Gakuen Club
- May 9, 2017
- OperaHouse Corporation
Get on Steam"Gakuen Club" is a Japanese visual novel game that follows the story of the protagonist, who transfers to a new school and joins the school's drama club. The game features multiple character routes, each with their own unique stories and romance options. Players will make choices throughout the game that will affect the outcome of the story and their relationships with the other characters. The game is fully voiced in Japanese and features beautiful illustrations.
Nintendo Switch
PC
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- The art and voice acting are beautiful, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
- Each love interest has a unique story, providing varied experiences across different routes.
- The game offers a light and entertaining narrative, making it a pleasant break from more intense otome games.
- The gameplay is limited with very few choices, making it feel more like a kinetic novel than an interactive experience.
- The storylines are often predictable and formulaic, lacking depth and engagement.
- The game is considered overpriced for the amount of content and replayability it offers.
- story42 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story is generally described as enjoyable but simplistic, featuring a main character, Akane, navigating a prestigious school while serving at a secret night cafe. Each of the six love interests has a unique backstory, but many reviewers find the overall plot predictable and trope-heavy, often feeling repetitive across different routes. While the art and voice acting are praised, the lack of interactivity and depth in the narrative leads some to suggest it may not be worth the full price.
“The main character named Akane, the characters you can choose from for the route, I love seeing that each male character has their own personal story.”
“The storylines were interesting, the characters were unique, the art and voices were lovely, but I couldn't help feeling the romance just didn't hit the mark for me.”
“I personally loved this one and enjoyed the storylines and characters across the board.”
“The story is so simple and cliché.”
“The storyline for each route pretty much goes: guy meets girl > girl is curious about guy > girl watches (stalks) him while she should be working > girl finds out guy has a problem > girl tries to help guy > guy ends up liking girl because she's worried about him.”
“Every route repeats the same story pattern, and the story is so plain that you can see this kind of story in every shojo manga or soap opera.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with good background scores and clear voice acting, though some players find it repetitive and occasionally mismatched with the scene's mood. While the overall quality is appreciated, there are concerns about the music's uniqueness and the game's value relative to its price.
“The arts, music, and story are all good.”
“The CGs, sprites, and backgrounds are all lovely, and so is the background music.”
“Background music is well done, and the voice actors were clear and articulate, though at times it seems like there was a slight echo to them.”
“Repetitive music, nothing special even for Renji's route where he played several piano pieces.”
“It's a nice game, but it's full of tropes and it's too expensive in my opinion for what you get. The amount of money spent on voice acting, art, and music aside, the story doesn't feel interactive enough even with six romance options to justify the steep price tag.”
“Background music is well done and the voice actors were clear and articulate, though at times it seems like there was a slight echo to them.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for feeling overly guided, with players feeling that the game makes too many decisions for them. Additionally, the lack of a skip button is seen as a negative, potentially extending gameplay without adding value, leading to a mixed reception regarding the game's mechanics. Overall, it appears that many players do not find the gameplay justifies its price point.
“Game mechanics 3/5”
“It's like the game is deciding half of the gameplay for us.”
“Gameplay-wise, I don't really think this game is worth $30.”
“I guess the lack of a skip button could make the gameplay a little longer, but that's not really a good thing.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their beautiful art style and stunning visuals, contributing to an overall appealing aesthetic. Additionally, the quality of voice acting enhances the immersive experience.
“The art style is really pretty and the voice acting is amazing.”
“Pretty visuals”
“The artworks are beautiful.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the developers' efforts in creating a strong emotional anchor through the character, highlighting her role as a pivotal and relatable figure within the group dynamic.
“I actually didn't mind since this time around I felt the devs did a great job of making her an emotional touchstone and the rocky foundation of the group.”
