Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet
- September 12, 2014
- VisualArts/Key
- 4h median play time
This one is a must-buy for Key supporters, and visual novel lovers, just be prepared.
Get on SteamIn Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet, you explore a post-apocalyptic world as a wounded soldier seeking shelter. You stumble upon a planetarium and its malfunctioning robot, who still carries out her programming to share the wonders of the cosmos. Together, you'll navigate the desolate world and uncover the story of the planetarium's past. This visual novel combines elements of drama, mystery, and narrative-driven gameplay to create a memorable experience.
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Reviews
- story1,967 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Planetarian" is a poignant and emotional journey set in a post-apocalyptic world, focusing on the relationship between a scavenger and a robot named Yumemi, who embodies hope and innocence amidst despair. Despite its short runtime of about 3-5 hours, the narrative is rich and impactful, exploring themes of humanity, loss, and the search for meaning in a desolate landscape. Many players find the storytelling deeply moving, often leading to tears, and appreciate the game's ability to evoke strong emotional responses through its simple yet profound plot.
“Even in its shorter than usual runtime, Planetarian absolutely nails its atmosphere and setting to the point that it creates such a down-to-earth story in its post-apocalyptic setting, making it feel so interpersonal and connected to you.”
“This is a path well trodden in science fiction, but the heart with which it is expressed in Planetarian, with the story able to swing the reader's emotions between irritation and empathy, despair and hopefulness, is truly special.”
“Planetarian is a short story yet a great story on its own.”
“The story itself is alright, I guess, but the lack of any features besides reading makes it feel a bit lacking.”
“The story is short, sweet, simple, and tells a great message, but it suffers as a result of its length.”
“The story isn't that great and doesn't really go anywhere, leaving me wanting more.”
- emotional667 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Planetarian" is overwhelmingly powerful, with many players reporting intense feelings of sadness and connection to the characters, particularly the robot Yumemi. The game's short duration, typically around four to five hours, allows it to deliver a poignant narrative that resonates deeply, often leading players to tears. While some critiques mention a lack of emotional engagement for certain players, the majority find it to be a heartwarming and heartbreaking experience that effectively showcases the emotional storytelling hallmark of the studio Key.
“This game made me cry enough that I had to take a pause and wipe away my tears.”
“Planetarian is a heartwarming tale set in a post-apocalyptic world following a world-wide resource war, which has ravaged the planet with viral weapons, nuclear winter, rogue AI-driven machines of war, and subsequent societal collapse.”
“I was moved to tears during the game's closing moments, even if you can clearly tell how it is to end, nothing really prepares you for key's iconic emotional deliverance of a powerful narrative.”
- music478 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in "Planetarian" is widely praised for its emotional depth and fittingness to the story, with standout tracks like "Gentle Jena" resonating strongly with players. While some reviewers noted the soundtrack's limited variety and occasional repetitiveness, many felt it effectively enhances the overall atmosphere and narrative experience. Overall, the combination of music, voice acting, and visuals creates a poignant and immersive storytelling experience that leaves a lasting impact.
“The music chosen was so fitting for the story and the game feels so right.”
“The music, particularly 'gentle jena', does a fantastic job at tugging at the heartstrings and making one want to look to the night sky.”
“The music is exceptionally well done for this title; it is a shame that the OST isn't readily available.”
“If you can get over a very aged UI, lack of a proper options menu, and overused repetitive music, this is an emotional visual novel you may enjoy.”
“The music, much like the art, is mostly mediocre. I believe that the music in visual novels should be more ambient than this, not exist for the sake of existing but as a way of highlighting the mood of the scene.”
“Although the concept was interesting, I'm afraid I found the story largely boring, the music annoying, and the text spacing was terrible.”
- graphics176 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Planetarian" are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2004 release, but many players appreciate the art style and its ability to complement the emotional storytelling. While the visuals are sparse and primarily consist of still images, they are described as beautiful and atmospheric, effectively enhancing the overall experience despite their simplicity. Overall, the graphics may not be cutting-edge, but they serve their purpose well within the context of the narrative.
