Update Thirty-Seven: 18 August 2017
Backstage Pass
4.9 hours, 4 of 20 achievements
tsuper review: 5.5/10
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
I’m going to be just up front: I don’t like stat-raising mechanics in VNs. It’s like weapon durability systems, or fishing minigames, or some third bullshit game mechanic that just shows up in every other game, not because it’s fun but because… why not? (Feel free to write yours in below) And, unfortunately, without the stat-raising mechanic, Backstage Pass offers little in the way of real content. It just becomes an unfun slog to find the chips of gems in all the samey frustrating finnicky mud.
Which is a real shame, because Backstage Pass has some solid shits behind it. With an OP and a little ending video animated by Studio DEEN (not an amazing animation studio but still a legit, named one I recognized because they butchered the Higurashi anime), fifteen named and voiced NPCs, this game has some definite production values behind it. Unfortunately, all that amounts to is all sizzle and no steak - at least, not steak I don’t have to fucking arm wrestle for.
I got one route (friendship and romance) and while two of the other three dudes look more up my alley… I don’t want to have to fight with this game to see their content. A lot of the achievements are grindy, and take the good qualities of the game and twists them around to make it bullshit. So you can pick your MCs outfit and there’s a myriad of clothes to buy - and those outfit changes show up in CGs. Cool, right? Wrong. To get all the CGs, you have to save scum and play the scenes with every clothing option you can put on. I’m not about that. I don’t have time for that.
There’s been a few really, really good posts lately about knowing when to quit and working to have a good gaming experience, so I’m going to shelve Backstage Pass with my head held high. It’d be spectacular if it wasn’t stat-raising.
Next up: Halloween is still a few months off, but I’m ready to get spooky!
See you soon!
I didn’t think I would see your review this soon. Who did you pursue? I also only did one route (friendship and romance). And yes having to change clothes to have ALL the CGs is so annoying!! I was hoping that your review would motivate myself to continue this game, I guess it will stay on hold for a little longer.
Adam. I was more interested in John, Michael was my favorite, and Benito I wasn’t interested in at all. I just didn’t want to go through all the bullshit to date my fake anime boys, you know? If I wanted that much trouble I’d just find a real one.
Aw, that’s a shame :(
I do enjoy these stat raising vn’s every know and then. But I can’t play them in a row, that’s for sure! :D
I’ve put it in my ABC list, so we’ll see how much I like it.
But good choice putting it aside if your not happy with it :)
Have fun with Halloweve! :]
Happy spooky killing ;)
mmmm
I don’t like stat raiseing games in general beacause most of them fall under the JRPG/turn based combat system I hate.
Then again I like concept of raising stats as a general idea (so like rpg’s that are set up as non turn based like dark souls or the Witcher 3 >_<
alsu I didn’t mind the stat raiseing in Hatoful boyfriend so idk
alsu asfk they didn’t butcher the higurashi anime what are you talking about asfk
nani the fuck
I’ve played through the higurashi LN that are on steam (so not the answer arcs) and read part of the manga but I still really like the anime…fight me :3<
Ha! I never watched it myself (just read the VNs) but I heard the animation can get pretty…. pretty….. goofy. It was purely a lighthearted jab, I promise!
See, I love turn based combat - this type of ‘schedule your whole week and depending on which activities you do your stats go up’ is very much not that. It’s boring to me in the way that turn-based combat isn’t.
also, there was stat raising in Hatoful Boyfriend? I don’t remember that! I just remember the beans part.
hmmmmm
theres only one scene I can think of where the animation was kinda goofy and thats when shion snapped
but all in all the manga did the same to show her losing control so idk
alsu if you didn’t patch higurashi/read the original VN with the old sprites they were all goofy af
*Edit: so basically I think it was pretty much adapted faithfully all things considered…I recomend it sometime cause its a different experiance then reading the VN and I don’t know which one I like more-
True, the grotesque nature of the facial expressions (I think when Rena snapped too is when it went off the rails) is part of why that particular section is so unnerving. Also I am very fond of Ryukishi07 but the man isn’t great at drawing.
I believe it, but I’m also not that big a fan of adaptations - I’d rather experience it how it was originally intended… and I’m notoriously bad at watching anime.
also its not turn based combat I dislike per say-stuff like civ and xcom are rlly fun but I dislike the “click attack” -> attack “click use skill” -> “use skill” etc from stuff like pokemon for instance.
also yeah you raised your stats based on what you did during school /math/gym/band and certain birds routes could only be unlocked after you leveled up certain stats
Since you finished one whole route, does the game feel complete to you? I mean, I still haven’t played it, but it was taken out of early access without any announcement, so I’m a little worried there :/
Also…
WHEN WILL YOU PLAY THE HOUSE IN FATA MORGANA (°▽°)/
u have it in ur libary i cant believe this its still untouched help me i am feeling faint
It is my duty to spread the word and I’ve been feeling guilty of not annoying you more to play it just do it maybe it’ll ruin all other vns for you who knows
Oh, complete from a design standpoint? Absolutely! It has full voice acting, the sprites and backgrounds and CGs are nice as hell. It’s complete, just a lot of what it’s offering doesn’t satisfy me that much. It’s like a cake that’s mostly icing - it’s finished! it’s baked! but it’s mostly icing.
waaaaAAA I knoooow but I do what RNGesus tells me to do <:c I am a slave to the whims of change, giselle! But I also do what I want to perhaps after this game is wrapped up c;
Dang, this one looked interesting too. I completely agree about the stat thing, too. I’m not even the biggest fan in fighting games, please keep them out of my VNs :,)
But that next one looks really cool, so I hope it goes better!!
It’s a shame it didn’t work out for you. I haven’t played many VN’s so I’ve never played a stat raising one. Hopefully the next one will be more up your alley!