adamstan

I finished YU-NO. It was totally amazing.
The plot was great. Mind you, it's first "multiple route mystery" game that I've played, but I really enjoyed the story. I was going in order suggested in walkthrough (Mitsuki & Eriko -> Ayumi -> Mio -> Kaori -> Kanna) - which is actually the only one possible without horrendous amount of backtracking. It's awesome how the small pieces of information slowly form big picture. But then, it still all gets turned upside down in epilogue, with its many twists Also, the idea of integrating the route system itself into the story was brilliant.
From main game, I think my favourite routes were Mio and Kanna, followed by Mitsuki/Eriko route. Then there's epilogue. Actually, calling it epilogue is understatement - it is longer than some routes. Maybe "True route" would be better word choice. It presents new settings, new characters, and - at least for me - it was great. I don't know if it was the source, or if writers had same inspirations, but first part of True Route, that is
had very Clannad'ish vibe to me.
Whole game also reminded me story-wise of some great western point&click adventures like Gabriel Knight, Beneath A Steel Sky or Broken Sword series.
Now onto the presentation. I absolutely loved the looks of this game. I'm fan of art style used here (and in some other old VNs, like "Season of Sakura" or "Nocturnal Illusion" - basically, mid '90s anime style drawing), and it looks great - especially considering, that it was made using 16 color pallette. Both sprites and backgrounds are incredibly detailed, characters have blinking animations, they are nicely shaded - simply beautiful. I'd dare to say that it's one of the best looking VNs I played.
Music is brilliant - unless you absolutely cannot stand FM synthesizer sounds. But I love it. I think that it gets even better in epilogue, which sports some of the best tunes in game.
And then - voice acting. Brilliant too - and that shouldn't surprise, as there are some great actors at work here. Included among that cast are my two favourite voice actresses - Aya Hisakawa (probably best known as Sailor Mercury, or - for VN players - Haruko from AIR) and Kikuko Inoue (Belldandy from Oh! My Goddess anime and Sanae from Clannad). It's a pity that remake by 5pb doesn't have those voices - the cast is entirely new.
English edition by TLWiki does great job. It's like "definitive edition" of the game, with added voice acting and additional (after-h) scenes from Sega Saturn port and HQ music from original PC-98 version. And it worked like a charm on my Win 7 laptop Translation itself is also very good - it rivals many good commercial releases. It reads very smoothly, and there were some pretty good attempts at translating some word-play jokes. I spotted only one obvious mistranslation - at one point, Takuya has to meet with one of the characters, and they agree on 22:00 (10PM), which for some reason got translated as "22 hours". Other than that - great job, it was really good to read.
The game has one serious flaw - it's literally littered with blatant fanservice. Almost every CG features pantyshot, exquisite cleavage or both - even in most serious situations - sometimes it creates unwanted mood dissonance. On the other hand, h-scenes themselves aren't bad. There is one scene per heroine, they're rather short, and writers cared enough to give them some in-story justification Also, the after-scenes (AFAIK taken from console version, where they served as h-scenes replacements) are very good, with some nice dialogues showing connection and affection between characters - even though this isn't romance game.
Point'n'click gameplay can sometimes get little tedious, but it's not a dealbreaker - especially with walkthrough .
So final score - 8.5/10, totally recommended. (if aforementioned fanservice-induced-mood-dissonance doesn't bother you, you can even raise it to 9 )
PS Kaori was a bitch Kanna best girl  (from main part, as epilogue turns everything on its head )
That CG from Kanna's bonus happy end (unlocked after beating true route) is soooo sweet
 

Hello again. It's time for another progress update.
Translation
Prologue - 100% (1791/1791)
Main School - 100% (2691/2691)
Tonoko Route - 51% (4454/8709)
Branch School - 26% (1537/5846)
Total - 15% (10473/68206)
TLC
Prologue - 100% (1791/1791)
Main School - 6% (157/2691)
Branch School - 3% (187/5846)
Total - 3% (2135/68206)
Edit
Prologue - 100% (1791/1791)
Main School - 6% (157/2691)
Branch School - 12% (727/5846)
Total - 4% (2646/68206)
We have finally broken the 10,000 lines mark on the TL front. Congratulations to Ittaku and Hasa for all the work they've been putting in.
We are still looking for a permanent TLC to work on this project. Please PM me if you're interested in working as a TLC for this project.
That's all for this week. I'll be back next week with some more progress.

