Goodbye Volcano High Mixes Senior Year Struggles with the Threat of Dino Armageddon
One of the many reasons indie games are so special to me is from focus-tested AAA games where humans have to recoup large budgets by selling as many copies as possible, usually I often get unique things that have never been seen. Goodbye Volcano High is one of the most anticipated indie titles of 2023 thanks to its engaging art style and creative premise. Describe what the gameplay experience will be like and after the first 30 minutes of playing, this choose-your-own-adventure, including several different gameplay elements surrounding personal choices and rhythmic music sequences I still have a lot of questions about how deep the player’s choices go, and the consequences given depending on the choices made throughout this story, but the setup is an interesting one, and I’m getting the hang of things. I wanted to take a look.
Goodbye Volcano High stars a cast of dinosaur-humanoid teenagers going through their final year of high school, figuring out their futures, and dealing with a meteor that will probably destroy them all. Maybe, but what I’m talking about with this idea is that in 2012 I was a senior in high school myself. I couldn’t believe it myself, but there was always this looming aura, not just in senior year, but throughout high school, that the end of the world might be coming.
With that concept in mind, main character Fang’s primary goal is to put their band Worm Drama on the map. This includes extensive auditions and signing with record companies. Prior to the demo, Fang was told throughout the story that he would have to decide how he would prioritize his time with school, friends, or the band. I never got to experience it. The first thing that popped into my head after playing was how much the story branches, how important decisions affect the narrative in important ways, and how the characters evolve.
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There were some original songs that could be listened to and interacted with in the form of simple rhythm mini-games. It was relatively simple and easy, and did nothing to enhance the experience for me. If the song was playing, I think I would have enjoyed it just as much. In addition to playing music throughout the demo, I was also able to design a logo for Fang’s band. We hope there are more similar instances that impact the story in meaningful ways.
When it comes to Fang’s dialogue options, I really enjoyed the different choices that can be conservative or rebellious depending on who you interact with. It’s well-personalized thanks to conversations that talk about their interests, like Trish.
For the most part, Goodbye Volcano High presents inspiration for the popular high school drama show we know and love, but in an animated format backed by gorgeous cutscenes and stunning animation. However, as you’d expect from a visual novel game, the ongoing discussion can be lengthy and can feel uncomfortable.
Still, from the visuals to the concept to the music, Goodbye Volcano High has a lot going for it. 30 minutes of playing wasn’t enough to give me a good idea of what the main course of the game will be like when it releases on June 15th, but anyway, I’m curious to learn more about these characters. . And how to deal with the looming end of the world just before they get the freedom to go out and explore that world on their own.
