Side Kicks! (otome game) - review

Cover is ok but could be better...

 Game: [Sidekicks.]

Genre: Otome Game Visual Novel.

Developer/Publisher: Toybox inc, Extend.

Platform: PS Vita.

Official Site: http://joqrextend.co.jp/extend/sidekicks/

VNDB: https://vndb.org/v19743

Release date: 2017-3-30

While I originally had no intention to play this because it reminds me of SA7 and lol

 even the heroine has precog... and well its not an excuse to fangasm this time so why not?

That aside side kicks reception was very positive so I ended up buying it...
and well it wasn't bad but I wouldn't call it a masterpiece either its just good at what it tried to do.

Also lol there wasn't any other otome I wanted to buy till June so this fit in the gap quite perfectly.
I don't really like modern setting otome but I still think the selection of guys is good
but to me there was only one that appealed from begin to end, I guess my sixth sense is at work here.
Sorta sad... because I couldn't fully enjoy the first four routes but that doesn't mean it was bad.

Pro's
 -Interesting story and characters.
- Setting.
-  Art&Music.

Con's
- Too many choices that amount to nothing.
- To get to the real truth you must do everything... but at what cost?
- They couldn't decide how to balance the mystery and otome parts.

The game takes place in sakrada in the USA, I have to admit this is refreshing

instead of taking place in japan like most do but they all speak in japanese!

Yeah OK it a JP game and well a lot of fiction have that problem so who care about that.
At first its also pretty hard to notice this is an otome... it has so many things
that make you say what am I playing again? also some parts are a bit too detailed
which make me wish the focused a little more on the otome part.

It also noticeable it had very high production values, the backgrounds move.
in certain screens when its evening there are pretty lights which is nice to watch

and the music was very fitting I never was inclined to mute unlike WoF.
While the audio quality was great certain characters were too loud so
I had to lower the voices of Chika, Rico, Kurumi and Tsubaki somewhat.

The art was pretty good too even there are some slight derps here and there but maybe it intended
but considering the artist mostly did bishoujo/hentai work its understandable still
he did a good job because everyone was charming, esp Nora!
System was comfy, ain't got issues and skip to the next choices saves lives but I found it
weird I couldn't use it in certain segments even tho there was nothing new
maybe it was because there was a movie segment coming up.

Unlike Oumagatoki ~kakuriyo no snoozefest~ Side kicks! actually managed to be
more interested but it still suffered from the same issues, characters I can't
care about and episodic side story problem with too many choices etc.
 Regarding romantic interest its an incompatibility problem with myself don't let it bother you
I still find them likeable but personally except one guy I am like nope.

Sadly the chapter one plot was a bit predictable to me... but still interesting, it took a bit of
 a dive in episode 2 but it was still good overall since it goes into the bonds of the team
and that being part of the gang isn't all sunshine and rainbows, they put their life on the line.

In the end it did turn out to be something like CSI oh well you know the stuff
they show how they work as a team and if someone ain't there it'll fall apart.
Everyone got properly introduced and it made me curious but at times it was really
hard to see any romance since they're just good partner with some romance at the end
its like they forgot to shove in the otome element in some route like Shishiba. -_-
 I feel extra sorry for him because he knew she may have liked him...

I honestly love detective stories but compared to say collar x malice it was a disappointment.

Sidekicks is like Eikoku Tantei Mysteria and has the same problem as
over half of the routes do not bring you closer to the actual truth, mind you this is fine
but I think CxM did a better job at crafting it together since everything made sense in the end there.
Either way unlike Ayaka(SA7), the heroine of Side Kicks! Inori was actually more mature
she's 20 and fit right in the precog dreams weren't immature like we won't  have Inori derp
and have fangasm dream about the guys but sadly she didn't really stand out that much and
well I guess she was great for being able to do stuff when it comes to it but in the end
those precog dreams are just you know dreams there's nothing else to it, she was born with it.
Unlike the boys Inori has no interesting past she's literally just a typical girl from the streets
and due to the team figuring out her ability is useful she gets to join but
what about her parents? friends?! previous job? the game doesn't go into it
so apparently it doesn't matter so why should I care? the writers sure didn't.
Due to the above Inori is perfect self-insert material... and no its not a spoiler
since not even the game goes into it, Inori's just lucky I guess.

