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VN of the Month February 2013 - Komorebi no Nostalgica


kivandopulus

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Komorebi no Nostalgica is VN of the Month. Hapymaher , Boku ga Tenshi ni Natta Wake ,  Kara no Shoujo - The Second Episode are also good choice. Clephas thought highly at least of first three. Zen also expects a lot from the last one, and Micchi seems to be a fan of Pastel Chime franchise while Prism◇Recollection fills his cuteness meter this month.

 

1. Kara no Shoujo - The Second Episode 虚ノ少女 [130208] Innocent Grey 1 2 3 4
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Prewar-era Japan.
Deep in the snowy mountains of northwestern Japan, there exists a settlement called Hitogata, the Village of Dolls. On the night of the festival honoring the clay idol Hinna-sama, a girl is murdered.
The villagers all blame Hinna-sama's curse. One outside the faith has joined in the festival of Hinna-sama, and brought the painful death of the curse down upon themself.
October, 1957.
Two years have passed since Kuchiki Touko's abduction from her hospital room.
Tokisaka Reiji's younger sister saves a man who had tried to commit suicide.
He, too, is the most recent victim of "Hinna-sama's curse"——
Tokisaka Reiji begins his investigation, clinging desperately to the hope that Touko can be saved——
And at the same time, a strange religious group said to have dissolved six years ago begins to move again, to put a certain plan into motion——
The curse will be carried out, whether by the gods or by human hands.
There are English reviews

 

2. Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo さくら荘のペットな彼女 [130214] Netchubiyori Ltd. 1 2
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Sakura Dormitory is a dorm of the high school affiliated with Suimei University of the Arts (often shortened as Suiko), which hosts the strangest, trouble-making students. After being kicked out of the normal dorm for keeping a stray cat, Sorata Kanda moves into Sakura Dormitory. As he starts to get used to the life in the dorm, Mashiro Shiina, a world famous artist who cannot even take care of her daily life, moves in. Sorata is forced to become Mashiro's handler. The story is about their daily life as well as mental growth.
Anime Spin-Off

 

3. Pastel Chime 3 Bind Seeker パステルチャイム3 バインドシーカー [130215] Alice Soft 1 2
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One day, during a mission with a 0% danger probability, an A-class adventurer Kaitos comes across a mysterious witch and accidentally disrupts her ritual. As a result, many evil spirits called Binds are released into the world and Kaitos, being affected by the ritual too, doesn't have much choice but to start helping the witch in sealing the Binds that have been set free.
Enlisting the support from his friends both new and old, our hero sets out on a quest which ends up being much more complicated than a simple Bind hunt...
SRPG has English reviews

 

4. Toaru Majutsu to Kagaku no Ensemble とある魔術と科学の群奏活劇(アンサンブル) [130221] Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
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In the "Magic (Surface)" story, the Gate of the Gods Descended from Heaven, a Magic Cabal, whose existence is wrapped in a veil of mystery. This story is the one that is featured in Toaru Majutsu no Index: Road to Endymion light novel. In the "Magic (Hidden)" story, the Venus Probe Contest, is a contest in which rockets are launched throughout the world to probe Venus. An event related to that project called the "Venus Probe Project Race" is being held on the Academy City SNS Rondo Net. Here, an incident begins when Kamijou Touma applies for the race. Finally, in the "Science (Hidden)" story, the Academy City SNS Rondo Net is a type of SNS that has grown popular among Academy City students, where registered users can not only communicate amongst each other, but can also acquire things like coupons and for buying things. The number of users of the service has grown explosively. Saten Ruiko has an eye for the current fads, so she tries out the service.
Anime Spin-Off

 

5. Komorebi no Nostalgica 木洩れ陽のノスタルジーカ [130222] Strega 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
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In the distant future, humans live together with AI and history had been forgotten. Youta enjoyed his quiet life even though he was often manipulated by his genius programmer (but also extreme troublemaker) imouto Akira. One day while accompanying Akira, he came upon a hidden room. With the help of some old friends, they managed to open the door. Inside they found a pretty android girl in a deep sleep. Her body and her heart was broken. Akira decided right there that she wanted to fix her and her words fired up everyone’s curiosity, just like when they were kids. Thus begins their heart-warming days with the android girl Cinema.
There are English reviews

 

6. Mote Sugite Shuraba na Ore モテすぎて修羅場なオレ [130222] Praline 
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Hayato was the smart and attractive vice-president of Kamijou Gakuen’s student council. Kind, considerate and reliable, he was naturally quite popular among girls. However, he secretly was in four separate relationships due to various circumstances! So far nothing bad had come out of it… until the new school term this spring.
The student council president Aoi joined his class! His osananajimi Saki enrolled in the same curriculum! His former tutor Shiho became his homeroom teacher! His cousin Hinano who lived in the countryside joined his school! With all four girls in the same place, how could he keep his secret intact? He wouldn’t dare think about what would happen to him if his strict mother found out about it. Moreover, blood would likely be shed if the girls themselves found out.
Harem titles are usually crappy. This is exactly such case.

