Lambda

I've heard this is one of the better D3P titles, and really good if kinda short, but I just bought it so I haven't read it myself. That opinion is also from other otome fans, so I can't say how a non-fan would like it... There's a non-specific route order going around that you should leave Gekkamaru's route for last, btw.

The general idea to the people this matters to is: "people are taking away representation and opportunities by making every character white". Frankly, the acting business is already difficult for minorities (in Hollywood, at least) without producers actively taking away roles from them. Representation is more... nebulous, I guess. It follows that people want to see more characters that they can relate to on a racial level - to see pictures of themselves on the big screen, as it were - and, not necessarily validate their existence, but to kinda say that they're pretty normal, and not alone, and it can give something to aspire to (depending - please don't aspire to be Light, guys). I think Netflix's current take on Death Note looks like it has a loooot more issues than just this (I think it looks like a biiiiit of a trainwreck right now), but I do know that the constant tendency to cast white people in minority roles in big productions with a lot of attention is frustrating to those that are a part of minorities. Death Note also takes it a step further, where the trailer barely alludes to its origins - "Based on the International Phenomenon" - so it may be understandable why people are getting more upset. (This is also my chance to state that I'm parroting the opinions I've read on whitewashing before, and as a white person I don't entirely understand the depths of it very well, either. I wouldn't be able to keep up in a heated debate on this issue, sorry!)

"He"... Anyway, I agree that the digital copy would be good. Frankly, didn't really care with Muv Luv (gave it to my brother, cause I'm awful as a collector type anyway), but if it actually lets me play the game without getting those Grisaia wait times, I'm quite happy. I'm hoping that that tapestry doesn't change designs too drastically, and that it's available as an add-on. It's the main thing I'm eyeing right now. I think that's the main thing they could do right now, though: just clarify what some of these things in the tiers/add-ons are and how they'd look. And what date they're planning on starting the actual kickstarter. The perfundia is creating some hype in me, lol.

Yeah, that's where I got the chain from. The game and OST are there, that's not really what I'm saying, which is that the booklet is not. And like I said, I have no idea if the booklet would even be worth the money we'd have to pay to get it - it's just not clear which is another thing I think they could clear up a little bit. I'm very positive that it's a really good price, and I'm definitely backing at at least the $65 tier (because the music in Dies Irae is super my thing).

The way the tiers are laid out is confusing, but from what I'm reading, it goes: $45 tier -> $50 tier - physical OR $60 tier - booklet. From there, $50 -> $65, then stops. The $60 tier continues to chain and becomes physical again at the $300 tier. The only thing you get physical at $60 was the booklet. Yeah, if it's interesting enough, I'd definitely appreciate it as an add-on. Honestly, I wish a lot of these rewards would be add-ons. The jump from a $65 physical to a $300 physical is haaarsh.

While I agree with your overall point (and I will be backing at at least the $50 or $65 level - although the tapestry looks cool, too), there's no booklet with the $65 tier, unfortunately. Although it's not quite clear what the booklet is in the first place, so maybe it's not a huge loss...?

The thing I'm most excited about is the implication that one of their secret projects is an otome game! I hope it's at least something I've heard of before, but even if not, if it's up my alley I'll buy it. That's how I deal with vns. It's just, both of SP's forays into the BL genre were confusing and very much not up my alley. I'm a little apprehensive. Still, things are looking a little better to be a PC otome gamer, considering this fact and Nightshade! On the other hand, parts of that AMA were difficult to read... I get that it's your job, but maybe tone it down a bit....

Yeah, I have to admit that I do hope that the Akaaka translation project finishes. It's supposed to be wonderful and tragic. Which means it's supposed to be fun! I'm placing bets on Sweet Pool first, though. That opening is too good, though. Hanakisou is something I'd be interested in reading, too. As would Shingakkou... although that one has the full horror tag.... More BL and PC otome game translations would be my general answer to this question, btw.

