Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll is the demo version of the adventure game from Soviet Games, developers of the hit classic Everlasting Summer. This visual novel sends you back to the 80s, filled with music and design choices that really capture the time period. Its story even reflects the time, with your character being the child of Soviet engineers in Japan. Find who you can trust and face the ghosts of your past.

The developers behind Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll show their mastery over the genre with this entry. It’s on par with Doki Doki Literature Club! or Infinite Stars - The Visual Novel.

Mysterious, intriguing, addictive

Aside from Nikolai, your character, Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll also introduces you to a number of heroines across the entire story. There are four of them, each with their secrets that are inexplicably intertwined with your own. Each decision you make will lead you toward one of them and a unique ending. Piecing the entire story, however, will require you to have different yet rewarding playthroughs.

One weakness among visual novels is that they tend to reuse scenes, backgrounds, and even character CGs. This game manages to avoid that, or at least push it to a point where it’s almost negligible. It has hundreds of backgrounds and even CGs that capture its extensive script. Its multiple endings are not largely similar storylines; they branch out early in the story and diverge completely as you play.

As a visual novel, it’s important to note that its visual style has no elements that set it apart from the rest. If you’ve played games in the genre before, it will feel like a run-of-the-mill visual novel. However, its story manages to outclass a lot of entries in the market–it’s compelling, addictive, and each playthrough is a full gaming experience in itself.

Summer '94 expands a story left behind

The Summer '94 DLC of Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll continues Nikolai’s story seven years after the original events. Now older and more detached from his past, he finds himself pulled back into emotional territory. The update delivers fresh environments, CGs, and music tracks that perfectly match the game’s signature tone, offering a nostalgic continuation that long-time fans will find both rewarding and emotionally resonant.

This DLC spans more than two in-game weeks, offering a fresh narrative arc filled with both familiar faces and new ones. It doesn’t just add content—it deepens it and lets players discover what happened to key characters after the game’s end. Enthusiasts will also appreciate how the new chapter builds naturally on the game’s established themes of memory and love.

You won’t skip scenes

Like any other visual novel, Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll falls prey to one of the genre’s limitations. In this case, it’s the rather bland and commonplace graphics. Still, if you’re a fan of the genre, you can’t miss this one. Each of its branching storylines feels complete and well-thought-out, with unique dialogue, background, and CG, and even the music catering to each of them. Highly recommended.