Indeed. The main differences between NekoNyan and MangaGamer are two:
NekoNyan is public about everything they're doing. Up until now, from the moment they announced a title we've always known what they were doing with it and what stage it is at. MangaGamer does have schedules, but we often don't know what they're doing. Once a title disappears from their sporadic project updates on twitter, lord knows what happens to them. Maybe they're stuck in tech work, maybe they're stuck in licensing stuff, we don't know. We might hear stuff from some of their freelancers, but otherwise...
But MangaGamer does keep to a schedule and steady releases. It's just that this schedule involves holding onto stuff that's already finished and ready to release just to space out releases, something NekoNyan has avoided doing (mostly due to their relatively small size and how there's been thus far little overlap in the time they finish projects, meaning they haven't finished projects around the same time yet).
The other difference is their age. I'm very happy people are positive about NekoNyan, but there is frankly very little to judge them by as of yet. How will they react if suddenly something goes wrong with engine work? Or if the Japanese developers change their mind about something near release? Or if mishaps occur due to performing translation, editing, and QA simultaneously (Fureraba was effectively riddled with typos, even if I loved the overall translation work).
They way MangaGamer reacts to this kind of thing tends to be simple: Radio silence, but let's release something else from our backlog instead. They're sitting on top of some finished products and spacing them out in such a way that they can switch their schedule on the fly without having to announce particular delays. Consider ChuuableSoft's games: SukiSuki disappeared from their sporadic updates after TL and Editing was finished, as happens to most of their titles, but then we knew nothing about it for months. In the meantime, ChuuableSoft itself declared bankruptcy (or something similar?)! However, since MangaGamer doesn't announce anything about their projects until about a month before release, it's as if nothing happened. SukiSuki was simply one more of the titles they are piling up on their backlog and biding their time to release.

Go into settings, select 'skip all text' and alt through Chisato's route. That's what I did the 1st time I read through the VN (really wanted to read through Mifuyu's route as she's the girl who attracted me the most). 
I would suggest you read through Chisato's route first though. There's a reason why hers was the 1st you had to read; she's a pivotal figure in all available routes and reading her story first gives context on her behaviour and involvement inside the other routes afterwards. 

I am already halfway through her route but couldn't stand her anymore.
Thanks.

Well, IMHO Fureraba's TL was rather good. Editing would benefit from some more QC, as there were some typos and misspellings (like "other <> over" ), and of course the style is matter of taste, but it reads smoothly.

Well, IMHO Fureraba's TL was rather good. Editing would benefit from some more QC, as there were some typos and misspellings (like "other <> over" ), and of course the style is matter of taste, but it reads smoothly.

https://melissafolson.com/what-the-hell-is-urban-fantasy/

No matter how you look at it, those are two very notable announcements, I think having way more weight than any of the moege they licenced previously. If they can keep the quality high, they're on the right path to becoming everyone's second favourite VN localizer, just after MG. :3

Not in full - but I read Kotori's route in Konosora twice. First time I dropped the VN after it, 'cause Ageha's route was unreadable, and then when retranslation patch was released I read whole VN again.
 

Not in full - but I read Kotori's route in Konosora twice. First time I dropped the VN after it, 'cause Ageha's route was unreadable, and then when retranslation patch was released I read whole VN again.
 

Thanks
There's a couple more people on this besides me. Also, you may want to read the VN now anyway. This ain't gonna be over for a while. I strongly advise everyone to read Miazora as it is for now.

