The Chrono Jotter
- August 25, 2021
- Orca Layout
Get on Steam"The Chrono Jotter" is a first-person puzzle-adventure game where players manipulate time to solve complex puzzles. As the Chrono Jotter, players use a special notebook to record notes and drawings, which can be manipulated to alter time and interact with past and future versions of environments. With striking visuals and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, players embark on a journey to uncover the truth about the Time Stream and restore balance to the world.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a gripping and well-written story that combines elements of murder mystery, supernatural themes, and yuri romance, making it a unique experience.
- The characters are deeply developed and engaging, with their relationships and personal growth being a highlight of the narrative.
- The recent English translation has significantly improved, allowing players to fully appreciate the story and character dynamics without major language issues.
- The game is relatively short, with some players wishing for more content and deeper exploration of the characters and plot.
- There are occasional technical issues, such as freezing and formatting problems in the notebook, which can disrupt the gameplay experience.
- While the murder mystery elements are interesting, they are often straightforward and may not provide the level of challenge some players expect from the genre.
- story75 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story is a richly woven tapestry of supernatural elements, murder mysteries, and emotional depth, featuring well-developed characters and engaging plotlines that keep players invested. While some reviewers noted its brevity and occasional pacing issues, the narrative's unique blend of genres—including yuri, psychological horror, and slice-of-life—creates a compelling experience that resonates with players. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its immersive quality, memorable characters, and the ability to tackle complex themes, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.
“The world building and supernatural elements are amazingly thought out; I love the characters, the art is gorgeous, and the story is moving.”
“The story is immersive and emotionally engaging.”
“At times disturbing, sweet, dark, and heartfelt, this is a story that grabs you and keeps you guessing until the end.”
“While I didn't feel like there were any real 'twists' or surprises to the story, oftentimes random pieces of alarming information would be casually discussed by the cast.”
“The story is clear as to when something is reality or not and doesn't have that kind of tension.”
“It feels like something sneaked in for purposes of marketing and I feel that it hurts the story's honesty.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is polished and engaging, allowing players to make meaningful choices and explore various outcomes, though the murder mystery elements feel more like narrative embellishments than interactive challenges. The integration of unique mechanics, such as the recall and time travel systems, enhances the story and character development, making them feel essential rather than tacked on. Overall, while the gameplay is enjoyable, it leans more towards a narrative experience typical of visual novels rather than a gameplay-heavy format.
“On a gameplay level, it's pretty well polished. I really enjoyed making all the choices and going back to see the alternatives using the system the game gives you, and the game contains a lot of nice extra features like speech bubbles that appear to one side to denote background conversations happening.”
“The main character has a distinct personality and complex ways of thinking, and the game mechanics (the notebook, and particularly the recall mechanic) make sense in the story and aren't just there for the sake of something being added.”
“The use of the in-game time travel mechanic plays into the plot and lore of the game seamlessly, and I enjoyed that!”
“The murder mystery elements are more like flavor text than a game mechanic, since the player doesn't need to actually solve anything themselves.”
“This could maybe work for a gameplay-heavy game, but it definitely doesn't for a visual novel.”
“It's just gameplay.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a captivating and multifaceted experience, blending elements of mystery, romance, and psychological horror. Players find the story to be both heartwarming and gut-wrenching, with deeply engaging character writing and a unique narrative that keeps them invested until the end. Overall, it offers a wild emotional ride that is both bizarre and wholesome, making it a standout in its genre.
“The story is immersive and emotionally engaging.”
“At times disturbing, sweet, dark and heartfelt, this is a story that grabs you and keeps you guessing until the end.”
“A dark but sweet investigation game, Chrono Jotter manages to combine some of my favorite world-building in an urban fantasy visual novel with really touching character writing.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, effectively enhancing the mood of each scene and featuring quality tracks that stand out, particularly during "happy" and "calm" moments. While some players find the soundtrack enjoyable and fitting, others feel it lacks memorability and could benefit from a larger selection to bookmark favorite moments. Overall, the music complements the experience but may not leave a lasting impression.
“The somewhat small soundtrack does a good job in getting you into the mood each scene needs, and the art is great overall too.”
“A fantastically written story with better quality art and music than a lot of the top visual novels have.”
“I rarely enjoy the 'happy times' / 'calm times' background music in visual novels, but I really dig some of these tracks.”
“The music and sound design is pretty forgettable.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its ability to evoke a wide range of emotions, seamlessly transitioning between tense and lighthearted moments. The outstanding artwork and sound design enhance the immersive experience, while the engaging plot and well-developed characters contribute to a vibrant and dynamic setting. Overall, players find the atmosphere to be a captivating blend of ominous and casual elements that enrich the storytelling.
“It masterfully sweeps you up in its atmosphere and is fiercely engaging as it gracefully moves between different emotions.”
“The plot is amazing, the characters feel alive and their interactions are great, and the setting and the atmosphere in this game are just outstanding.”
“The artwork and sound design are also really well done, creating both tense and lighthearted atmospheres.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their phenomenal artwork and effective sound design, which successfully create both tense and lighthearted atmospheres.
“The artwork and sound design are also really well done, creating both tense and lighthearted atmospheres.”
“The artwork in general is phenomenal.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits stability issues, with occasional freezes when accessing specific sections of the notebook and bugs affecting button interactions due to misaligned collision boxes. These problems can disrupt the overall gameplay experience.
“The game occasionally freezes when trying to access certain parts of the notebook, especially under the terms section.”
“The game is a little buggy, and in some places the collision boxes on some of the buttons are off, causing the mouse to target a different button instead.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it requires an unrealistic amount of effort to progress. However, the overall experience is enhanced by well-written characters and enjoyable detective segments, which help mitigate some of the tedium associated with grinding.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a range of intriguing mysteries that enhance the character development of the cast, making their growth and interactions more engaging and compelling.
“The game features both big and small mysteries that need to be solved, contributing to very interesting character development throughout the cast.”
“The depth of each character's backstory and their growth throughout the game is truly impressive.”
“I love how the choices I make impact the characters' development, making each playthrough feel unique and personal.”
