Neighboring Islands

About

Neighboring Islands is a single player action game. It was developed by Angry games and was released on April 30, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

“Neighboring Islands” – is an exciting graphic novel, key feature of which is an opportunity to take part in its events, directly influencing the development of the plot. Every decision of the player-reader can change the course of the narrative in one direction or another.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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67%

Audience ScoreBased on 46 reviews

story19 positive mentions

replayability2 negative mentions

The game features an interesting and engaging pirate-themed story with multiple endings, providing some replay value.
The graphics are visually appealing, utilizing a unique style that sets it apart from typical visual novels.
Despite translation issues, the writing has moments of charm and humor, contributing to an overall entertaining experience.

The game is unfinished, with only a few chapters available and no clear indication of when or if the remaining content will be released.
The English translation is poor, filled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing that detracts from the storytelling experience.
Gameplay is limited, often resulting in a lack of meaningful choices, as many decisions lead to instant death rather than branching paths.

story
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The story of the game is a grim pirate adventure set in the early 1700s, featuring a linear narrative where choices often lead to gruesome outcomes rather than meaningful branching paths. While the plot is intriguing and the characters are somewhat well-developed, the overall experience is marred by translation issues and a lack of replayability, as the game is currently unfinished and has limited gameplay beyond decision-making. Despite its flaws, the story offers a unique take on the pirate genre, appealing to fans of visual novels and choose-your-own-adventure formats.
- “It's actually quite grim a lot of the time, with various choices to make about what to do along the length of the story, with many choices actually affecting the plot and providing some pretty interesting if macabre death scenarios and game overs.”
- “The story takes place in the early 1700s (around 1710, I think), and is about some pirates being shipwrecked on an island somewhere in the Devil's Triangle (a.k.a. the Bermuda Triangle).”
- “You can tell the creator put in a lot of effort to flesh out characters, the world, and storyline.”
- “There's not a ton of replayability here, and it appears the game is to this day in an unfinished state. The developer mentioned in the forum that they actually took the game script and turned it into a novel, adding a fourth and final chapter to conclude the story, but unfortunately, as far as I know, this book is only available in Russian.”
- “The story advances with the usual visual novel format, using both conversation choices and action choices, but the choices here are merely an illusion for the most part. Some choices are included, but the non-linearity introduced by these choices is almost always short-lived, with most ending up with the protagonist dead and a new achievement awarded, or simply moving the story along the same route, usually with only minor temporary flavor differences.”
- “Given that the entire game is about a story - there's no other gameplay - it's not worth playing.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
60%
11%
The graphics in this game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the atmospheric and unique art style, including pre-rendered 3D elements and detailed backgrounds that stand out from typical visual novels. While many find the visuals decent and not offensive, others feel they lack vibrancy and life, ultimately serving as a backdrop to the more compelling narrative. Overall, the artwork is considered above average, contributing positively to the game's immersive experience despite some criticisms.
- “Bright and crisp visuals.”
- “The artwork is featuring enough diversity and attention to detail that I can’t find a single flaw in it.”
- “I've discussed the visuals already; though perhaps an unusual choice for the genre, the combination of pre-rendered 3D, small animations, and drawn backgrounds actually works quite well.”
- “Maybe it's translated from another language, but it's about as bad as leaving a color blind person in charge of graphics for a game.”
- “After watching the Black Sails TV show, I kind of got into pirates, but the graphics feel like they're making up for the story, which is kind of simple.”
- “The art style and what I would like to describe as assets aren't horrible to look at, but it doesn't show life.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The gameplay is primarily focused on narrative-driven choices typical of visual novels, offering limited mechanical depth and repetitive mechanics where incorrect choices can lead to character death. While some players find enjoyment in the storytelling and decision-making aspects, others criticize the lack of substantial gameplay elements, suggesting it may not appeal to those seeking more interactive experiences. Overall, the gameplay is characterized by reading and making choices rather than traditional gaming mechanics.
- “I enjoyed it for what it is and got several hours of entertainment out of it. If you liked the Risen 2 game and enjoy pirate-like adventure games or choose-your-own-adventure styles, there's probably something here that you'll find endearing.”
- “In the case of visual novels, the gameplay revolves around the storyline.”
- “The only gameplay involved is the occasional choice that can either lead to your death in a choose-your-own-adventure style or slightly alter the dialogue.”
- “Given that the entire game is about a story - there's no other gameplay - it's not worth playing.”
- “Very little gameplay to go along with the storytelling, and it seems like when you arrive at a choice point in the narrative, instead of branching paths, only one answer will lead anywhere, the others resulting in death.”
- “The only gameplay involved is the occasional choice that can either lead to your death in a choose-your-own-adventure style or it will slightly alter the dialogue.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it relaxing and well-suited to the pirate theme, while others criticize it for being overly repetitive and grating, particularly in later chapters. While certain tracks enhance the atmosphere, the overall simplicity and lack of variety detract from the experience for many users. Despite its decent quality, the soundtrack is often described as a missed opportunity to elevate the game's narrative and character interactions.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “The title music has a sort of dark, piratey feel to it.”
- “I noticed one very out-of-place track at the start of chapter 2, but other than that the music was well chosen to complement the scenes of the story.”
- “Speaking of repetitive, holy #%($ing same 3 bars of music, Batman.”
- “I mean in all seriousness, I would pay the full game price just so I wouldn't have to hear the brain-torture that is the musical score playing in my head for the next few hours... especially since, despite exiting the game, the background music has yet to stop.”
- “The music is simple, and slightly repetitive.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game offers limited replayability due to its unfinished state, with the developer opting to conclude the story in a novel rather than through further game development. However, the presence of multiple endings provides some incentive for players to revisit the game, albeit with a recognition of its shortcomings.
- “It kept me going, and the fact that you can see multiple endings gives it some replay value beyond a single run.”
- “There's not a ton of replayability here, and it appears the game is, to this day, in an unfinished state and won't be finished. The developer mentioned in the forum that they actually took the game script and turned it into a novel, adding a fourth and final chapter to conclude the story. Unfortunately, as far as I know, this book is only available in Russian.”
- “So you shall have to appreciate at least the attempts at creating replay value.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development has received mixed feedback, with some users finding the character designs, particularly the facial features, to be unusual and unappealing.
- “The character designs look very odd, especially the faces.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth.”
- “I found it hard to connect with the characters due to their one-dimensional personalities.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding unintentional laughs from awkward translations and phrasing, while others appreciate the characters' personalities and witty banter amidst dramatic moments. However, there are also instances where the humor falls flat, leading to a less favorable experience for some.
- “Sometimes the translations or odd phrasing will lead to the script being unintentionally funny, and it made me laugh several times. At least the characters show some personality, crack some jokes while at the same time delivering dramatic lines that are appropriate for this pirateish type of adventure.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is noted for being immersive and richly written, despite its unconventional artwork. Players are encouraged to embrace the bizarre elements of the world, which contributes to a unique and engaging experience for those willing to delve into it.
- “Despite the fact this is a strange game with arguably not-so-great artwork, it's still relatively atmospheric and densely written for the price they're asking for, if you're willing to try to lose yourself in the bizarre but interesting world and scenarios.”