Jagger

Story - Some of the best writing and storytelling I have ever experienced in a video game, or any medium for that matter, even rivalling the best sci-fi narratives in movies, books, and television. Unlike most shallow sci-fi stories, Steins Gate is hard science-fiction, which goes into detail on how the science works. However, a lot of hard sci-fi usually suffer from being convoluted or lacking characterization. Steins Gate strikes a great balance, dealing with many current scientific theories in an understandable and digestible way without becoming convoluted, yet this never gets in the way of the amazing characterization. The plot twists are also very well-done. Unlike a lot of sci-fi plot twists, the plot twists in Steins Gate don't come from nowhere, but are always foreshadowed and well-explained within the context of the narrative. And because of the strong characterization, making you care for the characters, the story always packs a powerful emotional punch. Characterization - This is where Steins Gate truly shines. The cast of characters are very well-written and memorable. The star of the show is Okabe, a self-proclaimed "mad scientist" and one of the most likeable protagonists I've ever come across. At first he comes across as being arrogant and delusional, but as we listen to this thoughts, he comes across as a well-developed, three-dimensional person, with human flaws and anxieties beyond his arrogant and quirky exterior. The lead female character Kurisu is also very well-written. She's a mentally strong character, with an intellect rivalling Okabe, and has a well-developed, three-dimensional personality. This makes the relationship and banter between Okabe and Makise immensely enjoyable. The supporting cast are also well-developed and likeable in their own ways, including the naive childhood friend Mayuri, the Otaku nerd Daru, the fake "moe" character Faris, the landlord Mr. Braun, the part-time "warrior" Suzuha, etc. Steins Gate makes you care for the characters, adding a great deal of emotional weight to the story. Gameplay - This is where some of the more traditional gamers might have an issue, but something most visual novel fans should be used to. Like most visual novels, you'll be spending a lot of time reading, with the gameplay mostly limited to making decisions that impact the narrative flow. And like most visual novels, the decisions you make have a big impact on how the story unfolds. Unlike most RPG's where the choices usually have very little impact on how the story unfolds, the choices in visual novels like Steins Gate can have major unforeseen consequences and lead you down different narrative paths. Compared to our average visual novel, however, Steins Gate adds more interactivity with Okabe's cell phone, which becomes is a kind of time-texting device in the story. This is where you make your choices, with the way you use your cell phone affecting how the story unfolds, whether it's deciding whether to answer calls or read text messages, or how you choose to respond to calls and messages. This innovative gameplay mechanic helps give the game more interactivity than what you'd find in your average visual novel. Visuals - The visuals in Steins Gate are unique and original. The dark tones, the water-colour art, and the grimy look, all give the game a dark, unique feel. It's also refreshing that, unlike most anime and visual novels, there isn't much pretty-boy "androgyny" to the male characters (except for Luka, in a subversive way), nor is there much "male gaze" sexualization to the female characters (except for Faris, but still toned-down). The most unique aspect of the character design is the eyes, which have a swirly hypnotic look to them, adding to the game's dark mood. Overall, the art-work is very impressive. Audio - This is something that visual novels (also called "sound novels") usually excel at, and Steins Gate is better than most. While the voices are only in Japanese, the voice acting is excellent. The voice actors did a great job at portraying the characters, perfectly capturing the personalities, tones, expressions, and emotions. The sound effects are also put to great use, with the right sound effects at the right moments. And the music does a great job of capturing the right mood at the right times. Pros - The writing, storytelling, and characterization, are some of the best I've seen in any medium, let alone video games. The visuals and audio are excellent. The gameplay, revolving around a time-texting cell phone, is also unique. Cons - The gameplay is somewhat limited compared to your average video game. There's a lot of reading, for those not used to reading. Overall - Steins Gate is a masterpiece.

