ALPHA-NIGHTHAWK

About

ALPHA-NIGHTHAWK is a single player action game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Liar-soft and was released on October 27, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Alpha-Nighthawk" is a visual novel with 10+ hours of gameplay and high-quality anime artwork. The story follows STX Space Force pilot Miriya Hakone and former elite pilot Ichizo Yodaka in Bayshore Daiba City, located in the Red Zone - a lawless slum created by a space monster impact. Together, they face Consuelo, a giant rose-like object suspended in space, and navigate mecha duels, fluffy tails, and pulpy science fiction.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

story6 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features a unique art style and vibrant character designs that stand out within the genre.
It offers an interesting setting with a mix of sci-fi elements and engaging characters, making it a fun read.
The game has potential for character development and world-building, leaving players excited for a sequel.

The game suffers from frequent freezing issues, making it frustrating to play and detracting from the overall experience.
The pacing is inconsistent, with abrupt tone shifts and poorly developed character arcs that leave the story feeling unsatisfying.
The erotic content feels forced and detracts from the main plot, leading to a disjointed narrative.

story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
47%
18%
The story of the game is criticized for being simplistic and poorly paced, with a mix of interesting worldbuilding elements overshadowed by a focus on adult content and disjointed scenes. While some characters are likable and the artwork is praised, the narrative suffers from abrupt tone shifts and insufficient character development, leaving players feeling disappointed and disconnected from the plot. Overall, the potential for a compelling story is undermined by its execution, resulting in a lack of emotional impact.
- “The story is supported by an interesting surface to its world and a likable main cast.”
- “The artwork of the game is unique and as free-spirited as the story, with indulgent character designs and outrageous color palettes for the main cast and CGs.”
- “Mech visual novel with amazing visuals and sound effects, telling an interesting story of a former elite military pilot in lawless Tokyo.”
- “Boring and too simple story with two good characters.”
- “The writing and overall story here is all over the place - starting off with some minor info dumping before rapidly changing scenes and introducing characters without hardly giving the time to really learn about these characters or the world they find themselves in.”
- “The pacing, constant tone shifts, and lackluster character development killed any impact the story was going for and left me feeling practically nothing by the end of it.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and vibrant art style, featuring colorful 2D sprites and imaginative character designs that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some users have reported performance issues, with the game stuttering on lower-end systems, which detracts from the overall visual enjoyment. Despite these technical concerns, the creative setting and striking visuals contribute to an engaging atmosphere.
- “In the art style, the tone, the character and mecha designs, the game just feels as though the developers got the freedom to make what they wanted.”
- “The artwork of the game is unique and as free-spirited as the story, with indulgent character designs and outrageous color palettes for the main cast and CGs.”
- “The characters, setting, and art style are all vibrant and interesting, and the game is a lot of fun to read through.”
- “I really wondered how other games can properly be played on my system, but this visual novel, which should barely need graphics, would stutter and ultimately stop when it's in the background.”
- “You get these absolutely gorgeous and colorful 2D sprites, and then they are slapped next to these mechs that look straight out of another game with a different art style entirely.”
- “Alpha-Nighthawk may have some solid artwork, but the rest of the experience is an absolute slog to get through and a disappointment given the interesting setting it starts off with.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Character development in the game is highlighted through the heroine Miriya's aspirations to become a military pilot, while the protagonist Ichizou embodies typical mecha tropes. Although the game features a diverse cast and unique art style, some players feel that inconsistent pacing and tone shifts hinder the overall impact of character growth, leaving certain story elements feeling underdeveloped. Overall, while there are moments of good character development, the execution may leave players wanting more depth and cohesion.
- “The hero Ichizou doesn't buck mecha protagonist tropes as the jerk-with-a-heart-of-gold veteran rogue pilot, but there's a heart of character development in the heroine Miriya, who aspires to be a military pilot herself.”
- “It has an interesting, creative setting, a cool cast of characters, some good character development over the course of the game, and a really unique art style.”
- “It's a shame because the game does have a serious story outside of that, and those scenes have quite a bit of lore and character development in them, so skipping over them makes it feel like you're missing a good chunk of relevant information.”
- “The hero Ichizou doesn't break mecha protagonist tropes as the jerk-with-a-heart-of-gold veteran rogue pilot, but the real heart of character development is in the heroine Miriya, who aspires to be a military pilot herself.”
- “It's a shame because the game does have a serious story outside of that, and those scenes have quite a bit of lore and character development in them. Skipping over them makes it feel like you're missing a good chunk of relevant information, and many scenes feel short and choppy.”
- “The pacing, constant tone shifts, and lackluster character development killed any impact the story was going for and left me feeling practically nothing by the end of it.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, with the game freezing approximately every 15 minutes, leading to a frustrating experience.
- “The game freezes every 15 minutes.”
- “I experience constant crashes that ruin the gameplay.”
- “Stability issues make it nearly unplayable at times.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's music is generally well-received, featuring good quality audio and enjoyable tracks, including contributions from artist Rita. However, some players have experienced frustrating freezing issues that disrupt gameplay while the music continues to play.
- “The audio of the game is also good quality, with good voice work and decent music throughout.”
- “I am always happy to hear more songs by Rita too.”
- “I don’t know what it is, but I had this constant freezing issue, where I would be reading and then suddenly my inputs would do nothing and all I could hear was the music - forcing a game restart to continue where I left off.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization at launch was problematic, with users reporting frequent crashes that hindered performance.
- “As for the performance, when I originally played this game at launch via the Johren release, I had issues with frequent crashes.”
- “The optimization is severely lacking, leading to significant frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “Even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, making it frustrating to play.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is diminished by its short length, which prevents adequate character development and connection, resulting in an unsatisfying climax and a conclusion that leaves players feeling more relieved than moved.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, particularly for fans of Liar Soft's previous titles like Gahkthun and Adabana Odd Tales, which are noted for their unique ambiance and innovative direction.
- “Even more recommended if you like Liar Soft's previous games (Gahkthun, Adabana Odd Tales) with their unique atmosphere and approach to direction in the medium.”