Jump to content
  • entries
    767
  • comments
    1836
  • views
    482880

About this blog

This is a blog primarily focusing on but not limited to VNs.  It is primarily designed to express my opinion on otaku media (jrpgs, anime, manga, LNs, VNs, etc), individual VNs, and otaku community issues.   Most of the posts are related to my VN of the Month and Random VN columns, originally started in threads in the forums. 

As of March of 2017, I'm also looking for people to help with VN of the Month.

Entries in this blog

VNs

Random Translation: Silverio Ragnarok - Cecile, Jace, Angelica, Patricia

Come into being, oh starlight written upon the heavens, for we are a shining falling star. From the moment this heart began to beat, the dark prophecy was set in stone.  The messenger of disaster is given no right to live upon the earth. Sunken deep beneath the dark ocean, the serpent burns its very self with curses.  It will never be forgotten, it will never be forgiven.  The grinding of scales, the raging fangs.  For the sight of Midgard burnt upon the inside of its eyelids stokes th
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Random Translation: Silverio Ragnarok Misaki and Ragna

Come into being, oh supernova written upon the heavens--- for we are a falling star from the Age of Gods. Oracle received, beginning revelation of the star. The plundered afternoon light brings forth the frozen blizzard.  The wind, the sword, and the wolf... the steps to ruin within the winter prison. The uncountable ruins stained our family and brothers in crimson.  Not even the three children of the gods were excepted.  There are no longer bonds between the sun, the moon, and th
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Anime Review: Fate Grand Order Camelot

Fate/Grand Order is the name of the mobile game/visual novel/card battle game that has become synonymous with the Nasuverse over the last seven years or so.  For those unfamiliar with the game, I'll go ahead and describe the flow of events that lead up to this particular chapter-turned-anime in the spoiler box below. In the game, Camelot is considered to be the first 'serious' chapter and the one with perhaps the deepest link to the other Fate/Stay Night series in spirit (considering the
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Tenshi Souzou partial review

This is the latest game from the makers of Dracu-riot and Sanoba Witch, Yuzusoft.  For those who are curious, in nature it is somewhere in between the two styles this company tends to use (placing more emphasis on the SOL portions or the story portions).  There is, technically, an overarching story, but it is given more focus in some routes than others, while there is as much lovey-dovey and ero content as the most SOL-focused entries in Yuzusoft's library. I'm going to be blunt, I basicall
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Random VN: Haison Shoujo Ayashi Madohi no Kago no Sato

You might be wondering why I chose this VN for the first one to review in quite some time, and you would be right to wonder.  I wonder why I felt drawn to this VN myself, given how the first impression from the cover is a nukige.  However, something about it drew me in and made me want to play it.  Thankfully, it isn't an experience I grew to regret, so I'll go ahead and give you my impressions. This VN focuses on a club (six girls, one guy) who get stranded in an abandoned village in the m
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Why you should play Kamishino

Haruka ni Aogi, Uruwashi no, is on a shortlist of kamige that I tend to recommend to newbies to VNs or those who missed it during their first rapid obsessive blasting through the 'classics'.  For some reason, people are making excuses not to play the newly-fantranslated game.  I'm going to first pick apart the reasons that have been given for not playing it, even if it falls into the realm of their tastes. Number one reason, the one that is hardest to speak against, is that the game itself
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

3
VNs

Random Translation: Ashley Horizon and Dainsleif

Come into being, oh starlight written across the heavens... for we are a shining falling star. Oh how foolish, you blind and ignorant master of the throne!  How could you believe that you could take from my heart hope for the future with a mere prison at the bottom of the sea and an endless labyrinth? Look within these two eyes.  Know the fierce and undying flame within my gaze.  I already fly far into the distant sky, seeking the solemn flame (the sun). Even though my wings burn
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

9
VNs

One more Random Translation: Kerberos

Fall from the heavens, oh my guardian star.  Obliterate everything within the iron abyss. I have served at the side of Hades for many ages.  I am the beastly and arrogant wolf who prays for the fall of all that is bright and noble while easing my hunger with the flesh and blood of the dead. Spit out curses, devour hope, grind the jaws of despair.  The deadly poison that drips from my fangs desperately, oh how desperately desires the collapse of the heavens.  Let the shining brilliance
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

