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VN of the Month February 2009 - Devils Devel Concept


kivandopulus

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There are only six titles this month to choose from, but four of those are masterpieces - Shinjisougeki CarnivalDevils Devel ConceptLike a Butler and Tapestry -you will meet yourself- . Reviewing first two. Micchi has pretty much the same, plus three vns that I block as nukige, but what's really funny is that he considers only delayed game Areas and Yoake fandisc big titles. Expectations and outcome don't necessarily coincide. 

1. Shinjisougeki Carnival 神事双劇カーニバル [090203] Talestune 1 
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The story takes place on a small fictional island in Japan called Rokushiki Jima (6 Ceremony/Equation Island). In this island, there is a festival held every year called the Rokushiki Sai where young girls on the island borrow the power of God and fight each other. There are 6 head families on the island, who succeeds individual fighting techniques and manages the festival tournament.
The Day-side scenario is the original part, featuring the visible side of the tournament.
The main character is Rokushiki Nanaki, who’s the new head of the Rokushiki family and the Miko arranging the tournament. She’s irritated because she can’t enter the tournament herself because of her position and tradition. She was so confident about her fighting skills that she was certain that she will win if she participated. She even beat her own parents, but that doesn’t change anything. However, her 4 friend were the participants of this year’s tournament. The girls are put into a cage surrounded by a magical barrier and with the divine power borrowed from God, fights until one loses consciousness.
The new evening side scenario features some of the other family members and the hidden bloody side of the festival.
Other than the 6 major families, the island had 4 sub-families, which were replacements in case something happens to the 6 families. And addition to that, there was a system called the Shadow Sakura Festival, where the 4 family member can challenge the head of the 6 families and can replace them by force.
Misakura Tomoe is the main character of this story. 10 years ago, she was challenged by Toritari Tsubasa, in the Shadow Sakura Festival. Everyone acknowledged Tsubasa’s strength and the battle between Tomoe was held in form of just custom. However, using dirty tactics, 7 year old Tomoe defeated Tsubasa who was 10 years older than her.
Tomoe remained to be the head of her family, but because how she fought was unfitting for the head, her skills were sealed with a magical rope wrapped around her leg by the Rokushiki Miko. Tsubasa’s sister, Toritari Kaina also despised Tomoe, and swore to defeat her in a justified battle.
10 years after that incident, a new Shadow Sakura Festival was taking place. Misakura Tomoe was challenged by all the four sub families.
Doujin, but there is an English review and translation. It had pretty much zero attention since English patch release, so reviewing it.

 

2. Devils Devel Concept  [090226] Akatsuki Works 1 2 3 4 5 6
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Human, monsters, and beasts... The world doesn't forgive them... There is a town where mysterious cases often happen. The ones who have special ability called Enja. The origin of Enja is "devil". They get together as if led by something unseen and kill each other.
Sora is an Enja boy. He lost his parents several years ago and now lives alone. His life is full of peace, rest, and destruction. Peaceful school life with friends. Strange dreams he has every day. Battles against devils that appear in the town at night.
His "contract" leads him to a hell of sadness, fights, and carnage. He also meets some girls along the way. Love, obedience, subordination, immorality, and desire. Sora, who doesn't know how to love, is a broken human. What does Sora get, what does Sora lose through contracts with the girls? At the end of the contract, he meets the last devil...
Game has many English reviews, but there is no video playthrough, so I'm in for review. Naturally.

 

3. Dareka no Tame ni Dekirukoto ~Innocent Identity~ 誰かのために出来ること~Inoccent Identity~ [090227] Giga
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A boring life. Takaya always thinks, "I hope something interesting happens..." One day, a girl transfers to his class. Her name is Aya and she came from a small town in the country. Also, she starts living at an apartment Takaya takes care of. Her presence is a symbol of changing life. Aya is always cheerful and his school life gradually changes. "Is this my school life I wanted?" Because of Aya's innocent behaviors, he also gets to know different characters of his classmates. Yes, this is just the beginning of his new school life.
Development is long and super dull. It takes a lot of time to figure out who is that someone referred in the title, but it does not make it worth it at all. Typical Giga.

 

4. Like a Butler  [090227] AXL 1 2 
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There is a super-rich school. It is really hard to pass the entrance exam. Yes, it is a common knowledge the chosen few are allowed to enter the school. But one day, the school announces that they are accepting in a tuition-exempt student.
The main character is Kazuki. He hears the news as well, but he is not interested in it. Several months later, the result comes out. The student who passed the entrance exam is Kanade, Kazuki's old friend. "Oh, what should I do...?" She never expected she would pass, so she is totally panicked.
When she receives a document from the school, she gets surprised again, "Students are required to have butlers." Kanade says to Kazuki, "Please be my butler!" Like this, he reluctantly becomes her butler... On their first day at school, they enter a completely different world from their old one. Kazuki and Kanade's new school life now begins...
There are English reviews. As promised earlier, not reviewing it.

