Love Thyself: A Horatio Story

About

In a society where everyone is a clone of the Emperor, can you survive long enough to find out who you truly are? Try out the brand new visual novel set in the Endless Universe!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Love Thyself: A Horatio Story screenshot

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 447 reviews

story58 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and humorous exploration of the Horatio society, providing depth to the Endless Universe lore.
Visually appealing with good art and music, making it an enjoyable experience despite its short length.
It's free and provides multiple endings and choices, making it a worthwhile play for both fans of the Endless series and newcomers.

The story can be confusing, especially for those unfamiliar with the Endless Universe, leading to a lack of engagement.
Some players found the dialogue and choices to be repetitive or lacking in meaningful impact on the story.
The game is quite short, leaving some players wanting more content and depth in the narrative.

story
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
57%
3%
The story of "Love Thyself - A Horatio Story" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and humorous while others criticize it for being shallow or poorly developed. Set in a universe of clones, the narrative offers multiple branching paths and endings, allowing for player choice, but some feel that the execution lacks coherence and depth. Overall, it presents an interesting premise with a blend of comedy and self-discovery, though opinions vary widely on its effectiveness and appeal.
- “The story is solid, the characters are impressive, and the humor is hilarious.”
- “Love thyself - a horatio story is a game developed by Amplitude Studios and published by Sega. It provides several inter-weaved story arcs to follow, optional relationship-driven choices, as well as several possible endings.”
- “An enjoyable story about the ins and outs of life in the Horatio Empire.”
- “I have no clue what the story is....”
- “The concept of an empire of clones is interesting, but I don't think the game developed it well - the plot is rather unrealistic and childish, to speak the truth, and though all characters are supposed to be clones of each other, they're quite distinctive (hard to see the clone side).”
- “Branching and 'routes' are the worst feature of the visual novel format, a total time-waster for the player, but they're even more egregious when you can't even follow one route and get a coherent story out of it.”
humor
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
6%
The humor in this game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, with many reviewers highlighting its hilarious moments and witty writing. While some jokes may lean towards the creepy side, the overall tone is lighthearted and engaging, making it a fun experience for players. The game effectively combines humor with self-discovery and romance, offering a unique and entertaining take on the visual novel genre.
- “Humor and lightheartedness bring the world to life, with each playthrough offering fresh delight.”
- “With its stunning art, captivating narrative, and humor, Horatio's world is one you'll eagerly revisit, each playthrough revealing a new aspect of your true self.”
- “What started as an April Fools' joke ended as both a humorous visual novel and a unique insight into the inner workings of Horatio society, the game thrusting you into the role of a 'defective' Horatio clone.”
- “Dull and not funny; it took about 30 minutes to finish the game.”
- “The humor fell flat and failed to engage me.”
- “I expected more laughs, but the jokes were stale and unoriginal.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
57%
10%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their creative and charming 2D cartoonish style, which enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the attention to detail and the captivating artwork, noting that the visuals are both enjoyable and effective, despite some mentioning a lack of variation. Overall, the aesthetic is described as simple yet well-executed, contributing positively to the game's appeal.
- “The visuals are very creative and have a 2D cartoonish look, which makes the whole experience enjoyable and interesting.”
- “The animated visuals awaken curiosity and please the mind with their smooth, well-done creation.”
- “I must say, the artwork in this game impressed me and is definitely not like other visual novel games in terms of detail.”
- “I grew bored with the story and was unimpressed with the artwork.”
- “- not much detail or variation in visuals”
- “The art style is light while the subject matter can be quite dark - an apt metaphor for the world that you will be thrown into.”
music
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
24%
12%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric quality and suitability for the game's setting, particularly noting its connection to the Endless Space 2 soundtrack. While some players found the music charming and well-integrated, others criticized it for being sparse or inconsistent, leading to moments of silence that detracted from the experience. Overall, the soundtrack is generally regarded as a strong point, enhancing the game's ambiance and storytelling.
- “If you haven't played any of the big non-free endless games, you're likely to be blown away by the musical score.”
- “A charming visual novel with a compelling aesthetic and soothing music.”
