Crossroad
- February 20, 2023
- kalanhow
"Crossroad" is a single-player Romance Visual Novel game that offers a fun, light-hearted, and humorous escape from reality. As the pure-hearted Lumy, you'll explore the mysterious woods on your way to your grandmother's cottage, interacting with a variety of characters and encountering 34 possible endings. With its ADV, Adventure, Mystery, Romance, and Otome genres, Crossroad provides at least 5 hours of unique gameplay.
Reviews
- The game features charming artwork and a variety of endings, making it visually appealing and replayable.
- The story offers unexpected twists and humorous moments, providing an entertaining experience.
- The game is light-hearted and fun, making it suitable for those looking for a quick and enjoyable visual novel.
- The character development is shallow, and the main character often feels annoying and lacks depth.
- Many choices seem arbitrary and lead to repetitive outcomes, making the gameplay feel grindy.
- The soundtrack is inconsistent and can detract from the overall experience, with some tracks feeling out of place.
- story32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story is a mixed bag, featuring a lighthearted fairy tale retelling with unexpected twists, but often criticized for its lack of depth and rushed character development. While there are numerous routes and endings that offer some engaging moments, many reviewers found the overall narrative simplistic and the choices lacking meaningful impact. Despite its charming art and some humorous elements, the story's brevity and superficiality left some players feeling unsatisfied.
“It definitely was that, but the story took some very unexpected turns and had a lot more levity than I was expecting.”
“A sweet and finely drawn story with turns that are far from predictable, so save frequently :)”
“Beautiful story and some endings are absolutely hilarious!”
“As a fairy tale, it's decent (it's basically a Red Riding Hood retelling), but as a more mature story, it lacks depth and the character development is too fast for the couple of days most of the routes cover.”
“I actually liked 2 out of 5 routes (forest guardian and wizard), but in all of them, the story felt rushed and the 'relationship' forced.”
“The story doesn't have that much depth and the routes are super short, but there are a lot of them.”
- humor20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in *crossroad* is a standout feature, with many players finding the various endings and moments, such as the "funny fridge moment," to be genuinely hilarious and whimsical. While some jokes and pop-culture references may miss the mark, the game is praised for its charming artwork and the delightful mix of funny, cute, and unexpected scenarios that keep players entertained throughout its multiple routes. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a lighthearted and enjoyable experience.
“Overall, [i]crossroad[/i] is a cute and funny romance visual novel with nice artwork and pleasant background music.”
“I've literally burst out laughing at the names of a couple of endings and achievements.”
“My favorite part about this game was seeing all the endings, since there are a great many, and they are all very whimsical and funny.”
- music17 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it pleasant and fitting, while others criticize its placement during key moments, describing it as distracting or inappropriate. While the soundtrack features a variety of enjoyable tracks that enhance the game's charm, many users suggest that the overall execution could benefit from more professional curation. Ultimately, the music is seen as decent but not particularly memorable, with some players opting to mute it in favor of their own playlists.
“In terms of background music, there is a large variety of pleasant tracks by hilmer, kamil saners, and delirior to highlight the charm of the game.”
“The music is oddly memorable and pleasant, and the writing is exceptional.”
“Also, the soundtrack was limited but pleasant to listen to and really added to the mystical feel that this game gave me.”
“The songs are actually okay, some of them are even awesome, but whomever decided where to put which song needs to either be fired or they need to hire someone who is actually a professional.”
“You'll be at this sweet, bonding moment in the plot and the music will be all goofy circus nonsense.”
“I didn't like the music, and had to mute it as it was too much and all over the place.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics in [i]crossroad[/i] are characterized by a charming and cutesy anime style, featuring delightful artwork that enhances the game's emotional moments. While some players appreciate the consistency and appeal of the visuals, others find them less engaging, preferring a more serious aesthetic. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's romantic and humorous themes.
“What to play this game for: lovely/cutesy graphics.”
“[i]crossroad[/i] has charming artwork, with a mix of cute, funny, sad, and happy moments with plenty of unexpected surprises in the endings and routes.”
“The artwork is nice and consistent throughout the whole game.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and look flat, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“The environments are bland and uninspired, making exploration feel dull.”
- character development6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being superficial and rushed, with many reviewers noting that the characters lack depth and likability. The writing quality varies, and the pacing issues contribute to a sense of randomness in character growth, making it more suitable for those seeking a light, fairy tale-like romance rather than a mature narrative.
“Overall, I would give it a tentative recommendation for girls (or anybody else interested in stories targeted at this audience) who look for a relaxed romance with mythical creatures without very much in-depth character development.”
“There isn't any actual character development.”
“As a fairy tale it's decent (it's basically a Red Riding Hood retelling), but as a more mature story it lacks depth and the character development is too fast for the couple of days most of the routes cover.”
“The writing varies from okay to passable, with some pacing issues, and character development seems pretty random in some routes.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted as deeply impactful, with players praising its heartfelt storytelling and character development, particularly in routes like Tenko's, which evoke comparisons to the emotional depth found in Miyazaki films. The balance between lighthearted moments and serious themes adds to the overall emotional resonance, making it a standout experience in the visual novel genre.
“This is the purest, most heartfelt otome -- hell, not just otome, but overall visual novel -- that I have had the pleasure of playing in a very long time.”
“And can I just say that Tenko's route is so heartwarming and beautiful that it reminded me of something from a Miyazaki movie (specifically, Spirited Away)?”
“I liked how it didn't take itself too seriously and that events were quite random at times, but that there were also some more serious, heartfelt routes (the angel route was brilliant - I loved how heaven was presented).”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is enjoyable for fans of short otome adventure games in fantasy settings, but players may want to wait for a discount to ensure the gameplay time justifies the price.
“If you enjoy short otome adventure games set in fantasy realms, then this is a good choice, but maybe wait until there is a heavy discount so that the amount of gameplay time is more proportional to the price.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers multiple endings for each character's route, significantly enhancing its replayability and providing players with a fun and engaging experience.
“There are several endings to each character's route, which adds a lot of replayability and fun.”
“The game offers multiple paths and choices, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
“With various character interactions and storylines, I find myself coming back to explore different outcomes.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is generally not a concern, as it is a visual novel, which typically requires less intensive performance resources.
“Performance-wise, it's a visual novel, so thankfully that will not be an issue.”
“The game runs smoothly on various devices, ensuring an optimal experience for all players.”
“I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the graphics settings, allowing for a customizable experience without sacrificing performance.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that while the game offers numerous endings, some aspects of the gameplay can feel repetitive and grindy.
“So many endings... some of it feels a little grindy.”
“The repetitive tasks make the game feel more like a chore than fun.”
“I spent hours doing the same thing over and over just to progress.”