Info about Stellar Code:

Official game description:
**This game description was generated with AI. The game does not have English support. However, We would like to support English in the future.**
Thank you for your understanding, and please stay tuned for further announcements.
Introduction
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_Stellar Code_ is the next-generation sci-fi mystery brought to you by the creators of _The Witch of Ihanashi_, a doujin visual novel that sold over 30,000 copies.
Overview
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Prepare to unravel an **extraordinary mystery**.
While _Stellar Code_ is a mystery visual novel, it deviates from traditional formats—there’s no need to identify culprits or decode intricate tricks.  
Instead, the mystery you must solve is a **cosmic enigma** rooted in the wonders of space and theoretical physics.
No Prior Knowledge Required
---------------------------
You don’t need a background in science to enjoy this story.  
The keys to solving the mystery will be revealed as you progress through the narrative.  
All you need to do is question the unknown alongside the characters and immerse yourself in the unfolding story.
A Visual Novel Experience
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As a visual novel, the primary focus is on **following the story** and uncovering its secrets.

Release date: Aug 15, 2025

Categories: Visual Novel, Mystery, Puzzle Solving, Sci-fi, Single-player Story, Linear Progression, Investigation, Collectibles

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 60; verdict: Broken but partially playable with tinkering; summary: The game has a critical crash bug at the end credits causing black screens or desktop returns, preventing achievement unlocks. It lacks proper controller support, requiring touchscreen or mouse navigation. Some users report a comfortable experience after adjusting resolution, but the core stability issue remains unresolved for many.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: Reviews show mixed opinions on the original price: some find it justified for the quality and experience, while others note it is slightly high relative to the short playtime and lack of voice acting. A specific review suggests $25 as a fair price, and discount purchases are considered excellent value. Thus, the community likely considers a reasonable base-game price range between $15 (discount perceived as super value) and $25 (mentioned as fair).
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 6.0h
  - Story completion: 6.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews consistently report total playtime for the main story between 5 and 7 hours, with specific mentions of 5, 6, and 7 hours. These directly support game completion and story completion metrics as the game is linear with no branching paths. No reliable evidence for single session length or post-game content is found, as reviews either describe playing through in one sitting without giving exact hours, or mention achievements without quantifying dedicated endgame time.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players consistently report enjoying the game from the start, with no mention of early friction or a later improvement point. The story, characters, and presentation are engaging throughout.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: N/A
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Preference for classic novel game styles; Interest in SF and space depiction
- Player Archetypes:
  - Sci-Fi Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Explore a well-crafted sci-fi mystery about aliens and space
    - Playstyle: Engages with the story and puzzles as a means to uncover the sci-fi narrative
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: SF好き; 宇宙ファン
    - Reference games: Steins;Gate; Three-Body Problem
  - Visual Novel Lover (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoy a complete, beautifully told story with charming characters
    - Playstyle: Reads carefully, appreciates pacing and character interactions, treats puzzles as light additions
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: ノベルゲー好き; ストーリー重視
    - Reference games: The Witch's Testament (Fragaria's previous work); Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague (Hyouka)
  - STEM-Focused Player (buy)
    - Motivation: Apply real-world science knowledge while enjoying a fictional story
    - Playstyle: Pays close attention to technical dialogue and puzzle logic, appreciates the meta-element of looking up real terms
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: 理工科; 科研狗; 天线专业毕业生
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Hint system praised (weight 0.42): Players appreciate the comprehensive hint system that provides step-by-step guidance and answer viewing options. This feature makes puzzles accessible to various skill levels.
- Cute art style (weight 0.26): The art style is consistently praised for being cute, fresh, clean, and comfortable, with expressive character sprites. The hand-drawn aesthetic is particularly appreciated.
- Tight well-rounded story (weight 0.21): The story is praised for being tight, well-rounded, well-paced, complete, and compelling, with good pacing and cohesive narrative.
- Well-balanced puzzle difficulty (weight 0.18): Puzzles are considered well-balanced with appropriate difficulty that stimulates curiosity. The difficulty is enjoyable and refreshing for players.
- Fun puzzle solving experience (weight 0.16): Players find puzzle solving to be logical, interesting, and fun, often accompanied by satisfying 'aha' moments. The process of clicking and interacting with document parts is engaging.
- Expectation for sequel (weight 0.16): Many players express strong anticipation for a sequel or next installment, indicating high satisfaction and desire for more content.
- Cute character Momo-chan (weight 0.16): The character Momo-chan is frequently mentioned as cute and memorable, serving as a healing element in the game. Characters Hitomi and Momo are both noted as very cute.
- Satisfying ending noted (weight 0.13): The ending is described as satisfying, meaningful, clean, and providing a satisfying catharsis. Players appreciate the closure.
- Charming characters overall (weight 0.13): Characters are considered charming and distinctive, including minor ones, with very appealing designs that enhance the game.
- Good sci-fi visual novel (weight 0.13): The game is recognized as a good sci-fi visual novel with well-paced puzzles, hardcore mystery elements, and an interesting sci-fi twist.
- Dense content despite length (weight 0.11): Despite shorter length, the content is dense, interesting, compact, and satisfying, offering a fulfilling experience.
- Recommended for space lovers (weight 0.11): The game is specifically recommended for people who love space and science, and it is considered irresistible for space enthusiasts.
- Educational space information (weight 0.11): Players learned interesting space-related trivia and scientific explanations, making the game educational even for those without prior knowledge.
- Engaging mystery element (weight 0.11): The mystery is engaging and intriguing, maintaining curiosity for the ending and providing a satisfying 'so that's what it was' feeling.
- Comparable to Steins;Gate (weight 0.11): Players draw comparisons to Steins;Gate and Anonymous Code, noting the immersive and reminiscent experience, though less disturbing.

