Goodbye Volcano High Reviews
Goodbye Volcano High just feels like a very tryhard Life Is Strange with furries and full of hodge-podge maudlin writing. I'm very sure this game will satiate its niche audience, but I can't say this is going to change anybody else's mind about visual novels made by Western developers.
Neat gameplay nuances (and some catchy tracks) can only go so far with writing that makes me root for Volcano High's extinction event.
Despite all the slating going on in this review, Goodbye Volcano High is likely to appeal to those who want an uncomplicated and down-to-earth narrative experience. There are glimpses of goodness within Goodbye Volcano High’s grounds, but the bland writing, cliched characters and needlessly protracted scenes don’t do it any favours. The rhythm action sections are swell additions that break up the long-winded cutscenes, but they too are overstuffed with timed button press prompts, as they end up feeling too hectic for their own good. Goodbye Volcano High overstays its welcome in spite of its 5-hour length, lumbering along without any significant drama until the climax approaches, so it’s questionable whether you’d stay the course or find something more dramatic to satiate your appetite for good videogame yarns. If this is indeed goodbye to Volcano High, then its demise will shed only a shrug of disappointment.
There are parts of this game that are highly relatable. You can scroll through social media and see what are essentially Tweets (or Posts, thanks Elon), mostly about the impending meteor impact, that capture Twitter (sure, X) culture with hilarious accuracy. The third act also shines, with tensions between characters finally bubbling over and leading to huge blowouts that feel very true to the nature of teenage friendships. Fang’s relationship to their parents and brother Naser also feel very complex, more than any other relationship they have with the other characters. But none of this is enough to carry the weight of the game’s slow first acts or make up for the game’s unrealised thematic potential, and that’s a shame. What could’ve been a meaningful meditation on the importance of community turned out half-baked. The seeds of something great were there, but it never quite had the payoff it deserved.
Goodbye Volcano High is ambitious enough to want to cover many genres, but not so ambitious as to do it well. As a result, we have a simple story, but without depth, which is only saved by its beautiful artwork and wonderful soundtrack.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
For a game about dinosaurs and the end of the world, Goodbye Volcano High’s coming of age tale ironically plays things far too safe. Those looking for a comfort tale akin to an anime will enjoy its trappings, but those who have already graduated have no doubt seen what this title has to offer.
Goodbye Volcano High hits a few promising notes, put intended, with its good musical numbers, decent dialogue and nice art. However, notable issues and inconsistencies with the main story plus a few minor technical quirks keep this fantasy tale from reaching its full potential.
Goodbye Volcano High is an emotionally charged story tragically hindered by technical issues and pacing problems.
At its best, Fang and their friends' journey is affecting and thought-provoking, and while their time threatens to be cruelly cut short, the time we spent at Volcano High was mostly well-spent.
Goodbye Volcano High is a cute looking game about modern western teenagers with some fun characters and memorable indie music.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Goodbye Volcano High executes solidly on its unique concept, delivering well-etched characters, engaging rhythm challenges, and a collection of memorable original tunes. That said, those looking for juicy high school intrigue will be disappointed, as the game is relentlessly nice, to the point it often lacks drama. We may not know exactly what finished off the dinosaurs, but Goodbye Volcano High comes close to killing itself with kindness.
Goodbye Volcano High is a very intriguing graphic adventure that intelligently explores sensitive themes such as those related to the LGBTQIA+ community and climate change. It weaves a compelling story around these topics and presents a cast of characters that are easy to connect with. While it may have some minor flaws that prevent it from receiving higher ratings, it still manages to offer something meaningful to anyone who plays it – and that's no small feat.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Goodbye Volcano High is humorous, sad, poignant, personal, charming. In short: the full fire side of emotions. The developer studio KO_OP achieves this with a wonderfully written story, which becomes incredibly close thanks to great voice actors, a coherent art style and multi-layered themes. Goodbye Volcano High is not "just" another coming-of-age story, but also a wonderful link to pop culture and the question of "being". Not dryly, though, but in a totally sympathetic way. A truly recommendable indie gem that should please fans of visual novels very much. Accordingly, you shouldn't expect too much gameplay. The passages that it does have, however, know how to inspire me and might have even deserved a bit more space.
Review in German | Read full review
Goodbye Volcano High is a fun, nerdy, queer narrative adventure that focuses on the last days of high school, and possibly, the last days on earth, for a group of quirky teenagers. Its narrative is full of heart and players will fall in love with its concept and characters. Some gameplay elements can be a bit hit and miss, though overall, you'll likely fall in love with the snappy dialogue and beautiful, wholesome relationship between these dino teens.
Goodbye Volcano High is an emotional and profound game that explores the themes of growing up, acceptance and living in difficult social conditions. Despite the lack of interactive world exploration, the game offers a highly engaging storyline in which the decisions you make affect your bonds with the characters and unlock additional scenes.
Review in Polish | Read full review
As the lyrics from the song Reunion asks, was it worth it all? I can happily say, yes. Despite its problems, Goodbye Volcano High is every bit worth it, and I'd happily spend more time with Worm Drama if I could.
Goodbye Volcano High is a terrifically-crafted slice of high school drama that succeeds thanks to the strength of its lovable cast of characters, amazing music and a sweet story about perseverance in the face of uncertainty, be it the possibility of your best friends moving on or the possible end of the world.
There’s not as much control over that as one might like. While the dialogue is good, the choices regularly given to the player during the course of that dialogue don’t really come to bear until the last chapter of the game. But the journey is still a unique, effortlessly charming one that proudly wears its heart on its sleeve. It treats its numerous marginalized characters with such love, warmth, and care, and the music they make even more so. In Goodbye Volcano High, the world end not with a bang or a whimper, but an eye roll and a middle finger.
Goodbye Volcano High is an absolute delight. While the rhythm gameplay segments are a bit of a nuisance by way of their design, the only other real issue is the sorry state of the Trophy list, something that should be easily remedied. If you can look past those fairly minor hitches, then what you'll experience is an exceptionally written game filled out by a cast of characters without so much as a weak link. Combine the incredibly impressive roster of characters with the high caliber of writing capable of delivering an emotional gut-punch just as easily as raucous laughter, this is not one worth sleeping on.
Goodbye Volcano High is a heartfelt coming-of-age drama about a group of teen dinosaurs confronted with an uncertain future. Dreamy pop ballads and an absorbing dialogue system offer a gateway into an introspective story about being young, queer, and chasing your dreams in the face of impending disaster.