Visual Novel Cafe

[Terumi]

Well, officially done and over with Demonion II. Took too damn long, have my comments over the game which I will voice over another separate post next time.

Currently juggling sakusaku and hoshiori at the same time, more emphasis on sakusaku because i am roughly through 2 routes now.
Havent really heard awesome comments on either, especially not from EGS. Will slowly ponder over the next few days I guess.

 

[Mahou]

Just finished Marika's route for Hoshiori. It seems tone work has learnt their lesson in regards to that not-necessary-positive roller coster ride of Hatsukoi's childhood friend route (Yukino?) and provided a beautiful route without drama and an enjoyable mix of raburabu and normal slice and life.

As for favorite's: I reached the early parts of Kotori's route (as my first route). The music is - for me - fantastic. The characters are pretty good, especially the child NPCs like Hatsuki are adorable :D. It had already a few touching moments (the reconsilation scene between her onii-chan and Shina was quite touching for me) I'm a bit torn about the mytery element as well, though. I mean the eternal snowing sky being connected to Yuki Yuki seems pretty obvious (even for a someone like me who doesn't interpret much and just "rates" what is visible/"spelled out"). What I don't want is that all that special ability setting won't turn into something dark-ish or grim , like for example during the final route.

 

[yanderere]

I recently finished the first 8 games from the Rance saga, quite time-consuming novels to get all the CGs. Now I´m going to start playing "it is not a harem paradise, it is a yandere hell" since it is the latest installment revolving around yandere girls. I hope for more novels this year, thought.

I´m going to skip Rance 9 for a while, i have played enough eroge RPGs for the last 3 months.

 

[Eros]

I wish I could read Japanese anyone have good suggestions for translated ones :D

or just check mangagamers

 

[Terumi]

Jumped into Sora's route already in Hoshiori, things are progressing a little too fast for a transfer student. However, liking it because I prefer things to move faster. But getting the girls so fast when you barely known them kinda puts me off in a normal rabu-rabu game.

Spoiler: sakusaku

Cleared Konami and Mio routes in sakusaku. Konami's route is still the usual little sister incest, nothing much to brag about, but she was clear and loud with her feelings which i felt she showed strong convictions about the relationship. Mio's route was normal to bad. She cried WAY too much, and her reasoning for her crying and trauma and eventual resolution was darn stupid. I was expecting much after a good start to the story when she didnt appear to be a normal osananajimi.

 

[pingtoryan]

Can barely go for two transitions before having to stop last night...I need to sleep more and be more clear about what I want to do...

...I blame the 4-6-2 locomotive.

 

[Terumi]

Walkure Romanze Re:tell @ 26/9
Daisy x Daisy doing the OP~ Oh yeah~

 

[Animaksiat]

Walkure Romanze Re:tell @ 26/9
Daisy x Daisy doing the OP~ Oh yeah~

i think it's not updated yet in getchu

 

[Terumi]

i think it's not updated yet in getchu

Ricotta's official site was updated with the info. :3
*meanwhile still tries to finish games on hand*
Demonion II patch for 1 extra dungeon and 8 extra scenes was awesome~ *still preparing speech on game*

 

[pingtoryan]

Same time as Re:Tell - MeltyMoment Mini Fan Disk 2 (Sumire & Chiemi)

I'll pull through somehow...

 

[Mahou]

I have played a bit more into favorite's Astralair. It has its good moments and so-so moments. From the random vibes I get, it feels like the special ability aspect of the game might have been better as a side part and the slice-of-life aspect as its main part. I mean, it's good that the writer has been able to integrate in one way or another into the heroines' late-game problems, but I doubt that these supernatural mystery would have been needed for Ichika and Ochiba's route (the latter being the one I'm currently on).
Another point: While I'm aware that the romance is not the main focus itself, it takes quite a long time before these gears start being put in motion. The epilogue's are sweet, so that may be a form of "compensatioin" in my eyes.
There have been hints about Fimbulwinter of Norsk mythology and I sincerly hope that I won't see some kind of (pseudo/semi) war setting or natural disaster thingy based on the origin of said Fimbulwinter

The good points: Even people like myself who go with the flow instead of trying to predict in adavance characters and plot are able to see some mystery elements already *lol*. Mainly, "Yukiyuki". The OST is lovely and the slice-of-life aspect around Riku and his discovering the meaning of family and friendship is really good (for me!)

And tonework's title has left a beautiful impression. Rika's route up to the confession has made me smile lots of time. And the sporadic shifts to her PoV made it the better! Sempai's route provided with Miya's father a great sample of how these characters should have done instead of the regular a) old-fashioned controlling fathers who decide for their daughters - of course - only for their best interest or b) the "U-not-get-mah-daugha" opposing fathers.

 

[pingtoryan]

I'm done with Koihana now...

...I'll leave the action-oriented ones for later as I consider my next move...

 

[fatalystic]

Just curious but...what do you guys think of harem endings, in general?

I don't usually play VNs, but I went and cleared Change! by May-Be SOFT. I figured there was probably a harem ending, and yes there was...and it even seems to be canon because there's a sequel hook at the end of it. Which kind of kills it I think; all the route endings are really sweet (especially Ui and Rumia), so a harem ending feels like a complete 180...

 

[Terumi]

Just curious but...what do you guys think of harem endings, in general?

