Celestial Crossing
- December 30, 2016
- Touwaku Studio
- 3h median play time
In "Celestial Crossing" , players assume the role of Hikaru, a high school student and avid gamer whose in-game character, the barbaric elven warlock Nerith, suddenly materializes in his bedroom. Navigating the clash of their contrasting personalities and lifestyles, Hikaru and Nerith must learn to coexist in this visual novel tale of self-discovery and interpersonal dynamics.
Reviews
- Celestial Crossing features beautiful artwork and well-written characters, making for an engaging visual novel experience.
- The game offers multiple endings based on player choices, adding some replay value despite its short length.
- The voice acting is generally well-received, enhancing the overall immersion of the story.
- The game is very short, with most playthroughs lasting around 1-2 hours, which some players feel does not justify the price.
- Many players found the voice acting to be cringy or subpar, detracting from the overall experience.
- The game is often misclassified as a dating sim, leading to disappointment for those expecting more romantic options or adult content.
- story70 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Celestial Crossing" is generally well-received, praised for its interesting premise and engaging writing, though many reviewers note its brevity and limited choices as drawbacks. While some found the narrative to be shallow or derivative, others appreciated the humor and emotional moments woven throughout the plot. Overall, it offers a satisfactory experience for visual novel fans, particularly those who enjoy character-driven stories, despite some inconsistencies and a desire for more content.
“I was originally drawn in by the artwork, but the story itself is well told, and the various endings also wrap everything up nicely.”
“Overall, I would say this novel checks off all the right boxes for a great visual novel experience... an interesting story, fantastic illustrations, and a branching narrative.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed this game; I loved the way the developers wrote the characters and the story is amazing. I'd give it a 10/10 overall.”
“The story is not deep.”
“The storyline is a mess.”
“You have very little control over the protagonist and very little control over the outcome of the story.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the visual novel are widely praised for their superb manga-inspired art style, featuring lush colors and excellent shading. While some users noted minor issues, such as character design quirks, the overall artwork is considered beautiful and enhances the storytelling experience. The visuals, combined with engaging voice acting, contribute to a delightful and immersive experience for fans of the genre.
“First off, the artwork in this visual novel is superb with a manga-inspired art style that is filled with lush, gorgeous colors as well as terrific shading.”
“However, the game's artwork is beautiful; the voice acting was fun and the main character was relatable.”
“While the chin(s) bothers me, the artwork is still fairly decent.”
“The art style worked and was very well done, especially in respect to the scenic (background) images, as well as the sprites.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as relaxing and appropriate for various narrative moments, contributing to a heartwarming atmosphere. While some users appreciate the soundtrack as decent or even excellent, others find it generic or lacking in depth, with a few critiques noting the absence of ambient sounds that could enhance immersion. Overall, opinions on the music are mixed, ranging from praise to disappointment.
“It's short, has relaxing music and atmosphere, and is heartwarming.”
“The aural presentation is more than adequate with musical tracks appropriate for humorous, dramatic, and emotional moments during the narrative.”
“As for the soundtrack, I loved it!”
“The aural presentation is more than adequate with musical tracks appropriate for humorous, dramatic, and emotional moments during the narrative; however, there are no ambient or 'background' noises which really could have increased immersion.”
“Drawing is terrible, voice is terrible, soundtrack is terrible, story is terrible, endings are terribly shallow.”
“Background music and art is generic.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a heartwarming narrative complemented by relaxing music, though some players felt that the lack of ambient sounds diminished immersion. While the storyline features a mix of humor and serious moments, the brevity of the game left some players wanting a deeper emotional connection with the characters. Overall, the evolving story engages players emotionally, particularly as it unfolds, despite some concerns about voice acting and character depth.
“It's short, has relaxing music and atmosphere, and is heartwarming.”
“This was a highly enjoyable visual novel with its 'fish out of water' storyline and ample amounts of laughable moments which served to break up the sometimes serious and emotional nature of the narrative.”
“I didn't get the story at first, but then as I gradually kept reading, the story got really interesting and emotional.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its engaging dialogue and the comedic premise of an elvish warlock adapting to modern life, which provides numerous funny moments throughout the narrative. While the musical tracks effectively enhance the humorous and emotional scenes, the lack of ambient sounds detracts slightly from the overall immersion. Overall, players appreciate the blend of humor and friendship in the story.
“The dialogue was fun and funny for most of it, and I like how strong your friend is.”
“Overall, a great story of friendship, with a lot of humorous moments as an elvish warlock from a fantasy setting tries to adapt to modern living in this world.”
“The unique story concept hooked my attention; I was curious to see if I would get along with my game character.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players note that choices can lead to different endings and achievements, others feel the short length and limited content diminish its overall replay value. Ratings for replayability vary, with some giving it a score of 5/10.
“Replayability is high, as there are choices to be made that can affect the ending you receive, as well as the achievements you unlock.”
“60% off would probably be better for how short this is and with zero replay value.”
“Replay value 5/10”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that while the voice acting is commendable, the overall optimization of the game is lacking, negatively impacting performance and user experience compared to other titles.
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a relaxing and heartwarming ambiance, enhanced by soothing music, particularly the main menu theme that effectively evokes a sense of fantasy. However, this enchanting atmosphere is primarily felt at the beginning, as it does not consistently maintain the fantasy setting throughout the gameplay.
“It's short, has relaxing music and atmosphere, and is heartwarming.”
“I'm specifically a fan of the main menu theme, as it does well to set the feeling of fantasy elements, even though the beginning of the game is the only time it fully adopts the atmosphere of a fantasy setting.”
“The atmosphere is lacking depth and fails to immerse players in the game world.”
“While the music is relaxing, the overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired.”
“The game only briefly captures a fantasy atmosphere, leaving much to be desired in terms of world-building.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for being unengaging, with some players feeling compelled to return the game shortly after starting due to dissatisfaction.
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Many users express frustration with the character development in the game, noting that there are significant missed opportunities for deeper character exploration and meaningful dialogue.
“That, combined with a lot of missed opportunities for character development and dialogue, is what kind of irritates me about this title.”