Nusakana

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 61 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Nusakana Game Cover
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"Nusakana is a single-player Anime RPG that takes around 70 hours to complete. The game invites you to explore Nusakana island, full of secrets, dangers, and over 30 characters. Your choices and time are crucial as you uncover your past and decide your future in this JRPG adventure."

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 61 reviews
story7 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • Nusakana offers a unique blend of gameplay elements, including fishing, crafting, and relationship-building, set in a beautifully designed open world.
  • The game features a charming art style and a relaxing soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, making it feel like a vacation on a tropical island.
  • Despite some flaws, the developers have shown dedication to improving the game, and it has a lot of content and replay value, appealing to fans of JRPGs and life simulation games.
  • The game suffers from a lack of clear direction and guidance, which can lead to confusion and frustration for players trying to navigate the open world.
  • Many players have noted issues with the English translation, including grammatical errors and awkward phrasing that detracts from the immersion and storytelling.
  • Some gameplay mechanics, such as combat and fishing, are criticized for being repetitive or lacking depth, which can make the experience feel tedious over time.
  • story58 mentions

    The story of Nusakana is a mixed bag, featuring a compelling premise centered around a customizable protagonist exploring an exotic island and uncovering their past, alongside various character-driven quests. While the narrative offers depth and non-linear exploration, many players find the pacing uneven and the main plot underwhelming, often requiring effort to piece together the story amidst a plethora of side quests. Overall, the game presents an engaging world with rich lore, but it struggles with clarity and coherence, leaving some players feeling lost in its expansive narrative.

    • “The story is nice and very 'folk tale' leaning in its overall theme.”
    • “The story and world are vast, deep, and easy to sink into, though sometimes it can be confusing where to go next.”
    • “But for those willing to work at it and uncover the secrets of Nusakana, they'll find an interesting story, one that can be somewhat shaped by the player.”
    • “The main plot is poorly paced with an underwhelming resolution.”
    • “The game eventually shaped the story in a way, so if you have the effort to continue the story, you can see the bigger picture of what's happening.”
    • “I felt there was no plot, no general storyline, only odd side-quests.”
  • music19 mentions

    The music in Nusakana is highly praised for its exceptional quality, featuring a unique blend of jazz and bossa nova that enhances the game's tropical and exotic atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout element, describing it as soothing and immersive, with dynamic changes that reflect the day-night cycle. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a memorable experience for players.

    • “Nusakana is an entirely non-linear and pretty much open world RPG with an insanely good bossa nova-ish soundtrack, made completely with custom assets and with tons of content & replay value, all in an extremely ambitious RPG Maker project that looks nothing like you'd expect out of a RPG Maker game.”
    • “Music: combining jazz and bossa nova, the soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal and of extremely high quality, solidifying the tropical and exotic feel the game wants to convey.”
    • “The music is also some of the best I've ever heard in any game, ever.”
    • “The music?”
    • “The concept, visual art, and music in this game is fine and dandy, but the English is broken (or just the way it is phrased, seems off or weird to a native speaker) and just breaks the immersion for me.”
    • “A sweet soundtrack mellower than Donovan.”
  • gameplay16 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics such as fishing, crafting, and NPC interactions, alongside a complex battle system and survival elements that can feel out of place in a game aimed at relaxation. While the open-world design offers freedom, it suffers from unclear objectives that can lead to frustration. Overall, the gameplay experience is varied, with some players appreciating the depth and challenge, while others find certain mechanics, like survival and punishment for failure, at odds with the game's intended laid-back atmosphere.

    • “A fun, relaxing game with quite a lot of neat mechanics like fishing, crafting/cooking, NPC friend events, many side quests, and different endings.”
    • “I'm impressed by how well-made the game mechanics are, including the complex battle system, survival elements that increase difficulty, and a dynamic world. The open-world feature is good, but it could provide more clues or clearer objectives.”
    • “The gameplay can be very unforgiving and slow-paced at first, especially on the classic difficulty, which is the way the game is meant to be experienced.”
    • “The gameplay is a mixed bag and kind of where things go a bit off the rails.”
    • “The mechanics that progress time can be aggravating depending on where you have to travel.”
    • “Gameplay: Nusakana can be very unforgiving and slow-paced at first, at least on the classic difficulty (aka the 'way the game is meant to be experienced' difficulty).”
  • graphics16 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and consistent hand-drawn artwork style that many players appreciate, contributing to its overall charm. While some users note minor graphical issues and a somewhat messy presentation, the beautiful artwork and cultural elements enhance the gaming experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, despite room for improvement in certain areas.

    • “The developers definitely put a fair amount of their own artwork into this game, which gives it a unique feel.”
    • “I hear that most of the graphics are hand-drawn by the developers.”
    • “Great artwork, good characters, and most importantly a big mysterious island to explore for its secrets!”
    • “The English and graphics are somewhat messy, but honestly it's all just part of the fun.”
    • “A good effort and no significant bugs, but lots of grammar issues and a few graphical ones as well.”
    • “Some areas of improvement are graphics; the text bars could even be on a transparent color (blue signifies a Win95 color scheme, we are in the 21st century), and battle balancing.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Reviews indicate that "grinding" in games like Stardew Valley is minimal and often casual, focusing more on farming and fishing rather than extensive level grinding. While some players find character recruiting confusing and tedious, the overall experience is enhanced by the limited need for item-farming and the emphasis on equipment for character stats, making it a positive aspect for RPG enthusiasts.

    • “Confusing and tedious character recruiting.”
    • “The game isn't exactly full of level grinding, though you do need to grind at a point.”
    • “Much of the hero's stats will be based on his equipment, so there's very little level grinding at that (which is a very good plus for an RPG).”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a charming and relaxing environment that invites exploration and interaction with characters at the player's own pace. Despite its lighthearted setting, it also demands a level of engagement and problem-solving reminiscent of more challenging titles like Dark Souls.

    • “All in all, when you play this game, you play it to explore the island, soak in the atmosphere, and get to know the characters, all at whatever pace you feel.”
    • “For all the cute, relaxing atmosphere, I can confidently say Dark Souls is a good analogue in terms of how much the player is expected to figure out.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Nusakana offers high replayability due to its non-linear, open-world design and extensive content, making it a standout RPG Maker project. The unique soundtrack and custom assets further enhance the experience, encouraging players to revisit the game.

    • “Nusakana is an entirely non-linear and pretty much open-world RPG with an insanely good bossa nova-ish soundtrack, made completely with custom assets and with tons of content and replay value, all in an extremely ambitious RPG Maker project that looks nothing like you'd expect from an RPG Maker game.”
    • “- has a great replay value”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is appreciated for its intentional use of broken English, which resonates with players familiar with similar speech patterns in their own cultures. Additionally, the inclusion of clever references, such as the "do you even lift" line, adds to the comedic appeal, making it enjoyable for those who catch the allusions.

    • “I like the humor; there are plenty of oblivious references like the Brometheus line, 'Do you even lift?'”
    • “The developers intentionally made the characters speak broken English, which adds to the humor. It's funny because it reflects how some people in my country actually speak.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Overall, users report that the game's optimization is solid, with no significant performance issues encountered.

    • “Performance: no problems so far.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is highlighted as a crucial element in gaming, with players emphasizing its importance alongside the plot and storyline. A well-crafted character arc can significantly enhance the overall gaming experience.

    • “A big part of gaming for me is the plot, storyline, and character development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

70hMedian play time
70hAverage play time
70-70hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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