Отзывы

• 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 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

  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

  Mar 22, 2018

  I am so glad I bought this game during Early Access (although I have never been a fan of EA) because I completely fell in love with the story and the characters. This VN is sweet, exciting, intelligent and incredibly funny. I did not expect to laugh so much. The main character Lana is amazing and I love her personality. Finally an independant woman who stands on her own two feet and can make her own decisions. She feels very real and it was so easy for me to immerse into her story. The romance in the story just flows in with everything else and I love the fact that the story would work even without it - the game isn't centered around the romance part. The writing is really good and feels like an actual novel. The story and the whole feel of this game reminded me a lot of the Bioware games (Dragon Age, Mass Effect) - You have an amazing MC whose personality you shape and throughout the story you gather your group of misfits and go on an adventure. I mean this as a big compliment since I'm a big fan of Bioware stories and relationships so this VN is perfect for me! The art is absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to see more in the full version. In short: Go buy this game! You won't regret it.
• 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 4, 2018

  Honestly I'd tell people to go for it, try this game out, that it's worth it. But I did go through the reviews and I gotta agree with some of them - especially those concerning Egon. And his one scene with Lana where things went south. Rin, listen, I love your games and you have immense talent for storytelling, and I support the hell out of you and your work, but... how come nobody addressed his awful behavior and just glossed over it? Other than that - love the art, the soundtracks, the CGs; looking forward to the full release!
• 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]
• 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

  Jul 29, 2018

  Simply put, this is a Diamond in the rough. What seems like a typical VN is something so much more, so detailed, so deep. Whether you'll like the lore of this universe, it is unquestionable a lot of thought was put into this and that "thought" really creates a rich, easy to love universe that one can't help but want to get lost in. If i would to compare this to something recent, it's like Mass Effect, but in VN form without all the BS. My only complaint is that I wish there were more love interests but other than that, i'm glad I gave this the time. I think if you give it the time you will not be disappointed, especially if you love good Sci-Fi, rich lore, and good writing. Please ImpQueen, keep delivering this quality in your next title and i will be first to hand you more money.
• 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]