Gahkthun of the Golden Lightning

About

In the steam-powered world of 1908, Marseille Offshore Academia stands out as a massive artificial island and prestigious school, where advanced engine science is cultivated. This unique academia floats in a black sea, home to an unusual creature, and the city's harbor of Marseille, France, strives to coexist with this strange new world. Players will unravel mysteries and engage in battles while navigating the academia's politically-charged environment.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Gahkthun of the Golden Lightning screenshot

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 82 reviews

story30 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

Beautiful artwork and engaging, action-packed story with great localization.
Characters are well-written and charismatic, particularly the main characters Neon and Tesla.
The game features a unique storytelling style that focuses on character thoughts and feelings, making it immersive.

The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and unresponsive gameplay.
The story is linear with few meaningful choices, leading to a lack of depth and engagement.
Some characters are underdeveloped, and the repetitive dialogue can detract from the overall experience.

story
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
76%
2%
The story of this visual novel is engaging and action-packed, set in a unique steampunk world filled with vibrant characters and a blend of supernatural elements and romance. While it features a linear narrative with limited choices that primarily lead to one ending, the storytelling is praised for its depth and clever intertwining of smaller arcs within a larger plot. However, some readers may find certain character motivations revealed too late and the episodic nature of character arcs potentially unsatisfying.
- “The story revolves around a spoiled university student called Neon and a mysterious cool-headed and brave-hearted man claiming to be 70 years old and going by the name of Nikola Tesla as they solve episodic cases relating to the supernatural events in the game, notably triggered by the Bell of Gahkthun, which is able to grant a wish to the students of the academia.”
- “Once you get into this story, you'll be absorbing every little detail and won't be able to pull away.”
- “Gahkthun is one of the absolute best visual novels on Steam, and the Steam version is completely uncensored (the sex scenes are more part of the story rather than being pure smut like many adult VNs).”
- “This visual novel has a linear story, few inconsequential choices, and one ending overall.”
- “There are choices, but they don't influence the story; they only add bonus scenes if you choose correctly.”
- “The odd, pretentious writing in no way matches up with the anime tropes the story is littered with.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
28%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its strong, atmospheric tracks that enhance the storytelling, particularly in capturing the setting of 1900s France. However, others criticize the limited selection and repetitive nature of the soundtrack, which can become grating over extended playtime. Overall, while there are standout pieces, the music's impact varies significantly among players.
- “The music perfectly captures the feel of the setting and the atmosphere of the story in spite of the frequent re-use of many tracks.”
- “Music: yes, this game has good music... no, great music.”
- “Like I said, this game is set in 1900's France, and the music reflects that beautifully.”
- “The music selection is limited, so after listening to the same thing for 26 hours, your ears begin to grate.”
- “Uninspired music: the music, mostly symphonic in nature, is lackluster and fails to enhance the gaming experience.”
- “The soundtrack, while very short for the length of the game, is one of the best in the medium.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
27%
12%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork and unique art style that stands out from typical visual novels, featuring over 150 character graphics and a storybook-like presentation. However, some users criticize the artwork for being subpar and recycled, leading to a tedious visual experience. Overall, while the visuals are appreciated for their quality and distinctiveness, there are notable concerns regarding consistency and originality.
- “Beautiful artwork, engaging and action-packed story, romance, great localization - what's not to like about this one!”
- “+ [i]stellar[/i] artwork, and made even more apparent with the storybook-like placing of the character sprites and background images.”
- “The graphics are unique and, for me at least, refreshing compared to all the overly cutesy moe types that seem to make up most of the visual novel selection on Steam.”
- “Poor drawings and recycling: the artwork in the game is subpar and disappointingly recycled throughout the experience, making the visuals tedious.”
- “I personally find it not quite fitting with the aesthetic of the visual novel.”
- “Art style is reminiscent of the other Liar Soft games with sharp faces and slim/tall bodies.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is set against the vibrant backdrop of France during the "belle epoque," offering a refreshing contrast to the darker tones of previous titles. While the soundtrack may not be as memorable as that of earlier games, it effectively complements the setting and narrative, enhancing the overall experience despite some repetitive tracks.
- “If you are familiar with the previous games, it won't be much of a surprise to find out that the game is set in a pseudo-historical context: this time we feast our eyes on the magnificence of France in its utmost splendour of the 'Belle Époque', a fresh break from the pitch-black atmosphere of Sharnoth and Inganock.”
- “Admittedly, I find it less memorable than Sharnoth's soundtrack, but I still find it fitting to the visual novel's overall atmosphere.”
- “The music perfectly captures the feel of the setting and the atmosphere of the story in spite of the frequent re-use of many tracks.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players consistently highlight the game's profound emotional impact, describing it as beautiful and capable of evoking a wide range of feelings, from joy to heartbreak. Many express a deep connection to the narrative, often leading to tears and a desire for the experience to continue.
- “This game made me cry.”
- “It was beautiful, it was emotional, and I didn't want it to end.”
- “Succeeds at many genres; the episodes could be adorable, heartbreaking, horrifying, etc.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization has been criticized due to performance glitches, particularly with Steam compatibility, forcing some players to use the program directly for a smoother experience. Additionally, the character's lack of agency and poor deductive skills have been noted, suggesting that optimization issues may extend beyond technical performance to gameplay mechanics.
- “Due to a performance glitch with Steam's compatibility for it, I've had to play it directly through the program.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Character development is somewhat limited due to the structure of the narrative, which focuses on different characters in each chapter, preventing deeper exploration of individual arcs. However, the contrast between the vibrant character design and the bleak setting creates an intriguing dynamic that enhances the overall experience.
- “The vibrant character design and the relative bleakness of the setting may seem to be a weird combination at first, but it works.”
- “Each chapter focuses on a different character or characters, which doesn't allow for as much character development as I'd like.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay experience is significantly hindered by persistent technical issues, which users find disruptive and in need of urgent resolution.
- “Please fix the technical issue ASAP; it is disturbing throughout the gameplay.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players criticize the grinding aspect of the game for its repetitive and recycled artwork, which detracts from the overall visual experience and makes the gameplay feel tedious.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players consistently highlight the game's humor, noting that it effectively elicited laughter and provided an enjoyable comedic experience.
- “This game made me laugh.”