“The art style I must say is incredible; it has a certain charm to it, and not just the characters—the backgrounds are very good also. The visual novel has a great use of color to contrast between various scenes and locations.”
“The visuals and artwork are beautifully crafted down to every last detail, from the character art to the backgrounds. Everything is perfectly defined, a masterpiece of modern Japanese anime art.”
“This game tells a heart-wrenching story which I believe just about anyone would appreciate, with amazing visuals and music to go along with it.”
“While I think the game does a decent job setting the mood, it's very visually drab, with the visual novel stingily doling out new visuals as required to show the location you're in.”
“The graphics seem a bit dated and there is not much to see at all; Planetarian is mostly story-driven with only a few depictions of landscapes and characters.”
“Everything about this, from visuals to options, just feels old.”
- gameplay66 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this visual novel is minimal, primarily consisting of clicking to advance the text, with no choices or interactive elements. While it lacks traditional gameplay mechanics, the game compensates with a compelling story and emotional depth, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven content. Players seeking engaging gameplay should look elsewhere, as this title focuses entirely on storytelling.
“This game made me bawl my eyes out; the voice acting and background music really immerse you into the gameplay.”
“A short visual novel with no gameplay or choices, but it's exceedingly charming and expresses the hopes and despairs of a post-apocalyptic world beautifully.”
“There might not be much gameplay - in fact, there's no gameplay unless you think clicking to advance the plot counts - but the strength of the plot and character development for the protagonist left such an emotional impact on me as to make the entire experience worth it.”
“If you're new to the visual novel genre, this one's pretty much a linear story where the only gameplay is progressing the text.”
“There isn't anything at all gameplay-wise to do, but this is 100% story, and I'd hardly call $5-10 a hard commitment.”
“There is no gameplay at all, except clicking a mouse or pressing keys to move to the next 'page' of text.”
- atmosphere54 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "planetarian" is widely praised for its immersive and melancholic setting, effectively capturing a post-apocalyptic world that feels both desolate and deeply personal. The combination of visuals, a fitting soundtrack, and strong storytelling creates a compelling emotional experience, reminiscent of early 2000s anime. Despite its short runtime and limited choices, the game successfully evokes a bittersweet mood that resonates with players.
“Even in its shorter than usual runtime, planetarian absolutely nails its atmosphere and setting to the point that it creates such a down-to-earth story in its post-apocalyptic setting, making it feel so interpersonal and connected to you.”
“Yūichi Suzumoto constructs a looming, lonely atmosphere in an impressive feat of worldbuilding.”
“A melancholy 3 hours, atmospheric and moving in its storytelling.”
“The atmosphere built visually rarely ever attempts to be unnerving or post-apocalyptic, unless you consider the abundance of empty places a sign of the upcoming Armageddon.”
“The visuals are somewhat dated, there's not much I can say there other than that the art style does fit the atmosphere the story was going for.”
“I wouldn't really say the music is anything too special, especially not compared to Key's other visual novels, but it gives just the right atmosphere and mood for each scene, so that it's not really that much of a problem.”
- character development24 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Character development in this visual novel is a mixed bag; while some reviews praise the emotional depth and interactions between the protagonist and the robot girl, others criticize the lack of thematic buildup and the predictability of the ending. The short length of the game (3-5 hours) limits character growth for some, but those seeking a character-driven experience may find it rewarding. Overall, the character design and development are highlighted as strong points, despite some narrative shortcomings.
“If you’re looking for a visual novel that focuses more on character development rather than plot, this is definitely a must-have!”
“Amazing short story which, despite its length, delivers superb character development.”
“Fantastic character development and interactions between the two unique characters - the junker guy and Yumemi the gentle robot.”
“It doesn't have enough thematic buildup or character development to warrant its predictable ending.”
