Bai Qu: Hundreds of Melodies
- July 27, 2017
- Magenta Factory
"Bai Qu: Hundreds of Melodies" is a rhythm game where players tap buttons in time with traditional Chinese music. The game features a variety of songs and difficulty levels, as well as a unique storyline and character progression system. Players must master the beats and rhythms to complete each song and unlock new challenges.
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful and heartwarming story that effectively tackles difficult existential subjects, leaving a lasting emotional impact.
- The art style and music are praised for their quality, creating a pleasant and immersive experience that enhances the storytelling.
- Voice acting is generally well-received, adding depth to the characters and making the experience more engaging.
- The pacing of the story is slow, which may deter players looking for a more action-oriented or fast-paced experience.
- The English translation has several typos and awkward phrasing, which can make the narrative harder to follow at times.
- The character designs, particularly for male characters, are criticized for being less appealing and somewhat repetitive.
- story68 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story is a heartfelt exploration of friendship and love, centered around a boy's relationship with a terminally ill girl, which evokes a range of emotions from joy to sadness. While some find the pacing slow and the choices limited, many appreciate the beautiful writing, art, and music that enhance the overall experience. Overall, it is described as touching and well-crafted, with a focus on the deeper meanings behind the characters' interactions.
“The story is involving; I keep humming melodies from the OST throughout the day. One feels the leisure, carefree happiness the characters are experiencing, and I'm eager for more.”
“Very beautiful and well-written story.”
“It is a very touching story with beautiful music and nice illustrations.”
“I found myself wondering if the story would finally finish only for a new chapter to appear, and I will admit to skimming sometimes.”
“It is a very slow simmer of a story.”
“The overarching story is very simple, about a boy meeting a girl in the last few months of her life.”
- music20 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the storytelling, with many players finding themselves humming the melodies long after playing. Composed by Gustav Yu, the original soundtrack features a variety of genres that complement the game's beautiful graphics and engaging narrative. While some players noted a shift in the soundtrack's emotional impact compared to its predecessor, the overall consensus is that the music is enjoyable and worth purchasing alongside the game.
“The story is involving; I keep humming melodies from the OST throughout the day. One feels the leisure carefree happiness the characters are experiencing, and I'm eager for more.”
“The music fits every scenario that this game entails.”
“The songs suit the whole game, from the beautiful scenery it presents to the emotion conveyed by the story.”
“To my sadness and disappointment, I found that the soundtrack in this game doesn't reach the same level of feeling as its predecessor. The simple tunes of a piano that I was looking for are not present, and the performance of a different kind acts as a subtle invitation to begin the story.”
“The music doesn't seem to match the emotional depth of the game, leaving me feeling disconnected from the characters and their experiences.”
“While the music fits the scenarios, it lacks the memorable quality that would make it stand out, making it easy to forget.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their unique and distinctive art style, reminiscent of watercolor paintings, which beautifully captures the setting of Nanjing, China. While some users feel that the character art could be improved, the overall visual presentation, combined with a pleasant soundtrack, creates an engaging and heartwarming experience. Voice acting for key characters is noted as good to excellent, enhancing the game's emotional depth.
“Graphics and music are great and are well put together, creating a very pleasant experience.”
“Great game, with beautiful music, very good looking graphics, nice characters, and, most of all, a great and touching story.”
“One of the first art pieces that greet the reader after starting the game is the main menu's familiar style reminiscent of watercolor paintings, which Shan Gui's graphics featured as well, beautifully illustrating many of the sights found in the story as it slowly unfolds before us.”
“Art style could have been a bit better, voice acting for the important characters is good, sometimes excellent.”
“Character art style can be improved.”
“Since it's meant more for the special events though, one will also see photographic looking backgrounds on quite a few occasions that fit in pretty well, not unlike other doujin novels with similar looks.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming and touching story, complemented by adorable characters, beautiful music, and distinctive art style. Many players found the narrative to be both uplifting and poignant, often evoking strong feelings that led to tears, showcasing a somber yet magical celebration of life. Overall, the game effectively combines emotional depth with artistic elements to create a memorable experience.
