I was a bit surprised to look back at my list of games finished last year and realise it stood at 47 titles – this is by far my highest total and I can’t decide if it makes me proud or kinda sad, haha. 2023 was another rough year for me personally but I can at least say that I experienced some memorable games. One of my main missions for the year was to play more new titles and I really have been enjoying myself with those – it makes me super excited for the end of each month to arrive!
As is tradition, it’s time to have a look back at some of the games I’ve played in a little awards format~
Favourite Opening Song
Honourable Mentions: Da Capo 2 (Beautiful Flower), Kisaragi Goldstar, Kemonomichi ☆ Girlish Square, Akizora ni Mau Confetti
6th Place: days – Okui Masami ( Sore wa Maichiru Sakura no You ni -Re:BIRTH-)
This opening song is a remake of the classic and, while I actually prefer the original, it’s clear that the song still holds up well. Probably one of the few areas where Navel really put in a lot of effort in this remake.
5th Place: Blue Carpet – Yukacco (Houkago Cinderella 2)
This song is just so upbeat and catchy that I immediately threw it on my playlist. It’s just cute okay.
4th Place: Jounetsu no Wobble – Kicco (Tayutama -it’s happy days-)
Customary Kicco song from a Lump of Sugar game, they’re a classic and sucessful combo for a reason. Tayutama as a whole had some great music.
3rd Place: Rembrandt no Hikari – Yozuca* (Da Capo 2 To You)
Really love the more sombre vibe of this song, which matches pretty well with the game itself. If there’s one thing Circus does right with the Da Capo series it’s the music.
2nd Place: Aozora – Duca (Purely~Sono Semai Aozora o Miagete~)
Purely is a game that I only really bought & played because the vocal songs from it are so good. You really can’t go wrong with any Duca song really.
1st Place: Memoria – Duca (Amakano 2+)
I feel like a little bit of a cop-out putting Duca on the two top spots but this song in particular is too beautiful to deny. The piano melody combined with the fluffy lyrics is just perfection!
Favourite Insert Song
5th Place: Ashita no Koto – Kanako (Aonatsu Line)
This is the insert song from Kotone’s route. It absolutely screams “youth” which is the game’s main theme and it’s got the always wonderful Kanako on vocals – what’s not to enjoy?
4th Place: Kanransha ~Ano hi to, Kinou to Kyou to Ashita to~ – Duca (Amakano 2)
This is a bit of an unusual case as this song was originally meant to be used for a different eroge, which got cancelled about a decade ago. Thankfully it was repurposed as an insert song during Rei’s route as it’s too nice to go to waste.
3rd Place: beloved ~Sakura no Kanata e~ – Okui Masami (Sore wa Maichiru Sakura no You ni -Re:BIRTH-)
Another classic lovingly remade for modern times. As with the opening, I prefer the 2002 version but only slightly and I’d honestly happily put both versions on my playlist. A memorable, iconic track.
2nd Place: Musubime – Mihane Yuuki (Aonatsu Line)
Another beautiful song from Ao Natsu Line, this time from Yui’s route. Ebi Curry Earl’s composition and lyrics are beautiful.
1st Place: Cloudy – Yozuca* (Da Capo 2 Plus Communication)
As mentioned earlier, the music from Da Capo is always high quality. This song in particular was a new addition to the PS/PC versions and it’s so sad but so good.
Favourite Ending Song
4th Place: Haru ga Kuru Tabi ni – Airi (Rurizakura)
Classic Lump of Sugar game with a great vocal song (not Kicco this time though!). I will never be so thankful that the game came with the soundtrack.
3rd Place: Like a Star – Chata (Kisaragi Gold ★ Star)
This is one of those songs that I just liked when I first listened to it but I must say it has really grown on me over the last year – it’s cute and catchy.
2nd Place: Blue, Summertime Blue – Murasaki Hotaru (Aonatsu Line)
Another banger from Aonatsu line – I particularly love the little callbacks to the other songs from the game.
