Across the Grooves
- June 17, 2020
- Nova-box
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"Across The Grooves" is an interactive graphic novel set in a magical-realism universe where your decisions affect Alice's destiny. After receiving a mystical vinyl record, Alice is sent back in time and experiences alternate realities. She embarks on a journey across Europe, following her ex-lover and searching for the record's origins, while discovering her own self in the process.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features stunning artwork and a beautifully crafted soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- The story is unique and engaging, with a strong focus on music and its impact on the characters' lives.
- Choices in the game feel meaningful, allowing players to influence the narrative and explore different outcomes.
- Some players found the pacing slow, with the story taking its time to develop and not always feeling urgent.
- The character development was criticized, with some characters feeling one-dimensional and lacking depth.
- The vocal tracks in the soundtrack received negative feedback, with some players finding the singing quality poor and distracting from the experience.
- story96 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is praised for its unique premise, revolving around a bank employee whose life changes after listening to a mysterious record, blending themes of time travel and music lore. While the narrative is engaging and beautifully illustrated, some players feel that the choices offered are limited and do not significantly alter the overall arc, leading to a sense of constraint in player agency. Overall, the game is noted for its captivating storytelling and artistic presentation, making it a worthwhile experience despite some narrative inconsistencies and a lack of depth in character development.
“The engaging story and gouache art got me hooked.”
“The story is very unique and puts music front and center of the visual novel's story.”
“I adored this game; if you are looking for a good story and a compelling one, this is the game.”
“Our choices don't really matter though, they're purely cosmetic and the story is basically the same with different art.”
“Early on I was presented with a choice and after I chose it, it acknowledged my choice but then Alice, the character the story's perspective is from, said I can't do that and does the other thing anyway.”
“The choice is what made me deeply invested in the story of 'Along the Edge,' but unfortunately the choice in this game is too constrained to become meaningful.”
- music73 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in "Across the Grooves" is a central element that enhances the narrative, with a beautiful soundtrack that reflects the game's themes of nostalgia and music history. While many players appreciate the artistic integration of music and story, opinions on the vocal performances are mixed, with some finding them lacking in quality. Overall, the game is praised for its unique approach to music, though it may appeal more to those with a deep interest in specific music genres and history.
“Every scene was beautifully crafted, both artistically and musically!”
“The story is accompanied by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and is full of references to the last several decades of western musical history.”
“The music within the game itself is great, perfectly in line with the setting.”
“The vocalist's voice sounds like somebody with severe COPD improvising lyrics in real-time, and purposely failing at hitting every single note each song has to offer.”
“For a game about music, I didn't think the songs were very good.”
“As a result, the songs aren't very catchy at best, and annoying at worst.”
- graphics34 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beautiful artwork and unique art styles, often described as a blend of sketchy comic book aesthetics and watercolor elements. While the scenery and backgrounds are particularly noted for their beauty, some players feel that character close-ups could be improved. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere and storytelling, making it a recommended experience for fans of visually engaging narratives.
“I'm very much digging the kind of sketchy comic book art style with an almost watercolor aesthetic.”
“Nova-box's signature formula: absolutely gorgeous visuals, an intriguing blend of realism and supernatural elements, and an interactive, dynamic approach to storytelling where no choice is right or wrong, yet their consequences constantly reshape the story.”
“With beautiful artwork, absolutely lovely soundtrack & an interesting storyline that takes you to some of the most beautiful regions in Europe, it's a lovely relaxing game for a rainy afternoon.”
“The art is beautiful for scenery or showing entire rooms, but for close-ups on the faces of characters, I found the art style did not work too well.”
“D) graphics... I didn’t like it much.”
“Only thing I missed during my playthrough was the ability to blend out the UI in order to look at the artworks like you can do in a lot of other visual novels with the middle mouse button.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game offers a solid level of replayability, with choices significantly impacting outcomes and character development, encouraging multiple playthroughs to uncover new scenes and dialogue. However, some players feel that despite the engaging narrative and beautiful art, the core story arc remains largely the same across different runs, limiting the overall replay value. Ideally, players would prefer a structure that allows for a greater variety of experiences in each playthrough.
“It has a beautiful soundtrack and art style, and a good amount of replayability as choices influence the outcomes and scenarios you face, as well as who your character becomes.”
“So far, I played the game 4 times and every time I discovered new scenes and dialogue which gives the game a high replay value.”
“Despite being a little shorter, 'Across the Grooves' has more replay value and is better at aligning the narrative weight of individual scenes with the impact on the continuing story.”
“These types of interactive stories could stand to have a few more 'middles.' It's not that 'Across the Grooves' isn't replayable, it's not that it's not well-written, it's not that the artwork isn't extensive and gorgeous—it's just that each playthrough has the same arc and thus the same 'feel.' While much tougher to write, interactive stories need to push past this bubble of 'same story told in x different ways.' Ideal replayability would be, for me, seeing less than 50% of the story content the first time through (not 80%).”
“Plus, there's a lot of replayability to see the different choices.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay offers around four hours of engaging content with replayability due to its enriched story and unexpected surprises. While it shares mechanics with "Along the Edge," it is noted for being more polished, though some aspects may feel underwhelming in execution. Players who appreciate well-written visual novels with significant choice mechanics will likely enjoy "Across the Grooves," which also features a unique soundtrack that enhances the experience.
“It can give about 4 hours of enjoyable gameplay, and it is very interesting to play again to discover other ramifications as the story is greatly enriched, and also some situations have some unexpected surprises.”
“Very similar mechanics to Along the Edge, but the game was more polished.”
“While I think I preferred the setting and themes of Seers Isle, the mechanical aspects of how the story is constructed and delivered seem to be further refined this time around.”
“For those who enjoy a very nicely written (though occasionally too verbose) visual novel with significant choice-based mechanics, Across the Grooves is a game for you!”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to evoke strong emotions, highlighting its ability to convey deep themes, particularly the transformative power of music. The experience is described as touching and impactful, resonating with players on a personal level.
“Although I can't explain a lot of what's going on in the game, it always made me feel something.”
“What I found was a touching work that hammered home the theme of 'music can change a person' in a way I've not experienced since I read Phonogram.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game for its beautiful character design and commend the character development as well-executed, contributing to a more engaging and immersive experience.
“The character development is truly impressive, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters.”
“I love the beautiful character design and how it complements the rich backstories.”
“The character arcs are well-crafted, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its engaging storyline, complemented by excellent music and beautiful artwork, which together create an immersive experience. Additionally, the inclusion of a well-crafted background and glossary enhances the overall ambiance.
“The storyline is captivating, complemented by a rich atmosphere and immersive music, along with stunning artwork and a detailed glossary.”
“The atmosphere is incredibly engaging, drawing you into the world with its beautiful visuals and haunting soundtrack.”
“The combination of the atmospheric design and the evocative music creates an unforgettable experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game appears to resonate more with those familiar with French culture, as some players noted that certain jokes and tropes may be better appreciated by a French audience. However, even those less acquainted with French cinema found moments that elicited laughter, indicating a blend of accessible and culturally specific humor.
“I certainly think French people would probably get more of the jokes, but seeing some French cinema myself, I did catch a few tropes that made me laugh, even if they didn't necessarily seem out of place.”
“The humor in this game is brilliantly absurd, with clever wordplay and unexpected punchlines that kept me laughing throughout.”
“I love how the game mixes slapstick comedy with witty dialogue, making every interaction a delightful experience.”
