Love Spell: Written in the Stars
- July 24, 2020
- Great Gretuski Studios
Get on Steam"Love Spell: Written in the Stars" is a free demo otome game available on Steam, where players control Luna, a young girl who can cast love spells on people named in her magical spell book. After a series of unfortunate events, Luna gets drunk and accidentally uses the spell book, leading to romantic and comedic shenanigans. The game includes four romanceable bachelors and new game-based interactions for players to enjoy.
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Reviews
- The game features a relatable and well-developed main character, making it easy for players to connect with her journey.
- Each love interest has a unique storyline, providing a diverse range of experiences and emotional depth throughout the game.
- The art style is beautiful and the humor is well-timed, contributing to an overall enjoyable and immersive experience.
- The game lacks a manual save function, which can be inconvenient for players who want to revisit specific choices.
- Many choices throughout the game feel inconsequential, with only the final choice impacting the ending.
- Some players may find the reliance on clichés and predictable plot points detracts from the overall originality of the story.
- story166 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its engaging character arcs and unique routes, with players feeling invested in the diverse narratives and emotional depth of each storyline. While some critiques mention predictability and a lack of impactful choices, the overall experience is described as immersive and entertaining, blending romance with humor and drama. The art and writing contribute to a rich storytelling experience, making it a recommended choice for fans of the genre.
“I had a hard time putting it down as I was so invested in each character's story.”
“Each story is extremely unique, and you're never quite sure what's going to happen.”
“The storytelling was engaging and entertaining; the dialogue was believable; the situations kept me wanting to read more.”
“While there are 'choices' in the game, they don't lead the story any differently, so feel free to select any options you want without repercussion.”
“In the end, even if the story does change from one route to another, it doesn’t feel very much different.”
“Overall, I'm enjoying it, but felt it lacked immersion, lack of choice/impact on the story and CGs were a real let down; I play these games to impact the story (otherwise I would just read a book/kinetic novel) but can't wait to see what else they come out with.”
- humor73 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is widely praised for its clever writing, relatable characters, and modern references, making it a standout in the otome genre. Players frequently report laughing out loud at well-timed jokes and quirky dialogues, with many noting that the humor enhances the overall experience without detracting from the emotional depth of the story. Overall, the game successfully balances light-hearted comedy with romantic and dramatic elements, appealing to those seeking a fun and engaging narrative.
“This game was a fresh breath of air to the genre as the main character actually has a personality with a great sense of humor.”
“The humor is precisely my style, and as a huge nerd, I got all the references that were packed in.”
“The writing was fun and made me laugh, and the romances can be pretty wholesome and sweet.”
- graphics44 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback, with many praising the unique and beautiful art style that enhances the overall experience, while some criticize the inconsistency in character designs. Overall, the visuals are described as stunning and well-executed, contributing significantly to the game's charm and storytelling, despite occasional clunkiness during animations. The artwork is often compared favorably to popular titles and even to the works of renowned creators like Hayao Miyazaki, making it a standout feature for many players.
“Everything from the soundtrack, sound effects, and visuals was perfect in this game.”
“The artwork is splendid; some parts even surprisingly reminded me of Hayao Miyazaki’s films.”
“The art style is beautiful and that’s definitely one thing I’m very picky about, and the writing is phenomenal.”
“I am bothered by an inconsistent art style, especially when it comes to the sprite art.”
“First of all, the characters are drawn with different art styles, which look really mismatched when put together.”
“Judging from the art style and music alone, you can guess what the storytelling will be like; fluffy, lighthearted, and not really pushing any boundaries.”
- music43 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising its ability to enhance the storytelling and match the mood of various scenes. While some players found the soundtrack and sound effects to be fantastic and immersive, others noted that certain tracks felt generic or reminiscent of stock music. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm, complementing its beautiful art and engaging narrative.
“The music is awesome, as well as the art.”
“Music is also lovely – all tracks work well with various situations and enhance them.”
“The game also creates a sense of immersion that makes you feel just as involved in the story as the main character is, with music, sound, and visual effects that make for an experience that is unique and memorable.”
