Clephas

No, though it starts like a dark nukige.

It starts out with a slave girl in a world full of monsters. She fell into that world as a black-haired, black-eyed Japanese girl, but her experiences there turned her hair white... And when she meets the King, she steals his immortality by accident, which causes her to go through hell before setting out on a journey across the centuries.

I'm surprised... it is one of the few really really dark games I've played through completely. I would have thought you would have devoured it single-mindedly by now.

What? No Mugen Renkan?

I felt like giving a you all a preview of the first quarter of 2018, after reading this blog post: I generally choose to refrain from posts like this that cover the future of an entire year, but I feel that I have a good grasp on what is coming out over the next three months that is worth paying attention to, based on my own experiences. Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vol. 4 This is something to look forward to for anyone who has liked this series so far... more assassin action based in the same universe as Kajitsu and the others. Yorite Konoha wa Kurenai ni Let's get something straight... I don't have an absolute faith in Lump of Sugar as a company. If anything, their work over the last five years has proven to me that this is one of the least predictable moege companies out there. For every great VN they make, they make at least two games (usually three) that are pure crap or mediocre. The reason I keep going back to this company is for experiences like Hello,Goodbye, Tayutama (the original, not the sequel), and Sekai to Sekai no Mannaka de. This game looks like it is based in the far future of the same universe as Tayutama, where coexistence between humans and the spiritual beings have stabilized somewhat (based on the content from the Getchu page). As such, I'm willing to give this the benefit of th doubt, despite the somewhat sour experience I got from Tayutama 2. Sora no Baroque So far, Light has yet to produce a bad game. I have no reason to think this game, another work from Light's more prolific second team, will be an exception. For chuunige fans, this is the game to pay attention to for the first part of the year. Chuuni Hime no Teikoku With a scenario team that was involved with both the original Love Kami (the later games had a different set of writers) and Haruka ni Aogi, Uruwashi no, this is definitely a VN that will be worth looking at, despite being the first work of a new company. Of course, it could end up being delayed for the seventh time... it wouldn't surprise me at this point. Shin Koihime Musou Kakumei Son Go no Ketsumyaku (note: The title used on vndb is incorrectly romanized) Originally planned for a release this upcoming summer, this game has been moved forward to February. Like the release of Gi's rewritten route this past summer, we can look forward to a nicely reworked version of the original Go route from Shin Koihime Musou, which was already an excellently-written work. Hataraku Otona no Ren'ai Jijou 2 This is worth noting because this series (of which this is the third game, despite the numbering) is one of the few non-nukige VNs out there that is set outside a school, and the previous games were enjoyable experiences. Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteiru Mitsu no Kiraboshi (note: again, what is with the shitty romanizations on new entries on vndb of late?) This is the third game in the Otoboku series, a third game made over seven years after the second, which was a kamige. Caramel Box has been a lot less prolific in the last few years than it was, so I was gleeful to find a new release by them coming up so soon. Unjou no Fairy Tail A new VN based in the same universe as Hoshi no Tsukurikata, meaning that we can look forward to yet more antics in a dystopian steampunk setting. Kieta Sekai to Tsuki to Shoujo This is the game for fans of Japanese horror mysteries to pay attention to this quarter. A dark-looking game about a young man who has returned to his hometown, only to find the people around him disappear one by one. Butterfly Seeker A new game by Silky's Plus. I am unsure if I want to hold out hopes for this game, as the writer is mostly an unknown, though he has worked for Liar-soft in the past.

