling, Takanari Ishiyama's new work is one of the best experiences you'll have this year, and I'm extremely grateful that Square Enix continues to provide opportunities for smaller-scale games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Although Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is less dark in tone, focusing a bit more on mystery than outright horror, it nonetheless provides a fascinating and thoroughly engaging tale, very much leaving a desire for further mysteries to solve in the future.