Get on Steam
Get on Apple Store"Vay" is a 16-bit RPG in which you embark on a journey to save your kidnapped bride and stop destructive war machines. The game offers a user-selectable difficulty, an immersive story, and over 90 areas to explore. With updated music, Bluetooth controller support, and no microtransactions, it's a great choice for both new and experienced RPG players on Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX.
Reviews
- The game features excellent quality-of-life improvements, such as the ability to turn off random encounters and increase experience and gold acquisition rates, making it more accessible and enjoyable.
- Vay retains its charm with a fun story, animated cutscenes, and a nostalgic soundtrack, appealing to fans of retro JRPGs.
- The port allows players to customize their experience, making it easier to enjoy the game without the excessive grinding typical of older RPGs.
- The graphics and cutscenes suffer from blurriness and compression issues, detracting from the overall visual experience.
- The new localization and voice acting have been criticized for lacking the charm of the original, with many pop culture references feeling outdated and forced.
- Despite the improvements, the game remains mediocre by modern standards, with a simplistic story and gameplay that may not engage new players.
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay offers a customizable experience, allowing players to choose between retro and modern aesthetics, though it is generally described as basic and repetitive, particularly in battles. While there are quality of life improvements and smooth performance, the overall gameplay is considered standard for a JRPG, with some criticism directed at the difficulty adjustments made by the developers.
“You can make this game as retro or as modern as you like in regards to appearance and gameplay, especially if you want to relive the experience of playing this on Sega CD.”
“Great quality of life improvements, smooth loading, and gameplay.”
“Gameplay-wise, I did the same thing every battle.”
“Vay is pretty standard JRPG fare with a generic story and gameplay.”
“Working Designs tweaked the difficulty in all the wrong directions, making the gameplay completely out of whack.”
- story6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The story is generally regarded as enjoyable, featuring a mix of standard JRPG elements with some engaging plot twists and darker moments. While it may be considered basic and somewhat generic, players appreciate the fun narrative and quality-of-life updates that enhance the experience. Overall, it offers a nostalgic journey with a compelling storyline and entertaining cutscenes.
“Good controls, fun story, excellent quality of life updates.”
“This RPG has a great story to follow throughout the whole game, and the weapons are awesome too. If you like RPG games, you'll definitely enjoy this one. It may be 16-bit, but it's awesome at the same time.”
“Granted, I used the quality of life features (which are great and really get rid of the grind); however, it was a fun story from a time long past, and the cutscenes were enjoyable too, along with a boppin' soundtrack.”
“The story and gameplay engine in themselves are pretty basic, but are well done.”
“Vay is pretty standard JRPG fare with a generic story and gameplay.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the atmospheric tracks, particularly in dungeons, and the engaging battle themes. While some criticize the revamped cinematic audio, the overall soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience and is noted for its improved looping on platforms like the Steam Deck.
“I love the music and the atmosphere of some of the dungeons, especially the creepy penultimate dungeon.”
“I played Vay because I heard the cool battle music and the cutscenes and wanted to give it a try.”
“Granted, I used the QoL features (which are great and really get rid of the grind); however, it was a fun story from a time long past, and the cutscenes were fun too, along with a boppin' soundtrack.”
“The music and gameplay are virtually the same; however, the cinematic audio has been completely redone and it's horrible.”
“The soundtrack, while not especially remarkable, is still well done.”
“Musical tracks finally loop, and it plays perfectly on the Steam Deck.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in this game is largely optional, with some players appreciating the ability to speed it up or skip encounters altogether. However, the game still retains elements of traditional grinding typical of its era, which may deter those who dislike such mechanics. Overall, while grinding can be minimized, it remains a notable aspect of the gameplay experience.
“It comes from an era where it was pretty common for RPGs to have lots of grinding (5 hour games with 20+ hours of grinding). It was a fairly mediocre-to-average game for its time and would not be any better by today's standards.”
“A must for people interested in this interstitial time when CD-ROM tech was rapidly becoming mainstream, but bad for anyone who dislikes old school grinding.”
“I suggest you use the multipliers to speed up grinding in certain areas because this game had a notorious grind that acted as a time sink and filler to make up for the short time.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics received a score of 2/5, with reviewers noting that while they are more forgiving of 2D games, the visuals appear dated even for the Sega CD era, particularly due to low resolution. Full-screen mode exacerbates issues like blurriness and artifacting, although these problems are primarily confined to the world map.
“Graphics 2/5. I'm not as harsh on 2D games because of my age, but even for its time, the style was dated for Sega CD.”
“Especially the low-res graphics.”
“Blowing up the game to full screen immediately introduces blurriness and artifacting to the graphics.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the nostalgic charm of its dated translation and comedic moments, while others feel that the attempt to replicate the original's humor often results in jokes that miss the mark. Many suggest that a more straightforward approach to the script would have been more effective.
“Maybe it's Working Designs' translation (which today is extremely dated) that the pre-teen me thought was hilarious, the robots in a fantasy setting, or there's a certain 'scene' in this game (people who have played this previously, you know the one) that made the 13-year-old me's jaw drop.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is not explicitly discussed in the provided text, but it highlights its nostalgic value as a classic title from the 16-bit era, originally released for the Sega CD by Working Designs, which suggests a potential for collectible or premium pricing in the current market.
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express that for a character's death to have a significant emotional impact, there must be a strong emotional investment in the character.
“I need some emotional investment for a character's death to truly sting.”
“The game made me feel a deep connection to the characters, and their struggles resonated with me.”
“I was genuinely moved by the story; it evoked a range of emotions that I didn't expect.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability, rated 2/5, as players feel there isn't much incentive to revisit it after the initial playthrough, making it more suitable for a brief return if time allows.
“Replayability: 2/5. There's not much to miss the first time through; it's something you might come back to for a short romp if you're not backlogged.”
“The game lacks depth, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
“Once you've experienced the story, there's little incentive to revisit the game.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, particularly for its immersive music and the eerie ambiance of certain dungeons, notably the penultimate one, which is described as exceptionally creepy.
“I love the music and the atmosphere of some of the dungeons, especially the incredibly creepy penultimate dungeon.”
“The atmosphere in the game feels flat and uninspired, lacking any real sense of immersion.”
“Despite some interesting visuals, the overall atmosphere fails to engage, leaving me feeling disconnected from the world.”
“The game tries to create a dark atmosphere, but it often comes off as forced and cliché.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users have reported significant stability issues, describing the game as a "buggy mess" that feels outdated.
“But when I say dated, I really mean a buggy mess.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the experience.”
