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• gamedeal user

  Sep 26, 2018

  It's no secret that I'm a huge sci-fi junkie. Nor is it a secret that there's a distinctive lack of good sci-fi visual novels. Sure, we have a few treasures like [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/412830/STEINSGATE/]Steins;Gate[/url] and [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/802890/MuvLuv_Alternative/]Muv-Luv Alternative[/url], but while they’re amazing stories in of themselves, they’re grounded here on earth, and my soul longs for space! Cardinal Cross gives me exactly that, and it's otome to boot! Now, don't get me wrong, it's not a perfect story, and there are some issues with the writing that keep it from charting higher on my top VNs list, but I was entertained enough to be able to look past its deficiencies and truly enjoy what this unpolished diamond has to offer. We follow Lana Brice, a snarky Peon-5 Raider who makes a living scavenging toxified planets for scraps of garbage to sell off to the highest bidder. Her latest haul, however, has drawn interest from an unusual client, a Morai intelligence agent who appears to be conducting the transaction without his government's knowledge. It's not long before she's sucked into a vortex of political intrigue that'll have her questioning her role in an oncoming galactic cataclysm. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1520195292 Yes, Cardinal Cross is pretty much filled with every sci-fi trope in the book: space pirates, androids, artificial intelligence, enhancement implants, surveillance states, government oppression, political intrigue, rebel freedom fighters, trashy backwater planets, bounty hunting badasses, and a premise that’s pretty much Minority Report in space. But I will never criticize a story for not being unique as long as it iterates on an idea enough to keep me entertained. And I can't say I was ever bored in the 12 hours I spent with it. There's a lot to unpack with this world, and like all good sci-fi, you're dropped right into the thick of things. Trying to familiarizing yourself with how the universe works can be a little overwhelming at first, but if you stick with it you'll be duly rewarded. As counter-intuitive as it sounds, I'd almost suggest not reading through the encyclopedia entries for all of the techno jargon; there’s just so much detail in every little thing that their descriptions will likely confuse you more than illuminate. Besides, how many sci-fi shows have an encyclopedia handy while you watch? I found that absorbing things organically as I read was a much more satisfying experience for me. It didn’t take long to understand exactly what a VX Interface is, who Aegis works for, and how Egons infiltrate their targets. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1520773986 An interesting tidbit, there's absolutely no narration in the story. Everything we learn comes from the dialogue and artwork, almost as if we were watching a movie or TV show. And make no mistake; there is no lack of artwork here. With over 70 CGs, nearly every important story point has one or more images to accompany it, not to mention every single character with a spoken line has a sprite. Yes, even the most minor side characters have one. I don’t think I’ve seen another visual novel (high profile or not) with as many character sprites as this one. Unfortunately, since the entire story unfolds via dialogue, that means we’re not privy to Lana’s inner thoughts. I personally don’t have an issue with this, but it may be a turn off for otome fans who are looking for a little more emotional intimacy in the story. Speaking of otome, it's certainly refreshing to have adult relationships that don't constantly revolve around the whole "will she/won't she" romance plots we get in most otoge. Lana isn't shy about the woman she is, and she can give just as well as she takes when it comes to her flirtations with the three romanceable characters. Although it does remove some of the romantic tension that I so love in these stories, it's nice watching two consenting adults actually respond to each other’s advances rather than freak out like high school teenagers. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1523757181 But for as much as I love the story and universe, the VN could sorely use a good proofreading. The dialogue is littered with grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, and it makes things feel sluggish at times. Fortunately, the overall writing is good enough for me to overlook these errors, but I'm positive I'd have enjoyed things SO much more if I didn't keep stumbling over these issues. I also noticed that the frequency of said errors increases during the last few chapters, which leads me to believe that the final layer of polish was probably skipped over in order to rush the title out of Early Access. The story in the last two chapters also feels a bit rushed. Chapter 11 is something of a jumbled mess with how it almost schizophrenically jumps from scene to scene. I realize that there are a lot of plot threads that need to be pulled together to begin wrapping up the story, but there are times where we’re literally with characters for all of 4 or 5 lines of dialogue, and then we’re off to another part of the galaxy for another short conversation before jetting off yet again. As for the Chapter 12 endings, depending on the decisions you made earlier in the game, you either get a somewhat fully fleshed out resolution to the story, or the ending feels rushed and unsatisfying. I really wish I’d just followed a guide on my first play through, as I felt like not going for Egon hard enough screwed me (and not in the good way). And yet despite my gripes, I enjoyed my time in this universe immensely. No, this isn’t going to win any science fiction awards, but if you’re constantly looking for more space-faring adventures in the entertainment you consume, you could do far worse than Cardinal Cross, especially for the price. [code][h1]Curated by: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/7593237/]Otome Rakuen[/url] & [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33004802-Chudah%27s-Corner/]Chudah's Corner[/url][/h1][/code]
• gamedeal user

