School Years

About

This is a series of visual novel adapted from a real story. It is divided into three stages: high school, University and undertaking life to tell a common and tortuous life trajectory. Here is the first episode of the series.In this episode you will experience the life of a high school student in China. The characters live and study under the background of examination-oriented education in senior …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 67 reviews

story14 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique perspective on high school life in China, focusing on the emotional growth of the characters and their relationships over time.
The voice acting, art, and music are well done, creating an immersive experience that resonates with players who appreciate the cultural context.
The game features multiple endings and choices that impact the story, providing replayability and engagement for players.

The English translation is poorly executed, making it difficult for non-Chinese speakers to fully understand the story and dialogues.
The gameplay can feel slow and repetitive, with long dialogue sequences and limited interactivity that may frustrate some players.
The game lacks a chapter select feature, requiring players to replay long sections to explore different choices and endings.

story
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
64%
6%
The story is set in a Chinese high school during 2005-2008, focusing on complex emotional development rather than typical high school tropes. While some players appreciate its unique narrative and character depth, others criticize the pacing, translation quality, and lack of engaging gameplay, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution. Despite its flaws, many find the story to be rich and immersive, with potential for deeper exploration as it continues to evolve.
- “Unlike high school drama, basketball teams, or senior prom, this story is focused on the inner world and intricate feelings, giving up on one-sided young love, and putting efforts into mutual love that developed over time.”
- “I didn't expect it to be this good, fun, and entertaining story-wise!”
- “Never before in my life have I played such diligent and thoughtful storytelling spilled out upon these pixels.”
- “One important note is that the story isn't finished, so don't expect too much from the ending.”
- “I felt like I was clicking through very bad dialogues and monologues with no chance of even deciding anything... the first time I encountered a choice was after I already decided to skip most of the text, because the main character is so unlikeable, so fed up with how great he is and his diary entries are disgusting me.”
- “The story is unrealistic and vague.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
9%
27%
The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic and immersive quality, with a well-composed soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the beauty of the original songs and the effective use of music to complement the story, making it a standout aspect of the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and emotional impact.
- “The music and songs in the game are truly beautiful, I really enjoyed them.”
- “The OST is pleasant and does not get in the way of the story, and the right tracks have been chosen for the right moments.”
- “The music and songs in the game are truly beautiful; I really enjoyed them.”
- “The main theme 初恋日记 reminds me of those songs I heard in childhood in the car going to Chinese Saturday school.”
- “The immersive experience brought you back in time with QQ, stock market, Walkman and recorders, Jackie Chan and Kim Hee-sun's famous song 'Endless Love' and the movie 'The Myth' (2005).”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful artwork and innovative interactive modes, while others criticize the low resolution and lack of polish, describing them as amateurish. Despite these shortcomings, many players feel that the graphics do not significantly detract from the overall experience, though there is hope for future improvements as the game is still relatively new.
- “I couldn't get enough of this amazing story and beautiful artwork.”
- “The engine enables a variety of brand new interactive modes, like many 3D scenes in the game and many graphical effects, which significantly distinguish the game from other so-called 'galgames'.”
- “The game is rather large for a visual novel, probably due to the graphics and the fact that it's fairly new and has not yet been optimized, but I am still hoping that the game becomes a success and they get to improve on that and on other points.”
- “Graphics are bad (pretty low res), everything is pretty slow and takes forever to do something (like walking around).”
- “The graphics in this game have two categories.”
- “The game is rather large for a visual novel, probably due to graphics and the fact that it's fairly new and has not yet been optimized, but I am still hoping that the game becomes a success and they get to improve on that and on other points.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay features puzzles that may require cultural references or guidance to navigate effectively. Players have reported achieving satisfactory endings, indicating a generally positive experience with the gameplay mechanics.
- “You might need cultural references or gameplay guidance to proceed, though.”
- “As for gameplay, it has puzzles.”
- “As for gameplay, I got a normal ending that wasn't that bad.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by quirky characters, such as the tall and funny Mr. Gao, which adds a lighthearted touch to the narrative. However, the overall comedic effect is somewhat diminished by poor translation, leading to grammatical issues that can hinder the clarity and enjoyment of the dialogues.
- “Rewind the time, I couldn’t imagine myself going back to 2005 to sit in that classroom studying for the national exams, although the teacher Mr. Gao is a tall, funny, handsome yet bald-headed, and super nice to his students.”
- “Anyways, back to the dialogues, the translation is bad mostly in the grammatical sense, and while it was interesting and funny at times, I think it would be better to have a proper translation so the story is easier to follow.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised by users, with many noting that it fosters enjoyable discussions among group members, even beyond the game's content.
- “The atmosphere in the game is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world with every detail.”
- “I love how the ambient sounds and visuals create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps me engaged.”
- “The game's atmosphere is so rich and layered, it feels like a character in its own right.”