Starlight Shores

A slice-of-life, romance VN that involves a group of friends spending the weekend at a cottage near the beach. It's about 2 hours for the first playthrough and maybe 2 more if you're going for all the CGs/endings. [u]Praises[/u] [list][*] Pretty art/CGs. [*] Discusses serious topics like depression, alcoholism, homophobia, conversion therapy, religious abuse, crappy parents in general, etc. [/list] [u]Complaints[/u] [list][*] I know that polyamory isn't for everyone, but like ... Will, Theo, and Lena are all mutually attracted to each other and yet there isn't a triad ending? For real, Will is capable of liking Theo and Lena. Theo confesses to being in love with Will [i]and[/i] Lena. Lena confesses to being in love with Theo and also being attracted to Will. ... Wtf isn't there a triad ending? Please, someone explain this to me in a way that isn't discriminatory against polyamorous folks. [*] Everyone is white af. No racial diversity. [*] Small, seemingly innocent choices lead to big consequences for no apparent reason. [*] At least one typo. [/list] I was feeling fairly neutral, but the lack of an ending that would make perfect damn sense pushed me into disliking this VN. [quote] Please follow our curator page, [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/4680120/]Otome Lovers[/url], if you'd like to see more reviews like this one! [/quote]

[h1][i][b]A heartwarming yet bittersweet story that will make you re-evaluate the importance of shared bonds and mutual support.[/b][/i][/h1] [b][i]TW: depression, trauma[/i][/b] [h1]Game's premise:[/h1] [b][i]You play as Will, a young man reuniting with his dearest friend Theo, from whom due to circumstances he happened to distance himself during past months. The occasion at hand, is Will’s Birthday celebration organized by Theo during weekend at the town of Seaside situated on nothing less than a tropical island. While some other friends will join the party later on, you are the first to arrive and get warmly greeted by Theo.[/i][/b] [h1]A bittersweet feeling:[/h1] [b][i]So much time passed, and there are so many unsaid things to catch up on. Will the newly-created distance among the two slip by? Or will it create even more tension preventing the both sides from opening up and stating their sincere thoughts to each other? Theo is your dearest friend whom you’ve always cherished. However, at some point the paths of the two of you began to part away due to the sudden transfer and enrollment to a different school. So many regrets, so little time. How on earth will you be able to take the right chance to externalize your feelings to Theo during such a short amount of time while being surrounded by others? To add more insecurities upon your shoulders, there is also the newly created situation during your absence – Theo got closer to another friend, whom she often mentioned to you as “your replacement” while using a slightly playful, yet sincere tone. She always stated you’d get totally along with Lena, due to the shared similarities coming to your mindset and personal tastes. And while the sole idea stings just a bit, you try to accept the situation as it goes. But… why did Theo stop calling you or answering phone? Does this mean your delicate bond completely disconnected? You ponder, while finding yourself at the town of Seaside, in front of the cottage getaway Theo happened to win in a contest.[/i][/b] [h1]A foreign, yet genuinely recognizable face:[/h1] [b][i]After greeting Theo, she kindly asks you to go meet Lena who is awaiting you at the coffee shop in order to get acquainted upon Theo’s request. You try to take the offered situation and handle it with care, while trying to inquire Lena upon Theo’s wellbeing and how she spent the past months she slipped out of your radar. Lena appears to be an honest and level-headed girl and you decide to try to get closer to her during party, in order to come to know better the person whom Theo now cherishes so much.[/i][/b] [h1]Enlargement of the group:[/h1] [b][i]It is when latest guest contacts you by stating he will be arriving late, that you start doubting the situation. Alec suddenly brings up the fact he is bringing along his girlfriend Erika, who is a total stranger to all of you, if not for having shared a school, therefore recognizing each other by view. You do not find it polite towards Theo, for Alec to come up with such a short notice and bringing a stranger at the party she organized by herself. However, you give up at the idea of giving him a proper scold. And so, Alec joins the three of you together with Erika.[/i][/b] [h1]The celebration:[/h1] [b][i]The party starts slowly, and you decide to take the little time shared with Theo alone to open up your heart to her as sincerely as possible. You state your insecurities coming to the ignored calls from her side and how much you missed her. But of course, few minutes won’t be enough to clear up everything. So once the others rejoin you, the casual chatting starts as well as the party. And while you and Theo tense up, you won’t let it show and decide to go along with the flow. Erika suggests to host a drinking game, a truth or dare type of pastime while merging together the drinking option to enliven the evening. Theo was willing to observe the star shower later on, but decides to accept while not fully convinced…[/i][/b] [h1]Featurings:[/h1] Starlight Shores by TidalBlossoms is a short Visual Novel offering emotional dialogues and a friendly atmosphere. While the story does proceed smoothly and does bring a relaxing feeling to the experience, you will come upon a short bittersweet and nostalgic story where you will get to listen and empathize with some of the dark memories of your cherished friends. The game does present some choices that will influence the outcome and also offers gorgeous background art with refreshing colours. I personally loved the combination between both heartwarming moments and heavily emotional dialogues shared between the friend group. The blend among casual and cheerful moments with serious discourses to face together is very human and realistic. The story, as well as the bond among Theo and Will are very well portrayed and recounted, so the reader will manage to empathize and get affected in first person. [h1]Overall:[/h1] A very short read offering a little game of a game enclosed in 3h long gameplay. Truly recommended if looking for a Visual Novel featuring casual everyday moments combined together with serious topics that will appear very relatable and realistic. [quote]Discover interesting visual novels, indie games and more on my Curator Page! 　　　　　　　　　　　　　🪴 [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46144642/][b]Gyepi Nook[/b][/url] 🪴[/quote]

