Info about Rakuen:

Official game description:
THERE'S A BRAND NEW RAKUEN-GAME COMING OUT!!!
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About the Game
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Rakuen is an adventure game about a little Boy who lives in the hospital. One day, the Boy asks his Mom to escort him to the fantasy world from his favorite storybook, so that he can ask the Guardian of the Forest to grant him one wish. In order to receive his wish, the Boy must complete a set of challenges that revolve around helping his neighbors in the hospital by interacting with their alter-egos in the fantasy world...  
...A cranky old man who guards a broken music box with his life while complaining that he never gets any visitors; a young woman in a coma whose husband hasn’t left her side in months; a little girl who laments over a friend she was never able to say goodbye to after growing ill… The Boy slowly begins to realize that his neighbors are plagued by secrets and struggles that are mysteriously tied to the strange hospital.
FEATURES
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*   Heartwarming and character-rich story.  
*   A unique non-combat adventure that mixes whimsical dungeons, eerie room escape puzzles, and dialogue-based mysteries that are intricately tied to the story.  
*   Walk a mile in everyone's shoes as you traverse each character's life to learn about their unfinished business and help them through it.  
*   An original soundtrack featuring multiple vocal songs that are closely tied to each character.  
*   Collect items and build friendships to gradually make the hospital a better place.  
*   Go on humorous quests for strange creatures in the fantasy world.

Release date: May 10, 2017

Categories: Puzzle Solving, Exploration, Dialogue-driven Gameplay, Story-driven Gameplay, Character-driven Narrative, Dual-world Exploration


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $9.99 - $14.99
  - Reasoning: The community consistently rates the game as worth buying, with some explicitly recommending full price. The suggestion to buy on discount does not detract from the game's value; it indicates that the base price is acceptable but a sale is always welcome. Considering the typical pricing for similar story-driven indie games, a fair base-game price range of $9.99 to $14.99 aligns with the sentiment of "worth it" at full price and the general acceptance of the current pricing.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 9.0h
  - Story completion: 8.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews report playtimes between 6 and 10 hours for completing the game, with a cluster around 8–9.5 hours. The most common values (8–10 hours) suggest typical story/campaign completion, while some mention 'finishing' without specifying 100% completion. For game completion (which may include side content), the same range applies since few reviewers distinguish between main story and full completion; one review notes a 7-hour playthrough with a second playthrough for achievements, implying the base game is around 7–9 hours. Session length and endgame are not reliably reported in the evidence, so they are set to null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Rakuen starts slowly with fetch-quest puzzles and minimal emotional punch, but after roughly two hours the narrative deepens, the story hooks the player, and the game becomes emotionally rewarding.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Meeting the hospital residents and unlocking their backstories
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: slow pacing in the opening hours; tedious puzzles and repetitive backtracking; lack of early emotional payoff
  - Unlock drivers: emotional story revelations; character-driven narrative; deepening empathy with hospital patients
  - Conditions: patience for slow build-up; story-focused mindset; openness to melancholic and empathetic themes
- Player Archetypes:
  - Emotional Story Pilgrim (buy)
    - Motivation: To experience a deeply moving, tear-jerking narrative that resonates on a personal level.
    - Playstyle: Plays through the story at a relaxed pace, talks to all characters, explores environments for narrative hints, and prepares tissues. Minimal focus on mechanics or challenges.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: story-driven gamer; emotional gamer
    - Reference games: To The Moon; Life is Strange; Finding Paradise
  - To The Moon Devotee (buy)
    - Motivation: To find another emotionally impactful story-driven game in the same vein as To The Moon, often with expectations of similar music and narrative depth.
    - Playstyle: Approaches the game with knowledge of Freebird tropes, pays extra attention to soundtrack and emotional beats, completes side content for extra story.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: To The Moon fan; Freebird devotee; Kan Gao appreciator
    - Reference games: To The Moon; Finding Paradise; A Bird Story
  - Casual RPG Maker Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: To enjoy a cozy, low-intensity story presented in a familiar RPG Maker style without combat or time pressure.
    - Playstyle: Wanders and interacts with objects, solves simple puzzles, talks to NPCs, collects items, listens to music. Plays in short sessions or while multitasking.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: casual gamer; RPG Maker enthusiast; story lover
    - Reference games: To The Moon; Yume Nikki; The Last Crown
  - Gameplay-First Skeptic (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeks engaging mechanics, challenge, or interactivity over a pure narrative experience.
    - Playstyle: Tries to find gameplay depth, becomes bored or frustrated by minimal mechanics, may skip story sections.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: gameplay-focused; mechanic enthusiast; non-story gamer
    - Reference games: Undertale


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:
- Emotional and touching story (weight 0.55): The story is described as beautiful, emotional, and heartfelt, often bringing tears or personal resonance. It is the most frequently mentioned positive aspect.
- Excellent soundtrack with vocals (weight 0.47): The soundtrack, especially tracks with lyrics and contributions by Laura Shigihara, is praised as stunning, phenomenal, and perfectly fitting the game's mood.
- Charming and memorable characters (weight 0.39): Characters are described as charming, lovable, well-written, and relatable, with engaging backstories and quirky personalities.
- Enjoyable and thoughtful puzzles (weight 0.23): Puzzles are fun, clever, and not overly difficult, offering a satisfying challenge that is engaging without being frustrating.
- Beautiful pixel art style (weight 0.16): The pixel art is noted for being charming, beautifully designed, and fitting the game's atmosphere, enhancing the visual experience.
- Strong emotional impact comparable to classics (weight 0.09): Some players find the emotional impact of the story even stronger than the To the Moon series, highlighting its depth and resonance.