1
VNs

Random Translation: Gilbert vs Valzeride

The video below starts in the middle of a side-story where Valzeride (the antagonist and hero of Silverio Vendetta) confronts Gilbert over his ideals.  They begin to fight because their ideals, while both based on goodness and light, are inherently opposed.  Valzeride ultimately sees himself as inhuman garbage and strives to slay evil and bring happiness to the people of Adler, whereas Gilbert wishes to create a world where people like Valzeride are free of jealousy and judgment of the masses. 
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Random Translation: Silverio Trinity Countdown Video

"I have no regrets whatsoever about the fate I chose, bore, and walked to its end." "The reason is that I had only to but bear the burden alone.  It was a situation where the madman known as Valzeride was the only one that needed to suffer to the end." "If offering up the Monster of Light as a sacrifice would bring my homeland prosperity, then there need be no hesitation.  It truly was a perfect exchange.  As I desired, I ran through the infinite hells to their end." "Believing to
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Magatsu Barai: Story

First, I should note that this game suffers from what are likely budget constraints.  I say this because some of the VA choices are... questionable.  Ragou's VA in particular is something of a disaster, with a discordant mismatch between the voice and the characterization.  This stands out even more because other choices like Kaen and Diran's male VAs are actually really awesome matches.   I failed to properly articulate what the music in this game resembles at most sometimes... and that wo
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

1
VNs

Magatsu Barai: Preliminary Thoughts

Before someone asks, I merely paused the other VN to start Magatsu Barai (and Xenoblade Chronicles 3).  I will finish it (eventually). Magatsu Barai is the first Light game to be made from beginning to end after the collapse of the company's original owners.  As such, it is only natural (and unfortunate, at least to an extent) that some things will have changed. To address the elephant in the room for anyone who has seen the cover or sample cgs... The coloring really is that awful.  I
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Poll: Which VN should I play?

For those who are still interested, I've been considering three VNs to play (I'm only going to play one for now), mostly because, for the first time in a while, there have actually been more than one notable release inside a four month period.   The LoS game looks to be a low-tension mystery fantasy that is probably going to turn out to be a nakige, based on the getchu page. Wakai Seyo looks like what it probably is, a moderately high-quality charage by a company known for its eccentri
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

5
VNs

Princess x Princess and Kurogane Kaikitan

Princess x Princess is the sequel/extension of Rishia's route from Shuffle 2.  Essentially, it begins with Rishia enthusiastically searching out extra wives for Raito while he has difficulty adjusting to his girlfriend's values.  However, this quickly expands into a game that, to some extent, can actually be called a sequel rather than a fandisc.  This is similar to how the original Shuffle's 'extras' functioned more like true additions to the original game than fandiscs. I'm going to be bl
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Recommendations: VNs with Psychotic characters

I love 'psychologically challenged' characters, whether they are heroines, protagonists, or antagonists.  That said, I don't mean those cookie-cutter 'villains' and 'serial killer' types when I say this.  I mean characters who are twisted up inside and as a result have a completely different outlook on life or appear inconsistent on the surface as a result.  Villain and serial killer types, who just cause harm because they want to, just aren't that interesting.  Here is a shortlist of good VNs t
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Random VN: Death End Re;Quest 2

Let's first get this out there... I did not play the original game.  The reasons?  Well, mostly because it was supposedly horribly buggy and I have no patience for bugs and glitches.  The other part was that it didn't sound that interesting to me.  It sounded like an occult take on SAO.  However, I decided when this came out that I would buy it and later play it.  Why?  Because Touyama Mai is a much more interesting protagonist than Shina or Arata. The game begins with Mai being driven to m
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Ryuusei World Actor Badge and Dagger and Dies Irae Interview with Kaziklu Bey

