Info about Muv-Luv photonflowers*: Official game description: Muv-Luv Alternative Total Eclipse ================================= About the Game ============== The Best of Both Worlds! Just as the Muv-Luv saga takes place across multiple universes, this collection is divided into two distinct halves: lighthearted romps through the wacky world of **Muv-Luv** Extra, and sobering new perspectives on **Muv-Luv Alternative**'s tragic timeline. From the Extra universe, you'll find: Before the Cherry Blossoms Bloom ~Muv-Luv After Episode~ -------------------------------------------------------- An extensive epilogue depicting the aftermath of Sumika's route from Muv-Luv Extra. Meiya may be gone, but not all is well in paradise. The transition from friends to lovers hasn't been a smooth one for Sumika and Takeru, and it's making things pretty awkward among their circle of friends. With graduation now only weeks away, will they be able to make their last month of high school something to remember, or was this the biggest mistake they've ever made? Six individual ministories from the perspectives of the game's main heroines, taking place prior to the events of Muv-Luv Extra ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the world of Alternative, you'll find: Atonement --------- Sergeant Jinguuji recounts her time as a cadet in the Surface Pilot Training Academy, and how she overcame her first harrowing encounter with the BETA. Rain Dancers ------------ This short story follows Monica Giacosa as she takes part in the first combat test flights of the much-anticipated EF-2000 Typhoon. Confessions ----------- This side story follows a younger Captain Isumi as she suffers through Sergeant Jinguuji's boot camp from hell, learning more than a few things about herself in the process. Chicken Divers -------------- A Unique spinoff that offers a brief glimpse into one of the most prestigious TSF units there is: the Orbital Divers. In a dark cockpit high above the Earth, one man attempts to make peace with himself as he awaits reentryćƒ¼knowing full well it might be the last opportunity he gets. Inheritance ----------- Learn what happened to Captain Isumi's little sister in the wake of Operation 21st as she and the other IJA survivors attempt to pick up the pieces in the days that follow. Release date: Aug 2, 2019 Categories: Visual Novel, Character-driven Narrative, Anthology Structure, Dialogue-based Gameplay, Branching Narrative, Multiple Perspectives, Nonlinear Storytelling Feature scans: - Steam Deck: score 10; verdict: Seamless; summary: The overall user experience with the Steam Deck appears to be positive, with users reporting that the game is playable and has fewer audio issues after waking the device from sleep. There are no significant technical barriers mentioned in the provided reviews. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $6.00 - $8.00 - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that while some users find the game worth the full price due to specific stories, many others feel it is only worth purchasing at a significant discount, typically around 50% off. This indicates that the community generally considers the fair price to be lower than the current base price of $12.49. The repeated mentions of the game being worth it at half price suggest a fair price range closer to $6.25. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 15.0h - Story completion: 10.0h - Session length: 1.0h - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: The evidence provides various estimates of playtime from different users. One user mentions completing the game in about twelve hours, while another suggests it takes 15-20 hours depending on reading speed. Another user found the game to be short, finishing it in about 9 hours, and yet another user mentions it takes a little over 10 hours to fully read. These varied reports help to triangulate typical playtime metrics. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: The game has pacing issues and some boring stories, but certain well-crafted narratives can provide enjoyable moments. - Stance: Fun then drops - Anchor: Experiencing well-crafted short or medium-length stories - Time to anchor: 0h 30m - Friction: Longer stories with dragging pacing; Lack of interactivity; Boring and pointless stories - Unlock drivers: Well-crafted short stories; High completion quality in medium-length stories - Conditions: Experiencing specific, well-crafted narratives; Positive emotional moments in certain stories - Player Archetypes: - Lore-Expanding Fan (buy) - Motivation: Expanding knowledge and experience of the Muv-Luv universe. - Playstyle: Seeks out additional content that aligns closely with the main series they enjoy. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: Muv-Luv fan; hardcore fan - Reference games: Muv-Luv Alternative; Muv-Luv Extra; Muv-Luv Unlimited - Completionist Collector (sale) - Motivation: Collecting and experiencing all available content related to the Muv-Luv series. - Playstyle: Willing to consume all content related to the series, even if it means enduring lower quality or waiting for sales. