Yomegami
Entry posted by Clephas
2031 views
I'm going to say this straight out... Awesome job, Alcot!!!
There is a peculiar balance needed to make the perfect fantasy story-focused charage... and it has literally been years since the last time a VN has managed it. I should know, since I play everything fantasy that isn't a nukige and some that are.
Alcot's formula of comedy (in particular sexual comedy and situational comedy) is pretty straightforward and easy to enjoy, going across cultural lines fairly easily. As such, it doesn't require much effort to enjoy. That provides one element of this VN that 'completes' it.
Another element is the setting. Is there a solid setting? Is that setting vital to the story and utilized well to enhance it and give it life? That is definitely the case with this VN. The fantasy elements are vital to every aspect of this VN and touch upon every element of the story. I am happy to say that this VN is one of those rare fantasy VNs (non-chuuni, non-rpg) where the setting is so integral to the story as to make it inseparable.
Third is the heroine paths. Are the heroine paths consistent with the setting and the story of the common route? Are none of the heroines overly favored? Is there a good balance between ichaicha, drama, and plot? I can say yes to all these questions with this VN. The heroine paths are universally solid, with none of them exceptionally favored over the others. I was seriously impressed at the creativity of the writer when dealing with the endings, since they pretty much universally deviated from the 'golden road' of charage in peculiar ways while keeping to the spirit of the genre (happy endings for beloved characters).
Fourth is the characters in general. Do they fit into the story? Do the relationships between the characters feel 'alive', even if they aren't necessarily always believable from an excessively realistic point of view? For that matter, does the protagonist 'fit' into his role as the center of the story (and the heroines' affections)? Again, the answer is yes to all. While the protagonist isn't necessarily exceptional in most ways, he has many qualities that both make him attractive enough to make the romance portions feel real, as well as the roundness to justify such a protagonist-centric story.
What this all comes down to is that this VN is fairly close to a perfect example of the best of the sub-genre, as well as being an example of why I still play charage, even though most of them are crap hiding the gems. For people who like a strong element of fantasy in their charage, as well as a strong plot for both the characters and the game in general, this is an excellent choice. For those who prefer to avoid seriousness and stress at all costs, it might be a too much though. Also... SPOILERS BELOW
There is a TON of weird incest in this VN. I'm not going to tell you what I mean, though...
- Chronopolis, Narcosis, granit and 1 other
-
4
4 Comments
Recommended Comments