  Mar 22, 2018

  I've been following ImpQueen, also known as Rinmaru, ever since the days of Ascension, and I have to say - I am absolutely impressed! I only finished my first playthrough, but let me tell you something... If you are looking for an otome game with a strong female protagonist who is not a blank faced, helpless girl - this is the game for you. Lana is a protagonist with her own past and her own personality (that you can influence through choices), she feels real and relatable, she goes through hardships, experiences joy, has her own flaws, like a character and not a puppet with no past or future, her life doesn't revolve around the love interest. The story captivates you from the very first moments, the art looks absolutely gorgeous and the romances flow so naturally. It does not feel like you have to "act" a certain way to get the interest of your favourite boy (or girl!), and the romance scenes don't feel like "rewards" for saying what they want to hear. And I mean it in the best way possible, everything fits so well into the story, doesn't feel overly sweet and mushy and has a healthy dose of angst. At this point, I feel as if calling this an otome game isn't fair. It's a visual novel, a proper, well written novel with romance, and you should absolutely buy it and play it.
• gamedeal user

  Mar 11, 2019

  Cardinal Cross is a casual science fiction visual novel both developed and published by ImpQueen. Set in the distant future, you're Lana Brice a rookie pilot who makes her living by scavenging and hauling cargo through Moraine space. Life is proceeding normally until Lana's latest "off the books" job with a mysterious new client surprisingly pulls her into a web of political intrigue, questionable motives and life threatening confrontation. Follow her on this daring spacefaring adventure as she and her friends try to solve the mystery behind a huge conspiracy that could affect the lives of everyone everywhere. [h1]PRESENTATION[/h1] Just one look at the spectacular artwork on display here will immediately tell you that the visual presentation of this novel is of the highest quality available. The illustrations are simply gorgeous and wonderfully rendered with fantastic colors and magnificent shading. Like I've mentioned in previous visual novel reviews, I don't care if the artwork is terrible as long as the story is great but if said artwork also happens to be amazing then that's just icing on the cake for me. Also, the immersion factor with this title is quite high as the characters aren't just static 2D images. They don't blink their eyes or move their mouths during dialogue but they do change their body positions as well as facial expressions which really compliments the script as you read along. Add to this the animated sequences, like dust storms rolling by and flickering computer terminals, etc., in many of the backgrounds and locations that you visit and the overall presentation of this visual novel increases substantially. Also, throughout the storyline you'll have to make a number of timed choice decisions which will have an impact on current events, possible romances and the stories ending. Moving on to the aural presentation, Cardinal Crosses soundtrack is wonderful and blends in quite well with the science fiction narrative. There are an abundance of ambient sound effects present which really boosts the V.N.'s immersion factor to an extremely high level. Crowds chattering in the background as you and your people walk around a spaceport, the beeping of computer terminals while you're standing on the bridge of your shuttle...it all sounds marvelous and oh so enveloping. Rounding out the presentation is the inclusion of a codex that details a number of objects, persons and places of interest as well as events that have occured in the Cardinal Cross universe. Speaking as someone who loves to read codex entries in various games I truly liked this unique addition because this is something that you don't usually see included in a visual novel. In short, the developers have put alot of hard work into the presentation of this amazing title and it definitely shows. [h1]CONCLUSION[/h1] I really enjoyed Cardinal Cross with it's highly intriguing futuristic narrative alongside the number of choices that you have to make throughout the storyline and the VERY memorable cast of interesting characters. There's also a nice bit of comic relief thrown in from time to time to break up the tension of the novels often serious natured tone. Overall this is a very solid visual novel experience. As far as options go, there are Steam Achievements and Steam Trading Cards to collect. The novel has the basic settings for sound/music volume, text speed and resolution. You can select whether or not to have a timer on the timed choices as well as an affinity meter for romance options. Also, a C.G. gallery is available for the wonderful artwork that unlocks as the story progresses. In conclusion, if you're looking to go on a great space faring adventure through a wonderfully conceived science fiction universe then Cardinal Cross is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to fans of the visual novel genre!!!
• gamedeal user

