Conjueror’s VN of the Year (2016) Tournament

[Conjueror]

Hey, I thought to organize something like GOTY voting for the visual novels translated this year, in a similar fashion to my last year's untranslated VN tournament.
https://vnrw.wordpress.com/2017/01/04/conjuerors-vn-of-the-year-2016-tournament/

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by Conjueror

[Zenophilious]

Yeah...I don't know if I should even bother voting.  I've only read Tokyo Babel, and Enigma:, Himawari, Rance VI, 11eyes and Seinarukana are all in my to-read pile.

It's cool that you're doing another one of these polls, though.  At least there's no Type-Moon option, so nothing should get brigaded this time 

Oh, yeah, is there a reason why Root Letter isn't included?  I doubt it'd win, from what people were saying about it, but it was released and translated into English this year.

[Narcosis]

Hm, interesting picks for the first group. I only wonder whether Chusingura really fits with the rest, somewhat

[Dergonu]

With how poorly the localization of ChuSinGura was handled, I'm not surprised to see it get so few votes. It's a real shame, as the game is actually incredible. It deserves a whole new localization from an actually competent group. The state it's in right now is just pitiful.

Cool seeing a yuri title get so many votes though. Didn't see that coming.

[Conjueror]

NextNinja really dropped the ball with Chusingura46+1 hard. Most of its ratings on vndb are still from JP readers.
I chose the stuff that received relatively favorable ratings both on vndb and Japanese boards, and most of the opinions on Root Letter are that it's like the worst thing ever (I think it has two or so stars on amazon, lol).

[Zenophilious]

1 hour ago, Conjueror said:

NextNinja really dropped the ball with Chusingura46+1 hard. Most of its ratings on vndb are still from JP readers.
I chose the stuff that received relatively favorable ratings both on vndb and Japanese boards, and most of the opinions on Root Letter are that it's like the worst thing ever (I think it has two or so stars on amazon, lol).

Hopefully they won't get to ruin anything else in the near future.  Fingers crossed 

Oh, yeah, then Root Letter definitely wouldn't be there  lol  I've literally only heard negative things about it.

[wyldstrykr]

ill watch and see what happens as i didnt read any of those yet

rooting for harmonia tho

[RedK]

>No harem guild option

rip

[Fred the Barber]

It's a shame you're only including translated titles, especially given you didn't put that in the name. VA-11 Hall-A was easily the second-best VN released in the last year that I played, behind S;G 0, and while I haven't played a whole lot of the ones in your tournament, I know it's a heck of a lot better than all of the other VNs I did play on those brackets.

[littleshogun]

Well, quite interesting idea there, so let me give the vote and my reason for the vote. By the way, I didn't own the twitter so obviously I couldn't vote on the Twitter although if I may give suggestion perhaps you could add poll here as well (And you could delete the old poll when the voting period was over).

For now, my vote here goes to 11eyes because while this is not kamige if we look at it objectively, it's managed to take my interest if only this VN was had some interesting history looking from how many failed translation attempt in the past and yet somehow we got it released with full translation patch from unexpected translator (Denwalts). Although if we looking at another candidates both of Root Double and Seinarukana was good to me if only many people was also looking forward those two to be translated, and yet we got it translated now. That's all that I could think for now.

Edited January 6, 2017 by littleshogun

[Kurisu-Chan]

10 hours ago, Conjueror said:

Hey, I thought to organize something like GOTY voting for the visual novels translated this year, in a similar fashion to my last year's untranslated VN tournament.
https://vnrw.wordpress.com/2017/01/04/conjuerors-vn-of-the-year-2016-tournament/

 

Holy shit you're Conjueror? Ok, i think i have a boner right now.

[Conjueror]

2 hours ago, Fred the Barber said:

It's a shame you're only including translated titles, especially given you didn't put that in the name. VA-11 Hall-A was easily the second-best VN released in the last year that I played, behind S;G 0, and while I haven't played a whole lot of the ones in your tournament, I know it's a heck of a lot better than all of the other VNs I did play on those brackets.

Perhaps I can include it in the bonus round after the tournament. Are you sure it's a VN, though? It looks a lot more mainstream, and is tagged as an adventure game on steam, so I thought it was more like Phoenix Wright or Danganronpa. In any case, including something like that would probably lead me to another TYPE-MOON situation.

[Kurisu-Chan]

I don't think VA-11 Hall-A is a dangan Wright.

[Nandemonai]

3 hours ago, Conjueror said:

Perhaps I can include it in the bonus round after the tournament. Are you sure it's a VN, though? It looks a lot more mainstream, and is tagged as an adventure game on steam, so I thought it was more like Phoenix Wright or Danganronpa. In any case, including something like that would probably lead me to another TYPE-MOON situation.

Since when is Danganronpa not a VN?  Are Aselia, Virtue's Last Reward, or Yumina not VNs?

