Steam Prison
- February 14, 2019
- HuneX
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Steam Prison" is a single-player romance visual novel game with an interesting plot, taking place in a steam-punk world with stunning graphics and wonderful music. The game offers full immersion with a Japanese voice cast and the ability to name your character, while your choices determine the course of the wholesome story, making you laugh along the way. It provides a full-length otome experience in a fantasy setting with multiple endings.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Linux
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- The game features a strong and well-written female protagonist who can hold her own in combat, which is refreshing for the genre.
- The world-building is rich and immersive, with a unique steampunk setting that adds depth to the story.
- The character routes are varied and interesting, with multiple endings that encourage replayability.
- The protagonist's naivety can be frustrating, as she often lacks basic knowledge about love and relationships, which detracts from the romantic elements.
- Some routes feel rushed or underdeveloped, leading to abrupt romantic developments that may not resonate with players.
- The absence of a route for the character Fin, who is a fan favorite, is disappointing and leaves a sense of incompleteness.
- story253 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its unique world-building and character depth, while others criticize its pacing and execution. Many appreciate the variety in routes and the emotional weight of certain narratives, but some feel that the main character's naivety and the overall plot lack coherence and depth. Overall, while the game offers intriguing storylines and character interactions, it struggles to deliver a consistently engaging narrative experience.
“The story is fascinating, the characters are all interesting too.”
“The story has many different sub-stories and background stories; additionally, there are scenes which are only added after making certain choices or completing a certain ending.”
“It's a perfect otome game with great visuals, an exceptional story superior to the vast majority of otome games, great voice acting, great music, and great everything in general.”
“The writing and execution make so many amateur mistakes that I found the game a chore to get through; not from translation, but simply from making many narrative mistakes and promising a story that isn't delivered on.”
“The plot was pretty loose and slogging through the routes was a chore.”
“The reality is that this story lacks depth and barely scratches the surface of the complex social structures that would result from such a universe.”
- music49 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it decent but largely forgettable, often describing it as repetitive and uninspiring. However, some tracks are noted for being fitting and enjoyable, contributing positively to the overall atmosphere alongside the beautiful art and strong voice acting. While the soundtrack may not stand out significantly, it is generally considered pleasant and suitable for the game's tone.
“The music is gorgeous and the art is also beautiful.”
“Beautiful music, a clean UI, and gorgeous art round out the atmosphere and make the game easily immersive.”
“Great art, great music, strong world building and backstory.”
“The music was also pretty forgettable and nothing special... but hey, I didn't feel like physically cringing while listening to any of them, so it was already more pleasing than what my eyes had to experience with the writing and art.”
“And uninspiring music with an annoying, repetitive gong sound in the UI.”
“Music: hmm.... so far only 2 BGM caught my interest, and they don't play much either.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork, immersive visuals, and appealing art style that enhance the overall experience. However, some users feel that while the graphics are well-executed, they are overshadowed by subpar storytelling and character development. Overall, the visuals are often highlighted as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's aesthetic appeal.
“The art and aesthetics are beautiful, the music is appealing, the setting is interesting, and there are scenes in the game that I think are very well done.”
“The visuals and music are beautiful and make the story even better.”
“This, coupled with great artwork, an industrial age setting, and superb voice acting made this an absolute pleasure to play.”
“If I could give it a neutral score (akin to a 5 out of 10) I would, but since there is no such thing and the visuals, protagonist, story beats, and (some) lines were subpar, I will go with negative.”
“There are plenty of amazing visual novels and ones that handle graphic violence so much better (like Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds).”
“The visuals are well done, but the story and characters are lacking.”
- humor21 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of light-hearted moments and darker themes, with standout comedic interactions primarily between characters Eltcreed and Ulrik. While some players found the humor to be genuinely funny and wholesome, others noted that certain character traits and predictable dialogues could be irritating or generic. Overall, the game successfully balances quirky humor with emotional depth, making for a varied comedic experience.