  Mar 22, 2018

  This is the game I've been waiting for. It's like they took the best parts of Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Mass Effect, and all things cyberpunk and used them to create a universe and story uniquely their own. I knew it would end abruptly (being early access) and before I got halfway through I knew it would [i]hurt[/i] when it did. I was not wrong, but it was worth it. The art is gorgeous, and there are an absolutely absurd amount of CGs compared to most visual novels out there. The timed choices (something you can toggle off) add a tension and a feeling of impending consequences to the game. The romances are beautifully intertwined and add a lot of interest, but don't overwhelm the main plot. The few minor errors are less than I would expect from an early access game and I expect will be tidied up before the finished release. And did I mention the fanservice? It's glorious. Sparkles and speedos, oh my! I didn't expect to laugh so much. I want more than anything to gush endlessly about the plot, but everything I write is so very full of spoilers. Suffice it to say that I am riveted. I can't wait to see what happens next.
• gamedeal user

  Apr 23, 2018

  I wanted to love this game so much, so it's frustrating to write this. I wasn't sure if I was even going to, but I've only seen one other review that matched my concerns, so I decided to just do it. To preface, I've been following Rinmaru and her awesome work for a long time; I loved the Ascension games when they came out and played them a ton. I really admire and respect her goal of creating powerful stories focused on strong female characters, they're definitely needed right now. Cardinal Cross just... didn't hit the mark for me. I'll start with the things I really disliked, and I'll try to be brief. My biggest problem with this game: the characters. For the most part, the story's main characters felt unoriginal and uninspired. If you played Ascension, you've seen these people before. Some of the minor characters were interesting, but being minor they didn't get too much screentime. As for the "hero" Lana, she was boring. She didn't feel like a strong female character. She didn't drive the action. She felt pulled around by every other character for the most part, with only a few moments of true independence. I wish I had liked her, but I didn't. Despite this, I disliked one of the central male characters even more. He physically abuses two of the main female characters during the game, and it just... isn't addressed? At all? The female characters are actually both made to feel like they've done something wrong. I don't mind exploring themes like this in games and other media, but here it's done poorly. This is where the game lost me. From this point on I was just uncomfortable and couldn't shake it. Romanticizing abusive behavior is just awful, and I'm really disappointed about this. Other than that, I can say that the art is pretty good for the most part. The CG's vary wildly in quality, but the character sprites are quite nice to look at. Sci-fi is one of my favorite genres, but the story and world of CC was "meh" for me; not bad, but it definitely didn't feel fully original and unique. The writing is alright as well, nothing glaringly bad, but certainly a few typos and instances of clumsy phrasing here and there. Again, I wish with my whole heart that I had liked this game, but I didn't. I have zero desire to play it again any time soon. Once the full game is released I might give it another shot and update this review. And, obviously, this is just my opinion, not a definitive review in any way. Everyone else seems to be loving this game, maybe I'm crazy, maybe I've just grown out of these types of games, I don't know.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 21, 2020

