Shan Gui
- August 19, 2014
- Magenta Factory
- 1h median play time
Get on SteamShan Gui is a short first-person exploration game set in a mystical forest. As the player, you follow a woman's footsteps to uncover a bittersweet story of love and loss. With its breathtaking visuals and immersive soundtrack, Shan Gui offers a serene and emotional experience unlike any other.
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Reviews
- Beautiful artwork and visuals that enhance the experience.
- Charming and sweet storyline that evokes nostalgia and warmth.
- Relaxing music that complements the serene atmosphere of the game.
- Very short playtime, typically around 30-60 minutes, which may not justify the price.
- Lack of interactivity with no choices or branching paths, making it feel more like a story than a game.
- Voice acting quality is inconsistent, with some performances lacking emotion and clarity.
- story389 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Shan Gui" is a short, linear narrative that revolves around a young woman, Han Hui, revisiting childhood memories in a picturesque Chinese setting, guided by a mysterious girl. While the plot is simple and lacks depth, it is characterized by heartwarming themes of nostalgia, friendship, and self-discovery, complemented by beautiful visuals and a soothing soundtrack. Although some players found the story predictable and the character development lacking, many appreciated its relaxing atmosphere and emotional resonance, making it a charming experience for those seeking a brief escape.
“The serene storytelling, beautiful artwork, and soothing soundtrack create an enchanting atmosphere.”
“A lovely story with a great ending, I loved the art style and the plot, I highly recommend this game/visual novel.”
“Beautiful, sweet story, characters that draw you in, gorgeous artwork and a simply perfect soundtrack.”
“The story is shit.”
“The plot development lacks consistency and the characters also lack a good background story, being like empty shells.”
“The story jumps through locations, feelings, monologues and convenient settings too fast, not giving you enough time to understand or relate with it.”
- music180 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and beautiful qualities, effectively enhancing the tranquil atmosphere and emotional storytelling. Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack, often featuring calming piano pieces, complements the visuals and narrative well, creating an immersive experience. While some found the music repetitive, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's charm and is worth downloading as a free DLC.
“The serene storytelling, beautiful artwork, and soothing soundtrack create an enchanting atmosphere.”
“Beautiful, sweet story, characters that draw you in, gorgeous artwork and a simply perfect soundtrack.”
“The music is tranquil and fits the mood of the story well.”
“The music feels like a single track reworked a few times and passed off as an original OST.”
“The music, however, often had me wanting to rage quit from the sheer irritating repetition and limited variety included, not to mention the off levels of the spoken word dialogue between those two as far as clarity goes.”
“The soundtrack is simple, but not capable of feeling.”
- graphics120 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and charm, with many reviewers highlighting the stunning backgrounds and overall artistic quality. While some players found the character design to be unconventional or jarring, the majority appreciated the unique art style and its ability to create a serene atmosphere that complements the game's narrative. Overall, the visuals are considered a significant strength, enhancing the emotional experience of the story.
“The serene storytelling, beautiful artwork, and soothing soundtrack create an enchanting atmosphere.”
“What a beautiful, simple and elegant visual journey this is, because it is very much so the beautiful visuals that drive this story.”
“The artwork is absolutely beautiful and very high-quality!”
“The backgrounds are gorgeous, and most of them can be 'visited' using Google Earth's street view; the artwork is solid, although some scenes have the protagonists overly sexualized, and while I realize that some, if not most, will welcome such a thing, I found it rather out of place.”
“The art style for the characters can be a little jarring if you think about it too much, but it's charming and the vibrant backgrounds really draw you in.”
“The backgrounds and character designs are inconsistent between art styles, but this is a minor issue.”
- emotional40 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartwarming storytelling, strong character development, and serene atmosphere, often evoking deep feelings of nostalgia and connection. Players appreciate the combination of touching narratives, beautiful artwork, and a moving soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, making it a memorable journey despite its short length. While some critiques mention the simplicity of the story, the emotional depth and the ability to resonate with players on a personal level are consistently highlighted.
“Their bond was touching enough to make even the most stoic gamer reach for a tissue, or at least another handful of potato chips.”
“This game made me feel at peace and magical in a way that I haven't felt since I visited my grandma's valley back when she was still in this world.”
“Together, they embark on a serene and touching journey, exploring the mountain, reminiscing childhood memories, and forming a deep bond that may be more magical than it seems.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is characterized as a "kinetic novel," meaning it lacks interactive elements or choices, offering a straightforward reading experience instead. Reviewers note that it functions primarily as a visual novel, with minimal gameplay mechanics and a focus on storytelling, which may not appeal to those seeking more interactive gameplay. Overall, the consensus is that the game has little to no gameplay value, relying heavily on its narrative and aesthetics.
