Loving Life

About

Loving Life is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Serenity Forge and was released on May 20, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"I cried, but not because I wanted to live longer. I cried because I realized how painful it would be for the ones who love me." Loving Life is a short, non-fictional autobiographical visual novel created in 2012 by Zhenghua Yang (Z), the founder of Serenity Forge, as a reflection on a near-fatal incident that changed his life. StoryAt age 18, Z was a typical college student: driven by…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 24 reviews

story4 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game presents a well-felt personal story that resonates deeply with players, highlighting the fragility of life and the importance of perspective.
It is a short yet impactful visual novel that encourages self-reflection and offers a meaningful message about making the most of life.
The storytelling is emotional and beautifully crafted, making it a touching experience that many players find inspiring and thought-provoking.

Some players feel that the game lacks traditional gameplay elements, describing it more as an e-book than a game, which may not appeal to those looking for interactive experiences.
Critics have pointed out issues with the writing quality, suggesting that it resembles poorly written fan fiction rather than a polished narrative.
The game has received a dismal public reception, with very few concurrent players, leading to concerns about its viability as a product on a gaming platform.

story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The story is praised for its emotional depth and personal resonance, effectively conveyed through the visual novel medium. Reviewers highlight its engaging plot and the impact it has on players, inspiring them to reflect on their own lives. Overall, the narrative is described as beautiful and well-crafted, showcasing the talent of the development team.
- “What a wonderful way to tell that story.”
- “The plot kept me curious and made me not want to put this visual novel down.”
- “Beautiful story, Serenity Forge seems like a genuinely great team of people, especially in their work.”
- “Wow, what a tragic story, but thankfully everything is okay afterwards.”
- “I had learned of his story through his TEDx talk, so I was curious to see how it was told through the visual novel medium.”
- “I have also always wanted to make story-heavy, artful, emotional games, but have never really done it.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional depth and beautiful storytelling, resonating strongly with players through its touching messages about valuing life. Reviewers highlight its ability to evoke strong feelings, making it a significant experience for those who appreciate story-driven, artful narratives.
- “Such an emotional and beautiful visual novel!”
- “This was very touching, and its message is something that many people need to hear.”
- “It got me quite emotional, especially with the message about not taking your life for granted but making the most of it.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where each sentence requires a click to advance, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative.
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you ever read, whether it's 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', '2001: A Space Odyssey', or 'Twilight' (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
- “I found myself spending hours on grinding without any real sense of progress, which made the experience frustrating.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of "Loving Life" are noted for their autobiographical and visual novel style, effectively conveying the personal story of Zhenghua Yang. While the visuals may not be groundbreaking, they serve the narrative purpose well, immersing players in the emotional journey of the protagonist.
gameplay
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay of this visual/interactive novel is criticized for being minimal, primarily consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue that detracts from the overall experience, raising concerns about its quality and suitability for publication.
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by sharp wit and clever observations, as exemplified by a remark about the minimal demand for a fictional book, highlighting the absurdity of certain situations. Overall, players appreciate the game's ability to deliver humor that is both insightful and entertaining.
- “The funny thing is, if you wanted to print this book, you'd only need to print 2 copies to satisfy the entire world's demand for it.”