Traversing Through Life One Slice At A Time: A SINce Memories Off The Starry Sky Review

10/30/2024

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PC

I've been a fan of visual novels for years now, and I always love to see games from long-running franchises finally get an official English-language release. SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky originally released on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 back in 2021, and is a spin-off of the long-running Memories Off series. It comes to us now via publisher PQube, who also added PC into the available formats. We're going to be looking at the Nintendo Switch version today, and see if this game was worth the long wait. There's lots to go over in this one, so let's dive right in!

Plot

SINce Memories puts you in the role of Junya, a college student who works at his family's general store. He is always willing to lend a hand to anyone in need, but currently lives his life in grief. Having witnessed the death of his brother, Takaya, the previous year, Junya has been trying to fill the big shoes his brother left behind. This is no easy feat as Takaya was something of a local hero. Junya isn't alone though, and is surrounded by friends and family who all seem to look up to him in one way or another. This group includes his childhood friend, Chihaya, her attendant, Hinata, his sister, Misora, and his sister's best friend, Aino. Chihaya is something of an obvious love interest for Junya, but she is actually from a rich family, and is already betrothed to a man of similar status. Into this confusing circle arrives three new girls, Azusa, Chunyu, and Yuriko. Yuriko is a former idol who is hiding something from her past, Chunyu is a Chinese exchange student who hires Junya for a long-term job, and Azusa's appearance requires more explanation. Azusa is actually the one who gets the plot moving, as her arrival shakes up the current status quo. Following a chance meeting with Junya, she goes to general store to tell him point blank that she blames him for his brother's death. This accusation sets off a chain of events that I'll keep brief for the sake of not going into spoilers, but keeps everyone moving through their motions. It's part romance, part slice-of-life, and part mystery. Junya not only must find himself in all of this, but he must do so while helping out his friends, and revealing the truth behind Takaya's untimely death.

I should say now that I'm a fan of classic visual novels that focused more on characters rather than quickly laid out plots. SINce Memories is a series that was launched in 1999, so it makes sense that it would have elements of that style. It tells a deep and involved story, but does so in a way that may drive some players mad. To say that it has a slow pace would be an understatement, as it moves extremely slow right from the start. This is the sort of game that not only has you thinking that it has way more dialogue than necessary, but also have you wishing the characters would just sit down and talk to each other directly. That juxtaposition might seem odd, but you'll probably be wondering why the characters are just rambling on and not discussing important, time sensitive, matters. Specifically, there were several times when Junya's rather dense nature rubbed me the wrong way despite me liking his character overall. The entire plot would be crunched down to nearly nothing if he directly addressed Azusa's past with his brother, but he instead gives her in-game weeks to throw accusations his way and follow him around. It actually takes several scenes before you even learn her name, and that goes for some of the other characters as well. I'm not really against a visual novel taking its time to wrap up plot threads, but there have to be better ways to tell a leisurely paced story. There are also some scenes that go on longer than you think they will, and plenty that seem to repeat over and over again. Did Hinata really have to go back to the anime store with Junya twice? Does every scene in the cafe really need to be in the game? Do we need to constantly see Azusa, Misora, and Aino eating those ice cream treats? This is a game doesn't seem at all concerned about your time, and I'm sure that many will never get to the end due to a lack of patience. I once again have to reiterate that I personally found this pacing charming in its own way, but I do realize that my preferences are something of an acquired taste.

Outside of pacing issues, I think the story of SINce Memories is one that's worth experiencing. It focuses on Junya not only coming to terms with his grief, but also in discovering what exactly drives him to be the person that he is. Everyone seems to use him in, and as a player you wonder if it's done intentionally or not. Does Chihaya actually care for him, or is she simply used to always having him around helping her? Is Chunyu the better fit for him? What about Yuriko? There's lot to discover within the game, and you'll find that appropriate outcomes for each choice made. Since Junya does work at a general store that does odd jobs, the plot actually ends up becoming which of his friends he is going to help with a long-term contract. Will he help Chihaya renovate her grandfather's house into a cafe, or will he help Chunyu find a lost set of cups that once belonged to her family? I found the journeys all the characters took to be rewarding in their own ways, and I wish I had the time to fully complete the game before writing this review. A bonus of its slow pacing is that you get to know each character and their situations very well. These details might be drip fed to you over a long period, but you'll get to them all eventually. It probably goes without saying that I think the story is one of the best aspects of the game, and that is in spite of the problems I've already mentioned regarding its delivery. Oh, and I should also mention that SINce Memories doesn't have any connections to past games in the series that might confuse newcomers. There are some character cameos from older games, but they come and go in a way that won't disrupt the regular happenings of the game. These cameos basically boil down to Easter eggs for those in the know, and actually made me wish more of the series was available in English