Ryuusei World Actor Badge and Dagger I'm going to be blunt, I'm not fond of what was done with the previous game, and I felt like this one was a repeat of the same mistakes. That's not to say there aren't a lot of good points to this game and its predecessor. Kinugasa Shougo is an excellent writer (as VN writers go) with a great skill in characterization and scenario design. However, just like the first game, this one cuts off without completing the story.I'm not nearly as angry this time,
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Madoi Shiroki no Kamikakushi

This is the latest kemomomi VN from Lump of Sugar, whose best VNs all have kemomimi girls, lol.  In this one, the protagonist Takuto and his little sister Shiina are transported to the world of the gods, where human perceptions of the world, mythology and legends come to life.  As a game, this story feels a lot like a 'gentle and slow nakige'.   To be blunt, the first thing I think most people will note upon getting past the prologue of this game is... that Roka is the most moe-moe heroine
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

1
VNs

Random VN: Ojousama no Hanbun wa Ren'ai de Dekiteimasu

This game is a peculiar one.  This is the third time I've played the game, and the second time I've posted on it.  If you want to see my original review, please look here:    I'm going to focus here on coloring in some of the details of why I like this game and think it is underrated amongst Western readers of untranslated VNs.  First, the factors that lead to it being underrated. 1) The protagonist takes on a man-whore role through large swathes of the game and isn't a pure-hear
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

1
VNs

Random VN: Yome Sagashi ga Hakadorisugite Yabai

This is the second game in Hulotte's Yabai trilogy.   It is also, by far, the highest quality of the three.  Like the other two, it is a harem-ge/charage with slight rom-com elements.  Where it differs from more modern charage/moege is that it is more of an issue of 'who' he picks rather than falling in love in the normal way.  The why of this makes sense (and not in totally forced way) within the setting and story, so that isn't necessarily an issue. The protagonist, Ashihara Daiki, is the
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Random VN: Raillore no Ryakudatsusha

Raillore is 3rdeye's  most recent chuunige, made back in 2019.  At the time, I tried to play it and dropped it after the prologue, for a number of reasons.  The primary reason was the lack of narration in combat scenes... For some reason, 3rdEye has almost no narration in this game, comparative even to charage.  Instead, battle scenes are done using CGs, brief animations, and sound-effects.  Unfortunately, this means you generally have no idea of what is going on, due to the limitations of such
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Random VN: Ryuukishi Bloody Saga

Ryuukishi Bloody Saga might very well be the best unique work Akabei Soft 3 has created in the time since ABS2 forced a bunch of subsidiaries to merge to create it.  It is a work I also come back to every few years simply because it holds a unique place in my heart.   Ryuukishi is the sequel to Ryakudatsusha no In'en, a Clock-up style super-violent H-horror VN written expressly for the purpose of setting up things for Ryuukishi.  As such, to understand this VN, you have to understand the ev
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

VNs and Me Today

I've had numerous comments from people who were asking, 'Do you still play VNs?' in the last year or so because I hardly post anymore.   When I do, it is usually litrpg, random commentary, or maybe one game a month.  The short answer is yes.  The full answer is a bit more complicated. First, I should note that a lot of this is about timing... to be slightly more specific, a confluence of factors that created a singularity of me just not posting anymore.  The events in question are my increa
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

1
VNs

Random VN: Duelist x Engage

Duelist Engage is one of a number of VNs I was pretty sure I underrated relative to my time doing VN of the Month.  The fact that the VN stuck in my mind even almost a decade later says that this supposition was most likely correct.  Thankfully, after replaying it (after so long it was mostly new to me) I found that this supposition was correct. Before I dig into story and character issues, I need to note that one way this VN stands out over modern charage is the expressiveness of the heroi
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

0
VNs

Waga Himegimi ni Eikan o

This is the newest game by Minato Soft, the makers of Majikoi.  As per usual, I'll be straight with yall and say that I thought this would end up essentially being a slice-of-life failure like a lot of Minato Soft's non-Majikoi VNs.  However, this game is actually much closer to a chuunige in nature than I anticipated.  In the end, I gave this one of the highest ratings I've given in a long while, but there are some issues, which I'll mention farther along. Wagahime's protagonist is a young
Clephas

Clephas in VNs

5
×
×
  • Create New...