VN Reading Club (February) Voting - Dark and Edgy

[Kaguya]

As firecat-reborn marches on fuwanovel on VN talk in february of 2016, a secretive group of madman and fuwans gathers to perform a terrible ritual. They care not for the fate of their waifus. To them, the countless moege fans traumatized by their recommendations are nothing but the perfect sacrifice to fuel their club. After the drama, they vanish and are not heard from again, except in rumor. One day, it is whispered, they will return. And on that day, moe fluffiness will end. Fear the demons in human form. Fear the voters of the dark and edgy month.

 

Options (synopses taken from VNDB):

1- Demonbane

Arkham city is a bustling hub of commerce and industry, however Arkham is also a center of eldrich lore: home to Miskatonic University, an institution of higher learning with one of the most complete libraries of arcane literature in the world. In the span of two generations the town was built up to the status of prestige it now commands, an expansion helmed by the Hadou Group, an industrial complex and family dynasty currently run by the young Hadou Ruri. She pursues the peace and prosperity of Arkham diligently, against the forces of darkness threatening to plunge the city, and the world, back into a second dark age. Among the most sinister threats to Arkham City is the evil Black Lodge syndicate. Led by the charismatic Master Therion, his nihilistic outlook shapes the group's destructive goals: with a circle of powerful sorcerers at his command, the potential for sowing chaos in the city is unmatched.

Former Miskatonic University Magic Academy student Daijuuji Kurou knows little of grimoires, but what he does know terrifies him - enough that he left his university life behind, and now practices a failing detective business in the shelter of an orphanage in a quiet corner of Arkham. But just when he thought his Academy past was buried, it catches up with him and pulls him back into the dark shadows of the occult: Hadou Ruri herself appears at his door with an offer he can't refuse. The only way to combat the Black Lodge's growing magical power is to find, and retrieve, a grimoire with the power to activate the mightiest Machina of all: Demonbane. The quest to find this forbidden tome will change Kurou's destiny... forever.

 

2- Tsukihime- Blue, blue glass moon under the crimson air

The story begins in a recollection of a boy called Shiki in his childhood years. There he gains a power out of this world. What is the meaning of this power, and what can he do with it? This is his story of finding the missing pieces of the puzzle.

 

3- Cartagra- Affliction of the Soul

The hero of this story is Takashiro Shugo - an ex-police officer, now unemployed and freeloading at a brothel. From time to time he takes on detective work from his former superior. 

A missing persons case is dumped onto him one day. Kohzuki Yura... the girl he had an intimate relationship with before being sent off to war. 

A brutal series of killings begins. As they occur closer and closer to home, Shugo can no longer turn a blind eye, and is dragged into the spiraling web of missing people and murders.

 

4- Hanachirasu + Kikokugai

 Two short revenge stories by nitroplus. If this option wins, the club will discuss both of them.

 

Kikokugai:

A tale of revenge set in future Shanghai, where crime syndicates and cyber-warriors rule the city.

The schools of martial arts can be largely divided into two styles - Waijia, the external schools that concentrate solely on the development of speed, strength, and powerful forms and techniques - and Neijia, those that use control of breathing and blood flow to master the internal energy - qi - that flows through the body's meridians. Because of these methodological differences, the two styles have vied time and again for supremacy.

Although practitioners of Waijia were far greater in number, in the end not one of them could stand up to a warrior who had truly mastered the secrets of Neijia. For centuries, this was the unchallenged law of the martial arts world. However, the advent of cybernetics changed everything. Freed from the yoke of their physical limitations, Waijia schools discovered an entirely new world of possibility. The Neijia schools that had reigned over the martial world with their secret techniques, suddenly found themselves obsolete.

In this age where technology is changing the face of combat, heirs to the ancient martial traditions have developed anti-cyborg techniques for the sole purpose of defeating cyborgs with one's bare hands - at great cost to the wielder. 

Kong Taoluo, one such master and former asssassin in the Qingyun Society, returns to Shanghai from a year in recovery after being betrayed by the syndicate and assumed dead. Discovering the horrible truth of what has happened to his sister during his absence; Taoluo swears an oath of vengeance and sets out to murder those responsible.

 

 

 

Hanachirasu:

A story of revenge.

