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Loving Life

69%Game Brain Score
story, emotional
gameplay, grinding
92% User Score Based on 26 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
Buy NowGet on Steam

About

"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…

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Loving Life screenshot
Loving Life screenshot
Loving Life screenshot
Loving Life screenshot
Loving Life screenshot
Loving Life screenshot
Loving Life screenshot

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 26 reviews
story4 positive mentions
gameplay1 negative mentions
  • The game delivers a touching message about the value of life and encourages players to make the most of their time.
  • It offers an emotional experience that resonates with those struggling to find purpose or dealing with personal challenges.
  • The story is engaging and keeps players curious, making it a worthwhile play-through despite its format.
  • The game is criticized for being poorly written and lacking any notable gameplay, resembling a fanfiction rather than a true game.
  • Many reviewers feel that it does not belong on a gaming platform like Steam, as it could easily be presented as a free e-book elsewhere.
  • The public reception has been dismal, with very few concurrent readers, indicating a lack of interest among the gaming community.
  • story
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is highly praised for its engaging plot that captivates players and encourages self-reflection. Reviewers commend the beautiful narrative and the dedication of the development team, Serenity Forge, in creating a compelling visual novel experience.

    • “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.”
    • “After reading through this amazing story game, it left me thinking that I should do something with myself.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching message about valuing life and making the most of it, resonating deeply with players and prompting strong emotional responses. Many users found the themes to be impactful and necessary, emphasizing the importance of the game's message.

    • “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.”
  • gameplay
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this visual/interactive novel is criticized for lacking depth, primarily consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue that many reviewers feel is unpublishable. Overall, it fails to engage players meaningfully, raising concerns about its quality and presence on platforms like Steam.

    • “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?'”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books to be tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where players must click to progress through text, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative. This repetitive clicking can make engaging with the story feel laborious rather than immersive.

    • “Grinding in this game feels like a never-ending chore, where progress is painfully slow and the rewards are minimal.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding makes the gameplay feel more like a job than a fun experience.”
    • “I found myself stuck in an endless loop of grinding, which drained all the enjoyment out of the game.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the reviews is characterized by a sarcastic and self-deprecating tone, highlighting the book's lack of appeal with a witty remark about only needing two copies to meet global demand. This clever observation underscores the overall comedic approach taken by the reviewers.

    • “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.”

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