August 11th, 2009
Visual Novel Review #1 Red Shift
A while back I downloaded a freeware visual novel called Red Shift from insani.org. I haven't played any other visual novels so I thought I'd give it a try. Now I've decided to write out my thoughts on the game, almost completely spoiler free.
First off, its a kinetic novel, so there aren't any decisions that need to be made, which I found most disappointing. I thought of at least three places where there could have been some interesting choices for the player to make, however, I don't blame the writer for this because creating choices means making more story line which really ups the development time. So there's no harm done there.
STORY
As far as the story, I couldn't have asked for more. The setting is engaging, but not over the top. Its not a totally overhauled fantasy world, but there is quite clearly a level of magic to it. As far as plot, the first half is pretty simple, and the ending is slightly confusing and under explained, but its not really something worth complaining about because its such a great finish.
CHARACTERS
The characters are relatively complex and interesting. There are very few of them (about 4 in total, 5 if you count the cat) and each receives a decent amount of attention from the writer. The protagonist is particularly interesting, especially in his ability to make great sacrifice out of sheer humanity. If this were a love story, I would have said differently, because the concept of a lover going to great lengths for a girl is a concept that has been thoroughly explored, but this is something completely different.
ART
As far as the art work goes, character images and backdrops are reused quite a bit and after playing a few more freeware visual novels, I have found this to be pretty common place. So there's no shame in it. I didn't find it hindering my experience, but it certainly didn't make it any more exciting. No matter how you look at it, you can't deny that the characters are well drawn. The backdrops were pretty nice too, especially those that showcased the sky. Overall, very easy on the eyes, but slightly repetitive.
MUSIC
Nothing particularly noteworthy in my opinion. It serves its purpose to heighten the drama. However, it is not memorable. The tunes are pretty repetitive, but it never really bothered me.
OVERALL
As far as visual novels go I found this one to be short yet engaging. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get into visual novels, but doesn't know where to start. (its difficult to tackle something like Kanon or Air without having some starting experience) If you're a vet, I'd recommend it just as a snack to hold you over until your next purchase.
Well that's it. No idea what or when I'll be reviewing next. Stay tuned, and tell me if this was at all helpful or enjoyable.
Thanks,
dode1000
First off, its a kinetic novel, so there aren't any decisions that need to be made, which I found most disappointing. I thought of at least three places where there could have been some interesting choices for the player to make, however, I don't blame the writer for this because creating choices means making more story line which really ups the development time. So there's no harm done there.
STORY
As far as the story, I couldn't have asked for more. The setting is engaging, but not over the top. Its not a totally overhauled fantasy world, but there is quite clearly a level of magic to it. As far as plot, the first half is pretty simple, and the ending is slightly confusing and under explained, but its not really something worth complaining about because its such a great finish.
CHARACTERS
The characters are relatively complex and interesting. There are very few of them (about 4 in total, 5 if you count the cat) and each receives a decent amount of attention from the writer. The protagonist is particularly interesting, especially in his ability to make great sacrifice out of sheer humanity. If this were a love story, I would have said differently, because the concept of a lover going to great lengths for a girl is a concept that has been thoroughly explored, but this is something completely different.
ART
As far as the art work goes, character images and backdrops are reused quite a bit and after playing a few more freeware visual novels, I have found this to be pretty common place. So there's no shame in it. I didn't find it hindering my experience, but it certainly didn't make it any more exciting. No matter how you look at it, you can't deny that the characters are well drawn. The backdrops were pretty nice too, especially those that showcased the sky. Overall, very easy on the eyes, but slightly repetitive.
MUSIC
Nothing particularly noteworthy in my opinion. It serves its purpose to heighten the drama. However, it is not memorable. The tunes are pretty repetitive, but it never really bothered me.
OVERALL
As far as visual novels go I found this one to be short yet engaging. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get into visual novels, but doesn't know where to start. (its difficult to tackle something like Kanon or Air without having some starting experience) If you're a vet, I'd recommend it just as a snack to hold you over until your next purchase.
Well that's it. No idea what or when I'll be reviewing next. Stay tuned, and tell me if this was at all helpful or enjoyable.
Thanks,
dode1000
Posted by dodex1000 | Aug 11, 2009 12:07 PM | 0 comments