Clephas' suggest a VN corner

[Clephas]

Considering I seem to be the most experienced vn-player here, I thought I'd make a corner where people could ask me to suggest to them VNs of a specific type they want.  Simply post what type of VN you are looking for here (with the understanding that I don't read pure dating sims, nukige, or games centered around the entertainment industry) and I will reply as quickly as possible with a suggestion or two.

[Kaguya]

Nice idea, Clephas. I give this my support~

Will you help in the upcoming LOLIS? that'd be pretty cool.

[Sioxz]

any suggestion on a good Romance,Drama,Slice of life VN and as little comedy as possible please i am currently reading EF the first tale and i love it and low H content pref  but not needed

[kersplode]

anything comedic and romantic or something in a psychological horror vein. a cross of the two would be best, but it would need no h-content. thank you in advance!

[Nosebleed]

Slice of life comedy school setting? Stuff like Hoshizora no Memoria or Little Busters

I love a good romance, with a bit of drama, something that i will remember for sure.

18+ or all ages doesn't make a difference.

Must have an english translation though.

 

Thanks in advance, you're great for creating a corner just for this as VN suggestions are something that's posted a lot.

[Clephas]

Sioxz: One thing you have to understand is that most romance vns are also comedy ones.  However, I think I can provide you with one that fits the bill, for the most part.  Haruka ni Aogi, Uruwashi no (http://vndb.org/v604). This one has comedy (there are no decent VNs that don't have some) but it is focused around the drama.  It is also one of the best games of its type I've ran across.

 

Nosebleed: There aren't that many VNs translated of any type, but I suppose you could take a look at Kimi no Nagori wa Shizuka ni Yurete (http://vndb.org/v3789).  Though, I'll repeat this, you should check Kaguya's top 50 translated VNs you should read before you die if you want to find decent translated.  I'm a non-translated specialist.

 

kersplude: Yours is the hardest request yet, as there quite simply aren't that many great all-ages games out there in the first place (they exist, but most that make it onto PC have ero).  I'd suggest Tokyo Babel (http://vndb.org/v9205) simply because it is a great VN with comedy, romance, and horror (though its more of a 'oh god, we are all going to die horribly... and that's the better possible fate!!!' kind of horror that you can experience in the bad ends, lol). 

 

Kaguya:  You asked for lolis?  Well...  (http://vndb.org/v453) that has my favorite loli of all time, Belche.  This has a high loli ratio and is fairly interesting/hilarious (http://vndb.org/v4868).

 

Have fun all.

[Sioxz]

i don't know jp more then the vocal and comedy to some degree is fine but nor centerd around comedy

you should take for granted that people don't know jp here if they don't say they know it

[Clephas]

i don't know jp more then the vocal and comedy to some degree is fine but nor centerd around comedy

you should take for granted that people don't know jp here if they don't say they know it

 

If you can understand the vocals without having to think about it seriously, there is no reason why you couldn't jump to playing untranslated VNs with the jparser/translation agg combo.  It'll be slow going at first, but you'll get used to it, eventually.

[Sioxz]

as long as it's romanised japanse then should i be fine and vocal is meant as a big vocabulary

[Joyjason]

Something I haven't played.

 

...

...

...

 

I jest.

 

Seriously though: I'm looking for a VN that hopefully meets the all or most of the following criteria:

1) Consistent theme throughout the entire story

2) Has a relatively hard-to-spot foreshadowing to the conclusion of the story

3) Genre does not matter, so a suspense novel seems to fit #1 and #2 well (noI'mnothintinganything)

4) A clearly defined antagonist

5) A story where "non-chosen" heroines do not just "disappear"

6) Has a definite moral lesson (optional, but a big bonus)

7) Consistent plot across routes 

 

(Let's see if you can suggest one for me that fits all 7! x3)

[Clephas]

Something I haven't played.

 

...

...

...

 

I jest.

 

Seriously though: I'm looking for a VN that hopefully meets the all or most of the following criteria:

1) Consistent theme throughout the entire story

2) Has a relatively hard-to-spot foreshadowing to the conclusion of the story

3) Genre does not matter, so a suspense novel seems to fit #1 and #2 well (noI'mnothintinganything)

4) A clearly defined antagonist

5) A story where "non-chosen" heroines do not just "disappear"

6) Has a definite moral lesson (optional, but a big bonus)

7) Consistent plot across routes 

 

(Let's see if you can suggest one for me that fits all 7! x3)

 

 

 

Yurikago Yori Tenshi Made (http://vndb.org/v7071)

 

Izuna Zanshinken (http://vndb.org/v7070)

 

Yurikago has the first six, Izuna has all seven.  I don't know if you've played them or not, though.  Incidentally, I try to get everyone I meet to play these, lol.

