How Buddy’s parents met - a jigsaw puzzle tale
This is my first jigsaw puzzle game, but I am enjoying it a lot. There are 6 pictures to put together. The pictures are the same 6 through each level. There are five levels of difficulty (increasing the number of puzzle pieces), but you can choose which you want to do and the game saves where you are at. Cute story too! I recommend this game to anyone who is looking for a relaxing way to spend the day.
– Real player with 59.8 hrs in game
Read More: Best Cute Puzzle Games.
Things that appeal. Minimal controls, easy snap together, bright subject matter, and a variety of puzzle sizes.
The dev of this app is very romantically minded which I found incredibly sweet considering I’m extremely jaded where this subject is concerned. I like the artwork, the music was fitting and relaxing.
[Things that did not appeal. Only one thing I found annoying was that I couldn’t change the background colour on some of the puzzles where, I had a difficult time differentiating light colours or finding the spots where they fit. An option to change to a darker colour background would have been extremely beneficial].
– Real player with 47.3 hrs in game
A Fold Apart
Interesting puzzle concept. I got stuck in a few but never enough to look up a solution. Some puzzles (especially early ones, but also some later ones) are very easy. Feels like the game is trying to make you feel frustration and release in sympathy with the characters instead of ramping up difficulty just because it’s a game.
Presentation is impressive. Transitions, multi-view shots, and walking over folds are done seamlessly.
Dialogue (text messages) between the characters is generally pretty good. Some a bit too cheesy/sappy but some felt genuine. The puzzle thought text is usually too melodramatic.
– Real player with 4.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best Cute Puzzle Games.
VEREDICT: 8/10.
A Fold Apart is a sweet puzzle game with its mechanics and visuals well tied to its themes. The game could use some quality of life improvements and a smoother learning curve, but it’s worth it.
MECHANICS: Positive. The folding paper puzzles manage to match the allegorical emotional landscapes of a long-distance relationship cleverly. Some of the mechanics didn’t click for me and I think it could use a few extra steps to ease you into new stage gimmicks. At least the game has a solid hint system.
– Real player with 4.1 hrs in game
Arcade Spirits
First things first: I really, truly enjoyed this game. That maybe sounds like an understatement, but I think it’s worth stressing: Arcade Spirits is just. so. enjoyable. It’s good-natured, goofy game about pursuing your dreams and the power of friendship as much as it is a dating sim, and I was completely charmed by the total sincerity of its story and characters. My literal only complaint is that I couldn’t spend more time with all of them (more on that below).
Arcade Spirits’s core cast is obviously the main draw, and in terms of characterization, the game really delivers. I was really impressed by how the game avoided obvious dating sim archetypes and introduced a lot of depth to characters I wasn’t certain I would connect with (particularly Ashley and Teo). I also appreciate how the game doesn’t shy away from more serious issues, particularly in Percy and QueenBee’s routes – it’s not a coincidence that these are the two routes that I think are the game’s strongest, and it has a lot to do with how Percy and QueenBee’s problems (and dating hang-ups) are rooted in real-world issues. The overarching plot is goofy (in a good way!), but the characters feel grounded and real, and you’re encouraged to take them seriously in ways that I think really, really work.
– Real player with 37.7 hrs in game
Read More: Best Cute Dating Sim Games.
I’ve only had the time to sit down and play through this great game once, but I feel like it’s given me a pretty good grasp of the game as a whole. And I love it. I’m a huge fan of visual novels and throwing in a dash of romance is…just another nail in my coffin. I’ve been following this game for a while now, exactly how long I can’t say, but I’ve been waiting. And it was worth the wait. I’ve never played a visual novel that has allowed me the customization this game has. I found I was playing me rather than playing the who can I romance game VERY early on. Sure, the game has it’s issues, and I’ll detail the good and the bad shortly, but I highly rec the game no matter what I say below. If you’ve got a hankering for a good story, high amounts of customization, and arcade game references abound this game is for you. And never fear, I’m leaving spoilers out of my lists. (As of writing this review there were still some wrinkles in the game but the dev team seems very on top of it when it’s reported. Don’t let the fact they are there dissuade you from buying the game.) I will update this review pending further play time and any additional content that might get released.
