Spirited Thief
Spirited Thief
Game
Game2024
49 Keys
Developer Michele Buonanno, Veronica Wu, Fabio Porfidia
It all began when you opened that letter. Penned by your late master, it details how you are now heir to his mysterious legacy. You set off for the island on which he'd spent his final years... and so a truly unsettling journey begins, a journey into the deepest secrets of magic and the occult. From the Steam store page
28 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Mar 30, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
100
LovedLoved
19 positive · 0 negative
95% range 83–100%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 1 | 0 | 8 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Positive
20 of 20 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
100% recommend · 20 yes, 0 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 20 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (94 of 112 positive).
Players praise the game's atmosphere, writing, and visual style. [1][2][3] Some find it short and note puzzles can be easy or obtuse. [4][5][6] The game is recommended for fans of text-based adventures and occult themes. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [1]
Wonderful text-based adventure with modern quality of life features. The story begins with a letter sent by your old Master. In it, he says that his time on Earth is coming to an end, and he wishes to entrust his life's work to you. However, when you get on the island where he spent the last few years, you discover that the master died some weeks ago. You now need to explore the island and discover what the old …
- [7]
I've never cared much about writing reviews for games, but this game really deserves one. At first I was a bit skeptical, but the setting — early 16th century in Italy — caught my attention since I'm Italian, and the "Lovecraftian" tag did the rest as I’m a fan of that author. I was immediately mesmerized by the game’s visual style: both the UI design and the illustrations (especially those by Fabio Porfidia, who …
- [2]
Gorgeous game book with impeccable ambiance. The art, music, and writing are all tight. I was engaged with the story throughout, which was complemented well by the puzzles and investigation aspect of the game. As of this writing, I have played through 3 of 4 possible endings. I will be playing again, as I want to unlock the achievement wherein one uncovers all the secrets of the 49 Keys. I don't think there's a more …
- [8]
Tl;dr - short but evocative and very well-written gamebook with occult themes (astrology, medieval bestiaries, alchemy, demonology) and an excellent atmosphere, focused on exploration and puzzle-solving 49 Keys is an adaptation of a very well-written gamebook with a focus on exploration and puzzle-solving (there is no combat, random rolls,, experience, etc.). It is slow-paced, but in my opinion this enhances the …
- [3]
An incredible atmosphere had been crafted in this interactive book For the most part, this game is like reading a book (I'd say the game is ~90% reading), but it also kind of plays like a dungeon crawler and escape room, while having a few interesting puzzles to figure out here and there. 49 Keys is expertly written, the text is eloquent, and feels fit right in the medieval era it is set in. The story is very good, …
Summarised from 27 of the 30 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 14, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
100% of the 20 Steam reviewers we collected recommend 49 Keys. The complaint that keeps coming up: game is short, around 1.5-4 hours. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
28 of 28 · most liked firstWonderful text-based adventure with modern quality of life features. The story begins with a letter sent by your old Master. In it, he says that his time on Earth is coming to an end, and he wishes to entrust his life's work to you. However, when you get on the island where he spent the last few years, you discover that the master died some weeks ago. You now need to explore the island and discover what the old master has been working on. First and foremost, the presentation is minimalistic…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've never cared much about writing reviews for games, but this game really deserves one. At first I was a bit skeptical, but the setting — early 16th century in Italy — caught my attention since I'm Italian, and the "Lovecraftian" tag did the rest as I’m a fan of that author. I was immediately mesmerized by the game’s visual style: both the UI design and the illustrations (especially those by Fabio Porfidia, who also made the illustrations for The Lord of the Rings). Then came the story.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My perfect form has (sadly, to some) been clothed at last! Mwahahaha! Look forward to Thursday, when I will be playing the puzzle game 49 Keys! We raided out to @puzzledrone.bsky.social and @starrgraves.bsky.social who were playing Nightingale! Gotta love survival-crafting games.
positive · AI labelView post →A unique game. I recommend it, but only to people who love reading in games more than actually playing. It is a "puzzle", but really what you do is read wonderful medieval-styled text which leaves you wanting more of it. Then you finish reading, the games gives you an achievement, and you're sitting there thinking "Huh? That's it, that's the game?". For reference - it took me 7 hours to "beat" the game. This is 95% reading and 5% actually doing something.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really surpassed my expectations for a game which had hardly any reviews at the time of buying. Great concept, skilfully executed. Text-based games live and die by the quality of their writing and this one is excellent. I was trying to pin down what makes the game feel so immersive: it is that everything, from narration to puzzles, from the narrator's choices and logic to the unsettling beings he encounters, everything is in service to its setting. You could not plonk the game into the 21st…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gorgeous game book with impeccable ambiance. The art, music, and writing are all tight. I was engaged with the story throughout, which was complemented well by the puzzles and investigation aspect of the game. As of this writing, I have played through 3 of 4 possible endings. I will be playing again, as I want to unlock the achievement wherein one uncovers all the secrets of the 49 Keys. I don't think there's a more succinct endorsement of a game book than that.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Interesting interactive novel about a man of the clergy and his experience with supernatural; puzzles are ok but the hints system is a bit off (either obvious hint or spoiling the whole puzzle solution). The story itself is intriguing enough to keep you engaged but, sadly, not enough to warrant another play-through to see other endings. The art style and the atmosphere are stellar and are enough to warrant at play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →intended schedule: Tuesday: BLENDER AGAIN FINALLY AAAAAAAA Thursday: bibeo bame? likely 49 Keys (horror-puzzle game) that's porbably it for now :D join them. or I vaporize you.
