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Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation

72%Game Brain Score
story, music
replayability, grinding
76% User Score Based on 46 reviews

Platforms

Mac OSMac OSPCPCWindowsWindowsLinuxLinux
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About

"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.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation screenshot
Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation screenshot
Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation screenshot
Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation screenshot
Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation screenshot
Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation screenshot

76%
Audience ScoreBased on 46 reviews
story10 positive mentions
replayability2 negative mentions
  • The game provides interesting world-building and character introductions that may appeal to fans of the original Dysfunctional Systems.
  • The music quality is high and reminiscent of the first episode, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Despite its short length, the game offers some engaging moments and intriguing philosophical themes.
  • The art style is a significant downgrade from the first episode, with many characters and backgrounds lacking the quality and detail fans expected.
  • The writing is often dull and feels like an info dump, failing to engage players or develop the characters meaningfully.
  • The overall experience is too short and lacks a compelling plot, making it feel more like a teaser than a standalone game.
  • story
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Dysfunctional Systems: Orientation" serves as a prologue that explores Winter Harrison's initial experiences at mediator school, providing background and world-building for future episodes. While it offers some intriguing insights into the setting and characters, many reviewers found the narrative dull, repetitive, and lacking a compelling plot, often feeling like an info-dump rather than a fully realized story. Despite its shortcomings, the episode is appreciated for its potential to expand the overarching narrative and for its engaging music and art.

    • “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.”
    • “Everything else is a dry, uninspiring text dump that I honestly couldn't bring myself to read half of because the story gave no compelling reason to care.”
    • “The slice-of-life conflict can't by necessity deliver, and there is no internal struggle to speak of within Winter, leaving her a fairly unengaged character, and thus us a fairly unengaged audience.”
  • music
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising it as excellent and on par with the first installment, while others feel it falls short and lacks memorability. Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack is continuous and well-produced, enhancing the overall experience, but some criticized it for feeling more like a side project rather than a fully realized game. Overall, while the music is generally appreciated, it does not consistently reach the heights of previous titles in the series.

    • “The music is excellent and helps the player get through the exposition-heavy story of this installment.”
    • “The music is how I remember playing in previous Dischan visual novels, even in episode 1.”
    • “The artwork is different but good and the music is incredible.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics have undergone a noticeable change in art style compared to the previous episode, with mixed opinions from users who find the new style good but prefer the original. While some appreciate the consistency and evolution of the current art, others feel it takes time to adjust. Overall, the presentation remains strong, complemented by impressive music and storytelling.

    • “Despite that, I fully expect the art style of the current artist to continue to evolve and mature as he works on further episodes.”
    • “Its presentation is just as good as episode one; the art style, though new, is consistent throughout and easy to get used to.”
    • “The artwork is different but good, and the music is incredible.”
    • “There's a noticeable change in the art style compared to episode 1, and while not terrible and I can get used to it, I still would prefer the first one.”
    • “So what we're left with is an entirely different art style that might take some getting used to.”
    • “The artwork is a little different compared to when Dischan released episode 1 a few years ago.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 finishing.

    • “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.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is noted for its solid design, though it lacks the charm of the first episode. While the characters share similar builds, their distinct colorful details help differentiate them effectively.

    • “While the character design doesn't have the enchantingly endearing style of the ones in episode 1, you have to admit that it is very solid.”
    • “The character design is actually pretty great—the girls are all built a little too similarly, but everyone has more than enough colorful details to set them apart.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is noted to be underdeveloped, lacking in heavy moments that could elevate the experience. However, the few emotional scenes present are effectively enhanced, leaving a positive impression despite the overall potential not being fully realized.

    • “Despite that, it did well in enhancing the few emotional moments this short game has.”
  • grinding
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users find the grinding aspect of the game to be disappointing and tedious, suggesting that it detracts significantly from the overall experience.

    • “I don't think disappointment even begins to cover this brief and tedious visual novel.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and utterly uninspired, making the gameplay a chore rather than a challenge.”
    • “After hours of repetitive tasks, I found myself questioning why I was still playing.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features a blend of new artwork, impressive music, and an engaging story, complemented by a touch of humor that adds to the overall experience.

    • “It has some new artwork and sprites, amazing music and story, and a little humor alongside.”

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