The Crown of Leaves
- November 26, 2018
- Lingrimm
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"The Crown of Leaves" is a visually striking hybrid of non-kinetic visual novel and point-n-click adventure. Players follow the story of Roui, a resilient city dandy who returns to his rural homeland, Latori, after a failure. Struggling with local mystical beliefs and seeking a way back to his old life, Roui's fate becomes intertwined with a prosperous order, leading to mystical riddles, ghosts, and beasts. Handcrafted illustrations and original music enhance the immersive atmosphere in this intriguing debut game.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The art style is stunning and visually captivating, making the game a pleasure to experience.
- The soundtrack is beautifully composed, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
- The story is intriguing with rich lore and well-developed characters that keep players engaged.
- The game is quite short, with only the first chapter available, leaving players wanting more.
- There is a steep learning curve with unfamiliar terms and concepts that can be overwhelming.
- Some players may find the dialogue-heavy nature of the game to be tedious at times.
- story360 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The story of the game is widely praised for its immersive world-building, rich lore, and engaging characters, creating a captivating narrative experience. While many players appreciate the depth and intricacy of the plot, some express frustration over its unfinished state, as only two chapters are currently available, leaving them eager for more. Overall, the combination of beautiful art, intriguing storytelling, and memorable character design makes it a highly recommended visual novel for fans of the genre.
“Going into the story, this world creates an incredibly immersive and deep world with its own rich lore, characters, and overall setting.”
“Without spoiling, there's a sort of spiritual world, there's tons of traditions and folklore, there are several races and nations, and everything has a story to tell.”
“The story is awesome, music fits the mood super well, art and animations are great, characters are memorable and very well made, and world building - amazing.”
“The story isn't finished yet, so that's the only thing holding it back from a perfect score.”
“Imagine that I was expecting to experience a whole story when I started the game, but nooooo it ended just at the point where the plot has thickened.”
“I adore the characters, the art, and the story, but with a heavy heart I have to leave a negative review because the game has been out for 5 years and we're just on chapter 2 (like 4 hours worth of gameplay).”
- music133 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the visuals and narrative. The soundtrack is described as beautiful, relaxing, and well-composed, often evoking strong emotions and immersing players in the game's world. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
“The soundtrack is sensational, and very relaxing.”
“The art is gorgeous, the soundtrack is beautiful, and the story and characters are deeply compelling.”
“The music is sweet too!”
“The music was decent, and the images were extremely nice and distinctive, but that was about all there was to it.”
“But one thing that made me slightly annoyed is that the soundtrack has 1 (probably more) song missing.”
“There isn't a whole lot of different music in the game, but the sounds fit the visual novel well.”
- graphics117 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many users praising the stunning art style, vibrant colors, and detailed character designs. Reviewers highlight the unique aesthetic and the emotional depth conveyed through the visuals, which enhance the overall storytelling experience. The combination of beautiful artwork, engaging animations, and a captivating soundtrack creates a visually immersive environment that resonates with players.
“The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, the characters are endearing to their own and have wonderful designs, and the story keeps me hooked and anticipated for each new act.”
“The art style is exquisite and evocative, and the character design and animation is absolutely perfect.”
“Delightful classic style point and click adventure set in a wildly imaginative, and gorgeously illustrated world, whose colorful inhabitants are brought to life through superb artwork and animation.”
“I'm playing on a desktop with a newer graphics card, so I thought that was a bit frustrating.”
“Edit: I had major issues with bugs, game crashes, and save-file problems, but the very active and devoted devs have actually changed the game engine (update to come) as well as adding some animation to the sprites, which will fix most issues and add to the visuals.”
“Despite my review ending on a negative note, I'm really quite conflicted; the art style, music, characters, and setting all have an enthralling and uniquely charming quality to them.”
- gameplay24 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally simple yet enjoyable, featuring engaging mechanics and multiple paths that encourage replayability. While some players find certain puzzles challenging and the introduction to mechanics lacking, the overall experience is immersive and complemented by a unique story and lovable characters. However, the slow update pace and limited content have left some players wanting more after several years.
“The team is small, so there is a long wait between updates/additional chapters, but it is worth waiting for as the gameplay and story are incredibly unique and engaging.”
“The mechanic where you have multiple paths to play the game makes it quite fun, and after those five playthroughs, I did everything differently and still I am pretty sure there is more to give.”
“Gameplay is fantastic, with an arsenal of lovable characters and different attitudes to talk to them, from politeness to downright snarkiness.”
“As for gameplay: the rotation puzzles in the DLC are ridiculous; I just skip them.”
“There is little to no introduction to the game mechanics.”
“What I can't forgive is its execution of its mechanics and principles.”
- character development24 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting the unique and well-fleshed-out character designs that seamlessly integrate into the story's setting. The combination of beautiful artwork, engaging writing, and intriguing plot twists contributes to a rich narrative experience, making the characters memorable and relatable. Overall, the character designs are described as phenomenal, showcasing a high level of creativity and effort that enhances the game's appeal.
