Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly
- November 15, 2018
- IDEA FACTORY
- 20h median play time
In "Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly" , players awaken in a mysterious mansion with no memory of their identity. To survive, they must hunt black butterflies and claim kaleidoscope shards from monsters while uncovering their past. The game features vibrant, psychedelic graphics, multiple story paths, and a cast of intriguing characters, with additional plot elements unlocked through mini-games. With a focus on player choice, the game promises surprising endings and a memorable adventure.
Reviews
- The game features a beautifully crafted story that explores themes of grief, guilt, and redemption, making it emotionally impactful.
- The art and music are stunning, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.
- The flowchart system allows for easy navigation through the story and helps players keep track of their progress and choices.
- The romance aspect is lacking compared to traditional otome games, with many endings being bittersweet or dark rather than happy.
- The mini-game for unlocking side stories can be tedious and may detract from the overall experience for some players.
- There are some technical issues, such as crashes and bugs, that can disrupt gameplay, although these have improved since the game's initial release.
- story732 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly" is a deeply emotional and complex narrative that explores themes of grief, guilt, and personal growth, often leaving players in tears due to its impactful twists and character arcs. While the game is rich in storytelling, it places less emphasis on romance compared to typical otome games, focusing instead on character development and the overarching plot, which some players found refreshing. The flowchart system enhances the storytelling experience, allowing players to navigate through various routes and side stories, although some felt that the required short stories could disrupt the main narrative flow.
“This game has such rich and emotional storytelling that it has, admittedly, made me both gnaw my arm and lie face down on the ground in response to many scenes and events, even long after first playing them.”
“But if you're looking for a story about grief, guilt, and how to move on, please, please check this game out.”
“Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly is such an amazing and in-depth story about grief, how we deal with it, and ultimately how we learn to let it go and move on.”
“The story is dark -- so just know that going in.”
“The worst thing is that sometimes you have to read them to progress the main story, or unlock certain endings.”
“I bought this game because of the lovely art and quite high rating, but I am very disappointed; the story is very cliché and I can guess the ending when I was halfway through the game.”
- music114 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players describing it as immersive and emotionally resonant. While some noted that the background music could become repetitive, the majority found the soundtrack to be a standout feature, often considering it one of the game's main strengths. Overall, the combination of captivating music, stunning art, and strong voice acting contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“The music is gorgeous.”
“The perfect combination of interesting, mysterious story, deep, charismatic characters, great voice acting, great music and amazing art.”
“The music is blended well with the mystifying atmosphere, and enhances the feel of the game.”
“There are times when the app crashed and the music would stop playing.”
“Additionally, none of the audio files had any artist, title, album information to them--they were just named '001', '002', '003', and so on (for some reason, '007' gets skipped)--which makes me think that whoever put the OST together for Steam didn't really put much effort into it.”
“Also a note that the OP & ED were not included in the OST, which is a bummer.”
- emotional102 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its deeply emotional storytelling, often leaving players in tears due to its exploration of heavy themes like grief, loss, and acceptance. Reviewers highlight the balance between heart-wrenching moments and beautiful connections between characters, making it a compelling emotional journey. While some felt a lack of emotional investment in certain characters, the overall experience is described as an emotional rollercoaster that resonates long after gameplay.
“This game has such rich and emotional storytelling that it has, admittedly, made me both gnaw my arm and lie face down on the ground in response to many scenes and events, even long after first playing them.”
“They truly strike that balance of the pain of struggling to find their footing in tragedy, but when they do find it with each other it's so beautiful and heartwarming and makes you cry more than the moments of sadness.”
“It was heartbreaking, and then slowly learning more from the flowchart and unlocking memories makes the plot even more tragic as you experience a roller coaster of emotions.”
- graphics74 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning artwork and unique art style, which effectively convey emotion and enhance the immersive experience. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful backgrounds, character designs, and the thoughtful integration of visual effects that contribute to the overall atmosphere, although some note that certain scenes can feel cluttered. Overall, the visuals are considered one of the standout features of the game, complementing its gripping storyline and strong voice acting.
“The artwork is absolutely beautiful and probably some of the best I have seen in an otome game so far.”
“The storyline was gripping and intense, the graphics were beautiful and the soundtrack created a perfect mood.”
“The art for this game is lovely, and I love the little touches they put to make the gameplay feel more immersive, such as blurring the image when the heroine tears up, or having the screen pan to indicate the heroine looking around.”
“I was a little skeptical because of the unusual art style.”
“Otherwise the game has a lot of (but not exclusively) gloomy vibes, as you can probably guess from the artwork and everything else already.”
“Graphics: ☼: I am kinda torn here.”
- humor24 mentions
- 92 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a blend of funny and sad moments, often delivering unexpected laughs amidst darker themes. Players appreciate the comedic elements, such as quirky character interactions and amusing mini-games, while also noting that the overall tone can be emotionally complex. The humor is characterized as original and diverse, contributing to an engaging and entertaining experience.
“Made me laugh so hard I lost oxygen; I do recommend it, there's a lot of stuff to do.”
