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ISLAND

ISLAND Game Cover
91%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music
Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, grinding
91% User Score Based on 194 reviews

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Nintendo SwitchPCPlaystation 4WindowsPlayStationPlaystation Vita
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ISLAND Game Cover

About

ISLAND is a single player casual simulation game with romance, drama, mystery, anime and others themes. It was developed by Frontwing and was released on August 23, 2018. It received very positive reviews from players.

Island is an intricate visual novel with multiple routes and endings. Through use of the game’s flowchart system, players navigate through the story and uncover clues to unravel the mysteries of Urashima, the titular island.

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ISLAND screenshot
ISLAND screenshot
ISLAND screenshot
ISLAND screenshot
ISLAND screenshot
ISLAND screenshot
ISLAND screenshot
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91%Audience ScoreBased on 194 reviews
story59 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • Engaging and emotionally deep story with complex themes of love, loss, and time.
  • Strong atmosphere with beautiful art, expressive character design, and a haunting soundtrack.
  • Excellent branching story structure with multiple routes and endings supported by a helpful flowchart system.
  • Well-written characters with unique personalities and meaningful development, especially notable heroine routes.
  • The mystery and plot twists keep players intrigued and frequently subvert expectations.
  • Pacing issues with slow, drawn-out sections, especially early on and during some routes like the Winter/Never Island route.
  • The protagonist is often considered annoying due to crude sexual humor and morally questionable behavior.
  • Narrative inconsistencies and confusing time travel rules reduce suspension of disbelief for some players.
  • The true ending is divisive, considered by some as rushed, unsatisfying, or contradictory, undermining earlier story investment.
  • Controversial and disturbing content involving underage characters, incest themes, and sexual situations that may alienate many players.

  • story

    265 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Island" is a complex, layered visual novel blending slice-of-life, romance, and sci-fi elements centered on a protagonist with amnesia uncovering mysteries through branching routes. It features many twists and philosophical themes about memory, love, and connection, rewarding patient and reflective players despite occasional pacing issues, plot inconsistencies, and a slow, verbose narrative. While some find the ending unsatisfying or confusing, the emotional depth, character-driven storytelling, and innovative time-travel plot make it a memorable and highly recommended experience for fans of intricate, thought-provoking tales.

    • “At first glance, it presents itself as a familiar story—a young man awakens on a remote island with no memory of who he is or how he got there—but as the plot unfolds, it evolves into something far more complex.”
    • “The narrative design encourages players to think about the connections between each route, rewarding patience and curiosity with a deep, layered story that can only be understood in full through repetition and reflection.”
    • “Island isn't perfect, but largely succeeds in its goal: an ambitious story with countless plot twists, where the building blocks are just normal people with normal aspirations.”
    • “But the more I read, the more I realized the story wasn't trying to be smart, it was just trying to trick me.”
    • “The eventual plot reveals and truth to the central mystery that we get are not bad, but that doesn't make up for the way the game uses them to jebait you throughout most of its routes, then dump everything on you in an excruciatingly drawn out way in the last leg of the story.”
    • “Maybe the story is just not for me, but man that second half dragged like crazy, and the ending is so unsatisfying.”

  • music

    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's music is widely praised for its beautiful, immersive soundtrack featuring soft piano melodies, orchestral pieces, and context-appropriate ambient tracks that enhance the emotional tone and story. Unique musical cues for each heroine and well-crafted sound design contribute to a highly atmospheric and engaging experience, with many users considering the soundtrack among their favorites.

    • “The game’s soundtrack is equally impressive, filled with soft piano melodies, sweeping orchestral pieces, and ambient tracks that enhance the emotional tone without overwhelming it.”
    • “Each heroine’s route is punctuated by unique musical cues that help define their personalities and emotional journeys.”
    • “The sound in this visual novel is designed to be immersive; it has waves that crash during the opening prologue that sets the setting, it has dramatic background music to indicate a dramatic change in events or unexpected plot developments. Multiple channels of sounds mesh together to create the perfect setting for the plot or event at hand, drawing attention to details important for the plot or advancement.”
    • “I didn't touch on the other aspects of the game like the art or music, but there's really not much to say.”
    • “Sound design is decent and the music is context and tone appropriate.”
    • “Please release the OST as DLC soon - life isn't the same without them.”

  • emotional

    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Island is a deeply emotional and ambitious visual novel that expertly blends romance, mystery, and science fiction, delivering heartfelt character interactions and a reflective narrative that resonates long after completion. While some players find moments of profound emotional impact and well-crafted storytelling, others are distracted by controversial content and inconsistent character choices, leading to mixed emotional engagement. Overall, for those willing to invest in its slow unfolding, Island offers a memorable, immersive emotional journey with powerful highs and thought-provoking depth.

