Reality

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When a withdrawn virtual reality nerd has the opportunity to beta test a neural device that feels more "real" than reality itself, everything she assumed about the nature of existence is thrown into question. In this interactive novel, your choices will shape Lilya and Jacob's beliefs about what is real, or if reality even exists.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 62 reviews

story40 positive mentions

The game features beautiful art and an interesting story that combines technology with spirit world mythology.
The characters are well-developed and relatable, with meaningful choices that impact the story.
The game includes a unique end-of-chapter mechanic that summarizes player choices and their popularity among other players.

The game suffers from bugs, including screen flashing issues that can be distracting.
The story is relatively short and feels rushed, leaving many questions unanswered and lacking depth in character motivations.
Some players found the main character to be whiny and the dialogue unnecessarily lengthy, detracting from the overall experience.

story
96 mentions
42 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story is a unique blend of spirit world mythology and technology, featuring meaningful but infrequent choices that impact character relationships and endings. While it is generally linear and has a slow start, the narrative is rich, imaginative, and thought-provoking, exploring themes of identity and belonging. Despite some pacing issues and a lack of animations, the writing and character development keep players engaged, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of visual novels.
- “This is such a deeply imaginative, rich and thoughtful, philosophical story about belonging, identity and growth, finding solace and finding a person or place where you can just 'be yourself.'”
- “I'm very happy with the rich storyline and thought-provoking content that mixes technology and mythology/fantasy in a superbly creative way. I did not expect the story to go where it did.”
- “And the story is rich, smart and well-written.”
- “There are some choices and they are meaningful ones, but they are really rare in comparison to the development of the story.”
- “It's a shame because the story is well-written; it's just so short and rushed that it doesn't give enough time to be really invested in the characters or resolve anything in a satisfactory manner.”
- “Although I haven't checked all the endings, I would say that the story revolves around 0 and 1 choices.”
music
8 mentions
75 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it boring and repetitive, others appreciate the electronic soundtrack for effectively enhancing the sci-fi atmosphere. Overall, the music is noted as a strong complement to the game's art, writing, and story.
- “The electronic soundtrack does a good job of setting a sci-fi mood.”
- “It has great art, music, writing, and story.”
- “The music is boring and repetitive.”
- “The music is boring and repetitive.”
gameplay
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "On the other hand < /reality >" is highlighted by its innovative end-of-chapter mechanics and a choice system that allows players' decisions to significantly impact the game's outcome, enhancing replayability and engagement.
- “I really liked the choice mechanic system of the game where sometimes just one choice could completely change the ending.”
- “On the other hand, < /reality > has a really neat end of chapter mechanic that I wish more games like this had.”
graphics
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their gorgeous artwork and relatable character designs, effectively conveying the game's narrative without the need for narration. The combination of visuals and sound effects enhances the overall experience, making it immersive and engaging.
- “The concept was interesting, the artwork gorgeous, and the characters relatable.”
- “It seems like there's no narration of actions, but the graphics and sound effects do such a good job of conveying what's going on that it took me a while to notice.”
character development
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for its depth, as both protagonists offer unique perspectives while allowing for growth among themselves and the supporting characters. This interplay enriches the narrative and enhances the overall experience.
- “Both protagonists help bring different perspectives into view, while still leaving space for character development between both protagonists and other characters.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The novel features emotional moments, but these are primarily conveyed through rational discussions rather than overt emotional expressions.