Leaderboard

Of all the adjectives in the English language, I would, indeed, choose to describe that disease as rather "unfortunate."

https://forums.fuwanovel.net/blogs/entry/690-sorcery-jokers-it-surprised-clephas-will-it-surprise-you/

He brought up Subahibi as an example of a highly rated VN. He then explained why he didn't like Subahibi, and brought up Euphoria as another example of something he can believe is good, but not good for him. So the answer to your question would, most likely, be the hardcore scenes, as he said. But I'm not him. I wouldn't know.

Oh by the way, not a premise for the whole nukige but... Mamankyoushitsu, my favorite nukige, has a harem route and it starts off like this: The protagonist, when asked by one of his students (he ends up teaching a course to pregnant women about pregnancy & childcare) whether it is safe to have sex while pregnant, says that they can only have sex with him because actually men have a secret pact among them that they have to own a certificate to fuck pregnant women and that they lose this licence (awarded for knowing the risks etc. of sex while pregnant) if they let any woman know it exists. Three people out of the female cast consisting of four functioning adults buy into this (the last one lets go to see where this ends up) and then they start to have group sex in all the lessons. Then the protagonist's mom enrolls in the class and joins in.

Well sorry if some of you didn't find that my thread title was very creative, but you should get the gist of that anyway because it's very obvious. Anyway, here's the tweets from Mangagamer in regard of the release for both of 18+ version and all age version below. As for mine, I definitely think this is quite a good news that Mangagamer did have big release at January. Also, I'm looking forward to the release here seeing that I saw some good receptions here. You may use this thread to discuss about Sorcery Joker later. Edit (1/8) - Now that it's already 2018, I decide to edited the title which obviously was not fitting anymore if I keep the 'next year' part - even though it's belated because I should delete that part from back at 1st. Oh well, better late than never. Edit (1/16) - Since this was already released, I decided to change the title a bit for obvious reason. Have fun.

Yo people! I'm back! This time, I prepared a list of VN hybrids for everyone who appreciates a bit more than just picking choices and still wants some boy x boy action. This list is rather limited, sadly, but I still manage to find a game to each degree of gameplay you might like! Here we go! I want just some stats rising and manage daily life: Seiyuu Danshi This counts? Yes, it does. Some people just play Persona because of its "Friend Simulator" mode. But unfortunately, Atlus didn't give us the option to date boys in their game while playing with the male MC (actually, you CAN hook up with your childhood male friend in Persona 2, but that game is very different from newer Persona, I still recommend it though). So, how about we, instead of living the life of a high school kid, live the life of guy trying to become a voice actor? That's what this game promises you. But what will you do to make your wish come true? Train a lot? Take tons of jobs? Or leave it all to chance and only date every single guy you encounter? You decide! This game features an interactive map and even have side quests! And the most interesting/different feature is the foreplay mode, you know, a part of the h-scenes BL games loves to neglect, totally interactive here! The game is NOT OUT yet, but their KS was successful and you can play the demo in english already! I want RPG battles: Angel's Feather This game got you covered! It have swords, princes, fantasy aspects, angel magic, map movement, all your good old RPG have! Sure, it looks a bit outdated (it's from 2003 actually), but this is inda charming like that, right? At least for me. It have plenty of romance in the plot and all sexual content is avoidable, if you're not in the mood for it (it happens). Only in japanese for now, but there's people interested in translating this in BL-oriented forums, so maybe we'll have a patch soon? Let's pray! Supposedly, there's an OVA of this, but it's too rushed >.< I want Point and Click/ Adventure style: Bizarre school exploration of Kazuma and Kugayama From doujin circle Sakuraprin, this game may have better porn than exploration. But the horror atmosphere they create, even with 8 bit graphics, is outstanding! Well, they clash a bit with the CGs and sprites, but we can't complain about their voluptuous guys (dem thighs) and fantastic ahegaos. In this game, not only we interact with the creep school scenery, but also with our hero Kazuma. We can raise our affection points with him... poking him. Just don't be rude, guys. And be prepared to CG hunt, because they stuff their game full of CGs! Also, this game is free! I want fast minigames: Chiralmori Nitro+Chiral, the giant of the BL market, wouldn't be out of this list. Before making DMMD fan disc (that also have minigames, but you have to actually read DMMD first to fully appreciate all there is here), they released this short cute game. It's pretty much a glamurous poker and tetris game with TnC and Lamento characters, without sexual content, but can a fan of these series really ignore this adorableness? It's good to kill some time and a way to not waste money in poker. It also includes a typing mini game, but... I have no idea how this works, nor why N+C have such a obsession with typing mini games... I want something really unusual: The Chiral Night Rhythm Carnival How about some BL themed Guitar Hero then? No, seriously. Released back in October, this game contains music from the four major series of N+C and a story mode that put all the boys from those games together, Chiral Cafe style. No sexual content, but still a very fun game! Sadly, there's no sign of a hard copy and N+C site doesn't ship to my country, but there's a demo available in their homepage that contains the intro songs of the four games! If anyone ends up playing, feel free to ask for my high scores for comparison hehehe! I'm not that good though. Anything else? Not VNs, but you can also find your share of BL in Dragon Age or Mass Effect series. Naturally, they have tons of gameplay. Those should keep us occupied for a while, so let's end here! Next time, otome news: and KS campaigns! Until then! EXTRA: If you want a bit more action with gay subtext, try Metal Gear Solid. It's glorious!