1st Place: Happiness – Duca (Purely~Sono Semai Aozora o Miagete~)
It’s been kinda a Duca dominated year, huh. Anyways, this song is beautiful and was meaningful in the context of where it appeared in the game, which lends yet more emotion to it – I was bawling when it played, haha. One of Duca’s best songs imo.
Favourite Game Released in 2023
4th Place: Koi ni wa Amae ga Hitsuyou Desu
Koiama is a classic Hooksoft moege – lovable heroines, fluffy romance, and a decent amount of humour. This game’s gimmick is the choice between the heroine or protagonist taking the lead in the relationship and this works fairly well. I may also be biased because I really liked a lot of the heroines (especially Hibana) but this was a solid title.
3rd Place: Kanata no Ningyo Hime
Over this past year I’ve come to appreciate the pairing of scenario writer Fuyuno Donbuku + artist Umiko. Kanahime is another story focused around the idea of youth but adds in a twist with the supernatural mermaid elements. It’s an enjoyable, emotive read and had some very memorable moments.
2nd Place: Amakano 2+
It was always going to be hard to make a follow-up to Amakano 2 as it is truly an exceptional title. This fandisk though was clearly made with a lot of love, which shone through. The artwork, music, romance, and heroines were all excellent, with the newest addition to the series Sara having a route written for fans of the series. My favourite moege released this year, and an absolute must-play for fans of the original game.
1st Place: Imouto to Kanojo
Imouto to Kanojo is a game that piqued my interest when it promised a more realistic take on a sibling romance. I can’t say I had high expectations but this title blew me away. It’s hard-hitting, enthralling, depressing, and I found myself unable to look away. The writing style and use of imagery were very impressive, with the use of different perspectives also being wielded masterfully. A truly excellent game that is worth a play, so long as you don’t mind having your emotions toyed with.
Favourite Older Game Played in 2023
4th Place: Ambitious Mission
Saga Planets are typically known for games with quirky heroines and decent plots, which pretty much sums up Anmitsu. The phantom thieves twist on the typical highschool setting was quite fun, although I wish there was more of those scenes. Overall, it was an enjoyable ride though.
3rd Place: Aonatsu Line
As mentioned earlier, the Fuyuno Donbuku + Umiko duo is excellent. Ao Natsu Line is a coming of age story, set to the backdrop of a group of friends’ final summer vacation. The setting is quaint, the characters are likable, and the music is top-tier. Childhood friend Miki’s route in particular is utterly excellent.
2nd Place: D.C. II P.C. ~Da Capo II~ Plus Communication
I actually wasn’t the biggest fan of the original Da Capo PC, but my goodness did the series improve between the two mainline games. DC2 PC is the epitome of middle 00’s era eroge, with a really nostalgic feeling looking back on it. The atmosphere and character interactions make the game and I can’t get enough of it even after various fandisks. In my opinion, the Plus Communication version is worth it, primarily for Akane, Aisia & Mahiru’s routes – Akane in particular just should’ve been a heroine in the base game. It’s no surprise that this is the entry in the series with most fans, and is definitely something worth checking out if you’re interested in the series.
1st Place: Amakano 2
I am wholly biased here because I like Azarashi Soft’s style of romance games (except the newest Aikotoba game, that sucked). Amakano 2 is my favourite moege of all time. It just has such a wonderful setting, great heroines, artwork, etc. But what sets it apart for me is the slow development of the romance and the fact that the game takes the time for small, tender moments between the heroine and protagonist that many other moege simply don’t do. It’s sugary fluff in its purest form and I can’t get enough of it.
And with that we come to the end of another year’s review. It was a busy one but I’m kinda glad to get 2023 over with.
Looking towards 2024 and I plan to keep doing what I have been doing – playing a mix of new and older releases. The new releases have been paricularly enjoyable for me. In terms of upcoming games, I actually have quite a few fandisks to look forward to (Koiama, Koibana Renai, Amanatsu), as well as some pretty interesting new titles. My personal pick for 2024 would be Lovepical-Poppy because Smee games are always a joy.
Here’s to a peaceful, productive 2024!
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