January 2026

This was a surprisingly addictive little game with great pixel art. The Gnorps are adorable, and the shard physics are super satisfying. The music is simple but fits the vibe perfectly. Progression feels smooth and doesn’t drag on forever, which I really appreciate. The talent system also has variety, but a lot of filler; the late-game Zybellium grind can also be rough if you don’t know what you’re doing. Overall, a very solid game!

This is a relaxing and engaging puzzle game. The puzzles are clever, fair, and satisfying to solve, with tons of extra content on the Steam Workshop to keep you busy. It’s perfect for unwinding while chatting with friends or family. The soundtrack could use more variety, and the tutorial isn’t great, but you’ll pick things up quickly. The puzzles aren’t too hard, just time-consuming, yet it’s still a wonderfully calming experience I’d recommend.

Excellent visual novel. I watched the anime over a decade ago, and it was one of my favorites at the time. It was nice to get back into it. However, this game suffers from a lot of filler, and I felt like it was artificially slow at times. Thankfully, there were many routes with good stories to appreciate, and most of the characters are lovely. I wish there could have been an after story for everyone, as some routes may be a bit grim for some of the girls due to our character not being involved, but it isn't nearly as bad as Kanon in that department.

Route Ranking: Kotomi > Nagisa > Kyou = Sunohara Siblings > Tomoyo = Baseball Route > Kappei = Ryou > Yukine > Koumura > Misae >Sunohara (meme route)

None of the routes are outright bad, but some leave much to be desired. Hopefully, CLANNAD Side Stories helps fill some of the gaps in these routes. Overall, great VN if you're willing to sink a lot of time into one.