Common complaints:
- Shallow character development (weight 0.37): Players felt characters lacked depth, with weak development and thin relationships, particularly for side characters and the sibling bond. This was a frequent criticism across many reviews.
- Insufficient romance and relationships (weight 0.31): The romance lines were described as weak, rushed, and unsatisfying, with insufficient development between the protagonist and heroine. Players wanted more emotional buildup and romantic moments.
- Voice acting absence (weight 0.23): Multiple reviews noted the complete lack of voice acting, which reduces immersion and the game's appeal. This absence is especially felt when compared to previous titles that included voice dubbing.
- Worse than previous games (weight 0.18): Many reviewers compared the game unfavorably to its predecessor, noting less character depth, weaker personalities, and reduced overall volume. This series context amplified disappointment.
- Rushed and abrupt pacing (weight 0.15): The later parts of the story feel rushed and deflating, with abrupt transitions and shaky logic. This pacing issue undermined the narrative coherence.
- Linear story, no choices (weight 0.12): The story is completely linear with no branching choices or player agency, which severely limits replayability. This design choice frustrated players expecting more interactive elements.
- High price for short content (weight 0.12): The game is considered overpriced given its 5-6 hour length and absence of voice acting, leading to poor value perception. This was a common concern among purchasers.
- Unsatisfying conclusion (weight 0.09): The ending and epilogue were described as weak, anticlimactic, and frustrating, leaving players disappointed. This negative impression impacted the overall experience.
- Short overall volume (weight 0.09): The game's volume is notably shorter than the previous work, and some players felt the content was insufficient. This brevity left fans wanting more substantial gameplay.

Gameplay feedback:
- Visual novel genre core (weight 0.62): Game is primarily a visual novel with heavy focus on reading, story, and minimal interaction. Players engage with mystery, deduction, and puzzle-like reasoning mechanics within a strongly narrative-driven framework.
- Puzzle solving mechanics (weight 0.61): Puzzle solving is a core gameplay activity, involving deduction, knowledge application, and experimental elements. Puzzles often require careful reading and analysis of in-game data.
- Science fiction themes present (weight 0.54): Game is consistently described as a science fiction visual novel with space, alien, and cosmic mystery elements. The SF theme is integral to both story and puzzle design.
- Hint and answer system (weight 0.4): Game includes a robust hint and answer system that allows players to see solutions for challenging puzzles. This reduces frustration for those stuck on scientific or complex problems.
- No voice acting (weight 0.34): Game lacks voice acting, which is a common trait for budget or indie visual novels. This may affect immersion for some players.
- Scientific knowledge required (weight 0.19): Many puzzles require real-world scientific knowledge from fields like physics, astronomy, and astrophysics. Players must read specialized in-game documents and apply that knowledge.
- Short playtime length (weight 0.09): Game is a short experience, typically completed in 5-7 hours. This indicates a compact, focused narrative with limited content.
- Multi-perspective narrative (weight 0.08): Story is told from multiple character perspectives within a linear structure, offering different viewpoints on the same events. This adds depth without branching paths.
- Linear story without branching (weight 0.08): Game follows a fixed linear story with no branching choices. Player agency is limited to puzzle solving rather than narrative decisions.

