Rakuen

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,614 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • emotional
Rakuen Game Cover
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"Rakuen" is a single-player fantasy RPG with a beautiful story, splendid visuals, and delightful soundtrack. The game follows a little Boy in the hospital who, with his mother, seeks to complete challenges in a fantasy world to grant his wish. Players will interact with hospital neighbors and their alter-egos, uncovering emotional stories and secrets. With good gameplay, humor, and some grinding, "Rakuen" offers a unique and highly emotional experience.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,614 reviews
story1,362 positive mentions
grinding53 negative mentions
  • The game features a beautifully crafted story that evokes strong emotions, making players cry multiple times.
  • The art, music, and character design are exceptional, creating a charming and immersive experience.
  • The game explores heavy themes such as love, loss, and healing in a thoughtful and relatable manner.
  • The gameplay can feel slow and tedious due to a lack of a run feature and excessive backtracking.
  • Some puzzles are overly simplistic, which may detract from the overall experience for players seeking more challenge.
  • The story can be predictable at times, which may lessen the emotional impact for some players.
  • story3,049 mentions

    The story of "Rakuen" is a deeply emotional and beautifully crafted narrative that explores themes of love, loss, and healing through the eyes of a hospitalized boy and his mother. Players engage with various characters, each with their own poignant backstories, as they navigate between the real world and a fantastical realm, ultimately leading to a heartwarming yet bittersweet conclusion. While the gameplay is simple and often revolves around puzzles and fetch quests, the rich storytelling and stunning soundtrack elevate the experience, making it a memorable journey that resonates with players long after they finish the game.

    • “An incredibly beautiful story with strong, deep characters that take you on such a journey of their backgrounds and emotions.”
    • “The story is both heartwarming and really sad, filled with themes of love, loss, and compassion in an accessible way.”
    • “The story is both heartwarming and really sad.”
    • “The story highlights the struggles of fellow patients in the hospital, but it also explores their relationships with the people around them and the unique challenges each of them face, whether it be the patients themselves or their loved ones dealing with the situation.”
    • “The story is well written and you can really feel how the characters feel.”
  • music1,698 mentions

    The music in "Rakuen" is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, with many reviewers highlighting the exceptional work of composer Laura Shigihara. The soundtrack, which includes both instrumental pieces and vocal songs, enhances the storytelling and atmosphere, often evoking strong emotional responses from players. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature of the game, contributing significantly to its charm and impact.

    • “The soundtrack is beyond beautiful and I found myself stopping and just listening from time to time.”
    • “The music is beautiful and does a great job of setting the mood for whatever is happening.”
    • “The music conveys emotion so well and it is Rakuen's biggest selling point.”
    • “The music is very simple and touching, but I can feel the strong influence of Ryuichi Sakamoto and Joe Hisaishi on Laura Shigihara.”
    • “I found the repetition of the vocal songs in the game really way too cheesy for me and wished there was a way to skip the singing parts which were really unnecessary and boring.”
    • “The first and the last credit song is good but the rest really ruins the mood.”
  • emotional1,477 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Rakuen" is overwhelmingly praised by players, who describe it as a deeply touching and heart-wrenching experience. Many have reported crying multiple times throughout the game due to its poignant storytelling, relatable characters, and beautiful soundtrack, which together create a powerful emotional journey that resonates long after playing. The game effectively balances moments of joy and sorrow, making it a memorable and impactful experience for those who appreciate narrative-driven games.

    • “The stories told in this game are unique and heartbreaking.”
    • “There's a lovely balance of strong, heartfelt emotion without the game feeling heavy-handed, depressing, or defeating.”
    • “The game is simple in many ways, but for those who like a story-rich and emotionally engaging game, it is great.”
  • gameplay536 mentions

    The gameplay of "Rakuen" is generally described as simple and straightforward, primarily involving exploration, dialogue, and light puzzle-solving, often characterized by fetch quests and minimal challenge. While some players appreciate the emotional storytelling and beautiful art and music that accompany the gameplay, others find it repetitive and lacking depth, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall engagement. Ultimately, the game is recommended for those who prioritize narrative over complex mechanics, as the emotional experience is its standout feature.

    • “The gameplay is adorable, the puzzles are challenging enough to be fun without being tedious, but the main star of the game is without a doubt the storyline and the accompanying music.”
    • “The gameplay focuses on exploration, chatting to NPCs, puzzle solving and is very easy to pick up.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, but the story is layered.”
    • “If you're the kind of person who needs a strong core gameplay loop to stay interested, Rakuen might not fit you as well.”
    • “Gameplay was really clunky.”
    • “The gameplay is monotonous; the controller support is strange (no d-pad controls, no button remapping), and there is no options menu to adjust screen resolution.”
  • graphics428 mentions

    The graphics of "Rakuen" are characterized by charming pixel art that evokes a nostalgic, cozy aesthetic reminiscent of classic RPGs. While some players note the simplicity and limitations of the RPG Maker engine, many praise the beautiful artwork and vibrant environments that enhance the emotional storytelling. Overall, the visuals are described as delightful and fitting for the game's heartfelt narrative, making it a visually appealing experience despite not being a graphical powerhouse.

    • “Blending heartfelt storytelling with charming visuals, it takes players on an emotional journey through a whimsical yet touching narrative.”
    • “The graphics are absolutely beautiful and pleasing to the eye; it perfectly fits that '2D cozy' kind of vibe.”
    • “The visuals are stunning, with colorful environments and detailed, original characters everywhere you travel.”
    • “I have played through quite a few indie RPG Maker games and felt the need to point out the amateurish art style this game employed.”
    • “The graphics are blurry and the font choice is questionable.”
    • “This does not feature the highest quality of graphics or the most innovative of gameplay.”
  • humor165 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, providing a delightful balance to the emotional weight of the narrative. Players frequently mention moments that evoke both laughter and tears, highlighting the game's ability to blend lighthearted dialogue with deeper themes. The quirky characters and whimsical situations contribute to a rich tapestry of humor that enhances the overall storytelling experience.

