England Exchange
- May 5, 2017
- Hanabira
Get on Steam"England Exchange" is a romantic comedy visual novel where you play as a college student from New York, studying abroad in England. You'll live in a student hostel with people from around the world, and have the chance to pursue romances with eight different characters, regardless of gender. The choices you make will determine the outcome of the story.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful art and a diverse cast of characters, enhancing the visual experience.
- Some characters have well-developed backstories and flaws, making them feel more relatable and human.
- The option to choose between male and female protagonists allows for varied romantic experiences.
- The narrative is linear with limited meaningful choices, leading to a lack of engagement in the story.
- Many characters are portrayed as unlikable or clichéd, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The writing is often criticized for being poor, with some dialogues feeling forced and lacking depth.
- story46 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a significant divide in the game's storytelling quality, with some players finding the narrative engaging and emotionally impactful, particularly in titles like "England Exchange," while others criticize the lack of meaningful choices and depth, describing the stories as bland or poorly executed. Many players express disappointment over the limited interactivity and predictable character arcs, leading to a feeling of wasted potential in what could have been a compelling visual novel experience. Overall, while some appreciate the emotional resonance and character variety, others find the storytelling lacking and unworthy of its price.
“The story is well-written and there are an abundance of choices that you have to make over the course of the narrative that can affect the outcome.”
“All in all, England Exchange manages to put forth a worthy effort presentation-wise for this enjoyable and entertaining story.”
“This is a good game, the story is interesting and you get a good variety of characters to romance as either male or female.”
“The narrative is completely set in stone, with no relevant dialog choices, not even a few to splash some flavor into the story.”
“The story is boring, the content is lame, the dialogues are flat and uninspired, the characters are predictable stereotypes, and the few choices you actually have to influence the story are plain stupid.”
“I really tried to give this game a chance, but the story is boring and offers no actual choices aside from very few occasions.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the visual novel has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it unmemorable and repetitive, leading to a desire to turn it off. However, others appreciated the soundtrack enough to stick with it, noting that it complements the game despite its limited variety. Overall, while the music serves its purpose, it lacks the engagement and quality that would elevate the experience.
“A nice little visual novel if you like the theme 'young university guy learns about other people' and some rock music.”
“Oh and the soundtrack is super good.”
“I often swap in my own music for games, but I stuck with the soundtrack for this one.”
“The music probably didn't help because there really aren't that many tracks, so with that going in your ear, it tends to make you want to turn it off.”
“The music is a bit... boring.”
“The art is passable, the music is a really poor choice, and the writing is the worst.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their gorgeous art style and well-designed characters, with many reviewers appreciating the variety of backgrounds. However, some criticism arises due to the limited number of unique character graphics per route, leading to a sense of repetitiveness. Overall, while the artwork is considered good, there are mixed feelings about its depth and originality.
“The art style is truly gorgeous, not only for the great looking characters but also the various backgrounds of the many places that you visit as you travel around London.”
“The artwork of the characters was fine.”
“Really nice art style.”
“One CG per route, so the artwork gets a bit repetitive.”
“If you were to buy some untalented 2D artwork collection for half the price of this 'game', and started up your favorite game development tool for utter newbies, you could produce the same trash within one weekend.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, particularly the adult options that elicit genuine laughter. However, some players feel that the routes are rushed and lack intimate descriptions, which detracts from the overall comedic experience. Additionally, the predictable nature of certain choices, like those at the beach, adds a layer of humor but may also feel limiting.
“The adult options are hilarious; I laughed the first time I tried them.”
“I found it funny that you always went one route for most of the choices at the beach, despite their names being there.”
“The humor in the game is spot on, making even the simplest interactions entertaining.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its lack of depth, with many users expressing disappointment over the limited mechanics and absence of meaningful choices. Players expected more interactive elements, such as managing daily activities like studying and exercising, to enhance the experience.
“The gameplay focuses solely on choices, allowing players to shape their own narrative.”
“I was hoping for more mechanics to enhance the experience, like scheduling study or exercise days.”
“In a lot of ways, it felt like there wasn't a lot of gameplay, and that was kind of lame; there were plenty of places where a choice would have been fantastic to have.”
“Choice-only gameplay.”
“Since there was school and a job, I was sort of hoping that there would be more mechanics - study this day, exercise that day, etc.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "England Exchange" is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong, often negative feelings in players, indicating the effectiveness of its writing and storytelling. Many reviewers felt deeply impacted by the narrative, suggesting that certain endings warranted further exploration.
“The game was quite an emotional ride; it made me experience strong, often negative feelings, but I believe that only means the writing was great. The message of the story didn't leave me indifferent.”
“Some endings made me feel like they deserved a continuation.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in this game is perceived as lacking, as it is part of a sub-brand rather than a main title from Hanako Games, leading to less depth in characters and their personalities. However, some players express a personal bias towards the developer's style, which may influence their acceptance of the plot twists and character arcs.
“The character development in this game is truly impressive, with each character feeling unique and well-rounded.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
“The depth of the characters and their backstories adds so much richness to the overall experience.”
“This isn't actually a 'proper' Hanako game; it's part of the sub-brand, so the setup, characters, and personalities aren't what I'd normally expect because they weren't developed by Hanako's devs.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks the depth I was hoping for, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I found the characters to be one-dimensional, and their growth throughout the game was minimal, leaving me disappointed.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, indicating that it detracts from their overall enjoyment and makes the experience feel tedious rather than engaging.
“I've been grinding my teeth, trying to at least get through the game, which is already not a good thing, considering why we play games in the first place.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the replayability of the game appealing, particularly due to the opportunity to uncover additional backstories, which enhances their overall experience and encourages multiple playthroughs.
“I look forward to discovering more backstories.”
“The game offers so many different choices that each playthrough feels unique.”
“With multiple endings and character paths, I can't wait to dive back in and explore.”
“Replayability is lacking; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
“The game feels linear, and after finishing it once, I don't see much reason to replay it.”
“While the story is engaging, the lack of different choices means replaying it feels redundant.”
