YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world
- October 1, 2019
- MAGES. Inc.
Get on Steam"Yu-No: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World" is a narrative-driven game that follows Takuya Arima, a high school student who discovers a device that allows him to travel between parallel worlds. Using this Reflector Device, Takuya investigates his father's legacy and uncovers a calamity threatening reality itself. The game features a unique mechanic to explore different timelines and collect items, aiming to solve mysteries and find a hidden world.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- The game features a complex and engaging story that intertwines multiple timelines and character routes, providing a rich narrative experience.
- The visual modernization and updated art style enhance the game's appeal to contemporary audiences, while the soundtrack remains exceptional.
- The game is recognized as a pioneering title in the visual novel genre, influencing many subsequent works and offering unique gameplay mechanics like the Reflector device.
- The writing suffers from poor translation and character decisions that often feel contrived or illogical, detracting from the overall experience.
- Many players find the pacing slow and the gameplay mechanics tedious, particularly the need for excessive clicking to progress the story.
- The removal of explicit content and certain character elements in the remake has disappointed fans of the original, leading to a perception that the remake lacks the depth and charm of its predecessor.
- story84 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story is a complex and ambitious narrative that weaves through multiple timelines and character routes, offering intriguing mysteries and plot twists. However, it suffers from inconsistent writing, particularly in the latter third, where it feels rushed and leaves many threads unresolved. While the game has a rich narrative foundation, some players find its reliance on certain themes and character decisions problematic, detracting from the overall experience.
“The story weaving across all the timelines is really well done, and I think it's definitely worth playing if you're a fan of story-rich visual novels.”
“Discovering the mysteries of Sakaimachi is one of the most exciting parts of the story, and it had me hooked.”
“Not only is the story fantastic, but the music is incredible as well.”
“The first two-thirds build up some enticing mysteries and made me wonder about who certain characters really were and their motivations, but the story jumps the shark in the last third, and only barely ekes out an acceptable-at-best ending.”
“However, the plot is rewritten in several places when it makes them worse, and is no longer supported by the game art.”
“The plot isn't awful but it does not come together in a satisfying way, and leaves many details unexplained.”
- music26 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many praising its emotional synergy with the narrative and character moments, thanks to the collaboration between composer Ryu Umemoto and designer Hiroyuki Kanno. Players appreciate the option to toggle between the remade soundtrack and the original PC-98 score, with many expressing a preference for the latter. Overall, the soundtrack is described as high-quality and fitting, enhancing the game's atmosphere and emotional depth.
“The composer (and math prodigy) Ryu Umemoto worked closely with designer Hiroyuki Kanno to create music that synergizes super well with emotional character moments.”
“Not only is the story fantastic, but the music is incredible as well.”
“When it was tense, the music was tense and when it was heartwarming so was the music.”
“Out of the three, the only part that mostly didn't suffer was the soundtrack due to the fact we can simply choose to use the original one, even if compression makes its notes quite a bit duller.”
“Music / voice acting: the music is not particularly revolutionary by today's standards but it is quite pleasant.”
“The music was solid but that was it.”
- gameplay25 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily centered around point-and-click mechanics and character dialogue, typical of visual novels, but it incorporates unique elements like time travel and worldline navigation that enhance interactivity. However, many players find the repetitive clicking and tedious mechanics frustrating, particularly during the true route, which can detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the innovative narrative structure and replay value, others criticize outdated design choices that hinder enjoyment.
“The gameplay of this game is composed of two core mechanics: clicking on elements in the environment to find information, and reading through character dialogue.”
“All of this comes together to produce what feels like meaningful gameplay, where you're keeping track of things you need on one worldline as you traverse another, and jumping between them once you've gotten an item.”
“The gameplay feels significantly unique, and the way the story is doled out over various worldlines is intriguing.”
“Later games in this genre are much better with this mechanic, but Yu-No is so insufferable with it that there were many times where I had to turn the skip feature on and spam-click things in order to make it through the tedium of activating the tenth-time-rock-click trigger for game progression.”
“Be warned that this mechanic doesn't gate progression too often during the main game, but during the true route (which is about a third of the game length), you have to do a tenth-time-rock-click trigger once every several minutes, and very often you have to do them in succession.”
