Noctuary
Last updated: 2026-02-14
- Outstanding story and narrative experience.
- Excellent art and music enhancement.
- Enjoyable and well-developed character arcs.
- Criticisms of the combat system mechanics.
- Pacing issues between combat and narrative.
- Technical and design flaws present.
Emotions
Players experience joy primarily due to the game's beautiful art style, evocative music, and engaging storyline. The character relationships, varied combat styles, and well-crafted plot with thematic exploration also contribute significantly to this positive emotion.
Frustration stems from challenging combat scenarios, poor combat and level design, and a lack of invincibility frames. Additionally, the immersion is hindered by internet terms, subculture jokes, and the absence of a skip button for dialogues.
Disappointment arises from an unsatisfying ending, lack of emotional impact, and unresolved foreshadowing. Players also feel let down by the combat system, character relationships, and the pacing of the story.
Players admire the game's plot, art, music, and gameplay mechanics. The high-quality visuals, narrative, and character development are also highly praised.
Sadness is evoked by the emotional themes, character struggles, and impactful character deaths in the story. The bittersweet endings and themes of sacrifice and loss also contribute to this emotion.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 91% · Negative 9%. Score: 9 / 100
Verdict
Needs Improvement in Instructional Data
Summary
The primary user complaints revolve around the complexity of the game mechanics and the need for additional instructional data to fully understand and progress through the game. The game's extensive content and multiple endings require players to seek external resources to grasp the full experience. Score: 50 / 100
Top points
- Complex Mechanics - High
- Instructional Data - Medium
Verdict
Tinkering Required
Summary
The game has received mixed feedback regarding its performance on the Steam Deck. While it is praised for its stability and lack of crashes, there are significant issues with text readability and gameplay experience. The game runs smoothly and has good battery performance, but the small text and overwhelming visual effects detract from the overall experience. Score: 40 / 100
Top points
- Performance and Stability - Positive
- Text Readability - High
- Gameplay Experience - Medium
- Battery Performance - Positive
Positives:
- The game's story is highly praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and engaging twists. It combines serious themes with light-hearted moments, creating a balanced and immersive narrative experience.
- The game features beautiful and detailed artwork, including character designs, CGs, and backgrounds. The music is also highly praised for its quality and how well it complements the story and atmosphere.
- The characters in the game are well-designed with distinct personalities and motivations. Their interactions and development are a significant part of the game's appeal.
- The gameplay is fun and engaging, with enjoyable combat segments that serve the story well. The game provides a good overall experience with its gameplay mechanics.
- The game's world-building is detailed and coherent, creating a rich and immersive environment that enhances the overall gaming experience.
Negatives:
- The combat system is widely criticized for being lackluster, poorly executed, and frustrating. Many players find the combat controls stiff and the overall experience tedious, detracting from the game's enjoyment.
- The game's emotional depth and narrative are found lacking, with many players unable to resonate with the themes or characters. Some story elements feel forced or unnecessary, and the emotional payoff is often insufficient.
- The game suffers from a significant disconnect between its fast-paced combat and slow-paced narrative sections. Players find the transition between these two elements jarring, with excessive side quests and lengthy text readings disrupting the flow and immersion of the main story.
- The game has several technical and design issues, including poor character modeling, unclear role identification during combat, and repetitive gameplay elements. These flaws contribute to a less enjoyable gaming experience.
- The game's localization, particularly in English, has been criticized for being awkward and sometimes incomprehensible. Additionally, the voice acting, especially in Chinese, has been noted as subpar and in need of improvement.
Gameplay:
- The game features a unique combat system where players control two main characters, each with three distinct combat styles. The combat is real-time and can be customized with different abilities and difficulty settings.
- Players can adjust the difficulty of the game on the fly, allowing for a customized gaming experience that caters to different skill levels.
- The game is set in a dark world where light-bearers called 'ć äœż' live in lighthouses and fight against dark creatures. The story explores themes of light and darkness, with a deep lore and character development.
- The game combines visual novel elements with combat gameplay, creating a unique blend of storytelling and action. The combat sections are integrated into the narrative, enhancing the overall experience.
- The combat system receives mixed reviews. Some players find it decent and well-made, while others criticize it as lackluster and poorly executed, feeling it detracts from the overall experience.
Performance:
- Several players have reported performance issues, particularly during battles, indicating that the game suffers from optimization problems. This includes high performance overhead and insufficient optimization in combat sections.
- The developers are noted for continuously updating the game with performance improvements and quality-of-life changes, which has resulted in smoother gameplay and better battery performance on platforms like the Steam Deck.
- There is a specific bug where achievements are not unlocked if players skip dialogues. This issue has been highlighted by multiple players.
- The game has been criticized for its slow loading speed, which affects the overall gaming experience.
- Some players have reported encountering minor bugs, though these reports lack specific details.
Recommendations:
- The game is frequently praised for its exceptional artwork and engaging storyline. Many players highlight the unique plot and recommend it to fans of visual novels and story-driven games.
- The game is highly recommended for fans of visual novels, particularly those who enjoy deep storytelling and beautiful art. It is suggested for players who appreciate narrative depth and symbolic elements.
- The game is recommended for players with specific preferences, such as those who enjoy long stories, challenging combat, and immersive storytelling. It is also suggested for players who liked previous games by the developer.
- The game is praised for its emotional journey and immersive storytelling. Players appreciate the heartfelt writing and the world-building that makes the game's narrative compelling.
- Several reviews mention that the game is worth playing despite some minor flaws and translation issues. Players find the overall experience enjoyable and recommend it.
Miscellaneous:
- The game offers a free DLC update that includes Japanese voice acting. This adds value to the game and caters to fans of Japanese voice acting.
- The game includes a small scenario that fans of another game by the same developer will appreciate. This is a specific detail that caters to a niche audience.
- The game includes support for Cantonese language, indicated by 'çČ€é '. This caters to Cantonese-speaking players.
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