Gameplay - The gameplay design was excellent, like a cross between Landstalker (its even more obscure spiritual predecessor) and Zelda, but much more hardcore than both. The gameplay was very well-designed, in almost every area, from the puzzles, platforming and combat to the open world, levels and dungeons. The gameplay was very difficult (more so than Landstalker, Zelda, or even Soulsborne), though not in an unfair way, but in a manner that rewards player skill and logical thinking. The game's difficulty, however, limited its accessibility for many players. Story - The story design was also excellent. It has some of the best storytelling ever written for a video game. The plot, in some ways, foreshadowed Paprika and Inception, dealing with a similar dream-walking theme, but in a fantasy world and in a much darker manner. Despite the bright art design, the story is very dark and unforgiving (like classic Gundam, and foreshadowing Game of Thrones). The script is also very well-written, thanks to the great localization by Working Designs. The story was also well-integrated into the gameplay, with dream levels designed around character psyche. Graphics - The graphics was criticized at the time for being 2D in an industry that was moving towards 3D. But looking back, its beautiful 2D sprite-work and bright art design has aged better than the 3D games of that era. The anime cutscenes were also well-animated, and I prefer its '90s anime style over the modern anime style we see in modern Japanese games. Audio - The music soundtrack still sounds great to this day. Almost every piece suits the scenes and levels. And the soundtrack is also great to listen to on its own. Conclusion - A criminally underrated PS1 action/adventure/RPG from Matrix Software, Alundra is one of the best games I've ever played. This was a masterpiece of game design, excelling in almost every area, from the gameplay and the story to the graphics and the music.

Story - It's a family drama, with coming-of-age and magical-realism elements. It has some of the most compelling storytelling and writing I've seen in any medium, possibly the best story ever written for a video game, and even comparable to some of the best dramas in film, television, and literature. It packs a powerful emotional punch; at times the comedy can make you laugh, at times the tragedy can be heart-wrenching, and at times the drama can make you shed tears of joy. It's like a roller-coaster that takes you through the whole gamut of emotions. The story is split into two halves, the School Life arc which is about the teenage high school years, and the After Story arc which is about the adult years after graduating. The School Life arc varies from good-to-great depending on the route, but it's the After Story arc that truly elevates Clannad to a narrative masterpiece, with an original story rarely seen in any medium. It's worth noting, however, that it also has one of the longest scripts ever written for any medium, more than a million words, over twice as much text as all the Lord of the Rings novels combined, which means a whole lot of reading. Characterization - It quite possibly has the best characterization ever written for a video game. Tomoya Okazaki in particular may very well be the most well-written protagonist ever seen in a video game. He feels real and believable, and over the years, his character grows and changes, in both positive and negative ways. The supporting cast are also very well-written, with each character having their own fleshed-out personality and backstory, and you also see most of them grow and change over the years. Even for some characters who initially come across as anime cliches, you see them eventually grow out of those cliches over time. And if you get too attached to some of the characters, it can be heart-wrenching when tragedy strikes. In the After Story arc, some of the adult characters in the School Life arc get much bigger roles, while several new characters are also introduced, especially one particular new character (who I won't name to avoid spoiling anything) who changes the dynamics of the story and leaves a deep impression. Gameplay - It plays like most visual novels, with gameplay that consists almost entirely of reading while making choices along the way. And like most visual novels, the story is highly non-linear. Clannad has many meaningful choices and consequences, over a dozen branching story routes, and 26 different endings. In terms of how much the story can branch out, Clannad (like many visual novels) trumps most RPGs and adventure games in terms of non-linear storytelling. Compared to other visual novels, many of which often have you wait quite long before you get to make a choice, in Clannad the choices come much more frequently, making it a more interactive experience than the average visual novel. It's interesting to explore the different choices you make and seeing the consequences of those choices and how the story plays out. However, Clannad is very long, at least 50 hours or more to play through all the story routes and get all the different endings, so you'd need quite a bit of patience. Also, if you're a more traditional gamer who doesn't play visual novels, then the gameplay (or lack thereof) may take some getting used to. Visuals - The background art is very well-drawn. But the character art is a weak-point. The character drawings are decent, but the unusually large eyes look odd. After a while, however, you kind of just get used to it, so it's not a deal-breaker. Audio - The Japanese voice acting is great, with performances full of expression and emotion. It lacks an English dub track, however, but that's understandable given the huge amount of dialogues it has, and I generally prefer playing or watching with the original voice tracks anyway. The music is also amazing, with the entire score very well composed. The music suits the scenes, and the soundtrack is great to listen to on its own as well. Note - Clannad was adapted into an anime series, which did a great job of adapting the visual novel. But there are a number of key differences. The visual novel has a much longer script, going much more in-depth with the story, dialogues, and Okazaki's thoughts. The visual novel is also non-linear, allowing you to make choices and seeing how the story unfolds differently, whereas the anime is entirely linear. And the ending can be confusing in the anime, but makes much more sense in the visual novel. For those who saw the anime and were confused by the ending, playing the visual novel is the best way to make sense of the ending. Overall - This is a must-play for anyone who enjoys visual novels, adventure games, or interactive storytelling. But if you're not a fan of either of these things, it's still worth giving this a try. In conclusion, Clannad is a masterpiece.