I've played Dramatical Murder. There's 1-3 h-scenes a route for four out of five of the routes. The fifth route I skipped, so all the sex scenes might've been there. I don't think Lamento was that sex-heavy either, but I didn't finish a route so I'll withhold judgement there. Most of the couple development is BL (obviously), but there's not as much obvious fanservice as with male-targeted things, I believe? There's a naked apron scene, though. It's pretty accessible in a sense - parts of it are more plot-driven than romance-driven (although the routes tend to be romance-driven, actually... there's just plot behind everything), and Lamento did some pretty good world building in the common route, I found. However, I think with Dramatical Murder you need to go in with the idea that some of it is kinda crazy.... I'd say most would judge them on the lower end of N+ releases based on comments I've read on Lamento/Dramatical Murder experience (possible exception for Sweet Pool, which is supposed to be amazing). On-topic, I'm not that interested in English BL novels, especially ones so early in development, when it looks like we might finally get Sweet Pool sometime in the foreseeable future. Pretty excited for Sweet Pool, though! I'd be a little worried about the amount they have to do - twelve routes is huuuuuge. I'd have to wonder if it'll ever finish, or make money back for that investment... The art's not really my thing either, sadly. Think it looks pretty unprofessional/up to JP standards. Which isn't a bad thing, it's just not my thing. @SaevusVeritas... Is it possible you played Dramatical Murder's fandisc, Dramatical Murder re:connect, before the main game (just entitled Dramatical Murder)? I might've interpreted your message wrong, but I found the routes very straightforward, and you called it Dramatical Murder re...

Nah, it's clearly aimed at men. Fanservice scenes are guaranteed, and quite a few of the sex scenes are very "male gaze'-y. Especially the one that almost made me drop Gahkthun. Gahkthun also adds a whole lot of male characters only to focus on a total of like, two of them, which is an inproportional amount to the girls focused on? And the reason is cause they're not female and thus they can't make fanservice scenes out of, is sometimes how it felt. Sharnoth gets a little closer in the feelings it inspired out of me, but the fanservice is still there, and very obviously for the male population. It's one of those games girls can enjoy, but aren't aimed at them.

I feel like there can be linear otome games, though? Just not the What a Beautiful series, cause they're (sometimes very obviously) aimed at men. I feel like my definition's wishy-washy, but to me it's kinda like: if it inspires the same feelings in me as shoujo manga, it's an otome game. If it inspires the same feelings as a BL manga, it's a BL visual novel (obviously other conditions msut be met to be a BL visual novel, this is just an example).

If you're just looking for organized crime stuff there's a few mafia/gang-themed vns? Like Luckydog and Omerta (they're both BL though). Luckydog is also just a text translation and Omerta is a VNR community subtitle translation. But I also don't know anything that's heavily yakuza-specific and the VNDB tag isn't really helping here, cause people tag if the yakuza shows up at all/is a side character... I can, for example, say that No Thank You!! is definitely not what you're looking for. Nor is Dramatical Murder. If you hate BL all these suggestions are moot, which means I'm just saying the VNDB tags aren't necessarily helpful in this case...

A lot of western countries in general don't allow lolicon... Like Canada where I live. If there's actually lolicon (that can't be reasonably avoided with a giant "these characters are 18+" sticker - i.e. a story element is that the characters are under 18 or they look very, very obviously under 18), then it's gonna be a lot harder for companies to license given the potential risks to their customers and lost revenue from not being able to sell it to entire countries. But yeah, this game isn't interesting to me, either. Can't even tell if it's a straight VN from that or an idol game, although vndb says it's all in 3D so. I'm most impatient for Frontwing to just smoothly get Himawari out already at this point...

Okay, so reading it is closer to Frankenstein or Dracula? Cause I could deal with those. And I can take depressing stories so long as I'm pulled in and it's not overflowing with angst. Thanks!

This may sound like an odd question, but how much horror is in the House in Fata Morgana? I'm interested cause everyone's saying it's really good, but I'm super not good with horror (I'm not into it, but it also wrecks me for a while afterwards orz - to give an idea, the second arc of Higruashi in the anime kept me up a few nights afterwards, and the 6th arc of Umineko went a little far for me too. I am a weakling.). I'll have to look into if other games are interesting or not...