Mr. Saitou
- March 23, 2023
- Laura Shigihara
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Mr. Saitou" is a heartwarming non-combat game with humor and friendship at its core, presented in a charming art style. As an overworked office worker transported to a fantasy world, you'll encounter strange creatures and explore the "Edudungeon." With a short playtime, original soundtrack by Laura Shigihara and Toby Fox, and a blend of office culture and fantasy, it's a unique and memorable experience.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Mr. Saitou is a genuinely uplifting and life-affirming game with a beautiful story full of quirkiness and excellent humor.
- The game features stunning pixel art and a fantastic soundtrack, enhancing the emotional weight of the story.
- Despite its short length, the game delivers a heartfelt narrative that resonates with players, making it a memorable experience.
- The game is quite short, typically taking only 1-3 hours to complete, which may deter some players looking for more content.
- Some players feel the price point is too high for the amount of gameplay offered, leading to concerns about replayability.
- A few characters and themes may come off as stereotypical or underdeveloped, which could detract from the overall experience for some players.
- story322 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The story of "Mr. Saitou" is widely praised for its heartwarming and whimsical narrative, filled with quirky characters and emotional depth, despite its short length of about 2-4 hours. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to tackle themes of work-life balance and personal struggles with humor and sincerity, making it a relatable experience that resonates with players. The combination of beautiful pixel art, enchanting music, and simple yet meaningful storytelling creates a charming atmosphere that leaves a lasting impact.
“I cannot recommend this enough for its beautiful art and music, its wonderful story and emotional weight.”
“Mr. Saitou is a wonderfully charming story-based game full of wonder and whimsy that is life-affirming and will leave you uplifted.”
“The storytelling in this game is absolutely incredible and impressively done in a 2-4 hour gameplay time.”
“Despite being so short, it tells such a sweet story that made me want to see more of the world.”
“The story was so heartwarming and well written, the characters were all very fleshed out even though the game was shorter (around 2 ish hours for me with 8/10 achievements).”
“It would be cool to expand and learn a bit more about their backstory and motivations, but this was also a missed opportunity.”
- music232 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Mr. Saitou" has been widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, with many reviewers highlighting the exceptional work of composer Laura Shigihara, alongside contributions from Toby Fox. The soundtrack is described as charming, relaxing, and integral to the game's atmosphere, often evoking strong emotional responses from players. While some tracks are noted to be reused from the previous game "Rakuen," they are still appreciated for their effective integration into the new context.
“The music is fantastic, the puzzles are fun but not too crazy.”
“I adore Laura Shigihara's musical style, and the soundtrack for Mr. Saitou absolutely lives up to the masterpiece that was the Rakuen soundtrack.”
“The music and atmosphere of the game bring the story to another level.”
“You literally spend less time in some areas than it takes to play a full track of music.”
“Considering that the specialty of the developer is music, it befuddles me as to why the pacing in this game couldn't be a bit better (i.e. had a bit more content in each area) so you could actually hear some of the amazing music.”
“Honestly, the game is a pretty fun experience, I loved how Toby Fox is listed under 'annoying music' in the credits (the soundtrack was dope in all honesty), and overall it was quite a fun adventure; however, I don't think there is enough content in the game to justify its price.”
- emotional200 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Mr. Saitou" is widely praised for its heartwarming and touching narrative, which resonates deeply with players, often evoking tears of joy and sadness. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to convey meaningful messages about hope, friendship, and self-care through charming characters and beautiful art, making it a delightful yet impactful experience. While not as emotionally intense as its predecessor "Rakuen," it still offers a rich emotional journey that leaves players feeling uplifted and inspired.
“Truly touching and heartbreaking. As someone who has suffered severe depression for many years, this game managed to break through my emotional barrier and make me feel something for the characters and feel hopeful.”
“This game was so wholesome and left me in tears of joy, sadness, and pure warmth in my heart!”
“Mr. Saitou is a wonderfully charming story-based game full of wonder and whimsy that is life-affirming and will leave you uplifted, featuring incredible pixel art and an exceptional soundtrack.”
