Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation
- July 24, 2017
- Dischan Media
Get on Steam"Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation" is a visual novel and prequel to "Learning to Manage Chaos," focusing on mediator Winter Harrison's first week at school. It serves as an expansion of the series' universe, providing background on mediators and their homeworld. Playing the first game is recommended for better understanding. This kinetic novel uses text, sound, and illustrations to tell a story with no gameplay, just clicking to progress.
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Reviews
- The game provides some interesting world-building and character introductions that may appeal to fans of the original episode.
- The soundtrack is well-received and adds a pleasant atmosphere to the game.
- Despite its shortcomings, the game serves as a nostalgic return for fans of the Dysfunctional Systems series, offering a glimpse into the protagonist's early experiences.
- The art style is a significant downgrade from the first game, with many characters and backgrounds lacking the quality and detail that fans expected.
- The writing is often described as dull and repetitive, failing to engage players and feeling more like an info dump than a compelling narrative.
- The game is very short, with a lack of meaningful content or choices, leading to a disappointing experience for those hoping for a substantial follow-up to the original.
- story23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story of "Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation" serves as a prologue that explores Winter Harrison's initial experiences at mediator school, providing some backstory and introducing new characters. While the premise is intriguing, many reviewers found the narrative dull, repetitive, and lacking significant conflict, ultimately feeling disconnected from the main series. Despite its shortcomings, the compact story offers a charming slice of life that expands on the setting and character dynamics, leaving fans hopeful for future developments.
“The plot is joining Winter Harrison for her first week at mediator school, the classes she attends and the people she meets.”
“The story is quite an interesting premise.”
“It broadens the reader's understanding of the rules and the setting of 'Dysfunctional Systems' and teases a plot that will probably be relevant in upcoming episodes.”
“It took me 81 minutes to complete this, and in all honesty, it felt much longer with how dull, monotonous, and repetitive the story was.”
“But I can't, and here we are, with a derpy feeling prologue due to the art that overbears everything else, not to mention the story lacks the necessary vibe of a school slice of life.”
“Terribly short and a story that frankly has almost no beats to mention.”
- music12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising it as a highlight and comparable to the first game's soundtrack, while others feel it falls short and lacks memorability. Many users noted that the continuous soundtrack, though pleasant, gives an impression of a less polished project, and overall, the music is seen as a redeeming quality amidst criticisms of other aspects like art and writing.
“At first I missed Saimon Ma's art; DS1 and Juniper's Knot are still probably the two best looking visual novels I've ever read, but I quickly grew to like the new look too, while Kristian 'CombatPlayer' Jensen provides another great soundtrack which is a generous bonus.”
“Quality OST and dialogue as always.”
“The music is simple but that's precisely why it's nice.”
“In all honesty, most of the episode is a major downgrade from the previous episode; the writing quality, characters, art, and soundtrack have dropped across the board.”
“The music is a continuous soundtrack throughout most of the game, with the odd addition of footsteps or world interaction - it gives the impression of a side project instead of a game the developers were truly hoping to make.”
“The music is simple, but that's precisely why it's nice.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics have received mixed feedback, with some users preferring the previous art style while acknowledging that the new presentation is consistent and visually appealing. The artwork, primarily created by rtil, is praised for its quality, though opinions vary on which art style is superior. Overall, the graphics maintain a high standard similar to the first episode.
“Its presentation is just as good as episode one; the art style, though new, is consistent throughout and easy to get used to.”
“Most of the art was done by rtil, who is an amazing artist. I also really liked the art from the first episode, and I'm still deciding which art style I like better.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability due to its kinetic visual novel format, which lacks branching paths and choices, resulting in a single linear experience that can be completed in about 90 minutes. Players may find little incentive to replay it, leading some to consider refunding after completion.
“Since it is a kinetic visual novel, there is no branching; hence, the replay value is nonexistent.”
“It took me exactly 90 minutes to play through this game (no choices, so little replayability), so if you want, you can just refund it afterward.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is perceived as tedious and disappointing, contributing to an overall lack of engagement with the visual novel.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and monotonous, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which quickly became frustrating.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience.”
