Re: Anime Sharing - Netorare Thread (Discussion thread predating the section)
Heya!
Well, ELF has definitely restored everyone's faith in them. I'd be really interested to know how much of this game was planned from the start, and how much was a reaction to and response from the feedback/criticism of the first game. If nothing else, I feel they at least beefed up the number of sex scenes to mollify people. The game also feels much longer, though that might be because the choices are a bit easier to navigate through to see the various routes, and I'm guilty of fast-forwarding through a bit of the true route in the first game between the doctor and girl while waiting for something to fucking happen. <_<
I think at this point it's safe to say that ELF games are art, or as close as the eroge industry comes. But, I'm not entirely sure if that's good or bad thing. On one hand, the company breathes some new life into what at some times might feel like a stale or unchanging genre by trying different things and completely focusing on story. On the other, because of their popularity, I'm terrified more companies will try to copy them and just end up with a jumbled mess of a game, something that ELF very narrowly avoids doing, and it's a pretty slim margin in my book.
Yes, the game is different and interesting, but it's not always exactly fun either. At various points, I felt like the company was just trolling NTR fans while laughing their way to the bank; at other times, I was bored out of my mind or depressed/raging(at the company and plot, not over anything NTR-related).
If in the past we've tried to make explaining NTR easier by categorizing in into type A, B, etc., and whether it was netoru or netori, after playing this game I think we need a new category: Crazy Fucking ELF Game.
I'm dreading the next sequel at this point, but hopefully in a few months I'll be ready to go on another emotional roller coaster. At this point, I'm ready for different characters, but given that I'm already invested and have know whether Harry will finally manage to defeat Voldemort or not, I'll likely be waiting for the day it comes out like everyone else, screaming, "Elf! Please take my money, you bastards!"
Stay tuned in the reviews thread for a long, incredibly spoiler-heavy synopsis!
Thanks for reading!