Familiar Travels: Volume One

About

"Familiar Travels: Volume One" is a single-player, open-world fantasy game with an intriguing story that offers around 14 hours of playtime. After receiving an acceptance letter to a school of magic despite having no magical experience, you will encounter and interact with various character types and personalities inspired by modern-day individuals in this game heavily influenced by the internet culture.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 88 reviews

story20 positive mentions

stability12 negative mentions

Familiar Travels features a captivating story and well-developed characters that players can grow attached to, making for an immersive experience.
The art style is visually appealing, with detailed backgrounds and expressive character designs that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
The game offers a unique open-world structure that allows players to explore different scenes and character routes, providing a high level of replayability.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including bugs, typos, and inconsistent character interactions that can disrupt the narrative flow.
The open-world format can lead to confusion, as players may miss critical events or information without a guide, making it difficult to follow character arcs.
Some players may find the adult themes and suggestive content off-putting, which could limit the game's appeal to a broader audience.

story
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
63%
5%
The story of "Familiar Travels" is praised for its depth, creativity, and engaging character interactions, with players noting that it unfolds gradually and requires multiple playthroughs to fully appreciate. While some found the narrative compelling and emotionally resonant, others expressed disappointment in certain character arcs and the pacing, suggesting that the game can feel aimless at times. Overall, the combination of rich storytelling and vibrant artwork makes it a recommended experience for fans of visual novels, despite some technical issues.
- “Familiar Travels is a well-written masterpiece, with a deep storyline, complex relations, self-issues, and deep interactions between one another.”
- “A fantastic story with good themes and morals to really sink your teeth into!”
- “The characters are real, have real problems, interact with the world and story in a real way, and honestly, it does not feel scripted or forced.”
- “The game starts off promising, but unfortunately, it becomes worse as the story progresses in volume two.”
- “Not only do they detract you from the story, but a few of their designs are way too horny, off-putting, and do not fit in at all.”
- “The story seems aimless and boring at times; at least have a more linear mode or an easy mode for people who want a more streamlined set of options to choose from to make things less boring.”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it enjoyable and well-suited to the themes, particularly in the second part where the soundtrack improves. However, others criticize the first volume's music as repetitive and annoying, especially due to unskippable tracks that detract from the experience. Overall, while there are standout pieces, the inconsistency in quality and the presence of frustrating elements like unskippable songs leave some players disappointed.
- “The music is great.”
- “Music: the music is phenomenal, no bad tracks and every track matched the theme it was going for.”
- “The great backgrounds and music just add to the growing world, and the artists, writers, and developers have done an amazing job here.”
- “Though coding and scenes aren't its strong suit due to the buggy menus, inconsistent backgrounds, and character sprites, the music (at least for the first volume) is pretty bad and can get tiresome to hear for a long period of time.”
- “Then comes the parts that are entirely not skippable, like the awful chiptune music scene with terrible vocals upon completing Nil's ending... why is the text skippable by rapidly clicking but those cutscenes aren't?”
- “Bugs were still in the game; I went to the gallery and played a scene causing me to be stuck on the victory day song because I couldn't skip.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
43%
14%
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their vibrant and consistent artwork, particularly the character designs by renowned furry artist gillpanda, which resonate well with fans of anthropomorphic art. While the art style is generally well-received, some players express personal preferences against it, and there are calls for more animation and polish in the graphics. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature that enhances the immersive experience of the game.
- “The character artwork is done by none other than my personal favorite furry artist, gillpanda, so if you're a huge fan of his artwork whether on DeviantArt, FurAffinity, or any other website that showcases his incredible artwork, you'll fall in love with the designs of these characters.”
- “This is a fantastic indie game, with a plethora of story to devour, and vibrant artwork that makes the world come alive.”
- “The art style just makes me want to jump into this world and live there.”
- “I didn't like the art style, but that is a personal preference.”
- “They still need to fix some things in the UI, the graphics need more animation, and the story seems aimless and boring at times.”
- “The graphics go from 8-bit to still art decently well, but more of those 8-bit scenes and some more animation would be nice.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is frequently criticized due to numerous glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay and immersion, with some players experiencing game-breaking issues. However, many reviewers note that the developers are actively working on patches to address these problems, and despite the technical shortcomings, the core story and artwork are praised as strong points. Overall, while stability remains a concern, players are encouraged to save often and remain hopeful for improvements.