On request, I'm making up this list. These aren't necessarily on my absolute favorites list (check my blog for that one), but many of them are among my favorites. These span most of the genres I've played, with the notable exception of nukige (I'll leave that for the true connoisseurs of the genre). Feel free to argue with me. This is my opinion, based on my overall impressions of these games as a whole. This is not in a specific order, since I don't have an absolute favorite VN. This list is restricted solely to untranslated games, so ones that made it into my favorites list that are translated - such as Dies Irae, Ayakashibito, Tokyo Babel, and Tsukihime, are excluded. On the other hand, I am including some that have planned translations, simply because I feel no reason to trust that they will actually ever be finished, lol. Evolimit- There are a number of reasons to choose this, and any other work by Propeller before its main crew disbanded (in other words, everything after Tokyo Babel sucks). The biggest one, though, is that it is a chuunige kamige. This is one of the few games I give the maximum rating for a reason. The story is great, the characters are awesome, and the setting is fascinating. If you like science fantasy, heroic characters, and fascinating antagonists, this is a great VN. Nanairo Reincarnation- This was VN of the Year, 2014, for good reason. Like many kamige, there is a sense that this VN is much greater than the sum of its parts... and the parts are pretty good, at that. This is a fantasy mystery-horror VN with a side of comedy, slice-of-life, and nakige elements. It startles you, it makes you cry, it makes you laugh, it warms your heart, and it engages your mind. What more could you want from a VN? Hapymaher- VN of the Year, 2013. This competed with Komorebi no Nostalgica for the title, and that competition was tight. It is slated for a translated release, but from the looks of it, the translation isn't going to do the game justice. This game is a somewhat psychedelic fantasy nakige, where you spend most of your time following the protagonist and the other characters as they walk through a dreamscape, trying to find a way back to waking life... while the protagonist is never quite sure if he wants to wake up. It is worthy to mention that this game currently holds my title for the number one original soundtrack of all the visual novels I've played, as well as the music direction (placement of the BGMs in scenes). Some say the story loses out to the music, but that is a matter of opinion, lol. Komorebi no Nostalgica- This is an emotionally and intellectually powerful science fiction (not science fantasy) VN based in a world where in the past self-aware AIs fought humanity for their freedom and won. Now they coexist with humanity, and an entire generation has grown up seeing AI self-determination as being a matter of common sense. This game tackles issues of AI human emulation with both heart and intelligence, and the end result is a VN that is intellectually stimulating and emotionally satisfying. Tiny Dungeon (series)- It should be mentioned that the art for these games is retro/behind the times, and this entire series was carried by the genius of its writer. This is a fantasy series about a young man named Hime struggling against fate as he tries to choose the best outcome for his friends. The most powerful element of this game is the characters' growth across the games (each of the games is a story arc based on heroine choice and the resulting fate, save for the fourth game, which is the final episode of the main series). This series is well-written, strongly emotional, frequently hilarious, and definitely worth reading. Haruka ni Aogi, Uruwashi no- Written in the era in which nakige were at their peak, this is perhaps the single best nakige to come out of that time. Many VNs have attempted to imitate it, using more modern art styles in futile attempts to match this VN's quality, but they have universally failed, the narrative never even approaching this game. This is a story of mutual salvation, between the protagonist, a teacher, and his students (the heroines), as they strive against a world that seeks to crush them beneath the weight of their own experiences and fates. Kitto, Sumiwataru Asairo yori mo- For those not into chuunige, this VN is usually the absolute best VN ever produced by Propeller. With the now-legendary Shumon Yuu writing this highly emotional, strange story, it is no surprise that those who read this game to the very end tend to come out singing its praises. Unfortunately, like a lot of games by Shumon Yuu, getting into it in the first place is something of a hurdle, though, lol. Harumade, Kururu- Beginning as a comedy nukige, this game shifts rapidly into a much stranger genre (won't spoil it for you). This game frequently makes you go wtf, from the beginning all the way to the end, but as a whole it leaves you strangely satisfied... if you can get past the first chapter, lol. Ninety percent of the people who try to read this game drop it before the first chapter is over, but those who get past the first chapter will find out why it was done that way fairly quickly, since what comes after wouldn't be a good intro to what is going on by itself, lol. Karenai Sekai to Owaru Hana- It should be noted that the reader shouldn't seek for the setting as a whole to make sense. This is a game of feels, not logic... and immense feels they are. If you have a heart, you will spend most of this game crying, for the heroines, the protagonist... and all the denizens of that world. The sweet and cheery side shown on the surface barely conceals the despair and broken lives and