Siren's Call: Escape Velocity
- April 15, 2025
- ThePenSword
Get on SteamIn "Siren's Call: Escape Velocity," player assumes the role of a protagonist saying goodbye to their old party members before leaving for college. However, friends have other plans, using their knowledge of past supernatural battles to make the protagonist question their decision. This visual novel game aims to create uncertainty, delivering a mind-warping storytelling experience to players. The challenge lies in escaping Florida and deciding whether to rekindle old friendships or move on.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The writing is deep and engaging, with well-developed characters that evoke strong emotional connections.
- The art and music are stunning, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.
- The game effectively explores complex themes, including neurodiversity and personal growth, making it relatable and thought-provoking.
- Some players may find the pacing slow, which could detract from the overall experience.
- The absence of voice acting may lessen the emotional impact of certain scenes for some players.
- Certain gameplay mechanics, such as text advancement options, may not align with all players' preferences.
- story33 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of "Siren's Call" is a compelling and emotional coming-of-age narrative that unfolds through the interactions of a group of high school friends, revealing past events and personal growth in a mystery format. While it features elements of psychological horror and surrealism, the focus remains on character development and the relatable themes of acceptance and change. The plot is intricately woven with twists that enhance immersion, making it a recommended experience for fans of story-driven visual novels.
“But, Siren's Call is a great coming-of-age story about accepting the events of the past and accepting change.”
“Most of all, the story is incredibly compelling: you will start out confused and you will grow even more confused for a while, but your interest will grow in pair until that moment where everything seems to click and your immersion is complete.”
“An amazing game that captures the reality of facing moving on and growing, on top of getting out of an environment that isn't good for you anymore, with very well-developed characters and dialogue as well as engaging and tense scenes that grip your attention.”
“The game doesn't care about the backstories, though, or at least they only care about elements of the backstory which have direct impact on Oliver's present and future.”
“The wheels threaten to come off in the final act of the story, which features just too much internal monologuing, and probably too much extraneous information.”
“Speaking of the characters, in a story contained within a small setting and time frames like this one, having a cast of fun, relatable, and deep characters feels necessary to keep our attention.”
- music21 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beautiful and immersive quality, featuring a mix of calming guitar tracks and rock-inspired themes that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the professional soundtrack, which complements the narrative and allows for deeper engagement with the dialogue. However, some users expressed a desire for a music gallery to easily access and enjoy the various tracks.
“Beyond that, the art and music are beautiful, and I've heard there's more to come on that front, as well as some voice acting after the game leaves early access, so I'm eager to play this again.”
“The soundtrack is great and very much captures the relaxed nature of the game.”
“The music is well-made, and often feels like it fits the scene (which is not always the case).”
“Music: the music is a particular note of mine, as many of the visual novels I've come across like to use a classical-style piano, while Siren's Call: Escape Velocity uses rock-inspired guitar for its main soundtrack.”
“Let me preface by saying I am actually involved with the game's soundtrack, so take that information as you see fit.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming art style, vibrant backgrounds, and appealing character designs, which enhance the overall visual experience. Players appreciate the combination of cute anime artwork and animated elements, alongside a user-friendly interface that complements the game's aesthetic. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the engaging storytelling and immersive atmosphere of the game.
“For starters, the art style is genuinely lovely and is what convinced me to give this a chance (that, and the horror tag).”
“Great story and the art/graphic designs were epic!”
“The backgrounds and CGs are certainly eye-catching, and the UI both fits the game's aesthetic and is easy to navigate.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and look very low resolution.”
“The environments are bland and repetitive, making the game visually unappealing.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this visual novel is primarily focused on reading and clicking, with limited traditional gameplay elements. However, it incorporates various mechanics that enhance the storytelling experience, allowing for a degree of interactivity that keeps players engaged. The addition of new features in the "definitive edition" further enriches the gameplay, making it more immersive without straying far from its visual novel roots.
“A huge plus is that I can listen to the music on repeat during the gameplay and not grow tired of it. The simplicity of the music allows you to take in the dialogue a lot more and start to immerse yourself.”
“Mechanics: despite being a visual novel and thus not being particularly heavy in the gameplay department, the game does feature a slew of certain mechanics that are used quite well for the story of the game.”
“While there are no traditional minigames or heavy gameplay scenes, this visual novel uses everything it can think of to give you that bit of interactivity.”
“That being said, it's still a visual novel, so most of the gameplay is still clicking and reading, so your mileage may vary.”
“Mechanics: despite being a visual novel and thus not being particularly heavy in the gameplay department, the game does feature a slew of certain mechanics that, while I don't really know how often they are featured in visual novels, are used quite well for the story of the game.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its youthful and heartwarming narrative, enriched with bittersweet and heart-wrenching moments that resonate deeply with players. It effectively conveys the emotional journey of a group of friends, allowing players to connect with the characters without resorting to shock tactics, resulting in a genuinely enthralling experience.
“It makes all those bittersweet and/or heart-wrenching moments hit the hardest.”
“It is a genuinely emotional and enthralling experience.”
“I will say that it hit me very hard emotionally.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as unique and unsettling, enhanced from the original, with expertly crafted psychological horror elements that create a chilling yet engaging environment. Players form authentic connections with the characters, making the experience both thought-provoking and relatable, while also celebrating RPG storytelling.
“It creates a unique and unsettling atmosphere while maintaining an engaging message, and I found myself really caring about these characters and wanting to see good things happen to them.”
“Everything you may have liked about the original is still here, and the game is now dripping with atmosphere even more than before.”
“The psychological horror elements are expertly crafted, creating a chilling and thought-provoking atmosphere while allowing for authentic connections and moments of levity between the player and characters.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of autistic characters in media is often criticized for portraying them as mere performances of symptoms rather than as fully developed, relatable individuals. This approach can lead to a lack of authenticity and depth in character representation.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the humor in the game, highlighting the presence of clever puns and high-quality comedic elements that enhance the overall experience.
“There are some great puns and other god-tier humor that I enjoyed.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever jokes that kept me laughing.”
“I love how the game incorporates witty dialogue and hilarious situations that make every moment enjoyable.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its impressive art design, which features unique character silhouettes that effectively convey their personalities and backgrounds. Players appreciate how the visual elements enhance their understanding of each character, making them memorable and distinct.
“The character development in this game is exceptional; each character has a unique silhouette that tells you a lot about their personality just by looking at them.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel personal and engaging.”
“The depth of the characters is impressive, with backstories and motivations that really draw you into their world.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's high replayability, noting that multiple playthroughs are necessary to fully experience its diverse content and features.
“There is so much replay value, as you won't experience everything this game has to offer in a single playthrough.”
“The game encourages multiple playthroughs with its branching storylines and diverse character choices.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh and unique, making you want to dive back in and explore different paths.”
“More replay value, too, since you won't experience everything this game has to offer in a single playthrough.”
