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
- The artwork is superb with a manga-inspired style and vibrant colors, enhancing the overall experience.
- The story is well-written and engaging, with multiple endings that provide some replay value despite the game's short length.
- Voice acting adds a nice touch to the characters, making the interactions more lively and enjoyable.
- The game is very short, with most playthroughs lasting around 1-2 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
- There are limited choices that significantly impact the story, leading to a feeling of linearity despite the branching paths.
- Misleading tags regarding nudity and dating sim elements may lead to disappointment for players expecting more adult content or romantic routes.
- story67 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of the visual novel 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 enjoyable and humorous, others criticized it for being shallow or derivative, with a few plot elements that didn't make sense. Overall, it offers a decent experience for fans of the genre, but many feel it could benefit from more depth and content.
“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.”
“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 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.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the visual novel are highly 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 a significant draw for fans of the genre. The visuals, combined with enjoyable voice acting, contribute to a delightful gaming experience.
“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.”
“As a whole, it is a nice little time waster with some good ideas and a great art style.”
“While the chin(s) bother me, the artwork is still fairly decent.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as relaxing and heartwarming, with tracks that suit various narrative moments, though some reviewers noted a lack of ambient sounds that could enhance immersion. While some found the music decent and not bothersome, others criticized it as generic or terrible, leading to mixed overall impressions. Options for adjusting sound and music volume are available, but the quality of the soundtrack varies significantly among players.
“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.”
“It has excellent background music.”
“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 a comedic narrative that follows an elvish warlock adapting to modern life, providing numerous funny moments. While the musical tracks enhance the experience, the lack of ambient sounds slightly detracts from immersion. Overall, players appreciate the blend of humor and friendship throughout 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.”
“It has a very funny story, nice sound effects, and the visuals are quite appealing.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacking due to its short length and minimal replay value, others appreciate the impact of choices on endings and achievements, suggesting a moderate level of replayability. Overall, it seems to score around 5/10 in this aspect.
“Replayability is high, as there are choices to be made that can affect the ending you receive, as well as the achievements you unlock.”
“The game offers multiple paths and outcomes, encouraging players to explore different strategies and decisions.”
“With various character builds and storylines, each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
“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 optimization of the game has been criticized, with users noting that while the voice acting is commendable, it does not compensate for the overall performance issues that detract from the gaming experience. Comparisons to other games highlight that they offer superior optimization and performance.
- gameplay1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a limited number of choices, offering a familiar experience for fans of the genre.
“The gameplay is straightforward and will feel familiar to many fans of the genre.”
“The mechanics are intuitive, making it easy for new players to jump in while still offering depth for veterans.”
“The pacing of the gameplay keeps you engaged without overwhelming you with too many choices.”
“There are not too many choices to be made, and the gameplay will be pretty familiar to many fans of the genre.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a short, soothing experience enhanced by relaxing music, creating a heartwarming and tranquil environment.
“It's short, has relaxing music and atmosphere, and is heartwarming.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % 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.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional, and their growth throughout the game is almost non-existent.”
“I was really hoping for deeper character arcs, but instead, I got flat personalities and predictable storylines.”