SHUTEN ORDER

Shuten Order is a game that takes so much time to say so little. There are so many video games in this video game, and yet not one complete video game. The multiple routes being able to happen in any order hurt the mystery-driven story more than they help. The varied gameplay styles are underdeveloped and rarely make it feel like you’re playing anything other than a linear visual novel. The writing is boring at the best of times and actually insulting to me as a queer woman at the worst of times. This game clearly wants to swing for the fences, but it doesn’t accomplish anything other than striking out every time it steps up to the plate.