Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 657 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos Game Cover
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In "Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos," you play as a mediator tasked with resolving conflicts in complex, often chaotic societies. Though the game boasts a richly developed world, the gameplay primarily revolves around visual novel-style dialogue choices. The narrative tackles themes of social justice and societal inequality, but its impact is limited due to the game's simplistic mechanics.

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Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 657 reviews
story258 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • Beautiful artwork and a captivating soundtrack enhance the immersive experience.
  • The story is engaging and thought-provoking, exploring themes of morality and decision-making.
  • Well-developed characters with distinct personalities contribute to a compelling narrative.
  • The game is very short, lasting only about 2-3 hours, which may leave players wanting more.
  • Limited choices throughout the game, with only one significant decision impacting the outcome.
  • The project has been abandoned, leaving the story incomplete and potentially disappointing for players.
  • story701 mentions

    The story of "Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos" is praised for its intriguing premise and well-crafted writing, featuring a young mediator named Winter navigating complex political dilemmas across different worlds. However, many reviewers express disappointment over its brevity and the lack of meaningful choices, as it serves primarily as a prologue to a larger narrative that will likely remain unfinished due to the developer's discontinuation of the project. Despite its engaging elements, the incomplete nature of the story leaves players feeling unsatisfied and yearning for more.

    • “A very well written story featuring a student and their mentor counselor from another dimension - descending to this planet to prevent fatal conflicts stemming from political issues.”
    • “The worldbuilding is really well made, the interactions between characters feel realistic so you feel dragged into the story; you live with Winter and feel what she feels.”
    • “The story is well written and interesting.”
    • “Unfortunately, it is merely a prologue to what should have been a bigger story, and the story will probably never come to be because the studio is no more.”
    • “The story took so long to actually kick in, and through that beginning you don't get any choices, not even smaller ones affecting just the dialogue.”
    • “I didn't like the characters at all, and didn't feel invested in the story, so I just don't think I'll be finishing this, even if it's just the first episode (will there even be any more?).”
  • music321 mentions

    The music in this visual novel is widely praised for its quality and emotional resonance, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. The inclusion of the soundtrack in both MP3 and FLAC formats is seen as a significant bonus, making it a worthwhile purchase for fans of the genre. Overall, the combination of beautiful artwork and a captivating soundtrack contributes to an immersive storytelling experience that resonates with players.

    • “The music is great, and I was pleased to discover the soundtrack is included with the game in its directory.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing, the art is amazing, the visual effects are amazing.”
    • “The music is beautiful, the story is engaging, the characters are interesting, the art is great.”
    • “You know it's gonna be a wonderful adventure when in the first 10 seconds you're assaulted by Tumblr art style and the no-sound, no-music pinnacle of Ren'Py engineering.”
    • “The music is not really good, and there's no voice acting.”
    • “A lot of the music is forgettable, and you may not want to listen to it in your car or on an iPod.”
  • graphics135 mentions

    The graphics of this visual novel are widely praised for their beautiful artwork and well-executed art style, which enhance the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the high quality of the visuals, noting that they are both eye-catching and fitting for the game's themes, although some mention that the graphics can be sparse in certain areas. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The artwork and soundtrack are pretty good too - the visuals are drawn beautifully, and the soundtrack complements the various events in the game.”
    • “The art style is excellent, and is quite more creative and cinematic than some budget visual novels where the majority of the scenes are just a background image and two character sprites.”
    • “The artwork had a lot of detail and depicted each scene exquisitely, which really helped with putting yourself into the setting of the story.”
    • “The graphics are anime looking and the story is clever and well done.”
    • “It's got lazy artwork; there were only a handful of backgrounds used, and only 5 characters drawn. A few others had lines, but the conversations took place out in a hall or something, so you are left staring at an empty background for 10 minutes.”
    • “Now it is a Kickstarter campaign to 'finish' the game. It was supposed to be 5 chapters in total, but now it is going to be just 3, which is kind of disappointing. The game is going to get finished, but I cannot change my review because of the new art style. Maybe this sounds rude, but the new art is nothing compared with the old one.”
  • gameplay57 mentions

    The gameplay in this visual novel is minimal, primarily consisting of clicking through dialogue with very few decision points that influence the story. Many reviewers noted the lack of traditional gameplay elements, emphasizing that the experience is more about narrative immersion than interactive mechanics. While the art and music are praised, the overall gameplay experience is often described as lacking, with ratings reflecting a general consensus of disappointment in the interactivity offered.

    • “A good story is something that I truly appreciate, but you have a good story with great gameplay, and I'm in heaven!”
    • “Although there isn't much in the way of traditional gameplay here, this game is visually gorgeous, with some pretty weighty decisions and consequences.”
    • “Beyond the lack of any actual gameplay in this game, I can't even recommend it as a visual novel.”
    • “The gameplay itself, as a visual novel, didn't feel all too engaging.”
    • “You only make one to five (depending on your decisions) choices in a thirty-hour gameplay session.”
  • emotional21 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its ability to evoke deep feelings through well-written characters and a compelling narrative. Many reviews highlight the emotional rollercoaster experienced throughout the story, where choices lead to different emotional outcomes despite a largely linear plot. The combination of engaging storytelling, stunning art, and a powerful soundtrack enhances the emotional impact, making it a thought-provoking journey that resonates with players.

    • “I still recommend this though because it's a very thought-provoking and emotional journey of a little girl who just wasn't prepared.”
    • “The story leaves me emotionally involved and wanting more.”
    • “The quality of writing in this visual novel is its primary strength, bringing Winter and Cyrus's thoughts and feelings to life in a way that is touching, humorous, and fun.”
    • “The story is too simple and ultimately boring.”
    • “I didn't feel any emotional connection to the characters.”
    • “The game failed to evoke any real emotions during key moments.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the effective use of ambient and electronica music that enhances the mood and immerses players in its dystopian setting. The art and sound design contribute significantly to the overall experience, creating a captivating and engaging environment, despite some minor inconsistencies in tone during certain endings. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as meticulously crafted, drawing players into its narrative seamlessly.

    • “Music is atmospheric; it doesn’t stand in the way though does its job well to enhance the mood at key moments.”
    • “The music is very atmospheric as it contains some great ambient and electronica tracks which heavily lend to the dystopian-esque atmosphere that the visual novel is going for.”
    • “Wonderfully atmospheric sound design makes you feel the mood of every scene.”
    • “Waverly came as a welcome surprise--I did not expect the game to continue for so long after the big climax, but I liked that it did. My only complaint is that the atmosphere got weirdly jovial in one ending, but the other one was much better.”
    • “The problem is, the nuke became self-sustaining and became a star and blew up the atmosphere, killing everyone.”
    • “If winter's plan is carried out instead (don't kill the president but suggest to simply detonate the bomb away from the mainland as a showing of power or even come up with a new plan entirely), the end result is that, thanks to the fact they haven't done the proper testing, the atmosphere ends up burned again and everyone dies.”
  • character development17 mentions

    Overall, character development in the game is praised for its depth and effectiveness, with many reviewers noting that it successfully engages players despite a relatively simple plot. While some characters, like the mentor, lack sufficient backstory to foster empathy, the game excels in creating interesting character arcs and emotional connections throughout the playthrough. The art style and character designs are also highlighted as strong points, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The core plot holds no great weight in all of this, being a tool to spark conversation but without much depth in and of itself, but it’s a short outing that manages a great amount of character development before then closing in a scene that, while not perfectly finite, feels complete.”
    • “If you're the kind of person to play visual novels for the character development, Dysfunctional Systems is rather good at that in the small time it plays for.”
    • “The storyline is well done and spread out wonderfully, and the character development is very interesting throughout the playthrough.”
    • “The mentor seems to have a dark past, but there is a lack of proper character development for us to really empathize with him.”
    • “Character development, although it throws you in somewhat quickly, is done rather poorly.”
    • “This medium is a very intricate work of character development, but it ultimately falls short in delivering a satisfying experience.”
  • humor17 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of witty dialogue and light-hearted moments, often juxtaposed with serious themes like war and nuclear weapons. While some players appreciate the engaging and funny interactions between characters, others feel that the humor can be inconsistent and overshadowed by the story's darker elements. Overall, the writing is praised for its ability to blend humor with emotional depth, though some find it lacking in sustained comedic impact.

    • “Their dialogues can get heated, but developer dischan media does a fantastic job leveraging this between brief moments of humor (such as winter trying her first bear) to create a very personal, relatable feeling to every interaction.”
    • “As an up-side to the short length of the story, each choice tree provides almost completely different dialogue than their comparatives, filled with witty, humorous writing.”
    • “The quality of writing in ltmc is its primary strength, bringing winter and cyrus's thoughts and feelings to life in a way that is touching, humorous, and fun.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the ability to explore different endings typical of visual novels, many find the experience too short and limited in meaningful choices, leading to a lack of substantial replay value. Although there are routes to unlock achievements, the reliance on guides and the brevity of the story diminish the incentive to replay.

    • “Replay value: it's a visual novel, of course there is replay value to see all the endings!”
    • “You can get more playtime by going through all the routes for the achievements for a little extra replayability, but there's a guide on the game's community hub that'll tell you exactly what routes you need to go through to unlock all the achievements.”
    • “It's able to squeak out 7 hours after multiple replays; the story is good enough to call replayable but unfortunately never lifts off the ground despite much promise.”
    • “The seemingly branching path does add some replay value, but using a save is much easier than wading through the text wall that leads up to the 3-5 questions, as nothing mentioned is necessary or even relevant to your responses.”
    • “I genuinely liked this game, but it was very, very short, and as far as I can tell, there is little replayability since there was only one real choice to make.”
    • “This story is short, probably only an hour and a half or two in length, depending on how fast you rush through it, and there’s not much in the way of replay value.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is characterized by lengthy, tedious dialogue and unengaging characters, leading to a frustrating experience for players. While some appreciate the intricate coding behind the choices, many find the overall narrative excessively drawn out and lacking in meaningful content, with little to no traditional grinding mechanics present. Overall, the experience is marred by a sense of monotony and disconnection from the characters and story.

    • “Spend 15 minutes only with text and long discussions about tedious topics and uninteresting characters.”
    • “The ratio of number of choices to length of story was horribly skewed in the wrong direction, but I can respect the amount of tedious coding it would've taken to link everything together the way it was done.”
    • “Finally, the episode ends on a particularly weak note, where you switch to someone else's experience, and have their experience of hallway conversations that are just tedious and meaningless.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report a stable gaming experience, noting only a couple of minor glitches, which is considered acceptable and not detrimental to gameplay.

    • “I only saw two actual game glitches.”
    • “Not bad, as far as glitches go!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
3-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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