[Decay]

I detect a clear bias against moege in this poll, judging from the games that are mysteriously missing.

edit: VA-11 Hall-A is a VN-ass VN. The only gameplay present is actually just an elaborate choice system and makes up an extremely small part of the experience. And if you want to include OELVNs, may as well include Ladykiller in a Bind as well.

edit: Emphasis on "if," I'm not exactly pining for this to be more than a translated VN only thing, although maybe it would be interesting to see how those fare against the big translated VNs.

Edited January 5, 2017 by Decay

[Darklord Rooke]

If we were to start questioning whether games were actually VNs, we'd need to cast suspicion on Rance 6 (eroge-RPG for sure, VN ... not so much.) And lets not do that because I'm looking forward to seeing it WIN THE WHOLE CONTEST  

[Suzu Fanatic]

The choices are kind of random, but I put my money on Enigma - turned out to be a really decent read. Def. a underrated gem by Fruitbat.

 

EDIT: Ah, the next poll is out already. Not really surprised Enigma came second - Kindred Spirits had most of 2016 to circulate, and Engima had very little time and publicity.

Edited January 5, 2017 by Suzu Fanatic

[Conjueror]

Yeah, I don't think oelvns and translated vns fall into the same niche just yet, so pitting them against each other would be kinda... off.

I might have been in the JP VN community for too long, but a VN for me is either something that concentrates on narrative completely, or uses game-play to present me with ero-scenes. There's a very distinctive feel that AliceSoft and Eushully games share with the rest of non game-play VNs that more mainstream stuff like Danganronpa lacks. I guess target audience is what makes for this difference? Anyway, Danganronpa has barely any narration, and Phoenix Wright has none, so they felt more similar to games like Gabriel Knight than visual novels to me. As in, I was playing them, not really reading them (but it might be just me... I still have trouble adjusting to the idea of all age VNs too).

1 hour ago, Decay said:

I detect a clear bias against moege in this poll, judging from the games that are mysteriously missing.

Did any big moege come out this year? I checked every game in your own list, and I'm pretty sure I used all that received relatively favorable ratings or were popular. I actually didn't have enough games in the end so I added Memory's Dogma and Harmonia pretty much randomly.

Edited January 6, 2017 by Conjueror

[Nandemonai]

46 minutes ago, Conjueror said:

but a VN for me is either something that concentrates on narrative completely, or uses game-play to present me with ero-scenes.

But this still describes Danganronpa.  Most of your time playing the game is spent in the VN view, talking to people.  Everything else you do is related to the narrative in some way.  So my question still stands:  Why do you claim it's not a VN?

Hell, according to this definition, Persona 4 Arena is a VN.  And before you say otherwise, have you played the Story Mode?  "Half an hour of reading, followed by 2 minutes of a fighting game at the 'cakewalk' difficulty setting, and repeat" is certainly completely concentrated on narrative.  (Sure, there's other things bolted on that clearly are not VNs, like the online multiplayer or the other game modes.  That's beside the point.)

[Decay]

2 hours ago, Conjueror said:

Yeah, I don't think oelvns and translated vns fall into the same niche just yet, so pitting them against each other would be kinda... off.

I might have been in the JP VN community for too long, but a VN for me is either something that concentrates on narrative completely, or uses game-play to present me with ero-scenes. There's a very distinctive feel that AliceSoft and Eushully games share with the rest of non game-play VNs that more mainstream stuff like Danganronpa lacks. I guess target audience is what makes for this difference? Anyway, Danganronpa has barely any narration, and Phoenix Wright has none, so they felt more similar to games like Gabriel Knight than visual novels to me. As in, I was playing them, not really reading them (but it might be just me... I still have trouble adjusting to the idea of all age VNs too).

Did any big moege come out this year? I checked every game in your own list, and I'm pretty sure I used all that received relatively favorable ratings or were popular. I actually didn't have enough games in the end so I added Memory's Dogma and Harmonia pretty much randomly.

I'd say Majikoi A-1 and A-2 qualify, even if they're fandiscs. I count them as fully independent releases, and they're pretty big. 

I'd also count Nekopara Vol. 2 for sure. That might actually tilt the vote a little, the nekopara fanbase is scary, lol.

And if it was me, i'd throw in Koiken Otome just because it was a somewhat popular release, even if it wasn't particularly well received.

edit: There's also...

Bunny Black 2 if you're doing gameplay VNs 

Tomoyo After if you want to count a retranslated, enhanced release (and Muv Luv for just a retranslated release) 

Funbag Fantasy because it's a popular nukige

Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na had a full translation release although theoretically an improved translation is still on the way (same with Dracu-Riot, tho less "theoretical")

Nurse Love Addiction was a solid yuri release.

Kiss for the Petals - New Generation as well, though it's not quite as highly rated as NLA. 

 

Not quite sure what kind of standards you're using here, but these are the other most notable releases of the year to me. I don't really think they stand much of a chance of actually winning it all but some of them may do better than some of the other games present.

Edited January 6, 2017 by Decay

[Conjueror]

8 hours ago, Decay said:

Not quite sure what kind of standards you're using here, but these are the other most notable releases of the year to me.

