Root Letter Last Answer

About

"Root Letter: Last Answer" is a visual novel game where you investigate the disappearance of your pen pal, using her letters as clues. The game features a dramatic twist, with live-action sequences adding a unique cinematic touch to the story. Your choices and actions will determine the outcome of the investigation and the fate of the characters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+11

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 66 reviews

story30 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features an intriguing premise and a variety of endings that can evoke different emotions, from bittersweet to wacky.
The real-life visuals of Matsue and the use of actors add a unique touch, enhancing the overall experience for players who enjoy immersive settings.
Despite its flaws, the game has moments of charm and humor that can make it enjoyable, especially for those who approach it with low expectations.

The writing and character development are often criticized as poor, with the protagonist being particularly unlikable and the story feeling disjointed.
Gameplay is frustratingly linear, with players often forced to follow a specific order of actions, leading to repetitive and tedious interactions.
Many of the endings are inconsistent and lack coherence, making it difficult for players to feel satisfied with the narrative resolution.

story
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
50%
5%
The game's story presents an intriguing premise but suffers from inconsistencies and a lack of depth, often feeling cheapened by unnecessary gameplay elements. While some players appreciate the multiple routes and engaging characters, others criticize the bizarre plot twists and disconnection from the original narrative, leading to a mixed reception. Overall, the story has potential but is marred by execution issues, leaving it feeling both captivating and frustrating at times.
- “Great story, well-written characters, and top-notch voice work.”
- “Overall, I think it is a great game with a good story, which is the most important for visual novel games.”
- “The story is rich and engaging enough for someone who hasn't been to Shimane (wants to go there) like me.”
- “It's just a shame that the game then tries to cheapen itself and the story at every possible opportunity.”
- “Also, there are lots of plot issues because each of these very different endings have to stem from the same first eight chapters.”
- “I mean, nothing seemed to even remotely connect to the original story and it was just running off in five directions at once.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The gameplay of the game is a mix of traditional visual novel elements and investigative mechanics, which some players find unnecessary and punishing, particularly due to the need to replay conversations after making mistakes. While the investigative segments are appreciated, many feel that the overall gameplay is shallow and could benefit from a more streamlined approach, as the navigation and interface detract from the experience. Overall, it may appeal to fans of investigative thrillers, but lacks the depth and engagement found in more compelling narratives.
- “Gameplay: besides reading text like other visual novels, Root Letter has investigative gameplay elements.”
- “So there’s significantly more gameplay at work here compared to most visual novels.”
- “While the interface could have been better, the game's investigation mechanics are fine.”
- “These conversations punish you for 'wrong moves,' which is annoying and unnecessary gameplay because this game is really just a visual novel, but you have to replay the entire conversation if you get it wrong too many times.”
- “It feels like the devs don't think the story is good enough on its own and have therefore tried to jam the game full of unnecessary 'gameplay.'”
- “People who are interested in investigative thrillers might like it, but to me it’s a little bit bland; the story doesn’t pull me in that much compared to other investigative thrillers, and the gameplay elements are a bit shallow.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The graphics in "root letter: last answer" feature photos of actors and actresses as stand-ins for the original anime visuals, which some players feel adds realism, while others prefer the original artwork. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some appreciating the hand-drawn settings from the first game, while others do not see the real-life visuals as an enhancement.
- “Graphics: Compared to the original root letter, the game uses photos of actors/actresses as stand-ins for the original anime visuals, which adds more realism to the game.”
- “I liked the artwork as well.”
- “Visuals - 9: These are the actual photos of the settings from the first game that were hand-drawn.”
- “Furthermore, I don’t really think the real-life visuals are an enhancement at all.”
- “Visuals - 9: these are the actual photos of the settings from the first game that were hand-drawn.”
- “Graphics: the last answer, compared to the original root letter, uses photos of actors/actresses as stand-ins for the original anime visuals, which adds more realism to the game.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
The music in the game is generally described as nice and ambient, fitting well with the investigative nature of the visual novel. However, some players find the music placement problematic during serious events, as it resets when navigating the map, which can be distracting. While the music may become repetitive for some after extended play, others appreciate it, especially in the game's nature settings.
- “The music is nice and ambient, not too distracting, which is suitable for an investigative visual novel like this.”
- “Great music.”
- “The music placement is bad for serious events because the music resets each time you go to the map screen.”
- “The music may irritate some of you after the first hour, but I kind of blocked it out and enjoyed it in the nature settings.”
- “The music placement is bad for serious events because the music resets each time you go to the map screen.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the excessive navigation through numerous locations, often leading to unnecessary backtracking. This frustration is compounded by the fact that the character already has a clear destination, making the repetitive travel feel even more pointless.
- “It gets tedious navigating through 20 different locations, only to find out I need to be somewhere else after I arrive.”
- “It can get tedious, especially since Max already has a destination in mind.”
- “It gets tedious navigating through 20 different locations, only to find out I need to be somewhere else after I arrive.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is undermined by the character Max, who lacks full voice acting and relies on generic half-lines that fail to effectively convey his emotional state, particularly with the exaggerated "nandatte" response to mild surprises. This inconsistency detracts from the overall emotional depth of the narrative.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide relevant information regarding the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on the character background of Ishihara Yukari. Therefore, no summary can be derived about monetization from the provided texts.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is effective, eliciting laughter both through its clever writing and unintentional comedic moments. Players find enjoyment in both the intended jokes and the amusing quirks of the game.
- “Had me laughing both with it and at it!”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users consistently highlight the strong replayability of the game, indicating that it offers engaging content that encourages multiple playthroughs.