Even though I think that SINce Memories provides one of the best stories I've read in a visual novel, it isn't without one giant flaw. Said flaw has nothing to do with the pacing or the original writing, but instead has to do with the translation found in this particular release. There were times where I felt the entire script must have been translated by AI, as I don't see how a human editor would let this game's text hit full release. The only thing that kept me from feeling that this was the case was the use of terms like "lovesessed", and the many nicknames that Misora gives the cast. I guess there could just be a human writing her dialogue specifically, or maybe AI has just gotten that good. I say "good", but there's very little about this translation that deserves that term. There are countless typos and grammatical errors scattered throughout the game's chapters, as well as some bigger errors that just take you out of the immersion totally. Certain lines were clearly translated too direct, tenses are used incorrectly all the time, pronoun usage is all over the place, and plenty more. It got to the point where I felt like I was translating the translation. I'd sit there staring at the mess of words on screen and wonder what was meant to be said. Even when the script isn't being twisted and misspelled to ruin, it often uses translations that feel dry at best. If I didn't know any better I'd swear that different people worked on different parts of the game, as some areas would be lifeless and to the point, others would be full of errors in each and every sentence, and others still felt like they were being worked on by a person who actually took pride in their work. I'm not sure who PQube got to do the translation, but this is an issue I've noticed in several of their other games. I also notice that they rarely bother patching such things, so this is probably the biggest issue I think most potential players will have with the game.

Gameplay

I know that visual novels don't really have a lot in the way of actual gameplay, but there were a few things that I wanted to mention before moving on. SINce Memories features all the usual visual novel tools like the ability to skip previously read text, and multiple save files, as well as dialogue choices that direct the course of the game. These dialogue choices are probably a bit fewer than what you'd find in most visual novels, but each seems to have more weight attached to them. Some choices lead to different lines of dialogue, while others drastically change the scenes that will come next. These shifts are usually fairly obvious, but there were times where I accidentally locked myself out of a particular route by making a choice I thought wouldn't matter all that much. Though this isn't a dating sim by any means, romance is the key plot device that drives everything forward. Each route is centered on one of the main girls, with some (one?) of them being considered "true" endings. The first four chapters of the game act as an introduction, and end in a rather big choice that pulls the game into one of two directions. That isn't where the game locks in your route though, as there are still ways to change the course of Junya's journey. Even though I've mentioned how much I love the game's plot, I did think it odd that you were able to play out romantic plots with girls who honestly don't seem all that interested in you early on. I'll not go into details for fear of going into spoiler territory, but some of the routes shocked me in the way that they played out. I guess that's a good thing, but it may throw first-time players for a loop.

Visuals

If there's one aspect of SINce Memories that I think we can all agree is pulled off to near perfection, it would have to be the visuals. The level of detail in the backgrounds is amazing, as are the character designs and CGs. Every character who has an image attached to them looks unique in their own way, and they all have variety in their outfits too. You can get a good idea of what each of their personalities is like as soon as they enter a scene. They don't have fully animated models like some visual novels, but that may be because the game has an aesthetic to it that somehow feels as retro as it is modern. I assume that has to do with the game's long-running history, but it's something that's hard to describe. Elsewhere, the world feels alive with many locations changing their look depending on the time of day. This is an admittedly small touch, but it's these small touches that elevate an amazing game from a good one. Similarly the CGs often convey entire scenes within a single image. When coupled with the sound designs (which I'll get to in just a bit!) the scenes somehow feel like they could very well have been fully animated. There are also tons of those CGs to collect across all the routes. The game also has a fully featured gallery where you can enjoy the art on its own, and that's something I recommend doing at least once following a completed route.

I guess my only true complaint as far as visuals go would have to be the font the game uses. That might sound weird, but I've complained about fonts a lot in the past. (Looking at you Square Enix!) A bad font can make a game look cheap, or just distract from the game in ways that you'd think would be easily avoided. The font used in SINce Memories is a non-standard one that often has tons of spacing issues. Letters sometimes are too close or too far, line breaks feel unnatural, and the gaps between words and punctuation never felt right. Seeing as you'll be doing tons of reading in this game, it's something that you'll likely to notice as quickly as I did. I guess I have to point out that it is something you can get used to after a while, but it made for some sadly sub-par presentation when coupled with the wonky translation. Thankfully the rest of the game makes up for it, but I can't help but wish PQube would've just chosen a more appealing font. I'd even take Comic Sans over what we got here.

Sound (Music)

Each and every review I do for a visual novel tends to circle back to the concept of "visual novel music". I use that term to refer to the upbeat, mostly generic, music one usually finds in games like these. Intentional or not, visual novel soundtracks are often unassuming collections of music that live only to serve the most basic of needs. Rarely do they stand out as great music on their own, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. Having said all that, SINce Memories bucks this trend and actually provides music that stuck out to me as being particularly good. There are tons of tracks worth mentioning, but I think it's worth discussing some unique things about how music is implemented. I'm sure other visual novels have done this in the past, but something I noticed about SINce Memories' soundtrack was that each character had a theme that would play when scenes focused on them. This is an approach most often found in JRPGs, and something I was not expecting to find here. Not only were the themes noteworthy enough for me to notice them, but there were several themes that I eventually looked forward to hearing again. I mentioned before that the game has more than its share of pacing issues, and I think it was the music that helped me look past the issues that might've otherwise clouded my judgement on the game as a whole. There were times where I felt the music was taking over each scene, or at least adding to it in a way that gave enhanced whatever emotion was meant to be channeled. I honestly can't think of the last time a visual novel's soundtrack impressed me as much as this one, and I have to wonder if other MAGES titles feature music this good. I know I say things like "I'm going to find the soundtrack after I'm done with this review." a lot, but I'm definitely going to be doing exactly that once this review wraps up.

