Loopers

About

Loopers is a single player casual simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by VisualArts/Key and was released on June 26, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Loopers is a kinetic novel made by Ryukishi07 in collaboration with the visual novel studio Key.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 210 reviews

story72 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

The art and visuals are gorgeous, enhancing the overall experience.
The story, while simple, is engaging and emotional, resonating well with fans of the genre.
The voice acting and soundtrack are high quality, contributing to the immersive atmosphere.

The game is very short, with a runtime of around 4-7 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
Character development is lacking, with many side characters feeling one-dimensional and underutilized.
The plot can be predictable and rushed, leaving some players wanting more depth and exploration of its themes.

story
196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
57%
6%
The story of the game is generally well-received, praised for its emotional depth and engaging premise, particularly its unique integration of time loops and geocaching. However, many reviewers noted that the narrative feels rushed and could benefit from deeper character development, as some characters come across as one-dimensional. While the overall experience is enjoyable, the short length and predictability of the plot leave some players wanting more.
- “Beautiful story with beautiful characters.”
- “The 'time loop' concept is not new to having its story told, but the unique approach with integrating geocaching gives this one enough life to it that makes it worth reading through for the few hours of experience.”
- “Great story about how valuable time and experience is.”
- “Unfortunately, while the premise and cast have potential, some bits simply weren't explored enough—due to the story's length and/or the focus on certain parts and characters that weren't revisited in a more satisfying way at all.”
- “However, it is a very short game (8 hours for me with voices and auto-play). I felt that there were too many characters introduced for such a small story, thus many characters felt one-dimensional.”
- “But frankly, the development is poor and the story focuses on 2 characters, overshadowing the potential of all the others, ending up as a simple, underdeveloped love story.”
music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
20%
5%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to complement the story, with standout piano arrangements and atmospheric tracks that enhance the overall experience. While some reviewers noted that certain upbeat tracks felt out of place, the soundtrack is often compared favorably to previous works by the same studio, suggesting a nostalgic appeal. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to its emotional impact and presentation.
- “The music is fantastic, no complaints here.”
- “The openings and insert songs worked well enough for me to want to listen to them outside of the context of the game.”
- “Nothing exactly groundbreaking, but the art is great, the story is emotional, and the music is amazing and fits very well with the scenes, particularly at the end.”
- “I also found the OST to be uncharacteristically disappointing, though I'm sure I'd enjoy it a bit more if I'd found any pleasure in the story itself.”
- “Although the story does at times feel quite steep (as well as being on the short side for a VN) and some characters feeling a bit shallow, it somewhat justifies itself by its sheer quality of art and music throughout the visual novel.”
- “If you need an example, 'Phosphorescence' really reminded me of Kanon's song 'Fireworks', only slower and more atmospheric in its tone, fitting the mood of Loopers.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
30%
10%
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback for their clean and stylish art style, with many reviewers praising the visuals and overall presentation. While the character designs and music are highlighted as standout features, some players expressed mixed feelings about the backdrops and noted a desire for more artwork. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its appeal.
- “A good, short kinetic novel with great visuals, voice acting, soundtrack, and overall presentation.”
- “As a visual novel, [Loopers] has great graphics and great music, which is very commendable. The only downside is that the plot is slightly short but never bad.”
- “The art style was refreshing and the music amazing.”
- “I'm very reluctant to give a bad review, especially reluctant to give a bad review to a work illustrated by Mochitsuki, whose artwork I really appreciate.”
- “Artwork was what really got me into buying this, and the only disappointing part was that there wasn't enough of it.”
- “Only thing I really liked with this is the art style.”
emotional
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, with many players reporting moments that brought them to tears, both from sadness and joy. While some found certain emotional scenes cliched, the overall narrative is described as heartwarming and engaging, featuring a likable cast and competent voice acting that enhances the experience. Despite its lack of groundbreaking elements, the combination of art, music, and storytelling creates a touching atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “I cried and I'm not ashamed to admit it!”
- “In case anybody's wondering, yes, this did make me emotional to the point of tears, both for the sad and happy moments of it.”
- “Brought me to tears and so heartwarming and not a heartbreaker either.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
Character development in the game is primarily focused on the main characters, who receive adequate growth over the course of the story, particularly in the longer playthroughs. However, many secondary characters are criticized for their lack of depth and development, leading to a somewhat flat conclusion that fails to resonate emotionally. Overall, while the main characters are well-developed, the limited growth of others detracts from the overall experience.
- “The characters, I especially like the character development throughout the 6 hours of the game, but this only applies to the main characters as the rest were pretty plain and had little to no development, which was kind of disappointing to me.”
- “The characters, I especially liked the character development throughout the 6 hours of the game, but this only applies to the 'main characters' as the rest were pretty plain and had little to no development, which was kind of disappointing to me.”
- “The final few scenes of the game are typical key, but without the proper build-up and character development, the end result was something flat and uninteresting.”
- “The plot was interesting, but I think it was a bit too short (I beat the game in ~3 hours), and some of the characters lacked more character development.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by endearing characters like Tyler, Hilda, and Mia, who bring a mix of wholesomeness and comedic charm. However, some players feel that while there are enjoyable moments, the overall humor lacks depth and can feel flat at times.
- “Tyler is so wholesome, Hilda is so funny, Mia is so cute.”
- “While I enjoyed parts of the narrative and humor, even laughing at things I clearly wasn't supposed to, as a whole it feels flat.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is described as having a slow, atmospheric tone, particularly highlighted by the track "phosphorescence," which evokes a sense of mood fitting for the experience. However, some users feel that while there are atmospheric elements present, they fail to fully immerse players in the game's environment.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the world and making you feel like you're part of the experience.”
- “The sound design and visuals combine to create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that lingers long after you've finished playing.”
- “Every element of the game contributes to a rich and captivating atmosphere that keeps you engaged and wanting to explore more.”
- “And while it's not like there was a total absence of them, the ones that were there just didn't pull me into the atmosphere.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay is praised for its brevity, which contributes to a positive experience by making it easy to understand and allowing the story to unfold at a comfortable pace without feeling rushed.
- “Having a short gameplay may have added to the positive experience as everything seems easy to understand and the story is at a good pace (not rushed).”