Akash: Path of the Five
- October 1, 2019
- Truant Pixel, LLC
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Akash: Path of the Five" is an action-packed RPG set in a richly detailed world inspired by Indian mythology. As a powerful warrior, players must master the elements and harness the energy of the Akashic Records to defeat formidable enemies and uncover ancient secrets. With its engaging combat system, beautiful art style, and intriguing narrative, this game offers a unique and immersive experience for RPG fans.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful artwork and stunning character designs, enhancing the overall visual experience.
- The voice acting is top-notch, bringing the characters to life and adding depth to the storytelling.
- The humor and charm of the writing make the game enjoyable, with engaging characters and fun dialogue.
- The plot is repetitive across different routes, leading to a lack of unique storytelling and character development.
- Some characters exhibit problematic traits and the handling of certain themes may feel outdated or uncomfortable.
- The pacing can be uneven, with some story elements feeling rushed or underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more depth.
- story107 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its unique world-building and character arcs, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth. Many noted that despite the engaging art and voice acting, the plot often feels linear and similar across different routes, leading to a sense of missed potential for more varied storytelling. Overall, while the narrative has its charms, it tends to prioritize romance and fanservice over a compelling and diverse storyline.
“The story, characters, backgrounds, voice acting cast, and the entire world are crafted so beautifully.”
“I loved the world building and story.”
“The art is gorgeous, and the story is engaging and well written!”
“The story itself was really promising in the demo, but it fell short when romance and fanservice were more important than a storyline.”
“The storyline in every single route is exactly the same, save for one, which I will mention below.”
“I enjoyed the game, but I definitely don't think the price was worth it since you're essentially paying for a single story with some dialogue changes based on the guy.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their stunning artwork, captivating character designs, and beautiful 2D sprites, which enhance the overall experience. While some players found the 3D backgrounds and certain visual elements less impactful, the majority appreciated the immersive visuals and the effort put into the graphics, despite occasional oddities. Overall, the art style and attention to detail are highlighted as significant strengths, contributing positively to the game's appeal.
“The artwork and story were why I purchased this game.”
“The visuals are gorgeous, the writing is incredible, and the voice acting for every single character is absolutely phenomenal.”
“This game has great visuals, with gorgeous 2D sprites/character art as well as compelling 3D backgrounds that do a lot for immersion in the setting, as well as an attractive UI.”
“The world is fully animated, though the graphics sometimes have a strange glow about them regardless of display setting.”
“There are moments when the graphics are a little odd.”
“Graphic design wise, everything falls flat or just bugs me.”
- humor24 mentions
- 96 % positive mentions
- -8 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its clever writing and genuinely funny moments that elicit laughter, particularly through character interactions and witty banter. However, some instances of humor, such as uncomfortable situations or exaggerated scenarios, were criticized for crossing the line into cringeworthy territory. Overall, while the game features a strong comedic element that resonates well with many players, it also includes moments that may not appeal to everyone.
“I've played a lot of otome/dating games and they all start to blend together, but this is one of the few I've played that stands above the rest with a unique story, good sense of humor, and such sweet romance options (Lux is my personal favorite). It's also refreshing to play as a female MC who is mature, funny, and confident!”
“Crammed with comedy that had me literally laughing out loud for most of the gameplay.”
“The love interests are all interesting in their own way, the humor is spot-on, and the voice acting is great.”
“The humor often falls flat, relying on tired clichés that fail to elicit any genuine laughter.”
“While there are moments of wit, the overall comedic tone feels forced and unoriginal.”
“The attempts at humor are so over-the-top that they become more annoying than amusing.”
- music20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and emotional resonance, seamlessly fitting into the narrative and enhancing the overall experience. Many players appreciate the quality of the voice acting, which complements the music and adds depth to the characters. While some reviews mention a desire for a soundtrack release, the general consensus is that the audio elements significantly contribute to the game's appeal.
“This game has good audio, from the charming voice acting (every single actor brings a lot to their character and to the emotional weight of the scenes they're in), to the music that fits seamlessly into the story.”
“Music was good enough for me to want to listen to outside of the game, and I found it on YouTube.”