    • “Island, developed by Frontwing and published by Frontwing USA, is a sweeping visual novel that blends romance, mystery, and science fiction into an ambitious and emotional narrative.”
    • “Finally, Rinne’s route serves as the emotional and narrative climax, weaving together the threads of the previous stories into a single, resonant conclusion.”
    • “The experience is long, reflective, and at times demanding, but for those willing to invest in its slow unfolding, it offers a powerful emotional payoff.”
    • “Nothing remotely interesting happens, and I found myself just fast-clicking through the text because I didn't care about her or the boring story.”

  • graphics

    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics are widely praised for their beautiful, expressive art style, clean visuals, and stunning CGs that bring characters and scenes to life with warmth and detail. The use of color and lighting effectively enhances the mood, contributing to an immersive and visually pleasing experience. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, described as magnificent and high quality.

    • “Frontwing’s signature art style gives each character and location warmth and expressiveness, while the use of color and lighting accentuates the mood of each scene.”
    • “I know I don't need to say because Steam's screenshots on the store page do it more than enough justice, but the visuals in this visual novel are so beautiful and everything about this game's art is just pleasing to the eyes.”
    • “Graphic: 40%”
    • “Although the project mainly aims for the Chinese version of the VN, artbooks and the radio drama, Frontwing has announced that they will create the expected new VN story of Island if the crowdfunding reaches RMB 999,000 yuan (approximately 146k USD) before 23:59 Sept 30th.”
    • “That said, the production is high quality and the visuals (character art, CGs) are immaculate.”

  • humor

    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, ranging from genuinely funny and well-timed comedic moments that enhance the story to uncomfortable, crude, and sometimes inappropriate jokes, particularly involving sexual harassment. While some appreciate the blend of humor with emotional and thoughtful content, others find the tonal inconsistency between comedy, romance, and seriousness detracts from the experience. Overall, the humor is impactful but uneven, occasionally veering into problematic territory.

    • “The music is beautiful, the story is truly rich, and also sprinkled with comedy that's just so funny.”
    • “This VN is filled with a lot of humor, some educational bits, and much of the story likes bringing up the folk tale of Urashima Taro.”
    • “Moments of scientific thought get equally balanced out by moments of pure hilarious comedy that will keep you laughing for a good while, with a BGM that's perfectly timed in every situation.”

  • character development

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development receives mixed feedback, with some appreciating the character design but criticizing inconsistent personalities and frustrating narrative choices that undermine thematic depth and pacing. Overall, character arcs seem overshadowed by frequent misleading plot twists, detracting from satisfying growth and reader engagement.

    • “Themes, morals, foreshadowing, pacing, character development, consistent personalities, satisfying conclusion, and reader’s enjoyment are all carefully crafted, adding depth and engagement to the story.”
    • “I'm not quite a fan of her character design but her route is rife with bad ends if you tread wrongly.”

  • gameplay

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay features a straightforward decision-making mechanic that engages players, especially in the early stages as they piece together the story and mechanics. However, full enjoyment is limited without purchasing the game.

    • “The gameplay features a basic decision-making mechanic that functions as expected.”
    • “You get to dive into game mechanics and a teensy bit of lore.”
    • “For the first half, I was genuinely hooked, trying to piece together the timeline and figure out how the mechanics worked.”
    • “You get to dabble in game mechanics and a small amount of lore, but to fully enjoy the game, you need to purchase it.”
    • “[h1] Gameplay and presentation [/h1]”

  • atmosphere

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users praise island for its exceptional atmosphere, highlighting how the setting and music create a uniquely immersive and often relaxing experience compared to other visual novels.

    • “What distinguishes Island from many other visual novels is its atmosphere.”
    • “Marvelous atmosphere.”
    • “The setting and music make reading Island an overall very atmospheric and relaxing experience at times.”

  • grinding

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is often described as long and tedious, with some players finding it emotionally taxing and filled with overly lengthy plot segments. However, despite the tediousness, many feel the experience and ending make it worthwhile.

    • “A very long and tedious visual novel rollercoaster of emotions, the ending was really worth it though.”
    • “Personally, I just felt it was kind of tedious to go through even though there were many puns.”
    • “Aside from a couple of tedious plot dumps, it's hard to find fault with the island.”

  • stability

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly without any lags or glitches, and supports controller use for a seamless visual novel experience.

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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

ISLAND is a casual simulation game with romance, drama, mystery, anime and others themes.

ISLAND is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Windows and others.

ISLAND was released on August 23, 2018.

ISLAND was developed by Frontwing.

ISLAND has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked ISLAND for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

ISLAND is a single player game.

Similar games include Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition, STEINS;GATE, Lucy: The Eternity She Wished For, The House in Fata Morgana, Summer Pockets and others.