The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns is a poignant and beautifully crafted visual novel by Ebi-Hime that explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery in a hauntingly serene setting. Set in a quiet English graveyard, the story follows Toma Andrews, a teenage girl who encounters the ghost of Emmeline Burns, a Victorian-era girl who died under mysterious circumstances. The interaction between the two leads to revelations about Emmeline's life and unresolved feelings, as well as Toma’s own budding romance with her friend Hattie.

The game is notable for its sensitive writing style and emotionally engaging narrative. Ebi-Hime's dialogue captures the spirit of yuri (girls’ love) fiction with a soft, sentimental tone that resonates with the characters' struggles and joys. The art style is equally praised, using delicate visuals that suit the story's ethereal atmosphere, while the music effectively complements each scene, enhancing the immersion​.

Though it's a short experience (about 30 minutes to an hour), the game has received positive reviews for its ability to evoke strong emotions and convey a meaningful story in such a brief span. Many fans appreciate the well-rounded ending, which provides closure for Emmeline while hinting at a hopeful future for Toma and Hattie. Overall, this visual novel stands out as a heartwarming and melancholic journey worth experiencing for fans of the genre​.

4/10

The art is nice, and the writing is decently polished. It is fun(ny) to play with friends for an hour or two. However, the storyline is weak, with poor character development, awkward scenes/premises, and non sequitur/undeveloped events. The main character says many redundant/superfluous things, for instance, and the moral that she repeats is unsubstantiated by the plot. Also, the writing desperately, inauthentically tries to seem proper for the era.

I feel very harsh saying this, but I wanted to balance the many positive reviews.