For Sakura Sakura, the upscaling, translation, and editing is done. It still needs to get through QA though. Yotsunoha is also being QA'ed right now as well.
We definitely want to release the titles as soon as possible (like you said, they do us no good not being on a store), but we want to make sure they get proper QA.
From my understanding, the 18+ release is essentially a continuation of the all-ages volume 1, but it will include 18+ content (you can think of it almost like volume 1 chapter 1, and volume 1 chapter 2). The all-ages version would still be needed to follow the story.

No love for poor Chisato <sob, sob> Come on, she wasn't THAT bad.

I'm starting to hate that new marketinig trend, when there are teasers to teasers to teasers. It isn't limited to games, BTW...
 
SolPress - release Yotsunoha and Sakura Sakura first Some people are waiting for them, you know...

I'm starting to hate that new marketinig trend, when there are teasers to teasers to teasers. It isn't limited to games, BTW...
 
SolPress - release Yotsunoha and Sakura Sakura first Some people are waiting for them, you know...

I'm starting to hate that new marketinig trend, when there are teasers to teasers to teasers. It isn't limited to games, BTW...
 
SolPress - release Yotsunoha and Sakura Sakura first Some people are waiting for them, you know...

I just finished One ~Kagayaku Kisetsu e~
Not perfect, but not bad. This VN feels a bit unpolished, like a demo record of a band It presents many ideas that will be further developed in KEY games (like Dream World, the power of promises etc). It can also be considered team's first attempt at establishing their nakige formula. It didn't fully succeed, but the seeds were sown.
The start however wasn't great. Common route was fun, but then I started with Nagamori's route, full of high hopes, as I have soft spot for osananajimi heroines. However, this route wasn't very good - I really disliked the protag's behaviour in it
OTOH maybe starting with this route was good idea to have it out of the way in the beginning BTW Nagamori herself is good, she just got bad route.

 
Then I read Misaki's and Mio's routes - and they're easily two best girls in this game for me . Their interactions also are pretty amusing, as Misaki is blind, while Mio is mute but somehow they manage to get along well - with a help of Kouhei of course. (BTW I wonder if Katawa Shoujo writers have read "One" )

Misaki's route was first that made me shed some tears. Mio's too.
Next was kuudere Akane. Her route was interesting, and it was really heartwarming to watch how near the end she warmed up to Kouhei. Also, Akane's route is special as

Here there were many feels again near the ending.
After that I read Nanase - she is the game's tsundere. The route was nice, and Nanase herself turned out to be very likeable. It seems that I generally like tsundere heroines in VNs too. This route was more lighthearted than the previous ones. And Nanase in deredere mode is sweeet

 
 
Then there's little Mayu. Some say that this route is weak, but I liked it too. Nice tale about growing up.

However, here (as well as in Nagamori's route) h-scene felt out of place and unnecessary - so, you may say, standard KEY quailty
But, surprisingly, scenes in remaining four routes were actually not bad. They were kept rather short (except for somewhat longer Nanase's), and without explicitly describing each move using ton of onomatopeic sounds. Instead, the writing was focused more at the bond between the characters (as that's actually the plot purpose of all these scenes, see spoiler tag below).
Hidden Hikami's mini route serves more as a description of world mechanics (however, after finishing some routes, and also getting some bad endings, you can figure most of it on your own).
As I mentioned previously, game feels somewhat unpolished - it shows that it was first of its kind for the team. Sometimes the story makes too sudden jumps. But still overally it was enjoyable read.
I got used to the graphics after a while, but they aren't that great. It looks like a transitional work between earlier pixel-art style, and modern one. The backgrounds especially feel lacking, with few details and overuse of gradients. Character sprites are okay (that is, as long as you're used to the Hinoue Itaru's style) but ancient game engine, that doesn't have any kind of smoothing, makes the sprite's edges look overly pixellated. CGs are mostly looking good. Music was nice too.
Download edition of the game can be still bought at getchu. Then you can apply translation patch. Translation quality is decent, and there weren't many typos or other glaring errors.
To sum it up - little rough over the edges, but nevertheless enjoyable experience. Check it out if you want to see the birth of the classic Key's formula.
7.5/10
Now I think I'll try YU-NO.

And....now I've finished Symphonic Rain. A master of procrastination, I am. 

