Rakuen

 PC
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. GameSpot
    Jul 10, 2017
    70
    There's no denying that Rakuen has some incredibly strong components. At the same time, it's hard to shake its more basic shortcomings, be it the technical limits of its engine or the plodding exploration. Its most brilliant and glowing scenes stand out and stick with you, but Rakuen remains just a dose or two short of healthy.
  2. Adventure Gamers
    Sep 5, 2017
    60
    Without question, Rakuen is an ambitious indie endeavor and I admired many aspects of it—the Boy’s authentic child-like wonder in the face of real human tragedy, the funny and endearing inhabitants of Morizora Forest, and the mystery surrounding the Boy’s hospital stay, to name a few. But my dissatisfaction with the puzzles and ending make the game difficult to wholeheartedly recommend. It really comes down to what kind of game you’re in the mood for. If you want a game that’s mostly story, then the number and type of puzzles in Rakuen will likely turn you off. If you’re looking for more of a story-puzzle balance regardless of how well the two are integrated, you’ll probably have a better time with Rakuen than I did. And if you’re in the mood for a game to make you cry—well, this one will, I guarantee it. I just can’t promise it’ll be the catharsis you’re looking for.
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In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    May 12, 2017
    I adore this. I am so frustrated that it’s very hard to convince people to pick up an RPGMaker game, so I’m also very relieved it has the To The Moon alumni tag that will hopefully convince people to grab it. Grab it you absolutely should. Yes, it’s maudlin in places, and yes, it’s undeniably a bit twee, but it earns the right to be by being just so good.

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best PC Game of 2017

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 114 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 95 out of 114
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 114
  3. Negative: 14 out of 114
  1. TazHayashi
    Jul 1, 2017
    10
    A beautiful game that disguises itself as a children's story, but in reality touches upon some deeply mature themes (dementia, spousal/childA beautiful game that disguises itself as a children's story, but in reality touches upon some deeply mature themes (dementia, spousal/child abuse, racism, loss, etc.). The part I found the most remarkable, was how much the game made me feel as though I was looking at all of these themes through the eyes of a child. I experienced a sense of wonder, vigilance, fear, loneliness, humor, and everything in between; all the while getting to know a cast of very interesting characters. The writing was very effective in that each character, each news clipping, each narrative element felt as though it had its own distinct and realistic voice. Even the most obscure NPCs had entertaining dialogue worthy of being read. The soundtrack is excellent; some tracks are complex and mysterious (Spirit Envoy, The Keepers), some are bittersweet and perfectly simple to match their purpose (My Little Girl, Yours). The puzzles are cleverly intertwined with the gameplay and narrative (when I realized the meaning behind the anagram puzzle in Gemma's section, I got chills).

    In reality, I would rate this game a 9 or 9.5 because of the limitations that come with rpg maker (which I believe the game was made in). You can't change the screen resolution from 640 x 480, controller support is just alright, etc. However, none of these things actually detracted from the overall experience. The reason I gave the game a 10 (as opposed to a 9 or 9.5) is because I've found that user rating on Metacritic seems to be quite binary. 10 means you recommend the game, 0 means you don't (or that you're trying to lower the overall score by giving a more drastic, but unfair rating). I think this is a good reason Metacritic should implement a thumbs up/thumbs down system and display the percentage of users who recommend the game, as it's a more accurate reflection of how the population has received the game.    … Full Review »
  2. leeblehunter
    Jun 24, 2017
    10
    An excellent indie game that has an amazing soundtrack. The story is transcendental and is guaranteed to make you cry. And the artwork is topAn excellent indie game that has an amazing soundtrack. The story is transcendental and is guaranteed to make you cry. And the artwork is top notch. You can't go wrong with Rakuen.… Full Review »
  3. ShionaBlackheid
    May 29, 2017
    10
    The game is simply amazing. The characters are remarkable, every one of them especially onion. This world created by Laura feels so warm andThe game is simply amazing. The characters are remarkable, every one of them especially onion. This world created by Laura feels so warm and entertaining. I'm glad that I was able to experience this story, I think it's impossible to ever forget what you saw there, once you entered Rakuen.… Full Review »
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