Sound (Voice Acting)

Similar to music, I have pretty much nothing but positives to say when it comes to the voice acting in SINce Memories. This is a fully voiced game, with even the Junya himself getting some voiced scenes at certain points. This means that just about every line in the game is voiced outside of the main narration, and it's all performed beautifully. There is nuance and emotion behind each of the roles, and the voice acting helped the rather dry English text come to life. I originally thought about pointing out particular performances, but I honestly feel that everyone pulled off their roles equally well. Yuriko seems charming, but you can tell she's hiding something, Azusa is calm yet mysterious, Chunyu is mostly upbeat, but has moments where her guard is let down, and Chihaya is the rich princess who has lots more lying just beneath the surface. It's no easy task to convey those kinds of characterizations simply through voice acting, but that's exactly what you get here. It's not just the main cast either, as even the side characters get similar treatment. I don't know much about the world of Japanese voice actors, but I'm willing to bet that this one has a star studded cast. I wonder if I've heard any of these actors in other roles, and the acting here actually intrigued me enough that I might go on a deep dive regarding Japanese voice actors soon. I guess I should mention that this game only features a Japanese language track, though I'm guessing no one really expected this to be dubbed into English. There's so much dialogue to be found here that I'm sure dubbing the game was never on the table. You won't be left wanting though, as the game delivers pretty much perfect sound design.

Overall Value

No matter how you slice it up, SINce Memories is a very long game. I am of the mind that the game never overstayed its welcome, but others might find some fault with its glacial pacing. It takes hours for the entire cast to be revealed and introduced, and longer still to get onto one of the main routes. This isn't the sort of visual novel where you'll be reaching an ending after 3-4 hours, nor can you expect to 100% it in less than 20. I'm not exactly sure how long it would take someone to see everything this game has to offer, but I'm willing to bet that it leans towards the 50 hours range. I consider myself a fast reader when it comes to visual novels, and I've only managed to complete two routes despite the many hours I've put into it. There's a lot of game for one to sink their teeth into, and it comes in at a very reasonable $39.99 at the time of this writing. No matter how you feel about the game's pacing and plot delivery, you'd be hard pressed to find many other visual novels that offer as much bang for your buck as this one does. There are five main routes to go through, several optional scenes to witness for completionists, and one of the best stories you'll find too. I'm not even totally sure as to how much content this game truly offers, as there doesn't seem to be much information about it online. This is the series' first translated entry, and I only had so many hours to give it before writing this review. Rest assured that you'll be getting a lot of content for its price tag, to the point where you're probably going to want to clear your schedule.

Final Thoughts

Even though part of me feels that SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky is a bit too retro in its story pacing, I have to say that I think it’s still a must-buy for visual novel fans. It takes its slice-of-life approach seriously, and delivers a story that doesn't seem at all concerned with getting to the point quickly. This approach may not be for everyone, but I found it to be one of the best visual novels I've played in recent memory. The cast is endearing and memorable, and you get a lot of time with each character thanks to its long runtime. If you've ever found yourself enjoying a series and wishing that there was more to it, than this is the game for you. It's hard to be left wanting when a game gives you this much upfront. Pick this up now on whatever platform you can, and thank me later. Here's hoping that this means we get more games in the series translated in the future, though I'd also hope that we'd get a little more care put into any future translations. I guess I'll be back around if that happens, but until then, see you in the next one!

Check Out SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/since-memories-off-the-starry-sky-switch/

Story: A
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A rich visual novel that tells its story in a purposely slow, slice-of-life kind of way.
+ Weaves together a plot that discusses grief, obligation, romance, and more in a surprisingly mature way.
+ The characters are all perfect, and you'll find grow to love them all if you give them the time.
+ Visuals are top-notch, with special notice being given to the character designs and CGs.
+ Features one of the best visual novel soundtracks I've ever heard, as well as some excellent voice acting.
+ There's lots to see and do here, with content going well into the tens of hours territory.
+ Chunyu is best girl!

+/- Even though this is a game within the long-running Memories Off series, it doesn't require any prior knowledge to enjoy.

Cons:
- The overall pacing might put off some. This is a game that isn't afraid to waste your time.
- Not only is the font choice questionable, but the translation is pretty bad. There are countless spelling and grammatical errors throughout.
- Even though I liked the game's pacing, there will be times where you just wish the characters would sit down and talk about the proverbial elephant in the room.
- I'll take this one away later if I'm proven wrong, but PQube rarely ever patches things pertaining to translation, so this game gets a double negative knowing that it'll stay like this forever. (Or until a fan takes it upon themselves to fix the PC version.)

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.