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CUPID (free VN review)

Plk_Lesiak

Entry posted by Plk_Lesiak

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In my previous review I was writing about a NaNoRenO OELVN-contest entry that definitely bit slightly more than it could chew – a large scale project that, due to its short development cycle, came out rushed and deeply flawed, not reaching the full potential its premise and characters offered if handled properly. Today, however, I’m dealing with a game that could be seen as a bit of a counter-argument to my thesis on what can and cannot be done within NaNoRenO’s tight timeframe – a visual novel made mostly by a single person, which used the event as a starting point, delivering an extensive demo and expanding on it afterwards in a rather spectacular fashion. 

            CUPID, created by Fervent Studio and released for free in March 2016, was a rather unusual and surprising addition to the OELVN niche. This gothic romance/horror story with a female protagonist is pretty far detached from any established subgenre on the VN market, probably owing the most to the classic Western literature. However, its mature, dark themes and extremely competent execution makes it potentially attractive for many types of readers, as long as they’re not easily discouraged by highly unsettling and potentially depressing content. It also introduces a few spins on the typical visual novel formula and unusual storytelling techniques that make it stand out from most Western and Japanese titles, creating a unique, memorable experience on a market dominated by rather generic, trope-driven products.

Read the full article at evnchronicles.blogspot.com

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arosia

Wow, I'm super impressed with both the review and the game. It was created in roughly a month?

I'm watching a let's play at the moment to get a feel for it. Maybe I can find some time to play it in the new future.

Thanks again, love!

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Plk_Lesiak
2 hours ago, arosia said:

Wow, I'm super impressed with both the review and the game. It was created in roughly a month?

I couldn't really verify what version of the game was submitted to NaNoRenO, but it was definitely an entry, so the one-month rule should apply. I might reach to Fervent at some point and ask them directly, maybe when I get to reviewing Who is Mike. 

2 hours ago, arosia said:

I'm watching a let's play at the moment to get a feel for it. Maybe I can find some time to play it in the new future.

Thanks again, love!

All pleasure is mine (like, literally, I really like writing these). ;)

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arosia

You are so fantastic. I really look forward to them.

I read a lot on most days--always soaking up information--but knowing who you are specifically, and having this back/forth interaction with you makes these reviews so much more enjoyable.

You are a complete pleasure!

I know you're super busy, but when you get a chance, I would love if you'd set up a really simple Patreon page or something for the blog; just for people who want to offer a little bit of love and support for what you're doing.

I would be really happy to make a small donation and be your very first Patron! <3

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Zalor

Thanks for placing this VN on my radar! Looks very interesting. I like short VNs for not wasting so much time and getting to the point. So I will definitely give it a shot when I'm in the mood for something really dark. I don't know why, but you description of this VN is giving me some slight Saya no Uta vibes. 

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Plk_Lesiak
2 hours ago, arosia said:

You are so fantastic. I really look forward to them.

I read a lot on most days--always soaking up information--but knowing who you are specifically, and having this back/forth interaction with you makes these reviews so much more enjoyable.

You are a complete pleasure!

I know you're super busy, but when you get a chance, I would love if you'd set up a really simple Patreon page or something for the blog; just for people who want to offer a little bit of love and support for what you're doing.

I would be really happy to make a small donation and be your very first Patron! <3

Wow, I don't think I'm anywhere close to a level that would justify donations, but I might think about it one day. For now, I would rather encourage people to donate to Fuwa, after all, this site is why I have a convienient platform to work on and an audience that is really interested in the topic. Seeing it thrive is something I very much care about. :3

I'm thankful for your feedback and compliments though, this indeed wouldn't be half as interesting without actual discussions with people and knowing that my writing can be fun to read and make others curious about the games and topics I touch on. ;)

40 minutes ago, Zalor said:

Thanks for placing this VN on my radar! Looks very interesting. I like short VNs for not wasting so much time and getting to the point. So I will definitely give it a shot when I'm in the mood for something really dark. I don't know why, but you description of this VN is giving me some slight Saya no Uta vibes. 

There is some resemblence, even in visual department I think, although not that deep, it's still a slightly different brand of horror. I think it might be to your liking though, if you're looking for something fresh and with a western feel to it. :)

Also, you can always show your appreciation through a like! ;p

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arosia
1 hour ago, Plk_Lesiak said:

Wow, I don't think I'm anywhere close to a level that would justify donations, but I might think about it one day. For now, I would rather encourage people to donate to Fuwa, after all, this site is why I have a convienient platform to work on and an audience that is really interested in the topic. Seeing it thrive is something I very much care about. :3

Well, you are worth it.

Supporting Fuwa is definitely on my radar. I'm just settling in first, but I had been planning to do it in the next month or so!

So your wish is granted!

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Guest

You had to put up a review when I wasn't online. :o(

But CUPID Was on my radar for a long time, I'll download the steam version and read It. When I have the time.

I'll also add It to the Another Top 50 VN list, just not now 'cause I'm on my phone. :op

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Zelan

To answer your question from earlier in the comment thread - only a demo was released for NaNoRenO. However, if I remember right this was always the intention of the devs, so it wasn't so much that they bit off more than they could chew and were forced to downsize, just that they used NaNo as their starting point.

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Plk_Lesiak
2 hours ago, Zelan said:

To answer your question from earlier in the comment thread - only a demo was released for NaNoRenO. However, if I remember right this was always the intention of the devs, so it wasn't so much that they bit off more than they could chew and were forced to downsize, just that they used NaNo as their starting point.

Yup, that makes sense, but it was hard for me to verify it (and I only recently realized how often people do that, preparing all kinds of teasers and demos for NaNo rather than full games). Thanks for the info. :) I guess I'll have to redact the post to make it factually correct. One day... :vinty:

Edited by Plk_Lesiak
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