Hush Hush: Only Your Love Can Save Them
- August 21, 2022
- Sad Panda Studios
- 15h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Hush Hush: Only Your Love Can Save Them," players date and impress five girls from the game "Crush Crush," each with their own dangerous secrets. As a visual novel, players must juggle a schedule and navigate through adult interactions and intense relationships to help the girls overcome their perilous fates. The game features mature content and aims to explore complex narratives and interpersonal relationships.
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Reviews
- story1,048 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of the game is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and character development, transforming what many expected to be a simple dating sim into a rich narrative experience. Players found themselves deeply invested in the backstories of the five main characters, often experiencing a range of emotions from humor to heartbreak, particularly with plot twists that left a lasting impact. Overall, the writing, voice acting, and intertwining character arcs contribute to a compelling and engaging story that exceeds initial expectations, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.
“This game is a beautiful story-driven game, with 5 girls you will absolutely fall in love with, and cry for when you learn about their tragic backstories.”
“I was surprised by how invested I became in the story of this game.”
“The story had unbelievable depth, dealing with both lighthearted moments and heavy topics, all blended into an authentic and believable narrative, while still retaining the innate comedy and whimsy of the 'protagonist in a dating sim' trope.”
“Now as for Iro... her story made me feel like a side character despite me being the actual main character!”
“The only thing I didn't really like (putting very lightly) is that you basically have to interact, and romance every girl that you need to save, which isn't too bad, especially in a game such as this, but it would be nice to not suffer a game over because you messed up a decision way early in the story.”
“I wasn't expecting to be genuinely invested in what was going on in the story but holy shit it's all pulled off exceptionally well.”
- emotional218 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players reporting intense feelings ranging from laughter to tears, often leading to profound emotional investment in the characters and their stories. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to tackle heavy themes with sensitivity, creating a narrative that resonates deeply and evokes genuine empathy, making it one of the most emotionally impactful visual novels they've experienced. Overall, the combination of strong writing, character development, and voice acting contributes to a powerful emotional rollercoaster that leaves a lasting impression on players.
“The ending can be especially heart-breaking, dependent on your choices.”
“I cried because I loved the characters, because their stories tugged on the heart strings, because this game is just so dang good.”
“Hush Hush is one of the most emotionally engaging, incredibly well-written, and seriously fun games I've ever played.”
- humor158 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, engaging dialogue, and the ability to balance lightheartedness with deeper emotional themes. Players appreciate the character-driven jokes and witty references, often finding themselves laughing out loud while also becoming emotionally invested in the story. The humor is described as refreshingly self-aware, with a mix of absurdity and relatable moments that enhance the overall experience.
“Can't emphasize enough how the dialogues are so damn hilarious.”
“I legitimately found myself laughing at the dialogue, and the overall writing and execution is some of the best I’ve seen in any game, regardless of the genre.”
“It's sharp, funny, witty, and entertaining.”
- graphics132 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and vibrant art style, with many reviewers noting the stunning visuals and emotional impact of the artwork. However, some criticism arises from inconsistencies in art styles and occasional graphic content that may not appeal to all players. Overall, the combination of high-quality visuals, engaging character designs, and effective sound design contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
“This is an amazing game with beautiful graphics and a really well put together story.”
“The visuals manage to be cute, colorful, and beautiful all at the same time.”
“Graphically, Hush Hush is beautiful, capturing moods in gorgeous backdrops.”
“Was this game worth the wait? No, because the game is behind a few years in terms of jokes and art style. A few scenes could have had better line art and coloring to match the rest of the game.”
“There's two different art styles used for the animations, which kind of ruin the mood. If you're not interested in that kind of stuff, then it shouldn't affect how you feel about it.”
“Some may be turned off by the slightly generic art style, but the writing and especially the voice acting are better than they have any right to be in a game this cheap.”
- music122 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers noting that it perfectly fits the various scenes and moods throughout the narrative. The soundtrack is described as immersive, calming, and engaging, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and atmosphere. Overall, players recommend the soundtrack as a standout feature, often suggesting that it is worth purchasing separately.
“The soundtrack fits perfectly into the game and fits every scene, causing immersion like I've never experienced in a visual novel, and that's without mentioning the parts of the game where the music becomes tense!”
“The music is very calming and enjoyable, the art is beautiful and the story is engaging.”
“Amazing writing, fantastic voice acting, a musical score and theme that subtly builds tension as the story progresses into a storm of a crescendo.”
“The choices you make often left me wondering if I was doing the right thing, and would leave me nervous afterwards, especially with the tense music.”
“I'm not gonna talk about the game much but my experience with it was absolute crap. Sometimes the audio was way too low; I had to turn down my music and it was still low.”
“The other soundtrack and artbook add-ons are standard.”
- gameplay116 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this visual novel is generally well-received, praised for its engaging mechanics that blend traditional choice-based elements with RPG-style resource management, such as scheduling and stat juggling. While some players find the gameplay to be straightforward and not revolutionary, many appreciate its immersive nature and the way it complements the narrative, leading to a satisfying experience overall. However, there are minor criticisms regarding certain mechanics that can lead to softlocks or disrupt the flow, but these do not significantly detract from the enjoyment of the game.
“The story and gameplay is really impressive and immersive.”
“The gameplay was fun and interactive, making you worry about stats and choices rather than just clicking a dialogue option and moving on.”
“Sad Panda Studios really has combined these genres in a way that feels incredible from the user perspective, the gameplay elements flow into each other seamlessly, and all the rules are laid out in a clear and concise manner that lets the user play the way they want to.”
