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Tales From A Distant Land
How a visual novel is structured is perhaps one of the most important, but also the least immediately obvious, element for the player. The way in which the pieces of the narrative fit together often determines the kind of story you are going to tell and tools available to impart emotions and ideas. As such the choice to assume a structure based around Episodi
This is a condensed version of the full review which can be found on my Main Blog Here.
Genre – Yuri, Modern Fantasy Play Time – 6 hours Developer – YuriEureka Steam VNDB
Note – I did receive a review copy from the developer. A heads up if that fact might bother you.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
In most settling magic is normally a force for good and even when it is not, the protagonist is special enough to make the most of it regardless. T
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Empty and Pointless?
The illusion of choice is one of a video game’s most fragile tools, a single contradiction or misstep in presentation and the whole thing shatters and the player feels cheated. As such the idea of a Meaningless Choice is one which is viewed in a negative light as something to avoid alongside the idea that all choices must offer some form of consequence, no matter
This is a condensed version of the full review which can be found on my Main Blog Here.
Genre - Mystery, Fantasy. Playtime - Roughly 20 Hours Each, 60 In Total Developer - Unison Shift: Blossom Steam VNDB
Three Ley-Lines Shall Reveal The Truth
Creating a trilogy of games is an ambitious undertaking and one where so many tiny things can go wrong and ruin the whole package. It needs a glue to hold it together and keep the player invested in the long term, s
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She Was Always Right Beside Me
A story always has its heroes and heroines, defining characters who shapes the narrative and break out of the normal to change the world around them. These are the people who the player remembers long after they have put the game down and are the focus of a developer's time and effort. But what about the supporting cast? The men and women who stand bello
This is a condensed version of the full review which can be found on my Main Blog Here.
Genre – Otome, Mystery, Drama. Play Time – 35 hours. Developer – Otomate and Design Factory. Steam VNDB
Reinvigorating The Cliché
Using amnesia as plot device is a common tactic by many creators who want to put the protagonist on the same level as the player, but its use rarely goes beyond being an excuse for exposition. Enter Amnesia: Memories, as you might have been a
This is a condensed version of the full review which can be found on my Main Blog Here.
Genre – Sci-fi, Mecha, LGBTQ+. Play Time – 8 hours. Developer - Pillow Fight Games. Steam VNDB
Finding Heaven
There is a certain beauty to the simple impulse to say, “Wow that is so cool”. It is a short phrase filled with an innocent emotion many of us lose as we get older and the realities of life turn everything into a grey soup. An adult is meant to be mature and sensi
This is a condensed version of the full review which can be found on my Main Blog Here.
Genre - Comedy. Play Time - 15 hours. Developer - WhitePowder Steam VNDB
Always Be Happy!
Most visual novels use comedy in some form, be it a joke to break tension or a scene to make the player empathise with the characters, but few commit to it as the single focus of their identity. This is for a good reason, humour is subjective and as such making a comedy game with a wi
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Academic Subterfuge
The English release of Hello Lady is a game in a strange situation. Being a translation of the Complete Edition, it is effectively three games tied into one which leads to some interest quirks. I knew that I would have to play the game since I enjoyed one of the developers previous works, Coμ. Coμ was a flawed but entertaining game and it is with these expectations I when
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Genre – Superpowers, Action, Multiple Route Mystery. Play Time – 50 hours. Developer - Akatsuki WORKS. Steam VNDB
It Started With Fire
The quest for revenge is a time worn tale which has assumed many forms and is notoriously difficult to get right. It can be a struggle to get the audience to empathise with a character who is seeking revenge, especially when
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Genre - Crime/Police, Otome, Romance. Play Time - 30 hours. Developer - Otomate, Design Factory. Nintendo Eshop VNDB
A Story of Light and Dark
Fandiscs are difficult to get right. Sitting in a strange midpoint between sequel and expansion of the original game, they have to balance the desire for more of the same with the sprinkling of something new they need justify their
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For visual novels, the written word is their backbone and how it is presented to the player is key to controlling their tone and pacing. Over the years the methods of presentation have been standardised into two types, ADV (ADVenture) and NVL (NoVeL). These two have become the dominate styles and are often positioned as diametric opposites in what they set out to achieve. When a developer creates
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When Everything Goes Wrong
A good story is often defined by its ending and a bad one can be redeemed by it. Visual novels are no exception to this rule and must contend with this opportunity multiple times over the course of the game. The most common form of endings used in visual novels are the Good and True Endings, but there are also some games which use Bad Endings. This kind of e
This is a condensed version of the full article which can be found on my Main Blog Here.
In The Beginning
If there is one structural element which is used by most visual novels it is the Common Route. This linear opening section contains the choices which decide the route you will be sent on as well as providing world and character building setup so that the routes can focus on their specific hero/heroine. They are so ubiquitous with visual novels that even those who are
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Genre – Science Fantasy. Playtime – 6 Hours. Developer – ALICE IN DISSONANCE. Publisher – Phoenixx. VNDB
Before The Storm
LIGHTKRAVETE marks ALICE IN DISSONANCE’S first new fault title in seven years and this gap has lead to a substantial change in their overall style. Gone are the static character portraits, now each character has their own live 2d style model which moves as they spea
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Secrets Of The Dead
My relationship with Yuzusoft’s work has been a mixed one. The quality of the artwork and the likeable characters draw me to their games, but I often find myself burned out on them due their often unnecessary length and inability to handle their core premises with any depth or consideration. Despite these feelings, I continue to come back to their games so I can only assu
This is a condensed version of the full review which can be found on my Main Blog HERE.
Genre – Slice of Life, Romance. Playtime – 40 hours. Developer – Yuzusoft. Publisher – NekoNyan and Hikari Field. VNDB
A Second Chance
Dying is never pleasant, especially when you have lingering regrets. Takamine Kousei’s death is as sudden as his life was unremarkable and in his final moment he wishes his life could have been more. However, this is not the end for Kousei as he finds hims