[Nintendo Switch] Review of SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky

SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky, brought to you by PQube and MAGES, is the latest addition to the beloved visual novel series. Dive into our review to discover what this new chapter has in store!

This game emerges as a fresh spin-off within the renowned Memories Off franchise, which first captured hearts on the original PlayStation back in 1999. Set a decade after the events of the main series, this installment lets you step into the shoes of college student Junya Mizumoto. Interestingly, fans in Japan can anticipate a new game on Nintendo Switch next year, and we can only hope it reaches our shores soon.

The story kicks off with Junya grappling with the tragic loss of his brother, who passed away a year ago in a shocking accident. In a rather unsettling encounter, a mysterious girl confronts you with a chilling message: you should have been the one to die. It’s a heavy burden, but there’s a silver lining—you’ll soon find yourself engaged in a project with your childhood friend, Chihaya Hojo. This project involves the restoration of the Hojo manor, a traditional Japanese house tied to Chihaya’s family. Naturally, she turns to you for assistance. As for the twists and turns this endeavor brings, I’ll keep those under wraps—you’ll have to play to unravel the story! Your choices will steer the narrative into multiple paths, shaping your relationships with characters such as Chihaya, Hinata Ise, Azusa Satomi, Chunyu Huang, and Yuriko Oyama.

For those new to visual novels, these games are aptly named, offering intricate stories, sometimes as elaborate as a novel itself, in a visual form. Some come with the added layer of voiced dialogue, which can drive up production costs. SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky is fully voice-acted in Japanese, meaning you’ll immerse yourself in reading if you’re not fluent in the language—fitting perfectly with the essence of a visual novel.

As you plunge deeper into game, you’ll assist Junya in navigating the emotional upheaval since his brother’s death. With the unsettling encounter with a girl who insists he should’ve died instead, it’s a narrative full of tension and intrigue. The task he undertakes with Chihaya—the restoration of the Hojo manor—offers a deflection, yet cannot overshadow the underlying drama. And how these relationships develop solely depends on the choices you make along the way.

Besides the occasional grammar slip-ups in the localization, there’s not much to fault in SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky. It’s now available on Nintendo Switch, priced at $39.99.

Disclaimer: This review of SINce Memories: Off The Starry Sky was crafted using a Nintendo Switch copy supplied by PQube.