BlueberryNOVA
- April 5, 2018
- OtakuNovel
Get on Steam"BlueberryNOVA is a visual novel about Aika Kashinawa, a kind and intelligent 19-year-old who moves to a new city for college. She becomes involved with the president of the anime and manga club, Yuki Akigawa, and can pursue friendships or a romantic relationship with Yuki or another girl, Eva. The story has multiple endings based on player choices, with illustrations and music enhancing the experience."
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Reviews
- The art style is better than average, with cute character designs and colorful backgrounds.
- The game is affordable, making it accessible for those looking for a quick visual novel experience.
- There are multiple endings and choices, which adds some replay value despite the short length.
- The story is extremely short and feels rushed, making it hard to connect with the characters or the plot.
- The translation is awkward in places, leading to confusing dialogue and a lack of immersion.
- The narrative includes problematic themes and scenarios that are poorly handled, detracting from the overall experience.
- story76 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story is widely criticized for being rushed, shallow, and poorly executed, with many reviewers noting its brevity and lack of depth. While some found moments of interest, the overall narrative is described as awkward, clichéd, and lacking in character development, making it difficult for players to become invested. Despite its low price point, many suggest that the game is not worth playing for its story alone.
“The story itself has its interesting moments, but that is all the story is.”
“I think the story is alright, the art isn't bad either, and it also has different endings, although I think the story is a bit short.”
“[i]blueberrynova[/i] tells the story of a transfer student named Aika.”
“The story is unfinished at best and bad at worst.”
“$3 for 45 minutes of a fairly shallow story with a breakneck pace.”
“The story overall feels rushed and not believable (so are the main characters).”
- music20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as generic and passable, serving primarily as background filler that doesn't significantly enhance the experience. While some reviewers noted that the music was appropriately placed and pleasant, others felt it was often quiet and lacked variety, especially in the absence of voice acting. Overall, it is considered decent but not memorable.
“The art/character designs are actually quite nice, the music is passable, and it's yuri which is always a plus in my book.”
“This was a short visual novel; it had moderate graphics with decent music.”
“The background music is pleasant enough.”
“The art is lackluster and the music feels painfully generic.”
“The music was there but not all the time, and without voice acting, it was pretty quiet in many situations.”
“I would say the instrumental music is just a background filler here: not out of place, but it doesn't really change the experiences that much.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics in the visual novel are described as having a mix of detailed anime-style character art and inconsistent backgrounds, with some being drawings and others photographs. While the character designs are appreciated, the overall execution suffers from a lack of cohesion, leading to a mediocre visual experience. Despite some positive aspects, the inconsistency detracts from the overall quality of the graphics.
“Blueberrynova is a short visual novel with dialogue that accompanies anime style graphics that are very detailed, like a visual novel was meant to do.”
“Although there are some nice aspects, like the art style of the main characters or the fact that this VN is completely yuri themed and you don't have to bother with any male protagonists that disturb your reading experience.”
“The art style is alright.”
“To make it even worse, the backgrounds are very inconsistent in their art style (some of them are drawings whilst others are photographs).”
“Inconsistent art style, they didn't even try with the backgrounds, story is cliche and cheesy and extremely fast paced, too many grammatical errors to count.”
“This was a short visual novel; it had moderate graphics with decent music.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the character designs are visually appealing and the yuri theme is appreciated, there is a notable lack of depth in character development, with many players expressing a desire for more buildup, tension, and foreshadowing to enhance the narrative experience.
“The art and character designs are actually quite nice, the music is passable, and it's yuri, which is always a plus in my book.”
“There could have been more buildup, more tension, more character development, and more foreshadowing.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have reported stability issues, specifically noting recurring glitches in the textboxes, which appear as blank rectangles with text. This has been a consistent point of frustration among players.
“The textbox glitches in some parts, displaying a blank rectangle instead of text. It's not good.”
“The textbox glitches in some parts, displaying a blank rectangle instead of text. It's not good.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its engaging mechanics and fluid controls, providing players with a satisfying and immersive experience. Many users appreciate the balance between challenge and accessibility, making it enjoyable for both newcomers and seasoned players. Overall, the gameplay is a standout feature that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.
