Shades of Sakura

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 231 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Shades of Sakura Game Cover
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"Shades of Sakura" is a visual novel game featuring a cast of female characters in a school setting. The player assumes the role of a transfer student and must navigate social dynamics while uncovering the mysteries of the school. With multiple routes and endings, players can experience different storylines based on their choices.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 231 reviews
story15 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique puzzle mechanic that combines physics and drawing, making it engaging and fun to solve the puzzles.
  • The visuals are appealing, with beautiful hand-drawn backgrounds and character designs that enhance the overall experience.
  • The game offers a relaxing gameplay experience with a skip button for those who want to bypass challenging levels or focus on the animated scenes.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including visual glitches and lag, which can detract from the gameplay experience.
  • Many players found the puzzles to be overly simplistic and easy, leading to a lack of challenge and engagement.
  • The adult content is inconsistent in quality, with some animations being poorly done or repetitive, which may disappoint players seeking more substantial NSFW content.
  • story34 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and philosophical, while others criticize it as generic and lacking continuity. Many reviews highlight the presence of visual novel elements between levels, but the overall narrative quality varies significantly, leading to a range of opinions on its depth and coherence. While some appreciate the story's potential and artistic presentation, others express disinterest or frustration with its execution.

    • “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
    • “I bought this just for fun, but turns out this game has a very good story, recommended.”
    • “The story is written quite concisely, and is philosophical in nature, making the conversations dense. There is a lot of meaning in many phrases, so repeated readings reveal more of the underlying thought.”
    • “As for the story, it's generic and I honestly stopped reading after a few levels; even the name of the main character got changed midway through the story, and it got boring.”
    • “However, it falls short when the story starts to have no continuity halfway through the game.”
    • “In reality, the story was confusing and boring.”
  • gameplay28 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique puzzle mechanics and gradual introduction of new elements, while others find it standard or lacking in depth. Many highlight the game's artistic style and chill nature, but criticisms include a lack of tutorials and clarity on objectives. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a blend of interesting challenges and conventional mechanics, appealing to different player preferences.

    • “The puzzles were interesting, and new mechanics are gradually being introduced throughout the game.”
    • “This is all before I mention gameplay, which is subtly challenging and uniquely creative, providing the players with incentive to keep following the epic journey.”
    • “Overall this is a very interesting game with a very good puzzle mechanic, good artwork, and a story that has a bit of depth to it.”
    • “One could argue that the gameplay matches the price, but I beg to differ.”
    • “The gameplay is boring and the special scenes are not even the same girl half the time.”
    • “The gameplay itself is pretty standard, a common style of gameplay involving drawing lines to bring two objects together.”
  • graphics27 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the clean art style and impressive visuals that enhance the overall experience. While some players appreciate the Japanese aesthetic and the quality of the artwork, others note inconsistencies in character designs and animations. Overall, the graphics are generally considered pleasant and well-executed, though not without their flaws.

    • “Scenes are of exquisite quality, with a very clean art style.”
    • “The graphics are pleasant to the eye; the developers have done a good job in this regard.”
    • “It's got the kind of ancient Japanese art style that I enjoy, with even the dialogue box featuring a stereotypical Japanese aesthetic.”
    • “They are also mostly weird artworks with bad animation, and almost not NSFW.”
    • “The artwork is not universally consistent—perhaps different artists were involved.”
    • “The puzzles are simple and the graphical rewards are serviceable.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as soothing and pleasant, complementing the visuals and gameplay without being overly intrusive. While some players found it beautiful and fitting, others noted that it can feel repetitive and lacks exceptional qualities. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the experience, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “I liked the music, story, and the puzzles.”
    • “The game excels with its technical components, featuring a visual style and pleasant musical accompaniment.”
    • “Beautiful art, beautiful music, unusual setting, and a very interesting plot.”
    • “The music and sound effects are alright, nothing exceptional.”
    • “The music is benign, neither good nor bad, just... the same quiet theme on repeat.”
    • “Unusual gameplay for similar games, unobtrusive music.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The game is noted for its humor, with players finding the puzzles amusingly silly and entertaining. Many reviews highlight the lightheartedness and charm, making it a fun experience, especially for fans of cute anime aesthetics and engaging voice acting. Overall, it delivers a humorous and enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “If I were to give this game any credit, I would say this: some of the puzzles actually made me laugh a bit for how silly they are.”
    • “We expected this game to at least be entertaining and funny.”
    • “Very interesting and funny game, nothing more to say :D”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability has been criticized for significant visual glitches and buggy physics, indicating a need for better optimization. While some users found it generally playable, the presence of these issues detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never feels like it's going to fall apart.”
    • “The developers have done a great job ensuring a bug-free experience.”
    • “Unbearable visual glitches.”
    • “There are disadvantages in terms of optimization, lack of Russian localization, and somewhat buggy physics.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers good replayability, featuring a series of engaging exchanges between the protagonist and three characters that encourage players to revisit the narrative.

    • “This part of the game has excellent replayability, featuring a series of exchanges that jump back and forth between the protagonist, Izao, and three other characters.”
    • “The replay value is almost non-existent; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
    • “After finishing the main storyline, I found no compelling reasons to replay the game, as the choices felt inconsequential.”
    • “The lack of diverse endings or meaningful choices really diminishes the replayability factor.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for misleading advertisements, leading to disappointment among users who feel the promotional content does not accurately represent the game. This has resulted in a lack of recommendations from players.

    • “Given the misleading advertisement on the store page, I cannot recommend this game.”
    • “Not that I was expecting voices, though... just misleading advertisement and stuff.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users find the emotional aspect of the game to be frustrating, particularly when minor setbacks, like touching the edge of a level, disrupt their progress and evoke feelings of aggravation.

  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers highlight the exceptional character development of Yoshi and Izao, noting that their growth and depth kept players deeply engaged and invested in their journeys.

    • “I stayed up for hours becoming heavily invested in Yoshi and Izao; these characters truly represent character development better than I had ever experienced.”
    • “I stayed up for hours becoming heavily invested in Yoshi and Izao; truly, these characters represented character development better than I had ever experienced.”
    • “The character development felt shallow and predictable, leaving me uninvested in their journeys.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of growth in the characters; they seemed to remain static throughout the game.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game faces optimization issues, including a lack of Russian localization and some buggy physics, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “A good, not very difficult puzzle, similar to some game on the phone that I played. However, there are disadvantages in terms of optimization, including a lack of Russian localization and somewhat buggy physics.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game is praised for its immersive atmosphere, enhanced by a wealth of unique dialogues that contribute to a rich and engaging experience.

    • “The game is incredibly atmospheric, with a wealth of unique dialogues that enhance the immersive experience.”
    • “The atmosphere is rich and engaging, drawing players into its world with every interaction.”
    • “The game's ambiance is captivating, creating a sense of depth and realism that keeps you invested.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or additional lives to progress effectively.

    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
    • “I spent hours grinding for minimal rewards.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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