No:Worse

First and foremost, I'm writing this as a writer for Fuwanovel, but my opinions are my own and I'm not sugarcoating anything. However, I'm writing this expecting the author to do better next time, and not to insult them in any way whatsoever. When I saw the art and overall presentation for this VN, I was expecting a generic story. It wasn't too generic, but it was just as bad: there's not one better-than-average aspect and even the things it didn't completely fail at aren't anything to write home about. For starters, the English is very awkward to read through and is full of typos and incosistencies. The game has an English dub, but it clearly either tuned text-to-speech or it was recorded by non-native speakers; it was so bad that I enjoyed the game more without voice acting at all (not even the original, Russian one). The visuals feel very generic, like a VTuber model without any personality. It's like the author slapped different fashions on the same face and voi-la! A waifu was created. The soundtrack was "alright", but it wasn't anything too grand, so I won't dwell on it. Now, the most important aspect of any (well, most) visual novel: the story! I will admit that I was genuinely lost and considering dropping it until the last minute, when the reveal is done and we get some answers and resolutions. The overall message—not to give up on life and try better—was nice, but its execution failed in all ways possible, making it hard for me to care. Hell, there are some questions this reveal creates, and those are just left in the air—and not in a smart way. It just feels lazy to me. Overall, I would only recommend this one if you—for whatever reason—feel compelled to read through every single OEVN or if you already bought this and want to 100% your Steam games. Otherwise, just play anything else. [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/fujoneko/recommended/2535810?snr=1_5_9__402][i]Last Resort[/i][/url], Izimov's other work I read, is just as flawed but at least it's way shorter, so you can even go play that.

Can't recommend it. Technically speaking: It's technically better than the earlier work but still less practical than Ren'Py. Graphically speaking: Pretty generic. If it had been released two years later I would have thought that it was AI graphics. On the plus side the faces are animated (not very well but still). The voices: well not everybody is made to dub an anime character. There's got to be emotion in there. But the Russian accents are less noticeable as before. The dialogs: The translation could be better. But at least the obssession for breasts seems to have disappear. The story: Pretty short. The price: Really not enough content/quality for that price. Story pretty confusing due in part to the not so good English translation.

No:Worse, developed and published by Aleksey Izimov, is a character-driven visual novel that leans into themes of uncertainty, ambition, and emotional dependency, presenting a story that feels grounded in the everyday struggles of young adulthood. The game follows Natsu, an aspiring artist who finds himself stuck between creative aspirations and the realities of financial instability and lack of direction. Rather than building its narrative around grand events, it focuses on personal dilemmas and the quiet tension of trying to figure out one’s place in the world, giving the story a relatable and introspective tone from the very beginning. The narrative unfolds through a branching structure that allows players to influence how Natsu’s relationships develop and, ultimately, how his story concludes. Multiple characters play significant roles in shaping his journey, each representing different emotional paths and possibilities. Through dialogue choices, players can guide interactions in subtle ways, leading to a variety of outcomes that reflect not only romantic preferences but also the protagonist’s personal growth—or lack thereof. While the branching paths add replay value, they tend to revolve around a shared core narrative, meaning that different routes feel more like variations on a theme rather than entirely separate experiences. One of the game’s stronger aspects lies in its portrayal of flawed, imperfect characters. Rather than presenting idealized personalities, it leans into vulnerability, showing individuals who struggle with insecurity, attachment, and conflicting desires. This gives the interactions a more grounded feel, as conversations often reflect real emotional tension rather than exaggerated drama. The relationships evolve gradually, with moments of connection balanced by misunderstandings and internal conflict, creating a rhythm that keeps the narrative engaging even when it stays within familiar territory. In terms of gameplay, No:Worse remains firmly rooted in traditional visual novel conventions. The experience is largely text-driven, with player input limited to occasional choices that influence the direction of the story. There are no additional systems or mechanics to complicate the experience, which makes it easy to approach for newcomers to the genre. However, this simplicity also means that the game relies almost entirely on its writing and character dynamics to maintain engagement, offering little in the way of interactive variety. Presentation is a noticeable step up compared to many smaller-scale visual novels. Character sprites are expressive and feature subtle animations that help bring scenes to life, making conversations feel more dynamic. The art style follows a clean, anime-inspired aesthetic that prioritizes clarity and emotional expression, while the interface remains intuitive and easy to navigate. Audio elements, including background music and ambient effects, complement the tone of the story, reinforcing its more reflective and occasionally somber mood without becoming intrusive. Despite its strengths, the game does have limitations that become more apparent over time. The relatively short runtime restricts how deeply the story can explore its themes, and certain character arcs feel condensed as a result. Additionally, while the emotional focus is effective, it doesn’t break new ground, often relying on familiar narrative tropes found in similar titles. For players who have experienced many visual novels in this style, the story may feel predictable in places, even if it remains competently executed. Ultimately, No:Worse is a focused and sincere visual novel that succeeds in delivering a relatable, emotionally driven experience within a modest scope. It doesn’t aim to redefine the genre or introduce complex mechanics, instead prioritizing character interaction and narrative choice as its core strengths. While it may not leave a lasting impression for everyone, it offers a thoughtful exploration of personal struggles and relationships that will resonate with players who appreciate introspective storytelling. Rating: 7/10