As we all know from experience, the formula of visual novel offers various possibilities when it goes to storytelling techniques, making especially the high-budget, Japanese games in the genre much more than just interactive, illustrated books. Still, for most VNs text is unquestionably the core method of delivering the story. This is true especially for the western-developed ones, which rarely can afford high-quality voice acting or animated segments which could occasionally replace written dialogues and descriptions. Even CGs, in a project with a very limited budget and manpower, often end up being few and far between. All this makes the literary quality absolutely crucial for the success of such projects. But, great writing is not something you would expect to find in a free game on Steam, is it? While Doki Doki Literature Club proved that a free-to-play, western-made VNs can from time to time surpass everyone’s expectations, in many ways it wasn’t the first project of its kind. One Thousand Lies, developed by Keinart Lobre and released for free in March 2016, both on Steam and mobile platforms, is another example of an interesting and well-developed non-JP visual novel that doesn't charge even a cent for the possibility of reading it. In my opinion, it’s also one of the more intriguing and creatively written western VNs to date, that can offer a lot of depth and artistic qualities to any reader patient enough to uncover them. Still, it never gathered attention and recognition similar to that of DDLC. Read the full article at evnchronicles.blogspot.com

Ha, so a rival appears, and even announces himself, the nerve... Jk, guess I'll focus in japanese otomes in January then! That's the best plan to flood Fuwa with otome mwahahaha! Also congrats on becoming a otome trash.

Oh, and BTW, you're gonna have some competition soon. I'm officially proclaiming January 2018 an Otome Month on my blog. This way I'll have an extra motivation to read through all those western Otome waiting in my Steam library - there's surprising number of free-to-play, but pretty highly rated ones on the platform. And going with themed periods should be a bit more interesting than just putting up random reviews. :>

Aye, althought Inquisition also made Sera, the worst Bioware character in history, as pretty much the main F/F romance options, so it's not without sins. The romance arcs I did (Josephine and Cullen) felt very thoughtful and compelling though, maybe more than I've expected. If only they weren't dilluted by the 60-70 hours of filler content - it's even hard to recommend that game with clear concience. With all its awesome storytelling and attention to details, the 160 hours I've burned on it was one of the major reasons I've banned myself from playing RPGs. I'm not even sure I'll break that rule for the next Dragon Age, Bioware was so disappointing lately they even made me quit Star Wars: The Old Republic, the only game that ever immersed me enough to make me want to RP and that nearly made me write fan fiction. Also the yuri romance on my main char there got irreversibly bugged, and considering it's an MMO with maybe hundreds of hours invested in that char, it was a hard pill to swallow.

Entirely natural. Otome are manifestly the best.

Stuck in a coffeehouse, having to wait for two hours for my gf, I've started reading Locked Heart on my tablet. Considering my experience so far, I'm starting to think I might be into Otome...

I will skip it like a stone then.