[Joyjason]

You sir, are baws. 

 

Yurikago was on my list for a while, but I was pretty much busy with the new releases (that I didn't like), and was like, "Hey! Clephas might  be able to help!" 

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Clephas]

You sir, are baws. 

 

Yurikago was on my list for a while, but I was pretty much busy with the new releases (that I didn't like), and was like, "Hey! Clephas might  be able to help!" 

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

Ah, incidentally, Yurikago and Izuna both differ greatly depending on the heroine you choose (or rather, the story progression does).  Izuna has a lot of alternate scenes, and Yurikago splits off pretty close to the beginning into its various paths.  Izuna is especially good if you liked Batman but thought it would be better if he just killed the Joker and got it over with.  You probably won't use the skip function at all for either of them if you utilize the Foolmaker walkthroughs.

[Joyjason]

Ah, incidentally, Yurikago and Izuna both differ greatly depending on the heroine you choose (or rather, the story progression does).  Izuna has a lot of alternate scenes, and Yurikago splits off pretty close to the beginning into its various paths.  Izuna is especially good if you liked Batman but thought it would be better if he just killed the Joker and got it over with.  You probably won't use the skip function at all for either of them if you utilize the Foolmaker walkthroughs.

 

Thanks for the warning; I shall keep it in mind as I try both titles; I'm sure I'll enjoy them as much as you did. 

Generally, I don't like using walkthroughs in the first place since I like to know what "I" make the story become (Yeah~ I'm powerful!)

 

On the other hand, am I the only one who uses Seiya Saiga when I do use WTs? >.>;

[Clephas]

seiya-saiga is the fastest, and until a year and three months ago, Foolmaker was the most 'efficient' when it came to walkthrough structure.  Unfortunately, its pretty rare for Foolmaker to put up new walkthroughs now.

 

As for Yurikago... the way it splits off, you simply branch off each path (except the Grand - and final - one) from the first three choices, which come pretty close together.  I'm pretty sure the paths split off in this order: spike-winged angel (for some reason I can't remember her name), Ume (unbreakable girl who likes breaking things), Ritia (spin-off path that shows things from Tomoe's point of view), and Tae (the protagonist's do-M angel).  However, Izuna is a completionist's nightmare because of the sheer number of scenes that need to be watched in order to access the extra endings (like six bad ones and one 'normal' ending that seems to make way for a sequel).  I seriously suggest you just use the Foolmaker walkthrough for Izuna.

[ホアー ビち]

i want some good utsuge recs.

[Kawasumi]

13 minutes ago, ロル ビち said:

i want some good utsuge recs.

this is one utsuge that Clephas usually recommends and one of my reasons to begin learning japanese (just thought I would share it so you had one right off the bat :P) 

 

P.s Sorry Clephas that im hoarding your rec thread :^ )

[Clephas]

I am surprised someone revived this thread... its been dead for years, lol. 

Konata yori Kanata Made

Boku ga Tenshi ni Natta Wake (upcoming translation, though I don't know if a date was set)

Eden* (translated)

Satsukoi

Soukou Akki Muramasa (if you have the reading level for this)

Houkago no Futekikakusha (some of the most delicious despair I've ever seen in a VN)

 

Edit: There are two types of utsuge... 'hard' utsuge, where despair is the central emotion, and 'soft' utsuge where 'sorrow' is the central emotion.  Boku ga Tenshi, Soukou Akki Muramasa, and Houkago no Futekikakusha are 'hard' utsuge, whereas Nirvana, Eden*, Konakana, and Satsukoi are all 'soft' utsuge. 

[ヤミハナ]

45 minutes ago, Clephas said:

There are two types of utsuge... 'hard' utsuge, where despair is the central emotion, and 'soft' utsuge where 'sorrow' is the central emotion.  Boku ga Tenshi, Soukou Akki Muramasa, and Houkago no Futekikakusha are 'hard' utsuge, whereas Nirvana, Eden*, Konakana, and Satsukoi are all 'soft' utsuge. 

