natsuno-kanata - beyond the summer | Game Brain

natsuno-kanata - beyond the summer Game Cover

A text adventure game depicting girls traveling the world to the end. You found an old computer which can connect to talk with strange garl you have never met. The girl's name is Natsuno. She said said to be traveling alone in a world collapsed by a pandemic. But in the world, you know, there is no pandemic or social collapse. Where is the world she is in and why are the calls connected each ot…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 58 reviews

story4 positive mentions

The game features beautiful art, graphics, and music, creating a relaxing and immersive atmosphere.
The storytelling is engaging and thought-provoking, with well-written text that explores deep themes and character development.
Players appreciate the unique interaction style, where they can communicate with characters through text input, enhancing the feeling of connection.

The game is only available in Japanese, making it difficult for non-Japanese speakers to fully enjoy the experience.
Some players find the gameplay mechanics frustrating, particularly the need for a Japanese keyboard and the unclear input commands.
The ending and some plot elements are seen as unsatisfying, with noticeable plot holes and a lack of payoff for the extensive world-building.

story
22 mentions
18 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The story of this Japanese visual novel revolves around a zombie apocalypse, featuring a captivating narrative that emphasizes emotional depth and character interactions over action. While some reviewers noted plot holes and a simplistic structure, many praised the storytelling and character development, highlighting its engaging plot and comfortable art style. Despite the lack of an English translation, the game is recommended for its immersive experience and well-crafted narrative.
- “Even though I just played until chapter 4, the storytelling is incredible and well done.”
- “This game has a better plot and characters, and I hope everyone can enjoy the same experience.”
- “The plot is more about emotions, feelings, and character dialogues than action, and the goal of the game is to make the player feel things.”
- “Also some plot holes/visual plot holes, mcguffins are noticeable, like the girls won't be injured, the zombie can be replaced at anything, etc...”
- “The story plot is quite simple and rather kinetic.”
- “To progress the story, you need to meet the requirements in each chapter (it's written at the bottom of the chapter page) and can't progress just by reading the texts.”
gameplay
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its unique user interface and engaging dialogues, stories, and characters, which are highlighted as the game's core strengths. However, it can become repetitive and mechanical, focusing on scavenging rather than survival mechanics, which may detract from the overall experience.
- “The gameplay was really nice, especially how different the UI is from other visual novels.”
- “The value of the game is not in survival mechanics but in dialogues, stories, and characters, and even scavenging is written in beautiful language.”
- “But at some point, it becomes a mostly mechanical process of 'come in, take everything you can.' The value of the game is not in survival mechanics but in dialogues, stories, and characters, and even scavenging is written in beautiful language.”
- “The gameplay does exist.”
graphics
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their beautiful and comfortable art style, complemented by a clean and simple interface that enhances the overall mood of the game. The artworks, while somewhat sparse, are well-drawn and contribute positively to the visual experience.
- “Beautiful interface, graphics, and music - just wish I could read Japanese.”
- “Very comfortable art style and great plot :)”
- “The clean and simple interface fits well with this mood, as do the artworks which are a bit sparse but well drawn.”
music
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and quality, complementing the appealing graphics and character design. While some users noted a lack of diverse background settings, the overall visual and auditory experience is considered impressive and enjoyable.
- “Beautiful interface, graphics, and music - just wish I could read Japanese.”
- “Character design and the background music are nice, although there isn't much background setting to see (most are just blurry-like mosaic).”
- “Very nice art and music, though!”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it offers heartwarming moments and a relaxing survival vibe, the effectiveness of its storytelling can be hindered by irrelevant dialogues and language barriers that detract from the intended emotional impact.
- “Overall, a heartwarming and relaxing survival experience.”
- “You scavenge places for resources to fulfill goals, then you see a dialogue that progresses the story further, often carrying significant emotional value.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized as warm and sentimental, aligning well with its presentation on the store page. However, the emotional impact can be diminished by language barriers, which may detract from the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere is very warm and sentimental, exactly how the store page presents it.”
- “And when the game is trying to be emotional, the language barrier can ruin the atmosphere.”