Performance notes:
- Ending credits black screen crash (weight 0.12): Multiple players report a black screen freeze after the ending credits, which also prevents achievements from triggering. This appears to be a persistent bug affecting game completion.
- Steam Deck runs well (weight 0.06): Players report that the game runs comfortably and fine on the Steam Deck, indicating good performance on the handheld device.
- Standard fixes ineffective (weight 0.03): One player tried restarting the PC, verifying file integrity, and redownloading the game but none of these steps resolved their issue, suggesting a deeper technical problem.
- Ending cutscene crash fixed (weight 0.03): A player notes that a crash during the ending cutscene was resolved in Version 1.1, indicating the developer addressed this specific bug.
- Gray screen freeze on launch (weight 0.03): One player reports that the game freezes on a gray screen when launching, preventing them from playing the game.
- Game engine UI is poor (weight 0.03): A player criticizes the game's engine UI as poorly designed, making it difficult to gather information during gameplay.
- Resolution needs manual fix (weight 0.03): One player encountered a resolution issue on the Steam Deck that required manually setting the resolution to 1280x720 to fix, suggesting a lack of automatic detection.

Recommendations:
- Great for visual novel fans (weight 0.19): Many reviewers recommend the game specifically for visual novel enthusiasts. The narrative-driven format appeals strongly to this audience.
- Recommended for sci-fi fans (weight 0.17): A large number of reviews target science fiction fans as the ideal audience. The game's story and themes resonate well with SF enthusiasts.
- Appeals to space and science fans (weight 0.14): Reviewers frequently recommend the game to those interested in space, physics, and science topics. The game incorporates scientific concepts satisfyingly.
- Science and engineering backgrounds (weight 0.11): Several reviews recommend the game to players with a science-oriented or engineering mindset. It caters well to analytical and technical audiences.
- Play prequel first (weight 0.11): Some reviewers advise playing the prequel to fully appreciate the story. Prior knowledge enhances the experience of this game.
- Reminds of Steins;Gate (weight 0.09): Fans of Steins;Gate and similar science adventure games will find this game appealing. It shares thematic and narrative qualities with that title.
- Demo recommended for unsure players (weight 0.09): Multiple reviewers suggest trying the demo first if you are uncertain about purchasing. It helps players gauge their interest before committing.
- Fun and generally recommended (weight 0.06): Some reviews give a straightforward recommendation, explicitly stating the game is enjoyable. It is positively regarded by those who played it.
- Wonder and mystery of space (weight 0.06): The game evokes a sense of wonder about space and unknown phenomena. It is recommended for those who enjoy exploring the unknown.
- Puzzles tough for non-science players (weight 0.06): The puzzle sections can be challenging for players without a science background. However, puzzle lovers and science-tolerant players may still enjoy it.

