Fuwa VN Reading Club: Summer 2017 (Everlasting Summer)

[Fred the Barber]

I finished this last week, actually. Overall it was an interesting experience, but didn't do all that much for me. I'm glad I read it, but with the benefit of hindsight, I'd probably rather have spent the time reading something else, I guess?

I feel like the combination of amateur writers and grand aspirations really shows: it's got a real Chekov's Gun problem, where it keeps introducing important-looking stuff that doesn't matter at all, and in general an issue with leaving loose ends all over the place (and not in an "open ending" sort of way, but more in a, "we just plain didn't care/forgot about all this shit we introduced" sort of way). It could definitely be more compelling if it were a little leaner, and if it had taken a few of the apparent ideas it had and ran with them. For instance, here's one regarding Yulya:

Spoiler

She makes a big deal about "gathering supplies for the winter," and when I heard this, I thought, "Oh, that's interesting. Is that symbolic? Because it's Everlasting Summer after all, and she's been living there for an eternity, but where he came from it was actually winter, so maybe this is something about, you know, going back with him, and maybe the 'supplies' are important." I would've dismissed it as a throwaway joke, but then they kept coming back to it. They packed them up and carried them back, and they threw some of them out, and then... the ending happened and they literally did not matter at all except as a vehicle for some jokes and an excuse for some character interaction.

Pretty disappointing, honestly.

Or consider the fallout shelter:

Spoiler

They never use it for anything. Seriously? They have this big flashback scene for... nothing? I had to read about the damn fallout shelter, and the flashback scene in it, like six times, because the game made me actually read it separately for each heroine. And then they did absolutely nothing with it except make Shurik go nuts because he was tormented by the other Semyons. The "other Semyons" thing was kinda cool, but Shurik going nuts made no sense and also kinda pissed me off, not least because I had to read about it so many times.

Also, when I was done with Lena's route, I loathed her character because she had no character anymore.

 

The game has too much forced-reread-that's-insignificantly-different content. I don't mind that the overall game is short (I actually kinda like short games), but that I spent about a third of the time on each route rereading the same scene was annoying.

Anyway, lots of complaints, but the game certainly had its good points as well: a difference in setting and plot alone is nice, the art was pleasant, and the music was alright.

[littleshogun]

Finished Lena's, and for next route I'll going with Alysa. As for Lena's route

Spoiler

 

I would said it's interesting that turn out Lena's here was like Rena from Higurashi although at least Lena didn't bring hatchet if I may say something, and she was quite a yandere by the way by punched Alysa. For more elaboration, it's mostly the same as Slavya although it mentioned that at Day 6 the camp was act unnaturally in regard of Rena's disappearance. As for the ending, apparently both of Lena and Semyon stay in the dream world after dreaming of going back to the real world instead of going back to real world like Slavya. That's all that I could say.

PS - Actually Lena had four split personality, although it's only mentioned near the ending though and therefore it wasn't elaborate much.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2020 by littleshogun

[littleshogun]

I'll continue this VN in Alisa's route later, and turn out that the card game that I was annoyed with was quite easy lol.

[littleshogun]

Finishing Alisa's (Or Alisia perhaps) route, and the ending was more in line with Slavya's instead of Rena's. To elaborate here,

Spoiler

 

Semyon managed to go back to his own world and somehow inspired to made his own band, if only because Alisia introduce Semyon to playing guitar and rock music. Of course, just like Slavya's ending he managed to met with Alisia although apparently she didn't remember her 'dream' though. Her route conflict was in regard of the triangle love with Lena's (More like misunderstanding though), and she also claimed that she was always get blamed whenever Lena and Alisia fought, also Alisia's said that Lena's was had something behind her personality (After coming from Lena's route, of course I trusted Alisia's). Almost forgot that Semyon did the stupid thing by hiding vodka that was supposed for the infirmary, causing the problem in the last days. Oh, by the way Alisia was more tsundere despite her rude attitude at the first sight.

 

Next route, I'll try Ulyana's next.

[littleshogun]

Finished all of Everlasting Summer during forum breakdown, and well there's no much answer in regard of how Semyon managed go to the '80. Although perhaps we should enjoy it as an experience rather then searching for the answer. In the end, I guess it's sort of interesting experience there in regard of Everlasting Summer, because they did introduce some interesting plot, although lack of real answer might confuse some though. Other than the story, I think the background image and sprite was looks nice while the CG was once again so-so, while usually it's the reverse one. As for the BGM, I didn't pay attention to it but it's serviceable I guess. So I think that's all for my attempt to review Everlasting Summer, and here's my impression for each route

Ulyana

Spoiler

 

Most of the drama at her route is was what I could say her fault, although maybe Semyon was easily pushed by Ulyana's though lol. But then again perhaps she was supposed to represent a naughty child if I may gave her some credit. Oh, this is the first route that I managed to get the bad ending and the reason was definitely Ulyana's fault because she do one more prank at the last day. The epilogue here was Semyon managed to met grown up Ulyana in real life.

 

Pioneer

Spoiler

 

Yeah, the real route name was Semyon (MC's name) but at the end it's not even revealed that the pioneer in question was really Semyon. Anyway, this route was sort of interesting that they introduce some alternative dimension thing and many Semyon's clones that got crazy because they trapped in the loop. Also one of them warned Semyon that he might get trapped in the loop, while there's another one who warned MC to not trust another one blindly (I knew it's confusing here). In the end, the MC was faced with the choice between leave with bus or go through the forest. Ultimately, going with bus was the good choice so perhaps Semyon was escape the loop, although the clone was somehow managed to follow him though, and make some creepy post at the imageboard.

 

Miku

Spoiler

 

Her real name was Masha, so I'll address her as Masha.

It's quite confusing and interesting at the same time, and also scary because the last part of her route was horror (It's only Semyon's dream by the way). No, the interesting and confusing part wasn't come from the horror - although maybe somebody need the answer of how Ulyana's became zombie or how could Semyon's dream was based on Masha's script, but rather of how Semyon managed to get thrown into another future in which he managed to became the scriptwriter, have Masha's as the girlfriend, and had the Sovionok's inhabitant as the crew of a movie shoot. Guess it's better if I didn't think too much about that, although I'd found it extremely interesting though if Semyon really knew Sovionok's inhabitant before thrown into the past.

 

Spoiler Girl

Spoiler

 

Also known as the girl who we always saw in the closing windows, and her name was Yulia in which it was given by Semyon. Supposedly that her route would answer everything in regard of Sovionok's mystery, only that it came off unanswered mostly especially in regard of how Semyon was thrown up into the past. Oh, and apparently she was Semyon's inner though which make her action understandable, considering that she was probably as clueless as Semyon in regard of Sovionok. In the end, Semyon was about to go home together with Yulia and then he was confronted with many of his clones at the bus before he lose consciousness. At the dream or something like that, apparently he remember the events at previous routes and from there he could decided whose girl that he could end up with. Or you could just chose harem route as well here. By the way, Semyon and Yulia bonding was quite fast if I may say something here.

 

For next VNs, perhaps I'll try to continue Chrono Clock here in which I knew it's been delayed. Don't worry, it's still summer here by the way lol.

Edited November 27, 2020 by littleshogun