Shining Song Starnova

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 212 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Shining Song Starnova Game Cover
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In Shining Song Starnova, become the producer of a struggling idol group and manage their journey to stardom. Through visual novel-style storytelling, guide each member's personal growth while overcoming obstacles and nurturing their talent to win the hearts of fans. With multiple branching storylines and endings, each decision made holds significant consequences for the group's success.

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Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 212 reviews
story64 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Engaging story that explores the darker side of the idol industry while still providing moments of humor and heartwarming character development.
  • Well-written characters with distinct personalities and backstories, making each route feel unique and meaningful.
  • High-quality art and voice acting that enhance the overall experience, along with a solid soundtrack that fits the game's themes.
  • Limited player choices throughout the game, which may detract from the experience for those seeking more interactivity.
  • Some plot conveniences and pacing issues that can disrupt immersion, particularly in certain character routes.
  • The adult content, while integrated into the story, may not appeal to all players and can feel out of place at times.
  • story261 mentions

    The story of "Shining Song Starnova" is a multifaceted exploration of the idol industry, featuring a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique backstories and challenges. While the narrative is generally well-written and engaging, some reviewers noted plot conveniences and inconsistencies that detracted from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the character development and emotional depth of the story are highlighted as its strongest elements, making it a compelling choice for fans of visual novels focused on narrative and character arcs.

    • “Shining Song Starnova is a visual novel developed by Love in Space, and it tells the story of a group of idols, but it's not your typical garden variety idol story.”
    • “The story is about a group of idols and their producer, exploring their ups and downs, the good, the bad, and the ugly of the idol business.”
    • “The characters felt fleshed out and realized, and the story touches on some very sensitive topics while maintaining an overall upbeat feel, making you appreciate each girl for what they bring to the narrative.”
    • “The story is the weakest element of the game, because there are plot conveniences and contrivances, especially during Nemu's and Mariya's chapters, but in the latter case, they aren't that important, because none of the big payoffs of the chapter relies on these conveniences and contrivances.”
    • “Just be aware that the story endings do tend to rush through the darker story elements too quickly, which could be a turn off for some.”
    • “There are rather large inconsistencies and plot differences between the different girl stories that are not properly explained by that single decision - which girl to choose - alone.”
  • music99 mentions

    The music in "Shining Song Starnova" is generally well-received, with a diverse soundtrack that complements the game's themes and emotional tones. While some tracks are praised for their quality and fit within the story, others are noted for being repetitive, with limited lyrical content. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the visual novel experience, particularly with songs performed by the voice actors, though some players wished for more variety in the musical offerings.

    • “The music is of good variety - over two dozen tracks - and is of great quality, and fits well with the current story mood, as it should be in a music-themed story.”
    • “Just a very enjoyable visual novel, but one other thing that enhances the story and keeps me coming back to play is the music, at times sad and haunting and others joyful and playful, and I found myself many times just relaxing and listening to the music.”
    • “What blows my socks away each time I start the game though, is the realization that the theme song is actually sung by the voice actors of the characters - they are really talented, dedicated professionals, and hearing the theme song sung by them is fantastic each time.”
    • “The BGM was average and repetitive; most similar plots in the story used the same BGM, and the theme song wasn't really used during any of the routes (only the BGM).”
    • “For a game about an idol group, I'm a little disappointed that there are only 4 lyrical songs in the game.”
    • “What I can say is that the songs got the job done despite being short in numbers and consequently lacking in variety.”
  • gameplay21 mentions

    The gameplay of the visual novel is generally described as typical for the genre, with minimal interactive elements and a focus on narrative choices. While some players express disappointment over the lack of unique mechanics compared to previous titles like Sunrider, others appreciate the straightforward approach, finding it engaging despite its simplicity. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a standard visual novel experience, with some routes being fail-able, which adds a slight layer of complexity.

