Ma Doll and Sakura Taisen are the masterpieces of the month, but I prefer Sakura Taisen as VN of the Month
1. Heartbeat Scramble ハートビートスクランブル [960906] Imagineer Co., Ltd.
Game reproduces events of graduating school year, such as attending part-time job, participating in clubs and school festivals as well as getting along with the girls and inviting them on a date and maybe even spending vacations together with one of them.
After starry October nothing really shines this month. If we narrow down the candidates I'd have to choose from Mashou no Kao, High School Days, Sotsugyou Shashin 2 ~Raspberry Dream~, Tsuiokuand Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo: Hihoushima Arata Naru Sangeki. Last one is out as PS1 exclusive (win version nowhere to be found). Sotsugyou Shashin 2 is out as a difficult type of game for modern players. Tsuioku is way too obscure. High School Days is a really nice game, but even warm vanilla school game
Kichikuou Rance and Kono Yo no Hate de Koi o Utau Shoujo YU-NO are masterpieces of the month, but even Rance can't compete with YU-NO this month.
1. Kousoku Inran Jugyou Tokareta Ribbon 拘束 淫爛授業 解かれたリボン [961205] Persian Soft
Mayu is a female student who is in secret relationship with another girl Minako. One day Mayu opens her bento and finds there a photo of her tied up with a rope. It also has a note requesting to come to clerk room at
Ryouki no Ori Dai 2 Shou and Rookies are the masterpieces of January. But Rookies is a more traditional story-focused visual novel with charming characters and lots of kind humor. Rookies is VN of January 1997.
1. Watashi 私 ～わたし～ [970110] Pearl Soft
Shizu is a shy high school student girl who wishes to change herself. One day day she gathers her will and starts acting. What she's gonna do?
Well, there are lots of bran
Foreword: The culmination of the series and the biggest jewel Four-Nine ever produced. I'm late with the review since I wanted to finish recording video playthrough first.
Title: Canaan ~Yakusoku no Chi~
Developer: Four-Nine Date: 1997-04-18 VNDB link:https://vndb.org/v8697 Synopsis: The fourth entry in the GaoGao series is set in the same post-apocalyptic world as the two previous games. In the future, a failed biological experiment caused wide
Ruriiro no Yuki is the only masterpiece of March 1997.
1. Kannou Kyoushuu 官能教習 [970307] Tetratech
Grandfather summons main hero to announce that in order to get inheritance he has to teach several maidens various sex techniques during a month. But it's so easy to fall in love with one of them...
H training SIM. But the art is gorgeous here so even some innocent minds were caught in the snare. The ending is quite surpr
Canaan ~Yakusoku no Chi~ stands tall as the only masterpiece of April 1997
1. Dark Hunter: (Jou) Ijigen Gakuen ダークハンター -㊤ 異次元学園- [970404] Koei 1 2 3 4
Dark Hunter is the second entry of Shibusawa Kou's "English Dream" series, following the three-part 'Emit'.
Jigen Academy is a secluded school, where the students with psychological scars come to heal and find their purpose in life. Mariko experiences a chain of vivid h
Foreword: I've noted the series quite long ago, but only when approached 4th final work decided to play the prequel that's directly connected with 4th part. Review of Canaan is coming a bit later.
Title: Gao Gao! 3rd ~Wild Force~
Developer: Four-Nine Date: 1994-10-29 VNDB link:https://vndb.org/v8696
Synopsis: Wild Force is set in the same post-apocalyptic world as the previous entry in the GaoGao series. A virus turned most of the Earth's population into mutants,
We get only Zoku Hatsukoi Monogatari ~Shuugaku Ryokou~ as masterpiece in June.
1. Bunkasai 2 Ayanokouji no Gyakushuu 文化祭2 綾小路の逆襲 [970606] Ucom
Main character is a very popular student at school. Classmate girls seek his attention, teachers and nurse invite him to discuss important matters. At this cultural festival all opportunities are open for him. What will he do?
Did not find anything interesting in this game. It's no
There are no masterpieces this month. Main candidates are Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series Vol. 1: Nijiiro no Seishun and Shinseiki Evangelion Koutetsu no Girlfriend, but the latter one has little in the story department, it's more of a bakage for fans, so my choice is Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series Vol. 1: Nijiiro no Seishun that was a very fresh game with those mini-games incorporated. It's only shortcoming is not sufficient length, but overall it's a very good quality product
Kaeru nyo Panyon is the only masterpiece game of August 1997.
1. Bishoujo Hanafuda Kikou Michinoku Hitou Koimonogatari 美少女花札紀行 みちのく秘湯恋物語 [970807] FOG
A romance adventure game where you go around the sightseeing spots in the Tohoku region, make photos of heroines and play cards with them. All backgrounds are live-action capture with detailed commentary on various places added. This game is regarded as the origin of travelling games.
The best Visual Novel of September 1997 is Comic Road - a shy life simulator of a starting manga artist with a lot of animation and very cute scenes.
1. Akuryou Gakuen Reiko 悪霊学園レイコ [970905] Trush
Reiko Ashura, a young girl born in an ancient psychic family, challenges a strange case by making use of its special ability. Miserable incidents occur one after another at a prestigious girls' high school which are linked to a horrible myster
I only rate Sweepers! as masterpiece in October and thus it's VN of the Month.
