A Winter's Daydream
- October 14, 2018
- ebi-hime
Get on SteamIn "A Winter's Daydream," nineteen-year-old Yuu returns to his hometown for New Year's, finding his younger sister as hostile as ever. Seeking solace, he visits his grandmother's snowy village, where a meteorite sighting leads to his grandmother transforming into a young girl. The player must uncover the reason behind his grandmother's unexpected change in this visual novel.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Xbox
Reviews
- A Winter's Daydream features a heartfelt and thought-provoking story about family relationships, particularly between the protagonist and his grandmother, which resonates deeply with players.
- The art and music complement the emotional narrative beautifully, creating a cozy atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- Despite its short length, the game manages to evoke strong emotions and reflections on aging, loss, and the importance of family, making it a memorable read.
- Some players found the interactions between the protagonist and his younger sister to be annoying and detracting from the overall experience.
- The character sprites were noted to be inconsistent in quality, which could disrupt the visual immersion for some players.
- As a kinetic novel with no choices, some players may find the lack of interactivity limiting, preferring more engagement in their visual novel experiences.
- story61 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "A Winter's Daydream" evolves from a seemingly lighthearted premise into a profound exploration of family bonds, aging, and emotional connections. Set against a snowy Japanese backdrop, it features heartfelt character development and a narrative that balances humor with touching moments, ultimately prompting introspection about relationships with loved ones. Despite its short length, the writing and art create a memorable experience that resonates deeply with players, making it a highly recommended read for those seeking a meaningful story.
“A winter’s daydream is a story that started as a joke, but soon turned into a novel that is nothing short of beautiful.”
“The story is beautiful and very relaxing to read from beginning to end.”
“It's actually a rather touching story about reconnecting with family members and reminiscing about the past.”
“Minimal presentation weaknesses along with weak side characters do little to obscure timeless, yet easy-to-forget story themes that can leave you introspective.”
“That's a good and bad thing: good because it's pretty easy to put together short little stories that don't have to deal with pacing or multiple conflicts, bad because you rarely get the kind of thematic and emotional payoff of a larger story.”
“The plot sounds like something that came straight from a comedy movie, to be honest.”
- emotional17 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "A Winter's Daydream" is characterized by its heartfelt exploration of family connections, nostalgia, and the importance of appreciating loved ones. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke deep feelings, transitioning from comedic moments to poignant reflections on relationships with grandparents and family, ultimately delivering a touching and thought-provoking experience. The combination of strong writing, cozy art, and a compelling storyline contributes to its reputation as a heartwarming visual novel that resonates with players.
“What at first seems like a silly story turned into a thought-provoking journey that made me cry ugly tears.”
“It's actually a rather touching story about reconnecting with family members and reminiscing about the past.”
“The writing is very good in this game and it really got me to think about my grandparents and family. Even though it is only around 3 hours long, it was able to make me emotional and really get into the story.”
- music11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its emotional resonance and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, complementing the art and storyline effectively. While some users noted that a few tracks can be overly loud in certain scenes, the majority found the soundtrack to be pleasant and fitting, contributing to a heartwarming and immersive experience. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, elevating its emotional impact.
“All of this, veiled by music, ready to play on the strings of your heart; and pleasing art that complements the mood.”
“The music hits just right and doesn't become overbearing or annoying.”
“The art is also really pretty and the music fits perfectly for the plot at pretty much all times and made it even more emotional for me.”
“The music feels slightly above average.”
“The music and sound effects are on an equal par with the sprites and CGs, adding subtle yet detailed effects such as wind blowing, echoes of walking on flooring, door chimes, and more.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as heartwarming and well-integrated into the narrative, balancing comedic moments with deeper themes of acceptance and aging. Players appreciate the witty writing and relatable character interactions, particularly the humorous dynamics between generations. Overall, the game offers a blend of heartfelt storytelling and light-hearted comedy, making it a memorable experience.
“This is a nice game - very heartwarming and touching with humor and great writing, art, great storyline, and I really liked the music along with everything else.”
“Expect a rollercoaster of emotions as the writing takes you from heartfelt bonding with Umeko to comedic scenarios with younger Umeko, familiar (and hilarious) verbal battles with Otoko, and a romantic theme of reunion and memories.”
“Though sentimental at times, the tone is generally light-hearted, even hilarious.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are consistently high-quality and visually stunning, making it a joy to experience despite its short length. The artwork is particularly praised for its beauty and attention to detail.
“The visuals are quite gorgeous - as the game is short, there's not that much art in it, but everything is at a very consistent, high level of quality and is simply a joy to look at.”
“The artwork is stunningly amazing too.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is enhanced by pleasant and standard visual novel music, which effectively contributes to the overall mood. Reviewers note a refreshing change in the atmosphere compared to previous titles by ebihime, adding a new dimension to the experience.
“The music is very standard VN stuff, but pleasant and atmospheric enough to enhance the overall mood.”
“There's something new compared to Ebihime's previous titles that brings the atmosphere to life.”
