Saiko no sutoka
- March 19, 2021
- Habupain
- 153h median play time
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Reviews
- The AI of Saiko is impressively smart and unpredictable, making the gameplay engaging and challenging.
- The game offers multiple difficulty modes and endings, providing good replay value.
- The atmosphere and sound design effectively create tension and enhance the horror experience.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
- There is a lack of clear instructions or tutorials, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics.
- Some players feel that the game is unfairly difficult, particularly in higher modes, leading to a trial-and-error experience.
- gameplay144 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its unique mechanics and engaging AI, while others criticize its repetitiveness, lack of intuitive controls, and numerous bugs. Players appreciate the potential for multiple endings and the emotional depth of the AI's behavior, but many feel that the game suffers from a lack of polish and proper tutorials. Overall, while the game shows promise with its innovative ideas, it currently faces significant issues that hinder the overall experience.
“The gameplay is well-designed, and Saiko's AI and behavior are quite interesting; it acts differently depending on the situation, and the fact that she has two moods that can trigger if you upset her adds depth.”
“The gameplay is unique, and the voice acting really gives you a sense of emotion, whether it be fear, pity, or even love if you're that interested in this game.”
“I would highly recommend this game to anyone looking for extremely unique gameplay, as it features incredibly unique enemy mechanics as well as fluid controls.”
“After nearly 20 hours of gameplay, I can tell you that this game is a complete ripoff hellbent on provoking and angering paying customers.”
“Lost about 8 times because of bugs, the girl's AI is incredibly dumb and the gameplay is really repetitive.”
“Complete lack of tutorial and introduction to game mechanics.”
- story102 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around Akira, a schoolboy trapped in a nightmarish scenario with his yandere ex-girlfriend, Saiko-chan, creating a blend of horror and themes of lost love. While some players appreciate the intriguing narrative and multiple endings, others criticize the plot for its logical inconsistencies and lack of depth, suggesting that the fan community has contributed more lore than the game itself. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some finding the story engaging and others deeming it simplistic or poorly executed.
“This game gives you an interesting story between Saiko and her senpai Akira (the main character).”
“The story follows a schoolboy named Akira, trapped in his school with his murderous ex-girlfriend, Saiko-chan, who's a yandere (that means she's got a deadly obsession with him).”
“Underneath this simple exterior, the game features a story of lost love and broken hearts.”
“Do not play this game; it is abandoned. If you want to play all the new content, go play the mobile version. This version gets no updates, and the AI is trash. Most of my runs involve guessing the code or abusing bugs to glitch the character outside of the map. This game should honestly be free to play because it's fun for the first five minutes, but after that, it becomes boring and repetitive. It's just go here, grab this, go there, grab that until you get the code. If you want an alternate ending, you have to go out of your way to keep her calm or piss her off, but the frustrating part is that she will take the exit key from you and force the best ending. The PC version feels neglected, and while the game has potential, it has too many flaws that ruin the experience, including poorly explained plot holes.”
“There is a semi-cohesive story, but I feel the fans have given more lore to the project than the actual project itself.”
“This game is kind of left for dead when it comes to the story; mostly, it's just 'here's the scenario, now survive.'”
- graphics92 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the anime-inspired art style and overall aesthetic, while others criticize the simplicity and occasional glitches. Many agree that despite the graphical shortcomings, the visuals effectively contribute to the game's horror atmosphere. Overall, the graphics are deemed acceptable for the game's style, though improvements are desired as it progresses beyond its alpha stage.
“The graphics are perfect and the game style is phenomenal.”
“Overall it's a great scary game with really good graphics and scenery for a horror game, despite only being in alpha.”
“The graphics are simple but they work; the school looks good, especially on yangire mode, and Saiko's eyes are something frightening to track in the darkness.”
“The graphics are terrible; it looks like a 5-year-old drew it and traced the characters. The characters seem inanimate, and the gameplay is very uncontrolled. The character body parts warp inside each other when you crouch.”
“The art style is anime-inspired, and while it looks good, there are some hiccups with the models running on the Unity engine.”
“The graphics aren't great and the movements are a little shaky, but it never fails to create a good atmosphere.”
- stability52 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game is frequently described as "buggy," with players encountering various glitches that can impact gameplay, such as characters getting stuck or animations not syncing properly. While some users find these issues amusing or manageable, others feel they detract significantly from the experience. Overall, many reviewers acknowledge the game's potential but emphasize the need for stability improvements as it is still in early development.
“This game would have a lot of potential but instead it is a buggy mess.”
“Players get stuck in walls, the diary glitches out of existence, sometimes you fall over a tripwire and just never get up, etc. There's no tutorial whatsoever (or directions for how to play).”
“I got stabbed through so many tables that it just ruined the game for me; way too buggy.”
- music50 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's soundtrack is praised for its ability to create a haunting atmosphere, effectively building tension and suspense, particularly in stealth scenarios. However, many players find the music can be overly loud, often drowning out critical sound cues like footsteps, which can hinder gameplay. Overall, while the music contributes significantly to the game's eerie ambiance, players desire more control over audio settings to enhance their experience.
“The soundtrack is a major winner, featuring smooth chimes that mesh with the quiet until she gets closer, at which point the soundscape grows more tense.”
“Having the creepy music really gave it the suspense it needed, and trying to navigate a school in that setting at night brings it to another level.”
“The game's atmosphere is impressive, with a haunting soundtrack and unsettling sound effects that help to build tension and create a sense of dread.”