- “The game lacks pretty hard in audio; some moments have music and effects, while others don't.”
- “Music's kind of screwed in between where it just randomly stops; I ended up muting the game and listening to my own because it was so annoying.”
- “The music and sounds are sometimes sparse, with a few moments of the story presented in silence, but overall it works well with the backgrounds and creates a good ambiance.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
56%
22%
The gameplay is primarily decision-based, resembling a visual novel that emphasizes reading and player choice, which some find less rewarding. While it features creative ideas and enjoyable elements, the mechanics are straightforward and may not appeal to those seeking more interactive gameplay.
- “The game requires a lot of reading but does have very creative ideas to it and enjoyable gameplay.”
- “There isn’t much I could or have to say for the gameplay, since the game is a decision-based story game which only the player themselves can decide what will happen or what’s going to happen.”
- “There isn’t much I could or have to say for the gameplay, since the game is a decision-based story game where only the player can decide what will happen.”
- “Mechanically, it is just a visual novel.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time that leads to boredom. Many resort to farming for achievements as a quicker alternative, indicating that the grinding can feel tedious and unfulfilling.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Honestly, I got bored soon enough and stopped playing the game and just went to farming for the achievements.”
- “Free Steam achievements within 8 minutes of grinding.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive and fitting music, which complements the setting without being intrusive. Reviewers highlight the combination of a fantastic story and a well-crafted atmosphere that enhances the experience, particularly in relation to the unique Horatio species.
- “The music is very nice, atmospheric, and unintrusive, perfectly fitting the setting.”
- “The music was good and fit the atmosphere of most parts of the game.”
- “This visual novel has a fantastic story with a great atmosphere that sets a wonderful tone for one of the more eccentric species in the endless universe, the Horatio.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The character development in the game is praised for its engaging dialogue and diverse character designs, which encourage replayability and exploration of different narrative paths. The captivating artwork enhances the overall experience, making players eager to discover the outcomes of their choices. Overall, the combination of visual appeal and strong writing contributes to a compelling character-driven narrative.
- “Captivating artwork, clever dialogue, and varied character designs kept me replaying for hours, always curious about what path a different choice would lead me down; whether or not you maintain the course of a 'true' Horatio is a decision that is yours to make.”
- “Not gonna lie, I don't know how I found this game or what Endless Space really is, but this visual novel was amazing from the art style, writing, character designs—everything was great. I'd definitely pay for a complete and longer version of this.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Players appreciate the game's replayability due to the impact of their choices, which reveal different facets of the story upon subsequent playthroughs. This element encourages exploration of various narrative paths, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Your choices do matter, and this gives the game replay value because you learn more about the full story.”
- “Great game, great replayable story.”
- “The game feels linear, and once you've completed it, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- “While the story is engaging, the lack of different endings makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- “After finishing the game once, I found that the experience didn't change much on subsequent playthroughs.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively blends humor with emotional depth, creating a unique experience that resonates with players on a personal level. Users find it both entertaining and moving, highlighting its ability to evoke genuine feelings.
- “This game is all at once hilarious and touching.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game exhibits some stability issues, with players reporting occasional visual glitches, particularly involving character portraits and background elements not disappearing promptly. Overall, while these bugs are present, they do not significantly detract from the gameplay experience.
- “While playing, I encountered a few bugs; these primarily consisted of visual glitches when character portraits moved about the stage, or when the background changed, not all the background objects disappeared as quickly as they should have.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
- “I experienced several instances of lag and stuttering, which severely impacted my gameplay experience.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game features a monetization model that does not include microtransactions or season passes, allowing players to enjoy the full experience without additional costs.
- “No microtransactions or season passes required.”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that respects players' time and investment.”
- “I appreciate that all content is accessible without spending extra money.”