Sickness

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Sickness is a visual novel centering around Suoh Tesla, an amoral high school student whose life is rapidly deteriorating. Following the deaths of his parents, a brief stay in the hospital, and the emergence of his “Sickness”, his daily life quickly devolves from carefree school days to a life of crime.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 124 reviews

story68 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features a compelling and immersive story that explores dark themes, making it a unique experience in the visual novel genre.
The characters are well-developed and interesting, with choices that significantly impact the narrative and lead to multiple endings.
The art and soundtrack enhance the overall atmosphere, contributing to the game's emotional depth and engagement.

The art quality is inconsistent, with some character designs and CGs being simplistic or jarring, detracting from the overall experience.
There are logical inconsistencies in the plot, such as unexplained character disappearances and rushed story pacing in certain sections.
The title 'Sickness' feels misleading as the concept is not thoroughly explored or impactful within the story.

story
202 mentions
34 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The story is a complex and immersive narrative that blends dark themes with moments of humor and emotional depth, focusing on a protagonist navigating the criminal underworld to support his sister. While it features multiple paths and choices that significantly impact the outcome, some reviewers noted logical inconsistencies and abrupt transitions in the plot. Overall, the writing is praised for its engaging twists and character development, making it a compelling experience for those who appreciate darker storytelling.
- “Gone is the boring protagonist surrounded by a variety of high school classmates waiting to be swept off their feet, and in its place we have a gritty story about a teenager forced into the criminal underworld to support his sister after the death of their parents.”
- “The story had me hooked from start to finish, there are a total of 4 paths to follow (albeit they all lead to the same conclusion with only slight variations), and after you beat the game while following a certain path, you can play as a different character and get their perspective on things.”
- “The story is so good that it is worth reading.”
- “There are quite a few logical inconsistencies (like never wondering why a co-worker just disappears, or Suoh's character being completely different in Lucia's story).”
- “The story has quite a number of disturbing topics; a player should be warned: mental illnesses, violence, rape attempts, incest, distressing images of death, possible suicide, bloody images of killing... incest is especially sickening for me.”
- “There's constantly abrupt cuts or fast-forwards in the story where you'd expect there to be something more, at least, and there's lots of little inconsistencies in the characters' behavior.”
humor
22 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a strong point, featuring a mix of funny and relatable moments that balance the darker themes of the story. While the humor may not appeal to everyone, many players found it engaging and well-integrated into the narrative, with characters that are both likable and amusing. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with emotional depth, creating a memorable experience.
- “It has many funny and adorable moments.”
- “Ok, this game is really, really funny. Its story keeps you engaged and it's really well done: the character graphics are good (could have been made better, but hey, they do their job), the soundtrack may not be something from John Williams but it's pretty good in my opinion, the story is really interesting and the characters are quite good (even if they're kind of stereotyped) and there are a few moments in which they make you laugh hard.”
- “The characters are likeable, funny, and alive.”
music
22 mentions
27 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its ability to set the mood and complement the story, others find it average and lacking in originality, with one track notably resembling music from another visual novel. Despite the absence of voice acting, the soundtrack is generally seen as a strong point that enhances the overall experience. Overall, the music fits the atmosphere well, though it may not reach the heights of more renowned composers.
- “The music sets the mood for each scenario perfectly, like the late-night assassinations.”
- “And even though there may be no voice acting, the soundtrack in this visual novel totally makes up for it.”
- “The music is good, fits the atmosphere, and adds to the mood.”
- “However, the music was pretty average and didn't really do much to heighten the action, and in fact, one track was incredibly similar to a track from an old visual novel by a different company... so I don't know how they got away with that one.”
- “It is meant for a mature audience, one that is preferably familiar with the visual novel genre, as there is no voice acting whatsoever; you're going to have to read through it all in silence and with the background music.”
- “The soundtrack may not be something from John Williams, but it's pretty good in my opinion.”
emotional
14 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players finding it capable of evoking strong feelings through its dark narrative and touching moments, while others feel let down by the lack of depth in the characters, making it hard to connect. Comparisons to other visual novels highlight that while it has its emotional highs and lows, it may not reach the same level of impact as titles like "G-senjou no Maou." Overall, the game offers a blend of humor and sadness, but its emotional resonance varies significantly among players.
- “There are not that many visual novels that can get me all that emotional, but this one managed to do it.”
- “There are some scenes that are quite funny, and there are others that are rather touching; but the dark story takes prominence.”
- “The story is at some point funny or sad, heartwarming or heartbreaking, interesting or boring, exciting or disturbing.”
graphics
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The graphics are described as decent and nicely drawn, though ultimately average and not particularly impressive. While the visuals do not stand out, they complement the game's theme adequately, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience despite minor grammatical errors.
- “The visuals are decent enough, and while there were a very small amount of grammatical or spelling errors - I'm talking about 7 throughout the whole game - it was good to play.”
- “The graphics are pretty average, and while the pictures are nicely drawn, they don't stand out in any significant way.”
- “The visuals are decent enough, but they lack the polish and detail that would elevate the overall experience.”
- “The graphics are not impressive, and while the story is fairly good, it doesn't compensate for the lackluster visuals.”
character development
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Character development is emphasized as a crucial element in the game, particularly in the context of a visual novel, where interactions like dating are seen as essential for character growth, even if they may seem tangential to the main plot. However, some players feel that the character designs are lacking, with many male characters appearing overly feminine, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “If it does feel like it's not relevant to the plot, bear in mind that this is what we call 'character development', which is mandatory in any game, but even more so in a visual novel.”
- “If it feels like it's not relevant to the plot (the time off we have to take Misa on dates for example), bear in mind that this is what we call 'character development', which is mandatory in any game, but even more so in a visual novel.”
- “The art is alright, but the character designs leave something to be desired, considering many of the men look like girls, one of whom is the crime lord the protagonist works under.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the visual novel is generally well-received, with users noting that the stories and dialogues are well-written. The music complements the setting effectively, enhancing the overall mood of the game.
- “The music is good, fits the atmosphere and adds to the mood.”
gameplay
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Sickness" shares similarities with typical visual novels, particularly in its physical mechanics, but it can be inconsistent in responding to player commands, especially when attempting to cancel auto mode. This temperamental nature may affect the overall user experience.
- “When it comes to physical mechanics, the game has the same features as most visual novels do, although it's a little temperamental on whether it actually listens to you or not; most visual novels have the feature where if you're on auto mode and you want to stop, you just click and it cancels auto mode.”