The Cherry Orchard

About

"The Cherry Orchard" is a kinetic novel, an adaptation of Anton Chekhov's play, that explores the societal changes in 1904 Russia. With entirely 3D graphics and a vibrant vaporwave-inspired aesthetic, the game features a stellar English voice cast and a runtime of approximately one hour. Confront the past and present through the eyes of eccentric characters as they grapple with the sale of a large estate.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

story8 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features stunning visuals and a unique vaporwave art style that enhances the storytelling experience.
The voice acting is top-notch, bringing depth and emotion to the characters and the narrative.
It offers a fresh and engaging adaptation of Chekhov's classic play, making it accessible to a wider audience.

Some animations are inconsistent, switching between fully animated scenes and static poses, which can be jarring.
The music is often considered weak and does not effectively complement the story or enhance the mood.
The linear format and lack of player choices may not appeal to everyone, as it plays more like a movie than a traditional game.

story
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
69%
9%
The story is a condensed adaptation of Chekhov's classic play "The Cherry Orchard," presented as a linear kinetic visual novel with no player choices, allowing for a cinematic experience. While some characters and plot elements have been removed, the essence of the original narrative is preserved, enhanced by impressive voice acting and stylized visuals that contribute to the storytelling. The overall presentation is praised for its artistic flair, though some players may find the lack of interactivity and certain narrative gaps a drawback.
- “The visuals do a great job enhancing the story, and the voice work is top notch.”
- “The cherry orchard is a wonderful take on the original story, and really does help with making the nuance of the original clearer.”
- “In summary, the cherry orchard is a short, yet great kinetic visual novel that tells a good story and features great voice acting, interesting animations, and fantastical art.”
- “The story is linear without choices, and you act as an audience with no interaction with the characters or the plot.”
- “The shortening of the character list and some of the plot left a few holes, but the main story and the spirit of the play were both preserved.”
- “It plays like a movie in how the story autoplays, and there are no choices to break up the game.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The graphics of the game have received high praise for their unique and vibrant aesthetic, particularly the vaporwave and psychedelic art styles that enhance the storytelling experience. Reviewers commend the seamless blend of 3D kinetic novel elements with classic visual novel artwork, noting the impressive attention to detail in animations and graphical effects. Overall, the visuals, combined with top-notch voice acting, create a captivating and immersive experience for players.
- “This is a great way to experience Chekhov's work, and I applaud the devs for bringing this to a casual audience, with a great aesthetic style to boot.”
- “I find this game rather interesting; it is much like a movie, and the visuals are amazing if you like the vaporwave cyber aesthetic.”
- “The visuals do a great job enhancing the story, and the voice work is top notch.”
- “What initially appeared as glitchy artwork actually turned out to be a graphical construct used essentially as a prop in the progression of the story.”
- “And its presentation is very unique with its psychedelic artwork and graphical effects.”
- “Neat visual, shifting between 3D kinetic novel and classic visual novel artwork styles.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the vibes it contributes to the art, while others find it weak and uninspiring. Many users noted that the music seems more aligned with visual elements rather than enhancing the story or emotional depth. Overall, while not universally disliked, the music has prompted some players to opt for alternative audio experiences, such as focusing on voice acting instead.
- “Fun story, great vibes from the art and music!”
- “[h1]Music & Sounds[/h1]”
- “The music is a bit weaker here, and to be honest, I was not really taken with the music itself.”
- “I do think that the music is designed based on the visual appearances and less so on the story and the moods present within.”
- “I just chose to mute the music and listened to the voice acting on its own instead.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report minor stability issues, such as occasional glitches and lip-sync mismatches, which may be attributed to hardware limitations. However, these do not significantly impact gameplay, and some glitches are intentionally designed as part of the narrative.
- “It's a little jarring how the lip sync doesn't really match (but maybe that's my slow computer not able to handle it), and there are a handful of small glitches that don't affect the gameplay, like the hover text in the settings sometimes flickers, but overall it's interesting to watch.”
- “There were some parts of the animation that looked like they were glitches, but it's later revealed to be intentional and part of the story.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
The gameplay is generally engaging and visually interesting, though some users report minor glitches, such as flickering hovertext and lip-sync issues, which may be attributed to performance limitations on their systems. Overall, these issues do not significantly detract from the gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay is engaging and keeps you on your toes, making every moment feel exciting.”
- “The mechanics are intuitive, allowing for a smooth learning curve while still providing depth for experienced players.”
- “Overall, the gameplay experience is immersive and offers a great balance of challenge and fun.”
- “It's a little jarring how the lip sync doesn't really match, and there are a handful of small glitches that don't affect the gameplay, like the hover text in the settings sometimes flickers. Overall, it's interesting to watch.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is effectively enhanced by its thoughtful use of vaporwave aesthetics, which enriches the storytelling and character performances. This approach not only highlights the humanity and conflict within the narrative but also ensures a seamless experience for players.
- “The game uses the vaporwave style to tell the story and embellish the performances, rather than just as a random stylistic choice.”
- “A great cast of characters with some wonderful performances that really pull the humanity and conflict to the forefront without missing a beat.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has limited replayability, with many players noting its lengthy duration and lack of incentives to play through again.
- “But people will lament its length, and there's pretty much no replay value.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express a desire for a more engaging experience rather than being bogged down by repetitive grinding, indicating that excessive grinding can detract from overall enjoyment.
- “Look, sometimes you want to be able to have an experience and not be stuck grinding away at something.”
- “The grinding feels endless and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- “I find myself spending more time grinding than actually playing the game.”