Then recommend me some 'hard' utsuge please. Other than those you've already stated and easy Japanese, aaaand a VN that VNR would translate easily. 'Soft' utsuge too, please. But I take higher priority in the 'hard' utsuge part.

I plan to read them and add them to my VN quest. Sorry, if you don't have anything else to recommend.

[Clephas]

Of the ones I named above, Houkago no Futekikakusha, Boku ga Tenshi ni Natta Wake, Konakana, and Satsukoi are all relatively easy to read... though Houkago has some points where it is difficult and Boku ga Tenshi sometimes lapses into psychological terms.

It is a lot easier to find soft utsuge, because hard ones tend to be rare... Swan Song is probably the most obvious translated 'hard' utsuge.  Tapestry is a soft utsuge that is relatively easy to read.  Kami no Ue no Mahoutsukai is a hard one, but it is also a bit above average in linguistic difficulty (the final ending could be considered 'good', except that the way it gets there is marked with despair and death).  Hotel. by Akatsuki Works Black is a good soft one that is generally easy to read, but it is also pretty detailed.  Rakuen no Shugosha - a relatively recent release - is also a hard utsuge, but again it is hard.  Are you seeing a pattern here?  Generally speaking, most 'hard' utsuge are also hard to read, though there are rare exceptions.  Also, utsuge in general have been out of fashion for the last decade, so there haven't been many releases.

[Deep Blue]

i only know about "soft" utsuge this are fairly easy to read, white breath, im reading sayonara mayumi-chan (full of eroge but still easy to read with a fairly good plot if you leave that eroge aside) konakana i dont think a machine translation would work with this one even if it is fairly easy to read(anything NVL will fail you need to translate short sentences with a machine translation so NVL are no good.). aster was fairly easy (i read like the 2 first hours), hoshiuta is on that range, btw this are all fantasy free vns (or most of them are)

To be honest i cant tell anymore if a vn is hard or easy to read, I just see extremes now, like you will read vns where they go from easy to medium just because of the words or vocab they use and then you have hard vns where i just cant follow what they are saying because of they way they speak or how is written not just the vocab they use (like some parts in second novel or carnival) but if you are using a machine translation i think everything is the same.

EDIT: this is with my really lack of experience in the vn world specially in the untranslated one so you should follow clephas advice with the recommendations which is a guru in the subject  

[ホアー ビち]

thanks. also:

2 hours ago, Clephas said:

Also, utsuge in general have been out of fashion for the last decade, so there haven't been many releases.

is there any particular reason for this? or is it just otakus angry cuz their waifu got killed?

[Clephas]

Some of it is that and some if it is for the same reason there are usually only three to five chuunige releases a year (in 2015 there were only two)... to put it simply, wanting to luxuriate in others' sorrow and despair is an acquired taste, so that makes it niche.  I like utsuge but most people don't. 

Just as a clarification, dark rapegames like the Yukikaze/Asagi series don't count as utsuge.  Those games exist to satisfy extreme sexual fetishists rather than for emotional catharsis.

[Deep Blue]

I was talking about this with xreaper, if you look at really old vns (90') you will find a lot of detective ones where there is a murder just a few minutes in, you will even see some of the main characters get killed,they are very explicit with the violence and you have adults protagonist, now you wont find a detective vn anywhere... most of the vns that are released this days are nukige or just moege, everything is the same... the typical plot: "school boy with her old childhood friend doing stupid things in the school where nothing important happens" maybe it was the same back then but I think there was more variety too.

[Darklord Rooke]

18 hours ago, Deep Blue said:

I was talking about this with xreaper, if you look at really old vns (90') you will find a lot of detective ones where there is a murder just a few minutes in, you will even see some of the main characters get killed,they are very explicit with the violence and you have adults protagonist, now you wont find a detective vn anywhere... most of the vns that are released this days are nukige or just moege, everything is the same... the typical plot: "school boy with her old childhood friend doing stupid things in the school where nothing important happens" maybe it was the same back then but I think there was more variety too.

Cartagra?

I'm not familiar with the VN industry in Japan, so this is just an educated guess.

Didn’t cost as much to make, no voice acting, fewer words, fewer visuals, means you don’t need to have as many people purchase the game, means you don’t have to be as safe as companies today tend to be, means you got more variety and/or experimental weird stuff.