 

5. Mikoko みここ [090227] Citoron Soft
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Takeru lives a peaceful life with various attractive girls. For your information, they are all miko. But one day, his life suddenly changes. A mysterious creature and a girl with black hair appears in front of him and says, "You'll need to choose a next Miko God and live with her as a partner!" "Miko God? Choose someone? Can I really do that?" When he is at a loss what to say, the girls around him give the answer to him, "Choose a girl you like the best." Well, a new love story starts now...
Basically, a moege with very long process of getting to know a heroine and over 10 H events per heroine.

 

6. Tapestry -you will meet yourself- タペストリー -you will meet yourself- [090227] light 1 2 3 
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Hajime is a member of the handicrafts club. He's the one and only male member, but he's an expert at it because his father taught him so well. He enjoys his school life with other club members and classmates, but his life dramatically changes one day. He suddenly falls down unconscious and is sent to hospital.
A while later, he learns that his days are numbered. Hajime decides, "I'll die without ever showing a sad face to my family and friends. I won't tell anybody about my illness." But his childhood friend, Hikari, finds out about it anyway. It isn't long before all of his friends know. Nobody wants to believe it, but...
"We'll just pretend we don't know about his illness..." They decide to smile in front of him and cry inside their hearts...
There are English reviews.

 

 BLOCKED
 
1. Meitantei Conan & Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo: Meguriau Futari no Meitantei 名探偵コナン&金田一少年の事件簿 めぐりあう2人の名探偵 [090205] Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. 1 2 
After receiving a distressing correspondence from a former classmate requesting his presence, high school detective Hajime Kindaichi travels to Twilight Island to investigate the anguish behind the letter.
Meanwhile, as fate would have it, Conan Edogawa has been introduced to a modern folktale by Professor Agasa, on an island in the south that serves as a premiere tourist resort, inhabitants have been mysteriously disappearing for extended periods of time before suddenly returning without explanation. What's more: When they disappear, they are transported to an alternate version of that very same island. Intrigued, Conan consents to investigate the case while his companions go on a vacation at the tourist trap known as Twilight Island.
As the mystery deepens and it becomes clear their two cases are more related than it first seemed, a grand case unfolds that requires the unmatched reasoning powers of both young detectives.
Console exclusive, including it just because of missable reviews
 
2. Another Code: R Kioku no Tobira アナザーコード: R 記憶の扉 [090209] Cing 1 2 3 
Set two years after the events of the previous game, a now 16-year-old Ashley is invited by her father to visit the campground of Juliet Lake. As the story progresses, Ashley attempts to find the truth about her mother's death.
Console exclusive, including it just because of missable reviews
 
3. Chaos;Head Noah [090226] Nitroplus 1 2
"If you were God, and your delusions could become reality. What kind of delusions would you imagine? A sensual world? A dystopic society? Destructive punishment? Or..."
Nishijou Takumi, a shut-in gamer and anime otaku, spends his days locked away in a shipping container while occasionally attending classes. In his place of residence, Shibuya, a bizarre string of serial killings are set in motion as he is dragged into the ordeal.
Chaos;Head NoAH is the Director's Cut release of Chaos;Head, adding 6 new routes, changes to the story, new CGs and a revamped True Ending.
Fandisc
 
4. Sara Sara Sasara さらさらささら [090227] Atelier Kaguya 1 
One day, the main character gets involved in a mission to save God due to some reasons. To save God, he needs to unite with miko both physically and mentally in his dream using the power given from God and strengthens bonds with them. Of course, he can do anything he wants in his dream.... At a different place in a different costume...? He strengthens the bonds with miko like this, but the bonds that only exist in his dream gradually affect his real life...?
Nukige, including it just because of missable review
 
5. Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na -Moonlight Cradle- 夜明け前より瑠璃色な -Moonlight Cradle- [090227] August
Called the last part of the Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na story; -Moonlight Cradle- follows the ending of the expanded storyline of the PS2 version Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na -Brighter than dawning blue-.
It tells of a new story involving all the heroines from the original as well as Estel Freesia and Tooyama Midori who made their first appearance on the PS2 version. Also included is a brand new heroine Cynthia Marguerite.
Fandisc

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Talestune in general gets zero attention despite having a bunch of fantranslations, even for a doujin group i wonder why it's that bad, as i thought Ludesia was fairly enjoyable and i might try Harvest December.

Since you're including blocked games with missable reviews, you'll probably see a bunch of otome and BL when you get to the 2010's. 2011 in particular is the year where those genres really stepped their game up for me.

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Can't say Shinjisougeki Carnival is bad, but it's a huge quality downshift from normal titles with its short length, absence of voicing and simplistic CG. Maybe I should still pick Ludesia as well. 