The pacing in this game is perfect, but choices might not always feel impactful enough. English voice-over is quite weird, mb bcz VAs aren't natives. I recommend to switch to the Russian.

I love the amount of the choices. But I can't get a true ending yet, why?!

Поначалу история была хорошей, но уже ближе к концу все события вдруг резко ускорились и получилась ♥♥♥♥♥. Но ни смотря на это игра мне понравилась. (8/10)

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首先感谢双语组给予了我这次评测《NoWorse》的机会，其次我给予本作一个8分的评价。 [h1]总体上来看[/h1] 本作是一款无汉化的俄文世界观日式小说，非常神奇的缝合怪作品，讲述了在俄国人眼中一位日本艺术生在大学失业之后如何才能通过女人获得艺术家头衔 并因此改变自身的命运。非常神妙，俄罗斯人幻想中的日本人，靠着女人吃软饭艺术家，参展并获得荣誉，这些关键词结合在一起马上让你开始怀疑自己的眼睛究竟是看到了什么东西。我发誓，这绝对是不花钱看不到的怪东西。 [h1]下面是具体的评测内容 有趣的表现形式[/h1] 视觉小说的背景一般来说会选择较为精致的美图来作为剧情的发展背景，但是本作却在视觉小说中选择用固定背景+漫画风的角色+漫画式的角色表情，增加角色的情感表达并提升玩家的代入感。 各位女主角的形象鲜明有趣，虽然不是很懂发生了什么的，但是表情包的加入使得玩家能够在语言不通的前提下敏感的察觉到各位女主角之间的情感互动，每位女主角的特征都能从她们的动作，服装和表情中被玩家区分开。 [h1] 奇妙的俄式日本幻想[/h1] 在本作中，作者假定了一个生活在日本东京的俄罗斯艺术生，他和几位美少女在同一个画室，通过拜访大师获得校友会画展的参与机会并准备在其中扬名立万。 然而，本作中处处充满了俄罗斯人才会产生的日式幻想——比如说把一些不知所谓的词语写在窗户上，带着美少女队友一起去吃寿司套餐而不是烤肉，跟美少女贴贴而不是每天练画…… 巨大的文化差异，使得玩多了日式游戏的玩家能够在外国人的眼光中看看日式文化在传播过程中的神妙异化——还好我们的俄罗斯朋友没有画出来男女主角一起红菜汤配香肠，不然这部作品可就太劲儿大了。 [h1]综上所述[/h1] 本作是一款无汉化的俄文世界观日式小说，非常神奇的缝合怪作品，讲述了在俄国人眼中一位日本艺术生在大学失业之后如何才能通过女人获得艺术家头衔 并因此改变自身的命运。非常神妙，俄罗斯人幻想中的日本人，靠着女人吃软饭艺术家，参展并获得荣誉，这些关键词结合在一起马上让你开始怀疑自己的眼睛究竟是看到了什么东西。我发誓，这绝对是不花钱看不到的怪东西。 [code]双语评测，认准我们： [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/35263058-Bilingual-Curator/]双语评测[/url] Make Chinese and English speaker feel at home： [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/35263058-Bilingual-Curator/]Bilingual Curator[/url][/code]

The characters are crazy relatable, their stories had me hooked from the jump. Music was so-so, and translation sometimes isn't great, but overall - it's a nice game to play.

The art in this game is cute. Animations made every scene much funnier, ahaha.