KAMITSUBAKI CITY ENSEMBLE
- August 28, 2024
- KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO
Get on Steam"KAMITSUBAKI CITY ENSEMBLE" is a rhythm game featuring over 48 songs from Kamitsubaki Studio and Musical Isotope series. The game includes five AI girls and five Witchlings to provide an immersive and engaging experience. Players can purchase the Season Pass for access to over 100 songs, with additional packs added monthly.
Reviews
- The song selection is great, featuring a variety of tracks from popular producers and the V.W.P group, making it enjoyable for fans.
- The core gameplay mechanics, including the dynamic lane switching between 4K and 7K, provide a unique challenge that can be rewarding for players who invest time in mastering it.
- The game is affordable, offering a substantial amount of content for its price, making it a good entry point for rhythm game enthusiasts.
- The UI is poorly designed for PC, feeling more suited for mobile devices, which can lead to visual strain and confusion during gameplay.
- There are significant quality-of-life oversights, such as the lack of customizable note colors and audio delay options, which hinder the overall experience.
- The gameplay can be disorienting due to the frequent lane changes and similar color schemes for different lanes, making it difficult for players to keep track of their inputs.
- music84 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and variety, featuring a strong selection of popular tracks from well-known artists within the rhythm game and vocaloid communities. While the base game offers a substantial number of songs for its price, some players feel that the DLC offerings are lacking, particularly in terms of guest tracks. Overall, the enjoyable music and engaging charts contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a solid choice for fans of j-rock and j-pop.
“The songs are great, and that is really all that matters for a rhythm game that checks the basic requirements for being a rhythm game.”
“The music selection in the base game is pretty good for CeVIO, but the songs available for the virtual singers leave something to be desired.”
“The core gameplay is fine, the music is great, and you get a lot of value for the $4 base purchase.”
“But for DLC, I think there's still way too few songs, especially for its price.”
“The music selection in the base game is pretty good for CeVIO, but the songs available for the virtual singers leave something to be desired; the lack of any guest songs for KAF, even with DLC, is particularly disappointing.”
“P and Koko songs in a rhythm game, but the UI is really bad and the timing feels extremely off no matter how much I adjust it.”
- story49 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it endearing and enjoyable, while others criticize its simplicity and lack of immersion due to limited presentation and writing quality. Many appreciate the connection to the Kamitsubaki City lore, but feel the narrative feels incomplete or forced, often overshadowed by the gameplay. Overall, while the story has potential and can be a bonus for some players, it is not the primary draw for most, who primarily engage with the rhythm gameplay.
“As for the story, I'm only at 36%, but so far it's developing at a nice pace.”
“This rhythm game stands out unexpectedly—by incorporating a compelling story that deeply connects the player, elevating the experience beyond what is typical in the genre.”
“The game does have a story, and while I don't play these types of games for a story, I do find this one endearing so far.”
“The story feels incomplete, as if it is only a prologue to future projects, and this prologue is much longer than it really should be because of this whole rhythm game thing.”
“The UI is terrible, the story is very simple, and there are no customization options for lines, notes, or colors for the keys, leading to nothing but frustration.”
“The story is also really boring without any voice acting, making it hard to immerse myself and enjoy it.”
- gameplay41 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally considered fun and engaging, particularly for rhythm game enthusiasts, with a unique lane mechanic that can be both challenging and rewarding. However, players have noted issues such as inconsistent input recognition, a lack of a practice mode, and a mobile-oriented design that may detract from the experience on PC. Overall, while the core gameplay is solid and offers good value, it may require some adaptation and could benefit from improvements in UI and note visibility.
“Once I had the basics figured out, the gameplay actually started being pretty good.”
“The introduction of a seven-button mechanic was initially surprising, but as someone who enjoys a challenge, I found it to be an incredible addition that pushes the skill ceiling higher than most rhythm games.”
“Definitely worth the money, the gameplay puts a really nice spin on the normal beatmania style rhythm games and it warns you before the lane changing mechanic takes place.”
“The one glaring issue I have with the gameplay is that there's no 'practice mode' or anything that I've found so far.”
“The gameplay feels so bad, seriously doubt if the developers even played their own game.”
“While the key-changing gameplay might be innovative on mobile, the experience on PC is very poor.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming character art and strong aesthetic style, contributing to an overall visually appealing experience. While the UI is generally considered fine, some users suggest it could benefit from more dimmed colors and gradation. Overall, the visuals and aesthetic elements enhance the game's charm and storytelling.
“The visuals are great, characters are lovable, and the songs are fantastic.”
“I really like the aesthetic of the game and its user interface.”
“The character art is really charming and matches the overall aesthetic of the game.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game requires better optimization, particularly for non-mobile platforms, where players desire more customization options for lane angles. Additionally, there are calls for improved quality of life features, bug fixes, and the ability to manage download sizes, as the current 20GB requirement is considered excessive for a rhythm game.
“Either way, I think it should be optimized or have the players be able to choose what they want to download first because a 20GB rhythm game is quite large.”
“- Quality of life features as well as bug fixes and optimization.”
“I just sort of wished the PC version, and probably other devices that aren't mobile, had more customization regarding the lane angle optimizations. It feels awkward to read pattern A and pattern B on PC, in my opinion.”
“Either way, I think it should be optimized or have the players be able to choose what they want to download first because a 20GB rhythm game is quite large.”
“- QOL features as well as bug fixes and optimization.”
“I just sort of wished the PC version, and probably other devices that aren't mobile, had more customization regarding the lane angle optimizations. It feels awkward to read pattern A and pattern B on PC, in my opinion.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is generally well-received, with players finding it funny and engaging, especially when expectations are kept in check. Many agree that it offers good value for its price.
“If you don't have very high expectations, the game is quite funny and interesting to play, totally worth it for its price.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is well-crafted, seamlessly transitioning between lighthearted, comedic moments and more serious, profound themes, creating a balanced and engaging experience for players.
“The writing is pretty decent; it shifts between a light, comedic mood and heavy atmospheres with deep topics without feeling too forced.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its engaging story and appealing character designs, though specific details about character growth are not extensively discussed. Overall, players find the characters intriguing and well-integrated into the narrative.
“The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
“The backstories and personal growth of the characters add layers to the narrative, making every decision feel impactful.”