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: die-hard Muv-Luv addict; hardcore fan - Reference games: Muv-Luv Alternative; Muv-Luv Extra; Muv-Luv Unlimited 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: - Atonement and Confessions praised (weight 0.69): Atonement and Confessions are frequently highlighted as standout stories, often described as must-reads and particularly praised for their quality. - Character development and backstory (weight 0.57): The stories provide insights into character development, backstory, and motivations, adding depth to the characters and the universe. - Extra stories are charming (weight 0.48): The Extra stories are filled with charm, levity, and humor, often described as fun and enjoyable. - Complements original trilogy (weight 0.27): The side stories complement the original trilogy well, supplementing the main game and providing additional content that fans enjoy. - Specific stories stand out (weight 0.21): Certain stories like Michiru's story, Akira's and Marimo's stories, and the story of Michiru in her youth are highlighted as particularly enjoyable and amazing. - Epilogue for Sumika's route (weight 0.15): The epilogue for Sumika's route is mentioned as worthwhile and enjoyable. - Worth it for Muv-Luv fans (weight 0.15): The compilation is considered worth getting for Muv-Luv fans who want more content related to the series. - Good art and voice acting (weight 0.14): The art assets and voice acting are praised as good and of high quality. Common complaints: - Game is overpriced (weight 0.64): Many players feel that the game is overpriced for the amount of content provided. The value proposition is seen as poor, especially outside of sales. - Stories are too short (weight 0.6): Many players have noted that the stories in the game are too short, leaving them wanting more. Some vignettes end abruptly, and the overall game length is considered insufficient. - Some stories are boring (weight 0.44): A number of players found some stories to be boring, pointless, or not interesting, detracting from the overall experience. - Specific stories criticized (weight 0.38): Certain stories, such as 'Before the Cherry Blossoms Bloom' and 'Confessions,' are singled out for being particularly bad, nonsensical, or frustrating. - Criticism of characters and story elements (weight 0.37): Players have criticized various character actions and story elements, including the protagonist and specific character behaviors. - Sumika's character issues (weight 0.34): Sumika is often portrayed as immature, unreasonable, and unlikable. Additionally, her lack of development and boring epilogue are noted as significant drawbacks. - Content not worth the time (weight 0.26): Some stories are seen as a waste of time, not offering much value or enjoyment to the players. - Lack of Chinese translation (weight 0.24): Several reviews mention the absence of Chinese language support, which is a significant drawback for Chinese-speaking players. - Translation quality issues (weight 0.22): The English translations are noted to be of low quality, described as slightly above abysmally bad, which affects the overall experience. - Tonal shifts and confusing structure (weight 0.21): The anthology format leads to abrupt tonal shifts, and the content structure is criticized for being confusing and messy. - Forced and unrealistic drama (weight 0.16): The drama in the game is criticized for feeling forced and made up, which affects the immersion and enjoyment of the story. - Technical and audio issues (weight 0.15): There are mentions of technical issues, such as audio problems after waking the Steam Deck from sleep, and the technical level being dated. - Lack of context and censorship (weight 0.15): Some stories lack context and there are issues with censorship and removal of content, which affects the overall experience. Gameplay feedback: - Anthology of Extra and Alternative stories (weight 0.97): The game includes a collection of short stories divided into the Extra and Alternative worlds, with a total of 12 stories. These stories are voiced and feature new animations, providing additional context and character-driven narratives. - Character-focused narratives (weight 0.54): The stories are centered around character development and interactions, offering a mix of humor and serious moments. This includes both short stories and larger narratives that expand on the established universe. - Kinetic format with no choices (weight 0.34): The game follows a kinetic format, meaning there are no choices or influence on outcomes. This format is used to deliver a collection of episodic content with a focus on story-driven experiences. - Specific story titles and themes (weight 0.27): Some of the stories have specific titles and themes, such as Rain Dancers, Resurrection, Inheritance, Chicken Divers, and Altered Fable, which add unique elements to the overall collection. - Omake and additional content (weight 0.25): The game includes omake content and additional stories that provide extra context and entertainment, such as confessions, atonement, and other thematic elements. - Military and apocalyptic themes (weight 0.16): Some stories feature a real military vibe and are set in an apocalyptic world, adding depth and variety to the overall narrative. - Cultural references and episodic content (weight 0.12): The stories include cultural references and are presented in an episodic format, providing a mix of humor and serious bits that cater to a wide range of interests. Performance notes: - Sound design and voice acting praised (weight 0.17): Players appreciated the quality of the sound design and voice acting in the game. These elements were highlighted as strong points. - Restart needed for functionality (weight 0.1): Players reported having to restart the game multiple times to get everything working correctly, indicating some stability issues. - Audio issues after sleep mode (weight 0.09): Some players experienced audio issues after waking the Steam Deck from sleep mode, although these issues were less frequent. Recommendations: - Recommended for Muv-Luv fans (weight 0.51): The game is highly recommended for fans of the Muv-Luv series, as it provides additional content and stories that