Narcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology Project
- January 28, 2016
- stage-nana
Get on SteamNarcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology Project is a visual novel anthology that includes all games from the Narcissu series. It features improved artwork, remastered music, and additional scenarios. The game follows the story of two terminally ill patients who find hope and meaning in their lives as they embark on a road trip together.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Narcissu offers a deeply emotional and thought-provoking narrative that explores themes of life, death, and the human experience, often leaving players in tears.
- The soundtrack and visuals are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional impact of the stories.
- The anthology includes a variety of stories that, while varying in quality, all contribute to a rich exploration of terminal illness and the relationships between those facing death and their loved ones.
- The translation quality and quality control are often criticized, with many players noting typos and errors that detract from the experience.
- Some stories in the anthology are considered weaker or less impactful compared to the original Narcissu 1st and 2nd, leading to mixed feelings about the overall value of the collection.
- The game is primarily a kinetic visual novel with limited interactivity, which may not appeal to players looking for more traditional gameplay elements.
- story178 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The "Narcissu" series is praised for its deeply emotional and poignant storytelling, focusing on the experiences of terminally ill individuals confronting death, friendship, and the human condition. Reviewers highlight the raw realism and bittersweet nature of the narratives, which are enhanced by nostalgic visuals and a touching soundtrack. While some side stories vary in impact, the overall execution is considered powerful and life-changing, resonating strongly with players and evoking a range of emotions.
“Beloved, heartbreaking, and pure... Narcissu encapsulates the perfect story that is about the journey, not the destination.”
“Each story gives us the perspective of people on the verge of death, while showing us the suffering, regrets, and hopes of those they will leave behind.”
“The execution of this ambitious story, one that circles around inevitable death only to tear you apart with the chosen fate of suicide in the midst of suffering, morality, and the real world.”
“Basically, it is just an end of life short story with pictures of clouds and music that takes less than an hour to read - not worth your time and not memorable.”
“However, I think the worst aspect is the lack of visuals to support the story. Not only because it makes it more difficult to connect with the characters but also because it makes it difficult to follow the story.”
- music53 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the storytelling experience, with many reviewers describing it as a standout feature that evokes strong feelings. The soundtrack is noted for being both beautiful and fitting, contributing significantly to the game's melancholic atmosphere. While some critiques mention weaknesses in the plot, the music remains a highlight, often described as "mindblowing" and integral to the overall impact of the visual novel.
“The slow burn of this emotional story decorated in nostalgic, heavenly artwork and a touching soundtrack.”
“One of the most touching visual novels I have ever played, accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack, and guaranteed to give you a tear.”
“Music is very wonderful and I believe is the strength of this visual novel with the story just slightly behind.”
“One downside to 'A Little Iris' is that it shares the same music as 'Ame no Marginal'.”
“Basically, it is just an end of life short story with pictures of clouds and music takes less than an hour to read - not worth your time and not memorable.”
“I couldn't accept that, so I just found some decent 'depressing/sad' piano music on YouTube to repeat.”
- emotional50 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Narcissu" is profoundly impactful, with players describing it as a heartbreaking and touching journey that explores themes of life, death, and friendship. The combination of a beautiful soundtrack, stunning visuals, and a deeply resonant narrative evokes strong feelings, often leading to tears and personal reflection. Many reviewers highlight its ability to provide courage and a new perspective on life, making it one of the most memorable and emotional visual novels they have experienced.
“Beloved, heartbreaking, and pure... Narcissu encapsulates the perfect story that is about the journey, not the destination.”
“A fantastic soundtrack, stunning and emotionally fitting visuals, and an impactful, memorable experience that tore my heart apart again a decade later in life. Please read Narcissu 1st & 2nd; it is entrancing and heartbreaking, and I cannot help but love this game - I hope you do as well.”
“One of the most touching visual novels I have ever played, accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack, and guaranteed to give you a tear.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Narcissu 1st & 2nd" evoke a strong sense of nostalgia and emotional depth, with some players praising the heavenly artwork and fitting soundtrack that enhance the storytelling. However, criticism arises regarding the lack of diverse visuals, with many describing the backgrounds as plain and the character artwork as limited, which detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals can be impactful, they are often seen as insufficient to fully support the narrative.
“The slow burn of this emotional story decorated in nostalgic, heavenly artwork and a touching soundtrack.”
“A fantastic soundtrack, stunning and emotionally fitting visuals, and an impactful, memorable experience that tore my heart apart again a decade later in life. Please read Narcissu 1st & 2nd; it is entrancing and heartbreaking, and I cannot help but love this game - I hope you do as well.”
“The fantastic writing, the music, the visuals, the characters, the themes.”
“However, I think the worst aspect is the lack of visuals to support the story.”
“The artwork is mainly terribly plain background environments and with only a single piece of character artwork that I’d consider decent.”
“Most of the visuals/cgs are non-existent or very small, with maybe 2 pictures of the characters in total.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as melancholic and tear-jerking, enhanced by poignant voice acting and evocative music that effectively convey a sense of sadness. Users appreciate the combination of beautiful but sparse visuals and a deeply emotional narrative, which together create a compellingly depressive ambiance.
“The melancholy voice acting and the wonderful music create a depressive atmosphere that the story is striving to achieve.”
“Nice drawings (but rare as always), atmospheric music, and more than ever a really good and very sad story.”
“That being said, it still retains the same sad, tear-jerking atmosphere which I really like.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the visual novel is consistently praised for being both cute and funny, eliciting genuine laughter from players while also evoking emotional responses.
“Such a cute and funny visual novel, I laughed while playing it and ended up in tears.”
