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Senren Banka

97%Game Brain Score
story, music
gameplay, stability
97% User Score Based on 802 reviews

Platforms

NSNintendo SwitchPCPCPhoPhoneWinWindowsTabTablet

About

"Senren*Banka" is a Japanese-style visual novel with award-winning art, music, and characters, originally released in Japan in 2016. The game features a romantic storyline produced by developer Yuzusoft. The Steam version offers English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and Japanese text options with Japanese voice acting, and supports Steam Cloud. Note: All characters depicted in the game are 18 years of age or older.

Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
Senren Banka screenshot
+7

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 802 reviews
story174 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions

  • The characters are well-written and charming, making it easy to become attached to them.
  • The game features a beautiful art style and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • The flowchart system allows for easy navigation through routes and choices, making it user-friendly for both newcomers and veterans of visual novels.
  • The pacing can be slow, especially in the common route, which may lead to moments of boredom.
  • Some routes feel repetitive and lack significant character development compared to others.
  • The main character is often seen as bland and generic, which can detract from the overall immersion of the story.
  • story
    519 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Senren Banka" is generally well-received, praised for its engaging characters and humor, though it is often described as somewhat cliché and predictable. While the common route offers a self-contained narrative that draws players in, the individual character routes can feel repetitive and lack depth, with some reviewers noting that the pacing can be slow and filled with filler content. Overall, the game combines elements of romance and fantasy, with a focus on character interactions, but may not satisfy those seeking a deeply intricate plot.

    • “The characters are well written and the overall story writing is exemplary.”
    • “The main story is interesting and each route takes a unique approach to adding to it.”
    • “Senren Banka is about a group of heroines affected by the local curse to varying degrees, and the story resolves the conflict of the curse in different ways depending on which route you choose.”
    • “Unfortunately, the plot of Yuzusoft VNs is never their strong point, so don’t expect anything crazy with this one, either.”
    • “The game is too long, the plot lacks depth, the characters engage in pointless and clichéd conversations, and the entertainment elements are not enough to compensate, making the game pace quite sleepy.”
    • “The story just wasn't interesting enough to be broken up like this - it would have been much stronger as a standalone route that fully told the story in one go.”
  • music
    125 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and fittingness, with many reviewers noting its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere and storytelling. While some found it to be nothing extraordinary, others highlighted its unique blend of traditional Japanese elements and modern compositions, making it a standout feature. Overall, the soundtrack is described as enjoyable, catchy, and well-integrated into the gameplay experience, contributing significantly to the game's charm.

    • “The soundtrack and generally written story for this game is absolutely fantastical as you can tell the OST fits the theme of the story.”
    • “The music fits the game well, and the character design and aesthetic are all deeply inspired by traditional Japanese culture.”
    • “The music is amazing, the art is extremely cute, and all the heroines are very distinct from each other.”
    • “The music isn't top notch by any means, but it was clear that care went into the composition.”
    • “Music was mostly not my thing, since most of the music is centralized around the traditional Japanese music genre.”
    • “As listed above, the positive points about the game are the UI, music, art, and voice acting which are all needed ingredients to make a VN even better, but sadly cannot make up for a at best average, but mostly garbage trope story.”
  • graphics
    58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the beautiful art style, vibrant colors, and high-quality character designs that reflect traditional Japanese culture. The visuals are described as stunning and immersive, complemented by excellent voice acting and a fitting soundtrack, creating an engaging aesthetic experience. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its appeal and storytelling.

    • “The artwork is amazing.”
    • “The character designs and the art style of the game are gorgeous.”
    • “Almost all visual novels do not require a graphics card to run the game; a processor is more than enough. However, let's not exaggerate, 2000s PCs are not going to run the game...”
    • “Graphic-wise, one can immediately tell that Senren*Banka is a high-quality visual novel.”
    • “The art style is the same as before but with another level of detail and deeper, more stunning colors.”
  • emotional
    47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Senren * Banka" is characterized by a blend of heartwarming moments, comedic relief, and occasional drama, creating a wholesome experience that resonates with players. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke genuine feelings, from laughter to happy tears, while maintaining a lighthearted tone. Although some critics note that it may lack the depth of other visual novels, the overall sentiment is that it offers a fulfilling and enjoyable emotional journey.

    • “She relives memories from her past and has an emotional conversation with her deceased mother.”
    • “Just finished my first route and it genuinely made me cry happy tears.”
    • “It was such a heartwarming experience to see them change throughout the story, becoming much more free and open people.”
  • humor
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its lightheartedness and charm, featuring a mix of funny dialogues, cute character interactions, and engaging comedic scenes that often balance emotional moments. While many players find the humor to be a highlight, some critique it for relying on familiar tropes and occasional juvenile jokes. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a fun and enjoyable experience for most players.