– Real player with 31.4 hrs in game
Love Spell: Written In The Stars - a magical romantic-comedy otome
*Note: I received this game as a gift from my sister.
tl;dr: This isn’t the worst game I’ve ever played. I would have given it a neutral rating if I could. But if you’re purely asking whether I would recommend it to someone or not, then this game has too many problems for me to honestly say I would.
Cons:
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Writing: During the prologue, you barely spend any time with the love interests, so it’s hard to decide who you want to go for first if you didn’t read the profiles beforehand. Additionally, sometimes the writing was inconsistent or just didn’t make any sense to me. (Ex.
! Why is MC still auditioning for roles in student productions if it’s been “several years”? Why does MC lament “forgetting” the spell was ending in Florian’s route when Philia just told her ten minutes ago? She even told Philia she’d worry about the spell later, so we know she was paying attention! Why are Sergio and Marcello’s groups referred to as
! the mafia late in the route when earlier they tell MC
! they’re more like mercenaries/hitmen?) The writing in this game is also VERY trope-y and predictable. For some people, that’s alright, but it was just something I personally didn’t like. Sometimes the writing had some bad implications (like being single is the worst thing that could happen) and Enix’s route as a whole made me feel terrible because
! he doesn’t break up with Isla until WAY late. (Plus, MC doesn’t know the breakup even happened until after things got serious! And since Isla comes by later, it was apparently a one-sided breakup…). One of the characters is obviously meant to be the “true” route, which I personally dislike.
– Real player with 30.7 hrs in game
Love Spell is a beautiful, heartwarming, and funny game that I recommend 100%!
Each LI was enjoyable to romance, and even the ones I felt I wouldn’t like so much ended up making me love them! The two I was unsure about actually made it to my top two! And well, I’ll go ahead and name them, It was Marcello and Florian. I’m not one that typically enjoys the flirtier types because, most of the time, it ends up being that character’s whole personality. Since they ended up being my top two, I’m pretty sure It’s obvious that that that wasn’t the case for them, but I’m saying it just in case! I’ll go further into why I liked them later on when I start individually discussing the routes (I’ll also have my criticisms there too because I do have some.) Another thing I liked was how each route felt so different. Sometimes, it felt like I was playing a whole different game after starting a new route. (In a good way!)
– Real player with 28.6 hrs in game
Lovingly Evil
I’ve finished most routes in the game and I’ll just list some pros and cons since other reviewers articulate it better
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Pros:
-Bouquet and Card minigames were enjoyable (I was neutral to the quiz one)
-Felix & Nova being cuties
-Funny dialogue options
-Quick gameplay, you don’t have to devote a ton of time to each route
-Art and character illustrations are very pretty & pleasant to look at!
-You can toggle individual minigames on and off in the settings (goodbye grill lmaooo)
– Real player with 16.6 hrs in game
So, I saw the title of this game, read the concept and decided this is my dream game. Easy to say; I was wrong. For about fifteen hours I did my best to love this game, did ever rout and explored every possible outcome (yes I have it 100%) and I am sad to say….. I liked it in places, which makes it worse. The Felix, clone and evil queen routs were, though lacking, enjoyable enough but not only was Novas rout 60% virtue signalling, but most of the game is also afraid to be truly, well, evil. Before someone notes in their mind though, I have about 65% the same views and opinions as the game so it is not what message it speaks of just how and in what type of property it speaks it in. Nova, I am here to date you not to hear your views of the American health care system: I am not even American, I don’t care.
– Real player with 15.0 hrs in game
Riddle Joker
Riddle Joker is great!
Now, if you’ve read SenrenBanka or Sabbat of the Witch before, you pretty much already know what to expect and this one is just as enjoyable to read. But if you haven’t read Yuzusoft’s works before, I highly recommend buying and reading SenrenBanka before considering this one.