I thought it's pronounced similarly in Italian, or am I wrong? Exactly. I already mentioned it earlier in this thread, but I'll repeat myself: I think this route should've been used in a different VN. It's good by itself, and has some great moments, but considering the type of VN Grisaia is, it looks weird. Also, I like the alternative interpretation more (can't use spoilers on a phone, so I'll leave it at that).

Very true. The supernatural element is pretty hard to swallow (even if everything else in Grisaia isn't exactly realistic). The route itself is interesting if you get past it tho, and yes, after reading her route (and playing her story in Meikyuu), I found no difficulty in seeing how she could be a fan favorite. I kinda hated her at first (never too fond on stupid and loud characters myself), but now I love her to bits. I think it's a common opinion of Yumiko's route. I agree the route's not particularly exciting by itself, but I enjoyed it enough. Probably because that's the first route I read and Yumiko is my favorite girl. Her 'dere' is just too powerful. And I probably like her chemistry with Yuuji the most.

I don't think that detailed about the term, tbh. If it's not Japanese, it's "OELVN" in my head. To me that just means "Not Japanese VN." Perhaps that's kind of "elitist" of me. Incidentally I actually helped proofread this game, and from what I can recall, the English and Spanish versions were released at the same time, so in a sense it's still an "OELVN."

You mentioned Mass Effect and Dragon Age, you've played any M/M arcs in Inquisition or Andromeda? TBH Dorian's and Iron Bull's gay romances looked so good that I would've probably played through them at some point if the game wasn't so damn long. In Andromeda on the other hand, F/F Peebee romance was so laughably bad that I didn't even feel compelled to check out the other ones on YouTube. They've also made Jaal retroactively bisexual with a patch, I don't imagine that producing a compelling storyarc.

uh...like.... Enjoy your stay……hehehe… ...... ........seems like a creep..... Do I really need to elaborate?.....hehehe...... Wait...wrong expression...lemme change it コホン！ hehehe...... I am a creep Anyway, enjoy your stay!

... *Cough* Alright, let's just pretend this thread never got derailed, and post another summary! (/・ω・)/ Not a Cyclet game this time. This is a pretty fun trap nukige from Heat Soft, Aku Josou. (Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but let's face it, nothing I post in this thread is (/ω＼) ) I mean, you know exactly what you are buying by reading that summary, lol.

Nice review. OTL is such a great OELVN. Definitely worth a read, (or two, to make sure you understand everything! ) I'm a sucker for mysteries, so I was hooked from start to finish when I read this. (Phew, can't believe it's been well over a year since I read it.)

Yeah, that's precisely what I'm worried about. VN's rated around 8.5 or higher are often full of pseudo-intellectual bogus and whining, with an extra bonus for snail-pacing and repetitive time loops. For example, stuff like Subahibi is definitely the last thing I'd want to read, despite the high rating. Usually I have a better hit rate with VN's in the higher sevens or lower eights.

I haven't played it myself, but Edit: Sorry I didn't put spoiler on

Indeed, they proved what a DICK some people can be.

Super second this!!!!!!! This somehow reminds me of the titles of this guy's novels. (maybe unrelated, it's not even japanese, but it's really funny all the same)

I finally finished Grisaia no Kajitsu, every route and every ending. Michiru's route was hmmm interesting, though the supernatural elements out of the blue, not present anywhere else in the VN, feel at least a little bit odd. But hey, overall interesting story, pretty emotional, her backstory was great and she's a fair contender for best girl position As for Yumiko, to be honest I thought the story was somewhat boring, very similar to Makina's story but without all that made it exciting. The girl was sweet though, I must admit, but that's par for the course in Grisaia. Now I got a hold of Little busters! English edition and I'm replaying it for the good old feels. I think it was like 2 or 3 years ago when I played it for the first time, so most important points are still fresh in my mind, but who cares, quality is quality.

Oh geez, I'm so sorry man, I know the feel, trust me. This cheered me up tho.

