『Will humanity ever be free from war?』

※ Due to the nature of this review and the game itself, minor spoilers may be included.

💎 First Impressions 

Even after the World Wars ended, the Cold War came to an end, and democracy spread across much of the world, war persists in various corners of the globe.

In reality, ever since the dawn of human civilization, war has never truly disappeared—only its scale and frequency have shifted over time.

History itself serves as proof, with ancient murals and millennia-old stone tablets.

Among creative works, few depict the brutality of war as well as the Gundam series.

Since its debut in 1979, Gundam has revolved around the harsh realities and devastation of war.

Even in its latest installment, The Witch from Mercury, where the tone is somewhat softened, the core theme remains unchanged: the tragedy of young lives entangled in war.

Of course, even as adults, experiencing war firsthand does little to lessen its horrors.

So what would happen if you found yourself caught in the middle of a war?

That’s exactly what Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog explores.

This game puts you in the role of a soldier in the era of space exploration, one who has witnessed the deaths of their comrades and now encounters a diverse cast of characters shaped by the consequences of war.

⌚Gameplay 

『A soldier’s reality, told through narrative.』

<Not exactly "lovey-dovey", but unmistakably a visual novel.>

The game we’re introducing today, Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog (hereafter Gun-Dog), falls under the visual novel genre.

While it does include adventure and puzzle elements, these serve as secondary mechanics—the core experience is about following the story.

It follows a gameplay style similar to titles that have been covered before, such as Saniyang Laboratory, Staffer Reborn, and Senren * Banka.

You progress by clicking through dialogues and interacting with characters, allowing the story to unfold.

Rather than directly controlling a character for immersion, this game is designed for those who prefer to take their time and fully experience a narrative-driven journey.

"

A visual novel that leans more on the 'novel' aspect.

"

Unlike some visual novels that emphasize the "visual" aspect, Gun-Dog leans more heavily into the "novel" side of the genre.

As you navigate through a series of events unfolding aboard the Gun-Dog, a high-speed patrol craft, you’ll gradually build relationships with a diverse cast of characters.

The key element of the experience lies in observing the hierarchy and dynamics between the protagonist—a security officer—and the crew members, as their ranks and relationships shape the unfolding story.

That said, discussing both the narrative and visual aspects in detail would take some time, so I’ll dive deeper into them later in the review.

<PC-9800 might sound unfamiliar, but think Ultima IV and Ys I, and you'll get the idea.>

If you check the store page for Gun-Dog, you’ll notice a phrase that stands out: “a visual novel adventure in the spirit of classic PC-9800 titles.”

Now, even for those who grew up with PC gaming, the term "PC-9800" or "PC-98 series" might not ring a bell.

To put it simply, this refers to a style of games from the mid-'80s to late '90s.

This era includes legendary titles such as Ultima IV, which helped shape online RPG history, and Ys I, the very first entry in one of the most iconic JRPG franchises.

In essence, this kind of title aims to recreate the aesthetic and atmosphere of games developed under the technical limitations of CRT monitors, where graphics were restricted by hardware constraints.

Many of the games from this period ended up becoming genre-defining classics, which is why they still hold a nostalgic charm for longtime players.

Personally, my first game played on CD was Farland Saga 2, so something about Gun-Dog really hits that nostalgic sweet spot.

It almost feels like running into an old childhood friend.

<Options, menus, settings, and visuals—faithfully recreating the PC-9800 aesthetic>

When it comes to Gun-Dog’s "visual" aspect, the focus is entirely on how well it captures the retro feel of classic PC-9800 games.

This is immediately evident in its massive, old-school buttons, the variety of retro-style graphics options, and the pixel-art visual effects that bring everything together.

Beyond that, the game carefully uses military-inspired color schemes and mechanical elements, reinforcing the overall militaristic tone of the story. It’s clear that the developers knew exactly what kind of atmosphere they wanted to convey.

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Retro aesthetics brought to life through UI, visuals, and sound.

