Virgo Versus The Zodiac

While Virgo Versus The Zodiac does have its moments, it loses steam the longer you play. The inconsistent tone gets in the way of any serious storytelling, and an initially engaging combat system ends up being underutilised. It’s still something worth checking out if you’re looking for a shorter RPG with some unique ideas, as long as you can put up with its shortcomings.

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Virgo Versus the Zodiac is a tactical RPG where you play as Virgo, a divine maiden on a mission to defeat the other Zodiac signs. Engage in strategic turn-based combat, customize your abilities and equipment, and explore a vibrant world inspired by Chinese mythology. With a captivating story and challenging gameplay, Virgo Versus the Zodiac offers a unique and immersive gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 775 reviews

story162 positive mentions

grinding20 negative mentions

Engaging and unique combat system that combines turn-based mechanics with timed inputs, making battles feel dynamic and rewarding.
Charming characters and witty writing that add humor and depth to the story, making interactions enjoyable.
Beautiful pixel art and an outstanding soundtrack that enhance the overall experience and immersion in the game.

The story can feel rushed and lacks depth in certain areas, particularly in character development and world-building.
Confusing stat and equipment systems that may overwhelm players, making it difficult to understand the mechanics at first.
Some choices in the game can lead to unsatisfying endings, with little indication of how decisions will impact the outcome.