As for BL , Yuri and Otome titles, I don't think I'll include any at all since I sabotaged all the specialized review sources and followed only those that were reviewed alongside usual titles by authors such as liemyx, so it's very incomplete assortment, and there is zero will to travel through specialized sources. Some nukige reviews feel totally useless and saying nothing new or interesting, so not including some of those. Basically, blocked stays just for somewhat interesting reviews and fandiscs as they often have openings.

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Here's my comment in regard of February 2009 releases below.

Shinjisougeki Carnival - I only know that GHS is the one who translate it, and by that time he's been infamous with his Cross Channel translation. I did remember the translation for that was released around at the same time when Libra released, so yeah Carnival English release is got overshadowed. To know on how much overshadowed the VN it is, I did pay attention more to Harvest series more when I wrote about GHS's releases (Because GHS did release those VNs at once) back at my VNTS Review

Devils Devel Concept - It got some twisted sex scenes and that it also have the translation project in the past, although too bad that it's been dead and the only available patch was only translate 20% of the VN. Good to know that it have some good fighting and MC I suppose. My focus is more on the girl's appearance though in that they'll change their appearance when they're fighting, and it happen because all of the heroines have other personalities with superpower. Also I know that Kanata here is the main heroine, which to say it's pretty much Akatsuki's trademark if we look at both of Comyu and Hello Lady in which the staffs will focused more on the main heroines. Just in case some of you waiting for the translation, I don't know if Nekonyan will pick this or not although seeing that it's the old VN we may never see the chance.

Kindaichi and Conan VN - Two detectives with two different height (Kindaichi appear as normal high school student while Conan appear as elementary school student thanks to a certain poison (Otherwise he'll be the same height as Kindaichi)), two different manga publisher (Kindaichi publisher is Kodansha while Conan published is Shogakkukan), two different usual criminal cases (Kindaichi usually deal with serial murder and locked room cases, while Conan usually involved usual murder cases and occasionally bombing case which apparently the game like to use here), and two different love interest (Miyuki is not action girl while Ran is one of the prime example of action girl). I did read about this crossover back from my game magazine in Indonesia here, and back then I doubt that such crossover is possible. After reading the review, I guess I should give Bandai a credit for making a good detective VN although I don't know whether I'll like them or not when they announce another crossover game like this later.

Chaos Head Noah - It's not so much fandisc of Chaos Head (Chu Chu would be more fitting to be called as such even though it was sold as sequel), but rather its the Update Re-Release of original Chaos Head in that it also add character routes along with some new plot point. Currently there's no available version for PC player because Mages only released this as console exclusive VN, but it'll be change in the future because currently Committee of Zero work very hard to port this to PC and of course translating this VN. As for the change, it might be hit or miss for some people but at least I know that hardcore SciADV series like the change in that it expand Chaos Head story.

Yoake Moonlight Cradle - Yoake fandisc in that August also add the after stories for both of PS2 exclusive heroines (Esteel and Midori), which to say would be confusing for PC player only. So of course August did release this along with PS2 port to PC of Yoake, although since they might be too busy working on Moonlight Cradle they didn't have enough time to write the sex scenes for Esteel and Midori for the port, and thus the original Yoake was available without the sex scenes in exchange of two additional routes. While I understand that the translator chose the one with additional routes which mean more contents, it's still too bad that we basically got the censored version of Yoake. Although then again August already did some modification for console version in regard of writing around the sex scenes, so perhaps it's not as bad as it sounds even though because of that we need to wait until Daitoshokan to see translated sex scenes in August VN. In regard of the FD, other than after stories of new heroines of course we'll also see the after stories for original heroines, and more importantly it also have new heroine route that supposed to wrap up the setting.

That's all for what I can comment in regard of February 2009 releases.

PS - In regard of Devils Devel Concept, turned out that the main heroine is Mei instead of Kanata so my bad on that. Curiously Kanata here is has the longest route and also has the most sex scenes (12) in that usually that condition is reserved for the main heroines, although I guess Akatsuki Works think differently when they made Devil Devels Concept in that they prefer to focused on the battle instead of sex scenes for Mei's route seeing that she only got one sex scene.

Edited by littleshogun
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Devils Devel Concept- The true heroine is Mei, who isn't even present until her own path.  There is a recommended route order: Kanata>Akane>Mutsuki>Misora>Mei.  Kanata is recommended to be done first because the entire path (the first ending, anyway) assumes that you ignorant due to the protagonist's lack of interest in what is going on when it doesn't effect him directly.   Believe me, the art style grows on you as you read.  There are really only two truly twisted h-scenes in the entire game (one each from each of Kanata's paths), but the game has a lot of story H (including bits and pieces of characterization and plot into h-scenes).  If you don't like H as part of the story, the game might bother some people.  Also, Sanity's End got prosecuted for trying to take money to translate this game, which is why the translation was aborted.

 

 

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