fans will appreciate. - Wait for sale unless die-hard fan (weight 0.45): Many players suggest waiting for a sale to purchase the game unless you are a dedicated fan of the series. - Play main games first (weight 0.23): Players recommend reading or playing the prior entries in the Muv-Luv series before starting this one to fully understand and enjoy the story. - Positive recommendations from players (weight 0.22): Several players highly recommend the game to others, indicating it has a positive reception among those who have played it. - Worth it for specific stories (weight 0.16): The game is considered worth getting for specific stories like Atonement, Confessions, and the Michiru/Marimo story. - Consider skipping for sequel collection (weight 0.08): Some players suggest skipping this release and going straight for the sequel collection, implying that the sequel might offer a better experience or more content. - Hope for Chinese localization (weight 0.08): There is a desire among players for the game to be localized in Chinese, indicating a potential market and interest from Chinese-speaking players. - Preview for upcoming content (weight 0.07): The game serves as a preview for the Schwarzens Marken visual novel, which might interest fans of the series. - Bundle consideration (weight 0.07): If you purchased the MegaVerse bundle, it might be worth reading Atonement, suggesting that the bundle offers good value for specific content. Other player notes: - Lack of official patch (weight 0.1): Players have noted that there is no official patch available for the game. This can lead to unresolved bugs and issues affecting gameplay. - Bonus content specifics (weight 0.09): The game includes bonus content that is based on Japanese console releases, which may appeal to a specific audience but could also limit its broader appeal. Emotions: - Disappointment (weight 0.2): Players are disappointed with the overall quality, length, and execution of the stories, particularly citing issues with character development and specific narratives like 'Before the Cherry Blossoms Bloom' and Sumika's Epilogue. Additional concerns include the high price point, poor English translations, and the perception of some stories as nonsensical or pointless. - Satisfaction (weight 0.13): Players are satisfied with the richness of the content, different storylines, and the voice-acting. They appreciate the emotional depth, high-quality scenarios, and the continuation of the experience from the original trilogy, finding specific stories and character arcs particularly satisfying. - Enjoyment (weight 0.1): Players enjoyed the well-written short stories and found the side stories fun and of high quality. Specific stories from Extra and Alternative worlds, as well as character developments, were highlighted as particularly enjoyable and therapeutic. - Joy (weight 0.1): Players found joy in the stories and characters, with specific mentions of enjoying side stories and content. Happy endings and character developments, particularly in stories like Confessions, deeply resonated with reviewers. - Excitement (weight 0.07): Players are excited about specific routes, character interactions, and the release of the game on Steam. The bundle, especially the Michiru/Marimo story, is highly recommended, and there is anticipation for other games in the series. - Frustration (weight 0.04): Players are frustrated with specific stories like Confessions and issues with characters like Jinguuji. Additional frustrations include lack of patches, content cuts, translation issues, and censorship. - Sadness (weight 0.04): Players experienced sadness due to the emotional impact of the stories, particularly those from Muv-Luv Unlimited and Muv-Luv Alternative. The stories' emotional depth and their inability to cure depression from Alternative were noted. - Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Players felt nostalgia as the game evoked memories and allowed them to reconnect with familiar characters from the Extra/Unlimited/Alternative trilogy. The series' emotional impact and happiness from experiencing it again were highlighted. - Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admired the game's writing, visuals, voice acting, and soundtrack. Specific stories involving Michiru, Akira, and Marimo were praised for their quality. - Gratitude (weight 0.02): Players expressed gratitude for the story and characters, appreciating the beauty and authenticity of the true romance depicted in the narratives. - Moved (weight 0.02): Players were moved by the heartfelt conclusion of 'Before the Cherry Blossoms Bloom' and the stories of ordinary people in a dark world, finding these narratives deeply emotional. - Satisfied (weight 0.02): Players are satisfied with the longer stories and specific narratives like Confessions, which are seen as the main reason to read these spin-offs. The overall quality and value of the content were noted as satisfying. - Interest (weight 0.02): Players found the stories related to Muv-Luv Alternative very interesting and were glad to see some of the characters' pasts explored, sparking their interest in the content. - Relaxed (weight 0.01): Players found the game perfect for relaxing after completing Alternative, appreciating the change in tone and the therapeutic value of the side stories. - Nostalgic (weight 0.01): Players felt a sense of nostalgia as the game provided a fitting end after everything that happened in the series, evoking memories and emotions from past experiences. - Happy (weight 0.01): Players expressed happiness and rejoiced as fans of MUV-LUV, finding joy in the continuation and expansion of the series' universe and characters.}