story
536 mentions
30 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "Virgo versus the Zodiac" is a mixed bag, with players noting its engaging premise and unique world-building, but also highlighting issues with pacing and clarity. While some found the narrative compelling and emotionally resonant, others criticized it for being confusing, repetitive, or lacking depth in character development. The game features multiple endings influenced by player choices, which adds replayability, but the execution of side quests and overall storytelling can detract from the experience for some players.
- “Great music, great art, great storyline, great characters, great worldbuilding.”
- “I absolutely love it, the characters were beautiful, the story was really amazing and I had a lot of fun with the gameplay.”
- “The story is fascinating and unique and captivating in a spectacular way.”
- “And since the story is the main selling point of the game, I just can't recommend it.”
- “The way the story is handled is just that much of a deal breaker to me (it is a story-driven game after all).”
- “The story is nonsensical, arbitrary, and fails by being indecisive about whether it wants to take itself seriously or not.”
music
335 mentions
61 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in "Virgo vs. the Zodiac" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its outstanding quality and memorable tracks. The soundtrack is described as diverse, evocative, and capable of enhancing the game's atmosphere, making it a standout feature that players often recommend purchasing separately. While some noted minor issues with music transitions during gameplay, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a major highlight, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The soundtrack is amazing and it's worth playing just for it.”
- “The music is astoundingly good.”
- “This game is a truly magical experience with an 11/10 soundtrack, very fun and well written characters, a very fun turn based combat system and a final boss twist that I'm sure any other game would have done much worse on both a mechanical and narrative level.”
- “I'm not sure if this was actually a bug, but music did not change during some battles, instead continuing to play overworld audio, which was jarring to me.”
- “Everything has been smashed into a compressor making it feel like the music is always screaming, even during its quietest moments.”
- “It was so irritatingly present in the mix that I turned the music slider down to about 30% and only then does it feel somewhat comfortable.”
gameplay
297 mentions
34 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay in *Virgo Versus the Zodiac* is characterized by a unique blend of turn-based mechanics and real-time elements, requiring players to master timed button presses for attacks and defenses. While the combat system is praised for its depth and strategic options, including counterattacks and various weapon effects, many players find the complexity overwhelming and the lack of clear explanations for mechanics a barrier to enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a visually appealing and engaging experience, though it may demand patience and practice to fully appreciate its intricacies.
- “The gameplay does take practice to get used to it.”
- “There are timed button mechanics for attacking and blocking, so even though the game is turn-based, you can do real-time parrying and countering. The attack animations across the different weapons you can find are all really beautiful to watch, and their sound effects are also very satisfying, like watching the enemies go flying off-screen with the baseball bat or shooting them with a gun.”
- “The battle system is the star of the show here, focusing on equipping items that give you one of four kinds of actions: melee attack, ranged shot, area of damage, and defending. There’s also a counterattack mechanic where if the enemy hits you while your defense is up, you can riposte with another skillset. Each item also increases two stats and decreases one, making you consider not only the best action but also what you need for your build.”
- “It's simply too static across the entire playthrough, with no new mechanics added after getting your third and last character (which happens in chapter 2).”
- “The game balance is another thing that has been thrown out the window, the starting enemies are the most challenging things you will ever encounter, only for encounters to get abysmally easy as the time goes on, plus many mechanics that are either never explained, buried under a hell of menus, or only given a cryptic clue on what they do.”
- “Virgo has a few glaring gameplay issues, the biggest of which is overcomplexity.”
humor
137 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Virgo vs. the Zodiac" is widely praised for its cleverness and variety, blending whimsical dialogue, puns, and dark comedic elements that enhance the game's charm. Many reviewers noted the game's ability to balance humor with serious themes, creating memorable moments that resonate emotionally. While some comparisons to titles like "Undertale" and "Earthbound" were made, the unique comedic style and engaging writing set it apart as a delightful experience.
- “Definitely not just another generic turn-based JRPG, this game is very unique and subversive. The art, characters, and music are all amazing, the dialogue is very clever and funny, and I loved every second of it.”
- “From puns to funny jokes and delightful dialogue, it is always aware of its comedic identity and manages to crack a smile out of the player.”
- “The writing is surprisingly funny and layered, the characters are likable, the combat is a lot of fun, and the RPG aspects are very satisfying.”
graphics
117 mentions
47 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming pixel art and unique art style that evokes nostalgia, while others criticize inconsistencies in visual presentation across different gameplay elements. Overall, the artwork is described as beautiful and heartfelt, showcasing the developers' passion, though some players find certain character designs lacking in personality. Despite some graphical mismatches and unclear combat visuals, the game's aesthetic is generally appreciated for its creativity and appeal.
- “The character designs and art style are on point.”
- “With beautiful graphics, enchanting music, tight gameplay, witty writing, this game is one of the best experiences of the year so far.”
- “The art style of the game is outstanding!”
- “In terms of polish, I speak of the significant mismatch in the graphical style of combat, the open world, and the portrait art used for dialogue.”
- “There are like 4 different art styles used together: overworld sprite art, battle sprite art, GUI drawn, and cutscene sprite-like drawn.”
- “I cannot speak for this game's story, its graphics, or anything because it was so bad in the first hour of gameplay that I can't play this game anymore.”
character development
50 mentions
72 % positive mentions
