Senren＊Banka

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"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 678 reviews

story146 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a rich and engaging story with multiple routes that provide depth to the characters and their backgrounds.
The art and music are top-notch, enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in the game's atmosphere.
The characters are well-developed and charming, making it easy for players to connect with them and enjoy their individual stories.

The pacing can be slow at times, particularly in the common route, which may lead to moments of boredom for some players.
Some routes feel less impactful or engaging compared to others, leading to a sense of inconsistency in the overall narrative quality.
The H-scenes, while present, may not be as fulfilling or well-integrated into the story as some players might hope.

story
448 mentions
33 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story of "Senren * Banka" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its depth, character development, and humor, while others criticize its pacing and reliance on clichés. The narrative intertwines themes of personal growth and Japanese folklore, but some routes feel disconnected from the main plot, leading to a sense of filler content. Overall, while the game offers engaging moments and beautiful visuals, opinions vary widely on its storytelling quality, with some routes standing out as particularly strong.
- “It has a great story, one with depth, compelling characters, great humor, and is an absolute treat.”
- “Jam-packed with a great story, diverse characters, deep immersion, and a damn-good soundtrack.”
- “The art's really beautiful, characters also very positive, and the story's really enjoyable.”
- “The plot resolution is disappointing and disappears for the romance part in which you can't act.”
- “It feels very forced and that they didn't even want to create a romance story in the first place, or that the developers fleshed out the overall storyline of this piece and just shoved romance in to appeal to the masses on release.”
- “The story is very generic with very convenient solutions.”
music
107 mentions
56 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its fitting composition and ability to enhance the storytelling experience, with many reviewers praising its blend of traditional Japanese elements and modern influences. The soundtrack is described as catchy, immersive, and well-suited to the game's atmosphere, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment. While some found it not groundbreaking, the general consensus is that the music is a standout feature that complements the visuals and narrative effectively.
- “Jam-packed with a great story, diverse characters, deep immersion, and a damn-good soundtrack.”
- “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 is amazing, 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.”
- “The art is also really well done and whilst the music isn't amazing or anything, it does its job of setting the tone pretty well.”
graphics
48 mentions
60 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their beautiful and vibrant art style, which is deeply inspired by traditional Japanese culture. Reviewers highlight the high-quality visuals, detailed character designs, and smooth animations, all contributing to an immersive aesthetic experience. Overall, the combination of stunning artwork, engaging soundtracks, and effective voice acting enhances the storytelling, making it a visually appealing choice for players.
- “The artwork is amazing.”
- “The art style used in Senren Banka is honestly really beautiful and very colorful in its areas shown.”
- “Fantastic artwork and interesting, dynamic characters and story!”
- “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...”
- “As for the visuals?”
- “The art style is the same as before but with another level of detail and deeper, more stunning colors.”
humor
41 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating the cute art style and the lighthearted, funny moments that enhance the overall experience. While some found certain comedic elements to be juvenile or clichéd, the engaging character interactions and witty dialogue often provided genuine laughs and heartwarming scenes. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the charm of the visual novel, making it enjoyable despite some narrative weaknesses.
- “There are some weaknesses, as with most novels, but those are easily outweighed by the sheer amount of wholesome, cute, and funny scenes this has to offer.”
- “The banter between the characters can be very funny, and many of the more dire moments hit with appropriate impact, with many sad emotional moments.”
- “The comedy in the game was a great distraction from my loneliness on Valentine's Day and kept me laughing for a large portion of what I read so far.”
emotional
40 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Senren * Banka" is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome storytelling, often evoking feelings of joy and nostalgia. Players appreciate the balance of lighthearted humor with touching moments, leading to genuine emotional responses, including happy tears. While the game may not delve into deep or complex themes, it offers a fulfilling and enjoyable experience that resonates with those seeking a feel-good narrative.
- “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.”
- “[yoshino]: when I completed this route, I felt super emotional with my teary eyes and felt like it was one of the most fulfilling stories I've ever read.”
character development
21 mentions
33 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
Overall, character development in these games varies significantly, with some titles offering deep, satisfying arcs that enhance the emotional connection between characters, particularly in specific routes. However, many players express frustration with static character portrayals in basic routes and a desire for more meaningful character moments over filler content. While some characters shine with well-executed development, others are perceived as generic or lacking depth, highlighting a mixed reception in this aspect.
- “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.”
- “I really liked the character development, especially with Yoshino and Murasame.”
- “masaomi is generic and lacks character development.”
- “Most of the character development of a character is locked behind a character-specific route though, 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
15 mentions
13 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is described as straightforward and user-friendly, particularly for newcomers to visual novels. While some players express a desire for more depth and variety, others appreciate the smooth mechanics and enjoyable timeline feature, contributing to a relaxing experience. The game is considered well-optimized, even with multiple language support.
- “Smooth and comfortable gameplay and 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 novel.”
- “I wish there's more than yes or no in Steam review; better if there's separate points for gameplay, BGM, story, etc.”
- “Now you must be confused about why there is a gameplay section in this review which is only click and read.”
- “Can't get over the timeline mechanic!!”
atmosphere
8 mentions
63 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its vibrant character designs and detailed set pieces that effectively enhance the storytelling. The music complements the visuals beautifully, with elements like bird chirping adding to the immersive experience. Overall, the combination of art, sound, and a rustic feel creates a comforting and engaging environment for players.
- “The characters and set pieces are vibrant and do a great job of setting the right atmosphere for the entirety of the piece.”
- “Murasame in particular has a design that directly shows how much effort went into setting the right atmosphere for the story.”
- “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.”
- “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
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is highly praised, with a clean interface, zero performance issues, and convenient key binds, ensuring a smooth experience across platforms, including Linux. Additionally, the vocal performances contribute to a lively atmosphere, enhancing the overall immersion. However, some character portrayals may feel culturally stereotypical, particularly in their romantic interactions.
- “The interface is clean, the software has zero performance hiccups, key binds are convenient, and accessibility features are there.”
- “Run smoothly on Linux.”
- “Lena and Genjuurou are the two performances that I was particularly impressed by, since their characters felt like the most difficult to properly pull off for how well the performances were nailed.”
- “The interface is clean, software has zero performance hiccups, key binds are convenient, and accessibility features are there.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its instability, with users reporting numerous bugs that significantly affect gameplay. Notably, issues arise with text speed settings, leading to skipped unvoiced lines after voiced ones, indicating a lack of polish in the game's features.
- “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.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to its linear nature, which can make replaying storylines feel repetitive. Some users suggest that a more flexible branching system could alleviate this issue, while others note that additional lives may be necessary to effectively manage the grinding process.
- “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
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
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.”