When is a video game, not a video game? When it is a visual novel. If you are not familiar with the genre, it is a game in which you move from place to place and the story unfolds. There are no action sequences or puzzles, just an interactive story that plays out as you progress through the game. Sometimes You has released a new title, that goes even further, and it just a story. A Winter’s Daydream tells the story of love, lose, family, and more.
The story is told from the point of view of Yuu, a law student that is returning from Tokyo on winter break to visit his family in the small town he grew up in. During your holiday, you clash with your younger sister, and decide to spend a few days with your grandmother in a nearby village to ease tensions. While there, something amazing happens, your grandmother is transformed into the 16-year-old version of herself. Odd things ensue, but nothing like the hijinks implied by the trailer.
There is no navigation in this game. Once you hit the start button, the only interaction you will have is pressing the A button to advance the dialogue. This gives you the time to read everything and become invested in the lives of Yuu and his family. Unfortunately, it also sets the game up to be an quick and easy completion. If you do this, you will miss out on one of the most heart warming stories available on console.
The graphics are bright and festive. Characters move in and out of the scene as you carry out conversations with them. It would be nice if there were more expressions on their faces to go along with the emotions of the scenes. Quite often you will be having a heart felt conversation, but the person you are speaking with has a look of contempt or anger on their face. Luckily, the music does well at capturing the mood of the game. One thing I did notice is that if you take too long to advance the narrative, you will be left with awkward silences.
A Winter’s Daydream will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Fans of action and adventure games will steer clear of it, unless they are looking for an easy completion or extra Gamerscore. This is a shame because the title has one of the most interesting stories out there at the moment. With a price tag of only $6, it is well worth your time, even if there is little re-playability.
