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."
Reviews
- The art style is above average and visually appealing.
- The game features multiple endings, providing some replay value.
- It's an affordable option for those looking for a short yuri visual novel.
- The story is extremely short and feels rushed, often lacking depth and character development.
- The translation is awkward in places, making some dialogue confusing.
- The plot contains unrealistic and cringeworthy scenarios that detract from the overall experience.
- story38 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally criticized for being overly short, rushed, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it fails to engage players or develop its characters adequately. While some appreciate the art and the presence of multiple endings, the overall narrative is described as shallow, awkward, and often cliché, making it difficult for players to invest in the plot or its themes. Many suggest that the game might only appeal to those seeking brief entertainment or specific fan-service elements rather than a compelling story experience.
“Apart from that, the story is nice and short.”
“The story itself has its interesting moments but that is all the story is.”
“The story, itself, really wasn't all that special, but the girls and their interactions were cute.”
“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).”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the music in the game is described as generic and often serves as background filler, lacking significant impact on the experience. While some reviewers found it pleasant and appropriately placed, others noted its absence in key moments and a lack of variety. The consensus suggests that while the music is decent, it does not elevate the overall experience significantly.
“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.”
“Music was present but not consistently, 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.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics in the visual novel are described as having a mix of detailed anime-style character designs and inconsistent backgrounds, with some being drawings and others photographs. While the character art is appreciated, the overall execution suffers from a lack of cohesion, leading to a mediocre visual experience.
“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 visual novel 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 cliché 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 development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
While the character designs are praised for their quality and the yuri elements are appreciated, reviewers feel that the game lacks sufficient buildup, tension, and overall character development, indicating a missed opportunity for deeper storytelling.
“The art and character designs are actually quite nice, and the inclusion of yuri elements adds a unique touch to the character development.”
“The character development is engaging, but I feel there could have been more buildup, tension, and foreshadowing to enhance the experience.”
“There could have been more buildup, more tension, more character development, and more foreshadowing.”
“The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked any real growth throughout the story.”
“I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users have reported stability issues, particularly with textboxes displaying glitches such as blank rectangles instead of text, indicating a need for improvement in this area.
“The textbox glitches in some parts, displaying a blank rectangle instead of text. Not good.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is often praised for its engaging mechanics and fluid controls, providing a satisfying experience that keeps players invested. However, some users note occasional pacing issues and a steep learning curve that may deter newcomers. Overall, the gameplay strikes a balance between challenge and enjoyment, appealing to both casual and hardcore gamers.
