BAD END

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 391 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
BAD END Game Cover
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In "Bad End," mobile Visual Novel game rumors claim that players will die in real life if they make the wrong decisions. When Kyuuhei's best friend dies under mysterious circumstances, he becomes determined to uncover the truth behind the game. Driven to find out what happened, Kyuuhei decides to play "BAD END" himself, risking his life to solve the game's mystery. The game is available in Japanese, English, German, Spanish, and French.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 391 reviews
story148 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique concept of a visual novel within a visual novel, which adds an interesting layer to the story.
  • The artwork is clean and enjoyable, contributing to the overall charm of the game.
  • Despite its short length, the game offers multiple endings that encourage replayability and exploration of different choices.
  • The story is predictable and cliché, lacking depth and originality in its plot twists.
  • Many choices lead to similar bad endings, which can make the gameplay feel repetitive and less engaging.
  • The writing contains grammatical errors and awkward dialogue that detract from the overall experience.
  • story399 mentions

    The story of "Bad End" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its intriguing premise of a mobile game that can kill players in real life, while others criticize it for being cliché and predictable. Many reviews highlight the game's multiple endings and the impact of bad endings on the overall narrative, but the writing and character development are often described as shallow or lacking depth. Overall, while the game offers some engaging moments and twists, it struggles with pacing and originality, leaving a somewhat unsatisfying impression for seasoned visual novel fans.

    • “The storytelling was in a way addictive, and the whole ordeal was just fun.”
    • “The plot develops at a nice pace and it’s likewise well produced.”
    • “I absolutely loved the story, even with a few typos it wasn't enough to take me out of the experience.”
    • “Very shallow story, very shallow characters.”
    • “Bad end is just a boring, lazily written story, with boring characters who have one-dimensional motivations.”
    • “Unfortunately the plot is kind of boring and drags on despite this being such a short visual novel.”
  • music89 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its ability to enhance the atmosphere and fit the game's themes, particularly in horror elements. However, many criticize it for being generic, bland, or distracting, often noting the use of stock or royalty-free tracks that lack variety and impact. Overall, while some tracks are catchy and well-suited to the game, others feel repetitive and fail to elevate key emotional moments.

    • “The music was good though because it definitely gave off some creepy vibes at times.”
    • “The game’s soundtrack is nice to listen to as you go through the game and did not detract from gameplay.”
    • “The horror element is articulated well by the music, and relies more on mystery and suspense instead of jump scares.”
    • “Game uses generic music obtained from online sources.”
    • “The music is irritating and runs in short loops, the translation is awful, the story is ridiculous, and the characters are prone to saying things like 'so yeah anyway I'm gonna go' immediately after what is clearly meant to be an emotionally charged scene.”
    • “The bgm (background music) was very distracting in key scenes which were supposed to be scary with 'happy tones'.”
  • graphics54 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the clean and enjoyable artwork, vibrant character designs, and fitting music. However, some users note that the visuals can be average or repetitive, with certain elements like death screens lacking detail. Overall, while the art style is appreciated, it is often considered secondary to the game's storytelling and writing.

    • “I love the art style, the music, and the characters; they all have their place in this awesome world.”
    • “Add in the gorgeous artwork and you've got a highly enjoyable way to pass a couple of hours.”
    • “Graphics/art style: 8.5/10, it has really nice art with some good CGs.”
    • “No artwork, just a plain text explanation of the death.”
    • “The death screens were usually blank with no visuals (except some of them, and those were replicas of each other), and there were only a couple of background music and sound effects, which was a bummer, really.”
    • “With fairly standard visuals, subpar writing, and questionable character motivations, the bad end failed to make me care about the characters or what they were going through.”
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay of "Bad End" is characterized as a traditional visual novel, featuring multiple endings and a pleasant soundtrack that enhances the experience. While players can enjoy a few hours of gameplay, issues such as text skipping and a frustrating restart mechanic after dying detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, many players find the gameplay engaging enough to overlook the flaws.

