Women of Xal
- October 30, 2021
- PlotTwist Studios
Get on SteamA political intrigue visual novel with romanceable elements. Player decisions weigh heavy as consequences can easily lead to hurt and trouble.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features a rich and engaging narrative with a complex, branching storyline that allows for impactful choices and character development.
- The characters are well-crafted, diverse, and offer a variety of romance options, including support for polyamorous relationships.
- The worldbuilding is elaborate and thoughtfully designed, providing a unique and immersive experience that encourages exploration and engagement with its themes.
- The visual presentation is inconsistent, with multiple art styles that can detract from the overall experience, including poorly matched sprites and CGs.
- Some gameplay elements, such as pacing and voice acting, feel rushed or underdeveloped, leading to moments of confusion or lack of immersion.
- The main storyline is not fully resolved, leaving players with a sense of incompleteness and a reliance on a potential sequel for closure.
- story26 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story features a main plot that is linear, complemented by numerous branching side routes that enhance character interactions, making it more of a social/political simulation than a traditional dating sim. While the narrative is engaging with unexpected twists, some players note that it lacks a complete resolution, leaving the plot open-ended. Overall, it offers a rich experience for those who enjoy layered storytelling and character-driven narratives.
“Excellent game, lots of branching story options; I learned more about the world every time I replayed it.”
“If you're looking for an engaging story and lovable characters, look no further.”
“This game has so many layers to it... the plot twists... the stakes riding on your decisions!”
“A fair bit of warning: this visual novel is not a complete story; it doesn't just end with a sequel hook, the plot simply isn't resolved in a meaningful way.”
“The game is structured such that you have a main plot that stays the same and various side routes where you pursue characters as the plot progresses.”
“However, this is not a route-based story, and the main storyline is on rails. I do find this works, however, as the bulk of the story is your interactions with the characters, which makes sense for a social/political sim, which this is more so than a dating sim.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with some tracks being described as beautiful and capable of catching players' attention. However, many reviewers feel that the music often lacks sufficient playtime, making it difficult to fully appreciate the more notable pieces. Overall, while the music is pleasant, it tends to be unobtrusive and underutilized.
“Some of the music tracks are very pretty.”
“The music is largely unobtrusive.”
“When the music is present, it's good enough to catch my notice.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are criticized for featuring four distinct art styles that lack cohesion, with sprites, character designs, and animations not aligning well with each other. Reviewers note that the character art, particularly in dynamic poses, suffers from poor anatomy and composition, detracting from the overall visual experience.
“Look at the screenshots; there are 4 different art styles.”
“The sprites don't match the CGs, which, I'm sorry to say, are more often than not simply bad, especially if it is supposed to depict characters doing more than just standing around. It shows its weakness in anatomy and composition, and neither matches the animations, which in itself also has multiple different art styles.”
“Look at the screenshots; there are four different art styles.”
“The sprites don't match the CGs, which, I'm sorry to say, are more often than not simply bad, especially if it is supposed to depict characters doing more than just standing around. It shows its weakness in anatomy and composition, and neither matches the animations, which in itself also has multiple different art styles.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay is heavily influenced by the player's understanding of the game's universe mechanics, which are not always clearly explained and may require engaging with optional worldbuilding lessons to fully appreciate key scenes and revelations.
“Some major scenes or revelations rely on your understanding of the mechanics of the universe, which you may not know if you didn't take the optional worldbuilding lessons.”
“Some major scenes or revelations rely on you understanding the mechanics of the universe, which you may not know if you didn't take the optional worldbuilding lessons.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively delivers emotional gut punches and addresses heavy topics with sensitivity and respect, leaving a lasting impact on players.
“It delivers the occasional emotional gut punch and deals with some heavy topics in a good and respectful way.”
