Asphyxia

About

Asphyxia is a single player casual simulation game with romance, drama, mystery and anime themes. It was developed by ebi-hime and was released on August 4, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Samantha and Lillian are best friends. At least, they were, until everything fell apart. Now, Samantha has a day to repair their relationship — but is it already too late?

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76%

Audience ScoreBased on 206 reviews

story33 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Beautiful and unique art style with watercolor-inspired, detailed character designs and expressive sprites.
Deeply emotional and authentic portrayal of depression and interpersonal relationships, with carefully written and layered characters.
Well-researched and clever literary references to English Romantic poets, adding intellectual depth and enriching character development.

Characters can be unlikeable, abrasive, and emotionally harsh, which may alienate some players and make the story heavy to engage with.
Writing style is highly poetic and archaic, creating a slow pacing with repetitive and at times overelaborate dialogue that may fatigue some readers.
Visuals sometimes mismatch character descriptions and ages, with youthful or childlike appearances conflicting with adult themes and personalities.

story
173 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
76%
5%
The story of Asphyxia is a deeply introspective, melancholic narrative centered on teenage depression, strained relationships, and emotional struggles, unfolding over a single day with multiple bittersweet endings. Praised for its carefully written dialogue, thematic depth, and literary inspiration from romantic poets, it offers a poignant, realistic portrayal but can feel heavy, slow, and emotionally challenging, limiting its appeal to those seeking uplifting or traditional romances. While its brevity and character-driven focus leave some wanting more development or resolution, it is widely regarded as a well-crafted, artistically unique visual novel tackling difficult, personal themes.
- “Instead, it builds its impact through carefully written dialogue, internal monologue, and the slow unraveling of a strained relationship, presenting a story that feels deeply personal and, at times, uncomfortably real.”
- “The story unfolds over the course of a single day, a structure that gives the experience a quiet sense of urgency without relying on external stakes.”
- “The story focuses on Samantha, a teenage girl suffering from depression as her relationship with her closest friend seems to be deteriorating.”
- “It's nice there are different routes, but as a player I've got a feeling there are lots of missed plot and character development opportunities.”
- “There were long sections of text that failed to advance the plot, develop the characters, or provide interesting interactions, and instead seemed like prose for the sake of prose, meandering off into the land of self-satisfaction while the story was left to languish.”
- “The story was very accurate to the content of depression, seemingly halfway through the story (I assumed wrong), building to a poetic climax, and then it ends without tying up any loose ends or giving a climax at all.”
graphics
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
43%
4%
The graphics feature a distinctive, watercolor-inspired art style with beautiful, detailed character designs and backgrounds that evoke a romantic painting-like atmosphere. While the visuals are widely praised for their beauty and uniqueness, some note that the youthful, delicate appearance of characters contrasts with the mature, often grim narrative, creating a striking but occasionally discordant effect. Overall, the artwork is considered a major highlight, enhancing the story's emotional depth despite occasional thematic mismatches.
- “The characters all have unique designs, & the art style looks gorgeous in many ways.”
- “The artwork is pretty unique and different from the anime style usually seen in visual novels, with a watercolour look and more classical character designs, all accentuated by the multiple pieces of music that accompany each section and makes us enter even deep in the story.”
- “First, graphics: the art direction in the game is just wonderful, you feel as if the whole game is happening in a romantic painting, each character is unique in itself, but it really is the background which stunned me visually.”
- “The artwork is also somewhat odd in how young the girls appear compared to the actual age of the characters, but it's otherwise nicely illustrated.”
- “Art style is pretty, but completely inappropriate for this plot and these characters.”
- “The story is pretty grim, which is in sharp contrast to the overly vivid watercolor graphics.”
music
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
31%
4%
The music in this visual novel is widely praised for its atmospheric, gentle, and haunting qualities that beautifully complement the story's mood and deepen the emotional impact. Many reviewers highlight its fitting, relaxing, and evocative nature, noting that it enhances the immersive experience alongside the uniquely styled artwork. While a few mention limited variety or personal preference against it, overall the soundtrack is considered a strong and integral part of the game's appeal.
- “I've finished the game thrice already but I want to idle it forever because the soundtrack is just so hauntingly beautiful.”
