When Our Journey Ends - A Visual Novel | Game Brain

When Our Journey Ends - A Visual Novel Game Cover

About

Follow Mariko as she boards a train to a completely different world - A world of unbelievable beings and happenings.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

When Our Journey Ends - A Visual Novel screenshot

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

story11 positive mentions

gameplay1 negative mentions

The game features beautiful artwork and calming music, reminiscent of Studio Ghibli's style.
Voice acting is well done, enhancing the overall experience of the visual novel.
The story, while short, is engaging and offers a unique premise that many players found charming.

The game is very short and linear, with limited choices that do not significantly impact the story.
Many players reported broken Steam achievements and technical issues, such as the auto mode not functioning properly.
The writing lacks depth and polish, with awkward grammar and a simplistic narrative that leaves players wanting more.

story
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
69%
8%
The story of the game is generally perceived as charming but notably short and linear, lacking depth in character exploration and meaningful choices. While the main narrative is simple and straightforward, it is supplemented by additional content that enhances the experience, though many feel it still falls short of its potential. Overall, the writing and character development are seen as areas needing improvement, with suggestions for a remake to better engage players with the story.
- “The story is quite unique and very well put.”
- “It tells a fairytale story of a lonely railway station and its only passenger, a girl who would graduate from high school and move to big cities.”
- “Although short, it has beautiful background art and interesting characters, along with a calm soundtrack and well-done voice acting that sets the mood for the story.”
- “The story is rather linear, with two endings that are, to be honest, not too different from each other; plus some extra content after completion.”
- “The characters and the story lack depth.”
- “The story itself is fine, but the writing style is awkward and circuitous.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and beautiful quality, drawing strong comparisons to the scores of Studio Ghibli films, particularly "Spirited Away." Reviewers appreciate the melodic tunes that enhance the atmosphere and storytelling, although some feel that certain scenes could have benefited from additional musical accompaniment. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's emotional tone and immersive experience.
- “I like the music and art; it was pretty and calming.”
- “The quality of the music production is really good!”
- “I feel for one or two of the tracks it gets a bit too close to the soundtrack of 'Spirited Away' to be just inspiration.”
- “I do feel that there should have been music in the final emotional scene (you will know what I mean when you get there).”
- “The music was also peaceful and very relaxing.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
50%
The graphics are praised for their beautiful artwork, charming character designs, and appealing background art, contributing to an overall lovely aesthetic. However, some reviewers note a lack of depth in the visuals, suggesting that while the art style is strong, it could benefit from more complexity.
- “The good: good artwork, background and illustrations.”
- “Fantastic artwork and some well done voice acting. I especially like Hachiko's voice and a story that I certainly enjoyed 'reading' along with very lovely music.”
- “The art style is beautiful and full voice acting, but it's really missing depth.”
- “The background art style feels outdated and lacks the detail expected from modern games.”
- “While the character models are decent, the overall graphics are inconsistent and often look bland.”
- “The environments are poorly designed, making the game feel visually unappealing.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"When Our Journey Ends" is a short visual novel that delivers a touching and heartwarming experience, though it is marred by several issues. Reviewers suggest that the emotional impact could have been enhanced with music during the final scene, which is pivotal to the story's emotional resonance.
- “If you enjoy heartwarming tales, this is for you.”
- “I do feel that there should have been music in the final emotional scene (you will know what I mean when you get there).”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay in this visual novel is characterized by limited interactivity, with choices that have minimal impact on the overall experience, leading to a sense of linearity in the gameplay duration.
- “While visual novels are not known for interactivity, the choices in this one are very limited and basically have no influence on your gameplay.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the inclusion of six short "after stories" that feel unnecessary. Additionally, issues with grammar in the English text contribute to a sense of frustration and make the overall experience feel laborious.
- “It also has six short 'after stories' that, while cute, felt unneeded and somewhat tedious.”
- “I am all for creative writers taking license with language, but the grammar used in the English text was often ungainly and made the story feel tedious.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Character development is enhanced by traditional Japanese character designs and visually stunning watercolor illustrations, which draw inspiration from Japanese folklore, adding depth and cultural richness to the characters.
- “It sports gorgeous watercolor-styled illustrations and animated backgrounds, along with some interesting character designs inspired by Japanese folklore.”
- “The character development is rich and engaging, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
- “The game features a diverse cast, each with unique backstories and growth arcs that make the journey feel personal and immersive.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
- “The characters seem to follow stereotypes rather than having unique personalities or growth throughout the game.”