-Plot-
I loved the idea that Astral abilities cause discrimination and how Astrals are being frowned upon as dangerous criminals. It’s honestly a very different approach to this “individuals with superpowers” theme, but I have to say that “a high school for superpowers” is not exactly the most unique setting out there… That aside, I really liked how each route had a different theme and end resolution to them. This time they really nailed it with the routes, none of them felt unnatural or forced. Each character was lovable and none of them felt like afterthoughts in this VN.
– Real player with 117.6 hrs in game
Riddle Joker is another romance/SoL visual novel from Yuzusoft with an intriguing setting, abundant humor, heroines full of verve, and a great sense of fun, but is held back by a weak protagonist and uneven pacing. While I ultimately give it a recommend if you’re looking for a bit of lighthearted fun, it’s a significant step back for Yuzusoft compared to Senren*Banka and Sabbat of the Witch, so if you haven’t read those, I would start there.
The biggest strength of Riddle Joker is that, even with the spying and intrigue, it never takes itself overly seriously and keeps up a great sense of fun. The heroines are quite lively and do a nice job balancing familiar tropes with endearing quirks. Likewise, humor is abundant and much of it lands. Even when the narrative was focusing on the ins and outs of daily life, I often found myself smiling at all the antics. The setting is interesting as well. Astral abilities are explored in a depth appropriate to the scope of the story, and lead to some fun scenes, interesting intrigue, and dash of exciting action.
– Real player with 85.0 hrs in game
Slide Stories: Bonds & Memories
a really enjoyable slide puzzle game with a nice story to accompany it. i really loved the addition of the secret puzzle. like their other puzzle game, it has a soothing soundtrack with some really charming artwork.
– Real player with 9.2 hrs in game
A Fun, Moving Collection
Slide Stories: Bonds & Memories is a collection of eight slider puzzles that tell a story and reflect on memories. There are seven standard puzzles and an eighth bonus puzzle that you can find (which was a pretty cool feature). The puzzles are available in different sizes: 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, 6x6, and 9x9.
I really enjoy the hand-drawn images and the story they tell. The pictures are animated rather than still. Though I like the idea of animation (and really enjoyed it in the first collection of slide puzzles, Slide Stories: Neko’s Journey) I did find the animation to be a bit too much: it felt like each image was persistently shaking and I often found myself feeling rather nauseated. That was really unfortunate. I would suggest, in this case, to have an option to freeze the animation. Maybe in future collections revert back to the fewer animations from the other collection.
– Real player with 8.1 hrs in game
Floral Town
Floral Town, the adorable Life Sim with a focus on interesting characters and relationships!
Having just inherited your grandparents cute restaurant, you move to the peaceful place called Floral Town, to manage your grandparents proudest creation.
Develop your restaurant from a failing abandoned building, to the towns number one hotspot brimming with life!
Make the restaurant your own while meeting the 30+ colorful characters that make Floral Town the amazing place it is!
There are over 30 characters with interesting personalities to discover and develop relationships with.
Talk to anyone, befriend anyone, date anyone!
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30+ interesting characters with unique personalities to discover.
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Many unique types of fish to discover and use as fresh ingredients for your restaurant.
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Many unique vegetables and fruits to grow and use as fresh ingredients for your restaurant.
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Interesting restaurant gameplay.
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Squash mini-game.
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Adorable pets!
If My Heart Had Wings
I told my friends I was idling for cards.
I lied.
Edit; Crap. You put me on the front page, here is a real review.
Let me start this honestly. I am totally biased. If My Heart Had Wings is the first Visual Novel I ever played, and I love it with all of my little heart. Also in case you didn’t notice I’ve played this game for more than 900 hours, and only 20 of those hours were idle. I’ve run through each route in this game at least 15 times, and I can actually speak really crappy Japanese because of this game. In addition, I’ve spent more money on this game for the badges, emoticons, cards, extra cards and backgrounds.
– Real player with 999.9 hrs in game
If My Heart Had Wings imhhw is an English translation of a popular Japanese VN = Visual Novel that follows the struggles of Aoi, a young male recovering from a serious biking accident, in his relationships with several Academy female classmates while he simultaneously manages an all-girl dorm.
