"Bustafellows" is a single-player Mystery Role Playing game with a stunning story and sensational visuals. As a journalist with the ability to leap in the past, you attempt to save a murdered lawyer by going back in time and warning him. The game features puzzle-solving, multiple endings, and the chance to romance five characters with unlockable side stories. With gorgeous visuals, polished animations, and a complete Japanese voice cast, "Bustafellows" offers a unique and immersive gaming experience.
The game features stunning visuals and well-animated backgrounds, enhancing the overall experience.
The characters are well-developed, with engaging storylines that keep players invested.
The protagonist, Teuta, is a strong and relatable character who actively participates in the plot.
The PC port has several technical issues, including unintuitive controls and missing subtitles during certain scenes.
Some plot points feel rushed or underdeveloped, particularly in the final chapters.
The romance aspect is less prominent than expected, with some routes lacking depth in romantic development.
story
764 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
63%
5%
The story of the game is generally well-received, featuring a captivating plot with complex characters and engaging backstories that keep players invested. While the narrative includes dark themes and unexpected twists, some players feel that the main story's resolution is rushed and lacks coherence, particularly in the final chapters. Overall, the game is praised for its emotional depth and character dynamics, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking a polished main storyline.
“The plot was very enjoyable, each character had a story and development.”
“Great visuals, fun characters, and a story that keeps you guessing even if it stumbles here and there.”
“The story is extremely well developed and had me on the edge of my seat with the many mysteries and drama creeping in from the different stories.”
“The individual romance stories are great, but the ending to the main story was so bad, not a single hint was dropped the entire game about anything, they just drop bombshell after bombshell on you and it was very forced and made no sense.”
“Honestly story wise those last two chapters you get ‘full circle’ and ‘auld lang syne’ felt cheap, it's like they decided 'sh!'.”
“It left an awful taste in my mouth, didn't have to go that far, there was no reason for what was being described, and a throwaway line to handwave one of the sub-characters' behaviors in the plot which had not been stated up until then, just... no.”
emotional
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players expressing deep attachment to characters and their stories, often leading to significant emotional responses, including tears and introspection. Many reviews highlight the well-crafted narratives that explore difficult themes and relationships, showcasing both heartwarming and heart-wrenching moments. Overall, the game is noted for its emotional depth, character development, and the ability to evoke strong feelings, making it a memorable experience for players.
“I didn't expect to experience so much emotional damage while playing this, but I very much enjoyed every bit of the story this game provided.”
“Yes, you will be emotionally eviscerated, but it's so good and so worth it.”
“Out of all the stories, this one was the most emotional, and I still haven't gotten over it.”
graphics
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
32%
4%
The graphics in Bustafellows are widely praised for their stunning visuals, intricate character designs, and beautiful artwork, which many reviewers liken to an anime experience. While some users noted occasional blurriness in the visuals, the overall aesthetic quality, including animated backgrounds and high-quality voice acting, contributes to an engaging and immersive storytelling experience. Despite minor technical issues, the art style and character designs are considered top-notch, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.
“Bustafellows boasts stunning graphics, dashing characters, and a unique plot delving into the criminal underworld, making it a potential gem in the otome game realm.”
“The art style is beautiful, not only for the characters but also for the backgrounds of the game.”
“Speaking of the artwork, it is stunning, especially considering the fact that plenty of things in the background are actually animated and give more life to the environments.”
“And what's up with the blurry graphics?”
“Sometimes the visuals are crystal clear, and then suddenly, they are a little blurred.”
“At the start of the game, the graphics and audio quality was iffy to me, but after adjusting I fell in love with the game.”
humor
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players noting that the witty dialogue and character interactions often lead to genuine laughter. The characters are described as funny and relatable, contributing to a light-hearted atmosphere that balances darker story elements effectively. Overall, the game's comedic writing and engaging dynamics among the cast create a memorable and enjoyable experience.
“I loved all the characters and there were some scenes that had me in tears from laughing.”
“I seriously have never laughed more while playing an 'otome' game; the main group of guys is sincerely funny and built upon excellent chemistry.”
“They all play roles in each other's stories, they all good-naturedly tease the heroine with whoever she gets with, and the script is just so darn funny sometimes.”
music
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
36%
7%
The music in the game is widely praised for its stylish integration with the art and its ability to enhance the mood and setting throughout the experience. Players appreciate the fully voiced performances and the inclusion of a music player to revisit the soundtrack, which features a variety of well-composed tracks that effectively match the game's emotional beats. While some may find the music not to their personal taste, it is generally regarded as fitting and enjoyable, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere of the game.
“The music is wonderful and sets the tone well.”
“I also like the beautiful soundtrack, which is matching motions and setting.”
“Beautiful art with bold animations, combined with fitting pieces of music, the game is very worth the price in my opinion.”
“Music is decent, with outros being above average.”
“Cgs and music are alright, not too bright, but not bad either.”
“My personal highlight has to be the regular trips to 'trader joneses' and listening to the dumb shop music :)”
character development
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
51%
10%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs are praised for their quality and appeal, many reviewers feel that the depth of character development is lacking, with some noting that the individual routes freeze the plot to focus on character interactions without significant impact. Despite this, there are moments of vulnerability that resonate well, suggesting that while the characters may not undergo major transformations, their personalities are still engaging. Overall, the visual novel excels in aesthetics but falls short in delivering a robust character development experience.
