Vay

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 51 reviews
  • music
  • grinding
  • story
Vay Game Cover
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"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.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews
story8 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • Great quality of life improvements, including options to turn off random encounters and increase experience and gold gain.
  • The port allows for a smoother gameplay experience, making it more accessible and enjoyable for modern players.
  • Fun short retro JRPG with animated cutscenes and a nostalgic feel, appealing to fans of classic games.
  • The game remains mediocre with a generic story and bland combat, not significantly improved from its original release.
  • Graphics and cutscenes are poorly rendered, suffering from blurriness and compression issues.
  • The new localization is filled with outdated pop culture references and lacks the charm of the original version.
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with particular praise for its atmospheric quality in dungeons and the improved looping of tracks, enhancing the overall experience. While some users noted that the cinematic audio was poorly redone, the soundtrack remains enjoyable and complements the gameplay effectively. Overall, the music contributes positively to the nostalgic and immersive feel of the game.

    • “I love the music and the atmosphere of some of the dungeons, especially the creepy penultimate dungeon.”
    • “Musical tracks finally loop, and it plays perfectly on the Steam Deck.”
    • “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 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.”
    • “Gone are the days of a sudden, abrupt end to the boss music.”
    • “The soundtrack, while not especially remarkable, is still well done.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    The game features significant grinding typical of old-school JRPGs, with players often facing a time sink of excessive battles to progress. However, it offers options to speed up grinding and reduce encounters, making the experience more manageable for those who dislike traditional grinding. While this flexibility is appreciated, it may detract from the game's overall depth and flavor.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “The fact that you can speed up grinding and cut off encounters is great but doesn't give the re-experience much flavor.”
  • story11 mentions

    The story of Vay is generally considered standard for a JRPG, featuring a mix of generic elements and a few engaging plot twists, earning a score of 3/5. While the narrative is basic, it is well-executed and enjoyable, enhanced by fun cutscenes and a catchy soundtrack, making it a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre. Overall, players appreciate the story's ability to keep them engaged throughout the game, despite its conventional framework.

    • “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.”
    • “Good controls, fun story, excellent quality of life updates.”
    • “Vay is pretty standard JRPG fare with a generic story and gameplay.”
    • “The story and gameplay engine in themselves are pretty basic, but are well done.”
  • gameplay9 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by smooth loading and quality of life improvements, but it is often criticized for being generic and repetitive, particularly in battles. While some players appreciate the ability to customize the experience to feel retro or modern, others feel that the difficulty adjustments have negatively impacted the overall balance, making it feel out of sync. Overall, the gameplay is seen as basic yet well-executed, though lacking in innovation.

    • “Great quality of life improvements, smooth loading, and gameplay.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, I did the same thing every battle.”
  • graphics8 mentions

    The graphics of the game have been rated poorly, with a score of 2/5, as users find the 2D style dated even for its era on the Sega CD. The low-resolution visuals lead to noticeable blurriness and artifacting when displayed in full screen, particularly affecting 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.”
  • humor6 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the nostalgic charm of the original translation while others feel that the attempts to replicate that humor often miss the mark. Many believe that the humor detracts from the overall narrative, suggesting a need for a more straightforward approach to the script.

    • “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.”
    • “The humor in this game is a delightful mix of absurdity and clever writing that kept me chuckling throughout my playthrough.”
    • “The quirky characters and their witty dialogue add a layer of charm that makes the game not just fun to play, but also a joy to experience.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game has low replayability, rated 2/5, as players feel there isn't much to discover after the initial playthrough, making it unlikely to draw them back unless they have spare time.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere2 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.”
    • “I love the music and the atmosphere of some of the dungeons, especially the creepy penultimate dungeon.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The stability of the game has been criticized as it is described as a "buggy mess," indicating significant issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “But when I say dated, I really mean a buggy mess.”
  • monetization1 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 premium pricing strategy based on its historical significance.

  • emotional1 mentions

    Players emphasize the importance of emotional investment in character development, noting that without a strong connection to the characters, pivotal moments like character deaths fail to resonate or evoke a meaningful response.

    • “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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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