Story - Some of the best writing and storytelling I have ever experienced in a video game, or any medium for that matter, even rivalling the best sci-fi narratives in movies, books, and television. Unlike most shallow sci-fi stories, Steins Gate is hard science-fiction, which goes into detail on how the science works. However, a lot of hard sci-fi usually suffer from being convoluted or lacking characterization. Steins Gate strikes a great balance, dealing with many current scientific theories in an understandable and digestible way without becoming convoluted (there's a glossary to help), yet this never gets in the way of the amazing characterization. The plot twists are also very well-done. Unlike a lot of sci-fi plot twists, the plot twists in Steins Gate don't come from nowhere, but are always foreshadowed and well-explained within the context of the narrative. And because of the strong characterization, making you care for the characters, the story always packs a powerful emotional punch. Characterization - This is where Steins Gate truly shines. The cast of characters are very well-written and memorable. The star of the show is Okabe, a self-proclaimed "mad scientist" and one of the most likeable protagonists I've ever come across. At first he comes across as being arrogant and delusional, but as we listen to this thoughts, he comes across as a well-developed, three-dimensional person, with human flaws and anxieties beyond his arrogant and quirky exterior. The lead female character Kurisu is also very well-written. She's a mentally strong character, with an intellect rivalling Okabe, and has a well-developed, three-dimensional personality. This makes the relationship and banter between Okabe and Makise immensely enjoyable. The supporting cast are also well-developed and likeable in their own ways, including the naive childhood friend Mayuri, the Otaku nerd Daru, the fake "moe" character Faris, the CRT-obsessed landlord Mr. Braun, the part-time "warrior" Suzuha, etc. Steins Gate makes you care for the characters, adding a great deal of emotional weight to the story. Gameplay - This is where some of the more traditional gamers might have an issue, but something most visual novel fans should be used to. Like most visual novels, you'll be spending a lot of time reading, with the gameplay mostly limited to making choices and decisions along the way that impact the non-linear narrative. Like most visual novels, the decisions you make have a big impact on how the story unfolds, much more so than non-VN video games. Unlike most RPGs, for example, where the choices usually have very little impact on how the story unfolds, the choices in visual novels like Steins Gate can have major unforeseen consequences and lead you down different narrative paths and timelines. Compared to your average visual novel, Steins Gate adds more interactivity with Okabe's cell phone, which becomes a type of time-texting device in the story. This is where you make your choices, with the way you use your cell phone affecting how the story unfolds, whether it's deciding whether or not to answer calls or read text messages, or how you choose to respond to calls and messages. This innovative gameplay mechanic helps give the game more interactivity than what you'd find in your average visual novel. Visuals - The visuals in Steins Gate are unique and original. The dark tones, the water-colour art, and the grimy look, all give the game a dark, unique feel. The character design is also unique, such as the eyes having a swirly hypnotic look to them, adding to the game's dark mood. Overall, the art-work is very impressive. Audio - This is something that visual novels (also called "sound novels") usually excel at, and Steins Gate is better than most. While the voices are only in Japanese, the voice acting is excellent. The voice actors did a great job at portraying the characters, perfectly capturing the personalities, tones, expressions, and emotions. The sound effects are also put to great use, with the right sound effects at the right moments. And the music does a great job of capturing the right mood at the right times. Pros - The writing, storytelling, and characterization, are some of the best I've seen in any medium, let alone video games. The visuals and audio are excellent. The gameplay, revolving around a time-texting cell phone, is also unique. Cons - The gameplay is somewhat limited compared to your average video game. There's a lot of reading, for those not used to reading. Overall - Steins Gate is a masterpiece. Highly recommended to anyone interested in science fiction, non-linear storytelling, or just a great story.

