National Park Girls
- March 14, 2019
- Studio Élan
Get on Steam"National Park Girls" is a visual novel adventure game where you play as a ranger intraining, living and working in various national parks. Through the game, you will meet and form relationships with the "Spirit Girls," an anthropomorphic group of guardians protecting the national parks. The game features beautiful art and animation, with a strong emphasis on character development and storytelling.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Engaging story with well-developed characters and emotional depth, making players care about their journeys.
- Superb voice acting and beautiful art style that enhance the overall experience.
- A unique and charming premise that combines slice-of-life elements with themes of nature and personal growth.
- The episodic format can be frustrating, as players may feel they are only getting a small portion of the story for the price.
- Some players found the main character unlikable and overly negative, which detracted from their enjoyment.
- The last episode felt rushed and less polished compared to earlier chapters, with noticeable typos and inconsistencies.
- story90 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging narrative, compelling characters, and high-quality voice acting and art. While some players found the story to be emotional and well-crafted, others criticized it for being slow-paced, shallow, or lacking depth compared to previous works by the studio. Overall, it appears to be a charming and unique experience, particularly for fans of visual novels, though opinions on its execution vary significantly.
“The story is engaging and the characters are compelling.”
“I love and feel the story, characters, and themes so very deeply, how dare you... but also, thank you so much for adding this to my life....”
“The story draws you in from the second you start the game and even after we met the three spirit girls everything feels so real, from the way those spirits are presented to the reaction of Eve, our main character.”
“Unfortunately, this novel's plot is absurd, naive, and can't stand any criticism, even the lightest one.”
“The story is simply dull, even for children. It's developing very slowly, so leisurely, that the reader/player must break through tons of senseless verbiage: scenes that don't contain any conflicts, that don't contribute to the main narrative, that just don't make any sense, sometimes offering only character development, which is way too tight.”
“Now, I get the feeling that this game was never intended to be a deep and complex story, but it still felt rather shallow and predictable.”
- music28 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its masterful composition and ability to enhance the emotional atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting it as a standout feature. The soundtrack is described as relaxing and fitting for the game's narrative, often drawing players into the experience without being distracting. Overall, the music, alongside the voice acting and artwork, contributes significantly to the game's charm and immersive quality.
“The soundtrack is masterfully done, and easily one of my favorite soundtracks in a video game.”
“Oh my god, the music is wonderful, just that homey, comfortable music that makes you want to curl up in a blanket with some hot chocolate.”
“The music perfectly fits each scene, and is so nice to listen to.”
“I don't want to make this review too long, but it would be a giant mistake if I failed to point out the soundtrack.”
“The music is really fitting, even if nighttime moments could use some slower/lighter music.”
“As for the characters, I can't say much yet; I have been too busy admiring the soundtrack and art.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and unique art style, which many players find captivating and integral to the overall experience. The combination of beautiful artwork, complete voice acting, and engaging storytelling enhances the emotional depth of the visual novel, making it a visually appealing journey. Overall, the high production value and charming character designs contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
“The visuals are stunning, with each character being delightful to look at.”
“If you are looking for an emotional, intriguing journey with excellent artwork, music, and voice acting, then please check this game out.”
“The artwork was undeniably amazing, the music together with the ambient sounds were really awesome and the story was great as well.”
“The graphics are underwhelming and lack the detail expected from modern visual novels.”
“The character designs feel generic and fail to stand out, making it hard to connect with them.”
“The backgrounds are bland and do not contribute to the overall atmosphere of the game.”
- emotional18 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, with many players experiencing tears and deep connections to the characters. The narrative combines humor with poignant moments, creating an emotional rollercoaster that resonates with players, even if the story may not appeal to everyone. Overall, it is praised for its heartfelt storytelling, beautiful visuals, and the capacity to leave a lasting impact on players.
“What I got: a visual novel with anthro national park girls and plenty of sweet moments, but that's able to hit you with plenty of emotional gut punches (but, like, in a good way of course that makes you care about the characters and want to see them thrive).”
“The climax packs a real emotional punch, and left me feeling warm and hopeful.”
“I have no experience with park preservation but I was able to feel and empathize with Eve emotionally, and still thinking about it right now shakes me.”
“However, this got bogged down by an unlikable main character and a boring story.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this visual novel is widely praised for its ability to evoke laughter while also delivering emotional depth, creating a memorable experience that balances funny and serious moments. Reviewers appreciate the well-written dialogue and character expressions, although some noted occasional mismatches with voice acting. Overall, the humor is described as both engaging and clever, contributing significantly to the game's charm.
“This had me laughing my head off, empathizing with the characters and sitting up late at night to find out what happens to them.”
“A funny, emotional journey that was long worth the wait!”
“Sure, I did have to keep Google Chrome on standby for some of the Victorian and 90's era words that flew completely over my head as a zoomer, but overall a great story with amazing humor.”
- character development5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development in the visual novel is lacking, with slow pacing and excessive filler content that detracts from meaningful growth. While the writing and character designs are praised, players feel that the limited length of episodes hinders the opportunity for substantial character development, leaving the narrative feeling dull and unengaging.
“I love the writing and the character designs, and the art is beautiful.”
“Showing anthropomorphized national parks gave the developers a rather unique opportunity for creative character design.”
“The story is simply dull, even for children. It's developing very slowly, so leisurely, that the reader/player must break through tons of senseless verbiage: scenes that don't contain any conflicts, that don't contribute to the main narrative, that just don't make any sense, sometimes offer only character development, which is way too tight.”
“The three national park characters are okay and can be cute, but episode 1 just did not really feel long enough to allow for substantial character development.”
“With any visual novel, I'm hoping for multiple sources of drama or conflict, resolution to them, and some degree of character development in between.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the visual novel is highly praised, with fitting music and engaging characters that enhance the experience. Reviewers note that it evokes a strong desire to connect with nature and inspires a sense of positivity, complemented by effective sound design that contributes to memorable atmospheric moments.
“The music fits the atmosphere, and every character is interesting.”
“This visual novel made me want to go out and actually visit a nature park, absorb the atmosphere, have a picnic, and it gives me a general feeling of wanting to make the world a better place.”
“It had some great atmospheric moments, and the sound design contributed to that really nicely.”
“This visual novel made me want to go out and actually visit a nature park and just absorb the atmosphere, have a picnic, and gives me a general feeling of wanting to make the world a better place.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as straightforward with minimal interaction, resembling a visual novel format that lacks choices or complex mechanics.
“There are no choices or gameplay interactions here; however, it's a very straightforward visual novel.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express skepticism about the monetization model, suggesting that their playtime may be artificially inflated due to leaving the game running during advertisements, which raises concerns about the actual engagement and value of the game.
“The monetization system feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
“I feel pressured to spend real money just to keep up with other players, which ruins the experience.”
“The constant ads and paywalls make it difficult to progress without shelling out cash.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be characterized by awkward tension and tedious dialogue, which detracts from the overall experience.