- humor108 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Mr. Saitou" is widely praised for its quirky, absurd dialogue and heartwarming moments, blending lightheartedness with deeper themes. Players appreciate the game's ability to balance funny, memorable characters and situations with emotional undertones, creating a charming and engaging experience. Overall, the humor is described as delightful, relatable, and integral to the game's storytelling, making it a joy to play.
“The script was hilarious and you can really feel the passion put into this little piece.”
“Fantastically quirky and hilariously absurd dialogue.”
“The whole game is a joy to experience; I was grinning like a maniac for most of it and several times had me laughing out loud.”
- graphics62 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, which evokes a nostalgic 16-bit aesthetic while incorporating modern touches. Players appreciate the stunning visuals and attention to detail, which enhance the overall experience and emotional impact of the story. The combination of beautiful artwork and a fantastic soundtrack creates a vibrant and engaging atmosphere that resonates with players.
“Stunning visuals.”
“Despite the story and puzzles for the game being quite simple, it still leaves a very memorable impact on the player because of its stunning visuals and extremely lovable characters!”
“Beautiful and funny little game with outstanding graphics and such love and attention to detail.”
“The game doesn't stand alone on its aesthetics, though.”
“The artwork and music is always so colorful, happy, and bubbly.”
“I have no qualms about the visual art style, it's retro pixel art reminiscent of the 16-bit era (with a modern touch).”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Mr. Saitou" is straightforward and easy to grasp, typically lasting around 2-3 hours, with simple mechanics that focus on exploration and interaction rather than complex puzzles or combat. While it may not offer extensive gameplay depth or challenging side quests, the game compensates with a rich narrative filled with humor, emotion, and whimsical charm, making it a highly recommended experience for those who appreciate storytelling. Overall, players can expect a heartwarming journey rather than a gameplay-heavy adventure.
“The gameplay is very simple, but if you love a good narrative, I highly recommend this game.”
“Mr. Saitou is a wonderfully charming story-based game full of wonder and whimsy that is life-affirming and will leave you uplifted - featuring incredible pixel art, an exceptional and eclectic soundtrack, a 2D nostalgic RPG feel to the gameplay, and a combat-free adventure with puzzles.”
“Despite the price, it has a maximum of 2 hours of gameplay.”
“It's not a game that is going to 'wow' you with gameplay and mechanics as everything is very basic and easy to learn, but the story pulls itself nicely along with nice pockets of humor and emotion to guide you through Mr. Saitou's make-believe-but-very-needed-for-him journey.”
“Don't expect a whole lot of gameplay - the puzzles are stupendously easy - but instead, expect to go on a heartwarming journey with your everyday guy, who manages to rediscover that the world can be full of wonder.”
- character development10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is marked by adorable designs and relatable struggles, which resonate with players. While the game successfully balances humor and heartfelt moments, some reviewers feel it falls short in pacing and depth, preventing a full recommendation at full price. Overall, the charming character designs and engaging cutscenes contribute positively, but there are areas for improvement.
“The character designs are really cute and they struggle with oh so painfully relatable hardships.”
“Amazing little game that hits all of the notes I love; it's hilarious and heartfelt, has fantastic character designs, an absolutely banging soundtrack, and pivots from silly to serious so hard you'll get whiplash.”
“Graphics/sound: 10/10 - as with Rakuen, another exceptional job with sprites, character designs, and also cutscenes (yes, there are a couple major cutscenes in this one).”
“Don't get me wrong, I definitely do like this game, and it does have its charm, but in its current state I cannot really give it a full recommendation at full price as I feel like it fell short in just a few areas in terms of character development and pacing.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as cute and relaxing, enhanced by lovely music and charming characters that contribute to a unique and engaging experience. Players appreciate the combination of atmospheric exploration and entertaining interactions, which elevate the overall storytelling.
“A cute, relaxing game - with a wonderful atmosphere, short but lovely story, relaxing music, and loveable characters.”
“Each moment is unique and interesting, whether it's snappy conversations with wacky characters, atmospheric exploration, or even math.”
“The music and atmosphere of the game bring the story to another level.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, indicating strong stability across platforms.
“Also runs great on Steam Deck!”