1. Find Love ファインドラブ [980612] Lyceen "Find Love" is part of the "Uniform Bishoujo Grand Prix" series. There are meetings prepared with 35 beautiful girls from all over Japan dressed in uniforms. All that's needed is solving a small puzzle each time. For PC version there is also erotic development involved. Puzzles followed by dialogues scenes.
2. Jigoku Seek 地獄S
What a tiresome year. First Windows year had too many obscure games with tiny bits of information to get. Crude graphics, bland plotlines, typical dating sim gameplay. But all in due time.
Let's prolong the chart.
VN per year
Year Total
1991 75
1992 80
1993 121
1994 155
1995 180
1996 183
1997 202
Numbers don't show anything extraordinary - a very mild logical increase in numbers. Shift to Windows has
EVE: The Lost One is the only masterpiece of the month.
1. Imagination Love いまじねぃしょんLOVE [980306] Ume Soft
The store manager escaped with 10 million yen and hero is forced as a new store manager and he needs to earn this sum within a month. Most of the staff left after the incident leaving you with only four sales girls.
Contrary to the synopsis, it's not really a SIM, but rather an ADV. There are still three times of
Love Escalator, Kojin Kyouju: La Leçon Particulière and First Kiss☆Story are the masterpieces of the month, but Love Escalator is a more accessible and original story.
1. Oudou Yuusha 王道勇者 [980402] Alice Soft 1 2
You are awaken without any memory of your past. You don't know where you have come from, you don't even know your name. You are found by a kind-hearted little girl who brings you to the best swordsman on the Western Continent.
Diabolique and Hajimari no Kisetsu ~Izakaya Fuyu Monogatari~ are the masterpieces of the month, but Diabolique is a product of much bigger scale and thus is VN of the Month.
1. White Album [980501] Leaf 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
You play a university student whose girlfriend from highschool, Morikawa Yuki, is starting to become a very popular idol singer. Unfortunately, her popularity puts a strain on your relationship; you must either try to maint
There aren't masterpieces this month, but I opt to choose Tasogare as game of themonth.But for review I'm picking Lipstick ADV.4 to put an end to my history with these series.
1. Okaeri! ~Yuunagi iro no Koi Monogatari~ おかえりっ! ~夕凪色の恋物語~ [010202] Arco Entertainment 1 2 This is the story of Youhei Oohira, a third year college student living alone in Tokyo. One summer, he returns to Himegima island for his teaching practice. On the ferry to the island he runs into his childhood
Kisetsu o Dakishimete and luv wave are masterpieces of the month, but luv wave is my absolute favorite
1. Mei King めい・king [980703] Nikukyuu 1
Cain, a shepherd, frees some spirits of a certain place and rescues the princess who was captured by the mountain cabin. As a benefactor of the princess's life, he receives the land and lord title from the king as well as appointment as princess's fiancee candidate. The condition for the marriage
There aren't masterpieces this month, but my personal favorite is Shiokaze no Memory, it's short, nice and has a distinctive individuality.
1. Homura no Matsuri 火焔祭 [980801] Sorciere
Freelance writer Kengo Sakuraba visits a lonesome hot spring town. The four sisters who manage the inn welcome him warmly. However, there is something strange in this town. What exactly is hidden there?
Another game resembling Kizuato of
With You ~Mitsumete Itai~ is the only masterpiece of the month.
1. Mystic Mind ~Yureru Omoi~ Mystic Mind～揺れる想い～ [980903] Family Soft 1
Depending on gender choice the game will differ in who you meet - males or females.
The game begins when the player's character is transferred to a private high school where he will meet the other main character of the game, and the game will start there.
The game fe
Foreword: C's Ware produced so many good works that I inevitably had to observe each work very thoroughly. luv wave with its 3D half-naked girl on the cover looked more like a 3D adult movie than a cyberpunk game. Who knew then that it would be one of my favorite games.
Title: luv wave
Developer: C's Ware Date: 1998-07-31 VNDB link:https://vndb.org/v2694 Synopsis: September 2039. XINN, the computer virus that shutdown the world's computers, threatens us again. Y
Psyclone is the only masterpiece of the month.
1. Sakura Tsuushin 桜 通信 [981001] Media Gallop Dating sim adaptation of the manga and anime series of the same name.
Touma Inaba, the protagonist, is trying to get into Keio University. On the day the exam scores are posted, he meets Mieko Yotsuba , a redhead he falls in love with at first sight. After he finds out she got in, but didn't, he decides to lie and say he passed the exam in order to impress her. He
Foreword: If you do not know of EVE:Burst Error, you better stop here right now and go watch video playthrough of that gorgeous game. EVE the Lost One is a direct sequel to that game and there will naturally be spoilers on the prequel content. That being settled - I did not pay much attention to the Lost One right away and did not review it properly while observing year 1998. Japanese reviews failed even to give an outline of the plot and were generally not too favorable. Only after playing it m
There's not much to talk about this month. Tsui no Sora and L no Kisetsu: A piece of memories are the masterpieces of August 1999. My heart is totally with Tsui no Sora.
1. Baito e Ikou! バイトへ行こう！ [990805] Bags 1
You as main character, gets a winter vacation that you will not forget. Living somewhere on the world, with your parents on vacation, a period of around 2 weeks of solitude is given to you. During this time you will be able to roam around yo