“It's a straightforward visual novel, about an hour of gameplay.”
“Shan gui is a kinetic visual novel with minimalistic gameplay.”
“The gameplay is your standard visual novel fare, nothing new.”
“A 'kinetic novel', it has no choices or gameplay elements, so those that hate such things, move along.”
“Gameplay-wise, well, there's none.”
“Seeing how this game has no gameplay or choices whatsoever all that's left to judge is the aesthetics and the story.”
- atmosphere15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its calming and enchanting qualities, enhanced by a beautiful soundtrack and serene storytelling. Users appreciate the stunning visuals and character illustrations that contribute to a relaxing experience, making it a delightful choice for those seeking a tranquil narrative. Overall, the game's atmosphere effectively immerses players in a feel-good environment, despite its brevity and simplicity.
“The serene storytelling, beautiful artwork, and soothing soundtrack create an enchanting atmosphere.”
“This novel greatly describes the scenery and atmosphere of the locations the protagonist visits with nice illustrations.”
“Its calming atmosphere and likeable characters definitely make the experience, and for what problems the game has, it makes up for it in pure charm.”
“Despite its concise length and overall lack of choice, it's a decent visual novel with excellent backdrops, good character illustration, and a beautiful soundtrack that fits the overall atmosphere of the game.”
“The general atmosphere of the game is successful in its goal to be calming.”
“Its calming atmosphere and likable characters definitely make the experience, and for what problems the game has, it makes up for it in pure charm.”
- character development10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the reviews highlight a strong emphasis on character development, with many praising the emotional storytelling and the depth achieved within a short playtime. While some critiques mention that certain character arcs feel forced to connect with real-life events, the main character is generally well-rounded, contributing to a feel-good atmosphere. The character designs received mixed feedback, with some appreciating the art style despite its flaws.
“The highlight for me was definitely the character development and the beautiful depiction of purple mountain.”
“This laser focus allows for deep character development within the short playtime.”
“Strong character development and emotional storytelling.”
“The character designs were kind of mediocre, but cute at the same time.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that there are no significant choices or variations in the story that would encourage multiple playthroughs. While some players found value in the experience for the price they paid, the consensus is that the game offers little incentive to revisit once completed.
“The replay value is absent, but this doesn't mean you won't find yourself drawn to re-experience some of the aforementioned time bubbles.”
“First is that there’s absolutely no replay value whatsoever unless you want to hear the exact same story and character interactions again.”
“The replay value is absent - because this is not a game, bear with my redundancy - but this doesn't mean you won't find yourself drawn to re-experience some of the aforementioned time bubbles.”
“I finished the whole game in 60 minutes, and with the lack of choices for replay value, there's really not much of a reason to play this more than once.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The optimization of voice acting in the game is inconsistent, with some performances being strong while others fall flat. Players may need to adjust sound settings to enhance the clarity of the voice actresses, as their performances can be overshadowed by the background music.
“The voice actresses for each of the main heroines do a solid job, and I really enjoyed both of their performances.”
“You may want to adjust the sound settings in the options and turn the music down a bit, as both of the voice actresses are, for the most part, very quiet, and the music may drown out their performances.”
“Voice acting quality varies, with some performances feeling lackluster.”
“You may want to adjust the sound settings in options and turn the music down a bit, as both of the voice actors are, for the most part, very quiet, and the music may drown out their performances.”
- humor3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is hit-or-miss; while some players appreciate the clever achievement for starting the game, others find the overall comedic elements lacking, with the story containing only a few amusing moments amidst a generally unfunny experience.
“Though it's funny, there's an achievement for hitting 'start game' that basically says 'congrats, you didn't buy it just to idle!'”
“The story is alright and there are some funny bits in it.”
“Shan Gui is short, unfunny, and can even manage to feel like it's being dragged on.”
“The humor falls flat and often feels forced, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
“Attempts at humor are so weak that they detract from the overall experience.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the visual novel has been criticized for feeling overly promotional, resembling an advertisement for the purple mountain, yet many users still found the overall experience enjoyable.
“The monetization in this game is excessive and feels more like a cash grab than a fair system.”
“I was disappointed by how much the game pushes in-app purchases; it detracts from the overall experience.”
“The constant prompts to spend money really ruin the immersion and enjoyment of the game.”