Common complaints:
- Slow movement and excessive backtracking (weight 0.23): Multiple clusters highlight that the walking speed is too slow, the map is unnecessarily large, and there is excessive backtracking, making traversal tedious and time-consuming.
- Puzzles are poorly balanced (weight 0.16): Puzzles are described as both too simplistic and confusing, often requiring external guides to avoid getting stuck, indicating poor design balance.
- Steam overlay not supported (weight 0.14): The Steam overlay is not supported, meaning players cannot use features like screenshots, notifications, or the Shift+Tab menu, which is a significant technical issue.
- Story inferior to To the Moon (weight 0.1): Players frequently compare this game unfavorably to the To the Moon series, noting that the story lacks the same emotional depth and compelling narrative.
- Missable collectibles hinder achievements (weight 0.09): Players report that certain collectibles are missable, preventing them from earning full achievements without replaying the entire game.
- No settings menu available (weight 0.07): There is no settings menu, so players cannot adjust text speed, volume, display options, or key bindings, limiting customization and accessibility.
- Cannot skip dialogue or cutscenes (weight 0.07): Players cannot skip dialogue or cutscenes, which is frustrating during replays or when stuck on a section, wasting time.
- Quests are tedious and boring (weight 0.07): Quests are repetitive and boring, consisting mainly of fetch quests and item collection, which feels tedious and uninspired.
- Playthrough is too long (weight 0.07): The game is considered too long for a single playthrough, and replaying it is even more burdensome due to its length and slow pacing.
- Story is cliché and predictable (weight 0.07): The story is criticized as ordinary and cliché, with predictable plot twists that fail to engage players.
- Slow beginning (weight 0.06): The game starts off slowly, which can deter players from continuing before the story or gameplay picks up.
- Contains scary scenes (weight 0.06): Some scenes are described as scary or dark, which may be unexpected for players seeking a purely emotional or lighthearted experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Story-driven puzzle adventure (weight 0.4): The game is primarily a story-driven adventure with a strong emphasis on puzzles and exploration. Players solve puzzles to progress through a narrative-focused experience.
- Dual-world exploration (weight 0.29): A key feature is exploration between two worlds: a real hospital and a fantasy realm. This dual-world mechanic is central to the gameplay and narrative.
- Non-combat gameplay (weight 0.16): The game focuses on puzzle-solving and story without any combat elements. Players engage in exploration, item fetching, and dialogue instead of battles.
- Character interaction and hints (weight 0.14): Players interact with characters, including the protagonist's mother who provides hints. Dialogue and item fetching are key activities.
- Horror elements present (weight 0.06): The game includes horror elements, particularly in the early stages, adding an atmospheric layer to the puzzle-adventure experience.

Performance notes:
- Stable performance across hardware (weight 0.14): Multiple users report stable performance across various hardware, including low-end devices and Steam Deck OLED, with no major issues.
- Input control issues (weight 0.07): Users report issues with keyboard controls and controller input, indicating input method problems.
- Crashes during transitions (weight 0.04): A single report of crashes during scene transitions, suggesting a potential stability bug.
- Upscaling artifacts present (weight 0.03): One user mentions upscaling artifacts, which may affect visual quality for some players.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended overall (weight 0.97): Overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many reviewers urging others to play the game. The recommendation is often unreserved and enthusiastic.
- Perfect for story-driven fans (weight 0.47): The game is highly recommended for players who love narrative-heavy, character-driven adventures, particularly fans of RPG Maker titles and emotional storytelling.
- Emotional and tearjerker experience (weight 0.28): The game is praised for its profound emotional impact, with many noting it will make players cry. Comparisons to 'To the Moon' and 'A Bird Story' are common.
- Worth the price and value (weight 0.25): Many reviewers affirm the game is worth its full price or a sale price. Some suggest buying on discount or with the OST for best value.
- Not for action or complex gameplay (weight 0.13): The game is not recommended for those expecting complex mechanics, fast-paced action, or high-end graphics. Some mention simple puzzles and RPG Maker style.
- Therapeutic and meaningful (weight 0.11): The game is described as an emotional, therapeutic experience that provides catharsis and hope, especially for those dealing with loneliness or loss.
- Play without spoilers (weight 0.06): Some strongly advise going into the game without prior knowledge of the story to maximize the emotional impact.
- Support small developers (weight 0.04): Reviewers encourage buying the game to support small indie developers, emphasizing that such meaningful titles deserve success.
- May cause controversy in Japan (weight 0.03): One review notes that while they want Japanese players to experience the game, it could be controversial due to its themes.