"

The sound design also left a strong impression.

Back in the 16-bit era, storage limitations meant that voice acting was rare, and even background music had to be heavily optimized.

Gun-Dog faithfully recreates this audio design philosophy, capturing the raw, highly compressed soundscapes of that time.

Ironically, modern 64-bit systems make it much harder to achieve these effects, which only highlights the amount of effort the developers put into making the experience feel authentic.

<A military-style comms interface and a blueprint-like world map>

This distinct military and mechanical aesthetic is deeply ingrained in both the system design and visual presentation of the game.

For instance, the chief engineer, whose job is directly tied to machinery, constantly explains the Gun-Dog's operational mechanics and structure, sometimes even when it's not particularly relevant.

The communication interface doesn’t just display a character’s face—it also includes signal strength graphs and various UI elements.

Even the map screen, which you'll be referencing frequently throughout the game, doesn’t just highlight destinations for movement.

Instead, it places them within the detailed schematics of the patrol ship, making it feel more like navigating a tactical blueprint than a traditional game map.

<At times, the game feels like an homage to Gundam—not identical, but undeniably reminiscent.>

Now, let’s talk about the story.

As mentioned earlier, Gun-Dog places heavy emphasis on narrative, particularly on the experiences of those who have endured war.

The intro sequence immediately sets the tone: before the protagonist is deployed on a mission, a mechanical failure prevents their sortie. Meanwhile, their squadmates, who proceed with the mission, are killed in action.

This tragic event leaves the protagonist struggling with PTSD* and survivor’s guilt, leading to conflicts with other crew members.

Rather than focusing on simply resolving conflicts or missions, the core appeal of the game lies in witnessing the emotional narratives that unfold as a result of these events.

*PTSD  : Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

A mental health condition that can develop after experiencing extreme stress or trauma, such as war, terrorism, natural disasters, or severe accidents.

This kind of storytelling approach is reminiscent of early Gundam series, for they also focus heavily on the consequences of war and the personal struggles of those involved.

Considering the title itself—Gun-Dog—it seems likely that the game is, at least in part, paying homage to the Gundam franchise.

<Unraveling clues through ‘observation’ and advancing the story through ‘action.’>

Earlier, I briefly mentioned resolving incidents, and as you progress through the story, various events unfold naturally.

For example, you might make a minor mistake while communicating with a newly introduced character, or encounter someone who holds a grudge due to the intro sequence’s events.

(And yes, your dialogue choices can influence the story later on, so choose wisely!)

As you continue navigating the patrol ship and interacting with its crew, a sudden power outage occurs, forcing you to respond.

To resolve the situation, you’ll need to explore the ship and search for a way to restore power.

In one case, with the ship’s main power down, you’ll have to figure out how to access the control room and secure emergency backup power to restart the engines.

This process involves using the "LOOK" button to gather clues and the "USE" button to implement solutions.

While this approach may feel unconventional at first, once you get used to it, it proves to be a rather engaging gameplay mechanic.

📌 Final Thoughts 

『A retro-styled, serious narrative

highly recommended for fans of conflict-driven storytelling』

When I first saw the title of the game, my initial thought was, “Is this a Gundam homage?”

Since most Gundam-inspired games tend to be real-time battle simulations or turn-based strategy games, I assumed this one would follow a similar format.

But I was surprised to find out that it was actually a visual novel—and even more surprised by its storytelling depth.

Lately, many visual novels seem to focus primarily on attractive character designs rather than deep narratives. In contrast, Gun-Dog delivers a deliberate, slow-paced yetimmersive story that rewards patience.

I can’t help but think that the mention of PC-9800 titles and the choice of the name 'Gun-Dog' were intentional to enhance this sense of immersion.

It’s refreshing to see a game that fully embraces its strengths and delivers exactly what it promises.

If you don’t mind the retro visual aesthetic, I highly recommend giving this one a try.

A visual novel about war, duty, and the lives of soldiers, Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog!

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