“The gameplay is tedious and frustrating since it is packed with loads of unnecessary forced user interaction.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the remake of "yu-no" have received mixed reviews, with some praising the updated art style as beautiful, while others lament the loss of the original's nostalgic aesthetic and the removal of certain content. Fans of the original may find the new art style generic and prefer the classic graphics, highlighting a subjective divide in visual preferences. Overall, the remake successfully recreates characters and scenes, but opinions vary widely based on individual tastes and familiarity with the original.
“The art style did change and this might annoy people that played the 1995 version first, but to me, who didn't know about that version, I really appreciate the current art style, which is beautiful.”
“Graphics: I'm torn.”
“I wish there was an option to use the original graphics, but the remake does pretty well recreating all the characters and scenes; the music is awesome, the gameplay has a lot of replay value, and the characters - while not super original - are okay for what they are, which is bringing the story together.”
“That being said, many will recommend the original version with fan translations due to this remake's new generic art style, removal of h-scenes, and poor localization on Spike Chunsoft's part.”
“The art style is pretty standard.”
“I wish there was an option to use the original graphics but the remake does pretty well recreating all the characters and scenes.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the collaboration between composer Ryu Umemoto and designer Hiroyuki Kanno, whose music enhances key character moments and emotional tension throughout the narrative. While the main character, Takuya, is portrayed with a relatable humanity, the game's ending is noted for its unique resolution of plot threads that leaves emotional arcs unresolved, creating a complex emotional experience. Overall, the game's ability to evoke feelings through music and character depth stands out, despite some criticisms of the story's latter parts.
“The composer Ryu Umemoto worked closely with designer Hiroyuki Kanno to create music that synergizes beautifully with emotional character moments.”
“Takuya was still one of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever seen. I like how 'humane' he was; the writer never tried to make a hero of him. He was pathetic, stubborn, and too emotional, yet he tried his best and risked everything for his loved one, knowing his limitations and when he needed to depend on others.”
“When it was tense, the music was tense, and when it was heartwarming, so was the music.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mixed bag, with some players finding the meandering dialogue and random comedic elements reminiscent of older styles, while others appreciate the cleverness and charm of certain characters like Eriko. However, the overall comedic effect seems inconsistent, with some parts feeling forced or overly convoluted, particularly in the latter stages of the story.
“The main story is alright, but most of the last 10 hours is like a fanfiction that was glued on to the main story, where the author tried jamming a billion new things into the story to create a hilarious mixed bag of clever things and insultingly dumb things.”
“I enjoyed playing around with the map in the main story, and was in absolute amazement watching that hilarious true ending unfold.”
“Eriko was a funny character overall and mysterious here and there.”
- character development4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a stark contrast in character development, with the main character Takuya receiving criticism for lacking growth throughout the game, leading to player dissatisfaction. In contrast, supporting characters in "Yu-No" are praised for their likability and well-executed development, enhancing the overall narrative experience.
“The characters in Yu-No were very likable and they had great character development.”
“I wouldn't have disliked it as much if Takuya, the main character, had any character development, but he did not.”
“[spoiler] Takuya, which is the main character that we're stuck with throughout the whole game, never (this is important) had any character development.”
“Regarding character design, I didn't mind most of the new models, but Yuuki was the biggest no-go because he looks too 'girly'.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, particularly through its epilogue, which provides a distinct experience after collecting all 10 jewels. While some players desire an option for original graphics, the remake effectively captures the essence of the characters and scenes, complemented by engaging music and gameplay that encourages multiple playthroughs.
“Once you get all 10 jewels, you are transported to the epilogue, which is another lengthy playthrough in itself. It's quite a different experience from the main game, so this game definitely has a lot of replay value.”
“Once you get all 10 jewels, you are transported to the epilogue, which is another lengthy playthrough in itself. However, it's quite a different experience from the main game, so this game definitely has a lot of replay value.”
“I wish there was an option to use the original graphics, but the remake does a good job recreating all the characters and scenes. The music is awesome, and the gameplay has a lot of replay value. The characters, while not super original, serve their purpose in bringing the story together.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is a standout feature, enhanced by its compelling plot, stunning art, and an exceptional soundtrack that collectively create an immersive experience.
“The main selling point of the game is its plot, art, and atmosphere (including a godly soundtrack) working together.”
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the world and making every moment feel significant.”
“The combination of stunning visuals and haunting music creates an unforgettable atmosphere that lingers long after you finish playing.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, citing excessive and unnecessary forced interactions that detract from the overall experience.
“The gameplay is tedious and frustrating since it is packed with loads of unnecessary forced user interaction.”
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged, turning what could be an exciting adventure into a monotonous task.”
