Reviews

• 

  Hγperion

  Oct 30, 2021

  You can even disable color, lol.
• 

  Ari

  Jun 16, 2022

  Despite the unique art style, the story was boring and the characters bland. Halfway through, I was begging for some kind of twist or dark turn to make it more interesting, but alas, I was not given such a reprieve. PS. I'll be honest. I really got this game for the heart emoji.
• 

  ✩ Helenα ✩

  Aug 29, 2016

  This VN was different, and I must say that I enjoyed quite a lot. It’s a short kinetic (with no choices, you only read the story) VN with interesting graphics and awesome music. I never thought that these kinds of graphic would fit on a game like this, but they did. The story and characters are simple, but I could feel sympathy for them; it’s funny how you can meet a new person on a normal day, and that person might start to have an impact in your life. I just wished the ending was a bit longer… About the Portuguese translation, I only saw one mistake: near the end, Sveta says “disonesto”, when the actual word is spelled “desonesto”. Also, it was refreshing to read a VN in my native language! I wish all the luck to these developers, and I hope they can make more VNs like this one. This was a huge improvement over One Manga Day. 7/10.
• 

  Spleen

  Oct 29, 2016

  Winter Novel is a short, no choice visual novel. Anyways here some stats on the visual novel. -Uses keyboard keys in different color for art. -Less than an hour long -Has some homuor (enough to make you smile; not every part is a joke) -Develops the two main characters by using parallel plot at certain parts. -Revolves around two characters conflict with their boss and society. A good short read for visual novel.
• 

  Gyepi

  Jan 5, 2017

  [h1][ASCII INTENSIFIES][/h1] A short Kinetic Novel involving two indipendent persons having ordinary (not so smooth) lives, encountering each other due to circumstances. Characters are nice and easily relatable. The game displays the undervalue of stress caused by basic rules of our society and the importance of mutual support. An easy laid-back read accompanied by relaxing music and interesting graphics.
• 

  chio

  Feb 5, 2017

  Well, this is my first review, but I hope it will be one of many good reviews. So let's get to the point. "Winter Novel" is a Visual Novel available for 1,99 euros. Do I think is worth it? Well, if you're really into this kind of genre go ahead, but if you've never seen a game like this before, try to get a discount that comes with the Steam leveling up system. It's a really creative novel, the design is so original and the music just keeps you focused on the astonishing story that goes around the first job, stress, friendship and greediness. Overall, I will give this game a 7.5 out of 10. P.S.: Don't buy the game to get up your percentage of achievements. Sit back and enjoy. Have Fun, Haise
• 

  ...Pacman...

  Feb 8, 2017

  An enjoyable tale and the first visual novel I have purchased. It takes about 30-40 mins to read through (ignore the logged hrs....had to unlock the trading cards) The music is lovely and compliments the story as it unfolds. It has a clever and unique visual style and I could associate with the sentiments expressed within the story. I genuinely wanted to play through until the end. A cheap but meaningful purchase. Recommended
• 

  mendel

  Feb 17, 2017

  Winter Novel is a short, predictable kinetic novel. It takes about half an hour, has these auto-converted-to-ASCII graphics, decent background music, and a simple work romance story to click through (no choices). And that being the case, this "novel" needs to be judged on its writing, which is fairly predictable, since all of the characters are stereotypes and the plot holds no surprises. Not bad, but boring.
• 

  Smile Junkie

  Feb 20, 2017

  I absolutely enjoyed this game. It only costed me 49 cents but it was all well-worth it for a decent Sunday afternoon. It's not something spectacular mind you, it's okay - the art as seen on the screenshots is rather unusual for the genre, the music is limited, but not too repetitive. The setting is what caught my eye. It perfectly well presents its characters - their daily live, their daily struggles and their thought process. For a visual novel at this price it's a work well-done.
• 