Hanachirasu is set in a parallel timeline where nuclear weaponry was never developed. As such, Japan continued to fight through World War II, ending aggressions only when Hokkaido and Kyushu were occupied by Russia and America, respectively.

The game itself takes place in early 21st century Tokyo, which has been transformed into a haven for Japanese culture thanks to the nationalistic ideals of the charismatic Ishima Kaigen. Strict policies are in place in to enforce a ban upon firearms within the city limits. Thus, though terrorism and power struggles run rampant, swordplay, not gunfire, claims the lives of those not powerful to stake out their claims here.

Our protagonist is one Takeda Akane, a swordsman driven by a desire to face his one true rival, Igarasu Yoshia. What will stand in his path to his goal?

 

[Minoru]

I'd love to partake in the reading club this month.

I voted for Cartagra rather than Demonbane, although I'm even more interested in the latter. But since I'm still reading KoiChoco I chose the first of these two VNs because it's supposed to be shorter and I don't want to fall behind or fail. The other choices look interesting, too!

I'll try to keep up however the result may be, though. Take good care of me, senpais!

[AaronIsCrunchy]

I have an imminent interest in playing Cartagra so this plays out quite nicely (assuming it wins, of course). That said, they all look pretty good this month so I may just bookmark it for reference anyway.

Quote

Tsukihime (Wait, there's people who haven't checked it out yet?)

Yes... yes there are

[FinalChaos]

Voted for Demonbane 

After finishing one route it went into under indefinite stalling, so this will be a good reason to get back to it.

[Canicheslayer]

I've Already read Demonbane and Cartagra and I Don't have the motivation to restart Tsukihime (finished Arcueid's Route but Ciel's is so boring). So Kikokugai/Hanachirasu is my only way/chance to participate

[Minoru]

Looking quite bad for Cartagra. When will the voting be closed?

On a side note: I'm wondering what Eclipsed will vote for.

[CeruleanGamer]

While I have read every single one of them, let's get some Demonbane up in here, yo!

We have been overloaded with Innocent Grey/Kara no Shoujo and stuff all the time in these forums. It's getting a bit dull. Let's put some giant robots into the mix and spice up this shit! 

 

[Kawasumi]

voted for demonbane as well, I actually bought it, so maybe I can actually read the stuff this time lol.

[Fred the Barber]

Unlike the Conjueror poll, I do feel qualified to vote in this particular popularity contest. Go, Demonbane - shake up my comfortable world.

I obviously do need to play Tsukihime at some point, but I'll probably just put it off indefinitely in the hopes they actually do the remake they announced a mere 8 years ago.

[Kosakyun]

Looks like I'll end up rereading Demonbane.

Go go Demonbane! Let's get Master Therion to rip the very threads of space and time!

[Minoru]

1 minute ago, KosakiFag said:

Looks like I'll end up rereading Demonbane.

Go go Demonbane! Let's get Master Therion to rip the very threads of space and time!

Yeah, looks like it.

On 3.2.2016 at 2:22 PM, BleedingSt4r said:

When will the voting be closed?

 

[Kosakyun]

On 2/3/2016 at 9:22 PM, BleedingSt4r said:

On a side note: I'm wondering what Eclipsed will vote for.

It doesn't matter. He won't finish it this month.

On 2/3/2016 at 9:22 PM, BleedingSt4r said:

When will the voting be closed?

I think it's Wednesday at the latest. It depends on Kaguya, after all. Though I think it'll end before Monday.

[Dergonu]

Go Cartagra! ... Go go!

[Minoru]

4 minutes ago, Dergonu said:

Go Cartagra! ... Go go!

That'd be great. I made preparations to read Demonbane already, though.

Since I'll be done with KoiChoco in the next few days, I'm totally okay with that.

[Kaguya]

7 hours ago, BleedingSt4r said:

Yeah, looks like it.

 

I dunno. Tomorrow? 

[Vorathiel]

I voted for two shorts, and not waiting for anything just started to read (waiting on my drive for ages) Kikokugai.
And it's great. I love the grahics, soundtrack, designs, characters, mood, setting and everything.

Oh - and remake looks very generic, only first, 18+, version should exists.

So yeah, it would be nice if Demonbane would lose.

(22 days of this month left, just a remider)

[Kaguya]

This month's winner is Demonbane!

Here's the discussion thread: