Developer: Kinmoku
Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC (Reviewed)
Genre: Narrative, Visual Novel
Publisher: Kinmoku
Videoverse is a narrative adventure game. This game was developed and published by Kinmoku. The game is somewhat similar to Papers Please, The Cosmic Wheel of Sisterhood and more. This review was done on the PC (Windows), but the game is also available for Linux and macOS.
Videoverse is a single-player game where you control a teenage gamer, Emmett, who explores the wonders of a popular social network, Videoverse. The game sends the player back in time to the year 2003 when a great sense of nostalgia is hit. Social networks that Emmett browses through have taken much inspiration from Miiverse and MSN Messenger. Players will pursue virtual friendships, share fan art and interact with live gaming communities. The game heavily focuses on the decisions you make to see the growth of Emmett on Videoverse!
The controls for Videoverse are quite simple. Everything is mainly done through point-click, and nothing has any delay whatsoever. I like that the controls are kept to a minimum mainly because they resemble actual real-life web browsing. The game gives you slight tips here and there when interacting with new mechanics, but everything is very easy to navigate and understand.
The art style of Videoverse is much like that of a retro pixel game. The 1-bit graphics seem to resemble the older computer screens, and with its simple yet refined pixel art, I found the game to have a nice charm to it. The game is vibrant, with a range of subtle colours used. Colours are not splashed everywhere on the screen but are nicely blended with the game. The interactions you can have with the items on Emmett’s desk make the player put into Emmett’s perspective. The details on the desk are so pleasant; things like the calendar, journal, soda cans, and pencil shavings really add to the experience. Additionally, I liked that Emmett’s facial expression would be seen when he talked his thoughts out loud, which was a nice touch to the game. The visuals are so well tied in with the soundtrack of the game, as the music that plays is a mix of mellow, retro and upbeat instrumentals that sound similar to a synth board. The pairing of the music with the text sound effects really puts the player into a nostalgic feel.
Now, the gameplay for Videoverse was something I found very enjoyable. The game is a narrative drive where you play through several chapters that each have certain tasks and decisions for you to make as Emmett. One of the main things you do throughout this game is chat with your virtual friends, and I found this to be so surreal. One of the most memorable dialogue interactions that I played through in the game was with an aspiring artist named Vivi. The conversations you would have with her made the player realise how difficult keeping virtual relationships are and the ups and downs that can come from it. As you read through several messages from your friends and other strangers, you can choose your dialogue from the given options, which was very fun to respond to.
What is so fun about this game is that there is so much for you to browse through, and it feels like you are actually searching for the internet. First and foremost, you have the Shark, which is a video game console. Here, Emmett would log his Feudal Fantasy progress, which would show beautifully pieced cutscenes. Emmett is an aspiring gamer, so he spent a lot of his time trying to progress through this ninja-themed Final Fantasy game. Another feature in the game which I enjoyed so much was being able to draw, which was a bit difficult for someone who is not an artist, personally, but it was so cute to doodle and share it onto Videoverse. You could interact with other people’s posts by liking or commenting, and some comments and posts were fantastic. The game has the sense of humour you would find online, and I like how there was a notice at the beginning of the game to advise players not to post anything offensive. A beauty that comes with the game. The game did take me 4 hours to complete with its engaging story, and I do like that you can replay the game and make different decisions to encounter another possible ending. Videoverse is beautifully crafted, and it’s so nice to sit back and look through other people’s pages, share art, reply back to friends and play some games; it does take you back, indeed.
Videooverse is a game where you can delve back into the retro world of social networking and browse through people’s online pages, share artwork, like posts, interact with your virtual friends and aspire to become a gamer. You are put in the shoes of a teenage boy whose decisions will greatly affect his Videoverse growth and unfold an enjoyable narrative. If you are looking for a game that you can wind down to, then be sure to check out Videoverse.
Overall: 10/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
