Across the Grooves

Une belle surprise, un instant agréable mais pas inoubliable. Accross the grooves est une tentative assez réussie de narration visuelle et musicale. Selon vos choix, le genre musicale des chansons que vous entendez lors des moments d'écoute du fameux disque évolueront, ainsi que le look d'Alice et sa vie. C'est ambitieux et intéressant. J'ai bien apprécié le style graphique des décors et des personnages, qui va à l'essentiel sans paraître vide non plus. Certes, les postures des personnages lors des discussions sont limitées, mais c'est clairement un point fort du jeu. Un beau travail en ce qui concerne la musique : on est assez surpris lors d'un second run d’entendre les mêmes chansons changer de style musical. C'est ambitieux et malin, même si je ne trouve les créations bouleversantes non plus. L'histoire est un mélange de détails poignants ou d'instants réussis et de moments où l'on sent les rails du scénario nous contraindre ou le gameplay (choisir entre deux actions pour faire grimper les jauges de crânes, éclairs, fleurs et spirale) restreindre nos possibilités et ça, c'est dommage. De même le poids des choix est en même temps importants pour débloquer d'autres destins mais ne pèse pas vraiment sur la trame de la narration qui demeure la même à plus de 80% lors d'une nouvelle partie. En bref, je dirais que ce jeu est une esquisse de chef d'oeuvre ambitieuse mais inaboutie, qui s'est arrêtée au milieu du gué. Cela vaut le détour, prenez le en soldes, vivez cette aventure et gardez un œil sur ce studio que je découvre pour ma part.

Très beau roman graphique, chaque choix change le destin du personnage principal.. Alors attention à vous ! Les OST sont vraiment incroyables, j'ai passé un excellent moment devant Across the Grooves ! SchrodingerKitten ~ Indie Night Fever

Una historia bonita y cautivadora que toma un giro siniestro e interesante. [h2] 💕PROS💕 [/h2] ✔️ La historia es emotiva y te sumerge en preguntas existenciales (¿cambiarías tu vida si tuvieras la oportunidad de hacerlo? ¿Regresarías al pasado para salvar a alguien a quien le tuviste cariño, pero que ya no forma parte de tu presente?, por ejemplo). Además, tiene un giro oscuro muy bueno y misterioso. No diré mucho para no hacer [i] spoilers, [/i] pero si te gustan los viajes en el espacio-tiempo, las logias y las sectas, este es tu juego. ✔️ El apartado gráfico y audiovisual es excepcional. Si bien las letras de las canciones no riman mucho y, aun siendo la música el eje central no vayas a esperar un musical, se nota el cariño y el esfuerzo puesto en ello. ✔️ He aprendido muchísimos datos sobre bandas, cantantes y leyendas musicales o literarias que ni conocía, y me ha gustado ver otros nombrados que sí, como [b] Crowley, Lovecraft [/b] y [b] Edgar Allan Poe. [/b] Se nota que quienes han desarrollado y escrito esta novela visual tienen pasión por el tema y saben de lo que hablan, no son menciones al azar ni por rellenar. ✔️ Tiene la duración justa para una novela visual de este tipo (aunque detallo más en las cosas negativas que considero, más abajo). [h2] ❤️‍🩹CONTRAS❤️‍🩹 [/h2] ✖️ La traducción al español. Está plagada de errores ortográficos y gramaticales por todas partes y la hacen parecer totalmente [i] amateur [/i] en el mal sentido. Soy consciente de que este juego es un indie con un presupuesto limitado, pero se podría haber hecho una traducción mejor con muy poco esfuerzo, corregir post-lanzamiento..., cualquier cosa. ✖️ Los saltos temporales hacen que queden demasiados cabos sueltos, y te puedes liar un poco conforme avanza la aventura. Como digo, la traducción no ayuda para nada. ✖️ Precisamente por esto, se queda un poquito corto y parco en cuanto a explicaciones de por qué pasa lo que pasa en la historia. No esperes un final totalmente resolutivo. No sé hasta qué punto las decisiones que tomes cuentan realmente, ya que solo lo he jugado una vez. Pero hay algunas que parecen bastante determinantes. Así que prefiero no incluirlas ni en los pros ni en los contras. [b] Mi nota: [i] 7/10 [/i][/b]

