Flowers Blooming at the End of Summer
- February 26, 2021
- MidnightWorks
Get on Steam"Flowers Blooming at the End of Summer" is a "cinematic visual novel" game that features a dramatic story and elegant illustrations. The game uses enhanced visuals and animations to tell the tale of a ghost girl who appears and asks the player to erase her existence. As the player helps the ghost uncover her past, she begins to blend into the player's everyday life. The game boasts over 500 high-quality cutscenes, catchy original soundtrack, and a heartwarming and emotional story hidden behind cute illustrations.
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Reviews
- The game features stunning visuals, captivating music, and well-developed characters that create an emotional and immersive experience.
- The story is intriguing and bittersweet, resonating deeply with players and leaving a lasting impact.
- Despite being a visual novel with limited gameplay, the writing and character depth make it feel more like an engaging narrative than a traditional game.
- The lack of an official English translation makes it difficult for non-Korean speakers to fully appreciate the story and characters.
- Some players find the pacing slow, particularly in the early parts of the game, which can lead to feelings of disconnection from the narrative.
- Critics argue that the game lacks substantial gameplay elements, feeling more like an e-book than a traditional visual novel.
- story17 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The story of this visual novel is praised for its captivating and bittersweet narrative, complemented by beautiful visuals, music, and character design. While some players found the linear storyline engaging and emotionally impactful, others struggled with language barriers, highlighting the need for better translations to fully appreciate the plot. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, leaving a lasting emotional impression on players.
“So if you're a fan of bittersweet stories, treat yourself to this cozy visual novel. Enjoy the voiced characters, nice music, artworks, and an interesting supernatural story.”
“Everything from the gorgeous music to the beautiful art and character design to the captivating story and tear-inducing ending makes it a masterpiece.”
“This visual novel definitely made me feel emotional at the end as the buildup of the story pays off.”
“For my disappointment, I don't understand it; that's why I tried to beat the game by using a translator. That helped me understand half of the story.”
“As I said before - without story and context - it's nothing, just a little part of an art piece.”
“This has been one hell of a bittersweet story, so much so that I wish there were an English version and wider audiences would be able to experience what I felt.”
- music7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the storytelling, with many reviewers highlighting its beautiful, nostalgic melodies that complement the visuals and narrative. The soundtrack is described as amazing and integral to the overall experience, contributing to the game's bittersweet atmosphere and emotional impact. However, some users feel that while the music is enjoyable, it may not fully convey the game's deeper themes on its own.
“Everything from the gorgeous music to the beautiful art and character design to the captivating story and tear-inducing ending, it's a masterpiece.”
“Not only the visuals are great, the soundtrack of this game is just amazing.”
“The captivating stream-of-consciousness performance, melancholy music that leaves one feeling nostalgic, delicate portrayal of everyday emotions, lonely ghostly girl, all of these beautiful elements come together in this work to show us a love that lasts until death.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their stunning art style and quality, which significantly enhance the overall experience. Coupled with excellent voice acting and a captivating soundtrack, the visuals contribute to an engaging and emotionally resonant storytelling experience, making it a worthwhile investment for fans of the genre.
“Stunning visuals and well-done voice acting - all of this for the low price of 49 cents.”
“Art style is stunning!”
“Not even to mention the emotional soundtrack and the great visuals!”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game delivers a profound emotional impact that players find difficult to replicate, with a story that builds to a heart-wrenching conclusion. Its pure romance, combined with an evocative soundtrack and stunning visuals, creates a deeply moving experience that resonates strongly with those who appreciate emotionally charged narratives.
“I don't think I could ever play this again because the emotional impact this game has put on me would be impossible to replicate by any other source in a lifetime.”
“This visual novel definitely made me feel emotional at the end as the build-up of the story pays off.”
“The romance is so pure and heart-breaking.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a visual/interactive novel format that involves minimal interaction, mainly consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue. Players may find the experience lacking in engaging gameplay elements, raising concerns about the quality of the writing.
“At the time of writing the review, I have not finished the game just yet. To be precise, I've unlocked 5 out of 9 achievements, which suggests that I'm somewhere in the latter half of the gameplay. However, I've really just been playing for around 9 hours, as I sometimes kept the game on while being AFK.”
“As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development as a standout feature, highlighting its integration with the game's beautiful art, music, and compelling narrative, which culminates in an emotionally impactful ending.
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character's journey.”
“I was amazed at how the characters evolved throughout the game, making their struggles and triumphs feel personal and impactful.”
“Each character's backstory is rich and well-crafted, adding layers to their personalities and making their growth throughout the game truly rewarding.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game effectively enhances its emotional depth, with a seamless integration of captivating performances, melancholic music, and delicate storytelling that evokes nostalgia and resonates with the themes of enduring love.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where each sentence requires a click to advance, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative.
“Visual novels and e-books can be tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you've ever read, whether it's 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', '2001: A Space Odyssey', or even 'Twilight' (if you have terrible taste in literature). Now, translate that into a format where the words dribble out, and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence instead of just turning the pages.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged. It often feels like I'm just going through the motions without any real sense of progress.”
“I find the grinding mechanics to be a major drawback. Instead of enjoying the story or gameplay, I feel like I'm stuck in a loop, constantly performing the same tasks over and over again.”