    • “The gameplay is fine.”
    • “The game’s soundtrack is nice to listen to as you go through the game and did not detract from gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it's a visual novel meaning you read and select choices.”
    • “One big issue I had with the gameplay was that once you die, you either start over completely from the beginning of the entire game and have to hold down your mouse for literal ages (and re-choose from previous dialogues), or you have to start from where you left off at the last save point.”
    • “For the majority of my gameplay, I did not run into any issues other than the game’s text randomly skipping scenes in the game.”
    • “This is something that the developers said they intend to fix in a future update but for the time being it is possible that this glitch could occur during gameplay.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in "Bad End" is largely unintentional, stemming from translation errors and character inconsistencies that lead to amusing moments. While the writing aims for seriousness, it often results in hilarity due to awkward phrasing and oblivious character traits. Overall, players find the comedic aspects entertaining, especially in the context of the game's low price.

    • “The writing is funny, but sometimes it wasn't meant to be ;)”
    • “It's unintentionally funny, there are quite a few hiccups in the translation (my personal favorites being 'meant' and 'it isn't worth throwing my life away over something like that'), and Kyuuhei is sometimes painfully oblivious.”
    • “The translation can be pretty unintentionally funny at times.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability primarily due to its multiple endings, encouraging players to explore different outcomes. While it is relatively short, many users appreciate the option to revisit the game to achieve all possible endings, enhancing its overall value.

    • “Overall, this game is short, but with multiple replayability due to its many endings.”
    • “You do get some replay value due to the multiple endings.”
    • “Lots of replay value to get all the different endings if you have the stomach for it.”
  • character development10 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted to be limited, with a short plot and generic character designs that lack depth. While the character designs are described as cute and visually appealing, the repetitive scenery and uninspired backgrounds detract from the overall experience. The music is considered decent, but the overall impression is that character development does not significantly enhance the gameplay.

    • “Character designs are cute, easy to read, 2 songs decent enough to the human ear and 9 background images with day/night cycle included!”
    • “Yes: good character design.”
    • “Character designs are pretty generic; the scenery is just okay, with set pieces repeated a few times.”
    • “Character development is lacking; I mean, this isn't really a long plot to begin with.”
    • “Character designs are cute, but they lack depth and originality.”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized as relaxing, primarily due to its bright scenery and soothing melodies, which enhance the overall experience. Reviewers noted that the music complements the visuals well, contributing positively to the game's ambiance.

    • “The game has a relaxing atmosphere, mostly due to the bright scenery and non-bothering melodies.”
    • “It definitely has a unique atmosphere that draws you in.”
    • “The music is suitable and enhances the overall atmosphere.”
    • “It does have a certain atmosphere to it.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game's optimization features include options for both full screen and windowed modes, enhancing user experience. Additionally, it incorporates a performance grading system that evaluates players based on their first playthrough, adding a layer of engagement to the gameplay.

    • “When it comes to optimization, the 'bad end' offers full screen mode and windowed.”
    • “The game grades your performance at the end of your first playthrough, which feels limiting.”
    • “Receiving the 'bad end' means the game only evaluates your performance from the first playthrough, leaving little room for improvement.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is undermined by poor music, awkward translations, and a lackluster story, which often leads to characters dismissing significant moments with casual remarks. While the art is decent, the overall experience feels mediocre, suggesting that playing with friends may enhance enjoyment and emotional connection.

    • “I highly recommend viewing/playing with friends, since it's the way most mediocre horror is ideally enjoyed and definitely made me feel warmer towards bad end than I might have otherwise felt.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with no reported glitches, which is commendable for a nearly free visual novel. However, users noted the presence of numerous typos, indicating some issues with text quality.

    • “The writing's kind of bland and all the deaths and 'bad ends' are very similar, but the art is very good and I didn't encounter any glitches (just a lot of typos), which is actually pretty surprising for an almost free visual novel.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the need to reload choices frequently when outcomes are unsatisfactory. Additionally, the irrational behavior of characters can detract from immersion, as it feels unrealistic in high-stakes situations.

    • “Grinding in this game feels like an endless loop of repetitive tasks that drain the fun out of the experience.”
    • “The amount of time spent grinding for resources is excessive, making it hard to enjoy the story.”
    • “I find myself stuck in a grind, doing the same missions over and over just to level up, which becomes incredibly tedious.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
1-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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