Please Be Happy
- November 21, 2022
- Studio Élan
Get on Steam"Please Be Happy" is a visual novel game that follows the story of Aoi, a shut-in NEET who accidentally summons a mythical creature named Elan. Together, they navigate Aoi's messy life while also uncovering Elan's mysterious past. The game features a heartwarming story with choices that affect the relationship between Aoi and Elan, leading to multiple endings.
Reviews
- Heartwarming and emotional storytelling that resonates deeply with players.
- Beautiful artwork and a fantastic soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- Strong character development and relatable themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.
- Some players may find the pacing slow, especially in the early chapters.
- Limited branching paths and choices can make the gameplay feel less interactive.
- A few minor technical issues, such as missing voice lines and loading times.
- story196 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of *Please Be Happy* is a heartwarming and emotionally resonant journey that blends slice-of-life elements with fantasy, focusing on themes of love, self-discovery, and personal growth. Set in a richly crafted world, it features well-developed characters whose interactions evolve naturally, creating a narrative that is both touching and relatable. While it may lack traditional conflict, the depth of the storytelling and the emotional stakes keep players engaged, making it a standout visual novel that resonates with a wide audience.
“Please be happy is a heartwarming urban fairytale with casually interwoven fantasy elements, set in a modern society with a subpopulation of naturally integrated mythological, mostly human creatures, supplying a backstory to a fictional world closely resembling our own.”
“The depth of the story from the onset shows that despite being marketed as a yuri novel, it shines foremost as a wholesome slice-of-life 'coming-of-age/new adult' fantasy with romance sprinkled on top, with a lot of familial love in the mix as well.”
“This story is going to stick with me for a long time, and if it sounds at all interesting to you, I think you'll like it, too.”
“The story makes liberal use of time-skips, so I suppose we're meant to just assume the relationships between the characters deepened in that unseen time, but as a reader I was unsatisfied.”
“While certain aspects might not resonate so strongly with everyone as readily as it did with me, the core of the story is one I adore.”
“It may be a bit closer to an audiobook than many other visual novels I've partaken of, but the weight of the story told astounds me.”
- emotional73 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from joy to deep sadness. The storytelling is described as heartfelt and touching, featuring relatable characters and themes of love, self-discovery, and personal growth, which resonate strongly with players. Many reviewers highlight the game's capacity to make them cry, laugh, and feel a profound connection to the characters and their journeys, marking it as a standout experience in the visual novel genre.
“One particular moment hit me really hard (not saying what to avoid spoilers) for a variety of personal reasons and I had to close the game for the night and sit on my bed trying not to cry for an hour because of how it made me feel, and that's amazing to me.”
“The story resonated so strongly with me, it made me cry multiple times.”
“Ready yourself for an emotional roller coaster ride as this game teaches you to understand your fear and tells you that it is okay to grieve and embrace it, that it's okay to break down, that it's okay to feel lost and angry--- yet everything is just perfectly so because it's a part of the process to find yourself when you're lost in the phase of finding yourself.”
- music68 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful composition, particularly the original soundtrack by Sarah Mancuso, which enhances the emotional depth of the story and complements the visuals perfectly. Reviewers highlight the soothing and mood-matching qualities of the music, noting that it elevates the overall experience and is enjoyable enough to listen to outside of gameplay. Additionally, the full voice acting and cute audio excerpts contribute to a charming and immersive atmosphere, making the soundtrack a standout feature of the game.
“With beautifully composed OST by Sarah Mancuso synchronized with the plot beats and strong theme melodies for the protagonists, there's feeling in every step of the journey.”
“The music composed by Sarah Mancuso fits so well in every scene and elevates the emotions in the story.”
“The soundtrack serves as a perfect accompaniment to it all as well.”
“The music composed by Sarah Mancuso fits too well in every scene and elevates the emotions in the story.”
“The music really sets the mood for all the interactions in the game.”
