Kaori After Story
- December 3, 2018
- PixelFade
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Kaori After Story" is a visual novel sequel to "ACE Academy" that follows Kaori's ending. After being invited to spend Christmas and New Years with her family in the countryside, you'll meet her parents and twin sisters, enjoy winter activities, and learn more about Kaori's past. The game features a full English voice cast, animated sprites using Live2D® technology, and celebrates the holiday season.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Heartwarming and humorous story that expands on Kaori's character from Ace Academy.
- Beautiful art and improved voice acting, with the use of Live2D technology enhancing the experience.
- Engaging and fun interactions with Kaori's family, making the story feel immersive and enjoyable.
- The game is quite short, taking only about 2 hours to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
- Lack of branching paths or significant player choices, making it feel linear and less impactful.
- No option to scroll back through dialogue, which was a feature in Ace Academy, limiting the ability to revisit previous choices.
- story487 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The "Kaori: After Story" visual novel is praised for its heartwarming and charming narrative, serving as a sweet epilogue to the character Kaori's route in "Ace Academy." Players appreciate the focus on character development and the light-hearted, Christmas-themed setting, although some note that the story is relatively short and lacks significant plot depth. Overall, it is recommended for fans of Kaori and those seeking a wholesome, romantic experience.
“This game and the after story brings me a lot of joy. If the developers ever see this, thank you for making a game that has made its way into my holiday traditions and giving me something to look forward to at the end of the year besides getting older.”
“Kaori after story was just a joy to read and play; it was so adorably touching and heartwarming to see how the after story unfolds.”
“The story is both heartwarming and uplifting.”
“The story is so painfully boring I literally cannot play anymore.”
“I must admit, when I played Ace Academy, I felt rather unsatisfied by how it ends, at least as it relates to the main plot of the story.”
“It's innocent enough as a story but I still found it a bit of a slog to get through.”
- emotional72 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome storytelling, particularly through the character of Kaori, which resonates deeply with players. Many reviews highlight the blend of humor, romance, and touching moments that create a fulfilling experience, often leaving players feeling uplifted and nostalgic. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke strong emotions, making it a memorable and enjoyable addition to the Ace Academy series.
“Kaori's after story was just a joy to read and play; it was so adorably touching and heartwarming to see how the after story unfolds.”
“The feeling of experiencing romantic activities during the Christmas season with Kaori as well as her family is really fun, emotional, and precious.”
“I definitely recommend this visual novel; it's an emotional rollercoaster and the heart-wrenching moments between the main character are just very passionate, and the end was just amazing.”
- humor67 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its charm and wit, featuring a blend of adorable dialogue, funny scenes, and heartwarming moments that resonate with players. Many reviewers highlight the trademark style of Pixelfade, noting that the comedic elements are well-integrated into the narrative, making for an entertaining and engaging experience. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with romance, leaving players both laughing and feeling touched throughout their journey.
“The dialogue and comedy were just adorable and hilarious throughout the entire novel, with tons of cutesy and cheesy writing.”
“Ace Academy's humor is embedded in the writing, making the experience fun for the reader.”
“This game has also riled so many laughs out of me because of all the funny moments.”
- music58 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many praising its upbeat and immersive quality that complements the story's various moods. Reviewers highlighted memorable tracks, a beautiful introduction song, and solid voice acting, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience. However, some users noted technical issues, such as the background music resetting to maximum volume upon restarting the game, and the absence of a music gallery or rewind feature.
“The story is just so pure and cute, and the music is super upbeat a lot of the times.”
“It's worth the price for the soundtrack alone.”
“When I heard the opening music, my heart melted and all my stress left my body.”
“Also, the BGM music resets to max volume every time I restart the game or load a save.”
“I find it kind of weird that there's no gallery and music menu, and no option to rewind if you didn't like the choices you made, both features originally present in Ace Academy.”
“The music and voice acting are also of very solid quality, all making for a really pleasurable, if casual experience.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received high praise for their gorgeous artwork and significant improvements in art style compared to its predecessor, Ace Academy. While the new CG slides are celebrated, some recycled background resources were noted, and the absence of a CG gallery is seen as a missed opportunity. Overall, the visuals, combined with immersive music and strong voice acting, contribute to a compelling aesthetic experience, earning a solid rating of 4/5.
“The artwork is, as usual, nice to look at - some of the background resources have been recycled, but the CGs are all new and they are wonderful.”
“The art style has improved drastically; don't be alarmed if it looks different.”
“Very glad with the quality of artwork and storytelling.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is straightforward and typical for a visual novel, featuring limited variety and no branching paths, with around two hours of playtime. While it includes elements of 'fail-able' gameplay and timed choices reminiscent of similar titles, the overall experience is primarily driven by the plot rather than gameplay mechanics. The animation quality is noted as a strong point, but the gameplay itself is not particularly challenging.
“There is around 2 hours of gameplay, and it is really well animated.”
“Not difficult, but still an actual element of 'fail-able' gameplay.”
“Gameplay is just as you would expect from a visual novel; I play for the plot anyway.”
“There's no branching paths or much variety in gameplay.”
“After story gave me less time and with no gameplay systems.”
“Gameplay's just as you would expect from a visual novel; I play for the plot anyway.”
- character development12 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in this game is highly praised, particularly for the character Kaori, whose growth is described as coherent and convincing. Reviewers appreciate the heartwarming and humorous narrative, noting that even those who were not fans of Kaori's route in "Ace Academy" will find her development surprising and engaging. Overall, the game effectively builds on its predecessor's strengths, offering deeper insights into its characters.
“The character development and quirky jokes are great as well.”
“Lovely character development; meeting Kaori's family and seeing her developed coherently and convincingly from Ace Academy was a highlight.”
“Even if you were not a big fan of Kaori's route in Ace Academy, this game/sequel adds more character development, and you'll be surprised.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its wholesome scenes, beautiful art, and immersive music, which together create a captivating experience. Players appreciate the engaging voice acting and the use of Live2D animations that enhance the overall ambiance. Despite some concerns about the length of the ending, the game successfully retains its original charm and emotional depth.
“It's filled with a lot of wholesome scenes and sweetness to absorb you into the atmosphere.”
“Game story is simple, however plentiful and immersive. The art is beautiful, the music is fun and atmospheric, and the voice acting is perfect. I really like how they add any kind of Live2D; in my opinion, it brings the whole game alive while giving a unique touch to their titles.”
“It is nicely done and retains the original atmosphere.”
“It is just a 2-hour ending which should have been included in Ace Academy in the first place. I know they couldn't make it due to funding restrictions, but still, it is nicely done and retains the original atmosphere.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability due to its multiple dialogue choices and consequences, making it enjoyable, especially during the holidays. However, players should not expect extensive replay value or significant variations in outcomes, as the main story can be completed in about two hours.
“However, if you go in expecting huge amounts of replayability or meaningful choices, you'll be disappointed.”
“While beating Kaori's after story will only take you about two hours, there is some replayability to it as there are many dialogues with choices and consequences.”
“It has a lot of replayability in my opinion, and it is very special for the holidays.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players express hope for improved optimization in the final version of "Ethereal Enigma," noting that the current build performs better on older hardware compared to its predecessor, "Crystalline." The reduced number of live2D characters on screen is seen as a contributing factor to this better performance.
“I have only recently started playing Pixelfade games and now I'm a fan, and I hope the final product for Ethereal Enigma will be much more optimized than this.”
“Performance-wise, I found this game generally ran better on my ancient laptop than Crystalline did, probably because Kaori is the only Live2D character on screen at any one time.”
