Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms
- July 3, 2007
- Mithis Games
- 20h median play time
In "Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms," a visual novel steamed-based game with elements of romance and historical fiction, players continue the journey of Chizuru Yukimura, who searches for her missing father while working with the Shinsengumi warriors in Edo during the final year of the Bakumatsu Period. This game is a sequel to "Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds" and features new characters, love interests, and dramatic events. Experience the continuation of Chizuru's adventures and navigate the challenges of love and loyalty in this immersive and engaging storyline.
Reviews
- Challenging gameplay that requires strategic thinking and careful planning.
- Beautiful graphics and immersive sound design that hold up well even today.
- Engaging storyline with memorable characters and a unique tactical combat system.
- Steep learning curve with insufficient tutorialization, making it difficult for new players to grasp mechanics.
- AI can be erratic, leading to frustrating moments where ships do not follow commands effectively.
- Some missions can feel unfairly difficult, requiring multiple restarts to find the right strategy.
- story446 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Nexus: The Jupiter Incident" is generally well-received, featuring a captivating narrative that combines elements of classic sci-fi with engaging character arcs and mission variety. While some players find the plot predictable and linear, the immersive storytelling, solid voice acting, and the strategic depth of the missions contribute to an overall enjoyable experience. However, the game is noted for its challenging gameplay, which can lead to frustration due to mission design and the necessity of specific ship configurations to succeed.
“With its gripping storyline, strategic depth, and immersive gameplay, this game offers an experience that is truly unforgettable.”
“The story is well done and keeps you interested, wondering what comes next.”
“The story is actually pretty engaging and once things get going you quite easily end up with the 'just one more mission' effect.”
“The story is stupid and puts you up against random enemies for no other reason than 'the angry guy in the speech bubble said they don't like you.' I decided to just give up when it refused to let me finish a mission.”
“The plot is pretty thin and disjointed, which makes one wonder why there was so much time and effort spent shoving it down the player's throat.”
“The story feels a bit rushed and the characters, although impressive, are not memorable.”
- gameplay110 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Nexus: The Jupiter Incident" is characterized by its deep tactical mechanics and strategic depth, offering players a unique experience in space RTS. While the game features a steep learning curve and some outdated mechanics, many players find the immersive gameplay and ship customization options rewarding, despite occasional jank and difficulty spikes. Overall, it is praised for its engaging combat system and visual appeal, making it a standout title in the genre, though some players note that it can feel slow and repetitive at times.
“With its gripping storyline, strategic depth, and immersive gameplay, this game offers an experience that is truly unforgettable.”
“At its core, Nexus: The Jupiter Incident excels in delivering a unique and captivating gameplay experience that sets it apart from other space RTS titles.”
“The gameplay is simply brilliant.”
“The gameplay is terribly bland.”
“The game is brutally punishing, omitting key details and not explaining critical mechanics which will leave you frustrated and restarting simple missions over and over.”
“However, gameplay is extremely slow, it feels like forever just to destroy one ship.”
- graphics100 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game, while impressive at launch in 2004, show signs of aging but still manage to hold up reasonably well by today's standards. Many players appreciate the beautiful ship designs and atmospheric visuals, noting that they remain appealing even years later, especially with potential enhancements from mods. Overall, the game's graphical fidelity is often praised as a standout feature, contributing positively to the overall experience despite some limitations in texture and model detail.
“Amazing mechanics and graphics for a 20 year old game coming from a very unknown company.”
“The graphics are still great and it is probably one of the 3D games that from this point of view has aged better.”
“For 2004, the visuals are brilliant, providing excellent effects for various weaponry and a massive amount of attention-to-detail on weapon and ship systems.”
“The graphics really don't hold up well either... everything is super pixelated, and all the models are like 100 triangles each, but that's not anything I would deduct points from the game for.”
“Graphics look really old, but playability seems to be still very high.”
“I really wanted to love this game, despite the outdated graphics and UI.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive world-building, stunning visuals, and realistic space combat mechanics, creating a captivating experience that draws players in. Many reviewers highlight the game's intriguing premise and the quality of cutscenes and dialogue, which enhance the overall ambiance. However, some note that while the atmosphere is strong, the gameplay can become tedious, detracting from the initial engagement.
“They put a lot of effort into the world building as well, long introductory sequence into the characters and their version of the future, plus plenty of information and timelines that you can access before every mission, really helps with the atmosphere.”
“Space has never looked this beautiful, from the asteroids you pass by to the ripples in your shields when they get struck everything in this game oozes atmosphere.”
“It is a stunningly atmospheric game with highly complex, yet easy to use space combat.”
“Overall, I was pulled in a bit by the story and atmosphere, but once the missions started, my interest faded fast.”
“And atmosphere is still 'realistic'.”
“Large scale space battles, realistic atmosphere, a B-level story that invests you, and original customizable warships.”