  The story was really interesting and unique, exhibiting its own lore. It takes place in a sci-fi setting where all people are connected digitally through implants to their minds. When one first starts playing the game, they might be confused because some characters are addressed by their titles, not their actual names. For instance, Soren is often called "Egon" and Evelyne is referred to as "Pious" which are both titles. A lot of terminology is thrown around, so it's definitely a good idea that they have a codex to reference to whenever the player might be confused about the context of something. Minor complaints: [list] [*] Underdeveloped romances. [*] Wiz wasn't a romance option. She is way too attractive to not be a romance option! Look at her! https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2172556205 [*] A couple of typos. [*] Some cliffhanger endings, which I’m not a fan of. [/list] Bonuses: [list] [*] Some racial diversity. Not as much as there should be, but enough that it isn’t tokenism. [*] One queer romance path. Other queer characters. [*] The player can romance all three romanceable characters in one playthrough. No one gives a sh*t. [*] Lots of beautiful CGs. Probably the most I’ve ever seen in a VN. [*] Several different endings and consequences for choices made. [/list] If you like sci-fi and romance (albeit underdeveloped), then I definitely recommend this VN.
• gamedeal user

  Mar 22, 2018

  I waited for this game with much impatience, and now that the early acces is released, I can only say it was worth every minute of the wait! Here is what I think of it, in case any of you is still pondering whether or not to try this VN. Positive aspects: + Really nice characters sprites, illustrations and backgrounds + Quite a lot of illustrations which nicely emphatise the major scenes and make the experience really dynamic + Interesting lore and story (this is really subjective and I can't say much more without spoiling, sorry...) + Reeeeeaaaly good characters (same, avoiding spoilers here!) + Good rythm Negative aspects : - Lana is a really interesting and nuanced MC, but she seems a bit overshadowed by the other characters; they actually seems to drive the story more than her. - It would be nice to be able to save at the choices screens. I like to test every option available in VN, so having to randomly guess when the next choice will be to save before it is a bit difficult, haha! But those are minor inconveniences and I found myself having a real good time! ^^
• gamedeal user

  Jul 23, 2018

  I honestly feel like this is one of the best Visual Novels on Steam right now. Up there with [i]Ace Acadamy[/i], this is a VN I'd point out to people who think they are nothing more than gamified Hentai. A really intriguing Science Fiction story, great array of characters and consistent player choices - be it for story pathing or building a personailty for the protagonist (something the majority of VNs leave/miss out). It isn't perfect of course - I had some issues with some of the abusive nature of some characters and how the protagonist seemed to be a bit to 'ok' with it (although the actions made by the characters did have reason and context later on). Also the background SFX loops could sometimes be overbearing, but nothing turning down the volume didn't solve. All-in-all a must buy for VN fans and a great purchase for anyone just wanting a compelling Sci-Fi story. [i]Now if the developers could work alongside Becky Chambers and make a Visual Novelisation of [b]The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet[/b], I will be in VN Heaven![/i]
• gamedeal user