I picked the games that had the best rating on vndb with at least 100 votes and were translated for the first time this year.

I also added the few overlooked VNs that were big and well-received in Japan but somehow went under everyone's radar in the west (Chusingura, MYTH, 11eyes).
I added Enigma: because it was getting favorable reviews and would have had a qualifying rating on vndb if it wasn't for too few votes (and also because I worked on it, I guess xD).
I added Ozmafia!! because I wanted some otome representation. World End Economica seems to be relatively popular and has an all right reception in the west.
And I added Memory's Dogma and Harmonia because I needed two more and they were the first that came to my mind.

To be honest, I think only the top 10 in that video really matter (or rather, more like eight) and the rest are just there to change things up a little, and maybe advertise more niche titles like Enigma and Myth that deserve more attention.

8 hours ago, Decay said:

I'd say Majikoi A-1 and A-2 qualify, even if they're fandiscs. I count them as fully independent releases, and they're pretty big.

I haven't read those and vndb lists Majikoi A as a single game... so I'm not sure how to treat them.
It's probably not a good idea to include fan discs and sequels as they have an established fanbase already, but I already did an exception for Grisaia, because of how... different it was from the original.
I guess I might include Majikoi A when all episodes are out (next year?), like I did with World End Economica.

8 hours ago, Decay said:

I'd also count Nekopara Vol. 2 for sure. That might actually tilt the vote a little, the nekopara fanbase is scary, lol.

Nekopara has a lot of votes, but it's only 7.33 on vndb despite the popularity, so I'm not sure if it can qualify for "the best of" nomination.
It's also an ongoing episodic series. And uh... I feel that its fanbase is completely different from this community and I'd be inviting another one of T-M disasters by including it.
...Maybe a bonus round when it's fully out or something.

8 hours ago, Decay said:

Bunny Black 2 if you're doing gameplay VNs

I actually had that but switched it with Harmonia at the last minute, since I figured it stood no chance anyway and Key nakige needed some representation.

8 hours ago, Decay said:

Tomoyo After if you want to count a retranslated, enhanced release (and Muv Luv for just a retranslated release)

Definitely can't be having retranslations with an established fanbase. Muv Luv would wreck everything if I added it to the competition, lol.

8 hours ago, Decay said:

Funbag Fantasy because it's a popular nukige

I debated whether I should add Funbag Fantasy and Beat Blades Haruka, but decided against including nukige as it could be seen as a joke option, and given that most ppl won't have read most of the VNs in the competition, it's highly possible they would opt for that just for funsies... and it would be a mess. Which also would probably apply to Nekopara now that I think about it.

8 hours ago, Decay said:

Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na had a full translation release although theoretically an improved translation is still on the way (same with Dracu-Riot, tho less "theoretical")

I honestly missed this somehow. Damn... I would have used it instead of Memory's Dogma... Hmm, I wonder if I should maybe exchange Myth with this.

8 hours ago, Decay said:

Nurse Love Addiction was a solid yuri release.

I never heard about this one on JP boards and it only has 70 votes on vndb, with a rating that's... just okay, I guess? I could have maybe included it instead of Memory's Dogma if I knew it was something ppl actually knew about.

8 hours ago, Decay said:

Kiss for the Petals - New Generation as well, though it's not quite as highly rated as NLA.

60 votes with a rating of 7.10 doesn't sound like visual novel of the year material to me.

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by Conjueror

[Decay]

Fair points all around, although I don't know if the 100 vote threshold is fair. Some games are just good and fly under the radar. Not that those stand a chance of actually winning, but it's nice to see more diverse representation.

Although honestly, VNDB listing all of the Majikoi A games as a single VN is probably a mistake. They are fully independent of each other, each with very different content and honestly different levels of quality. It's just a mess from a voting, screenshot, and tag standpoint. That's neither here nor there, just me complaining as a VNDB mod who's too lazy to do something about the problem.

[Zenophilious]

Yeah, I always thought it was a bit odd that VNDB listed all of the As as being one game, considering that they weren't sold together until December of last year, and they weren't considered partial releases or anything.

 

[Dergonu]

44 minutes ago, Conjueror said:

9 hours ago, Decay said:

Nurse Love Addiction was a solid yuri release.

I never heard about this one on JP boards and it only has 70 votes on vndb, with a rating that's... just okay, I guess? I could have maybe included it instead of Memory's Dogma if I knew it was something ppl actually knew about.

It did indeed just kind of pass by most people, but it was a very good read if you ask me. (I actually listed it as the best TLed game I read all year. Then again, I didn't read too many, but still.)

Tbh it's probably fine not including it, with the small amount of people who actually read it. Not a lot of people know about it tbh, so it wouldn't get a lot of votes.

 

People should read it though. It has a really good story and is completely different from most yuri games released which focus only on cute moe and fluffy romance. The bad ends are chilling and the good ends are beautiful. Overall a very unique and entertaining VN.

[Decay]

By all accounts, the previous game in that series was better, but they chose to localize that one instead. Alas...