First, I'll give you a quick run-down on this game... it is a game by 3rd Eye, a company known mostly for producing chuunige that are more moe-influenced than is the norm. This game is actually more of a mystery/chuuni/action/conspiracy type than a 'pure' chuunige. The world in which it is based is a future where, ten years before the story began, magic appeared on the scene. Large numbers of people became capable of using magic, and a new branch of science was built up solely for the purpose of utilizing magic as new energy source. The result of this is a society that is somewhat divided between the magical 'haves' and 'have-nots', though that isn't the focus of the story, despite what you might otherwise anticipate. The protagonists Senri Senri is your classic 'bad-ass antihero protagonist'. He is clever, intelligent, and overall highly capable, with a razor-sharp mind and battle instincts that would put a Navy Seal to shame and make Golgo 13 look incompetent. His cold-blooded pursuit of his own interests, which are very opaque through most of the VN, is his primary defining feature... Oh, and he lies... a lot. He makes the protagonist of Sharin no Kuni seem honest. Haruto Haruto is a somewhat less beloved type of protagonist in chuunige... basically a 'justice freak' combined with being 'a young man driven against his will by the tides of fate'. He is a natural optimist and a believer in fairness above all. Unfortunately, he also has that bad habit a lot of similar chuunige protagonists have... of sticking his nose into situations he doesn't really need to get involved in. He grows a great deal during the course of the VN (as is typical of this type, if the writers don't suck), and by the end his viewpoint on the world has... been sharpened a great deal by experience. He is more likeable than a lot of similar protagonists, but it still isn't a type I prefer. The Heroines Fiona Fiona, at first glance, seems to be your classic clutzy/innocent nun-type heroine. She works as a nun at a run-down church in the city's... less reputable area and is well-loved by the delinquents who frequent the church. However, she, like most of the characters in this game, is hiding a lot of secrets... She is one of Senri's two heroines. Noa An innocent, pure-hearted girl who is seen mostly as a ghost throughout the first part of the game. She has a really unique way of speaking, born partially from Senri's half-hearted efforts at education (mostly through handing her magazines and letting her watch AVs). To be honest, in the reading of this VN, interpreting her weird speech patterns was a bit difficult at first (she cuts apart words and puts them together in weird ways). She is the second of Senri's two heroines. Asahi Asahi is... a bit weird. Her personality itself is quite straightforward and honest, and she hates lies and general dishonesty with a passion. However, she is also compassionate to a fault and unwavering in the pursuit of her goals. Unfortunately - at least so it seems at first - there are a few loose screws rolling around in that head of hers. Even more so than Haruto, she is an eternal an unrepentant optimist and probably the single most trustworthy individual in the entire VN. Riku Riku is, throughout the VN, perhaps the least expressive individual other than Senri himself. She almost never displays her emotions on her face, and she has an almost unnatural tendency to think objectively about anything and everything, including herself. That the writer managed to grant her so much depth without making her a protagonist was an impressive feat in and of itself... and one of the reasons why her interactions with Haruto and Asahi are so amusing. She really is almost as detached as she seems most of the time, which is one of the reasons it hits so hard when she does become emotional. The VN Sorcery Jokers is definitely VN of the Month material. I'll say that right off the bat. The depth of the story and characters is incomparable with previous games by this company, and while it falls slightly short of a kamige, it is nonetheless something worth taking note of. Normally, I can't stand dual protagonists, as many have heard me mention. I hated Subahibi for that, amongst a number of other sins, and one of the biggest reasons it took me so long to play I/O was because I don't like going into VNs with multiple protags. Fortunately, I managed to get past that, simply because the differing approaches to the story were the only thing that made it possible to grasp something even approaching the whole of the story as it happened. A single perspective wouldn't have done a bit of good as an approach to this VN's story, simply because there are too many things happening at too many different points for a single perspective to handle. The VN's structure is basically that of a kinetic novel, with the illusion of choice through a flow chart (for the first chapter, at least) where you pick and choose which events you want to see next (though you have to see them all anyway). To be honest, I could have done without the flow chart entirely... flow charts in general are an irritation more than a help, especially if they are made a central part of progressing the story. That said, as the actual switching around mostly ends after the first chapter, it isn't really a big deal (though it does make me wonder why they had a flow chart at all). The story's mystery and conspiracy elements feel a lot like peeling an onion, as there are layers within layers within layers. What you thought was the root of things turns out to be just another layer, more than once. As things come together near the end, the knowledge you've gained through the character perspectives deepens the experience nicely, making this one of the few part-mystery VNs I've played in recent years that I didn't immediately have 'read' relatively early on. That isn't to say there aren't points where the VN stumbles. Haruto, because of his role as the 'kid chuunige protag', is the game's Achilles Heel, as all protagonists of the type with his kind of temperament tend to be. However, his growth is enough to offset the cookie-cutter aspects of his character enough that I approved of his role... in the end. Asahi also threatens to tilt the balance of the VN into the realm of the silly a lot early on, simply because of her 'weirdness'. However, because that silliness is a vital ingredient in her growth as a character, it can't really said to be a true weakness, though it can be irritating at times. The endings are all branches off of the true end, one for each heroine (Noa or Fiona with Senri, and Asahi or Riku with Haruto). I had no problems with the epilogues for Noa or Fiona... but I thought that Haruto had devolved a lot in his heroine epilogues, which kind of brought me back to why I didn't like him in the first place. Overall, I felt that this VN is one of the more solid chuunige made in the last few years, especially in the sense of 'balance'. Silverio Vendetta, while it is a lot more exhilarating, also had the difficulty of disproportionately focusing the writer's attention on Vendetta, which weakened the other two paths greatly. Bansenjin suffers from reusing an uninspiring cast and being relatively boring throughout most of its length. In terms of a constant sense of tension and in terms of pacing of events, this VN definitely is the winner of Chuunige VN of the Year so far, though it isn't chuuni-crack in the sense that Silverio was. I'm actually quite proud of the fact that this company has evolved so much since its somewhat... unimpressive beginnings (Bloody Rondo), and I'm glad I stuck with the company. It is always nice to be surprised pleasantly by a VN.

