Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 212 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • emotional
Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly Game Cover
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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.

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Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 212 reviews
story130 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The game features a beautifully crafted story that explores themes of grief, guilt, and personal growth, making it emotionally impactful.
  • The art style is stunning, with gorgeous character designs and backgrounds that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • The flowchart system allows for easy navigation through different routes and endings, making it user-friendly for players to explore the story.
  • The romance aspect is minimal, which may disappoint players looking for a traditional otome experience focused on romantic relationships.
  • Some players experienced technical issues, including crashes and bugs, which affected their gameplay experience.
  • The mini-game required to unlock side stories can be tedious and may detract from the overall enjoyment of the narrative.
  • story366 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. While it is rich in character development and plot twists, the romance is minimal and takes a backseat to the overarching story, which is both dark and bittersweet. The game features a unique flowchart system that enhances storytelling by allowing players to navigate through various routes and side stories, making it a compelling choice for those who appreciate a narrative-driven experience over traditional romance-focused visual novels.

    • “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.”
    • “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. However, if you want an extensive story focused on character growth and enjoy some angst (have plenty of tissues ready), then Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly is the game for you.”
    • “The story is dark -- so just know that going in.”
    • “The story doesn't focus too much on the romance, but the routes for each guy are emotional and carry their arcs very well.”
    • “The story is very well-written, and the dark moments are really where it shines.”
  • music57 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its beauty, catchiness, and ability to enhance the emotional atmosphere of the story. While some noted occasional repetitiveness, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack is a standout feature, complementing the stunning art and voice acting. Many players expressed interest in purchasing the soundtrack DLC, highlighting its integral role in the game's appeal.

    • “The music is gorgeous.”
    • “The perfect combination of an 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.”
  • emotional51 mentions

    The game is praised for its rich and emotional storytelling, often leaving players in tears due to its heartfelt exploration of themes like grief, loss, and acceptance. Many reviews highlight the balance between heart-wrenching moments and beautiful connections between characters, creating an emotional rollercoaster that resonates deeply with players. While some felt a lack of emotional investment in certain characters, the overall consensus is that the game delivers a powerful and moving experience, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “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.”
  • graphics37 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning artwork and unique art style, which enhances the emotional depth of the story. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful backgrounds, character designs, and immersive visual effects, although some note that certain scenes can feel cluttered. Overall, the visuals are considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to the overall experience.

    • “I can state the obvious, however, and gush over the amazing art style and professional voice acting.”
    • “Let me just say that the artwork is absolutely beautiful and probably some of the best I have seen in an otome game so far.”
    • “The artwork is gorgeous as well!”
    • “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: ✿✿✿✿❀”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a blend of funny and sad moments, often delivered through unique voice acting and comedic scenarios that evoke genuine laughter. Players appreciate the diverse characters and the emotional rollercoaster of the story, which includes both lighthearted and darker themes, making it an engaging experience. While it features comedic elements, it also delves into deeper, more serious narratives, ensuring a balance that resonates with players.

    • “It's sad, it's inspiring, it's funny, all of it.”
    • “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.”
    • “I've danced with the wolves (unfunny joke), but nothing could have prepared me for whatever Karasuba is.”
    • “The humor in this game falls flat, relying on tired clichés that fail to elicit any genuine laughter.”
    • “I expected clever wit, but instead, I was met with jokes that felt forced and out of place.”
  • character development12 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some characters show significant growth and complexity, others feel underdeveloped, particularly in certain routes. Players appreciate the depth of character arcs, especially in relation to themes of guilt, grief, and forgiveness, which enhances the overall narrative experience. The interactions and transformations of characters are highlighted as a strong point, contributing to a satisfying and cathartic conclusion.

    • “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 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, character development, and, of course, the mystery.”
    • “Character development is really well done.”
  • gameplay10 mentions

    The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring a unique flowchart mechanic that enhances story navigation and route accessibility, though it lacks complexity and challenge. While the immersive graphics and interactive elements are praised, some users noted minor translation errors and occasional crashes. Overall, the game offers a comfortable experience, particularly for completionists, but may not justify its full price for some players.

    • “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, comfortable gameplay and 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.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its high artistic quality, with a captivating blend of music and visuals that create a mystifying and immersive experience. However, some players feel that certain elements, like character voices, can disrupt the overall gloomy tone. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's emotional depth and uniqueness.

    • “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...”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be minimal, as points can be easily accumulated and skipped if desired. However, some users note that the repetitive nature of the mini-games and the necessity to unlock side stories can become tedious, particularly for those focused on the main narrative. While the grinding isn't excessive, it can feel like filler content at times.

    • “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.”
    • “Downside is that it can be tedious if you want to just play the main story and can't do so until you unlock and go through the side story.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users experiencing performance issues, particularly when using a controller, as version 1.08 lacks proper control optimization. However, the performance of the voice acting is praised. Players are advised to verify their system's capability to run the game effectively upon purchase.

    • “Some people have performance issues, so once you buy it, make sure right away that you can run it.”
    • “Amazing performance of all voice actors.”
    • “If you use a controller to play, beware because v1.08 has no optimization for controls.”
    • “Some players experience performance issues, so make sure to check if you can run the game right after purchasing it.”
    • “If you use a controller to play, be aware that version 1.08 has no optimization for controls.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers high replayability, encouraging players to explore every route to fully appreciate its depth and narrative nuances. Completing the common route unlocks additional choices, allowing for multiple endings and a richer understanding of the story.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The current version (v1.10) is reported to be highly unstable and filled with bugs, leading some users to recommend downgrading to the more stable 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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

20hMedian play time
17hAverage play time
12-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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