PQube and MAGES have teamed up once again to bring us the latest installment in the iconic visual novel series with SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky. This release is a delightful addition to the celebrated Memories Off franchise, which first captured hearts in 1999 on the PlayStation. It’s a spin-off set a decade after the main series, placing players in the shoes of college student Junya Mizumoto, all while setting the stage for a brand new entry next year on the Nintendo Switch in Japan. Fingers crossed it makes its way to fans worldwide!
Junya’s story takes off as he grapples with the tragic loss of his brother from a year ago. Just when he thinks he has a grip on things, a strange encounter shakes his world. A mysterious girl delivers a haunting message, suggesting that he was meant to die instead. With that chilling thought lingering, an unexpected opportunity arises – working on a renovation project with his childhood friend, Chihaya Hojo. This project involves the Hojo manor, a quintessential Japanese home tied to Chihaya’s family heritage. It’s a meaningful endeavor, but that’s just the start of Junya’s adventure. To uncover all the twists and turns, you’ll have to dive into the game yourself. The narrative path isn’t linear, either. Your decisions impact how your relationship with characters like Chihaya, Hinata Ise, Azusa Satomi, Chunyu Huang, and Yuriko Oyama evolves.
For those unfamiliar with visual novels, think of them as stories brought to life with images, sometimes as long as an actual book. They’re uniquely engaging, often featuring immersive voice acting – a feature present in SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky. Though you’ll find the voices in Japanese, it adds an authentic touch, and you’ll immerse yourself deeper into the story through reading, which is an intrinsic part of the visual novel experience.
What’s especially intriguing about SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky is how it pulls you back a decade from the original storyline, stepping into the life of Junya Mizumoto. Facing the heartache of his brother’s accidental death a year prior, Junya’s journey takes an unexpected route when he meets a strange girl with a daunting claim – that he, not his brother, should have met that fate. Yet life doesn’t allow him to dwell on the thought for long, as he soon gets involved with Chihaya Hojo in a project to restore the Hojo manor.
With its narrative depth and engaging character arcs, SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky is a compelling play. Aside from the occasional slip in localization with minor typos, the game doesn’t have much to fault. It’s readily available for Nintendo Switch at a price point of $39.99, promising an emotional and engrossing experience for fans and newcomers alike.
This review of SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by PQube, and I couldn’t be more pleased to share my thoughts on this touching visual novel journey.