“The love and attention put into this game, from the UI and sprites to the voice acting and soundtrack, is immense.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful artwork and high-quality visuals, consistently rated around 9 to 10 out of 10. Reviewers highlight the stunning art style, engaging character designs, and captivating music that enhance the storytelling experience. Overall, the visuals are described as a significant strength of the game, contributing to its emotional depth and charm.
“The visuals and music of Studio Élan need no introduction - they are consistently the best of the best.”
“This game has a beautiful art style and the voice acting does an excellent job of conveying the emotions of the characters; I would highly recommend this visual novel to anyone.”
“Whether it's character models, backgrounds, or CG illustrations, the visuals are all a treat to look at.”
“Let's start by... talking about the game's graphics and its overall look:”
“[b]If this happens to be your first time trying or even seeing a 'visual novel', bear in mind that that's basically all it is: a novel that also comes with some visuals.[/b]”
“[*][b]Whether it's character models, backgrounds, or CG illustrations, the visuals are all a treat to look at.[/b]”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a simple visual novel engine with modern quality of life features, offering limited branching choices that impact the story paths. While some players appreciate the consistency and narrative depth, others find the lack of traditional gameplay elements and conflict may lead to a slower, more mundane experience. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some rating it highly for its unique style despite its gameplay limitations.
“Mechanically a fairly simple visual novel engine with modern quality of life features.”
“Despite its mixed execution in terms of branching mechanics, it deserves great praise for its consistency across paths.”
“I rate the game's gameplay as 9/10; there could be more choices.”
“There's no gameplay in the traditional sense, and although you get to make a few choices that affect what path the story will take, you're mostly just along for the ride.”
“Now, I will admit that the game may come off as boring to some, and not just due to lack of gameplay: there isn't a lot of conflict to drive the narrative forward, and it often strays into 'slice of life' scenes that have no real plot significance.”
“Mechanically a fairly simple visual novel engine with modern quality of life.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from laughter to tears, while delivering a heartwarming and engaging narrative. Players appreciate the clever writing, top-notch voice acting, and stunning visuals that enhance the comedic and emotional moments throughout the story. Overall, the blend of humor and heartfelt themes creates a memorable experience that resonates deeply with players.
“It made me laugh, cry, make weird little gay panic noises, and most importantly... it made me happy.”
“The writing is funny and amazing, the voice acting is top tier, the sprite work is extremely good, and the music is universally evocative.”
“Not only is the art in every scene absolutely stunning, the story is beautifully written with wild moments that genuinely shocked me, made me cry, and burst out laughing.”
- character development5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised, with reviewers noting its impressive storytelling and well-crafted character arcs that enhance the overall experience. The combination of beautiful character designs, polished writing, and memorable voice acting contributes to a deeply engaging narrative that resonates with players. Overall, the game's aesthetic elements complement its strong character development, making it a standout title.
“It looks and sounds amazing, but the storytelling and character development are just as impressive.”
“Her character development is really well done and just great to witness.”
“Another stellar soundtrack from Sarah Mancuso, well-polished writing from Josh and Adi, comfy backgrounds, beautiful CGs, lovable character designs, a pretty interface (including the voice lines on the home screen), and unforgettable voice acting make this one of my favorites of all time.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game boasts strong replayability due to its engaging gameplay, cute aesthetics, and multiple choices that enhance the overall experience, encouraging players to revisit it for different outcomes.
“This game has great replay value.”
“Which brings us to the game's replayability.”
“It was also cute and fun, and longer with more choices, so it should have more replay value.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its exceptional art design, well-crafted characters, and relaxing music that complements the overall experience. However, some players noted instances of missing music that detracted from the immersive quality.
“The characters, the atmosphere, the story, the art, the music... everything feels so right.”
“The art is amazing, the characters are extremely well designed, and the music is very relaxing and fits the atmosphere perfectly!”
“The art style and music were fitting the game perfectly in my opinion.”
“The art style and music were fitting the game perfectly in my opinion, though there were some parts where no music was playing at all for me, which hurt the atmosphere (if that was a bug, feel free to correct me).”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The optimization of character performances in the game is highly praised, with users noting that every character delivers exceptional vocal work, enhancing the overall quality of the writing.
