Amatarasu Riddle Star
- October 11, 2019
- softhouse-seal
In Amatarasu Riddle Star, bored protagonist Doumoto Takaya discovers a rabbit-eared girl in Hoshigino after a meteor shower. This mysterious girl has no memories, and Takaya, along with his childhood friend Yua, embarks on a journey to help her regain her lost memories. The game features visual novel-style storytelling with puzzle-solving elements, set in a charming Japanese town filled with mythology and folklore.
Reviews
- The voice acting is top-notch, with Ryouko Tezuka being highlighted as one of the best in the business.
- The game features beautiful artwork and animated scenes that enhance the overall experience.
- The character routes, while varying in quality, are well thought out and maintain consistent character development.
- The English translation contains numerous errors, which can detract from the reading experience.
- The background music is repetitive, with only a limited number of tracks that can become monotonous over time.
- The story lacks depth and can feel aimless, especially in the common route, leading to a disappointing narrative experience.
- story18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The story of "Amatarasu Riddle Star" is a blend of high school romance and fantasy, featuring well-developed characters and interconnected routes that gradually reveal a deeper narrative. While the overarching plot holds potential with its themes of wishes and dreams, it is often overshadowed by explicit content and repetitive music, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite some routes feeling generic or lacking depth, players find the journey of uncovering the story's mysteries engaging as they progress through the game.
“A story about wishes, dreams, and the sparkling stars in the night sky.”
“Nonetheless, Amatarasu has a connected story that is told throughout the 5 main routes.”
“The overarching plot kind of has this mystery feeling to it... like 'why is all this happening?' and I like that about it.”
“Sadly though, the full potential of this story is held back by all the explicit adult content that takes up 50% of the character routes, making some scenes feel rushed as a result.”
“The story goes nowhere; there is almost nothing going on.”
“Let's talk about the story, or more precisely, about the absence of it.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of Amatarasu feature a beautiful art style and impressive detail, despite being limited to 720p assets that are noticeable on higher resolution displays. While some secondary characters and common routes lack visual appeal, the main characters are rendered with high-quality artwork and scenes, complemented by excellent voice acting. Overall, the game's artistic design compensates for its technical limitations.
“Despite only having 720p assets, which you clearly see on Full HD and above monitors in fullscreen, Amatarasu has a really beautiful art style and level of detail - except for the few SD artworks.”
“The game is fully uncensored, which doesn't look too bad thanks to Amatarasu's great art style, except for some weirdly non-matching color choices maybe.”
“But where the game falls short with the secondary characters and boring common route, it makes up for with absolutely amazing high-quality artwork and scenes for the main characters, as well as top-notch voice acting.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is dynamic, shifting from a cute and fun vibe to an ominous tone with intriguing twists, which keeps the experience engaging. Overall, it appeals to those looking for a blend of lightheartedness and suspense.
“The following routes afterwards sometimes had some interesting twists that changed the whole fun atmosphere into an ominous one instead, which kept it interesting.”
“Regardless, if you are in the mood for something with a cute and fun atmosphere, then I would recommend giving this visual novel a go.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the visual novel is generally well-received for its pleasant sound, but many users find the limited selection of around 15 tracks to be repetitive, which diminishes the overall tension and engagement in the story.
“The music sounds really nice, although there are only around 15 different tracks that aren't changed that often, becoming rather repetitive after a short while and taking away some tension potential from the story.”
“If I had to mention anything that I didn't like about this visual novel, it was the fact that I felt like I was listening to the same background music over and over again, especially within the routes.”
“The music in this game is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during longer play sessions.”
“I found the soundtrack to be quite dull; it didn't enhance the experience and often felt out of place.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of Amatarasu is characterized by a blend of humor and depth, with certain routes offering profound emotional experiences while others maintain a lighter tone. This balance allows players to engage with the narrative on multiple emotional levels.
“Amatarasu is a supernatural slice of life drama with equal amounts of humor and emotional lore.”
“Some of the routes are more emotional and deeper, while others are a bit more lighthearted.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as lighthearted and not meant to be taken too seriously, appealing to those who enjoy a more casual experience. However, potential players are advised to wait for a sale to ensure the price aligns with the amount of content available.
“The gameplay is incredibly engaging and offers a unique experience that keeps you coming back for more.”
“I love how the mechanics are intuitive yet challenging, making every session feel fresh and exciting.”
“The variety of gameplay options allows for a personalized experience, catering to different play styles and preferences.”
“I would recommend not taking this as a serious game, as there are many elements that may not be suitable for those with a faint heart or serious temper issues. If you decide to purchase it, wait for a sale to make the price more justifiable for the amount of gameplay offered.”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged for long periods.”
“There are numerous bugs and glitches that disrupt the gameplay experience, making it frustrating to play.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Amatarasu is well-balanced with its supernatural slice of life elements, providing a blend of comedic moments alongside emotional storytelling.
“Amatarasu is a supernatural slice of life drama with equal amounts of humor and emotional lore.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features well-developed main characters, each with distinct personalities and meaningful character arcs that contribute significantly to the overall story. The protagonist, despite having a familiar appearance, also undergoes notable development throughout the narrative.
“All the main characters, including the protagonist who has a commonly shown face, have well-developed, distinct personalities and some form of character development, as well as varying degrees of main story relevance.”