School Years

About

School Years is a single player role playing game. It was developed by YEARS and was released on October 3, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

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 …

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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67%

Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews

story16 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a heartfelt and relatable story that captures the essence of growing up in a high-pressure academic environment.
The characters are well-developed, and the art style and music create an immersive experience that enhances the storytelling.
The game includes multiple endings and choices that impact the narrative, providing replayability and engagement for players.

The English translation is poorly executed, making it difficult for non-Chinese speakers to fully understand the story.
The gameplay can feel slow and repetitive, with long dialogue sequences that may deter some players from continuing.
There are technical issues, such as static screens and limited interactivity, which can detract from the overall experience.

story
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
63%
6%
The story of the game is a deeply relatable and moving narrative set in a Chinese high school during the mid-2000s, focusing on complex emotions and the evolution of mutual love rather than typical high school tropes. While many players appreciate the immersive storytelling and art style, some criticize the pacing and translation quality, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the narrative is seen as a mix of engaging moments and predictable elements, with a significant portion of the story still unfinished.
- “The story, inspired by real-life experiences, is both relatable and deeply moving.”
- “I couldn't get enough of this amazing story and beautiful artwork.”
- “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.”
- “The story is unrealistic and vague.”
- “It reads as a slight step above a machine translation, and in a visual novel, not being able to read the story at an understandable level is a game killer.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
25%
17%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the storytelling and create an immersive experience, with a nostalgic soundtrack that resonates with players. Reviewers highlight the quality of the original score, noting that it complements the narrative without overshadowing it, and many express a desire to purchase the soundtrack. Overall, the music is described as beautiful, relatable, and well-integrated into the gameplay.
- “The game's art style and music complement the storytelling, creating an immersive experience.”
- “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.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the art style and its contribution to storytelling, while others criticize the low resolution and lack of polish, describing them as amateurish. The game features new interactive modes and graphical effects that set it apart from similar titles, but performance issues and optimization concerns detract from the overall experience. Overall, opinions vary, with some players finding the visuals immersive and others feeling they are a significant drawback.
- “The game's art style and music complement the storytelling, creating an immersive experience.”
- “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'.”
- “Graphics are bad (pretty low res), everything is pretty slow and takes forever to do something (like walking around).”
- “I can't appreciate graphics too much, as I've said, I consider it unnecessary, and since it's nothing polished, it comes across as amateur, but it doesn't ruin the experience either, so all in all I am neutral about it.”
- “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
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The gameplay features puzzles that may require cultural references or guidance to navigate effectively. Players have reported a satisfactory experience, with some achieving normal endings that they found enjoyable.
- “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.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it still feels like I'm nowhere.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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.”
- “Every detail contributes to a rich and captivating atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
- “The ambiance created by the sound design and visuals is simply breathtaking.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"School Years" is praised for its heartfelt portrayal of adolescence within a demanding academic setting, featuring well-developed characters and a narrative that skillfully balances emotional depth with lightheartedness.
- “School Years is a heartfelt visual novel that beautifully captures the essence of growing up in a high-pressure academic environment.”
- “The characters are well-developed, and the narrative strikes a perfect balance between emotional depth and lighthearted moments.”
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, affecting the clarity and flow 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, 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.”