There’s no getting around it. If you’re looking to edit visual novels, at some point you’re going to have roll up your sleeves, put on the rubber gloves, and get elbow-deep in some H. The good news is that if you come prepared, practice your technique, and set some clear boundaries, it can be a pleasurable experience for both you and the reader. First, a disclaimer: I don’t like pineapple on my pizza, and I don’t like H-scenes in my VNs. It’s not a prudish thing; it’s a narrative thing. They’re rarely well crafted — you can feel all the hallmarks of the B-team being brought in to write them — and they almost never add plot/characterization that couldn’t have been handled better some other way. (I’ll pause here so you can mention Amane’s route from Grisaia, an exception that helps prove the rule.) Let’s be honest: they’re shoehorned in to help sell product. It’s built into the economics of the eroge genre. And honestly, that’s fine. I try to be sanguine about it and think of H-scenes as banner ads or TV commercials. They’re profit centers that help support the content I’m actually interested in. (I suspect more than a few developers feel the same way.) Long story short, H-scenes ain’t going anywhere. So how do we deal with them? Go in with a game plan. [Warning, there will be some NSFW language from this point forward. Sorry! It’s all part of seeing how the sausage is made.] 1. Do your research In raw translation, sex scenes from a Japanese visual novel tend to be far from erotic. More often than not, they read like an obsessively detailed transcript of a gynecological exam. That’s not because the Japanese writing team suddenly forgot they were supposed to be penning a passionate sex scene. It’s just that what’s erotic in one culture isn’t always as erotic in another. It’s your job (along with the translator) to help bridge that cultural divide and come up with something that feels faithful to the original, yet still sexy in English. Your first stop? Research. Read some English-language erotica so you can get a better sense of what works and what doesn’t. Sites like literotica.com even have stories broken out into fairly specific categories, so if you know you’ll be editing BDSM, threesome, and footjob scripts, you’ll have no problem finding what you need. (If you have all three in a single scene, you still might be in luck.) There’s also a category called “First Time,” which is more broadly useful, given how fixated many VNs are on virgins. Read, read, and read some more. Pay attention to the verbs, the nouns, the pacing. Try to quickly form a model of what makes a sex scene successful, then look to carry those techniques over to your VN script. 2. Pack a box lunch If you take nothing else away from this post, remember this: bring a big bag of dicks; you’ll need them. Better pack a few pussies while you’re at it. By the time you’ve edited your third or fourth H-script, you’ll find you’ve run dry of good synonyms for the male and female genitalia. In KoiRizo, the raw script mostly used the word "thing" for the protag’s package, which ended up sounding childish and/or ambiguous in English. (I only kept it in a few instances where such a reaction might be appropriate — for example, when the route partner catches her very first glimpse of Lil’ Protag: “Is that your ... thing?”). The remainder of the original script was a mix of the clinical ("my mucous membrane”) and the hilarious (“my soiled meat stick”). As for ladyparts, the original script relied heavy on metaphor and indirect reference — lots of openings, entrances, gates, doors, depths, special places, overflowing pots of nectar, etc. So what’s missing from the above? The common English erotica standbys: “dick” and “cock” for men, “pussy” for women. There’s a reason for that. KoiRizo complicated things by using the Japanese equivalents of these very sparingly, reserving them mainly for shock effect in dialogue — “e.g., OMG, she just said ‘cock!’ Things must be getting real.” Moreover, when these words were finally hauled out, the devs bleeped the VO and censored the text string (e.g., “p*ssy”). That meant it was very obvious when those words were being used and when they weren’t. All of which presented quite a challenge to the team: if we were to preserve those “shocking” character moments, we couldn’t use the most common English terms 99% of the time. And so, I fell back on a shortlist of alternate references: pole, rod, erection, hard-on, manhood, etc. By the time I was done editing, however, this list felt far too limited; those words were overused pencils worn down to their nubs. This is one of those areas where, in hindsight, I feel like I could have done a better job with KoiRizo. The takeaway: If I ever tackle a VN this H-heavy again — doubtful — I’ll come packing a much longer list of euphemisms. 3. Bring a raincoat Compared to its English counterpart, Japanese erotica seems downright obsessed with fluids: saliva, vaginal secretions, semen, urine — you name it. The look, the sound, the feel, the taste, the smell, the volume. You’ll be describing a lot of liquids in a lot of ways, so get ready to break out the thesaurus. And an umbrella. 4. Embrace the improbable Let’s admit it: VN sex is over-the-top ridiculous. In a matter of seconds, sheepish virgins turn into seasoned pornstars, cramming 20 orgasms and 40 positions into a quickie broom closet hookup. (Oh so much cramming.) This is the nature of the genre, so don’t fight it; embrace it. Trying to force realism onto a typical H-scene would be like trying to force realism onto a Dragon Ball Z fight: everyone still looks constipated, but no one’s having any fun. If you’re that desperate to edit sadly mundane sex scenes, wait for the VN version of Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs to come out. Till then, work with what you have. I remember a tiny dustup a while back when another TL team supposedly wrote lubricant into an H-scene because they felt the acts described would be difficult or painful without it. It’s a minor thing, but if the original writer left the lube out, I’m inclined to do so too. These portions of the script are wish fulfillment at their best/worst, so just leave them be. Except ... 5. Reject the impossible ... Except when the improbable becomes the impossible. More often than not, this is either the result of a mistranslation or an error by the original writers. (As an example of the latter, KoiRizo was haunted by an entity we dubbed “phantom Riho.” A couple of times, the devs would forget they were writing another girl’s scene and use Riho’s name for a line or two instead. We fixed this in our version, but still ...) Anyway, as editor, it’s your job to keep an eye out for the impossible. Is the protag’s penis simultaneously in someone’s vagina, anus, mouth, and ear? Did the heroine’s hymen suddenly regenerate? (Starfish Girl is mah waifu!) Did a corded vibrator suddenly become a battery-operated one? Ask to have the TL double-checked and, if that still doesn’t resolve the issue, use your best judgement to fix the error while causing minimal disruption to the surrounding lines. 6. Set your limits This is important. Know what you’re comfortable with going into a project and make those boundaries abundantly clear. Some VNs can venture into very unpleasant territory — rape, abuse, gore, catgirls, etc. — and it’s best to ask yourself up front if you could, in good conscience, commit to editing that sort of content. Set your limits early on, then make sure your team’s fully aware of them. 7. Have a sense of humor At the end of the day, VNs are entertainment. Unless you’re editing Saya no Uta 2: Vom Harder, it’s probably okay to approach your H-scripts with a subtle sense of play. A decent chunk of your audience will either be fast-forwarding through these scenes outright, or paying far more attention to the visuals than the script. So think of these times as exhibition games in your script editing schedule. They’re opportunities to spread your wings a little bit, try a few stylistic experiments — maybe even slip in a sly joke or two. And even if everything doesn’t quite work, we’ll still respect you in the morning.