Saturday, January 2, 2016

Best and worst otome games I played during 2015


Uh oh its that time of the year... and well I've played alot Otome this year, I didn't review all of them.
So lets go over the ones I played in order before ranking them!

1, Ken ga Kimi for V.
 2, Sangoku Rensenki.
3, Crimson Empire New edition.
4, Clock Zero extime.
5, Possession Magenta.
6, Zettai Kaikyuu Gakuen ~Eden with Roses and Phantasm~
7, Harukanaru toki no naka de 6.
8, Soukai Buccaneers.
9,Amnesia.
10, Shinobi, koi utsutsu.
11, I DOLL U.
12, Mahoutsukai to goshujin-sama.
13, Prince of Stride.
14, Beast master and prince/Moujuutsukai to ouji-sama.
15, Harukanaru toki no naka de 6.
16, Reine des fleurs.
17, Rear pheles red of another.
18, Ayakashi gohan Oomori.
19, Jyuza engi 1.
20, Jyuza engi 2.

Games bought but haven't played yet at the time of this post which i've finished by now.
(yay for backlog! so this'll be at next year's end list,)
Yunohana Spring. (decent game, its cute and fluffy but its not all that interesting)
Zettai Meikyuu himitsu no Oyayubi hime.(Finished, its decent but it has some issues)
Norn9 Var Commons.(I've finished this by now, great otomege despite translation issues)

So which of the 20 games I played would actually make it to my omg best i've played this year?
and the Oh my gawd I don't want to play this again everrrrrrrr.

Angelique Retour - Review


アンジェーリーク ルトゥール
Game: [Angelique Retour]
Genre: Otome game Visual Novel.
Developer/Publisher: Koei tecmo, Neo romance, Ruby party.
Platform: PSP, PS Vita.
Release date: 2015-12-17

Here we go another koei game its a remake of one of the very first otome games!
Or more like Angelique helped to develop the genre a lot.
I find this game to be somewhat enjoyable, despite some of the RNG...
I guess it keeps things interesting? maybe i'm just not into simulation games.
Too bad I have no motivation to do more than one route...atleast at the time of finishing this post.
Because the system is just that boring and annoying to me not to mention there's no real conflict 'cept
the guys internal struggle thus nothing really happens outside of you competing to be the queen...
more on that soon.


I gotta be honest though, while I was sitting through the first few hour I thought that
Reine des Fleurs took alot of things from this game but not everything and they make it french. (lol)
I'm not bothered by it because things like this happen all the time in japan and even in the west, all those similair light novel or anime and even game? Yep it happens all-the-time, but enough about RDF being similair to Angelique cuz I don't give a single fuck, i'm just pointing it out and thats that.

Also for some reason I find that Koei's titles are less popular than otomate in the west?
Maybe its because they have zero presence in the west unlike otomate outside
of the old harukanaru tv anime and manga who ironically are now long out of print.
Koei should really step up their game now, the market is there and Aksys has shown that!
I do not care if Koei otome titles will be steam only because sadly the vita is a lost cause in the west.

PLOT
''A plain-ish girl named Angelique which we'll shorten to Ange is a chosen
candidate alongside Rosalia to become the queen of the cosmos.
The two girls compete for this role and the guys support them in their journey.''

UNFORTUNATELY that is all there is to it except love there is no real outside source to oppose them
the two candidates (except each other)which is actually really disappointing
it doesn't help that while the guys are appealing they aren't really interesting
until you get into their events and get to know them a bit more.
Other than that not even Rosalia was a nuisance, I expected bitchy rivalry behavior
but there was none of that (lol) which honestly made for a pretty boring game.
Why would you even want to become the queen of the cosmos anyway?
Ange isn't even capable of questioning this except when deciding to go with a guy or not...
IMO the plot of Koisuru tenshi angelique was more interesting because atleast
the protag had some history and the guys are all sad and emo over Ange becoming the queen
and the bias for Zephel there made me get this game and to be honest it wasn't worth it
except for him finally finding happiness with his first crush.😅