 

7. Prism ◇ Recollection! プリズム◇リコレクション! [130222] Clochette 1 2 3
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In the year 2040, there have been considerable technological advances, especially in city centers like Tonan. One day in late August, Masanobu returned to his hometown after being away in Tokyo for about 3 years and transferred into Kujougaoka Gakuen. After meeting Sayaka and getting a short tour of the city, he later joined her club, ☆☆☆ Club (Three Stars Club). Its primary function is to guide tourists and it is pretty well known both within and outside of the school. He got to know Sayaka and fellow club member Hinano well, and his classmate Aina and imouto Konoka also joined the club which became an oasis to him.
There are English reviews

 

8. Royal Duty / Flush!! [130222] Lime
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Yuuma attends a school for the elite and wealthy and does not have any relatives. He spends his days like a commoner as much as possible, while quite aware of the elite status of those around him. However, one day he was proposed to by a transfer student who was the princess of a small country! It was their custom to find a marriage partner as part of their coming of age ceremony and she had come to his school to do just that. His objections fell on deaf ears and when he looked to his childhood friend for help, she confessed that she had always loved him.
Scenario is too short and does not feature anything out of expectations league, so it only gets a chance if you get to like one of heroines.

 

9. Seisai no Resonance 星彩のレゾナンス [130222] Yatagarasu 1 2
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Otofuse Island is a remote island located south of the mainland. While it is a beautiful sightseeing place surrounded by clear seas and lush forests, it is also bound by tradition. A long time ago, a giant fireball came down from the sky, burning the island for three whole days. Since the men were out fishing, it was up to the women to control the flames and protect the island. They sealed the fire so that it would not ravage the island again. Even now, a sealing ritual is performed by a selected pair of mikos.
Kanae came to Otofuse Island looking for her mother who was formerly a miko there, but had went missing 7 years ago. She also had an acceptance letter into Sakihana all-girls academy. However, she was attacked by a girl from the island’s secret organization Shouraikai which is in charge of the rituals, then found out that her enrollment had been revoked. Leaving the school grounds, she noticed something amiss and came face-to-face with a giant monster. Suddenly, the amulet which her mother had given to her for protection lent her fire powers to defeat the beast. Her power was sensed by the miko candidates and she was taken in by the school. She also became part of the otome-kai and a miko candidate herself. It is the otome-kai’s duty to put their lives on the line to fight against these strange beings known as ‘impurities’. They have to train together to strengthen their bonds while cleansing the impurities using their powers.
There is an English review

 

10. Ai ♂ Mai ♀ Misuto あい♂まい♀みすと [130228] Hakudakukei 1
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Ikumi's childhood friend Mana has a father who's a scientist and inventor. One night Ikumi goes to his laboratory to check on him for Mana's sake and is accidentally caught in the Ai Mai Mist. The Ai Mai Mist changes him into a girl.
While Mana's father searches for a cure Ikumi lives with Mana who watches over her. Adjusting to life as a girl will she want to remain that way forever or change back into a boy? Will she date other girls or fall in love with a boy? The future contains many possibilities.
There is an English review

 

11. Boku ga Tenshi ni Natta Wake 僕が天使になった理由 [130228] Overdrive 1 2 3 4 5
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Nestled between the mountains and the ocean somewhere sits the harbor town of Inogo City, a prosperous place with an atmosphere of the exotic.
It is this city, watched over by the church at the summit of the highest mountain, where a boy and a girl first meet.
The boy's name is Kirinokojima Tomoe. A lonely young man, who believes neither in love nor in happiness.
The girl's name is Aine. One who sings of love to fill the world with happiness, who was born for that very purpose... an angel.
To anyone who saw him, Kirinokojima Tomoe would have seemed to lead a singularly boring life.
He didn't even attempt to befriend others, nor did he have a girlfriend, unsurprisingly. He was involved in no hobbies or interests to speak of.
Waking in the morning only to go off to school, returning home only to sleep. An utterly ordinary, routine life, each day no different from the day before or after it.
But he was not in the least unhappy with his life. For him, a life of "nothing" was also one of "nothing to lose".
Wish for something, and you would only end up getting hurt.
After all, he'd already sampled enough of the world's bitterness for one lifetime.
Until, like a herald of the end of that tranquil existence, an angel appeared.
"Angels". The protectors of human loves. The ones who spin the "red thread", and those who play its melody.
"Love can never bring people happiness.", said Tomoe.
"That's not true at all! Falling in love makes your heart feel all light!", Aine replied.
Tomoe, who soon found himself aiding the "acting angel" with whom he couldn't see eye to eye on anything in her work, is is drawn alongside Aine into deep involvement with others' romantic lives...
The many shapes of love, and the forms of happiness that pass before our eyes every day.
This is their journey to find the true meaning of happiness.
And at that journey's end, his own reason for living on...
Game is localized and has English reviews