- music13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting its quality and ability to elevate the storytelling and gameplay. While some find the soundtrack a bit repetitive and wish for more variety, others appreciate certain epic tracks and the immersive sound design. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere, making it a noteworthy aspect despite some minor criticisms.
“The sound design, music, and voice acting elevate the experience even more.”
“The music, voice acting, and story are top notch and worthy of a space operatic novel.”
“The music and graphics really beautify the experience, so you should give it a try!”
“I also wish the game's soundtrack was a bit more extensive, but for most people that's a minor gripe.”
“Graphics and music are a tad dated.”
“The music, the voice acting, and the story are top notch and worthy of a space operatic novel.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is commendable, maintaining beautiful graphics and smooth performance even on older hardware, with recent patches enabling higher resolutions. Players appreciate the immersive soundscape and solid voice acting, while the gameplay demands tactical micromanagement and strategic control of multiple ships. Overall, it runs well on modern systems without significant issues like crashes or stuttering.
“Anyhow, to keep control of your fleet, you can influence AI performance in two distinct ways: ship behavior and ship orders.”
“- Combat requires heavy pausing and micromanagement to get the best performance out of every ship.”
“You're expected to command multiple ships, if not an entire fleet, memorize any and all weapon systems and their unique strengths as well as weaknesses, be mindful of the combat performance of every single vessel, and remain in control of your forces throughout the entire battle, reacting to the situation as it develops and other things expected of a skilled tactician.”
“I bought the original CD pack and played for some time, but due to having a low-performance PC, it soon got abandoned.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly during late campaign missions where new mechanics feel cumbersome and repetitive. The initial excitement of dynamic gameplay often devolves into a monotonous cycle of trial and error, making battles feel unnecessarily prolonged and less engaging. Overall, while some enjoy the decision-making elements, many feel that the grind detracts from the overall experience.
“No tedious base building, no resources to collect, just pure decision-action-reaction.”
“It can be a bit grindy at times, but it adds to the overall experience.”
“It's just too tedious and unforgiving, especially the points system.”
“Late campaign missions that do introduce new mechanics become tedious, and many mechanics will not work from one level to the next.”
“Then clicking and unclicking the modules that were once an awesome dynamic to the battlefield now feels like a tedious chore that prolongs a battle longer than it needs to be.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting numerous bugs and crashes that hinder the overall experience. While some acknowledge that the issues are not as severe as those in newer titles, the frequent glitches and the need for troubleshooting make it difficult to recommend without reservations.
“What a shame - there's a great game here, but it's very buggy and crashes too much to recommend.”
“I really hope they make a remake of this with a more balanced and less buggy game.”
“Be warned though, there are some bugs/glitches that show up after playing for a long session.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players noting a mix of funny moments and an interesting story that adds to the overall enjoyment. While some found it hilariously fun, others pointed out inconsistencies, such as the misleading portrayal of Jupiter's role in the plot. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the game's atmosphere and appeal.
“One of the best games in my library. I owned the disk and now have it on Steam. It's really funny for me, at least, with a lot of atmosphere. I prefer this title over Battlestar or Gothic Armada 1 & 2.”
“Interesting and sometimes funny story, decent graphics, nice planets and ship models.”
“I mean seriously, it's hilariously fun.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players enjoyed the unique multiplayer configurations and found value in trying harder difficulty levels or completing missed objectives, others felt the linear campaign and lack of achievements diminished their desire to replay. The presence of mods adds some replay value, but many players agree that once the campaign is completed, there is limited incentive to return.
“Back when it was released, multiplayer was quite amazing with the many different servers and configurations users would choose, such as one ship per pilot, or which ships were playable on that server. Each made for a unique and fun experience in its own way.”
“The campaign is fun, and the replay value, considering all the mods, is very good.”
“Replayability: 5 - the game campaign is based on linear missions, and once you've played the campaign, the only real reason to start over is to try a harder difficulty setting, complete hard secondary objectives you missed, or simply to blow stuff out of the sky.”
“To me, this game has no replay value, but I had fun nonetheless.”
“No achievements hurt the replay value for me. I never felt like I wanted to try out different difficulty levels once I'd finished it.”
“Replayability: 5 - the game campaign is based on linear missions, and once you played the campaign, the only real reason to start over is to try a harder difficulty setting, complete hard secondary objectives you missed, or simply to blow stuff out of the sky.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game resonates deeply with some players, evoking nostalgia and appreciation for its craftsmanship, while others find the story lacking and the gameplay confusing, leading to a mixed emotional response. Overall, the game's potential and impact are recognized, but frustrations with certain elements can overshadow the experience for some.
“My score is: 100/10 because after so many years, touching this game again just made me realize how much I appreciate it for its craft!”
“An exceptional game way before its time and with so much future potential that may go unrealized, it's heartbreaking.”
“Meh... boring story... confusing gameplay and controls. I pick up games pretty quick, and this one just didn't click.”