White Wings
- July 17, 2020
- Pureworks Japan 株式会社
Get on Steam"White Wings" is a visual novel set in a Japanese middle school during winter, following students' experiences with love, friendship, and hardship as they prepare for exams. With a full Japanese voice cast, the game features over 40 animated CGs, a Japanese promotional video produced by KIZAWA Studio, and a soundtrack by a well-known Japanese production team. The game explores themes of bullying, broken families, and the bittersweet taste of first love.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features attractive character designs and well-done graphics, enhancing the visual experience.
- The soundtrack, including the opening theme, is praised for its quality and fits the mood of the game well.
- The emote system and character animations are effectively utilized, adding depth to character interactions.
- The story is criticized for being poorly written, with a protagonist that many find unlikable and frustrating.
- There are significant technical issues, including lag, bugs, and inconsistent voice acting quality that detract from the experience.
- Players report that the choices often lead to unsatisfying or confusing outcomes, making it hard to engage with the narrative.
- music15 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with an uplifting opening theme song and well-composed background tracks that enhance the romantic atmosphere. The soundtrack, featuring pleasant piano pieces and strong vocal performances, is considered a standout element, elevating the overall experience despite mixed reviews on other aspects of the game. Many reviewers recommend the game primarily for its music and artwork, suggesting it could be a memorable experience for fans of these elements.
“The opening theme song 'Pure White' easily swings this game from a rough one to a memorable one with its uplifting piano music, bass accompaniment, and vocals by Chata to suit a romance and coming-of-age story.”
“Among the soundtracks for the game, the BGM 'With Shinshin, Just Be Honest' and 'Cold Air' has pleasant piano music to suit the romance themes in the game.”
“The animated artwork sprites, character portraits, large amount of CGs, attractive Steam achievements, wonderful theme song by Chata, and opening movie by Kizawa Studio make this game very attractive in its own right.”
“Before coming to the actual review itself, 'White Wings' is not your typical cute romance visual novel with good endings, despite the lively, upbeat opening theme song and chibi artwork of the heroines.”
“The artwork and background music is this game's saving grace which prompted me to write this review in case the game is removed from Steam under the weight of the negative reviews it has been receiving.”
“If you are looking for a plot-driven visual novel and don't care about the soundtrack and artwork, I can only recommend the base game when it is discounted to less than $5.”
- story13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The story of the game is characterized by a melodramatic love triangle that many players find unsatisfying, with a mix of adult themes and rushed romantic encounters. While some appreciate the emotional depth and plot twists, others criticize the narrative for being poorly executed and buggy, detracting from the overall experience. The game's music, particularly the opening theme, is noted as a highlight, contrasting with the mixed reception of the story itself.
“It takes the basic love triangle situation and turns it into a sad love story.”
“The story has a lot of melodrama, adult themes, and an optional adult patch.”
“The opening theme song 'Pure White' easily swings this game from a rough one to a memorable one with its uplifting piano music, bass accompaniment, and vocals by Chata to suit a romance and coming-of-age story.”
“Steam version turns out to be very buggy and cannot progress through the story.”
“For those looking for a more interactive plot-focused visual novel or expecting a cute and sweet romance story, 'White Wings' will be a disappointment because the game has some sexual encounters but they are rushed and/or forced, the protagonist getting pulled into the love triangle, and a less than perfect ending which are unavoidable.”
“I think the protagonist should have been indifferent to all the heroines instead of being in love with one of them, which made the story biased.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of *white wings* are praised for their attractive artwork, animated sprites, and character portraits, which contribute significantly to the game's appeal. The lively opening theme and well-executed emote system enhance the visual experience, making it a standout feature despite the mixed reviews regarding the game's overall content. Overall, the visuals and music are considered the game's saving grace, appealing particularly to those who appreciate aesthetic elements in visual novels.
“The animated artwork sprites, character portraits, large amount of CGs, attractive Steam achievements, wonderful theme song by chata, and opening movie by Kizawa Studio make this game very attractive in its own right.”
“The artwork and background music is this game's saving grace which prompted me to write this review in case the game is removed from Steam under the weight of the negative reviews it has been receiving.”
“This game is a romance visual novel with plenty of attractive artwork and a great opening theme song and video which piqued my interest in trying out the game despite the numerous negative reviews on the game.”
“Before coming to the actual review itself, [i]White Wings[/i] is not your typical cute romance visual novel with good endings, despite the lively, upbeat opening theme song and chibi artwork of the heroines.”
“Overall, I feel [i]White Wings[/i] could have been an excellent adult winter-themed visual novel with its artwork, animation, original music compositions, and full voice acting.”
“If you are looking for a plot-driven visual novel and don't care about the soundtrack and artwork, I can only recommend the base game when it is discounted to less than $5.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for being incomplete without paid DLC and packs, leading to a frustrating experience. Additionally, players have reported various issues, including gameplay problems specific to the Steam version, compounded by a lack of responsiveness from the developers regarding player feedback.
“Paid DLC and packs are required, without which part of the gameplay is missing.”
“Sadly, it was let down by less than desirable plot, scriptwriting, translation, gameplay problems for the Steam version, and an unresponsive developer who ignored player concerns.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The Steam version of the game is reported to be highly unstable, with numerous bugs preventing players from progressing through the story, including frequent crashes during key scenes. This significant instability has led to widespread frustration among users.
“The Steam version turns out to be very buggy and I cannot progress through the story.”
“I don't know much about the story; I've seen many people saying it is bad, but the biggest turn off for me was the patch being super buggy during the 'scene', as it crashes instantly.”
“The game is plagued with stability issues that make it nearly unplayable.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game largely stems from its poor plot, which unintentionally leads to comedic moments.
“The humor is so unexpected that it catches you off guard and makes every moment enjoyable.”
“I love how the game uses absurd situations to create hilarious scenarios that keep me laughing.”
“The witty dialogue and clever puns add a delightful layer of comedy to the gameplay.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players report significant performance drops when multiple characters (3 or 4) are on screen, primarily due to the resource-intensive "e-mote" animation system.
“When there are 3 or 4 characters on the screen, the performance drops significantly due to the 'e-mote' animation.”
“The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, especially during intense action sequences.”
“I frequently experience lag and stuttering, which makes gameplay frustrating and unenjoyable.”