“Likewise, the protagonist and the robot girl relationship can be summed up as 'robot girl acts like robot, man is annoyed at her repetitive antics,' so when the obligatory tragic event happens, even when they try to squeeze in some character development last second, it falls flat.”
“The story is a bit short, lasting about 3-5 hours, so there won't be too much character development, and the ending is a cliffhanger.”
- humor22 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a well-balanced mix of funny, sad, and touching moments that evoke a range of emotions, from laughter to tears. Players appreciate the character interactions and the story's ability to blend humor with deeper themes, although some may find it predictable or overly sentimental. While most of the narrative is infused with humor, certain segments, particularly in the post-apocalyptic setting of "Planetarian," lean towards a darker tone with less comedic relief.
“It is interesting, funny, and sad, all in the right quantities.”
“With a pleasant companion by your side in the form of Yumemi, it's a story that has made me laugh, cry, and think a lot.”
“There were funny moments (I loved the interactions between the characters), and there were serious moments also.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, primarily due to its short duration of 3-5 hours and the absence of decision points that would allow for different outcomes. Players can expect to experience the same story with no variations upon replay, making it feel less worthwhile at its $10 price point. While the narrative may be engaging, the lack of gameplay elements significantly diminishes its replay value.
“For a visual novel, while not extremely short, it does have a pretty limited duration, no alternatives for replay value, what you see for the first time is what you'll see every single time with no variation.”
“For a visual novel, while not extremely short, it does have a pretty limited duration, no alternatives for replay value; what you see for the first time is what you'll see every single time with no variation.”
“As much as I recommend this story, $10 is a really steep price for something that lasts all of 3-5 hours with very little replay value.”
“The art and music are serviceable, but not spectacular; as a visual novel with no decision points, there is no gameplay whatsoever, and the only replay value is whatever you'd get out of reading the same story twice.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its poor optimization, particularly regarding sound management, which can be overwhelming for headphone users. Players have reported difficulties in adjusting audio settings while the game is running, leading to frustrating experiences with unresponsive option windows. Despite these issues, the overall performance in terms of visuals and audio quality is praised.
“The performance is excellent, the music, the dubs, etc.”
“The atmospheric and wonderful soundtrack sets the mood the moment you reach the menu.”
“A convincing voiceover performance makes Planetarian a recommendation.”
“Very poorly optimized; it was blasting my ears off with sound like all games do because I'm a headphone user. I went to alt-tab to my sound mixer, and nothing could go over the game, so I had to alt-enter it into windowed mode, which worked so I could use the mixer. But then there was this weird option window that I've never seen in any other game that popped up, and I didn't want to deal with it. No matter how many times I clicked cancel, it wouldn't go away, so I had to click ok.”
“Very poorly optimized; it was blasting my ears off with sound like all games do because I'm a headphone user. I went to alt-tab to my sound mixer, and nothing could go over the game, so I had to alt-enter it into windowed mode, which worked so I could use the mixer. But then there was this weird option window that I've never seen in any other game that popped up, and I didn't want to deal with it. No matter how many times I clicked cancel, it wouldn't go away, so I had to click ok.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users expressing frustration over the presence of advertisements, loot boxes, and microtransactions, which they feel detract from the overall experience.
“I've seen some really poor monetization strategies, especially those that include loot boxes or microtransactions.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game can feel tedious and disconnecting at times, leading to moments of boredom. However, players suggest that persevering through these stretches can ultimately lead to a rewarding emotional payoff, particularly in the finale.
“Some of what was done at the finale could have been done earlier in the story, instead of dragging out an otherwise emotional moment that shouldn't have felt tedious.”
“Sometimes boring, sometimes disconnecting, sometimes tedious. This can get boring, but if you stick to it, it will be worth it in the end. I was kind of disconnected and bored, and it felt like a mistake to spend my time on this. Then it hit me; I mean it really did hit me. I found myself caring with tears in my eyes for this novel.”