Next the million choices of that amount to nothing... like is it really going to matter
of picking the same dish as Chika or Hibari are having to get on his route?!
Also why is bloodtype supposed to matter?! who even cares!
I gotta admit I did enjoy the banter about them trying to choose a name for the dog...
but I didn't exactly like that the name of the dog is determined by who's route your on
since some guy is terrible at making names, looking at you Rico come on kitty? oh god no.
Also Nora get out, I may love you lots but he came off as an ass in that scene but 
to be fair all of the names for the dog were terrible, IIRC Shishiba's was Jinja(shrine)
okay maybe I was too hard on Nora but like... seriously naming the dog after yourself GET OUT.
Anyway before I forget what was even the point of Shisui's character? 
like his entire purpose is just to narrate and be cool in general.
''Come with me if you want the truth'' oh lol... you go and say that but storywise your entire
character didn't matter! do they intend to follow up on this game? but what about ____ then?
Oh well whatever they do I don't really care in the end SK! was a decent game in my opinion.
I guess I could say nice try toybox/extend but... some route it could've been better and this game
 still has routes for the sake of having them aka Chika/Hibari/Shishiba but it wasn't bad or anything
if fan of detective drama this is going to appeal a lot more to you.
For me this was one of those otome games where I only really like one guy and felt
 incompatible with most others, I can recommend it if you like detective stuff such as 
Eikoku Tantei Mysteria or Collar x Malice.
7/10
No more and no less, if I was really harsh it would've been less but then again it wasn't bad.
Again its recommended for those who like crime solving or else this
game will just bore you away but don't expect too much.

 There was one fatal bug in chapter 2 when they show you the paper with Tatewaki's plans
the game will crash so I hope you saved frequently or else you'll have to force skip your way back.
Other than that there were no bugs but its funny how they never patched it
 but I heard they're working on it now so no worries but man its been almost 2 months.
Priorities what are they? Extend sure doesn't know them!

Typical ramblings after the jump, spoilers beware.

Suuran Digit Review

数乱digit
Game: [Suran Digit].

Genre: Otome game Visual Novel.

Developer/Publisher: Otomate

Platform: PS Vita.

Official Site: http://www.otomate.jp/suran/

VNDB: https://vndb.org/v18161

Release date: 2016-10-20

Suuran digit, its basically a modern wafuu(old japanese style) otome game.
School settings usually put me off but this seemed interesting enough to give it a shot.
Sadly I think not many are interested in it or better put they were but Collar x Malice
and Yuukyuu no Tierblade took all the hype so this otomege went under the rader
well its sorta good it did because it wasn't that amazing or anything
it could've been much better, sure heroine can fight but she's lazy as f**k
and she only really puts effort into it like twice or so.

As much as I love the OP for some reason the full version isn't as good to me, this
is totally normal that the full ver doesn't live up to the TV/Game version.

 For play order I recommend startng with Takagi, this is due to his pacifistic deadpan personality
which can make for a boring route because of his I won't fight or protect you for that matter, lol.
Also for the love of Kuro do Yuuhi's route last since his route has the most spoilers of all
so basically you'll end up with this going from least to most spoilers.
For Meguru its really best to do him ASAP to save what likeability is left in him... 
Takagi > Meguru > Keitarou > Mitsu > Ousuke > Yuuhi.

Pro's
Most if not all charcters was likeable.
- Diverse seiyuu cast(A few popular but not the usual bunch)
- Art and BGM.

Con's
- Short and not enough choices, tbh it feels like mobile game at times.
- Meguru, you are either gonna love or hate him...
- At first it doesn't feel like an otome game.
- copypasta

The prologue, chapter one and two is just the introduction.
Too bad there isn't a lot of choices... and not much happens in the prologue + chapter 1/2
to the point its a long prologue and you'll skip over it everytime since nothing new.
In chapter 3 you get to choose between the rich kids aka the student council
or the poor kids(lol not really) which are part of a club called Suuken.
The common route isn't that long and the routes aren't either, in the first few hours
suran digit doesn't feel like an otome game which is fine the only character that
actively pursues Hiroka is Ousuke but Hiroka will have none of his advances in other routes.
Other than that the system is nothing to write home about, standard VN stuff.

Each route takes about 5 hours to clear(give or take)
If you're fluent japanese and a fast reader maybe even shorter.