“There aren't even proper volume controls, just a single volume slider, and as this game is a stealth game that has you sneaking around avoiding a creepy girl, it's really hard to properly hide from her when you genuinely cannot hear her or her footsteps over the ear-bleedingly loud music.”
“The music is overbearing at times, masking even the sounds of your own footsteps and, of course, Saiko's.”
“The last would be adding more options to configure in its rather limited settings menu, but it's mainly by being able to turn down the music volume, so you could get better audio feedback from the game.”
- humor34 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a blend of dark comedy and absurdity, with players finding amusement in the grotesque and uncanny moments, such as the exaggerated facial expressions of the character Saiko and the absurd scenarios that arise during gameplay. Many reviews highlight the funny interactions with the yandere character, including her unpredictable behavior and the humorous consequences of player actions, creating a unique experience that balances horror with comedic elements. Overall, the game is seen as both scary and entertaining, with a charm that keeps players engaged through its quirky humor.
“A really fun and funny experience; for example, when trying to beat yangire mode, the game thought I looked at her badly, so she instantly killed me. There were other funny moments that were definitely scary as well.”
“It's really funny when the girl is chasing you and you talk to yourself or pretend to be streaming.”
“There's easy achievements and difficult achievements like most games, but what I really enjoy about this specific horror game is that it includes humor and variety with it.”
- atmosphere30 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Saiko no Sutoka" is widely praised for its haunting soundtrack, unsettling sound effects, and immersive lighting, which effectively build tension and create a sense of dread. While some players noted issues with AI behavior and sound design, the overall experience is described as engaging and suitably creepy, making it a standout in the indie horror genre. The combination of these elements contributes to a uniquely terrifying experience that keeps players on edge.
“Overall, 'saiko no sutoka' is a unique and engaging indie horror game that delivers a well-crafted narrative and an unsettling atmosphere.”
“The game's atmosphere is also impressive, with a haunting soundtrack and unsettling sound effects that help to build tension and create a sense of dread.”
“I think I have said this only for Alien Isolation when it comes to stalker games, so here's a big praise from a lover of this genre: with the right headset and atmosphere, I genuinely felt in fear for my life while playing.”
“Saiko sometimes spawns out of nowhere, ruining the atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere, the chase of trying to hide from Saiko, hearing her laugh maniacally and antagonizing her.”
“Overall, 'Saiko no Sutoka' is a unique and engaging indie horror game that delivers a well-crafted narrative and an unsettling atmosphere.”
- replayability26 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its multiple game modes, including yandere, yangire, and extreme yangire modes, each providing unique challenges and deeper lore. Additionally, the randomization of objective locations and the presence of 30 achievements cater to players who enjoy achievement hunting, ensuring that each playthrough feels distinct. Overall, players find the game to be highly replayable, with a mix of difficulty and engaging design elements.
“The game has replay value for sure.”
“It also has multiple gamemodes, including yandere mode, yangire mode, and extreme yangire mode, which adds to the replay value while explaining more of the game's lore. There are also 30 achievements that provide a lot of replay value for achievement hunters.”
“The map is always the same, but the locations of objectives are random, so it has great replay value.”
“It also has multiple game modes, including yandere mode, yangire mode, and extreme yangire mode, which adds more replay value along with explaining more of the game's lore. There are also 30 achievements that add a lot of replay value if you are into achievement hunting.”
“I will say that the sound is great, especially the voice actress for the villain. The atmosphere is suitably creepy, and the normal and hard modes offer replayability by mixing up the safe code and the location of the keys.”
“So each game is different from the previous one and increases the replay value.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a unique blend of horror and charm, where players experience a touching narrative intertwined with survival elements. The interactions with a quirky, yet dangerous character evoke both tension and affection, creating a playful yet spooky atmosphere that keeps players engaged. Overall, the game successfully balances its darker themes with moments of levity and warmth, making for a memorable emotional experience.
“This game feels like a welcoming survival horror murder game but wholesome, with this charming girl. Her interactions become crazier if you annoy her too much by crouching in front of her or losing sight of her for minutes. The only way to calm her down is by going up to her and pressing 'Q' to headpat her. But beware, she might be faking it and start laughing, with her eyes glowing red, ready to kill you. If you don't play rock-paper-scissors with her, she will instantly kill you if you walk away or just stand there.”
“Pretty good game, challenging and spooky from time to time. Plus, there's an attractive woman chasing you with a knife, which adds a wholesome element as long as you don't try to get her mad. Jokes aside, it's a very good game, 100%.”
“Wholesome girlfriend.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting extremely poor performance and a lack of graphics options beyond "low." Additionally, key mapping customization is noted as poorly implemented, further detracting from the overall experience.
“The game is terribly optimized, and I would someday like to see more than a few pixels of her face.”
“Extremely poor optimization that will harass your PC.”
“I would someday like to see more than a few pixels of her face, but alas the game is terribly optimized.”
“The way to change your mapping keys is not optimized right now.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Players consistently express that the grinding required in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like one would need a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for being overly aggressive, with players feeling that it detracts from the overall experience.
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features strong character development, highlighted by well-designed characters and a compelling storyline that enhances the overall atmosphere of the school setting. Players appreciate the depth and engagement of the characters, making it a recommended experience for those who enjoy narrative-driven gameplay.
“I recommend this game to anyone looking for a granny-type game, but with good story elements, great character design, and an immersive atmosphere that surrounds the school.”