“The best parts are certainly the art and the music, both are absolutely lovely and charmed the pants off of me, especially the music.”
“It's too bad a soundtrack isn't available for me after buying.”
“We now have games where each character you go with basically has a game of his own within the game. If you don't have someone to make musical pieces specifically for your game, well, then why do you even try?”
“Music - 4/10”
- emotional9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews, with some players finding humor that crossed the line and moments that felt uncomfortable rather than funny, detracting from character connections. While the voice acting and music were praised for enhancing emotional scenes, many felt a lack of genuine emotional attachment to the characters and disappointment in the resolution of their stories. However, others appreciated the game's heartwarming narrative and originality, highlighting its potential for emotional depth amidst a landscape of less engaging plots.
“I laughed hard and I cried.”
“This game has good audio, from the charming voice acting (every single actor brings a lot to their character and to the emotional weight of the scenes they're in), to the music that fits seamlessly into the story.”
“This tale of romance and adventure during times of potential hardship was refreshing; in an era of lackluster, flimsy, and often uninteresting subplots and narratives, it was inspiring to be treated to such a heartwarming, evocative tale.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development varies significantly across the game, with some characters receiving in-depth growth and backstory, particularly in chosen routes, while others lack sufficient exploration, leaving certain motivations unexplained. The captivating artwork enhances the personality of the characters, but the inconsistency in development can affect player engagement.
“The artwork is incredibly captivating, and there's a lot of personality in the character designs as well.”
“Each route has character development for the guy you have chosen, as well as development for the other guys, which allows you to understand them and fall deeper in love with their personalities.”
“They never go into why he was sneaking around the village in the first place, or any character development for him.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I expected more growth and change in the characters throughout the story, but it felt stagnant.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the game to have strong replayability, particularly due to the engaging personalities of the characters and the various romantic paths available. Many appreciate the ability to explore different routes, making it a standout in the otome/visual novel genre where replay value can be challenging to achieve.
“I really love the boys' personalities and enjoy the paths of falling in love with them. I personally think there's a lot of replayability to their routes.”
“My playtime is because I played it through twice (it does have replay value) and did a significant amount of rewinding the first time.”
“Replayability is a factor I deem very important for any game, and one I think is hard to achieve in the otome/visual novel genre, but Truant Pixel nailed it in my opinion.”
“My playtime is because I played it through twice (does have replay value) and did a significant amount of rewinding the first time.”
“I really love the boys' personalities and enjoy the paths of falling in love with them, and personally think there's a lot of replayability to their routes.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its innovative UI and scene setting, but it suffers from poor optimization on PC, leading to concerns about system requirements. Players are advised to consider the Switch version for a smoother experience.
“Akash also pushes VN UI and scene setting in refreshingly novel ways, but it's not heavily optimized, so watch the system requirements. (Or go for the Switch copy if you have a Switch and are worried about PC requirements; it runs very smoothly.)”
“Clearly not optimized for PC.”
“Akash also pushes VN UI and scene setting in refreshingly novel ways, but it's not heavily optimized, so watch the system requirements.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly in unlocking all character graphics (cgs) tied to the outfit system, where choices made early on lead to repetitive and similar images being unlocked later, differing only in color and dress.
“Unlocking all the CGs is a bit tedious for the outfit system, where you choose one of three options early on, and the corresponding image is unlocked at the very end depending on the elemental you chose. The images are identical, minus the color and dress choice.”
“The grinding required to level up feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“I found the repetitive tasks necessary to progress to be frustrating and time-consuming, making the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a traditional visual novel point-and-click mechanics, complemented by a selection of charming mini-games that add a fun, albeit slightly challenging, twist to the experience.
“The gameplay follows a standard visual novel point-and-click answer system, but it also includes a handful of adorable mini-games that are super cute, albeit a bit challenging.”
“The combination of visual novel elements with engaging mini-games creates a unique and enjoyable gameplay experience.”
“I love how the gameplay seamlessly blends traditional mechanics with fun mini-games, keeping the experience fresh and entertaining.”
“The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, making it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
“The controls are clunky and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“The pacing is off, with long stretches of dialogue that interrupt the flow of gameplay and make it feel tedious.”