Sadly there is copy pasta, some general scenes during the route are almost identical to others
and in some parts exactly the same but the game classify it as new so haha no read skipping.
The best example is the sports festival but good thing is depending who you go for some things
are different like who's side you're on but still it can get annoying some share the same event.

I liked the heroine's personality in general and her lazing around. lol
Also she isn't afraid of picking fights with people! Too bad they made her so unstable
now we have a both cool and lazy heroine at the same time!
But... when I really think about it this is good because no one is perfect and one
who is confident/courageous should be allowed to be overwhelmed and show weakness
but yeah what is consistency! surely there was another way...

The CG scenes are pretty short, they're like how to put it? Fleeting moments.
This is fine with me but a little more dialogue would've been better.
The general scenes are also quick to the point, there isn't any TL;DR but its wasteful.

Overall I wouldn't say its a bad, sure you'll skip like 1/2 hours of common stuff
on 2nd+ play but thats bound to happen, some of the routes are less exciting than others
and speaking of romance in some routes there is not enough of it, the sweet scenes
are too short for me to appreciate them and the ending esp Takagi's makes me wish for more
and I am glad the short stories delivered for once but other than that meh, just the beginning.
As much as I like a diverse cast of characters and their interactions in the case of Suuran Digit its
really a curse rather than a blessing because the first half of the route is a drag in most route
 except all of the routes in the student council arc(Ousuke,Keitarou and Yuuhi)

6.5/10
Is my final verdict, its not outright terrible but it leaves much to be desired.
My personal experience made it a lot better than it may seem but its not that good.
The original score was higher but before the end of the year I decided to look over
 what I played and reduced it by two points because it really wasn't all that great
nor did it leave a memorable impression on me, imho you're better of spending
 your money on Collar x Malice or Yuukyuu no Tierblade if you haven't already
that's not to say Suuran is that bad but... yeah its just doesn't stand out much.

Stop reading hear if you do not want any spoilers, I still avoid mentioning the big topics
and you now my digest are shit and full of my own thoughts sometimes.

Jyuzaengi ~Engetsu Sangokuden~ 1+2 - Review

十三支演義~偃月三国伝~
Game: [Juuza engi ~Engetsu Sangokuden~ 1+2 ]
Genre: Otome Visual Novel.
Developer/Publisher: Otomate and Red entertainment.
Platform: PSP, PS Vita.
Official Site: http://www.otomate.jp/jyuzaengi/vita/
VNDB:https://vndb.org/v10289
Release date: 2015-08-27


Basically its Dynasty warriors with an otome spin to it, haha...
I can't say my original expectations were particularly high but I was pleasantly surprised
 it turned out to be mostly decent! (the first game atleast can't say the same about the second).
Thankfully the system wasn't annoying... it was decent, I liked the journey system.
RoTK with furries(as in cute animal ear and/or tail)... TBH out of all of them
Ryuubi is the cutest, maybe not romantically but you get the picture?
Not much plot spoilers for the first game atleast just quick thoughts and tbh
you can read elsewhere... I ended up writing more about part 2 because it was a step down
and I love complaining when I don't like things, it good to have opinion though.

This is by no means a loyal otome adaptation of ROTK and if you expect one you will be sorely
disappointed, I actually prefer Sangoku rensenki over this but that might be just me liking its tropes.
The writing is decent but it has issues at times, especially the 2nd game and I do not mind if
its not historically accurate but they make so many changes to turn it into an otome game this is one
of those you want everyone to be happy type of games... and thats what you get esp in the sequel.
This game isn't that bad but if you hate the I want everyone to be happy trope
and considering the setting expect something more serious give it a pass.

Jyuza engi 1, 8/10
I thought this was pretty solid, story is pretty good and great setup even tho they take too many liberties. The war scenes in this game are boring and drag the game on longer than it should
which makes me sleepy, cuz 70% of the time its just boring ossans talking about war tactics
but everything else was A++ and playing Jyuuza2 right after this was a bad idea and I regret
doing so since I loved every route and the continuety of the ends is not there except 1.
Jyuuzaengi 2, 5/10
Story is so-so but once again they take many liberties to change it into an otome game, I didn't
like Chounn & Chouryuu's route this time, plot there was pretty bad, compared to the other route.
 I only really ended up liking 3/4 routes out of 8 at the sequel so I am really disappointed.
The major problem with Jyuza2 is that they want you to forget all of the endings in
th first game cuz it continues from Ryuubi's route, yeah thats right and fine.
Ryuubi's route was still decent and finishes up the overall story nicely in my opinion.
But most of the other routes like Chounn, Chouryuu, Sousou and Kakouton were a drag
since it was a pain seeing Kanu fall in love again, still Chouhi's route was a huge improvement
over what he had in the first game though and Kakouton wasn't that bad.
Shokatsuryou ended up being my favorite in the sequel and Shuyu was eh.
S-e-r-i-o-u-s-l-y don't play these two games back to back, its my one and only mistake.
Though if I had to give it a rating overall it gets a 6.5/10 rating from me
which is a seven at best which is not bad at all.