 Pro's
- No Date, No Life.
- All of the guys are sweethearts.
- The system is easy to understand.
- Interesting setting and worldview but...
- Art and BGM.
- Heroine was cute buut very basic.
- The heroine's rival Rosalia was likeable and not bitchy.
- Zephel was moe, best boy. (bias)

Con's
- The story is almost non-existant.
- Characters have cardboard personality outside of their events which takes a while to reach.
- Events and individual ending are on the short side.
(^This could be great if your attention span is short^)
- Its hard not to reach the goal of the story.
- Not a straight-forward visual novel.
- RNG.


Like i've said this otomege's overall plot is simple, do as your supposed to as the candidate and chill with guys from time to time and win their hearts in the process, there is no pressure
though it might be great to get ahead of Rosalia which is actually easy.
It doesn't even matter if you shoot down any guy who requests to hang out with the heroine
they'd be disappoint and will probably cry in a corner for the rest of the ingame day. :D
I still think its too easy to reach the main objective though, most of the time Rosalia isn't even
 trying I mean at one point there was a 1000 point gap, I'm like pls.
Anyway it is ok if you don't have any expectations and are new to it, don't let the RNG bit
get to you it can still be lots of fun (I think).

Monday, December 7, 2015

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.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Ayakashi gohan Oomori - review


あやかしごはん ~おおもりっ!~
Game: [Ayakashi gohan Oomori]
Genre: Otome Visual Novel.
Developer/Publisher: Asgard/Honeybee
Platform: PC, PS Vita.
Release date: 2015-10-08

Ayakashi Gohan... what can I say?  its the one game that renewed my hope for this genre..
Yep I really enjoyed this game!
My play order was > Uta > Manatsu > Suou > Yomi > Ibuki > Asagi.
I probably strayed  from the official play order but i tried to keep Human & Ayakashi routes varied.


 TL;DR
9/10
I loved this game, in the end I liked all of the guys. 
 This game got a special place in my heart.

Pro's
- Likeable cast.
- Tearjerker.
 - The overall story is interesting.
 - Voiced heroine.
- Heroine has two different personality based on choice in the prologue
 - Art and BGM.

Con's
Long common route.
- Not many CG and they're not in the place you want them.
 - Extra short scene in the best ending after completing Asagi's locked route.
(This was annoying, the only best end  where I say it was worth it to go back for was Manatsu's and
in the case of Ibuki a whole new ending, the other best ends? lol honeybee please stop.)
- Guren. (Yeah this guy pissed me off to no end.)
- PS Vita version has bugs, but some can be overlooked like touch support.
(I mean stop complaining you can just use the buttons?)


Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Utawarerumono Itsuwari no Kamen - Review and Impressions

うたわれるもの 偽りの仮面
Game: [Utawarerumono Mask of Deceit]
Genre: Visual Novel, Strategy RPG.
Developer/Publisher: Aquaplus
Platform: PS3, PS4,PS Vita.
Official Site: http://aquaplus.jp/uta/itsu/
VNDB: https://vndb.org/v7721
Release date: 2015-09-24

Well these are just my personal thoughts about the game and when I look back
it might have been the best game I played all year despite its cliffhanger.
Tokyo Xanadu comes close but eh... that one honestly had one too many cliches.

TL;DR
8/10
Story is a bit slow at first but it takes its time to introduce everyone and sets the stage
for its inevitable sequel because this game Utaware2: Itsuwari no Kamen is designed to
bridge the gap between the first Utawarerumono game and Utaware3: Futari no Hakuoro.
This game might have SRPG elements but don't buy the game for that because
you'll spend more time reading than in battle, sadly the SOL part is going to be an absolute
hit or miss this game much like falcom's kiseki series is very slow in getting to
the good parts, if you can stand it and have played/watched the original then go for it.


Kuon~~