“The mini game is pretty nice; the short daily stories are very funny and cute.”
“It's really funny and original.”
“I've danced with the wolves (unfunny joke), but nothing could have prepared me for whatever Karasuba is.”
- character development24 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating the depth and growth of characters as they navigate themes of guilt, grief, and forgiveness. However, some characters are noted to have less development in certain routes, suggesting that a complete playthrough is necessary to fully grasp their arcs. Overall, the interactions and transformations of the characters contribute significantly to the narrative's emotional impact.
“I tolerated and liked him in the common route and in the routes for others, but in his own route, I kinda hated him until the end. I think his character development was good though, and I could forgive him for what he did since I knew he was just doing it to hide his own cowardice and make others feel like they were the ones who were scared.”
“In fact, I would say that the lighter focus on romance works well in this story about guilt, grief, and forgiveness, as it allows the writing to focus more on the plot, character development, and of course, the mystery.”
“I recommend this game to people who want a beautifully crafted story with character development and satisfying, cathartic conclusions to the conflict that started it all.”
“Some of the characters lack in character development in their older forms, or at least certain routes seem lacking to me. You really need to play through the entire flowchart to understand the story as a whole.”
“In fact, I would say that the lighter focus on romance works well in this story about guilt, grief, and forgiveness, as it allows the writing to focus more on the plot and character development.”
“Character development is really well done.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring a unique flowchart mechanic that allows players to easily navigate different story routes, enhancing the overall experience. While the game offers a comfortable and immersive gameplay experience, it is noted for its relatively short length of about 20 hours and some minor translation errors, along with occasional crashes. Players seeking complex mechanics or a heavily romance-focused narrative may find this game lacking.
“The flowchart mechanic was a cool mechanic too, and made it easy to jump around the story and access other routes.”
“The scheme mechanic in the game is incredible; I think it's the first visual novel I've seen using this method.”
“The first game that scratched my completionist ego, with comfortable gameplay and an interesting plot for every route.”
“If you're looking for a difficult game with complicated mechanics or a highly romance-focused otome, look elsewhere.”
“I'd like to note though that I got this on offer for half price, and I don't know if I'd have paid full price, but that's just because visual novels are expensive - especially considering that this was only 20 hours of gameplay to do literally everything.”
“I got an error (the game crashed) a few times during 20 hours of gameplay.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of art, music, and tone, creating a captivating and mystifying experience. While many reviewers appreciate the overall ambiance, some express that certain elements, like character voices, can disrupt the intended mood. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the emotional depth and engagement of the experience.
“What attracted me to it was mostly the atmosphere of the game.”
“The music is blended well with the mystifying atmosphere, and enhances the feel of the game.”
“The characters, story, art, background music, atmosphere are all incredibly well done.”
“But in that gray atmosphere, her voice felt too soft, gentle, girly; I don't know.”
“I don't like to be thrown out of that gloomy atmosphere by such decoding.”
“Actually, it could be ideal for a general bittersweet atmosphere, but as I didn't enjoy the main story too much...”
- grinding12 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Overall, players find that grinding is minimal in this game, as points can be easily accumulated and skipped with the "force stop" option. However, some users note that the repetitive mini-game can become tedious, especially when trying to unlock side stories to progress in the main narrative. While the short stories provide emotional breaks, they can feel like filler, leading to a sense of monotony for those focused on the main plot.
“It's not grindy, and if you have enough points, you can skip it by pressing 'force stop'.”
“While I appreciate the break up in emotions with the short stories, it does become tedious after a while - especially when you're trying to hit a certain route.”
“Admittedly, it can feel tedious in some ways since it's basically filler.”
“Having to play the mini-game multiple times got a little tedious, as it's the same game every time. The 'rank' issued in the game is totally arbitrary, and I personally just mashed buttons.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users experiencing performance issues, particularly on version 1.08, which lacks controller optimization. However, the voice acting performance is highly praised. Players are advised to verify their system's capability to run the game effectively upon purchase.
“Amazing performance of all voice actors.”
“If you use a controller to play, beware because v1.08 has 0 optimization for controls.”
“Some people have performance issues, so once you buy it make sure right away that you can run it.”
“Some players experience performance issues, so make sure to check if your system can run it right after purchase.”
“If you use a controller to play, be aware that version 1.08 has no optimization for controls.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, encouraging players to explore every route to fully appreciate its depth and narrative nuances. Completing the common route unlocks additional choices, leading to multiple endings and enhancing the overall experience.
“Replayability ∞: I recommend trying to go through every single route to see every aspect of the game and understand some situations way better than one could in a single route.”
“The game has a lot of replay value in that only by completing the common route first will you be able to go back and get more choices that will lead to other endings.”
“I recommend trying to go through every single route to see every aspect of the game and understand some situations way better than one could in a single route.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The current version (v1.10) is reported to be highly unstable and filled with bugs, leading users to recommend downgrading to the more reliable v1.08.
“The current version as of now (v1.10) is also plain awful and buggy, so you're better off downgrading to v1.08.”