The Next World

About

"The Next World" is a visual novel/strategy game where you lead a group of survivors from a crashed colony ship. Manage resources, build structures, and make tough decisions in a narrative driven by political intrigue and survival, with multiple branching outcomes. Experience hand-drawn art in a retro-industrial sci-fi style and choose between two different protagonists.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 140 reviews

story64 positive mentions

gameplay4 negative mentions

The story is engaging with surprising twists that keep players hooked.
The game combines visual novel elements with resource management, providing a unique gameplay experience.
The art and music are well-crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.

The gameplay can feel shallow and lacks depth in colony management mechanics.
There are numerous bugs and issues, including broken achievements and crashes that hinder the experience.
The game is relatively short, leaving players wanting more content and character development.

story
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
54%
2%
The game's story is generally well-received, praised for its coherence, interesting characters, and the ability to subvert expectations effectively. However, some players feel that the gameplay mechanics do not significantly impact the narrative, leading to a sense of limited agency in how the story unfolds. Overall, it offers a compelling sci-fi narrative with multiple endings and moral choices, though some find it short and lacking in depth.
- “I know that the idea of subverting audience expectations has pretty much become a meme at this point, but I think this game's story is an example of it being done right.”
- “The story is fantastic, reminiscent of Kim Stanley Robinson's 'Red Mars'; the animation feels like you're in a comic book--makes the most of a 'less is more' aesthetic; gameplay is difficult but not overwhelming.”
- “I highly recommend this game for anyone who likes a story-driven game that also rewards good critical thinking in certain situations.”
- “Managing the colony is very shallow, the story is a bit silly, and you feel like you've got no impact on anything whatsoever.”
- “But after a while, you start to notice that how well you do in the management/base building section doesn't really affect the story.”
- “Individually, the story or the gameplay doesn't really shine - I guessed the plot from a mile away and the endings really aren't anything special; the characters aren't too fleshed out beyond the first real chat and do not have special events specifically tied to them.”
gameplay
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
84%
9%
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics focused on colony management and a branching story with choice-and-consequence elements, though many players find the mechanics unclear and reliant on chance. While the game offers meaningful decisions and a decent narrative, it suffers from a lack of depth and content, leading to a short experience that some feel is only worth purchasing on sale. Overall, the gameplay is described as solid but simplistic, with potential for improvement through future updates.
- “Features a branching story, with choice-and-consequence as the central gameplay mechanic.”
- “The story is fantastic, reminiscent of Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars; the animation feels like you're in a comic book--makes the most of a 'less is more' aesthetic; gameplay is difficult but not overwhelming.”
- “The events often have hard and meaningful decisions and I get a degree of a Banner Saga vibe from the general gameplay, as you work to protect your colonists.”
- “The exact mechanics are unclear and your ability to win seems to be entirely based on chance.”
- “Additionally, the mechanics of the game such as health or morale are completely hidden; you have no idea how much harm reduced rations will cause or what direction your popularity is going.”
- “Individually, the story or the gameplay doesn't really shine - I guessed the plot from a mile away and the endings really aren't anything special; the characters aren't too fleshed out beyond the first real chat and do not have special events specifically tied to them; the enigmatic elements of the game never really play an actual role and many climactic events just fell short despite its initial buildup; and the gameplay gets really bare when you realize that you've exhausted all possible events you can find in just, well, 3 hours.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
8%
8%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and relaxing nature, with many users highlighting its appeal, especially for sci-fi fans. However, some reviewers noted a lack of variation in the music, while the overall art and music combination received positive remarks.
- “The art and music are amazing!”
- “Music is really nice.”
- “Now this depends on the person, but if you're a sci-fi fan like me, you will enjoy the design and music as well.”
- “The music is relaxing, but there is not much variation.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics of the game are highly praised, receiving a score of 4/5 for their beautiful drawings and overall quality. The visuals effectively enhance the experience of this choose-your-own-adventure format, contributing to its engaging presentation.
- “The graphics are beautifully drawn.”
- “This game is a choose your own adventure novel in a graphical format.”
- “Visuals are good.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game offers a solid 10-hour experience with decent replay value, primarily due to variations in player character choices that introduce enough changes to keep players engaged. However, those seeking extensive replayability may find it lacking, making it more suitable for fans of strong narratives rather than those looking for endless gameplay.
- “Nice 10-hour game with good replay value.”
- “Recommendation: buy it if you like good stories, avoid if you want hours of replayability in a game.”
- “While your player character choice doesn't diverge the story dramatically, there were enough changes to satisfy me and provide replayability.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional depth of character interactions to be significant, drawing comparisons to the impactful storytelling found in games like The Last Federation. The gradual revelation of character backgrounds enhances the emotional weight of their relationships, making the overall experience resonate with players.
- “You learn just enough about all of them that their interactions with each other have some emotional weight.”
- “Emotionally impactful in the same way as games like The Last Federation are.”
- “You learn just enough about all of them that their interactions with each other have some emotional weight.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, players feel that the game could benefit from deeper character development, though this shortcoming does not detract significantly from their overall enjoyment or satisfaction with the purchase.
- “Could have used a bit more character development, but I don't regret my purchase at all.”