Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ) on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

Playtime's over. Time for despair. Experience the definitive version of a masterpiece in the Muv-Luv trilogy's thrilling conclusion. Note: therapy not included.

Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ) is a visual novel, mechs and war game developed and published by aNCHOR Inc..
Released on February 28th 2018 is available only on Windows in 3 languages: English, Japanese and Simplified Chinese.

It has received 3,054 reviews of which 2,935 were positive and 119 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. 😍

The game is currently priced at 37.99€ on Steam.


The Steam community has classified Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ) into these genres:

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ) through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • OS *: Windows 7
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: 1024x768
  • Storage: 4 GB available space

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

March 2025
They weren't lying, this game really is a PTSD simulator. This game has some really good writing. It makes me feel a lot of emotions including sadness, discomfort, and genuine terror.
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Feb. 2025
Congratulations to those who made it through Extra and Unlimited —you’ve finally reached the true heart of the journey. (If you haven't already played that, I strongly suggest doing so before playing this one.) Well TBH, instead of calling Alternative the final installment, I’d rather call it the true product of Muv-Luv , with Extra and Unlimited serving as its extended prologue. This is the real reason to play the series—everything that happened in the first two games exists to be twisted and reshaped into Alternative . You need the knowledge from those games to fully feel the impact of this one. It’s also way longer than both Extra and Unlimited combined, so be prepared for a serious time investment. And trust me, the tonal shift is massive—going from rom-com in Extra to the intense, gut-punching drama of Alternative is a complete 180-degree switch. Like the previous games, this one starts off slow. For reference, it has 10 chapters, and while the first half builds things up, the later chapters are on another level. The atmosphere gets heavier, and the story spirals downward in a way that hits hard with brutal truths. Some moments feel like a gut punch, and the way it conveys the MC’s emotions is incredibly well done. The action scenes are also surprisingly good. Even though this is a visual novel, the way fights are written makes them feel intense and dynamic. It added a lot to the immersion, especially in high-stakes battles. That being said, despite all the high praise from fans, Alternative does have its flaws. The biggest issue is pacing. While it has some peak moments, it also drowns you in monologues, lore dumps, and excessive explanations. There was one point where I had to sit through a half-hour lecture on military tactics, full of technical jargon I had zero familiarity with—it genuinely made me wonder if I was going to be tested on it later lol. And it wasn’t just a one-time thing. There are multiple points where the game throws long, overly detailed explanations at you, making it easy to zone out and lose track of what’s actually important. Some sci-fi concepts are also explained in a way that’s hard to follow—I wish they had used more visuals or at least a glossary to make things easier to grasp. Other small issues include the outdated UI (not a big deal) and the music, which sometimes feels repetitive to the point of being annoying. The story, while great overall, can be predictable at times. But even when I saw certain twists coming, the game still delivered those key moments well. In the end, Alternative may has its flaws, and it definitely takes time to reach its peak, but the payoff is worth it. The plot is strong, and despite its pacing issues, it remains one of the best visual novels out there—something everyone should experience at least once. Muv-Luv may have a slow start, but in the end, it delivers.
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Nov. 2024
I wonder why I didn't read this masterpiece sooner. Well, still better to be late than never they say. The build up in this VN is insanely good. It's atmospheric that I felt like I was there. The characters really grew up on me. It's very long story but there was no single time that I felt bored when reading this. Overall, the VN leave a mark on my heart and will not forget the experience of reading this piece of work.
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Oct. 2024
there is a reason age has spent the past twenty years milking the muv-luv franchise for all it's worth. it's worth a lot. it will horrify and hook you in equal amounts. if it weren't for umineko, this would easily be my favourite vn. play it in 日本語/english because they have both. it's worth the money even at full price. you need to play the first two games first, though.
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Sept. 2024
One of the most difficult game to get into because you need to play Extra and Unlimited first. But it was worth it. It has become my favorite game of all times. An incredible experience that you cannot get from anywhere else (yet). No wonder it inspires other masterpieces.
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Data sources

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Last Updates
Steam data 09 April 2025 16:02
SteamSpy data 08 April 2025 15:37
Steam price 13 April 2025 20:40
Steam reviews 13 April 2025 16:07

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ), we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ)
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ) concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ) compatibility
Muv-Luv Alternative (マブラヴ オルタネイティヴ)
9.2
2,935
119
Online players
22
Developer
aNCHOR Inc.
Publisher
aNCHOR Inc.
Release 28 Feb 2018
Platforms