    • “Initially, I didn't want to assess gameplay because it's the same way other visual novels operate, but there is something I wanted to mention: in this game, routes can be failed.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it plays like your regular visual novel model we're all accustomed to, which is absolutely fine.”
    • “I suppose that if you're looking for gameplay elements, like the Sunrider titles feature, you could be disappointed, but honestly, I never felt bored once as I played through.”
    • “If you've played any of Love in Space's other works, this is a little different because there is less in the gameplay aspect.”
    • “Took about 9-10 hours for the first choice to pop up and finished my first girl's route on my 16th hour of gameplay, all with the auto-read pace.”
    • “Academy's gameplay is just boring and frustrating, sorry.”
  • emotional21 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its ability to evoke a deep range of feelings, from laughter to heartbreak, as players navigate various character routes that explore both heartwarming and dramatic themes. Many reviewers highlight the game's capacity to create genuine emotional investment, with some routes addressing complex issues and personal growth, making it a memorable and impactful experience. Overall, it is described as a captivating emotional roller coaster that resonates with players long after they finish.

    • “Most of the paths take the reader on an emotional roller coaster of trying to overcome various challenges.”
    • “This is the first visual novel in a long time that made me laugh, cry, and get emotionally invested in.”
    • “Each story is so well-written, emotional, and inspiring.”
  • humor17 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-crafted, balancing funny moments with darker, emotional scenes, creating a rich narrative experience that resonates with players. The writing is praised for its cleverness and tongue-in-cheek style, with characters that deliver engaging and humorous interactions. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with drama and romance, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.

    • “The balance of humor, tension, and romance is in my sweet spot.”
    • “This game's story is filled with great humor, drama, romance, suspense, hope, even a little action, all in one story.”
    • “The characters are hilarious.”
  • graphics15 mentions

    The graphics of the game feature a unique and appealing anime art style, characterized by detailed character designs and backgrounds, though some users noted a lack of variety due to repetitive backgrounds. While the visuals are generally praised, the limited poses and partial voice acting detract slightly from the overall experience. The soundtrack complements the visuals well, enhancing the storytelling and emotional impact.

    • “Anime art style with gorgeous detailed character designs and backgrounds.”
    • “This is a really good visual novel that has good music and the art style has improved from the developers' last game.”
    • “The art style is very appealing; I don't recall any pertinent issues in terms of grammar and spelling, the music fits the mood very well, and the variety in the routes was engaging.”
    • “The graphics are one-dimensional, lacking depth and detail.”
    • “The art style is decent, but the limited poses and lack of full voice acting detract from the overall experience.”
    • “While the character design has its charm, the overall visuals feel flat and uninspired.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Overall, the character development in the game is well-received, with a strong narrative and pacing that enhances the characters' growth. While the character designs are appreciated for their unique blend of styles, some players desire more detail in the event CGs. The focus on story and character development is favored over unnecessary gameplay challenges, making it a highlight of the experience.

    • “That being said, the overall story is well written and paced, with good character development along the way.”
    • “Music is pretty neat, the background scenes are pretty decent, and it has pretty nice character development.”
    • “I will say that the character designs grew on me, although they're far from the quality of certain other idol series.”
    • “I'd much rather have a visual novel focus on story and character development, rather than on unnecessary 'challenge' elements that no one should care about.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often feeling overwhelmed by the management system and limited choices, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game's visuals and music are praised, the lack of meaningful interaction and excessive dialogue can lead to frustration, making it a mixed experience for many.

    • “As a whole, you have very little interaction with the story, but honestly, with how tedious Sunrider Academy's management system became, I'm okay with that.”
    • “A super tedious but beautiful game. The dialogue can get really annoying, and while the animation and art are really good, the game lacks language options for voices. I found myself skipping a lot of the dialogue, which made it feel forced. As a visual novel, it needed more thought put into the choices, as I barely had any control in the game.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The reviews do not directly address the aspect of "optimization" in a gaming context, instead focusing on a halftime performance. Therefore, no relevant summary can be provided regarding game optimization.

  • replayability2 mentions

    Many users feel that this title lacks the depth and content of previous games in the series, resulting in a diminished sense of replayability. Overall, it is perceived as feeling empty and less engaging for repeated playthroughs.

    • “Their previous titles were just so much better, with more content and more replay value. This title seems so empty.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, though players have reported some minor visual bugs and glitches that can occasionally disrupt the experience.

    • “There are some minor visual bugs and glitches.”
    • “The game frequently crashes, making it hard to enjoy.”
    • “I encountered several stability issues that disrupted my gameplay.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the company is heavily focused on profit generation, as evidenced by a long-term 15-year advertising contract with the JSDF, indicating a strong commitment to maximizing revenue.

    • “You won't find a company that signed a 15-year advertisement contract with JSDF and doesn't care about profits at all.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

40hMedian play time
47hAverage play time
40-62hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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