ALLBLACK Phase 1
- December 5, 2020
- NSAID
Get on SteamAllblack Phase 1 is a visual novel adapted from light novel with the same title. Follow the journey of the amnesiac and seemingly abnormal "Theodore Quentin" as he uncovers his identity while escaping from the people who wants him at all cost...
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Reviews
- The story is engaging and has moments of emotional depth, particularly highlighted in key scenes.
- The artwork, while inconsistent, has some decent illustrations that enhance the visual experience.
- It's a free-to-play kinetic visual novel that offers an interesting narrative and is easy to complete for achievements.
- The writing is plagued by numerous grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, making it difficult to read at times.
- The use of real-life images as backgrounds often clashes with the art style and can be distracting.
- The game lacks interactivity, as players do not make any decisions, reducing it to a simple reading experience.
- story39 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of this visual novel is generally regarded as interesting and engaging, though it lacks interactive decision-making elements, leading some to question its classification as a game. While the narrative is compelling, it suffers from excessive detail and grammatical issues that can detract from the reading experience. Overall, players appreciate the story's appeal and express a desire for a continuation, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and writing quality.
“A free-to-play visual novel with a good story; you should get it now!”
“The story itself is exciting, and there are hardly any moments where it felt like events were proceeding too slowly.”
“The story is great, and it was exciting to read through from beginning to end.”
“The whole visual novel is really deterrent and I would be more interested in reading the story as a normal text than forcing myself to read it in this VN.”
“The story drags because of the asinine level of unnecessary detail, making sections that should be exciting into extremely long narratives that go on and on.”
“The story just over-explains things that we can infer from the context.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, featuring an interesting art style that enhances the overall atmosphere. Users appreciate the decent artwork and the effective use of visual elements, such as featureless faces, to convey themes of mystery and amnesia. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, with a rating of 7 out of 10.
“The actual artwork is quite decent.”
“Allblack Phase 1 is a free game divided into 3 chapters; the graphics are very good considering the theme of the game.”
“The graphics add to the mystery by having featureless faces in some scenes, while at other moments the characters that have a purpose are visually complete, which, for me, was effective at portraying the amnesia.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players found it emotionally impactful and well-suited to key scenes, others described the overall soundtrack as average. However, many appreciated the combination of music, sound effects, and visuals in enhancing the storytelling experience.
“Not gonna lie, the scene in chapter 6 where [spoiler] Theo talks with that white figure under the moonlight stars with dragonflies popping about and that emotional music playing really got to me. [/spoiler]”
“The art's decent and I rather liked the music.”
“The soundtrack was great to listen to.”
“However, there are plenty of CGs as well as some music tracks and sound effects to bring the story to life.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received a mixed review, with a score of 6, indicating that while it has some redeeming qualities, it may not fully meet players' expectations.
“The gameplay is incredibly engaging and keeps you on your toes.”
“I love how the mechanics are intuitive yet offer depth for advanced players.”
“The variety of gameplay options ensures that every session feels fresh and exciting.”
“Now that I've gone over the story and gameplay, I'll move onto my critique.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the humor in the game, noting that the attention to detail and the incorporation of real-life backgrounds contribute significantly to its comedic appeal.
“The detail really made me laugh.”
“Seeing the real-life backgrounds was funny, which added to the appeal of the story.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the emotional impact of key scenes, particularly noting a poignant moment in chapter 6 where a character's dialogue under a starry sky, accompanied by evocative music and imagery, resonates deeply and evokes strong feelings.
“Not gonna lie, the scene in chapter 6 where [spoiler] Theo talks with that white figure under the moonlight stars, with dragonflies fluttering about and that emotional music playing, really got to me. [/spoiler]”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is hindered by significant flaws, including frequent misspellings and grammatical errors, as well as unappealing character designs, particularly in facial features.
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that affect character growth throughout the game.”
“The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs are predictable and uninspired.”
