The Orchard of Stray Sheep
- June 20, 2016
- Namaage
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"The Orchard of Stray Sheep" is a farming simulation and life management game. You play as a young woman returning to her family's farm, where you'll grow crops, care for animals, and build relationships with the townspeople. The game features a peaceful atmosphere and a variety of activities to engage in, making it a relaxing and immersive experience.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The artwork and music are lovely, enhancing the overall experience.
- The story has an interesting premise and explores dark themes, which some players found engaging.
- The game offers multiple endings, providing some replay value despite its short length.
- The characters are generally unlikable and lack depth, making it hard for players to connect with them.
- The plot is rushed, with many unresolved elements and a lack of character development.
- There are very few choices in the game, leading to a more linear experience rather than an interactive one.
- story48 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story has a mix of strengths and weaknesses, with some players appreciating its intriguing themes and character designs, while others criticize the lack of character development and a rushed conclusion. Many felt that the narrative started slowly, only to pick up later, but ultimately left them wanting more depth and resolution. Overall, the potential for a compelling story is evident, but execution issues detract from the experience.
“A short visual novel (3 hours) but well written; maybe a little slow at the start, but after 3 short chapters, you'll be immersed in the story.”
“The story is really fascinating, and the characters are quite charming.”
“Like a few other stories I've read lately, the idea of a villain or what is 'wrong' is really more complicated than your standard video game story.”
“There are character interactions that don't make sense, developments that don't go anywhere, and the story is rushed to a shoddy open-ended conclusion before you can blink.”
“Having played through and reached all 3 possible endings in this visual novel, the game started out too slowly as a typical school life drama and only after episode 5 out of 9 possible episodes did it build more suspense and thriller and develop as a mystery visual novel. There are only 1-2 choices to make in the entire game which are near the ending and lead to a different ending each.”
“There was definite potential here, but there are just too many things holding the story back.”
- music28 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its exceptional quality and the effective use of tracks by Patirchev and Ara Hiroshi, particularly in the opening and ending sequences. Others find the soundtrack basic or boring, though a few light-hearted and quirky tracks stand out. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the atmosphere and experience, opinions vary on its overall impact and memorability.
“The art style is phenomenal and the music is just exceptional!”
“On the plus side, I would definitely say that the game, using music by Patirchev and Ara Hiroshi, produced a great opening and ending movie, theme song, and BGM that probably saved this visual novel from being just another forgettable title.”
“Overall, this game is recommended only for those who like a short mystery visual novel featuring a futuristic dystopian Japanese setting, nice anime artwork, and great BGM and soundtracks in the opening and ending movie.”
“Music was really boring, in my opinion.”
“On the plus side, I would definitely say that the game using music by Patirchev and Ara Hiroshi to produce a great opening and ending movie, theme song, and BGM probably saved this visual novel from being just another forgettable visual novel I would uninstall after finishing.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their lovely art style, featuring exceptional anime artwork, character sprites, and appealing backgrounds. While the visuals are considered phenomenal, some reviewers noted a lack of variety in artwork and a slow narrative pace that leans more towards atmospheric elements than engaging plot twists. Overall, the game's aesthetic is recommended for fans of visually appealing visual novels, despite its limited interactivity.
“The art style is phenomenal and the music is just exceptional!”
“The artwork is lovely, the music is very nice, and some of the characters are interesting.”
“The art style is absolutely lovely.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development is lacking, with players expressing disappointment over the absence of individual backstories and endings for the characters, which leaves them feeling underdeveloped.
“I thought that you'd have an ending with each character and that we'd see all of the girls get some character development and backstory, but you really don't.”
“I thought that you'd have an ending with each character and that we'd see all of the girls get some character development and backstory, but you really don't.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by lovely artwork and pleasant music, creating an engaging slice-of-life experience. However, the slow start and limited choices may detract from the sense of intrigue and excitement, focusing more on atmospheric elements than on deeper narrative conflicts.
“The artwork is lovely, the music is very nice, and some of the characters are interesting. The game has a rather slow start, which means more of the game is slice-of-life, atmospheric stuff than conspiracy, intrigue, or deception.”