“As far as mechanics are concerned, there is nothing to speak of really, which I can appreciate as I feel that having to play gaudy 'match 4' puzzles and remember trivial nonsense for the approval of 12+ suitors is tedious at best and deleterious at worst in the face of how wonderfully the narrative flows.”
“Wow, I love the characters but hate the gameplay.”
“Look, my point is: don't pick Elle if you want your gameplay experience to feel natural.”
- replayability50 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through multiple endings, branching paths, and varying difficulty settings, encouraging players to explore different choices and storylines. While some players found the replay value lacking after their initial run, many appreciated the depth of the narrative and character interactions that invite further exploration. Overall, the combination of well-crafted content and diverse gameplay options contributes to a strong replay incentive.
“Multiple endings with branching paths for great replayability.”
“Beautiful production value, terrific writing, choices that are frequent and matter, high replayability with difficulty settings.”
“It's got a lot of well written, well acted, well drawn content and enough replayability for different endings and routes.”
“Honestly mixed feelings, I loved Mio and Eli and surprisingly Cassie, but the game didn't have any replayability to me. I finished my first run and felt that the storylines were just okay and I didn't really need to explore further.”
“That and the game does not have much in terms of replayability, which is a big point. The game sports 4 real endings, with you being able to realistically get 2 on each run with some save scumming.”
“This game wants to be replayable, but the only thing it makes me want to do is wait until a guide for the entire thing is out so I can save myself the suffering.”
- character development26 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its exceptional character development, with players highlighting the depth and emotional resonance of characters like Iro, Mio, and Elle, who are given rich backstories that enhance the overall narrative. Reviewers note that the character development often takes precedence over romance, making choices feel impactful and engaging. Overall, the storytelling, character design, and writing contribute significantly to the game's appeal, leaving a lasting impression on players.
“Oh my god this game has an amazing story, the first and probably only visual novel to get me emotional, and it takes the first five characters from Crush Crush and just absolutely gives them amazing backstory and character development.”
“It has very deep character development where all your choices truly matter!”
“You get to know the characters, and they are beautifully written with character development, intrigue, and delightful dialogue.”
“It looked pretty underwhelming, but the reviews were glowing and (mostly) weren't just 'lol big bazongas.' People said that, while there, the romance took less precedence than the character development, and they were right.”
“Art and character designs are decent, but in my opinion, they're mostly carried by the character development and writing.”
“Rarely does a demo convince me to buy the actual game; however, the story and character development surprised me in this game.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the narrative flow and character development, many express frustration with the tediousness of repetitive tasks and the unforgiving nature of the mechanics. Issues such as save-scumming and the need to restart due to early decisions contribute to a sense of tedium, despite the enjoyment derived from the characters and overall gameplay. Overall, grinding is seen as time-consuming and occasionally frustrating, but not entirely detracting from the enjoyment of the game.
“Been grinding for all the achievements but I've noticed that even after completing what needs to be done, I am not receiving the award.”
“I hate to say this but I found the game quite tedious. All the save-scumming got to me. The voice actors and characters are amazing though, and I loved the idea of being able to get stronger through stats and farm money that way, but the game is simply far too unforgiving; one wrong move and you are out.”
“It can be extremely tedious having to start over from the very beginning because you have to change where you allocated points on day one, or because you should've gone to this location instead of that one like ten days ago.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is described as a challenging yet rewarding experience, requiring players to navigate complex choices to fully explore character arcs. While some minor performance issues are noted, they do not detract from the overall enjoyment, which is enhanced by strong voice acting that brings diverse characters to life. Overall, players find the optimization aspect engaging and integral to the game's emotional impact.
“It's these strong characters that really make this game stick out and made me want to figure out how to navigate the unforgiving minefield of choices & optimizations you need to work through in order to see all of their arcs resolve.”
“Each character's personality is reflected perfectly by the voice actor and not a single one of them slacks on their performances.”
“It's these strong characters that really make this game stick out and made me want to figure out how to navigate the unforgiving minefield of choices and optimizations you need to work through in order to see all of their arcs resolve.”
“They aren't the least bit detrimental to the overall performance, but you do notice them when they happen.”
“It's these strong characters that really make this game stick out and made me want to figure out how to navigate the unforgiving minefield of choices and optimizations you need to work through in order to see all of their arcs resolve.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is marked by minor audio glitches and occasional bugs, but these issues are generally not game-breaking. While the voice acting and art are praised, players have noted the need for improvements in various technical aspects, including graphic glitches and balancing.
“So to sum it up, Hush Hush is a good game, yes, but with some major problems that need fixing like the bugs, graphic glitches, flag triggers, balancing, and first and foremost, the adult content which is just not satisfying enough.”
“The voice acting is on point with only some minor glitches in Cassie's audio in a couple of scenes, but that's technical, not the actresses.”
“The voice acting is good, the art is delightful, the characters are great, and I have yet to experience any glitches except a voice line that stuttered for a brief second (haunting, but not game breaking).”
- monetization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game requires an upfront purchase but does not include any additional in-game purchases, which users appreciate as a sign of dedication and quality, contrasting it with many contemporary games that are seen as cash grabs.
“With this game, although you need to pay for it, there are no more in-game purchases.”
“With this game, though you need to pay for it, there are no more in-game purchases.”
“Hush Hush had a lot of hard work, dedication, and love (pun intended) put into it, which is something I respect considering most games these days are either bad remakes or cash grabs.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its quality, despite some minor jank during scene transitions. Overall, it effectively immerses players in its environment.
“There are some jank here and there, especially with transitioning between the scenes, but overall the atmosphere is really well done.”