Story - Some of the best writing and storytelling I have ever experienced in a video game, or any medium for that matter, even rivalling the best sci-fi narratives in movies, books, and television. Unlike most shallow sci-fi stories, Steins Gate is hard science-fiction, which goes into detail on how the science works. However, a lot of hard sci-fi usually suffer from being convoluted or lacking characterization. Steins Gate strikes a great balance, dealing with many current scientific theories in an understandable and digestible way without becoming convoluted (there's a glossary to help), yet this never gets in the way of the amazing characterization. The plot twists are also very well-done. Unlike a lot of sci-fi plot twists, the plot twists in Steins Gate don't come from nowhere, but are always foreshadowed and well-explained within the context of the narrative. And because of the strong characterization, making you care for the characters, the story always packs a powerful emotional punch. Characterization - This is where Steins Gate truly shines. The cast of characters are very well-written and memorable. The star of the show is Okabe, a self-proclaimed "mad scientist" and one of the most likeable protagonists I've ever come across. At first he comes across as being arrogant and delusional, but as we listen to this thoughts, he comes across as a well-developed, three-dimensional person, with human flaws and anxieties beyond his arrogant and quirky exterior. The lead female character Kurisu is also very well-written. She's a mentally strong character, with an intellect rivalling Okabe, and has a well-developed, three-dimensional personality. This makes the relationship and banter between Okabe and Makise immensely enjoyable. The supporting cast are also well-developed and likeable in their own ways, including the naive childhood friend Mayuri, the Otaku nerd Daru, the fake "moe" character Faris, the CRT-obsessed landlord Mr. Braun, the part-time "warrior" Suzuha, etc. Steins Gate makes you care for the characters, adding a great deal of emotional weight to the story. Gameplay - This is where some of the more traditional gamers might have an issue, but something most visual novel fans should be used to. Like most visual novels, you'll be spending a lot of time reading, with the gameplay mostly limited to making choices and decisions along the way that impact the non-linear narrative. Like most visual novels, the decisions you make have a big impact on how the story unfolds, much more so than non-VN video games. Unlike most RPGs, for example, where the choices usually have very little impact on how the story unfolds, the choices in visual novels like Steins Gate can have major unforeseen consequences and lead you down different narrative paths and timelines. Compared to your average visual novel, Steins Gate adds more interactivity with Okabe's cell phone, which becomes a type of time-texting device in the story. This is where you make your choices, with the way you use your cell phone affecting how the story unfolds, whether it's deciding whether or not to answer calls or read text messages, or how you choose to respond to calls and messages. This innovative gameplay mechanic helps give the game more interactivity than what you'd find in your average visual novel. Visuals - The visuals in Steins Gate are unique and original. The dark tones, the water-colour art, and the grimy look, all give the game a dark, unique feel. The character design is also unique, such as the eyes having a swirly hypnotic look to them, adding to the game's dark mood. Overall, the art-work is very impressive. Audio - This is something that visual novels (also called "sound novels") usually excel at, and Steins Gate is better than most. While the voices are only in Japanese, the voice acting is excellent. The voice actors did a great job at portraying the characters, perfectly capturing the personalities, tones, expressions, and emotions. The sound effects are also put to great use, with the right sound effects at the right moments. And the music does a great job of capturing the right mood at the right times. Pros - The writing, storytelling, and characterization, are some of the best I've seen in any medium, let alone video games. The visuals and audio are excellent. The gameplay, revolving around a time-texting cell phone, is also unique. Cons - The gameplay is somewhat limited compared to your average video game. There's a lot of reading, for those not used to reading. Overall - Steins Gate is a masterpiece. Highly recommended to anyone interested in science fiction, non-linear storytelling, or just a great story.