Other player notes:
- Maomao extra story wanted (weight 0.04): Players express a desire for an additional story focused on the character Maomao, suggesting interest in expanding the narrative beyond the main content.
- Anime adaptation desired (weight 0.04): Feedback includes a request for an anime adaptation of the game, indicating that some players feel the story would benefit from being experienced in animated form.
- Merchandise wish for T-shirt (weight 0.03): A player expresses interest in purchasing merchandise such as a black hole-themed T-shirt and badge, suggesting a desire for physical collectibles related to the game.
- Achievement unlock timing noted (weight 0.03): One player reported unlocking achievements after approximately 5.8 hours of gameplay, providing a data point for typical completion or progression pacing.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.16): Players feel satisfied primarily due to the well-crafted narrative, effective pacing, and rewarding puzzle-solving that integrates scientific knowledge. The clean ending and emotional depth, such as the bittersweet story, further enhance this positive feeling. Overall, the game delivers a dense, engaging experience that meets or exceeds expectations.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Disappointment stems from several key issues including the lack of voice acting, insufficient character development, and a shorter volume compared to the predecessor. Many players also found the romance underdeveloped and the story predictable or rushed, with weak character relationships and an unfulfilling ending. These factors collectively detract from the overall experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.11): Excitement is generated by the tightly plotted, high-information-density narrative that keeps players on the edge of their seat. The gradual revelation of puzzles and mysteries, combined with thrilling plot twists and a grand space theme, creates an addictive and heart-pounding experience. Many players reported being unable to stop reading, often staying up late to finish the game.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players found the game enjoyable due to the engaging blend of science fiction, mystery, and well-paced puzzle-solving. The accessible explanations and charming characters contribute to a stress-free and rewarding reading experience. Even those without a science background appreciated the game's ability to make complex topics interesting and fun.
- Frustration (weight 0.07): Frustration arises from technical issues such as bugs and save data loss, as well as design problems like overly complex jargon and repetitive puzzles. The lack of meaningful choices and weak character development also led to dissatisfaction. Some players cited high difficulty, poor UI, and a perceived unfair pricing as additional sources of frustration.
- Anticipation (weight 0.06): Anticipation is driven by strong desires for additional content, including voice acting, sequels, and extra story routes. Players are eager to see more from the developer, Fragaria, especially given the high quality and potential seen in this title. The hope for future updates and expansions to address lingering mysteries and character depth is a common sentiment.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): Admiration is expressed for the game's beautiful writing, fast-paced progression, and well-crafted narrative with multiple misleads. The art style and natural character dialogue receive particular praise, as do the game's thematic depth and the developer's polished improvement. Players appreciate the fresh approach in a market of similar-looking visual novels.
- Curiosity (weight 0.03): Curiosity is sparked by the hard sci-fi content that encourages players to research real-world topics like space science. The puzzles, which use authentic knowledge, prompt further exploration and intellectual stimulation. The mysterious story and unresolved character fates keep players engaged and eager to learn more.
- Affection (weight 0.02): Affection is directed toward the charming characters, particularly Momo-chan, whose cuteness and design are frequently highlighted. The side characters are also well-liked, contributing to a warm and engaging character roster. The overall character design and likeability create a strong emotional attachment for players.
- Interest (weight 0.02): Interest is maintained by the unique premise involving radio waves, space, and real-science puzzles that make learning enjoyable. The alternative interpretation of the Dark Forest theory and the focus on universal mystery rather than simple crime keep the narrative fresh. Players are drawn to the engaging story and the character dynamics between siblings.
- Wonder (weight 0.02): Wonder is evoked by the game's exploration of cosmic themes, scientific mysteries, and the vastness of space. Players feel a sense of awe and romanticism when contemplating human history and the universe. The thought-provoking content about the unknown creates a deep sense of curiosity and amazement.
- Immersion (weight 0.02): Immersion is high due to the tight pacing, engaging narrative, and smooth dialogue that makes time fly. The sense of presence and urgency, similar to a movie, keeps players fully absorbed. Many report reading in one sitting, staying up all night to complete the game, and feeling like a real researcher due to the professional documents.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise comes from the game exceeding expectations, especially for those initially unsure about the art style or genre. Unexpected plot twists and the presence of real-world organizations add to the novelty. The integration of real search engines and heavy space SF content also pleasantly surprises players.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is given for the game's beautiful visuals, high-quality art, and music, as well as the author's successful conveyance of grand themes like the universe and friendship. The professional research and dedication behind the game are recognized, along with the good value for its price and added content.
- Gratitude (weight 0.02): Gratitude is expressed for the developer's excellent work, honest communication, and quick bug fixes. Players appreciate the implementation of useful features like the answer display and the overall high-quality experience. Many directly thank the development team for creating a wonderful game.
- Tension (weight 0.01): Tension arises from the puzzle-solving process and the story's suspenseful elements, particularly in the mid-to-late game escape sequences. Warnings and a sense of risk during investigations create a gripping atmosphere. The twists and suspense keep players on the edge of their seats throughout the experience.
- Slight disappointment (weight 0.01): Mild disappointment stems from the later parts of the game feeling deflated and the character depictions being somewhat plain compared to the previous work. The relationship development is shallow, and the volume is lacking, with the game being completed in a short time. The absence of voice acting also contributes to this feeling.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret is felt due to the mismatch in expectations, such as anticipating a healing game but receiving a mystery puzzle, and the lack of voice acting. The high price relative to the content and the absence of trading cards also cause regret. Some players consider the game not worth the cost paid.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion is caused by rushed plot developments and an overwhelming flood of space theories for those without a science background. The sudden shift in tone to serious elements like deaths and gunfights, as well as abrupt romantic developments, leave players puzzled. The lack of explanation for certain character actions and motives adds to the confusion.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is triggered as players recall childhood memories, such as trips to a space museum or the feeling of the end of summer vacation. The game evokes memories of 2000s light novels and past science studies. Some also draw comparisons to the experience of first playing Steins;Gate, creating a sense of fond remembrance.}