Starlight Shores is a hidden gem masquerading as a writer’s first full-release. The dialogue is poignant, and the short-novel style fully utilizes the medium while playing into the theme of time. I've written an analysis of the game's writing and themes at this [url=https://anicourses.wordpress.com/2021/05/24/starlight-shores/]link[/url]. My small critiques can also be found there. Overall, a wonderful VN that has become one of my favorites.

[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34294631/] Follow Far2close - Visual Novel Playthroughs Curator Page [/url] Starlight Shores Developer: Delphinium Interactive Publisher: Delphinium Interactive [b]Pros:[/b] 1. The story is surprisingly deceiving in a good way. From the synopsis you expect a great time with your friends, maybe get together with the love interests or catch up with your best friend, but there's more to it than just that. This is a story that involves growing up, letting things go, and making ourselves the better person. Sometimes it won't be the perfect get together and that's what Starlight Shores does so well in. [spoiler] I found that the Theo x Lena end fit perfectly with the situation; a fading friendship, a new friend that has taken your place, along with you two being in different places. It just makes sense, nothing can last forever, and why try so hard to keep something when it'll just fall apart anyways. [/spoiler] 2. Most of the characters are done pretty great, such as Theo with her worries that her friendship with Will is withering away, Lena's desire to be wanted, along with Alec and Erika working things out in their relationship. A lot of these factors can be seen in life a lot of the time, but it's what makes it gold, how relatable it is. The deconstruction of Theo's patience is exceptional when taking specific choices, as it shows that she is only human. She can only take so many bad events before having a breather and I felt that this was a huge part of Theo as a character. The same goes for Lena, but in a more intimate sense with her lack of feeling desired. She can put on a bright exterior as much as she wants to hide the pain of being restricted and outcast, but it doesn't stop her in wanting to feel needed. 3. The art is lovely to look at with CGs that capture the beauty of Seaside while having a chat under the stars. The best CG in my opinion is the Theo end where both the characters and night sky intertwine to make such a memorable scene. There are also some cute chibi art that emphasize the good times being had whether it be cooking hot dogs or marshmallows, Alec spitting out a hot dog, or getting drunk. It's a nice mix of wholesome and fun with the serious undertones. 4. The soundtrack, oh my lord the soundtrack. As soon as you boot up the game, you are embraced with a melancholic track that screams some sadness, some beauty, and some memories to be made or broken. It fits in greatly with its deceptive story after you've gone through it. It also heightens the tense moments such as confronting Theo about your friendship or having a heartfelt conversation on the shore with a love interest. It just all makes the experience that wonderful. [b]Cons:[/b] 1. I found Erika's character to be a little one dimensional, having Alec be the center of whether getting know her past in her family or her chemistry with others. She does have some development, but it just feels a bit sudden judging from her exhilarating character trait and how it was dealt with off screen. [b]Conclusion:[/b] Starlight Shores shows that there can be a lot more to a short story than meets the eye. With themes such as letting go or doing what would be best, it's a great relatable story that hides underneath the fun and games, and what it means to start being an adult. [b]Score:[/b] 9/10 OUTSTANDING