  Puppy Czar

  Feb 23, 2017

  I'm quite divided about this game. I don't think it's something I'll totally recommend, and yet it's not something I dislike. The story was fairly predictable, the characters were simple stereotypes. I did enjoy it, though. Too bad it only lasted 30 minutes. I think the soundtrack was really nice, and the whole ASCII aspect of the game makes it unique; it's a shame that it's wasted on a story like this. If you're interested, you should get it on sale, I got my copy for less than 40 cents.
• 

  wrb41977

  Mar 18, 2017

  This is a short story in digital format. It uses an older style of graphical picture creation (which might give you a headache). It is also a bit sweet, and ends just as a relationship might be about to take off. (Personally, this appears to me to be the beginning of a love relationship between the two protagonists.) For achievement hunters, just start the game and progress from beginning to end, and all will unlock. And just keep the game running for long enough for the Trading Cards, if they strike your interests.
• 

  Cultist John

  Apr 11, 2017

  It's not a [i]bad[/i] game as such, but there's just not much [i]there[/i]. It is what it says it is, a "visual novel" with "30-60 minutes of gameplay". It evokes its mood well, and the characters are likeable. However, there are no choices (technically making it a "kinetic novel"). You get the "achievements" just by playing through the story. Even Without Within had a few "wrong choice = game over" moments, and that one's free! So, I'm not [i]upset[/i] or anything, but I just can't [i]recommend[/i] it...
• 

  SugaNee

  Jul 7, 2017

  It's not a visual novel, it's a kinetic novel. The difference is in a kinetic novel there is no choices, it's like a picture book. So they should point that out. It has a slow story, but the art is what drew me into this. It's really cool because if you back up to the other side of the room what was once text and color makes a beautiful picture. I didn't like it so much, it wasn't for me. However for people who like slow slice of life kinetic novels it should be brilliant. Also for achievement hunters since [spoiler] if you just hold down shift the whole story flys away and you get all the achievements... [/spoiler]
• 

  Melwing

  Oct 27, 2017

  Way too short (30 minutes including getting up to make a sandwich). A unique visual style (color ASCii art) doesn't make up for a complete lack of choices, proofreading, or interesting characters. Still, at sale price (49 cents, currently) I'm not going to refund. But I can't recommend it.
• 

  Snaedis

  Nov 14, 2017

  A short novel with unique graphics, Winter Novel follows the story of Sveta and Vlad as they work together on a project for the bank Sveta works for. Even though it is short, the story is cute, and I wish it had developed the relationship between Sveta and Vlad a bit more at the end. The end was too abrupt really, but I enjoyed it. 8/10
• 

  Helevorn

  Nov 30, 2017

  Starting at 2€, Winter Novel is actually a quite particular kind of visual novel - you can see from the graphics too :) The game has as its main characters Sveta, a young and depressed girl working as a bank employee and Vlad (ok, this is getting too Russian.. ahahah), who's a freelance programmer that has quite a harsh and solitary nature. Everything - which is quite short, the developers themselves said that less than 1 hour is even too much for the whole game - rotates around the story of the two of them which changes due to an important task offered to them that requires a joint work. So, it deals with themes like conflict with the society, work, depression, loneliness, relationships.. and the hard thing that is working together and living with another person.. (maybe it lacks a little bit of depth, mainly in the end, but it's ok). This novel also falls under the kinetic category, meaning that you aren't required to make choices but just to read everything like a novel - this means, of course, that the few achievements available will unlock naturally by progressing through the story. I found it nice, overall. The price is way too high, so you may want it on your wishlist, but deserves to be played and read to me.
• 

