This retro visual novel is a beautiful homage to PC-98 and 80's mecha anime
In the late 80s, the games on the NEC PC-9800 personal computers in Japan carved out a distinct aesthetic niche for themselves. Often characterized by the limited color palette and high-quality pixel art that became associated with the visual novels from that era.
Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog aims to faithfully recreate that look with charmingly crunchy pixel art and high-quality sprites. It wears its inspiration on its sleeves and bills itself as "A love letter to retro anime and 80's Sci-Fi" in "the spirit of classic PC-9800 titles."
Space Colony Studios wants to be "era-accurate," from how text appears on the screen to the visual effects. The game utilizes a control scheme that will be familiar to point-and-click fans. You examine your surroundings, interact with your crew, and solve puzzles. You will also be tasked to pay attention to what your crew says and be on the lookout for items that will progress the story.
The story is a little more complex than becoming a hero and saving the world. In the future, humans wage war, and you play as someone who has seen the horrors firsthand. After the end of a four-year-long Solar War, during which you lost your previous crew, you are reassigned as a security officer on a patrol ship called Gun-Dog.
You are sent to investigate mysterious signals coming from what seems like the edge of space. Of course, things slowly escalate. There are multiple paths and endings to discover based on the choices you make. You can check out the game here.
Source(s)