neutral · AI labelView post →The game is as beautiful as a sunset seen from a lake in the mountains. A story that will capture you from the beginning. It is based on the gamebook of the same name (which I played). Suggestive images, clean and amazing graphics. Simple gameplay, which perfectly reproduces the mechanics of a gamebook, but makes it accessible to anyone. If you want to enjoy an hour a day of gaming after work, this adventure is for you.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun stuff, full of weird imagery of incomprehensible creatures, arcane manuscripts and stinky alchemy. Mostly simple puzzles but the couple of more tricky head scratchers are helped with in game notes for reference. I did make notes on paper also to help me out. A short and fairly simple game to play through, but full of atmosphere and bonkers scenarios. The book framing works well and is very pretty to look at. I am intrigued by the scoring system after playing through to the credits, and any…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →49 Keys is a PC adaptation of a stylish game-book. A renaissance-era occult horror adventure where you play as a Dominican friar, solving puzzles and completing arcane rituals. store.steampowered.com/app/2660250/...
neutral · AI labelView post →First attempt at streaming again lasted 5 minutes, second lasted 50, here’s hoping this one can last at least two hours. I will be streaming the puzzle horror game 49 Keys starting 12pm EDT / 4pm UTC. Join me, if you dare~
neutral · AI labelView post →What if. Horror Puzzle Game 49 Keys this Thursday?
neutral · AI labelView post →A very enjoyable text adventure. Great atmosphere with satisfying puzzles. Solid as an adaptation too: Elegant interface, encountered no bugs.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A little shorter than I expected & sometimes a bit hand-holdy (in terms of how boldly it indicates when you've unlocked the ability to perform a new action in a specific room) but still fun!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"49 Keys," a narrative puzzle video game inspired by 16th century magic books.
neutral · AI labelView post →A very fun text based occult puzzle/story game. The format of the gameplay was very weird to adjust to at first, but became natural once I got the hang of it. Game only sucked me in the more I played and while the story wasn't world changing in the end, it was still well worth the playthrough and was a great deal of fun. Only one puzzle hung me up where I had to use a hint and I think it could've just used more clarification (duke tower placements). Well worth a shot especially on sale if you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Quite nice but also quite short (expect 1.5-3 hours for your first attempt, then roughly 30 minutes for any playthroughs after if you kept good notes on puzzles the first time). I've been playing through a number of gamebooks and interactive fiction lately and this was one was an extremely different tone as there were zero random elements, no combat sections, and puzzles could span entire regions instead of being on a per-room basis. Some of the puzzles feel a bit bull you're telling me that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tl;dr - short but evocative and very well-written gamebook with occult themes (astrology, medieval bestiaries, alchemy, demonology) and an excellent atmosphere, focused on exploration and puzzle-solving 49 Keys is an adaptation of a very well-written gamebook with a focus on exploration and puzzle-solving (there is no combat, random rolls,, experience, etc.). It is slow-paced, but in my opinion this enhances the atmosphere. The game uses a minimalist style that evokes reading a diary, and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →for some reason I'm thinking either 49 Keys (horror puzzle game) or Hotline Miami with melee. Very different options, I know lol.
neutral · AI labelView post →An ok game. Mostly reading which I didn't mind. I'm glad there were two levels of hints (one kinda helps you out....and if you still can't figure it out, two tells you the exact answer. There were 2 or 3 puzzles I wouldn't have been able to do without the direct answer hint. The few illustrations there are are nice, kinda wish there were more but I get it, this is more like a book and you are supposed to do the imagining. I would rate it 7/10 and was glad I caught it on sale. I wouldn't…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →in the first run I made some choices that lead to a dull ending. it is very annoying that you have to play from the start to unlock other endings.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →49 Keys, developed by Michele Buonanno in collaboration with Veronica Wu and Fabio Porfidia and published by 2P Games, is an atmospheric and intricately crafted puzzle-adventure game that plunges players into a deeply esoteric and unsettling experience. Drawing from Buonanno’s own gamebook 49 Chiavi, the game manages to translate a complex, symbol-laden narrative into an interactive medium without compromising its thematic richness. Set in the 16th century, the story follows a Dominican friar…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm gonna try again. Monday, 7pm EDT: Vintage Story (medieval survival crafter) Wednesday, 8pm EDT: Most likely Abiotic Factor (sci-fi survival crafter) Saturday, 12pm EDT: 49 Keys (horror-puzzle game) If the internet works, it'll be here: www.twitch.tv/ambrosiarepl... Crossing my fingers!
neutral · AI labelView post →Great story, enjoyed the journey.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An incredible atmosphere had been crafted in this interactive book For the most part, this game is like reading a book (I'd say the game is ~90% reading), but it also kind of plays like a dungeon crawler and escape room, while having a few interesting puzzles to figure out here and there. 49 Keys is expertly written, the text is eloquent, and feels fit right in the medieval era it is set in. The story is very good, it explores occult and mysterious themes, in search of the cryptic book of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty fun little puzzler. Has good prose and great atmosphere. I did find all the puzzles pretty easy (except using the red eye drops on the mirror ) but also clever enough to be enjoyable. My biggest gripe with the game is that it is extremely short of my 4 hours of play time nearly half of that was from repeat playthroughs for the speed run and all endings achievements. As such, for those on a budget I would not recommend this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Check out the new released DEMO game【 49 Keys 】video and others on my youtube channel OrangeKatsharon 😸 #49keysdemo #49keysgame #nintendo #switchgame #switch #demogame youtu.be/7HIKDINhNqs?...
neutral · AI labelView post →
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