Headliner: NoviNews

About

Headliner: NoviNews is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Unbound Creations and was released on October 23, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

In "Headliner: NoviNews," you play as a newspaper headliner, deciding which stories to approve or reject in a series of morally ambiguous scenarios. Your choices shape the world of Novistan and impact the lives of its citizens, while also affecting your personal relationships. The game explores themes of censorship, propaganda, and the consequences of media bias.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 468 reviews

story55 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Engaging story with multiple endings that encourage replayability.
Choices have significant consequences, affecting both the world and the characters.
Interesting concept that explores the influence of media on public opinion.

Gameplay can feel repetitive after multiple playthroughs.
Some choices lack nuance, often leading to extreme outcomes.
The game may feel short for its price, with some players desiring more content.

story
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
60%
2%
The game's story is praised for its engaging and branching narrative, allowing players to experience multiple outcomes based on their choices, which enhances replayability. While some reviews note that the story can feel linear or predictable at times, many appreciate the depth of character development and the moral dilemmas presented throughout the gameplay. Overall, it is considered a compelling narrative experience that effectively explores themes of media influence and societal impact.
- “This game has a huge replayability value, a really well written story and characters that you get attached to and care for.”
- “The story is engaging, and every decision does make a difference.”
- “Headliner: Novinews is an engaging, interesting game with a rich story, and what you publish as a national news editor truly impacts the world around you.”
- “The writing is poor and the information and options you are given are not conducive to any sort of challenging, interesting, or rational decision-making.”
- “The story is ultimately pretty linear, making it hard to take seriously, and the characters feel like one-dimensional sock puppets.”
- “In trying to craft a story that highlights the dangers of media gone awry, the game only allows the most extreme results to be portrayed.”
replayability
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
40%
6%
Overall, the game exhibits a strong replayability factor, with many players highlighting the enjoyment of exploring different narrative paths and outcomes. While some reviews note a linear structure that may limit depth, the variety of endings and character interactions encourage multiple playthroughs. Many users agree that the replay value is significant, making it a worthwhile experience for those interested in story-driven gameplay.
- “This game has tons of replay value and the story is always interesting.”
- “A fantastic story-driven game with many endings, lots of replay value.”
- “I really wanted to like it, and you get some fun playing it the first time, but the game lacks replayability.”
- “It's a nice game; fairly linear and not as much replayability as you'd expect it to be, depending on how into the story you are.”
- “The game has enough replay value thanks to adding some new events to subsequent playthroughs, changing up the articles you get a bit, and keeping the stuff you bought on previous playthroughs, so redoing your choices to fish for a better (or just different) outcome is also fun.”
gameplay
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The gameplay is generally described as simple yet engaging, with a focus on decision-making that influences the narrative. While some players appreciate the intriguing mechanics and story integration, others find the gameplay repetitive and lacking depth, leading to a desire for more varied experiences and longer playtime. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of visual novel elements and political simulation, but it may not satisfy those looking for more complex gameplay mechanics.
- “The core gameplay is fun and intriguing on the first run through, but you'll soon discover there is so much more.”
- “It takes the ideas and mechanics of visual novels and combines them with a news-making mechanic.”
- “Simple but fun mechanics that trigger different turns of events that can help but also destroy the characters' lives.”
- “My only complaint is the lack of gameplay, but clearly that wasn't the direction of the game, so it's forgivable.”
- “The actual gameplay of just approving/rejecting news articles is boring.”
- “Most of this comes down to the fact that it's a game that expects you to go through multiple playthroughs, while the gameplay loop and narrative doesn't really encourage that.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
45%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant art style and character designs, while others find the 3D models somewhat blocky and simplistic. Improvements over the previous installment are noted, particularly in the aesthetic and environmental details, contributing to an engaging atmosphere. Overall, the visuals are considered beautiful and fitting for the game's narrative, despite some critiques regarding their depth and complexity.
- “Excellent game, amazing music, spectacular graphics, very vibrant characters that you want to care for.”
- “Beautiful graphics and amazing soundtrack (mix of futuristic lounge, electronica, jazz).”
- “The visuals are stunning and the music really makes you feel like you have a lot of power in your hands.”
- “The sidescrolling graphics are kinda... meh, but it's fine.”
- “The graphics remind me of a retro 90's game.”
- “The graphics are improved due to the use of the Unity engine, but the art could have been way better, I think.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
38%