Other player notes:
- F12 key conflicts with screenshots (weight 0.04): Players report that pressing F12 pauses the game and prevents screenshots from being taken. This is a specific UI or input mapping issue.
- Korean patch may break cloud saves and achievements (weight 0.04): There is a warning that applying an unofficial Korean patch could disable cloud save functionality and achievements. This highlights potential risks with community mods.
- Use Lossless Scaling for pixel art (weight 0.03): A player recommends using the third-party tool Lossless Scaling to enhance the visual quality of pixel art in the game. This suggests the game's native scaling may be insufficient.
- Game available in Humble Bundle (weight 0.03): The game is currently included in the Humble Bundle, indicating a promotion or discount that may affect player acquisition.

Emotions:
- Sadness (weight 0.08): The primary cause of sadness is the game's emotionally charged story, which deals with themes of loss, regret, and grief. Players are moved to tears by the tragic narratives and poignant ending. Personal connections to the story, such as memories of hospitalization, intensify this emotional response.
- Frustration (weight 0.06): Frustration stems from gameplay design issues such as tedious puzzles, excessive backtracking, and lack of clear direction. Technical problems like crashes, no autosave, and poor settings contribute to this. Additionally, missable collectibles forcing replay or restarting for 100% completion, and slow movement speed, amplify frustration.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Appreciation arises from the game's beautiful music, touching story, and compelling characters. Players admire the emotional impact and quality despite a low budget. The soundtrack and narrative create a charming experience that resonates deeply with players.
- Emotional (weight 0.04): The strong story and heartfelt characters evoke a deep emotional response. Players are moved to tears by the narrative's themes of empathy, love, and connection, especially at the ending. The soundtrack enhances these emotions, making the overall experience profoundly affecting.
- Disappointment (weight 0.04): Disappointment comes from a mismatch between high expectations and actual gameplay, particularly when the story or mechanics fail to meet those set by similar games. Poor design choices like tedious puzzles, lack of settings, and inability to easily complete 100% of the game lead to letdown. Despite good music and story, these flaws overshadow the experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Satisfaction results from the game's emotional payoff and well-designed narrative. Players appreciate the second half drawing them in and find the overall experience worthwhile. The game is considered a masterpiece, with positive checkbox ratings and a sense of a well-spent time.
- Moved (weight 0.03): The game's deep story and touching music profoundly move players. They experience emotional tears and a connection to the narrative and characters. The soundtrack stirs up lost emotions, and the grace and love in the storytelling leave a lasting impression.
- Crying (weight 0.03): Crying is directly caused by the game's emotional impact, particularly the ending. Players develop a strong emotional connection to the characters, which leads to tears. The love displayed between characters is especially moving, prompting an outpouring of emotion.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Enjoyment comes from creative puzzle design, interesting mechanics, and strong gameplay. The music, story, and characters contribute positively. Players find humor in side characters and appreciate the overall game experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise occurs when the game exceeds expectations, especially for those going in blind. Players are astonished by how a seemingly cute game breaks their heart, leading to unexpected tears. This initial experience of crying over a game is genuinely surprising.
- Tears (weight 0.02): Tears are induced by the poignant ending and touching story. Players report needing tissues after finishing the game. The emotional narrative directly causes this tearful response.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love is felt for the game's emotionally rich story and well-written characters. The gentle and heartfelt narrative inspires players to reflect on their own relationships. The overall experience is described as a beautiful journey.
- Tearful (weight 0.02): The game's emotional moments cause a waterfall of tears. The story becomes heavy and emotional halfway through, requiring tissues. The intense emotional impact is so strong that it challenges players to not cry.
- Awe (weight 0.01): Awe is inspired by the game's breathtaking experience, particularly its soundtrack and narrative quality. The sprites of Leeble village and the overall masterpiece of art, music, and story leave players in awe.
- Catharsis (weight 0.01): Catharsis is achieved as the game provides therapy for emotions through its emotional payoff using music. Players find relief and release, especially those connected to recent events like the Maui community. The game serves as an emotional outlet.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude stems from being reminded to be thankful for health and family. Players discovered the game through Sue's song and feel thankful for the devs' help during hard times. The experience brings tears of joy and sorrow, deepening this emotion.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is derived from the story of kindness and hope, along with the design, soundtrack, and art. The game's quirky sense of humor and joyful parts bring genuine laughs. The bittersweet recovery and reconnection also contribute to a joyful experience.
- Bittersweet (weight 0.01): Bittersweet feelings are caused by the story about letting go of loved ones and dealing with loss. The narrative is an emotional rollercoaster full of hope and faith. This combination of joy and sorrow creates a complex emotional response.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is sparked by Laura's impactful music, the script, and sound quality. Players appreciate the beautiful pixel graphics and polished animations. The passion of the creator and the game's quality despite being a first release are highly admired.
- Impressed (weight 0.01): Impressment comes from the game shattering negative stereotypes about RPG Maker games. The realness of human issues and the beautiful graphics and music leave a strong positive impression. The story and music together elevate the game's quality.}