The player moves a character through two-dimensionalfields, interacting with and examining various objects. Obstacles come in the forms of blocked paths, which the player must somehow overcome and cross, and enemies and traps which deplete the player character's health. Once health reaches zero, the player loses. The player wins by seeing the narrative through to one of its ends. The game's English translator has said that the game is not demanding of the player's reflexes, although many enemies are fairly swift in movement.
Plot
A girl, Ib, is taken to Guertena Weiss' art museum by her mother and father. With her parents' permission, Ib wanders off on her own. She examines a painting she does not understand as the museum abruptly empties during a power outage, its doors locking before she can leave with the other guests. A series of paint splatters guide her into a different painting of the deep sea, which she physically enters. Trapped in an alien, painted world, Ib eventually finds and joins forces with two others: Garry, a soft-spoken young man dressed in tattered clothes who becomes protective and nurturing of Ib; and Mary, a mischievous, eccentric girl roughly Ib's age. Throughout their quest to escape the art gallery, Ib, Garry, and Mary encounter numerous puzzles, re-animated sculptures, and monstrous killer paintings. The game takes place at some point after the year 6235, as the numbers given with the paintings are years, as confirmed by the Japanese kanji for the games' script. The earliest date on Guertena's paintings is 6198 in "Marvelous Night"; the latest is The Geometrical Fish in 6235, and Mary was his last. That's at least 37 years of Guertena painting, and at least 12 years with Mary.
Characters
;Ib ;Garry ;Mary ;Guertena Weiss ;Ib's Parents ;The Lady in Red
Reception
Ib has gained a cult following in the horror indie game field. It has received praise for its atmosphere and general design, and has garnered comparisons to Yume Nikki. By the start of 2014, Kouri mentioned on his website that Ib broke 1,150,000 downloads in Japan. There was a similar "high" number of downloads on the English side. Ib also received some official merchandise, such as mini 3D figurines sold at Animate shops around Japan in early 2014; a 2013 calendar sold at Comiket 83; mascot plush dolls of Ib, Garry, and Mary sold as arcade prizes around late January 2013 at Taito Station; and a tote bag and a wine glass sold at "Guertena Shop".
