Goodbye Volcano High Review

Previously, I wrote a preview for Goodbye Volcano High based on the demo released by KO_OP Games, and I was already ridiculously excited for the full release. So excited that I have written this review in record time by my standards, as usually, I am far, far too slow. However, it’s a testament to how much I loved this game that I finished it and hurled myself into writing my opinion.

Goodbye Volcano High is a story-rich game with elements of both rhythm and adventure. While the demo focused on the story and the cinematic narrative approach to the way the story is told, the full game is so much more.

As mentioned, you play as a pterodactyl by the name of Fang; they’re non-binary, and they’re committed to their life of music. With parents who aren’t the most supportive, Fang is surrounded by friends who love them. Previously, I mentioned their younger brother, Naser; their best friend, Trish the triceratops; and Reed, a nerdy velociraptor that I related to on a deep level. There are actually so many more friends for you to bond with, including Naomi, a parasaurolophus who has a complete plan for her future at college; Rosa, an aquilops who works at the Lava Java with an interest in botany; Stella, a bubbly stegosaurus who loves Tarot cards; and Sage, a microraptor with a love of cooking and L&L (Legends & Lore, which is essentially just Dino D&D).

There is no character that I don’t love in this game. Previously, I mentioned that this game had already won me over with memes. It’s a testament to how well-written Goodbye Volcano High is that I was telling my friends about how relatable this game is. All the characters speak in distinct voices, and it was like I was reading messages from my own group chat. Hell, by the end of the game, I was spamming my friends’ group chat to tell them to play it immediately.

The rhythm element of the game provides a fun challenge, and I understand why KO_OP Games encourage players to play it with a controller. So, I grabbed my PlayStation 5 controller and had so much fun with how the controls worked. You need to use a mixture of your joystick and the other buttons to really get the timing right. Sure, it was a challenge, but it would be boring without it. It doesn’t punish you for messing up, either, for which I’m glad because it was my first playthrough — and I’m absolutely godawful with timing (thank you, KO_OP Games, for including a more forgiving setting for people like me who are easily distracted by the background).

It was also very easy for me to get distracted by the music, so I immediately searched for a playlist. The songs were amazing and exactly my type of music. I know for a fact that I will be buying the soundtrack on Steam on payday because KO_OP Games did not play around with this soundtrack. But like Fang, I also had to learn that Goodbye Volcano High isn’t only about the music.

At its core, Goodbye Volcano High is about love and friendship. It’s about coming together when the end is near and realising what matters most. One of the ways to bond with everyone is to play L&L. As someone who does enjoy some D&D, I found that it absolutely felt like I was playing it. Everyone tried to seduce everything they could, make rash decisions, de-rail the game, and spiral further and further into the abyss. It’s what brings everyone together, and Reed, the Dino Master of L&L and the drummer of Worm Drama (a truly amazing band name), was a phenomenal DM. I found myself immersed in the story, and I appreciated that, like D&D, I had no control over the dice. I could decide what to do, but the dice itself was randomly generated, and I appreciated that. I will continue to play the game until I finally get a Nat 1 or a Nat 20, so I’m guaranteed many, many more hours on Goodbye Volcano High.

Of course, I won’t delve too much into the actual story. After all, KO_OP Games have made it clear that the ending will be the same regardless. The only real differences lie in the way your relationships develop throughout your playthrough. I do love that because as I finished the game, I realised that I really wanted to get to know the friends I didn’t become as close to. Stella, Sage, and Rosa were all tragically more ignored than the others, and I need to go back to bond with them again. After all, Stella offers some fun Tarot readings which she has repeatedly assured Fang aren’t set in stone. Sage is a huge fan of cooking and wants to go to culinary school, and Rosa wants to study botany and is in an admittedly cute relationship with Trish. But I want, nay, I need to play it again to get to know them more.

You can unlock photographs as you progress through your relationships with everyone, and there are also flashbacks that show you how you meet all your friends. It really makes the relationships worthwhile.

Overall, I really enjoyed Goodbye Volcano High. In terms of story, animation, and music, it was phenomenal. The voice acting was great, and the only issue I had was a very minor one that involved a few scenes that cut just a little too soon and some minor sound editing issues where the sound cut out or one moment where the background music was louder than Naser when he was speaking. But these didn’t detract from the experience as I was a little prepared for that. Once those are fixed, I have no doubt that Goodbye Volcano High will be a cinematic narrative that everyone will love.