start;again

About

"start;again" is a single-player Mystery Simulation game with an intriguing story, fabulous soundtrack, and highly emotional narrative. As Sebastian, uncover the truth behind four strangers' forced participation in a life-or-death escape game within two hours, with over 35,000 words, multiple endings, captivating visuals, and minigames. Experience a blend of romance, mystery, and comedy in this BL/yaoi visual novel.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 116 reviews

story48 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

The story is emotionally engaging, with well-developed characters and a captivating plot that keeps players invested throughout.
The puzzles are enjoyable and provide a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
The art style and music are beautiful, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere and emotional impact.

Some players found the character designs inconsistent, particularly with sprite proportions and background art that felt disjointed.
The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more depth and exploration of the story and characters.
There are instances of plot holes and unclear puzzle instructions that can detract from the overall experience.

story
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth, engaging character interactions, and unexpected plot twists, making it a memorable experience for many players. While some reviewers noted issues with pacing and a lack of depth in certain areas, the overall narrative is described as captivating and heartwarming, often evoking strong emotional responses. Despite some confusion and linearity in storytelling, players found the combination of puzzles and narrative to be enjoyable and well worth their time.
- “The story was phenomenal and inspiring!”
- “The story is captivating and the ending was definitely something I wasn't expecting.”
- “It was such a beautiful story; these four people finding themselves in bleak situations with amnesia and meeting each other again and again.”
- “The story is not that great; it is falsely advertised as a multiple choices story as the tale is actually linear.”
- “In the beginning, there are no choices regarding the dialogues or the direction of the story; you'll pretty much have to follow a designated path to complete the game.”
- “However, the story makes it incredibly clear why this would be the case, and it's entirely reasonable, especially with the game having been made in a game jam in a month.”
emotional
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players noting its ability to evoke strong feelings, including joy and sadness, often leading to tears. The storyline is described as both heartwarming and tragic, featuring lovable characters and intense plot twists that enhance the emotional experience. Despite its short length, the game delivers a significant emotional impact, making it a memorable and engaging experience for players who appreciate deep narratives.
- “The story of this game is intense emotionally at times but so damn good.”
- “It made me cry on multiple occasions, and the characters are just so lovable.”
- “Overall, the story gets very emotional near the end when you put all of the pieces together.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
82%
6%
12%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its haunting beauty and ability to enhance the emotional depth of the story, with many reviewers noting that it sets the perfect mood for each scene. The soundtrack is described as amazing and integral to the overall experience, contributing to the game's memorable atmosphere alongside its stunning visuals and engaging narrative. Overall, the music is highlighted as a standout feature that elevates the game to a phenomenal level.
- “The soundtrack is amazing and gives the story literally life.”
- “The music is hauntingly beautiful and does a great job at setting the mood.”
- “This has to easily be one of my favorite visual novels; the story was engaging and the music was amazing.”
- “The music?”
- “I streamed this and everyone who watched commented specifically on the high quality of the music; I agreed.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The graphics of the game present a mix of art styles that can clash at times, leading to a somewhat disjointed visual experience. However, many players find the unique combination memorable and ultimately pleasing, with standout moments featuring beautiful CG art that enhances the overall atmosphere. While initial skepticism about the art style exists, it often grows on players as they engage with the game, contributing positively to the immersive experience.
- “The artwork and character designs are as brilliant as the story and fit very well together.”
- “The art style is very beautiful, and even the soundtrack helps to bring the right mood of each scene.”
- “Everything, from the characters to the artwork, to the story and to the soundtrack, everything in this game was phenomenal.”
- “The story itself is pretty alright, considering the time crunch of the game's development, but the clash in art styles between the sprites, the stills, and the backgrounds kept completely throwing me off throughout the game.”
- “When I looked at the promotional images of the game, I was a bit put off by the art style, but as I played, it grew on me a lot.”
- “The art style?”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay is characterized by engaging story progression and a unique flowchart mechanic that enhances the narrative experience, allowing players to explore different story routes. While the gameplay is relatively short and primarily revolves around puzzles and code entry, it is described as enjoyable and well worth the investment of time and money. However, some users noted minor design flaws and a lack of artistic and auditory value.
- “Lovely story, fun characters, interesting game mechanics, well spent time and money.”
- “The story is engaging and well-written, and the mechanic of story progression is an interesting use of Ren'Py that fits well with the story.”
- “I love the flowchart mechanic of the game, where you get a glimpse of various parts of the story from different places, and I wish more games used it.”
- “Nothing there was artistic value, nothing there was auditory value, nothing there was mechanical value, just a couple minor design flaws.”
- “The only interactive gameplay is represented by puzzles and entering codes to open doors.”
- “Puzzles are pretty much the gameplay in the start; again.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively blends humor with emotional depth, featuring a mix of funny, sad, and sweet moments that surprise players. The protagonist's tendency to joke and playfully sabotage others adds a comedic layer, resulting in more laughter than expected while still evoking poignant feelings. Overall, the humor is a notable highlight, enhancing the game's overall experience.
- “There were funny, sad, and sweet moments all throughout.”
- “Instead of searching for a way out of this life-or-death situation, he jokes around, bugs other people, and borderline sabotages them because he thinks he's funny.”
- “And I won't lie, it had me laughing a lot more than I thought it would.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Character development is enhanced by brilliant artwork and character designs that align well with the story, although some users note minor quirks, such as overly long necks and questionable outfit choices. Overall, the designs effectively reflect the personalities of the characters.
- “The artwork and character designs are as brilliant as the story and fit very well together.”
- “The character designs really fit who the characters are, even if some aspects, like their necks, might be a little too long and Mika's outfit is still ridiculous.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
- “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
- “Despite the interesting premise, the characters remain one-dimensional and fail to grow throughout the game.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's short length, which contributes to its high replayability, encouraging them to revisit it multiple times.
- “It's also very short, which means it has a nice replay value too.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is characterized by a painterly aesthetic that enhances the visual experience, allowing the sprite art to stand out vividly against the beautifully crafted backgrounds.
- “The backgrounds give a very painterly feel to the overall atmosphere while making the sprite art pop out from the background.”

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Videos

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