22 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs are universally praised for their beauty and creativity, many reviewers feel that the characters themselves lack depth and meaningful growth. Despite the engaging writing and entertaining interactions, some players noted that the characters do not evolve significantly throughout the story, leaving a sense of disconnection between their designs and their development. Overall, the game's strong visual appeal and humor overshadow its shortcomings in character progression.
- “The character designs - absolutely fantastic, probably the best part of this game.”
- “Most characters have really good character development.”
- “They barely get any character development and there is no reason why they should stick around with each other.”
- “While the writing throughout the game is good, entertaining and emotionally impactful, the fixed ending felt dissonant from all the decisions and character development that led up to it.”
- “...the story and characters leave a lot to be desired personally, but at the very least I absolutely adore the character designs!”
emotional
32 mentions
94 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to create strong character connections and a mix of humor and seriousness, leading to moments of both laughter and tears. Players appreciate the heartfelt narrative and the unexpected depth, though some found it challenging to fully engage with the characters due to a dissonant ending. Overall, the game resonates emotionally, leaving a lasting impact on players despite its fun combat and some narrative shortcomings.
- “It's a heartfelt game that shows the passion of the indie dev at the heart of its core, and shows that a game isn't defined by big budgets, over-the-top graphics, or any of the buzzwords of the industry right now: it's defined by the passion of the team behind it.”
- “At times it made me want to cry and at others it made me laugh.”
- “I didn't expect anything strolling into this game, and leaving it made me feel sad, as if you finally finished your favorite anime that you would ever watch in your life.”
grinding
24 mentions
17 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
The game's grinding mechanics are polarizing; while some players appreciate the optional grinding opportunities in the black hole dimension for quick upgrades, others find it tedious and lacking in meaningful rewards. Many reviewers note that the game does not require grinding due to its scripted encounters and the absence of random battles, making it accessible for those who dislike traditional JRPG grinding. However, some players express a desire for more grinding options, especially when facing challenging enemies.
- “I assumed there was no grinding, because there are no random encounters.”
- “No grinding, as all fights are optional or scripted (even surprise ones).”
- “The grind aspect of the black hole dimension also gets really tedious really quickly.”
- “The black hole dimension felt like a waste of time after the 3rd or 4th realms of the game; the game doesn't give you enough information on what the grand prizes are, and they can just be items you already have anyway, so what's the point of grinding the black hole for items you have?”
- “One fault that I think exists in a lot of JRPGs is grinding.”
replayability
20 mentions
15 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The game offers a moderate level of replayability, primarily through its branching storylines and multiple endings influenced by player choices. While some players appreciate the opportunity to explore different builds and outcomes, others find the experience repetitive and lacking in excitement. Overall, it caters to those who enjoy replaying games for varied narratives, though not everyone is a fan of this aspect.
- “Good amount of replayability between trying different builds and different endings based on your choices.”
- “Solid replayability, and multiple endings make this otherwise quick-to-finish game one that I will likely come back and play over and over again.”
- “There's also loads of choices you are given that affect the story in one way or another, giving reason for replayability.”
- “It's replayable, yes - the major story paths diverge quite early, but it's just plain boring.”
- “Probably the only thing is that the replayability is rather small if you're going for all 3 (+1 if you do a certain sidequest) endings, but they're definitely worth it!”
- “Not much replay value except to get endings.”
atmosphere
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with players noting its quirky writing, solid world-building, and engaging character interactions that evoke feelings reminiscent of titles like "Madoka Magica" and "Undertale." Many reviewers express a deep appreciation for the immersive experience, often spending extended periods exploring the game's realms and interacting with its characters, leading to a consensus that the atmosphere is a standout feature, often rated 10/10.
- “I ended up buying and playing through the game, really enjoying the quirky writing and atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is just wow, I remember spending over an hour just talking to random people in the realms, because it just felt so amazing.”
- “The strong points of 'Virgo Versus the Zodiac' are the character design, its humor that is so entertaining, the battle system that combines inputs with timing, and the atmosphere that is reminiscent of 'Undertale'.”
- “The atmosphere is just whoa, I remember spending over an hour just talking to random people in the realms, because it just felt so darn amazing.”
- “The strong points of Virgo versus the Zodiac are the character design, its humor that is so entertaining, the battle system that combines inputs with timing, and the atmosphere it gives that is a reminiscence of Undertale.”
stability
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is marked by occasional glitches and crashes, particularly noted during critical moments like boss fights. While it runs well on low-spec machines, players suggest that addressing these issues through patches and implementing an auto-save feature could significantly enhance the experience.
- “The game runs great on any machine, as the requirements are low.”
- “I did have a couple little glitches here and there; I had the game crash during the main boss fight of chapter 2, as I was able to beat the boss before a scripted story event (I will not say who the boss is to avoid spoilers).”
- “With some patches to address glitches and the addition of an auto-save feature, this game could reach even greater heights.”
optimization
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the optimization aspect overwhelming due to the excessive variety of multi-faceted gear available, which can lead to decision paralysis rather than enhancing the gameplay experience.
- “As someone who enjoys tinkering with optimization, I was constantly challenged by the abundant stream of multi-faceted gear I was receiving.”
- “As someone who enjoys tinkering with optimization, I was constantly paralyzed by the overwhelming amount of multi-faceted gear I was receiving.”
- “As someone who enjoys tinkering with optimization, I was constantly paralyzed by the overwhelming amount of multi-faceted gear I was receiving.”