Anime City

About

Anime City is a single player survival simulation game with romance and anime themes. It was developed by Shoujo City Developer and was released on December 15, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Anime City combines gameplay of a survival simulator and classic anime visual novels. You will have to study in a Japanese high school, engage in after school activities, and try to make new friends. ANIME SIMULATORThe game is focused on anime culture, authentically recreating building designs, clothes, food, activities, and other essential elements of anime and manga about school life. SCH…

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69%Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

gameplay5 negative mentions

The game has charming visuals and detailed character models with good lighting effects.
It offers a relaxing and cozy slice-of-life experience with survival mechanics and various activities like cooking, gardening, and clubs.
The developer is responsive to community feedback, regularly updates the game, and shows potential for future content and improvements.

The tutorial and guidance are insufficient, making the game confusing and frustrating to new players, especially regarding basic mechanics and objectives.
Gameplay is hindered by clunky camera controls, slow walking speed, awkward stamina system, and buggy mechanics that reduce enjoyment.
The game is perceived as lacking content and liveliness, with limited customization options especially for male characters, few locations, sparse NPC interactions, and ethical concerns over inappropriate content.

gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
69%
19%
The gameplay receives mixed feedback, with praise for unique cooking and survival mechanics and a detailed tutorial, but criticism for clunky controls, confusing and vague systems, lack of save slots, and limited content leading to boredom. Many note that it feels unfinished and requires learning awkward mechanics before becoming enjoyable, reflecting typical early access issues. Some also express disappointment over insufficient polish and motivation to engage with the game.
- “The tutorial shows various mechanics of the game, but can be disabled or enabled whenever you want.”
- “The game features a detailed tutorial that goes over almost every aspect of gameplay.”
- “Crafting and survival mechanics are kind of unique.”
- “The controls feel clunky, and the gameplay can get boring quickly—especially if you’re unsure of what to do.”
- “These make up a grand majority of the gameplay unfortunately, so unless you're a completionist, you run out of things to do very quickly.”
- “The developer seems to develop this game with a few unique ideas in mind with no thought of how a person with no knowledge of those mechanics would navigate through it.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The graphics receive mixed feedback, with praise for the cute and charming art style and cozy atmosphere, but criticism centers on the presence of AI-generated artwork that feels out of place and raises ethical concerns. Some find the visuals improved over previous titles, yet others note the graphics can appear dark, muddy, or lacking polish and consistency.
- “The graphics are great tho because it's cute.”
- “It’s cozy and relaxing to play, with charming visuals and a nice range of customization options.”
- “This game has good graphics and a cute atmosphere.”
- “When the game first came out, I remember there being an uncomfortable, but small presence of AI-generated loli artwork present within a select few rooms of the school.”
- “The visuals look dark and muddy, and the limited clothing options are disappointing.”
- “It is clearly AI and does not match the art style at all.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The story aspect offers an open-world sandbox feel without handholding, allowing players to create their own narrative and engage with relationship elements, though it lacks depth and a clear plot. The tutorial and missions are considered confusing and restrictive, with some users suggesting better guidance or a more defined storyline to enhance player engagement. Overall, the game prioritizes player freedom over structured storytelling, which may not appeal to those seeking a traditional narrative experience.
- “Story routes you can start while still feeling like an open-world sandbox.”
- “If you expect a hand-holding story for 'modern' audiences, this is probably not for you, and I admire the dev's commitment to his vision.”
- “So you build your own story, live your life in an anime world, and that's a lot for a game that is only an Early Access game.”
- “Being able to engage with your girlfriend or dive into story mode gives it more depth, which this game lacks.”
- “It also has no plot, would be much better with a slight story, giving some kind of personality to your character.”
- “The tutorial is all but a quest system without guidance.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Users consistently note the absence of background music in the game, expressing that its inclusion—especially in settings like the convenience store—would enhance immersion. Additionally, the music minigame was criticized for lacking intuitive gameplay. Overall, the lack of music is seen as a missed opportunity to enrich the experience.
- “Background music would be very beneficial, especially in the convenience store, where music would most likely play in real life.”
- “Since I was in the Shizuka route, I tried maxing my science stats through class and art stats through music club.”
- “Consider adding music; stop using AI art.”
- “There's no music at all.”
- “I thought there would be music in this game since it's the latest in the series, but my doubts were proven correct after I watched the gameplay video on YouTube.”
- “The music minigame is bad, as it doesn't feel as intuitive as it should.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers a calm, slice-of-life atmosphere with charming graphics, creating a cute and relaxed vibe. Unlike intense, challenging horror games, it provides a gentler experience centered on the quiet struggles of student life in an empty home. This makes it appealing for players seeking a low-pressure, cozy environment.
- “If you’re into calm, slice-of-life vibes, it definitely delivers that atmosphere well.”
- “This game has good graphics and a cute atmosphere.”
- “If you enjoy games where failure is constant and the joy comes from learning and improving, this game offers a nice little challenge without the horror atmosphere, letting you feel the life of a struggling student with an empty house to come home to.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues and bugs, which detract from the experience, especially given its price. Additionally, the lack of an in-game tip or help feature makes troubleshooting and navigating these problems more challenging.
- “Buggy and finding information about it can be tough since the game doesn't really have a tip feature.”
- “I was really disappointed playing this because I see a lot of potential and I do understand it’s early access but it’s very buggy especially for the price.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is considered tedious, as crafting and cooking require significant effort without offering sufficiently rewarding outcomes, and navigating the menus adds to the overall sense of monotony.
- “The cooking and crafting systems are nice, but there's only so much you can do with the outputs, so they feel rather tedious since the reward is not greater than the amount of effort needed to use these systems.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is noted for being genuinely entertaining, particularly with unexpected and creative moments like the AI-generated anime girl Mona Lisa. Players find it amusing to share playful roasts with friends while playing, adding a lighthearted social element.
- “I literally burst out laughing when I saw AI-generated anime girl Mona Lisa.”
- “When you don't think about how you spent 15 dollars while playing this game, it's funny to roast with someone next to you.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Replayability is expected to increase significantly once the developer adds the six additional romance options, two new clubs, and more clothing, enhancing variety and player engagement.