“During the individual character routes, the plot just freezes to give you time to appreciate character development and the actual 'otome' part of the content, which up until that point was quite lacking.”
“This visual novel has a ton going for it: likable characters, gorgeous art, interesting plot (each branching route was interesting as well! Lots of great character development!) the UI is gorgeous, and there's a great skip option between choices so you don't have to wait for the text to skip through.”
“No strong character development, but honestly not complaining because they showed vulnerability so well.”
“Character designs are without a doubt top-tier works, but the stories fleshing out those characters lack impact.”
“During the individual character routes, as mentioned, the plot just freezes to give you time to appreciate character development and the actual 'otome' part of the content, which up until that point was quite lacking.”
“I didn’t feel like the characters had major character development though.”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of intriguing storylines and challenging mechanics, with players finding the choice-based system engaging yet not particularly unique. While some users noted clunky controls and a complicated UI, these issues did not significantly detract from the overall experience. Localization problems were mentioned, but they were not seen as detrimental to gameplay enjoyment.
“Once I finished the story for my first character, I quickly figured out the mechanics for getting to the others, but it was still a challenge, and I ended up surprised with the path I went down.”
“And the story is so interesting; I was really intrigued and curious about it for most of the gameplay.”
“In gameplay, there's an option to jump to the next choices that help you start another route a lot faster.”
“The gameplay is not really unique; that's an overstatement in the game description.”
“Yes, I will admit the game mechanics were clunky (I hooked up my PS4 controller) and the game was in lower resolution because I played it on PC, but you won't usually notice it unless you are watching the OP.”
“Yes, I know, the controller and some of the mechanical systems are janky as heck.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The optimization of the PC adaptation of Bustafellows has received mixed reviews; while the game runs smoothly for many users without performance issues, it suffers from a lack of proper optimization for PC, resulting in some technical difficulties. Additionally, the keyboard controls are unconventional, which may require some adjustment. Overall, the game's visual performance is praised, but the port feels like a direct copy of the handheld version without adequate enhancements for the PC platform.
“Technical performance = extremely good”
“The game runs smoothly on my laptop without any issues.”
“Good visual performance”
“The PC adaptation of Bustafellows poses certain technical difficulties, primarily due to its original design not being suitably optimized for PC platforms.”
“The PC port basically took a copy-paste of a handheld game but without the necessary optimization to play on a computer.”
“I haven't had any performance issues or weird glitches; however, it's worth noting that the keyboard controls are a tad strange (e.g., it's 'Home' for the menu, not 'Esc' for some reason) but usable once you find out what they are.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its engaging visuals and sound, creating a "feel good" adventure experience that occasionally incorporates tense crime scenes. While the overall ambiance is compelling and effectively addresses mature themes, some players noted inconsistencies in the crime scenes that could have benefited from a longer game length. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the game's appeal, earning high marks from players.
“I genuinely liked the atmosphere of the game along with the visuals and sound.”
“Overall, I'd absolutely give this game an 11/10, not only for spooking me with its tense atmosphere, but with how maturely it handles difficult topics such as social class and cosmetic surgery.”
“They're also animated and atmospheric.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability with no significant bugs or glitches reported by users. While some players noted unusual keyboard controls, these do not detract from the overall performance, which remains smooth throughout the gameplay experience. The plot's intentional pauses during character routes are seen as a positive feature for character development.
“During the individual character routes, the plot just freezes to give you time to appreciate character development and the actual 'otome' part of the content, which up until that point was quite lacking.”
“I haven't had any performance issues or weird glitches; however, it's worth noting that the keyboard controls are a tad strange (e.g., it's 'home' for the menu, not 'esc' for some reason) but usable once you find out what they are.”
“Despite the technical issues mentioned above, I did not encounter any bugs or glitches in the game.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the lack of variation in the early chapters and the repetitive nature of the questionnaire needed to unlock different characters. This leads to a frustrating experience, as many feel compelled to skip through content that feels overly drawn out, especially when the love interests' routes are relatively brief.
“It got rather tedious force skipping through it, especially because the actual love interests' routes felt fairly short in comparison.”
“First off, there is no variation for the first 4 chapters; you may get a different line, cat name, and bikini, but that's about it. So on a replay factor, it made it very tedious because you have to go back and do that damn questionnaire to get the character you want (thank you walkthroughs because I wouldn't have had the patience).”
“First off, there is no variation for the first 4 chapters; you may get a different line, cat name, and bikini, but that's about it. So on a replay factor, it made it very tedious because you have to go back and do that damn questionnaire to get the character you want (thank you walkthroughs because I wouldn't have had the patience).”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game highly replayable due to its engaging individual routes and overarching storyline, which encourage multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes.
“The individual routes and overarching storyline are interesting and have great replay value.”
“The individual routes and overarching storyline are interesting and have great replay value.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for not aligning with its promotional content, as players feel the game fails to deliver on its promised 'steamy' experience. Additionally, the portrayal of the protagonist as childish compared to the suitors may detract from the overall appeal, impacting players' willingness to invest financially.