Pro's
- Overall it has an interesting story and setting.
- Kanu was a pretty awesome heroine.
- Most if not all the guys are likeable (depend on taste tho).
Art and Bgm.
- Seiyuu's A++.
- Kakouton was moe the best boy, even in the sequel which I disliked in general.
- Shokatsuryou.
- Chouhi redeemed himself in the sequel, he was such a cutie pie there.
(I'm just glad it did one thing right at this point.)

Con's
- Ossans talking about boring war tactics, this is just sleep inducing, I can handle stuff like
dynasty warriors and history do interests me but in a visual novel esp otome its just a big no.
(atleast the sequel had less ossans).
- Enshou and Guo Jia are T R A S H.
- Bacho should have had more presence.
- In the 2nd game became too much of a damnsel in some of the routes.
(Huehue CHOUNN, she was still cool but she just wasn't as awesome as before...)
- In the 2nd game some of the routes, no the whole sequel had a weaker plot in general.
(In the case of Chouryuu, I was like I didn't ask for this did I? and for Chounn I was like wtf is this?)
- Sonken and the new guys should have had a route of his own instead of the old one.
(I was okay with Ryuubi's route since he was the OTP but the rest of returning cast are back 
to square one, why not turn them into sub chara and give Sonken and others a chance?).

 So basically TL;DR the sequel was kinda poor with the exception of Shokatsuryou, Shuyu and
Ryuubi's route. I didn't even like Shuyu but his route was OK compared to others.
Tbh I don't hate Jyuza Engi 2, I just feel that some routes like Chounn,Chouryuu,Sousou
aren't worth my time after playing the first game, ESPECIALLY RIGHT AFTER PART ONE
but don't worry I still like this series its great and the protag kicked ass where she could.
Overall I am biased for Ryuubi, Kakouton and Shokatsuryou, I liked Chouryuu route more in the 1st game though in p.2 they turned the fantasy elements up 9000% and I regret doing him last in the sequel. 

-

Playorder... for the first it doesn't matter except Ryuubi should be done either first or last cuz continuity why first? he doesn't have much romance and the thing he has could be jarring.
For part 2 some routes unlock on 2nd play so may as well do Shokatsuryou first, the rest
don't matter much and if you want to end the sequel in a good yet bittersweet way
 I recommend doing Sousou last, definitely not Chouryuu. -_-
Sure it was sweet but... it left a bitter taste in my mouth considering some stuff, seriously
i'd rather have Sousou to end the game with than... whatever the fuck even was Chouryuu's best end.

FAQ
Q: Is the PS Vita port worth it? if I played the PSP versions?
A: Do you like replaying or should I say rereading VN in better resolution? and do you like trophies?
Q: I only played the first game years ago, should I buy this port?
A: Do you remember liking it? by all means go for it if you want the complete experience.
Q: Are there any new additions to the PS Vita version?
A:There are new additions, there is a new epilogue for every character in the first game but
its really short, its hard to say if a 5-10 Minute scene with a CG is worth your time
it may be good for die-hard jyuuza fans but if not... its a pass?
I don't think it is worth it especially if said epilogues are retconned om the sequel.
If you agree like/agree with most of those answers then I say yes go for it.
(I can by no means guarantee you'll like this as a whole, maybe you will, maybe you won't...)
TL;DR/end

Characters ★★★★☆
Art  ★★★★☆(Great.)
Scenario/plot. ★★★★☆(First game 4 star... 3 star for sequel.)
Music★★★☆☆ (Average but no complaints.)
System  ★★★★☆ (Comfy...)
Enjoyment overall ★★★★☆(Good but do not think too hard about it.)

 More ramblings after the jump.