Sierra Ops - Space Strategy Visual Novel
Update after episode 2
This first episode is good but also very very very short. Might be one of the shortest I ever tried. It has an interesting sci-fi setting and introduces the characters but doesnt let you get to know them since you barely get a few lines. It also makes use of flash backs as the main characters clearly has mental wound attached to past incidents. Battle system is ok and unusual for a VN but not too hard to figure it out. The design of characters seems to fit a game like this quite well. Overall it got me interested to see next episode and decide if its good enough to get the season pass.
– Real player with 42.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Interactive Fiction Romance Games.
I won’t lie, this barely tips the needle into recommend rather than neutral. Sierra Ops is basically a visual novel with a light fleet command and time management mechanic attached to it. I think the issue I have with it is that none of the component parts of terribly good. They aren’t BAD, but in trying to cram all of that in here they’ve cut a few corners on each section. Battles are a mixed bag of good, bad, and frustrating. I like a lot of things there but you have to go through so much story to get to them… and when it turns out they’re one the token five minutes and done type battles that can be frustrating. Not to mention the difficulties of introducing various new mechanics and ideas with that pacing. There’s a similar problem with upgrading your ship, by the end of chapter 2 there’s still not that much to choose yet. On the visual novel side the story is… it has potential but I don’t want to give it too much praise or condemnation yet. It’s not completely sold me so far, in either plot or execution, but I have to admit there are some good foundations here and it could make me eat those words in future chapters.
– Real player with 36.2 hrs in game
Mecha Ace
So let me get this right I have max perception but I can’t see the Death Star, let alone powering up? (ENDGAME)
This game has someone that did not do any basic research.
The enemy sets up an ambush but you can ambush the ambush by having the enemy leave their ambush that has cover for them to walk into a hail of bullets from your ambush.
Ambush… take a drink.
When you are returning to base you about to be ambushed (take a drink) and after you kill the enemy your commander yells at you for defending yourself in war. (wAiT WhAt???? O_o)
– Real player with 39.0 hrs in game
Read More: Best Interactive Fiction Text-Based Games.
TL;DR WISH THIS GAME WAS LONGER, MORE IN DEPTH. 7/10
This was a nice story, and definitely worth the money. But this isnt the first time I’ve played choice of games product (life of a wizard was awesome) so while I enjoyed the story, I was honestly a bit, unsatisfied. There wasnt enough depth in this game.
Spoilers
Any stat that goes above 4 (starting 2) ensures that you succeed every related option.
And with the scarce amount of stat increasing/decreasing choices, this results in very limited dimensions for character ability development.
– Real player with 24.1 hrs in game
Ironheart
If not a great one then Ironheart is at least a very good CYOA text only book.
Among the positive points is the attention given to details and little choice that carry over the course of the game and give the feeling of true customization and flavour to your character. The attitude of your character also change depending on your choices and I find this very well made. The universe does’nt seem shallow, key events are very well written and absorbing and there are also some surprise here and there. A lot of choice and stats are just there to give you the feeling of CYOA games and you can feel the author affinity with the genre.
– Real player with 33.5 hrs in game
Read More: Best Interactive Fiction Casual Games.
One of the best COG title I read in the past two years. Story is nicely written overall if not a bit short, very interesting concepts here mixing the Third Crusade, time travel, and Mech together. (Also if you happen to be a fan of Assassin’s Creed, you are in for a treat)
– Real player with 29.8 hrs in game
Battle Girls
A short, mecha fighting story with some romance options brought to you by the Dharker Studios.
You were chosen as a mecha pilot to represent your nation in an international competition. Just to be clear, there is no mecha action here, it’s pure VN. You have several battles to go through and multiple choices to reach one of many endings. While the VN is relatively short, to complete all scenarios will likely double the length so it’s not bad. Your choice will also influence if and who will you end up with. Writing quality is acceptable but there is not enough character development here. No real heroines' backgrounds or motivations present. Also, the main character was left as a blank slate, no sprite, no face, little to none personality. There are some slip ups and inconsistencies, e.g. wrong names used or story referring to events that did not occur due to the previous choices. Still, I enjoyed it more than expected from low budget VNs. One of better VNs from this developer.
– Real player with 14.5 hrs in game
So some background. I’m a FPS and RPG kinda person, but have played various other genres. My first visual novel was Doki Doki Literature Club, and it changed my life (good game, check it out it’s free). So when I was making a badge and got a coupon for this game, it peaked my interests.
However, instead of being just some cheap game with no depth, I was surprised to see how much depth this game’s story went into. I will admit, I don’t get the whole thing about it being a school or something, and yet they are battling other countries so they get an untrained dude to fight for them. But whatever….
– Real player with 8.1 hrs in game
ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos
A warning, this is a Visual Novel, not an Action Game.
For players wishing to learn how to find the different branches, there seems to be, in general 4 Heroine Endings, each with Good and Bad, and after each ending, the start screen will display a silhouette of the “heroine”’s ending you unlocked. The first 2 times you play the game, you will unlock “extras” in the next playthrough, so Ending Meteora will be the first, after that, you will be capable of unlocking the second branch for Endings Noa and Anima, and after any of them, you unlock the ability to open the final branch, to the Coco Ending (Final).
– Real player with 36.7 hrs in game
This is the best VR game I’ve played so far this year and the #1 VR VN I’ve played to date by a long shot!
The first ending is around 3 hours in but it’s more like a prelude. The full game has about 15 hours of content to get all the endings and each branch adds huge swaths of story and character development so you really feel compelled to play through them all. There are also a couple music videos built into the story that you can go back and revisit any time which gives you some reason to boot up the game every now and then even after 100% completing it. Music videos in VR are awesome!
– Real player with 26.6 hrs in game
Game Master Plus
Story
The first half of the game doesn’t have much plot beyond clearing game boards because of the protagonist’s curiosity, though there is some lore about the previous heroine. The second half has more lore and more stakes, as well as several plot bombshells. While I did like the story of the second half, I can see the lack of real conflict in the first half turning new players off before they can get to the better half.
Gameplay
The first few parts of the game make it hard to gather any resources. Enemies don’t drop money and they aren’t guaranteed to drop sellable items, meaning the player is stuck in a resource drought situation if they try to do traditional grinding. This can be intimidating because in the beginning, the only way to fully recover the robot is to pay 10 cents, which means inefficient gameplay can result in waste of limited money. The resource situation does get better in the later parts of the game, since the player can find free healing/save statues and an accessory that increases the drop rate.
– Real player with 30.5 hrs in game
An easy but very nice RPG game. Its style really attracts me, and maybe anyone who loves ‘nostalgia’.
And if you love collecting things, or riddling, this game can be unexpectedly a little hard for you.
BTW bugs are seen too often, and the scene called ‘Sesame Hideout’ even disappears! Hope it can be fixed sooner.
– Real player with 28.4 hrs in game