- “Though coding and scenes aren't its strong suit due to the buggy menus, inconsistent backgrounds, and character sprites, the music (at least for the first volume) is pretty bad and can get tiresome to hear for a long period of time. It would be great if they remastered the game and added extra content such as post-game content for the characters or alternative endings, nonetheless, a good experience to play through that some could relate to.”
- “There are glitches, so I would say save often to not lose your progress. Some endings will glitch out and become unachievable, so I do like the novel mode because it lets you access the true ending.”
- “Won't even start up after I was forced to force quit the game; not worth the money for a game this buggy.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by an open world structure that can lead to inconsistencies, though some players appreciate the unique travel mechanics and choice systems. While it may not offer extensive gameplay elements, it provides an enjoyable experience, especially for newcomers to the visual novel genre. Overall, the gameplay may be best experienced in novel mode for a more streamlined approach.
- “Honestly, one of the best visual novels I've played. I also really liked the travel mechanic; it made things a bit different.”
- “Ft takes a slightly less familiar route with its choice mechanics than other games of the genre that I'm aware of.”
- “While the game is labeled as 'open world,' this structure introduces several issues that make the gameplay feel inconsistent.”
- “The open world setting doesn't mechanically work very well sometimes; novel mode is probably what you want to do the first time around, though I have not actually tried it yet.”
- “Not much in terms of 'gameplay,' but for my first visual novel, I had a great time.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game features appealing character designs and an interesting world, with a distinct visual style that stands out, particularly in its furry character aesthetics. While the characters seem promising, there are concerns about potential clichéd drama arising from their archetypes. Overall, the character development appears to be a highlight, though gameplay issues may hinder deeper engagement.
- “It has nice characters, an interesting world, and the art style is amazing. In a game like this, it is refreshing that the character you control is a human being.”
- “The game looks fantastic, and I do think the artists behind it did a fantastic job at the character designs and general look of the game.”
- “The art is beautiful, and for all I know, the characters might be interesting. However, judging by the character archetypes and the magical technocratic state they set up in the background in the first two and a half days, I'm inclined to believe these bright, soft character designs will give way to maudlin drama quickly enough. I'm still unable to play this game because every time I sit with it, I find myself grinding against some foolish choice the developers made or some bug.”
- “That said, so far it seems like a pretty widely branching visual novel with a distinct flavor of furry character designs.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively balances fun and humor with impactful emotional moments, leaving players with a strong desire to continue exploring its character routes. The characters resonate deeply, serving as heartfelt tributes to the community while delivering both lighthearted and serious experiences.
- “The whole game left me wanting to play more and had a decent amount of emotional impact on me.”
- “It has a good balance of fun events and good humor alongside more raw emotional moments and seriousness; the characters are really great homages to the community.”
- “Character routes are also touching, with some very cheeky scenes here and there.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in Chapter 2 enhances the overall experience, providing amusing moments that contribute to the narrative, though they are not essential for achieving the proper endings. While some players found themselves laughing at various scenes, the humor complements the story rather than overshadowing it.
- “Chapter 2 is definitely required for the full experience; luckily, the funny scenes aren't necessary for the proper endings if you're not into that.”
- “I found myself laughing at parts while also feeling like I truly belonged in the story.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, citing repetitive loops that hinder progress and lead to a tedious experience. Despite the appealing art and potential character depth, the frequent setbacks due to design choices and bugs detract significantly from enjoyment.
- “The art is beautiful, and the characters might be interesting, but I find myself grinding against some foolish choice the developers made or some bug every time I try to play.”
- “The game loops a lot; you play through a scene, and instead of moving you forward, it puts you back either at the beginning of the same day or right back at the start of the scene, making forward progress through the game somewhere between tedious and impossible.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
The game offers significant replayability, as players can explore different character paths and storylines that reveal unique details and experiences. Focusing on one character limits the narrative, encouraging players to replay the game to uncover the plots of other characters and friends.
- “Plenty of replayability.”
- “You don't get all the details following one path—by focusing on one character like I did, the replayability to see what your other friends are getting up to and witnessing their own plots unfold is really there.”
- “You don't get all the details following one path - by focusing on one character like I did, the replayability to see what your other friends are getting up to and seeing their own plots unfold is really there.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere is characterized by a fun and engaging environment, complemented by charming characters and strong world-building that enhances the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with lovely characters and excellent world-building.”
- “The game creates a fun and engaging atmosphere that draws you in.”
- “The rich atmosphere enhances the overall experience, making every moment feel alive.”