To me, harem route is only valid in 3 conditions and strictly these conditions only :

1. Protagonist is too awesome to keep down only 1 lady. This often includes smarter protagonist who actually lusts for more girls instead of settling for 1, and actually makes a claim they deserve the girls and the girls thoroughly deserves the man. Eg. Kyonyuu Fantasy series : Ryuto and Ruin ; Demonion series : Astaroth and Caym.
2. Protagonist and heroines share common purposes throughout the game and main 'idea' doesnt change even when its different routes/heroines. Girls in this case should not have their own stories or troubles to overcome and should share similar difficulties with other girls.
3. Nukiges or games where plot is secondary but protagonist is not a villain that goes around doing nasty things against the girls or story initially.

I HAVE AN EXTREMELY STRONG DISDAIN for pure love games where harem ends occur. I dont believe in 2 girls or more having similar thoughts about sharing 1 man, and not feeling insecure about it. Its also in these endings I find protagonists having little to no say about his decisions despite the god-blessed harem situation (of course he aint complaining, he's got more than 1 girl), and the girls untrue to themselves deep down. Absolute NO to pure love games having harem ends, which effectively means most of the eroges out in the market.

 

[pingtoryan]

What about harem dreams?

Me? I'm neutral about harems...but somehow I managed to not come across too many harems outside of straight nukiges so I don't have much to say on that topic.

 

[Kri]

Just curious but...what do you guys think of harem endings, in general?

I don't usually play VNs, but I went and cleared Change! by May-Be SOFT. I figured there was probably a harem ending, and yes there was...and it even seems to be canon because there's a sequel hook at the end of it. Which kind of kills it I think; all the route endings are really sweet (especially Ui and Rumia), so a harem ending feels like a complete 180...

Depends on game, really. For example Baseson's games must be harem ending. Thanks to MC's harem they makes an alliance and as the time passes with him & with others they become more like a family, you can really feel it at their games. This is the main point of their games so without harem you cant make those, well they tried once with "Appare tenka gomen" and it failed really hard.

And its not just "Baseson", ChuSinGura, Grisaia Trio, Demonion etc wouldn't be this good without the harem theme. But of course I also dont like those moeges which have "harem ending" just for having a foursome or fivesome. The entire point is "Theme", just because mc is too yasashii doesnt mean he can fuck 5-10 girls at the same time. There must be some kind of proper reason.

 

[Animaksiat]

Depends on game, really. For example Baseson's games must be harem ending. Thanks to MC's harem they makes an alliance and as the time passes with him & with others they become more like a family, you can really feel it at their games. This is the main point of their games so without harem you cant make those, well they tried once with "Appare tenka gomen" and it failed really hard.

And its not just "Baseson", ChuSinGura, Grisaia Trio, Demonion etc wouldn't be this good without the harem theme. But of course I also dont like those moeges which have "harem ending" just for having a foursome or fivesome. The entire point is "Theme", just because mc is too yasashii doesnt mean he can fuck 5-10 girls at the same time. There must be some kind of proper reason.

Baseson games starts harem business after they got success with their Koihime musou series, even though at first they're making it half hearted... just to mimicking Ikkitousen, making a genderbender theme which was popular... but alas, it sells really good! and here we are now...

before that baseson games are somewhat dark theme... i can still remember when i play One 2... that's one piece of story, all of the route really touching

 

[fatalystic]

But anyway now that I'm done with "Change!", I kinda want to play another VN. Anybody has a cute one they can recommend? Along the lines of like, true love or pure love, that kind of thing. It doesn't have to have a lot of sex in it.

i.e. Super-sweet omgsocutei'mgonnadie vanilla.

Oh, and preferably fairly recent.

EDIT: Also, are there any chuunibyou-themed ones (no, not that anime) that fit that criteria?

 

[Animaksiat]

But anyway now that I'm done with "Change!", I kinda want to play another VN. Anybody has a cute one they can recommend? Along the lines of like, true love or pure love, that kind of thing. It doesn't have to have a lot of sex in it.

i.e. Super-sweet omgsocutei'mgonnadie vanilla.

Oh, and preferably fairly recent.

EDIT: Also, are there any chuunibyou-themed ones (no, not that anime) that fit that criteria?

dunno about chuuni syndrome... but you might want to check on hook-soft for vanillas....

 

[Terumi]

Nukiges derailing all my progress with clearing last route of sakusaku and hoshiori (still on my first).

The power of f*p~

 

[Terumi]

*meanwhile I am still stabbing myself and knocking my bloody head against the wall for forgetting to get the free idolmaster DLC on ps3*

FML.
Gonna finish that nukige quick and move back to daily business.

 

[pingtoryan]

dunno about chuuni syndrome... but you might want to check on hook-soft for vanillas....

I vouch for that as well - they've got some good vanila.

...coincidentally, I picked Honeycoming (a pretty aged title by this time) to accompany the mad grind for World of Warplanes.

 

[Animaksiat]

[MENTION=77]Terumi[/MENTION]; pre-order for walkure romanze will be start in august 13th... let's hope there will be no delay

 

[Terumi]

[MENTION=7737]Animaksiat[/MENTION]; hope so. actually i'm kinda hoping it to be pushed back 1 month to align with other game releases instead of being in sept. But I am fine either way.
If its that really a small game, i dont think there's any probs. But i want a new title soon instead of them milking this series.

*self-stabbing continues*

 

[Mahou]

@Hoshiori: If there's only one route one plans to complete, take Rika's. All other routes are beyond lovely and purely romance, but Rika's had imho much more to it. The resolve of her major personal worries which felt much stronger in terms of character development than other routes. Misa's had also a different touch to it, seeing that she also had a firm dream outside of pursuing your "dream profession" (which is a very respectable deed itself!).
In short: While each route was extremly enjoyable and smile-provoking, Rika's must be my personal favourite. Only Sora's route remains! So far, Hoshiori is without a doubt the best VN of that month for me.