Kozue's Strange Journey
- August 6, 2020
- Asakiyumemishi
- 19h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Kozue's Strange Journey," Kozue Kato, a university student, teams up with the mysterious Sayuri Shirasagi to investigate dark creatures causing people to go missing in their contemporary fantasy setting. This turn-based RPG features an enemy knockdown system and bonus turn system for a classic RPG experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a deep and engaging combat system reminiscent of the Persona series, with challenging battles that require preparation.
- Players can enjoy a rich life-sim experience, balancing daily activities with dungeon exploration and character bonding.
- The game offers a significant amount of content, including multiple endings and a variety of unlockable scenes, making it worth the time investment.
- The game can feel overwhelming due to the sheer amount of activities available, making it difficult to focus on specific goals.
- Art quality is inconsistent, with some character designs and graphics being considered low-quality or unappealing by players.
- The game suffers from a lack of clear explanations for stats and weapon effects, leading to confusion about their impact on gameplay.
- story34 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story is generally considered engaging and well-crafted, though it draws heavily from familiar themes found in the Persona series, particularly Persona 4. While the main narrative is linear, players can explore numerous optional quests and multiple endings, adding depth to the experience. However, some reviewers noted inconsistencies in tone and abandoned subplot lines, which detracted from the overall storytelling quality.
“The story, while not particularly original, is well-crafted and more elaborate than most other h-RPGs.”
“The main story arc is linear, but there are many optional quests and events to discover, and multiple endings to achieve.”
“Kozue's strange journey introduces us to the interesting and entertaining story of young Kozue and her new group of friends, started with Sayuri and soon growing, as more girls reveal themselves to be empowered, but at the same time they need to deal with their daily problems like having to study for tests and avoid men full of 'pure' desires.”
“I feel like forcing myself to view the h-events is something I shouldn't have to do, but now that I've seen them, I feel like there's nothing else here because I don't care about the story being told. Persona works so well because the cast is likable and relatable, not complete strangers all the way through.”
“Only gripe I have is there seems to be subplot lines throughout the game that feel like they were abandoned.”
“While the protagonist and her friends are still heavily led towards being raped at some point, I don't think it is hard built into the story like some prior games.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is noted for its depth and engaging combat mechanics, with a significant amount of content that can provide 14-20 hours of playtime. However, some players find the mechanics can be unbalanced and grindy, particularly towards the end, which may detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the combination of story, dungeon design, and gameplay elements makes it a standout in its genre.
“Deep gameplay with good combat and persona-style time progression.”
“Gameplay, story, dungeon design, and music are all better than many contemporary games in the genre, and make the game worth playing even without the lewd.”
“Overall, there is more than enough content to keep you busy for 14-15 hours of gameplay as long as you aren't just skipping and rushing through it.”
“While I often remark that h-games could use some more depth in their gameplay, an h-game where a single clear requires 12-20 hours of playtime that expects you to do multiple playthroughs is a bit much.”
“The combat gameplay does get a bit grindy though, especially near the end when you have to gather enough power to defeat the final bosses.”
“A shame, the whole persona-like gameplay seemed promising but the game is pretty much unplayable.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly as they progress towards the end where significant power accumulation is required for boss battles. While the core gameplay remains enjoyable, the grind can detract from the overall experience, leading some to recommend save editing to bypass it.
“Recommend save editing after some point because grinding isn't fun and that's not what you're there for.”
“The combat gameplay does get a bit grindy though, especially near the end when you have to gather enough power to defeat the final bosses.”
“Gameplay itself was fairly fun, though it did become a bit redundant and grindy in virtually all ways after a while.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their high-quality artwork and appealing art style, comparable to high-budget titles. However, some users note that the game's older design shows in its graphics and interface. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's aesthetic experience.
“I really like the art style and direction.”
“The artwork is very high-quality, and on par for a high-budget title.”
“Love the art style, the characters, even the gameplay is pretty good.”
“Kozue’s strange journey is a somewhat older game, which particularly shows in the quality of the graphics and the interface.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with a pleasant soundtrack that enhances the experience, although it features some typical RPG Maker stock tracks. While there are a few new compositions, the overall quality of the music contributes positively to the gameplay and atmosphere, even if it doesn't stand out as exceptional.
“Gameplay, story, dungeon design, and music are all better than many contemporary games in the genre, making the game worth playing even without the lewd elements.”
“The music does the job it's supposed to.”
“Along with the art, we have a pleasant soundtrack throughout the game.”
“There are a few new music tracks but still has some typical RPG Maker stock music.”
“Music does the job it's supposed to.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its New Game+ feature and an abundance of hidden content, providing players with memorable experiences and encouraging multiple playthroughs.
“The New Game+ mode adds significant replay value to the game.”
“This developer has always included tons of hidden content in the game, resulting in great replay value and very memorable moments and experiences.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While some users appreciate the character development, there are mixed feelings regarding the art style, with several expressing dissatisfaction with certain character designs.
“What I am less enthused about is the art; several of the character designs are not to my taste.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the emotional depth of the game, highlighting the wholesome character interactions that are often juxtaposed with darker themes, creating a unique and engaging experience.
“The game features wholesome character interactions that are deeply emotional, providing a unique blend of warmth and complexity.”
“The emotional depth of the characters truly enhances the overall experience, making every interaction feel meaningful.”
“I was genuinely moved by the heartfelt moments throughout the game, showcasing a beautiful balance of joy and sorrow.”
