sweet pool

About

sweet pool is a single player action game. It was developed by Nitroplus and was released on December 19, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

Sweet Pool is a narrative-driven game that follows Sakiyama Youji, a high school student who experiences strange symptoms and hallucinations after falling ill. As he tries to understand his situation, two other students, Tetsuo and Zenya, take an unusual interest in him. The game features a dark and intense story filled with obsession, conflict, and violence, with the player's choices affecting the outcome. Sweet Pool is not a simple romance but a dark exploration of masculinity and desire.

Genres & Tags

Adventure

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 408 reviews

story92 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features a haunting and deeply emotional story that explores themes of body horror, madness, and tragic romance, leaving a lasting impression on players.
The artwork, music, and voice acting are all exceptional, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.
The unique choice system based on 'Instinct' and 'Reason' adds an interesting layer to the gameplay, allowing for a different narrative experience compared to typical visual novels.

The Steam version is heavily censored, which can lead to confusion and a lack of coherence in the story, making it almost unplayable without the 18+ patch from JAST.
Many players have reported bugs with achievements, particularly when using the uncensored patch, which can detract from the overall experience.
The game contains graphic depictions of violence and sexual assault, which may not be suitable for all players and can be distressing.

story
294 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The story of "Sweet Pool" is a complex and haunting blend of psychological horror and tragic romance, exploring themes of body horror, alienation, and the struggles of gay identity in a repressive environment. While the narrative is praised for its depth and emotional impact, many reviewers note that the removal of explicit content in the censored version significantly hampers the story's coherence and overall experience. Despite its dark themes and some pacing issues, the game is recognized for its beautiful art, compelling characters, and a soundtrack that enhances the unsettling atmosphere.
- “A surreal psychological horror story—with an excellent soundtrack highlighting the unease the protagonist feels for most of the time we are with him—that gives way to a tragic love story.”
- “The story, the characters, the atmosphere; they're all so romantically dark and filled with rich layers of depth.”
- “There are so many plot points that loop and connect later on and it's just a great story overall, it handles its themes very well and I'm so stunned by how much love was put into this game.”
- “The biggest thing holding me back from singing a chorus of praise is something that stems from it being a porn game - the rape depicted in the game is not something thoughtfully used, it's meant to be seen as erotic, and leads to the issue where (spoilers) the character who our protagonist falls in love with rapes him multiple times over the course of the story.”
- “While the steam version is censored by default, the editing is very choppy with a lot of plot holes.”
- “However, this version has every one of these scenes removed entirely, so you will not be able to comprehend the story.”
music
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
45%
3%
The music in "Sweet Pool" has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its eerie yet beautiful quality that complements the psychological horror narrative. While some noted that the soundtrack may not reach the heights of previous works from the studio, it is still considered a standout feature, with unique ending songs for each route and a well-executed sound design that reinforces the emotional weight of the story. Overall, the music is described as captivating and integral to the immersive experience of the game.
- “The music is fantastic.”
- “A surreal psychological horror story—with an excellent soundtrack highlighting the unease the protagonist feels for most of the time we are with him—that gives way to a tragic love story.”
- “I highly recommend the game, the songs are great and match the characters, and I can't help but repeat that the game is really beautiful.”
- “The OST this time felt very haphazard.”
- “Don't get me wrong, I think the soundtrack can be very fitting for this game, but I wouldn't say it's anywhere close to being my favorite from this studio.”
- “Everything from the subdued color palette on the art to the strangely discordant soundtrack projects the atmosphere that the characters inhabit a world that is hostile and off-kilter.”
emotional
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Sweet Pool" is profoundly impactful, eliciting strong reactions from players who report crying frequently due to its heavy themes of horror, sadness, and the struggles of growing up. The game masterfully explores the complexities of love and loneliness, leaving a lasting impression despite its unsettling content. While some endings may diminish emotional weight over time, the overall experience is described as unforgettable and deeply resonant.
- “But no game has ever made me feel the way Youji and the other characters made me.”
- “A wonderful story that made me cry and relish the sweet feeling of love, and the tears I spilled over some of the endings.”
