BUSTAFELLOWS is a visual novel game in the otome genre. The otome genre generally entails getting to know a cast of eligible bachelors, however there is much more to discover in BUSTAFELLOWS than just romance! Playing as a female reporter with a mysterious ability to time travel, you will stumble upon a deep mystery of New Sieg’s underworld to unravel. You’ll find yourself saving lives, capturing criminals and interviewing the people of interest from around the city of New Sieg.
This game uses 2D anime style art with some animation. There’s some really great outfit designs and hairstyles for each character, which makes them all visually unique and easy to tell apart, especially when there is quite a growing cast of characters as you work your way through the story. To set each scene, there are nicely painted backgrounds such as cozy cafes, office spaces, police stations, pool sides and your bedroom! From the city streets there’s some nice subtle animations in the digital signs and fountains that make it feel more like a lively place. The menu designs are clean and easy to navigate.
This game is fully voice acted, so the music can take a bit of a more subtle backseat. However, there are some great upbeat tunes when hanging out at the bar with your friends that I quite enjoyed. More sombre scenes are appropriately paired with tunes to match, or busy streets and cafes that have more ambient sounds of people chatting. The sound settings can be adjusted to balance voices and the music as you so desire.
Each character has a unique design and personality. The first time I met each of the eligible men, I felt like they put their worst foot forward and I wasn’t sure if I was going to like any of them. But as you get to know them, those more awkward moments from their introductions begin to fade away and you get to see each of them for who they are.
Various points in the story will give you options to choose how you want to respond to a certain situation, which can unlock different story paths. You can also skip forward and backwards between these points to try selecting different answers.
There are 5 boys that have a romance path and the choice is yours. You can choose from Limbo, Helvetica, Shu, Mozu and Crow.
Limbo loves food and this is pretty evident from the moment you meet him. He’s a lawyer and has a fairly happy-go-lucky vibe. However, when things get tough, he gets the job done. Limbo never loses a case, even when defending someone that the rest of the world thinks is guilty, he manages to get an innocent verdict.
Helvetica is a plastic surgeon. He values looking good and can be quite flirty. He often has something profound and encouraging to say, which gives a glimpse of his deeper thoughts that go beyond superficial beauty.
Shu seems to fit the ‘bad boy’ image being a smoker and a hitman. At first his personality might feel a little intimidating but as you get to know him, he comes across as someone quite dependable and protective of his friends.
Mozu comes across as quite aloof in the beginning with his cool demeanour. As he is fairly softspoken and level-headed, nothing seems to faze him. But you learn that he is very kind and would put others before himself to keep them safe. He is also works as a coroner and is an excellent cook.
Crow is very awkward around people and is the resident computer expert. He prefers to stay at home and observe social scenes from afar. His hacking skills provide valuable support for your investigations to expose criminals.
Personally, I preferred Mozu, but I am starting to really enjoy Crow on his story path, haha!
Overall, BUSTAFELLOWS is a compelling story that will keep you entertained for many hours. As you follow its twists and turns, it will also pull at your heartstrings. The artwork is great, and I certainly don’t mind gazing at the handsome anime men! Even if you’ve finished, there’s replay value, as you’ll want to play again to discover different story paths.
If you love a good detective novel with a splice of supernatural powers and complete with hot anime boy romance options, then BUSTAFELLOWS will keep you playing on to satiate your curiosity about New Sieg’s mysteries and its colourful characters.
BUSTAFELLOWS is out now on Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam).
A special edition physical copy for Nintendo Switch is available to purchased here:
https://funstock.co.uk/products/bustafellows-collectors-edition-nintendo-switch
A copy of the game was provided on Nintendo Switch for review purposes.
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