Picture this: while everyone was busy crashing cars in Forza Horizon 5 or high-fiving in It Takes Two, a quiet little visual novel named The House in Fata Morgana - Dreams of the Revenants Edition casually strolled onto Metacritic and scored higher than every AAA titan of 2021. 🤯 Talk about an underdog story! This remastered thriller, originally born in 2012, transformed a haunted mansion into the year's most critically acclaimed playground. Players navigate four twisted time periods alongside a mysteriously omnipresent Maid, uncovering layers of tragedy and violence that linger like cheap perfume in a dusty attic. Yet somehow, this masterpiece remained as hidden as a secret passage behind a bookshelf. How did a game about remembering forgotten memories become so... forgettable to mainstream audiences? Let's unravel this gothic mystery.

Why Critics Lost Their Collective Minds

This isn't just praise—it's historic praise. With a Metascore rocketing to 96/100 on Nintendo Switch (peaking at 98 initially), Fata Morgana didn't just edge past competitors—it moonwalked over them. Consider the carnage:

• 🏎️ Forza Horizon 5: Stuck at 92

• 🌌 Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker: Also 92

• 🎮 It Takes Two (2021's GOTY): Humiliated at 88

Even darlings like Chicory: A Colorful Tale and Super Mario 3D World got steamrolled. The secret sauce? A narrative so rich, it makes Tolstoy feel like a Twitter thread. Players piece together memories across centuries in a mansion dripping with atmosphere, guided by the enigmatic Maid who seems to defy time itself. It's less a game, more an emotional excavation site where every shovel strike reveals bone-chilling truths. 💀

The Great Disappearing Act of 2021

How does the highest-rated game of the year become invisible? Let’s count the ways:

1. Genre Bias: Visual novels often get treated like kale at a steakhouse—admired by critics but ignored by crowds craving action explosions.

2. Release Tsunami: It launched alongside behemoths (Deathloop, Halo Infinite, Metroid Dread) that hogged the spotlight like divas at a karaoke bar. 🎤

3. Rerelease Woes: The Switch version felt "old" despite new content, since PS4/Vita/PC had it earlier.

4. Budget Disparity: AAA marketing budgets could buy small islands; Fata Morgana’s promo probably bought coffee for the dev team. ☕

Where to Experience This Time-Bending Gem

Good news! In 2025, escaping into Fata Morgana’s tragedy-laden halls is easier than ever:

The Switch/PS editions offer bonus content, but honestly? The Steam version’s narrative punch remains unforgettably potent. And since we’re all about delayed gratification here… better late than never, right?

So here’s the deal: if you skipped this in 2021 because you were busy racing or platforming, your gaming resume has a gaping hole. This isn’t just a game—it’s a masterclass in storytelling that makes most blockbusters feel like coloring books. Ready to see why a visual novel out-critiqued an entire year of gaming giants? Grab the nearest controller, dim the lights, and let the Maid guide you through the shadows. Your soul might not survive intact—but hey, great art hurts sometimes. 😉🎮