9%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its beautiful and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack is described as a captivating mix of genres, including futuristic lounge, electronica, and jazz, effectively setting the tone and complementing the game's visuals and narrative. However, some players noted that certain in-game music, particularly from radios, can be annoying and detracts from the overall sound experience.
- “Excellent game, amazing music, spectacular graphics, very vibrant characters that you want to care for.”
- “The music is absolutely amazing and goes with the plot perfectly.”
- “The soundtrack is genuinely exquisite, and there is nothing bad to say about it.”
- “While there's nothing that stands out as fantastic about the game's sounds, the music that plays on the radio is annoying, and anyone who purchases a radio for their apartment for the sake of having their pad fully dressed up will be leaving the music off.”
- “About the music, incomparable, but with some of them.”
- “But the music!”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
10%
10%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and melancholic qualities, effectively reflecting real-world dilemmas through its setting and narrative depth. Players appreciate the intriguing ambiance and the emotional weight of their choices, although some outdated dialogue can occasionally disrupt immersion. Overall, the game's atmospheric design significantly enhances the player's experience.
- “Gorgeous, atmospheric, and insightful.”
- “Fantastic atmosphere, some of the choices you have to make are quite unnerving.”
- “I really enjoy the atmosphere of the streets of Novistan as you trudge home each day and see your decisions reflected in the conversations and events around you.”
- “The dialogue has some outdated internet slang sprinkled throughout (zomg?), which can sometimes detract from the atmosphere and break immersion.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever blend of funny moments and serious themes, effectively addressing real-world issues in a lighthearted manner. Players enjoy the variety of comedic options and alternate endings, with some wishing for even more dialogue and chaotic features to enhance the humor. Overall, the game successfully engages players in a humorous journey that keeps them entertained while making poignant observations.
- “It's funny and serious, talking about the problems of the world in a joking manner but still getting to the point it's trying to.”
- “Super fun game, well made and humorous.”
- “All the options, all the funny parts, and all the actual realism involved in making decisions that can have a bad effect on something you were hoping to be good.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional impact, with some players finding social interactions lacking depth and humor undermining the intended dystopian atmosphere. However, others praise the game for its strong moral dilemmas and emotionally charged storytelling, noting that it effectively evokes regret and investment in character relationships, leading to a profound emotional experience.
- “It is a great exercise in morality; I haven't had such an emotional reaction to games in years.”
- “This game wants to be a touching interactive story and nothing else, and it succeeds at it.”
- “The game gets emotionally heavy, and you'll definitely end up regretting some of your choices.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and slow, often feeling bogged down by repetitive tasks and a lack of meaningful content. While some moments can be engaging, the overall experience is marred by the need for faster pacing and options like a "skip dialogue" button to alleviate the monotony.
- “Here the game instantly becomes tedious.”
- “It's tedious, boring, and lacking meaningful content.”
- “But each part of the game is hindered by something else that can make getting through it a bit tedious or annoying.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players have reported a generally stable experience with the game, highlighting a smooth performance without bugs or crashes. However, some users have noted the presence of glitches that detract from the experience, particularly in relation to choices in the gameplay.
- “Even if the length and repetitiveness isn’t a bother, the lack of choices in a key subplot (and lack of moderate choices in general) plus numerous glitches certainly are.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While the game is generally well-received, many users have noted that it suffers from poor optimization, impacting overall performance.
- “It is a really good game, but I've found that it isn't optimized well.”
- “The performance issues make it hard to enjoy the game fully.”
- “I experience frequent frame drops, which really detracts from the gameplay experience.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviewers express a desire for deeper character development, suggesting that the game would benefit from longer narratives and a more intricate web of interactions, alongside its appreciated art style and music.
- “While I enjoyed its art style and music, I feel that the game can be improved with longer stories that feature more character development and a more complex network of interactions.”
- “While I enjoyed its art style and music, I feel that the game can be improved if there were more to do as a headliner in the office, longer stories with more character development, and a more complex network of interaction.”

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75%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Headliner: NoviNews
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4h Median play time

3h Average play time

2-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Headliner: NoviNews is a role playing game.

Headliner: NoviNews is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing Headliner: NoviNews.

Headliner: NoviNews was released on October 23, 2018.

Headliner: NoviNews was developed by Unbound Creations.

Headliner: NoviNews has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Headliner: NoviNews is a single player game.

Similar games include HEADLINER, Yes, Your Grace, Death and Taxes, Paper Cages, Suzerain and others.

Headliner: NoviNews

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