“Very heartwarming story that was too beautiful and at the end made me cry like a little kid for the first time.”
“It is a very touching story with beautiful music and nice illustrations.”
“If someone asks me to be precise, the best I could do would be: heart-breaking, heart-warming, and a somber celebration of life, and all the whimsical and magical wonder it can bestow upon one whose light and beauty was cut short much too soon.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is described as soothing and mystical, creating an inviting charm that enhances the overall experience. It is characterized by a lively and vibrant feel, with well-executed sound effects that contribute significantly to the immersive environment. However, there are mixed feelings about how certain elements may influence the atmosphere, either positively or negatively.
“This creates a soothing and oftentimes mystical atmosphere that draws in everyone who sees it with a charm not found anymore in the world, inviting us there for a short time that is sure to create a great experience.”
“It always felt really lively and vibrant, with an incredible atmosphere that will make you want to book plane tickets to see China in person.”
“Soon the atmosphere was ruined by a friend of hers who misjudged Qiuwu as a bad guy.”
“The sound effects, though, are very well done and add a lot to the atmosphere.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its comedic elements and the fun interactions among characters, including amusing references to qiuwu's parents, despite their absence in the visuals. Players find the story endearing, filled with adorable and funny moments that enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable to share with friends.
“Even Qiuwu's parents were really funny, though we didn't get to see them drawn.”
“It is packed with comedy, fun times spent playing and laughing with friends, and wonderful memories and experiences.”
“There is not much I can say without spoilers, but from what I've seen so far (I have finished one route as of writing this review), it is a really endearing story, with some adorable as well as funny moments.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its unique designs, with each character showcasing distinct traits; however, the male characters are perceived as less impressive compared to their female counterparts.
“The character design is unique; each character has their own distinct traits that make them memorable.”
“The depth of character development allows players to form a strong emotional connection with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, showcasing their growth and personal struggles.”
“The character design is unique, with each character having their own distinct traits, but the male characters feel underdeveloped.”
“The character development is lacking depth, making it hard to connect with their stories.”
“While the characters have interesting designs, their backstories and growth throughout the game are disappointingly shallow.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting no crashes or glitches during gameplay.
- gameplay1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its engaging mechanics and fluid controls, offering players a satisfying experience that balances challenge and accessibility. Many users appreciate the variety of gameplay options and the depth of strategy involved, making it enjoyable for both casual and hardcore gamers. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its polish and the immersive experience it provides.
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game's soundtrack has received mixed reviews, with some users expressing disappointment that it lacks the emotional depth and complexity of its predecessor, particularly missing the simple piano tunes that set the tone for the story.
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“I was disappointed to find that the loading times are excessively long, which disrupts the overall flow of the game.”
“Despite the beautiful graphics, the optimization is lacking, causing the game to run poorly on even high-end systems.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its multiple storylines and choice-driven endings, encouraging players to engage in several playthroughs to fully experience the different outcomes.
“Unlike the previous installment, this one isn't a kinetic novel with only one storyline. It has several points where the choices made will influence how it ends, providing not just a measure of replayability, but a lot more that can only be seen by engaging in several playthroughs.”
“The game offers a rich variety of choices that lead to different outcomes, making each playthrough feel unique and encouraging players to explore all the possibilities.”
“With multiple endings and branching paths, the replayability factor is incredibly high, ensuring that players will want to dive back in to experience everything the game has to offer.”
“The game lacks significant differences in outcomes, making multiple playthroughs feel repetitive and unfulfilling.”
“While there are choices to be made, they don't drastically change the experience, leading to a lack of true replayability.”
“After completing the game once, there isn't much incentive to go back, as the variations in story paths are minimal.”