Sword of Asumi
- January 7, 2015
- Dharker Studios
Get on Steam"Sword of Asumi" is a visual novel game that follows the story of a skilled ninja assassin, Asumi, on her quest for vengeance. With a blend of action, drama, and romance, players will navigate Asumi's complex relationships and make decisions that affect the outcome of the story. The game features stunning anime-style artwork and a thrilling soundtrack, immersing players in the world of feudal Japan.
Reviews
- Decent visual novel with a fun and engaging storyline that offers multiple endings and choices.
- Great soundtrack that enhances the overall experience of the game.
- Good character writing and interesting themes, particularly for first-time visual novel players.
- The game is quite short, with many players completing it in just a couple of hours, leading to a lack of depth.
- Several grammatical errors and bugs detract from the overall experience, making it feel unpolished.
- The story can feel predictable and lacks significant character development, making it less memorable.
- story96 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally described as decent but often predictable and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting its short length and clichéd elements. While some players appreciated the engaging premise and the impact of choices on the narrative, others criticized the character development and the overall execution, leading to a feeling of railroading rather than true branching paths. Despite its flaws, the game offers a charming experience for fans of visual novels, particularly those who enjoy romance and intrigue.
“A lovely novel with interesting characters, a good story, beautiful artwork, and a lot of story-affecting choices.”
“Whilst it may seem simple, it is incredibly well executed, with some good twists and intrigue behind everything as you slowly uncover more of the story.”
“I personally really enjoyed the story and it definitely has some replay value to see the different ways the story ends.”
“The story is predictable and the characters aren't very interesting.”
“The writing and story aren't anything to write home about.”
“The story itself does not change much no matter who you decide to romance, which diminishes replay value; in fact, the canonical ending has you romance no one.”
- music39 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a generally positive reception, with many players praising the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. While some noted minor issues like looping problems, the majority found the music to be engaging and fitting for various game situations, with particular acclaim for the opening theme and combat tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is often recommended separately, highlighting its quality and appeal despite some players having higher expectations.
“The soundtrack, however, is awesome.”
“One of the main things that I loved about this game though was the soundtrack.”
“Music is absolutely amazing!”
“The music was decent, but I had higher expectations given the soundtrack references.”
“I started skipping every part after it became obvious that there wasn't going to be any sound other than the music.”
“The soundtrack is purchasable if you want to support them on the basis of the opening theme alone, as none of the other tracks are worth writing home about.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique and beautiful artwork, while others find the art style unappealing or too simplistic. Overall, the visuals are described as decent, with a few standout elements, but there is a consensus that more variation and possibly voice acting could enhance the experience.
“Great game, amazing artwork, multiple endings and match-ups.”
“A lovely novel with interesting characters, a good story, beautiful artwork and a lot of story affecting choices.”
“I loved the artwork, it was very well done and the music was somewhat enthralling.”
“I'm not a fan of the art style in the CGs, and this is a big turn off for me.”
“This is a cute visual novel with very simple artwork.”
“There is nearly no variation in graphics; in some scenes, there is only one static picture, while all the action is only in text.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Sword of Asumi" is criticized for being overly simplistic and short, resembling a typical visual novel with minimal interactive mechanics. Players report that the experience can be completed in under two hours, leaving little room for meaningful engagement or varied outcomes, which diminishes the overall satisfaction, especially in a genre that typically rewards investment with richer endings.
“Also, it makes for a quick gameplay experience for one or two evenings (my first walkthrough took less than 5 hours, and I was reading everything, looking at pictures, and taking my time; it could be done much faster).”
“Gameplay: Sword of Asumi plays like your regular visual novel where you read and occasionally make decisions that will affect your outcome of the story.”
“I bought the deluxe version of Sword of Asumi, and while it doesn't affect gameplay, I loved the soundtrack and the fact that you can change what Asumi looks like.”
“All the telltale signs are there, like things that scream scrapped mechanics (yeah, you were supposed to be able to choose your underwear for the day) to characters that appear for very few scenes.”
“In dating sims, you put in the time for that super sweet ending and instead all you get is a sentence and a picture you've already seen from gameplay.”
“Now my big problem with Sword of Asumi's gameplay is that it is short!”
- replayability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game offers decent replayability, primarily due to multiple endings and the ability to make different choices, such as romance options and character interactions. However, some players note that the overarching plot remains largely unchanged, which can limit the overall replay value. While many enjoyed exploring different story paths, the lack of significant variation in the narrative may leave some feeling that replayability is not particularly high.
“It's got a lot of replayability behind it.”
“Also, there are many endings based on your decisions and some great replay value to switch up which classes you take and such.”
“The story itself does not change much no matter who you decide to romance, which diminishes replay value; in fact, the canonical ending has you romance no one.”
“In any case, I enjoyed the interactions between Asumi and the romantic interests; seeing how Asumi interacts with them makes the game replayable even if almost all of the overarching plot remains the same no matter what.”
“I personally really enjoyed the story and it definitely has some replay value to see the different ways the story ends.”
- character development5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the reviews indicate that character development in the game is minimal and lacks depth, with many players feeling that the characters are underexplored and the writing does not effectively enhance their growth or the story. While the concept is intriguing, the execution leaves much to be desired in terms of character depth and realism in decision-making.
“The concept was interesting, but the writing and character development were lacking.”
“I recommend giving it a go, but don't expect too much character development or depth as it was a bit too short.”
“There is hardly any kind of character development, and some decisions you have to make appear unrealistic.”
“Character development basically skims the surface on a lot of the characters. While this may be an investigation, I would expect at least more information on the protagonist and some main characters to help develop the story.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its quirky characters and unintentional comedic moments, which can be both amusing and frustrating due to inconsistent writing and proofreading issues. While some players find joy in the humor, others may feel that it detracts from the overall experience, particularly in the DLC, which amplifies the same clichés.
“Apart from the story itself, the characters were funny and interesting, adding humor to the game's shadowy story.”
“However, while it's nearly always clear that there's a story in there worth telling, the writing falls really flat every so often, and it's not uncommon for the proofreading to fail in ways both painful and hilarious.”
“Okay, I will say that I did enjoy this visual novel, but mostly by overlooking most of the negatives, and instead by laughing at what were probably unintentional funny moments.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the absence of traditional grinding mechanics, such as dating-sim or stats grinding, which allows for a more streamlined and enjoyable gameplay experience.
“No dating-sim grinding.”
“No stats grinding.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While "To the Moon" is praised for its deeply emotional narrative that resonates with players, some critics feel that the dialogue lacks depth and urgency, suggesting a rushed approach that detracts from the overall emotional impact.
“To the Moon (yes, I will keep harping on this game like an angel with Parkinson's) was an emotional tale, and it got me to cry.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, with users describing it as "rather buggy."
“This game is rather buggy.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The overall atmosphere of the game is positively received, with users noting it as a strong point.