 

12. Hapymaher ハピメア [130228] Purple Software 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Lucid dreams.
Dreams where you know that you're dreaming.
After an accident in his youth, Tooru Naitou began to have nothing but lucid dreams. Always being aware of when he's dreaming meant that his mind could no longer rest when he was asleep. Only when he collapsed from utter exhaustion does he finally get a reprieve.
Lucky for him, he has a childhood friend, Saki, who insists on calling him 'Nii-san' that tries to do what she can to support him. In his science club, his senpai Yayoi is endlessly amused by his awkward way of living. And he has an underclassman, Keiko, who likes to sing in front of the station and likes to call him weird for his less than normal attitude towards life.
Tonight, Tooru dreams again. But this dream is different from those that came before.
"Maia...? Why are you in my dream...?"
A girl he hasn't seen ever since he started having lucid dreams, and to Tooru, this was the very worst form she could take. But Maia wasn't the only one who appeared.
"I'll put an end to bad dreams right here."
With those words, a girl who calls herself Alice rescues Tooru from Maia's grasps. Alice says that she's a traveler of dreams, and now she's come to Tooru's dream. What could all this mean? The anxious Tooru certainly has no answers as Maia softly whispers into his ear:
“This is the story of a sweet, happy nightmare.”
There are English reviews

 

13. Inpyuri -Hito to Anata to Ayakashi to- いんぴゅり -ヒトとアナタとアヤカシと- [130228] Rosebleu 1 2
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Strange other-worldly beings known as youkai have existed in Japan since ancient times. Not too far in the future, humans lived together with youkai harmoniously and studied their mysterious abilities. Kazuto lived in the research city of Byakuya-jima and had grown up with youkai by his side. Following his motto of enjoying every moment of life, he enrolled in Shiramine Gakuen with his osananajimi Shizune. However, on the day of the entrance ceremony, he reunited with a girl who he used to play with and who had saved his life: the oni girl Miyabi. That spelled the end of his normal days as many other youkai and humans flocked to his side.
There are English reviews

 

14. Koi no Hanashi to 恋の話と [130228] I.D.
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When Hajime was small, he had an older sister who he often played and slept with, even though he didn’t quite remember that time in detail. It had been many years since their parents had suddenly divorced, but one day, he was reunited with his sister and they lived together once again. Even though she was quite grown up now, she still doted on him greatly, as if to make up for lost time. Sensing an opportunity, the popular class rep and his quiet and mysterious classmate also got closer to him, and he also met a national singer-songwriter.
Cuteness and tension are on max levels right from the start, but scenario is short and mostly neglected in favor of emotions, so impression is poor.

 

15. Loveressive ラヴレッシブ [130228] Smile 1
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On Valentine’s day, Kaname was confessed to by four girls at the same time: carefree childhood friend Kotora, blonde rich transfer student Reo, airheaded genius kouhai Ryou, and small meddlesome senpai Mao. They vowed to try to make him love them before White Day. His objections would not waver the resolves of these aggressive girls who are after their man.
There is an English review

Edited by kivandopulus

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Everyone already knows what I think of Hapymaher and Komorebi no Nostalgica, the former of which is my VN of the Year for 2013 and the latter of which is the VN that was a hair away from beating it.  So, I'll focus on the others.  I also re-reviewed Bokuten last year, so I won't bother going back over it.

Inpyuri- Inpyuri is a game that will probably surprise 90% of people who play it.  I say this because, while it seems like a moege (Agobarrier style) on the surface, it actually has a solid story and a well-constructed setting.  There are very few VNs where a single line made an impact that never quite left me, but this was one of them.  

Pastel Chime 3 is actually an average quality rpg, a miracle from a company like Alice Soft, the guys who usually trip themselves up with stupid gimmicks and experimental mechanics.  The story isn't half-bad either... but it also isn't a game I'd go out of my way to play.

Prism Recollection is a game by Clochette, and all Clochette games have a few things in common.  Oppai, deredere imouto heroines, and surprisingly good plot and setting.  This game is worth playing (I've done so three times) for a much larger audience than you'd think.

 

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