IMHHW even may tug a bit on your heart-strings as you follow the developing relationships among Aoi and the girls struggling to rebuild a damaged glider in the face of determined opposition from influential Academy leaders. IMHHW is an excellent VN for a reader new to the genre. The story is well conceived and the programming to achieve the multiple story-lines is well done. /imhhw
– Real player with 285.7 hrs in game
![Winning Love by Daylight [Ep 1 Demo]](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1539780/header.jpg)
Winning Love by Daylight [Ep 1 Demo]
In all honesty for a two person project (coding\story\writing and artist) it’s pretty good. The character designs and personalities are interesting and some character powers are pretty unique. Like (spoilers) but someone being a siren was in my opinion a pretty under appreciated thing, and being able to sing people to sleep is pretty interesting. though my main gripe is in certain story skips and dialouge. Like for example, the protagonist is told in a huge moment of exposition that shit is wack and the world might end and that he/she/they might have powers. thing is somehow everyone else in the story knows this later on. Without the protagonist ever explaining that to them. there are also times where the dialouge is akward at point but i think that adds to the charm of it. Like characters are all highschoolers, it makes sense that sometimes the conversations are kinda stiff and akward cuz that’s how it would actually go in real life. Like if a goth girl who most likely is a fan of arson came up and started talking to you, of course you’d be a bit akward in your speech. But my last two complaints about it are the music and facial expressions. In all honesty, the music is terrible, it’s better than that royalty free ukelele from hell but im sure theres other stuff out there you can use without copyright. mainly the music I’m talking about here is the resting abd casual time music, it’s a weird mix of meowing and beeps and i often found myself turning the music all the way off and playing my own mix. And the complaint i have abnout the expressions is later on in the story, i don’t have any complaints about reused assets especially in visual novels, but (spoilers ahead here) maybe after a character like willow loses a loved one maybe don’t show a kind of ‘meh’ face when what she feels is true sorrow. You see that sorrow shown later on but my point still stands. other than those (admitibly small things for a game made by two people with one doing most of the heavy lifting) I think it’s a great game and absolutely my new fav comfort game. good work on the game guys hope you get episode two out soon :)
– Real player with 9.2 hrs in game
This is overall an ok experience. I’ve only played through it once and it’s not really that long but there are a lot of different choices and I assume tons of backstories to discover. The characters are overall pleasant to talk to but the story doesn’t really come together well. It feels as if every choice somehow expects me to have taken all the previous options as to create a more authentic group feeling from knowing the characters. That is to say, a lot of characters I hadn’t interacted with were friendly to me and I to them and I even knew their secret or something at times. This made no sense from what I had played. Usually visual novels circumvent this by having routes and a long intro section as to establish a backstory. This is not the case here at all and the game has tons of choices early on. I would assume that at least the first one is just for flavour but overall it starts too early for meaningful ones or doesn’t incorporate the choices made on future events. Another big problem I had was figuring out how fantastical the setting is. From the start I was expecting a normal world setting with abnormal characters but later on it seemed that supernatural phenomenons were actually canon and well known. This was quite a jarring switch for me and I couldn’t really figure out if the early events were just not the kind of abnormal people were used to or if the setting was inconsistent. The plot later on felt really quite weird but I was imagining some kind of child detective setting and therefore not as unusual for this group or something, even if I wasn’t even aware how close they were. Overall it felt like I was supposed to have read the web comic or played out each choice to be eased in. The story itself felt quite unengaging and frankly unrealistic from my point of view. The only truly engaging part was just at the end of the demo, which was too late. Apart from that, the art looked quite good but there were tons of small problems, some weird lines in some character’s drawings, some really rough edges on objects, a character’s art was extremely blurry and the way side character’s were displayed was inconsistent and the distance to the camera was very different to the main cast’s. Also there was a clock which was quite wide. There also was a night sky picture that certainly didn’t seem drawn and was fairly low quality. There was a rain scene in which the rain drops' position resetted on the next text box. I’m looking forward to how the finished release will be.
– Real player with 7.5 hrs in game