A YEAR OF SPRINGS
Also known as one night, hot springs · last day of spring · spring leaves no flowers
Yuri, Slice of life, Drama, Romance · by npckc · 2021
Three friends, three short stories, three springs: a soft trilogy about finding the courage to belong.
Who it's for: Anyone after a short, gentle queer story collection that can be finished in an afternoon.
The story (spoiler-free)
A YEAR OF SPRINGS collects three short visual novels about Haru, Erika and Manami, a trio of young women in Japan. The first follows Haru, a trans woman, on a hot-springs trip she is nervous about; the second and third shift to her friends as they work through their own feelings about love and friendship.
Each story is brief, with a few choices and multiple endings, and the collection adds a new epilogue that ties them together. The art is soft and simple, and the tone is reassuring rather than dramatic.
It is a good pick for short queer visual novels on almost any platform, including Android and every current console family.
Why play it
- +Can be finished in an evening
- +Thoughtful trans and queer representation
- +Very low price and wide platform support
- +Translated into many languages
Keep in mind
- −Very short
- −Romance is understated rather than central
- −Minimal gameplay or branching depth
Content warnings
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If you like A YEAR OF SPRINGS
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The Expression Amrilato
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Our Life: Beginnings & Always
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