VERSION: 0.03
Sedimentary stones are seldom of interest, drab and typically gray or mottled shades of brown, such formations are often disregarded save by errant passersby who may pick one up to skip it across a nearby lake. Some, however, reveal far more to those who peer beyond the uninspiring surface for, now and then, these simple stones are actually geodes: a dusty shell protecting a veritable trove of glittering quartz and crystal.
So it is with Reincarnotica, a game that defies its initial impression to reveal a true gem.
Story-driven and focused almost exclusively on the budding relationships between its restricted cast, Reincarnotica begins with an extended introductory sequence concerning a VR game that derives clear inspiration from the recent wave of isekai franchises. The introduction lays out a wealth of detail regarding the fantasy world of said game and the protagonist's interest in such; arguably, it's excessively detailed, delving into the rules in a manner that seems almost self-indulgent, as if the author became lost in exploring the details of their own fictional MMO. Fortunately, this sequence is optional and skipping it does not impair the experience.
What remains is based primarily on the most trite of premises, amnesia, but the writing deftly avoids focusing on it in favor of developing the characters and elaborating on their quirks: the independent, compassionate mother who hides a deep-seated insecurity and her vivacious daughter that is conflicted, caught between promises of the past and an uncertain future, to say nothing of the exotic doctor with a cheery outlook and bleak marriage.
Therein the game truly shines, with stellar character design that is genuinely unique among its contemporaries, the overwhelming majority of whom opt for the same models with the same hairstyles and complexions; Reincarnotica's pale-skinned, freckled, vividly-hued redheads, alongside an olive-skinned beauty with henna tattoos, boast the aquiline features and timeless poses of classic pin-up girls.
Graphically, the UI is also of note, composed in a style reminiscent of early French art nouveau with gorgeous flourishes and assorted bits of poetry in lieu of the typical blunt quest descriptions. Environments are detailed, though somewhat hit or miss when considering the dreary fantasy-town sections and mismatched assets cobbled together throughout the introduction, yet Reincarnotica truly shines when conversing with the cast who emote in various manners from a simple hand gesture to a tilt of the head or demure smile.
That the art is entirely static, even during the few erotic sequences, with no animation whatsoever is less of a detracting element than one might imagine given the quality of the renders; with any luck, future iterations will include animated scenes if only to demonstrate these gorgeous models in motion.
Of course, nothing is without flaw and Reincarnotica's lurk overwhelmingly within its script. Outright spelling errors are rare, though one is quite glaring wherein a character is dubbed "Brittany" in one line and, two sentences later, as "Britanny." Grammatical errors, on the other hand, are frequent and generally a result of poor syntax; below are a number of lines, selected at random, to illustrate the point along with their necessary correction.
"...if the damn thing didn't just massacred dozens of players a while ago."
EITHER "...if the damn thing didn't just massacre dozens of players awhile ago."
OR "...if the damn thing hadn't just massacred dozens of players awhile ago."
"...was certainly strong but so did those that we've crushed and defeated."
"...was certainly strong but so were those that we've crushed and defeated."
"...to store the elixirs doesn't meet the his level."
"...to store the elixirs exceeds his level."
"You catched that?"
"You caught that?"
"...discovered that a lightning struck..."
EITHER "...discovered that lightning struck..."
OR "...discovered that a lightning bolt struck..."
"Everyday stuff that you might've encounter."
EITHER "Everyday stuff that you might've encountered."
OR "Everyday stuff that you may encounter."
"And men don't like those kinds of woman."
EITHER "And men don't like those kinds of women."
OR "And men don't like that kind of a woman."
The exceedingly common your/you're errors also appear, though relegated primarily to the introductory sequence.
"Your much newer than EVE right?"
"Your dismissed."
"I said your dismissed."
"I know your a good person."
Upsettingly, particularly for a linguistics pedant, the author repeatedly confuses the terms "
coma" and "
comatose," as though one were shorthand for the other. An individual who is in a "coma" or similar condition, no longer responding to external stimuli, is "comatose." It is exceedingly silly to employ said medical nomenclature in any other context, particularly when the speaker is a licensed doctor.
"We even tried calling your relatives should the comatose last for years..."
"It seems that the accident that got you into this comatose might've also affected..."
"Except for your comatose, nothing seems to be amiss."
"But Doc, how is it related to my comatose?"
Much of these are overshadowed, however, by the most outstandingly uncommon aspect of Reincarnotica: its musical score. Composed from various instrumental tracks, with a distinctly European flair, the alternatively lilting and melancholy tunes provide a charming accompaniment to the dialogue and demonstrate an underlying passion for the craft of amateur game production that is so often overlooked.
GRAPHICS ---------------------------------------------- 9 / 10
+ Gorgeous character models that are unique among their contemporaries.
+ Poses are tasteful, evocative and reminiscent of classic pin-up posters.
+ Environmental art is relatively consistent and well lit.
+/- Devoid of animations, which may be a dealbreaker for some but does not detract from the experience.
- City map and pixel art sections are jarringly distinct from other assets.
DIALOGUE ---------------------------------------------- 7 / 10
+ Distinct characterization and sympathetic motivations.
+ Discourse that flows naturally and demonstrates clear character growth.
- Copious grammatical errors, from classic your/you're to syntax and conjugation.
- Excessively verbose and unnecessarily convoluted introductory sequence.
GAMEPLAY --------------------------------------------- 6 / 10
+ Standard suite of features for the Ren'Py engine is implemented well and without issue.
+ Ability to skip the introductory sequence is included, for those uninterested in the backstory.
INNOVATION ------------------------------------------ 7 / 10
+ Distinct, thoughtfully composed musical score.
+ Thematic colors on a per-character basis allow the player to easily discriminate between the women.
+ Crisp, clean and artful UI that is stylistically complementary.
SCORE ==================================== 29 / 40
ARTFUL, EXCEPTIONALLY PROMISING AND WORTHY OF SUPPORT
Few games manage to achieve the level of excellence displayed by Reincarnotica, much less so early in their development cycle. The erotic content is somewhat lacking, a number of errors remain to be addressed but every possible indicator of success is present and, though that undeniably elevates expectations, this reviewer remains optimistic regarding its future incarnations.