  Nov 6, 2018

  I actually want to start with the conclusion, as I want to be upfront that I truly enjoyed this games and it was a wonderful experience. What I often like about the western type of Visual Novels is that they actually give you choices and narratives branches, not just some eventflags you have to get to date someone or to achieve a specific ending. Cardinal Cross is very good at this, I am not really sure how much the many different reactions your character has actually change the relationships with other people - but like with telltale games it is not about the "metagame" it is how I feel about my character and thats why those mattered alot to me. But I did get someone to trust me even though I kinda always been very against anything they did...but then again that actually could be in their character, not liking people that always agree with you but actually trusting those who would defy you. Personally I used the "telltale" comparison alot when I described this VN to a friend, as it has those big choices every once in a while and the conversation choices with the "Character X is amused" lines at the top. As I enjoy that type of narrative game, this game won me over quickly but it felt like those big choices were very much frontloaded and you will go alot of chapters without making any big choice, besides maybe your romance. It is no big deal though. The problem with any Sci-Fi or Fantasy Novel of this type is always the world building, as you have to create something original, but you also have to be aware that you are not writing a big new book franchise so you should never use to much unfamiliar stuff and rather keep it simple. The world of Cadinal Cross is a bit weird at that, as they will throw alot of words at you for certain things, that seems just unneeded and are only there to make you feel like this is a world different from ours. Also that the Antagonists use their rank instead of their name is really stupid, especially when they also use their names later on...plus most of the ranks are those made up words and even though there is a glossary always available to check it, it seems unnecessary. Also it seems weird that the rank of "Videns" is so much lower than expected with how much power that character in the story holds. But hey it was probably supposed to sound cool, but it could have just been a name and he could have been a captain and everything would be simple...but those are minor flaws in the world building. The rest is easy to understand, easy to get and does not keep you out from the story. The story itself also has some flaws, nothing too big and I never truly was lost about what happened, but at the end it does get quite convoluted with so many layers which are not really all that well explained. The biggest flaw in the game by far are actually the many characters and that the creator really likes to cut away in so many situations. In later chapters you sometimes stay on a conversation for 3-4 sentences, then move on to a differenct scene for a bit of dialogue and then move on to ANOTHER short scene and its is just crazy. Sometimes I really wished the game would have just stayed with Lana and not even shown most of the stuff. Also, especially later, it seems to really skip stuff which might have been because of the ending I was on(Herald) but when I expected a big talk scene at quite a few points the game just blacks away and then tells me what happened. Its never really bad, but it adds up. But the thing that truly makes the game are the Characters. I loved them all, even those I hated. What I mean by that? I hated a certain character alot. Which is why in the end I didnt do what they wanted me to do, because of certain stuff they did in the beginning and for me it was clear that they are the villain of my story, even though there is a potential romance there. But I hated them from the story perspective and not because they were badly written so I enjoyed that alot. Lana herself is quite charming and the other romance choices for example are both so amazingly nice that it was not easy to choose, but I am happy with the conclusion of my journey there. Also all the other characters which are more important are fleshed out, they might be not all that complicated or complex characters - but that is GOOD for a game like this. Keeping it more simple and predictable is not a bad choice as that also allows it to very simply twist it in the right ways when the time comes. The art also is very nicely done, is gorgeous to look at, the characters are very expressive and they all get their special certain feel around. I didnt like the zodiac sign motif from a story perspective, but their art also was often quite well done. Music also always nice and atmospheric, nearly always fitted the scences very well it complimented the reading experience. Overall again: Anyone who likes their Visual Novels with the focus on a story and is up for some Sci-Fi will very much get alot from this game. I was invested from start to finish and it actually takes a bit of time to finish it so you will truly get your moneys worth. Replayability is also there if this is important to certain people, but I overall liked the ending of my story, so even though I will replay the game sometime in the future, I might not even change that much. Very hopeful that we see more from the developer at one point, and while the game does have a sequel hook(atleast in my ending), I am fine with this being the end.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 21, 2018

  As someone who detests nearly everything the visual novel genre has to offer, Cardinal Cross came as a most welcome and pleasant surprise. There are no VN tropes here. Instead, we are presented with a dramatic sci-fi story of immense scale, filled with dozens of characters interwoven in carefully crafted storylines. The sheer scale of the game and the effort that went into worldbuilding is extraordinary. From the opening minutes, you are introduced to a barrage of terminology, helpfully indexed and catalogued by a well designed glossary system. It might seem overwhelming at first, but soon, something clicks and the game pulls you in. What follows is an intricate story of right and wrong, power and oppression, morality and pragmatism. You play as Lana Brice, seemingly nobody in the grand scheme of things, who finds herself thrown into the midst of a conspiracy of galactic proportions. As it becomes apparent early on, you are asked to make decisions based on your own morality that will shape Lana's attitude, her decisions and the resulting eventualities. I went into this game expecting a basic good vs evil, paragon vs renegade system à la Mass Effect, but Cardinal Cross is smarter than that. In this world, everyone is varying shades of grey - there are no white knights coming to rescue the galaxy from the evil overlord. You might think "this is clearly the right thing to do" in the earlier chapters and later on struggle to justify it. I cannot emphasize how smart the writing is, it's a pleasure to read. Looking beyond the words, the artwork deserves praise as well. Everything in Cardinal Cross is gorgeous to look at - the UI, backgrounds, character sprites and CGs are all [i]brilliant[/i]! When it comes to music, however, I found it somewhat lacking. Vast stretches of story go by in absolute silence and some low-key background music would have been nice. Overall, this has been one of my favourite games so far this year. If you have any interest in a great sci-fi story, I strongly recommend giving Cardinal Cross your full attention. -- [spoiler]There is a tiny, [i]tiny[/i] bit of romance in the game but it's completely optional and inconsequential to the story. As I said, there are no VN tropes here.[/spoiler]