[h1]이거 야게임 아님. 키스씬까지만 나옴. 이걸 야게임으로 사겠다면 말리겠음.[/h1] 참고로 이 게임 태그에 "선정적인 내용"은 있지만 "누드"는 없다. 스토리가 대충 남자2 여자3이 바닷가에 모여서 이야기 하다가 성적인 주제에 대해 [u]이야기 하는것 뿐[/u]. H씬은 없다. 가장 수위가 높은 장면이 여자 두명이서 키스하는 장면이고 성우는 없음. 대화에 상당히 많은 초점을 둔 게임이라 선택지가 상당히 많고 이 선택지를 어떻게 고르느냐에 따라 볼 수 있는 CG가 달라진다. CG숫자가 20장정도 되는데 내가 이 게임을 두번 엔딩을 보았지만 절반정도 밖에 엔딩을 보지 못했다. 그 외 이 게임의 게임툴(제작용 시스템)은 다른 염가 야게임에서 종종 볼 수 있는 게임툴인데 이건 업자가 개발사들 개발하기 쉽게 공급한게 스팀에서 종종 쓰이다보니 이런 시스템(특히 옵션을 preferences라고 표현해놨음)은 한번씩 볼 수 있음. 참고로 이 시스템은 비쥬얼노벨 전용이 아니라 퍼즐게임에서도 드물게 봤음. [b]한번더 말하지만 이 게임은 야게임이 아님.[/b] 이걸 리뷰상 추천해야 할까 말까 고민했는데.... 아무래도 3300원(정가 4400원)치고는 내가 만족을 못했다. 이 돈으로 차라리 과자를 한봉지 사 먹는게 더 만족스러웠을 듯. [h1]추천못함.[/h1]

To go into this... You need to know that this is a very peaceful, kind and relaxing "VN" game. I read so many "supernatural VN's", that I keep expecting a twist like that. BUT... It's cozy and enjoyable... Even if no one comes out and transforms. The piano soundtrack and all the others are peaceful and blend in well with the game. It doesn't distract you any and actually helps set the mood. To top it off: it's really well written and feels like care and goodness went into it. Oh and the designs are pretty good too! Especially the backgrounds... I made sure to take in-game screenshots of them, to look at 'em... So good... I don't really like the extra characters that invited themselves, but I think that was the point. IF that wasn't the point... They aren't personalities I would get along with, hence the comment. I do like "Theo" and "Lena" and "Will". I also enjoyed the ending I had aimed for and reached. It was... an actual pleasure reading and it also felt as if I was there, watching the scenes unfold. Only sometimes nudging the story in the direction I wanted. Alright! Let's hear it for the surprisingly wonderful story and everything that comes with it! Thank YOU!!! :) =) >:3

Got the key to stream it on Twitch, and did just that; pretty solid writing, and the music is enchanting. The artwork, while not my style, is pretty good as well. Of course, me being a bungling fool, I got the worst ending possible (I think >.> I hope it's the worst one...) Would highly recommend! Thanks for the key, Delphinium

It was a fun game and I do recommend it! You can tell the writers put a lot of love into the scenarios and I felt I could relate to the characters. Alec may never have redeemed himself to me but Erika did. I really enjoyed the characters and felt that it had natural progressions. I only wish for it to be a little longer as I could have continued playing on my first playthrough no issue. The backgrounds and music were top notch! Thank you for letting me play your game!

Romance VN + character interactions + multiple endings = Beach themed vacation story with friends. Choose how the story unfolds and the girl you want to pursue. Short and sweet. [h1][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/35180752-3-point-play/] Follow our curator for similar games [/url][/h1]