    • “The writing is amazing, and when I wasn't sobbing into a pillow, I was laughing.”
    • “Even though the game is incredibly emotional, there were moments when I laughed as well because situations and dialogues were just hilarious, but still fit into the world.”
    • “The little incidental character conversations are often hilarious, like the flower who is amused by the tree growing out of its head, and scenes burst with charm.”
  • atmosphere75 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming blend of cute visuals and haunting elements, creating a unique experience that oscillates between relaxing and eerie. The exceptional soundtrack enhances the emotional depth, complementing the pixel art style and thoughtful level design, which together contribute to a whimsical yet poignant narrative. While some players found the atmosphere inconsistent or predictable, many appreciated its ability to evoke strong feelings and immerse them in the story.

    • “The music was phenomenal; it really blended well with the atmosphere of the game or scene.”
    • “The soundtrack and the game's atmosphere combine to provide a whimsical and ethereal child-like experience.”
    • “A beautiful world with great atmosphere and lovely pixel art, a great soundtrack, well-written characters, nice puzzles, and one of the most emotional stories I have ever experienced in a video game.”
    • “The atmosphere/story didn't grab me, so I quit it halfway.”
    • “How is this overwhelmingly positive? The atmosphere isn't really there, and the story is not that great (doesn't mean it's bad though).”
    • “Sleeping was a bit difficult afterwards with the atmosphere that it created.”
  • character development60 mentions

    Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and emotional resonance, with players appreciating the well-crafted backstories and interactions that enhance the overall narrative experience. The character designs are described as cute and whimsical, complementing the engaging dialogue and story arcs that resonate with players on a personal level. While some reviewers noted a desire for even more character exploration, the consensus is that the game excels in creating memorable and relatable characters within a beautifully designed world.

    • “The character development in the game was excellent!”
    • “Character development is a strong point in this game, as you get to interact and have back stories on several of the characters you encounter.”
    • “The character development is wonderful and I felt myself wanting to spend more time in this incredible world after the game had ended.”
    • “Overall, the character development is well done, but the resolution of a patient’s problem comes too soon after its understanding, and sometimes is unclear or feels illogical.”
    • “A handful of character designs were so goofy, they actually spoiled certain scenes for me later on.”
    • “Like to the moon, the game focuses heavily on character development over mechanical gameplay.”
  • grinding53 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is characterized by a significant amount of tedious backtracking and fetch quests, which many players found to be slow and frustrating. While the puzzles are generally simple and the story engaging, the lack of a sprint function exacerbates the tediousness of exploration, leading to a gameplay experience that often feels drawn out and repetitive. Overall, while some players appreciate the emotional depth of the narrative, the gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall enjoyment due to their tedious nature.

    • “Too many fetch quests, walking's slow and tedious.”
    • “The only complaint would be the lack of running which makes exploration tedious and pads playtime by an hour or two.”
    • “The puzzles are tedious, you walk too slowly, text goes by far too slowly, what little world exploration there is never really goes anywhere interesting, and... that's about it.”
  • replayability21 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with many users noting a lack of significant replay value due to its short length and strong narrative focus. While some players mention the potential for revisiting the game after a long time or exploring side quests, the consensus leans towards limited replayability, making it more of a one-time experience.

    • “🔲 infinitely replayable (or almost)”
    • “The game rewards you for exploring, and there's a multitude of different side quests and little things to collect and do that will keep you occupied and give a little bit more replayability.”
    • “If you can stand the strong emotions, then the game also has some good replayability in finding the important items and filling out the achievements.”
    • “The game is short and doesn't have much replayability; once you've completed it, it's done.”
    • “Not much replay value unless after a long time you feel like playing it again.”
    • “Since it's a game that relies a lot on storytelling, its replayability also drops considerably.”
  • optimization11 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users experiencing slow performance and stuttering, particularly during dialogue scenes, despite having capable hardware. Others noted that while the game is generally smooth and lightweight, it lacks basic features like fullscreen support and has some issues with character movement speed. Overall, while there are notable performance flaws, the game's engaging story and visuals somewhat compensate for these optimization shortcomings.

    • “While there are a few flaws like the speed of the walk animation, the entire game is optimized to make the walking speed acceptable, and it's possible to add a mod for a run button.”
    • “Being a very small and in no way heavy game, Rakuen runs smoothly with no performance issues at all.”
    • “The story kept me super engaged with all the characters, the music, and especially the vocal performances, were spectacular, and the art is gorgeous.”
    • “Sometimes the game runs slowly; I'm not sure why, as my computer is far beyond a potato. As a result, sometimes the movements are a little bit delayed, and I'd be unsure if they were stopping for a delayed scene or because the controls were being janky.”
    • “Because the game runs slowly for me, it often would just linger on this section for too long as well.”
    • “One con I can think of is that stuttering might frequently occur in parts where a dialogue appears above a character instead of the normal screen-wide box with a character illustration.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, as it presents a colorful and magical aesthetic that contrasts sharply with the game's actual horror elements, potentially leading to player disappointment.

  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, users report a high level of stability, with no significant bugs, crashes, or glitches experienced during gameplay.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

35% average critic score

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Play time

9hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
8-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 17 analyzed playthroughs

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