Across the Grooves is a narrative-focused interactive graphic novel that builds its identity around music, altered timelines, relationships, and the consequences of choices. Developed and published by Nova-box, it follows Alice, a young woman whose relatively settled existence is disrupted when she receives a vinyl record from Ulysse, a former lover. Playing the record produces an impossible result: her past changes, and the life she remembers is replaced by a different version of reality. What begins as curiosity quickly develops into a personal mystery about memory, destiny, and whether changing previous decisions can actually create a better future. The story sends Alice on a journey across Europe as she searches for Ulysse and attempts to discover the origin and purpose of the mysterious record. The supernatural premise could easily have become a straightforward time-travel mystery, but the game places greater emphasis on emotional consequences. Every alteration potentially changes Alice's relationships, circumstances, and personality. This makes the central mystery feel personal because the player is not merely investigating an unusual object but gradually reshaping the person conducting the investigation. Choice is the primary gameplay mechanic, and decisions can lead Alice toward noticeably different versions of herself. Her personality evolves according to the responses and actions selected by the player, influencing how subsequent situations unfold. The branching structure supports multiple paths and endings, creating a strong incentive to replay the story. A second playthrough can be particularly interesting because choosing alternatives allows players to see how seemingly minor decisions eventually influence Alice's circumstances. The visual presentation is arguably its most immediately impressive feature. Instead of relying on conventional animated 3D environments, the game uses an extensive collection of hand-drawn illustrations that give scenes the character of a sophisticated graphic novel. The artwork moves naturally between ordinary European locations and strange psychedelic imagery, complementing a story in which reality itself is unstable. Character portraits are expressive enough to support dialogue-heavy sequences, while the backgrounds provide each destination with a distinctive atmosphere. Music carries unusual importance because it is connected directly to both the premise and emotional tone. The soundtrack is not simply decorative accompaniment to conversations. Musical selections and moods respond to the direction of Alice's journey, strengthening the relationship between player decisions and the atmosphere of individual scenes. Combined with the vinyl-centered mystery, this creates a cohesive audiovisual identity. Headphones are particularly suitable for the experience because subtle musical changes contribute considerably to its mood. Mechanically, this remains an interactive novel rather than a traditional adventure game. Most of the player's time is spent reading conversations, absorbing illustrations, making choices, and observing their consequences. Anyone expecting elaborate puzzles, combat, exploration systems, or mechanical challenges may find it too passive. For players who enjoy visual novels and branching fiction, however, the streamlined interaction keeps attention focused on characters and narrative decisions rather than unnecessary gameplay systems. The writing explores more mature themes involving relationships, regret, personal dissatisfaction, temptation, and the desire to revisit decisions that cannot normally be changed. Some adult subject matter appears along the way, including references to substances, sexuality, nudity, and occasional violence, but these elements exist within a broader dramatic narrative rather than defining the experience. The overall mood frequently shifts between intimate drama, mystery, melancholy, romance, and surreal fantasy. Replay value depends heavily on how invested the player becomes in Alice and the consequences of altering her life. There are multiple narrative routes to investigate, and different decisions can reveal material that is impossible to experience during a single run. Naturally, repeated playthroughs also involve revisiting portions of familiar dialogue and imagery, so completionists will appreciate the structure more than players who generally experience narrative games only once. Steam achievements provide another incentive for exploring alternative possibilities. Steam Deck compatibility is not officially classified with a clear Valve Verified or Playable rating, so it is best considered unverified rather than guaranteed for Steam Deck. The game's relatively simple technical demands and interaction style may make it a reasonable candidate for handheld play, but players should not interpret that as an official compatibility guarantee. Its text-heavy presentation also means readability and interface behavior are important considerations when playing on the smaller screen. Across the Grooves ultimately works because its branching structure serves the themes of the story rather than existing merely to advertise multiple endings. Alice is confronting the question of how different choices might have changed her life, while the player is simultaneously making the decisions that create those alternatives. The hand-drawn artwork and carefully integrated music give the journey a memorable personality, while the supernatural mystery provides enough momentum to carry its quieter character-driven scenes. Players looking for action or complex traditional gameplay will probably find the experience too restrained, but those who appreciate interactive fiction, graphic novels, emotional mysteries, and decision-driven storytelling should find plenty to admire. Its combination of striking artwork, atmospheric music, changing realities, and meaningful personal choices creates a thoughtful adventure that understands the appeal of wondering what might have happened if one important decision had gone differently. Rating: 8/10

that was awesome! :)

Ich habe dieses Spiel wirklich geliebt. Habe mich so lange nach einer tiefgreifenden Story gesehnt und hier wurden meine Erwartungen definitiv erfüllt. Wunderschön, mysteriös, tiefgehend.. bewegend. Ein wahres, erfüllendes, liebevoll gestaltetes Kunstwerk!

A good globetrotting visual novel across Europe and time!