  Faudraline

  Dec 27, 2017

  [i]Winter Novel[/i] is one of DeXP's visual novels, with a unique art style and a not so interesting story with a rushed ending. When I was picking my next VN to go, this one seemed to stand out a bit thanks to the art, but it ended up being nothing that marvelous or interesting. Still, the tone of the narrative and the main point of the story is sincere enough to call it "a good try"; and that is the sole reason I’m not giving it a downvote. We have two protagonists - a Sveta who works at a bank where she endures an endless cycle of workplace bullying; and a Vlad who works as a freelance programmer and never has the guarantee that he'll be paid at the end of the job. Welcome to the 21st century capitalist world order! Everyone is exhausted, depressed and alone. As an irony of fate, these two appropriately miserable young people are brought together when a need for a programmer arises at the bank. Vlad is hired, and Sveta is made to help her, as a part of her job. The boss, being the pragmatic bastard, which would suit to his stereotype, makes plans to overwork the duo and swamp them with impossible demands, so they would miss their deadline; removing the necessity for him to pay them according to the contract. Seems evil? Nah, just realistic. As I said before, this happens everywhere around the world; since money talks and the human labor is cheap. But as they are put to work together, they find kindred souls within each other, making their depressing routine a bit of a better place. Putting capitalist reality at the scope of a visual novel is a neat idea actually. Characters’ reality and the hardship they endure is believable. It all is tedious, tiring and unjust. I liked the setting and how it’s been presented a lot. But Vlad and Sveta's interaction, or their characters are not that interesting or grasping as a narrative. Sveta is a lonesome girl who reads - and since she finds people around her selfish and self-absorbed, she acts just as selfish in putting no effort to get to know anyone. Vlad, on the other hand, comes to be a bit more of an optimist, but his portrayal is a bit simple or predictable for my taste. He is a shut-in nerd, who falls in love with the girl and makes small sacrifices to make her smile; that's all. Sure, they are ordinary people, and you grow to care about them, but they are both hypocrites in their own accord too. What is disappointing is the end of the story though. If you plan to play this short VN - or read, since kinetic visual novels have no choice options or actual participation - please stop reading now, ‘cause I’ll be giving spoilers. The narrative starts with separate depressive lives of our protagonists, continues with their chance encounter and builds into their honorable battle with the deadline. In the meanwhile, they become friends. So far, so good. But as the deadline comes by; they are not ready as expected, the boss agrees to pay only the half and they agree. A week later, Sveta quits her job and thanks Vlad. Wait, what? What happened there? This might be a realistic slice of life in means of presenting capitalistic hardships, but the ending renders the story as not interesting enough to read, at least for me. It is the story of a pointless work drive that ends with a compromise. Sure, the actual point is people making impacts in each other’s’ lives, but the narrative wasn't deep or diverse enough to present that point properly. There is a build which makes you wonder, but then... it doesn't deliver. What is worth mentioning is the art choice, which consists of various data-symbol mosaics arranged into anime style artworks. The idea itself is unique, and even though it gives you quite the headache if you are sitting close to the screen, I think it to be a unique metaphor to portray the banality, the crushing dullness of the capitalist work order, in which our characters are stuck. Their world consists of these symbols. They are not used to seeing colors or shapes themselves; but fragmented little dots, with their forlorn perspectives. I would love if the artwork itself would change according to the mood of our protagonists - now that would be awesome - but sadly this artwork persists throughout the game. Sure, there really is no breaking out of the capitalist order itself, but their hopelessness in this symbolism clashes with the abrupt and uplifting end of the story anyhow. Combining all my observations of the game, I think this as an incomplete game. It has started with a really good idea, but then something happened, and it got cut short, coming short in various departments. Story progression is left unfinished and the climax is never reached. Maybe developers themselves haven't been able to meet a deadline also, and left it this way. I wouldn't know. But if you still wonder, it is a good idea, half way done. Please also check out Lady Storyteller's Curator page [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/ladystoryteller#curation]here[/url] - follow for regular updates on reviews for other games!
• 

  | SM00THIE |

  Jan 19, 2018

  I really enjoyed the ASCII-art style in this visual novel. The story on the other hand, is just okay. Would have preferred more of a twist in the plot too keep it exciting. Pretty easy dialogue to get through, most of the time (Admittingly I skimmed a bit at times). The story is not too long, not too short, good length. I picked this up on sale, and during a sale I would recommend. Personally, since I am not that big into visual novels, I wouldnt recommend at full price. Though if NVs are your thing, it might be worth it.
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  Bobby Zeal

  Jan 23, 2018

  Winter Novel is a unique approach to most visual novels in that it uses a variety of key-characters to represent pictures, people and well everything really. Keep in mind that it’s best played on a smaller window in order to see the images a lot clearer. The story is essentially two lonesome people and one chance meeting bringing the two together. There’s not too much to say besides that; it’s nothing exciting and certainly nothing overly dramatic, but it’s not terribly dull by any means. Pros: - Original approach to a visual novel. - Nice music. Cons: - Story is a little bland for my tastes. Sorry. - I thought the ending was a bit abrupt. - Maybe it could have been a teensy bit longer? If you’re a fan of visual novels then I say give this a try; the price won’t burn a hole in your pocket, and it’s a pleasant distraction for about an hour.
• 

  Umut

  Jan 4, 2021

  Novels <3