(The reason for the low play time is because I was provided with review codes to Starlight Shores while it was on itchi.io a few months ago and have already made a video reviewing this game. I am going to go through Starlight Shores again, but I just wanted to get this review out asap!! That being said, if you want a longer and more thorough review, go to the bottom where you'll find a link to the review I made of Starlight Shores (an earlier version- this version has some new artwork and quality of life updates) on YouTube! Plot summary: You play as Will, a college student who hasn't seen his best friend Theo in months, but good news- Theo has won a free weekend getaway to the town of Seaside just in time for Will's birthday! The story starts with Will on his way to the cabin where everyone will be staying for the weekend, ready for a fun weekend of reconnecting with his friend. Also joining Will and Theo is: Lena- Theo's new friend that Will hasn't met before Alec- Will's friend that Theo also invited and a last-second arrival, Erika- Alec's girlfriend Over the course of Starlight Shore's story, you will make a multitude of choices as Will while he hangs out with his group of friends doing things like roasting food by the campfire, playing party games, going out for a coffee, and more. The choices you make will decide who Will spends more time with, grows closer to, or maybe even who Will will grow farther apart from. And that is the story of Starlight Shores- a story that takes place over the course of just one night. My thoughts: While the starting point of the story is a weekend getaway, Delphinium Interactive made the bold decision to write a story that takes place over the course of one night. This immediately interested me because that means taking on the task of writing compelling characters, introducing them, and having them undergo satisfying character development in a relatively short span of time. A daunting task to be sure- but Delphinium Interactive manages to do just that and tell an meaningful story about how friendship can fade over time, how to cope with this, and how to figure out which friendships or bonds you have in life are worth fighting for. The story starts off with this nostalgic atmosphere as Will head towards the cabin and reminisces about the all the time he has spent with his friend Theo, how long it's been since they have seen each other, and then him him worrying if things will be awkward between them. When reunited, things seem to be fine, but as the story goes on and Will meets new characters, it becomes clear that things have changed, and he's not entirely sure he can go back to the way things used to be. Change is something I think everyone is scared of at some point in their life, and Starlight Shores does a wonderful job of showcasing that fear and how to deal with it through Will's story of reconnecting with an old friend and getting closer to certain characters depending on the choices you make throughout the story. Along with this great atmosphere/setup, you have wonderfully written characters who just act like real people. They don't feel like common anime or visual novel tropes,- they feel like real, stupid young adults who butt heads as things get potentially award the more they drink as the night goes on. These very well-written and relatable characters only add to the great atmosphere and overarching story of Starlight shores I just mentioned. Also worth noting is that while I have already mentioned the main them of Starlight Shores (the fading out of friendship, how to cope with it, and how to figure out if a relationship is worth fighting for and who knows?- maybe even advancing past just friendship), the story does deal with a variety of topics that change depending on which characters you have Will get closer to. I do not want to delve into any of the character-specific topics, because I think that one of the most engaging aspects of Starlight Shores is learning more about the characters as you navigate a vast array of choices in order to get closer to the character you are focusing on, but I will say this- they are all very modern and relatable topics/themes, well-written through the dialogue and learning about the "emotional baggage" so to speak of each character as you get closer to them. One last thing I will mention about the story is navigating the choices is an absolute blast, and be ready to see things get pretty heated and flat-out depressing if you're as dumb as I am making choices sometimes. The choices require some serious thought behind even the seemingly most mundane of options, and I loved figuring out where things went wrong and how to patch things up between characters in order to achieve happier endings. The artwork and soundtrack: The artwork is great. All the character sprites are well-drawn, bright-looking, and matches each of the characters personalities well. The backgrounds are all beautiful to look at, especially the main nighttime background art for the beach with the calming fire you will be spending most of your time looking at, and the Cg's are all great too. Starlight Shores has a good variety of CG's- some bright and energetic (much like the characters in the story), chibi art for some of the more casual and lighthearted scenes, and more. The soundtrack, much like the artwork is well-varied and very fitting for the story of Starlight Shores. You have calm and relaxing tracks, upbeat tracks with acoustic instruments, somber tracks which rely heavily on piano, and some downright beautiful tracks. One extra thing I'd like to mention before wrapping things up is the UI of the game- it's very pretty. The textbox looks like the starry night sky Will and the others will be spending so much time underneath, and the menu matches this aesthetic and is very easy to navigate. Conclusion: In the end, Starlight Shores is an amazing, unique visual novel I recommend to everyone. It has a story that takes place over the course of one night that still manages to be as satisfying and impactful as any other story, realistic and well-written characters with amazing character development, an engaging choice system that makes reaching various endings and bonding with certain characters exciting to do, well-drawn and varied artwork, and an equally great and varied soundtrack (and an overall pleasing design/aesthetic for the UI of the game). All this in mind, I'd rate Delphinium Interactive's Starlight Shores a 9.5 out of 10! If you want a more through and in-depth review, check out my review of an earlier copy of Starlight Shores on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mf-Om3OgoY&t=46s