“Elt is my favorite, funny pasta gun dude, and his relationship with Ulrik is interesting and goofy; I am totally normal about them.”
“You get to see much more of their interactions in Ulrik's route, and it's honestly hilarious.”
“The comedy is peak with Eltcreed and Ulrik; even in the grand route when all the boys interact, it is hilarious.”
- emotional18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with players experiencing a range of feelings from laughter to deep sadness. While some characters evoke strong emotional responses through their struggles and backstories, others, particularly the protagonist, are criticized for their emotional dullness, which can detract from the overall impact. Despite these inconsistencies, many players found themselves deeply attached to the characters and moved by the narrative, leading to a heartfelt gaming experience.
“It's not too fast-paced nor too slow, and it gave me both laughter and made me cry at a few points!”
“I cried when they cried, I laughed when they laughed.”
“When the story focuses on the emotional relationships between its characters, that’s when it truly shines.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay features dynamic affection meters that respond to the player's choices, enhancing the interactive experience. Players appreciate the smooth mechanics, detailed environments, and the extensive content, including multiple character endings and non-route options, which provide hours of engaging gameplay. The branching mechanic is particularly favored over a more linear route selection.
“The gameplay was smooth, the characters are wonderful, and the art is great.”
“Steam Prison is full of detail and comes with hours and hours of gameplay, with character endings and even extra non-route endings.”
“I love the branching mechanic over the selected route mechanic.”
“The gameplay features affection meters that fluctuate based on the choices the main character makes.”
“Steam Prison is full of detail and offers hours of gameplay, including character endings and additional non-route endings.”
“I appreciate the branching mechanic compared to the selected route mechanic.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as immersive and epic, diverging from typical otome experiences to deliver a compelling narrative focused on justice. Enhanced by beautiful music, clean UI, and stunning art, the vivid voice acting and sound effects further enrich the emotional depth, drawing players into a thrilling and enjoyable tale.
“Such an atmosphere does not result in your typical otome game--instead, it results in an epic tale with the heroine seeking to restore justice to society.”
“Beautiful music, a clean UI, and gorgeous art round out the atmosphere and make the game easily immersive.”
“Such an atmosphere does not result in your typical otome game; instead, it results in an epic tale with the heroine seeking to restore justice to society.”
“The characters will make you feel, and the atmosphere will easily whisk you into a thrilling, enjoyable tale.”
“The voice acting and the sound effects are very vivid, conveying emotions and atmosphere more strongly.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the captivating character design and voice acting, they note a lack of significant growth for certain characters despite their challenging experiences. Others find the personalities engaging, with moments of frustration adding depth to interactions. Overall, the emphasis seems to be more on aesthetics and presentation rather than profound character evolution.
“His character design and his voice captivated me right from the start, but I also love his personality as well. Even though towards the end there were moments I wanted to slap him, I'm glad that the heroine did slap him!”
“The story, art style, and voice acting were all fantastic, but the character design was the highlight.”
“+ The character design, voice acting, the concept, and music are great.”
“There is very little character development despite all the horrors she endures.”
“His character design and voice captivated me right from the start, but I also love his personality. However, towards the end, there were moments I wanted to slap him, and I'm glad that the heroine did slap him.”
“The character design, voice acting, concept, and music are great, but the character development is lacking.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its added scenes and unique substory options for each character, encouraging players to explore all content and experiences. Users highly recommend revisiting the game to fully appreciate its depth and variety.
“Due to the added scenes and different substory/personal stories of each character, this game definitely has replay value.”
“Replayability ∞: I totally recommend going for all there is (not only for the above mentioned reason).”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, providing a smooth gameplay experience without noticeable performance issues.
“The game runs smoothly, providing a seamless experience.”
“I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it never lags or stutters.”
“The performance optimization is impressive, allowing for high frame rates even on lower-end hardware.”
