By Em Stonham And Others Em Stonham And Others,Emma Flint

Copyright escapistmagazine

Trauma, and the way people process it, is an interesting premise for gamers to explore, though hardly a new one. However, Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo! attempts to bring something new to the table. Reminiscent of Doki Doki Literature Club!, and films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the potential here is vast.

But does the newly released Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo! game manage to stick the landing? A mix of visual novel, point-and-click, and hidden object game, this title marries together several familiar and popular genres. Sporting multi-endings, six curious characters, and a mysterious city to explore, The Escapist will help you decide if this adventure is right for you.

The Escapist recaps

Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo! is a “multi-ending mystery adventure” released on 17 September, developed by Dank Hearts and published by WhisperGames. Its non-linear narrative mirrors the loss and confusion its characters feel, yet due to its odd pacing, this labyrinthine format doesn’t always work. The title’s varied puzzles help to break up the repetitive nature of the gameplay, though the formula of exploration, puzzle, and escape soon becomes predictable despite this. Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo!’s anime art style is beautiful, helping the game to feel more like an animated series rather than a game. Delivering a slow burn story, the beginning of the game can feel somewhat tedious, with a lot of exposition thrown in all at once. Consequently, the balance between visual novel and puzzles feels skewed.

Steeped in intrigue but misses its full potential

Immediately, Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo! throws you into the game, leaving players scratching their heads just as much as the characters they meet.

Despite waking in a strange place with no recollection of how you got there, the title gives you a brief tutorial so you can get to grips with the mechanics of the game. For veteran point-and-click puzzle lovers, this tutorial may feel unnecessary. Yet, due to the more unique aspects of the title – such as processing your Noise – it’s worth paying attention.

While dialogue heavy scenes and much reading is expected in a game like Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo!, the repetition of its theme, particularly everyone’s amnesia, becomes wearisome. It’s like the game is constantly reminding you that you’re in a mysterious place, devoid of your memories – almost like you’re unable to retain the information you’ve already collected.

Consequently, even though the flames of curiosity have been fanned, players are drip fed details to the point of frustration. It’s a shame, as the story that very slowly emerges has lots of promise.

Jam-packed with puzzles for curious minds

One aspect of gameplay Dank Hearts’ Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo! game isn’t short of is puzzles. From equation solving to learning how to counter moves in a fighting mini game to piecing together torn documents, there are many ways to flex your brain. Sometimes, the solution is simple; other times, you’ll need to think outside the box.

The fact that there is so much variation is a credit to Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo! Although it often feels unbalanced due to its pacing and marrying together of visual novel and puzzle elements, you’ll never be bored because of the puzzles themselves.

There is a hint system to help if you get stuck, though it’s not a particularly robust one. Basically, you have to struggle a few times to trigger dialogue that pretty much spells out what you need to do. Yes, you can read back through the tips you’ve amassed in the menu, and there’s a where-to-go-next helpful tip in the upper left-hand corner. Still, the hint system needs work.

How the puzzles help the characters to navigate the mysteries of their trauma, and Noise Scramble City works really well; much like the characters, you’re piecing their past together. If only there were better fluidity of the differing gameplay elements, then it would be a more polished experience.

Playing it too safe

The overarching issue with Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo! is that it plays it too safe. It never truly innovates the genre nor narrative, which produces a predictable experience despite the potential the title has.

For starters, the characters are incredibly cliché – the sceptic, the jealous sibling, the liar, the insecure boy. These tropes have been done to death, so it’s not exactly easy to reinvent the wheel. That being said, it feels like Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo! doesn’t try at all. Players will still be curious about the characters’ pasts, but they likely won’t ever feel truly invested.

Another niggling problem is the lack of choices players can make. It took a good while before a choice was even offered, and when it did finally appear, it was a lacklustre one: which location to visit. Granted, that choice changes the characters you’re teamed up with and the memories you’ll unlock, but it still feels like an insignificant decision to make.

There are so many positive facets to this WhisperGames title, however, they get lost in translation. Everything feels disjointed when it should flow. Some disconnection can work with non-linear experiences, and can even improve the immersion, but that doesn’t happen here. Generic conventions are adhered to too rigidly, with the chance to exceed expectations never presenting itself.

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