- “Beautiful art and evocative music make this different from any other visual novel I have read, and utterly absorbing.”
- “The artwork is pretty unique and different from the anime style usually seen in visual novels, with a watercolor look and more classical character designs, all accentuated by the multiple pieces of music that accompany each section and make us enter even deeper into the story.”
emotional
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
Asphyxia delivers a deeply emotional and introspective experience, portraying themes of anxiety, depression, and complex relationships with raw authenticity. Its tightly focused narrative emphasizes emotional intensity over plot breadth, often evoking heart-wrenching, bittersweet reactions through well-crafted characters and mature storytelling. While the emotional heaviness may challenge some players, it ultimately offers a uniquely poignant and resonant journey that many find profoundly moving.
- “Asphyxia, developed and published by ebi-hime, is a visual novel that trades scope and spectacle for emotional intensity and introspection, offering a tightly focused narrative that lingers more in its tone than its length might suggest.”
- “The player's choices influence how these moments play out, shaping the trajectory of the relationship and leading to multiple endings that reflect different emotional outcomes rather than drastically different plotlines.”
- “Samantha's internal monologue is often repetitive, self-critical, and emotionally draining, reflecting the cyclical nature of depressive thinking.”
- “This game has some beautiful and cute characters, but it has a long and boring story which is more important than the characters.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Character development in the game is mixed, with some praise for well-written and humorous moments, but also criticism for missed opportunities and a disconnect between character designs and their descriptions or subject matter. While multiple story routes exist, some players feel the narrative does not fully capitalize on character growth. The unique watercolor-style artwork, though praised, sometimes clashes with the tone and characterization, affecting player engagement.
- “It’s extremely well-written, with some great character development and quite a few humorous moments.”
- “It's nice there are different routes, but as a player I've got a feeling there are lots of missed plot and character development opportunities.”
- “But everything from the character designs to the backgrounds doesn't give me the proper clues.”
- “Unfortunately, the character design clashed with the descriptions of the characters.”
- “Perhaps there is some character development later on, but I can barely make myself play it in 10-minute bursts.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is well-balanced, blending genuinely funny moments and amusing banter with darker, more serious themes. The writing skillfully transitions between humorous, philosophical, and gloomy tones, enhancing both the emotional depth and charm of the experience. Overall, the humor adds warmth and relief without undermining the mature and sometimes heavy subject matter.
- “It’s extremely well-written, with some great character development and quite a few humorous moments.”
- “The parts on depression are very heartfelt and genuine feeling; the writing can go from gloomy to funny to philosophical seamlessly and it ends up feeling like a charming, complete experience.”
- “This visual novel has a good sense of humor and knows how to balance out the heavier undertones; there is some pretty dark stuff here, but the humor shines through.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful artwork and well-crafted, atmospheric music that subtly enhances the mood. The game's writing and character interactions contribute to a believable yet sometimes intense ambiance reflective of its historical setting. Overall, the combination of visuals, sound, and narrative creates an immersive and richly textured environment.
- “The soundtrack provides a gentle, atmospheric backdrop that enhances the mood without overwhelming it.”
- “Beautiful art, beautiful atmosphere, beautifully written characters.”
- “The art and soundtrack are beautiful and fitting for the atmosphere of the game.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The gameplay is minimal and mostly consists of simple choices typical of a visual novel, with little impact on the overall experience. However, the emotional engagement and story drive player interest beyond the limited gameplay mechanics.
- “Finally, I will say that Asphyxia is really a wonderful game. After the first 5-10 minutes of gameplay, you will start to feel what Sam is feeling and want to see the end, to help her in her relationship.”
- “I've divided this review into two parts - gameplay and story/emotional impact of the game.”
- “The gameplay is almost non-existing.”
- “On first glance, you get a vaguely lesbian cutesy visual novel with a few gameplay choices sprinkled here and there.”
- “But, it doesn't have any effect on gameplay so you can ignore that aspect of the game if it's too weird for you.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate games that are well optimized, highlighting smooth performance and efficient resource use as key positive aspects.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding is perceived as tedious and drawn out, with excessive teasing and suggestive interactions between characters making the repetitive gameplay feel unnecessarily long and tiresome.