That game is as excellent as it is impossible to describe without spoilers... 

Koi to senkyo to chocolate is a good one, in my opinion.

Isn't nothing at the clannad level, but I liked this one: https://vndb.org/v4806

I just finished One ~Kagayaku Kisetsu e~
Not perfect, but not bad. This VN feels a bit unpolished, like a demo record of a band It presents many ideas that will be further developed in KEY games (like Dream World, the power of promises etc). It can also be considered team's first attempt at establishing their nakige formula. It didn't fully succeed, but the seeds were sown.
The start however wasn't great. Common route was fun, but then I started with Nagamori's route, full of high hopes, as I have soft spot for osananajimi heroines. However, this route wasn't very good - I really disliked the protag's behaviour in it
OTOH maybe starting with this route was good idea to have it out of the way in the beginning BTW Nagamori herself is good, she just got bad route.

 
Then I read Misaki's and Mio's routes - and they're easily two best girls in this game for me . Their interactions also are pretty amusing, as Misaki is blind, while Mio is mute but somehow they manage to get along well - with a help of Kouhei of course. (BTW I wonder if Katawa Shoujo writers have read "One" )

Misaki's route was first that made me shed some tears. Mio's too.
Next was kuudere Akane. Her route was interesting, and it was really heartwarming to watch how near the end she warmed up to Kouhei. Also, Akane's route is special as

Here there were many feels again near the ending.
After that I read Nanase - she is the game's tsundere. The route was nice, and Nanase herself turned out to be very likeable. It seems that I generally like tsundere heroines in VNs too. This route was more lighthearted than the previous ones. And Nanase in deredere mode is sweeet

 
 
Then there's little Mayu. Some say that this route is weak, but I liked it too. Nice tale about growing up.

However, here (as well as in Nagamori's route) h-scene felt out of place and unnecessary - so, you may say, standard KEY quailty
But, surprisingly, scenes in remaining four routes were actually not bad. They were kept rather short (except for somewhat longer Nanase's), and without explicitly describing each move using ton of onomatopeic sounds. Instead, the writing was focused more at the bond between the characters (as that's actually the plot purpose of all these scenes, see spoiler tag below).
Hidden Hikami's mini route serves more as a description of world mechanics (however, after finishing some routes, and also getting some bad endings, you can figure most of it on your own).
As I mentioned previously, game feels somewhat unpolished - it shows that it was first of its kind for the team. Sometimes the story makes too sudden jumps. But still overally it was enjoyable read.
I got used to the graphics after a while, but they aren't that great. It looks like a transitional work between earlier pixel-art style, and modern one. The backgrounds especially feel lacking, with few details and overuse of gradients. Character sprites are okay (that is, as long as you're used to the Hinoue Itaru's style) but ancient game engine, that doesn't have any kind of smoothing, makes the sprite's edges look overly pixellated. CGs are mostly looking good. Music was nice too.
Download edition of the game can be still bought at getchu. Then you can apply translation patch. Translation quality is decent, and there weren't many typos or other glaring errors.
To sum it up - little rough over the edges, but nevertheless enjoyable experience. Check it out if you want to see the birth of the classic Key's formula.
7.5/10
Now I think I'll try YU-NO.

Well, in that case, I think Flight Diary may turn out just fine. Maybe? I have my doubts, but last 2 PULLTOP titles they did turned out "fine", so I guess the likelihood of RNG gods having mercy on us is 60%. Let's hope for the best xD

For me ideal +18 version would have half of the h-scenes that the original has . Nevertheless, as it is, I liked all-ages version more, especially for two main heroines - Hikari and Saya. Some of the h-scenes seemed forced, just to meet the quota.
And all-ages version is actually well done - if you didn't know that there were h-scenes, you wouldn't feel that anything is missing, as transitions/replacement scenes are handled really well. It's proper all-ages edition, not just some cutting.
Here's my mini-review (and detailed comparison for Hikari's route two posts eariler):
 

I like how the entry on VNDB says 12+
https://vndb.org/r58996