    • “This is probably the most hilarious thing I've ever encountered.”
    • “Came for the plot, stayed for the humor.”
    • “The characters are all likable and probably the best part of the game; the interactions and humor are still great.”
  • character development
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally praised, particularly within specific character routes where players experience satisfying arcs leading to romantic conclusions. However, some reviewers note that initial routes can feel slow and static, with significant development often locked behind character-specific paths, leading to a desire for more meaningful moments rather than filler content. Overall, while the character designs and aesthetics are well-received, the pacing and distribution of character development can be inconsistent.

    • “The arc for each of the girls is so satisfying because you get to experience their character development until both you and your chosen girl's route realize that you love each other, then you get married in the end!”
    • “Absolute masterful execution of the main plot, deep character development, and it just keeps you wanting to go all the way until the very end.”
    • “After you start going to the specific character routes, however, you get a lot more character development of the specific character and a lot more romance.”
    • “Sure, common routes are usually pretty slow and mild, given their propensity toward character development, but once you head down a route, the writing really just goes full throttle and ruins the pacing.”
    • “Most of the character development of a character is locked behind a character-specific route; during the basic route, they remain rather static, which is fine because that's where you get to know them in the first place.”
    • “I just wish they hadn't put so much filler in there that I foolishly read all of thinking there would be important story or character development in it.”
  • gameplay
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the visual novel is described as smooth, comfortable, and accessible, making it suitable for newcomers to the genre. While some players feel it lacks depth, the timeline mechanic and multiple choices contribute to a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Overall, it offers a straightforward and engaging gameplay experience, though expectations may vary based on the game's price point.

    • “I don't usually write a proper review, but this is a good wholesome visual novel if you want to just chill and enjoy the true mouse gameplay.”
    • “Smooth and comfortable gameplay, along with just the right length of the game, make for a relaxing and enjoyable gaming experience.”
    • “The gameplay is very friendly if you are new to gal or visual novels.”
    • “I wish there were more than just yes or no in Steam reviews; it would be better if there were separate points for gameplay, background music, story, etc.”
    • “Now you must be confused about why there is a gameplay section in this review, which is only click and read.”
    • “The gameplay is very friendly if you are new to gal games or visual novels.”
  • atmosphere
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its seamless integration of visual and auditory elements, including vibrant character designs and a fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers note that the attention to detail, such as ambient sounds and artistic choices, effectively creates a unique and immersive environment that complements the narrative. Overall, the atmosphere is described as comforting and engaging, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of the game.

    • “This is because the visual and auditory senses (such as the scenery, music, and UI) interact pretty well and therefore create a unique atmosphere.”
    • “The characters and set pieces are vibrant and do a great job of setting the right atmosphere for the entirety of the piece.”
    • “All the good points of Sanoba Witch have been preserved, and to it have been added a rustic and traditional atmosphere, a more intense and even a little confusing plot.”
    • “The art and character designs are phenomenal in my opinion, and the music does a great job of setting the tone of the scene and really drawing you into the atmosphere of the story.”
  • optimization
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users noting a clean interface, smooth performance without hiccups, and convenient key bindings. Voice acting is highlighted as exceptional, particularly for complex characters, contributing to an immersive experience. Overall, the game runs well across platforms, including Linux.

    • “The interface is clean, the software has zero performance hiccups, key binds are convenient, and accessibility features are there.”
    • “Run smoothly on Linux.”
    • “Performance: no problems so far.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting significant bugs and glitches reminiscent of older software, while others note that the issues are minor and not overly concerning. Specific problems include skipped unvoiced lines when text speed is set to maximum, indicating that certain features may not function smoothly.

    • “First off, I want to say this game is more buggy than Windows ME.”
    • “This feature is somewhat buggy; if you have the text speed at 100%, you'll regularly find some unvoiced lines being skipped after voiced lines because of how this feature works.”
    • “Some glitches exist, but not enough to worry about.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to its linear nature when replaying storylines, which could benefit from more branching paths. Additionally, some users suggest that a second life is necessary to effectively manage the grinding process.

    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
    • “My one complaint would be how linear replaying different storylines is; a split earlier in the story would've made it a bit less tedious.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users feel that certain elements of the game diminish its replayability, suggesting that the experience may not offer enough variety or incentive to return after the initial playthrough.

    • “The lack of meaningful choices cheapens the replayability.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
    • “The game feels repetitive after the first playthrough, diminishing its replay value.”

Buy Senren Banka

36h Median play time
48h Average play time
11-94h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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