- “Moments of happiness are few and far between, but the emotional highs and lows of the story hit hard regardless.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
38%
9%
The graphics in "Sweet Pool" receive mixed reviews, with many praising the breathtaking artwork and unique art style that enhances the game's atmosphere and storytelling. However, some players find the graphics repetitive and lacking in variety, particularly criticizing the frequent cut scenes. Overall, the visuals are noted for their early 2000s anime aesthetic, contributing to the game's overall mood, despite some reservations about their execution.
- “The artwork is breathtaking and suits the writing and atmosphere of the story so well, the characters are (mostly) loveable and well written, and don't even get me started on the soundtrack.”
- “I enjoyed everything, from the CG graphics, the characters (even the NPCs), the story, the narration is flawless, the sound design and the music, everything is perfectly balanced to make for a very interesting read.”
- “As for what it is, the translation is fantastic, the music is stunning, and the visuals are just off enough to add to the horror aesthetic.”
- “The graphics are painfully boring and repetitive with lots of cut scenes to the sky - so I give up.”
- “The art kind of has that early 2000s anime aesthetic, and the cast have that very cliché yaoi look with the yaoi hands and everything.”
- “In case of this release, you'll buy exactly the same product but with some artwork and voice tracks being cut from the game.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
27%
17%
The atmosphere of the visual novel is widely praised for its unparalleled tone, breathtaking artwork, and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that enhances the storytelling. Reviewers highlight the effective use of a subdued color palette and discordant music to create a sense of unease, immersing players in a romantically dark and layered world. Overall, the combination of well-written characters and a compelling aesthetic contributes significantly to the game's impact, particularly in its horror elements.
- “The artwork is breathtaking and suits the writing and atmosphere of the story so well; the characters are (mostly) lovable and well written, and don't even get me started on the soundtrack.”
- “Everything from the subdued color palette on the art to the strangely discordant soundtrack projects the atmosphere that the characters inhabit a world that is hostile and off-kilter.”
- “The censorship in Sweet Pool bothered me way more than the censorship in Togainu no Chi, because the atmosphere in Sweet Pool depends on the grotesque imagery, on the ugly aspects of it.”
- “The story, the characters, the atmosphere; they're all so romantically dark and filled with rich layers of depth.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Gameplay is described as immersive and life-changing, with players investing nearly 50 hours, though some experienced significant issues such as fatal crashes and save file corruption. The game features a unique mechanic that limits choices to following reason or instincts, which some found intriguing, despite frustrations with unlocking content and minor grammatical errors not detracting from the overall experience.
- “Almost 50 hours of gameplay, all I can say is that this game changed my life.”
- “The lack of explicit choices (you are limited to following your reason or your instincts) is a very unique mechanic!”
- “I saw a few grammatical and spelling errors in the short amount I've played, but that's nothing that takes away from the gameplay or the experience of the game.”
- “With my patch installed, I only managed to unlock 3/12 and no way am I going through the headache of deleting my save files and uninstalling the patch just to unlock the rest after another 14 hours of gameplay.”
- “Finally, after about 7 hours of gameplay, it led to a fatal crash that probably corrupted all my saved files because I was unable to launch the game afterwards.”
- “I kms at least 20 times during the gameplay.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent freezes, crashes, and corrupted saves reported by users. Additionally, achievements are buggy, and the underlying code appears outdated and in need of significant renovation. Overall, players express frustration with the game's unreliable performance.
- “Not only that, but the novel code didn't age all that well, and it seems to me that they didn't bother renovating it even the slightest bit since the game runs like garbage sometimes: it freezes occasionally, crashes, and corrupts some of your saves.”
- “As the other reviewers mentioned, the achievements are buggy.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is perceived as hindered by the presence of the "omegaverse" inspired flesh demons, which some players feel detract from the narrative and emotional depth of the characters.
- “I found the parasite 'omegaverse'-esque flesh demons to be a bit much for my own personal taste at times, sometimes even detracting from the scenes or character development entirely.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game's replayability is considered low, particularly in the short term, suggesting that players may not find enough incentive to revisit the experience soon after completing it.
- “The replay value is pretty low within a shorter time span.”
- “The game lacks significant incentives to replay after the first run.”
- “Once you finish the game, there's little motivation to go back and play again.”