“As for the music: the music is.. not very noteworthy, to be honest.”
“The music felt often like stock music (which it may very well be which is absolutely acceptable) but sometimes the music used in certain scenes felt corny.”
“Like during some more serious scenes the music just had a preachy dramatic feel that kinda took me out of it.”
- emotional29 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players experiencing a wide range of feelings, from laughter to tears, as they navigate different character routes. Many users highlight the game's ability to evoke heartfelt moments and humor, creating an engaging emotional roller coaster that resonates deeply. While some moments may be cringeworthy or uncomfortable, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully combines humor and emotional depth, making it a memorable experience for players.
“Personally, I loved how emotional his route was, and I couldn't stop myself from crying at times.”
“I cried the first time I read the stories, and again after playing the updated game (even though I already knew what was going to happen).”
“The emotional roller coaster that goes on in a story is so enjoyable.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by unique storytelling, engaging dialogue, and a quirky sense of humor, complemented by easy mechanics and beautiful visuals. While some players noted flaws in the mechanics and expressed a desire for features like text skipping, many felt these issues did not significantly detract from the overall experience. The game offers numerous choices, although the replayability may be hindered by the pacing of text delivery.
“The amount of care and gameplay in this indie game is amazing.”
“As for the gameplay, numerous choices are presented throughout the story.”
“As for the actual gameplay, the writing in it is absolutely beautiful!”
“The storytelling was engaging and entertaining; the dialogue was believable; the situations kept me wanting to read more; but the mechanics were horrible.”
“For replaying, I do wish the mechanics included either a 'skip-read-text' feature or a 'skip-to-decision' feature because the fastest auto-speed is as fast as my usual reading speed, so it can be a bit slow to replay.”
“All this makes me wonder why the developer bothered implementing choices other than the final one in each route at all, since all these mechanics combined make the idea of going back and seeing what the other choices do extremely unappealing.”
- character development10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the growth of both the main character and love interests, although some aspects may feel forced. The character designs are also highlighted as a strong point, described as cute and appealing, enhancing the overall experience.
“I loved the love interests and their fully realized stories, and the fact that they actually have character development.”
“I loved how the main character's development felt just as important as the love interests'.”
“The character development in Florian's route happened at a steady pace; some parts seemed a bit forced, but I think asking for more than that would be unreasonable.”
“Loved the love interests and their fully idealized stories, and the fact that they actually have character development.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and waiting times, which enhances the overall experience compared to mobile games. Players appreciate the unique stories and humor, with future character purchases being seen as a reasonable addition rather than a burden. Overall, the game offers a solid value with its engaging content and visuals without the typical pitfalls of monetization.
“Thank goodness there are no microtransactions or extra waiting time in this game, which brings it leagues ahead compared to its mobile counterparts.”
“Pros: unique stories, quirky humor, no in-game purchases (aside from future characters as they are developed, which is understandable).”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend more than they should to enjoy the game fully.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind a paywall, making it hard to progress without spending money.”
“The constant ads and prompts to purchase in-game currency really detract from the overall experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game's optimization is lacking, with users feeling that it could benefit from improvements to enhance performance and user experience.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly noting that the main character's lack of agency and the need to adapt to different love interests detracts from the overall experience. This repetitive adjustment to fit the narrative leads to frustration and a sense of monotony.
“After playing through all routes, I have issues with the story and it got tedious. The main character isn't her own person; she changes depending on the love interest and has to be good/interested in what they are, which is so annoying.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, as players report that making different choices does not significantly alter the outcome, with some even achieving the secret ending without fully exploring alternative routes.
“There is zero replay value. I tried choosing all bad choices (which would have been a nightmare if I had to redo the route) apart from the last choice, but I still seemed to get the secret ending.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's no real incentive to go back and play it again. The choices feel meaningless.”
“The game lacks meaningful variations in outcomes, making multiple playthroughs feel redundant.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is generally effective, with all elements serving their purpose, but there are no standout tracks that leave a lasting impression on players.
“None of it is bad and works well for the atmosphere that it's needed for, but I couldn't really point to any particular track that I was all that fond of or that stood out a whole lot to me.”