“I awaited it for a while, and I was so pleased with the amount of plot twists and character development we got, as well as the actors of this story; they are great.”
“The characters are all interesting and well written, the character design shows not only a high amount of effort, but a labor of love being put into them.”
“Beautiful artwork, intriguing story and lore, wonderful character design!!”
“The character design might not be very unique because I've seen similar concepts before, but the way they and the backgrounds were drawn here - fabulous.”
“So far as visual novels with anthropomorphic characters making up the entire cast, this is pretty much the only one that is professionally made with interesting writing & worldbuilding that pushes it well beyond the rest of them and character design that isn't just like somebody vomited all the colors of the rainbow on the most painfully regular looking furry OC and called it a day.”
“Okay, what can I say, amazing, purely amazing, fantastic story and characters, the world is fascinating as well, I mean I really was left shocked at the end and eagerly awaiting chapter 2 now that I completed the first chapter, plus I really love the character design and from the short time I got to interact, I really liked Bo.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, with many players highlighting the enchanting visuals, evocative music, and well-designed environments that evoke a sense of nostalgia and wonder. Reviewers appreciate the blend of charming and dark elements, which contribute to a rich, atmospheric experience that enhances the storytelling. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as magical, exotic, and captivating, making it a standout feature for players.
“I couldn't help but sit there and enjoy the magical atmosphere it had, making me feel like a child again, a child that actually believes in the created worlds, as if they are part of these worlds.”
“Charming, atmospheric, mystic, and just outright beautiful.”
“The atmosphere is exotic with a mix of the quaint, the art is simply elegant and sharp, and the lore... well, the lore could already write a few good books.”
“Characters and first locations are well-designed, you can feel the atmosphere all the time.”
“They add to the atmosphere and even short comments build the world.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charming character interactions, witty dialogue, and relatable moments, particularly through the protagonist Roui and other well-written characters. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone and comedic elements woven into the storyline and cutscenes, making it an enjoyable experience for fans of humorous point-and-click adventures. Overall, the game's humor enhances its appeal, contributing to a delightful and engaging atmosphere.
“The characters have great chemistry with funny quips, and the world and lore is very intriguing.”
“The interactions are funny and charming!”
“Roui is an excellent protagonist who is charming as he is funny, the hallmark of any main character you wish to play in an adventure title.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability due to its multiple storylines and dynamic options that encourage players to explore different decisions and outcomes. With a relatively short initial playtime, players can easily revisit the game to uncover missed interactions and alternate paths, enhancing the overall experience.
“Has good replayability with all the different storylines.”
“There are dynamic options that add a hint of replayability to see what might change, as well as interactions and lines that you may miss entirely!”
“The initial playthrough took me less than 90 minutes, but there's a lot of replayability because decisions matter and different decisions reveal different paths.”
“Despite only being one chapter, there is replayability and different paths you can take.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with users reporting persistent performance issues such as stuttering and jerky backgrounds that detract from the overall experience. Many feel that the game is being marketed in a way that suggests it is more polished than it actually is, leading to frustration among players. Overall, the lack of optimization has made the game unplayable for some, overshadowing its artistic appeal.
“The game runs smoothly with minimal performance issues, allowing for an enjoyable experience.”
“I appreciate the attention to optimization, as it enhances the overall gameplay and reduces lag.”
“The developers have done a great job optimizing the game, making it accessible even on lower-end systems.”
“Hopefully some ironing out of performance and stuttering issues.”
“The game is apparently very short, being only one chapter long. I personally don't mind and was very interested in the game and its art, but the constant stuttering is annoying and makes it unplayable for me. I don't play a visual novel to be frustrated.”
“Mild performance issues: the background jerked around a bit for me whenever I tried panning the camera.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally fulfilling, highlighting its wholesome nature and pleasant art style. The family arcs, particularly those involving Ingrid and Lazy, are described as heartwarming yet bittersweet, contributing to a deeply engaging experience. Overall, it offers a satisfying emotional journey in a short playtime.
“I enjoyed the arcs with Ingrid's family and Lazy's; they were heartwarming and a little sad.”
“I picked this visual novel just to spare a free evening and didn’t have any regrets; that was the most emotionally fulfilling 6 hours I have ever had.”
“The game is very wholesome and the art style is quite pleasant!”
- stability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game features an engaging story and atmosphere, but suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, glitches, and performance stutters, particularly during interactions. Users express concern over the developers' inexperience, which contributes to these ongoing problems.
“Fantastic story, music, and atmosphere, but there are quite a lot of bugs and glitches.”
“The game freezes and stutters all the time. Every time I interact, or even just hover my mouse over an interactable object, the game stutters.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized for employing aggressive tactics, such as cliffhangers and prompts to purchase full content, which some users find reminiscent of exploitative advertising methods.
“What a surprise that the artist uses 'click here to buy the full video' style advertising to try and goad people into breaking through the paywall after a cliffhanger.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, constantly pushing players to spend more money to enjoy the full experience.”
“It's frustrating that so much content is locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy the game without shelling out extra cash.”