hearts beneath. Houkago no Futekikakusha- Despite its flawed setting, I've never encountered a 'hard' utsuge so perfectly orchestrated to prevent the numbness that is usually born during the progression of such games. The horror of what is going is unrelenting... salvation brutally torn away, love broken in despair. Konata yori Kanata made- It should be mentioned that anyone who spoils any aspect of this game should be crucified, for the sake of everyone around them. That said, I will go so far as to say that this is a classic 'soft' utsuge that has gone unmatched to this day. The utter humanity of the characters in this game, the deep love, the compassion, the kindness, and the suffering... Despite having played this three times in the past, it still hits me like a stone from a catapult every time. Bullet Butlers- It should be noted that Bullet Butlers, until recently, was unique amongst VNs for having a fantasy setting with orcs, elves, dragons, and demon gods, yet also possessing firearms, movie noir style detectives with tommy guns, and zombies. Just the fact that the writer managed to balance so many disparate elements without making them feel off is impressive, but that he did so while writing a powerful story with fascinating characters is all the more impressive. Chrono Belt- This is the only fandisc on this list, with good reason. Despite being a fandisc, this game is almost more impressive than the original material (Ayakashibito and Bullet Butlers), in that it not only brought two immensely popular antagonists forward as new protagonists (Kuki-sensei and Alfred), but it also shoved them into the other's setting and linked them together in a way that was, within the bounds of the setting, believable. It was also just flat out cool to watch Kuki-sensei fighting an army of dragons, orcs, elves, and humans... and winning. Jingai Makyou- I debated with myself on whether to include this game. To be honest, Nitroplus's early works just haven't aged well, and this one is no exception. However, in the end, I had to include this, as one of the three games from Nitroplus worthy of this list. Jingai Makyou follows a young man who literally possesses no heart and only weak emotions in his interactions with a horrific underworld of non-humans, most of which want to eat him (literally). Muramasa- It should be noted that this was the VN where Nitroplus's love of infodumping was perhaps the most ubiquitous outside of Hanachirasu. It is also frequently opaque early on, to the point of frustration. However, as dark chuunige go, there are few that even approach this in quality. Bloody, merciless, and morally ambiguous at all times, this game is a fun ride, if you don't mind that it is devoid of anything resembling a good ending. Tokyo Necro- I was tempted to ignore this one, despite it being my VN of the Year 2016. The reason? I hate zombies, and zombies are portrayed in all their gruesome glory... and in the most horrifying way possible in this game. In this world, technology has allowed humanity to raise and control the dead, the more skilled necromancers managing to retain the dead's intelligence and skill, and even modifying their bodies with various... 'mechanical wonders' as necessary. The story in this game is twisted and frequently confusing, the characters are almost devoid of admirable qualities (other than the true heroine), and I found myself wondering if anything good would ever emerge in the future after the game ended. However, it is undeniable that this game's story is a work of art, despite the writer's lack of taste in subject matter. Otome ga Tsumugu, Koi no Canvas- One of the few charage on this list... and for good reason. Most charage simply aren't good enough to be something you should play before you die, lol. This game is a trap protagonist VN based in a town revolving around art. The protagonist has a lot of personal issues, but they all revolve around art and his own attitude toward it... and how that attitude involves the heroines. Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteiru Futari no Elder- Yes, yet another trap protagonist. It should be noted that I do not recommend the original game. This game is a rare charage kamige, and it should be treated as an entity unto itself. There is little that can be said about games like this except play it. Floral Flowlove- This game competes with Hatsuyuki Sakura - and wins - for the best VN made by Saga Planets. For raw quality, this game and Hatsuyuki are almost even, but Hatsuyuki's flaws drag it down just enough to make it a win for Flowlove. Hatsuyuki Sakura- Hatsuyuki Sakura was the first VN by Saga Planets I played. Sometimes a nakige, sometimes light horror, and sometimes a mystery, this VN was one of the more unusual experiences of my early days reading untranslated VNs. I can honestly say I don't remember every detail of this game (it has been half a decade, after all), but I remember the points I liked most... and what pissed me off about it, lol. Bradyon Veda- This game's biggest flaw is that it is so hard to read, lol. That said, this is a rare hard science fiction game hiding behind a fantastical setting. In fact, the concepts (theoretical physics, chemistry, etc) require so much preexisting knowledge that I doubt most people will get half of what is going on. However, the action in this game is great and the story is fascinating. Too bad that it is so hard to read, lol. Abyss Homicide Club- This game is worth mentioning, despite the fact that its artwork is equally as dated as Tsukihime. A dark, horrific story with a series of mysteries and layers of lies between you and the truth... it is definitely worth reading if you like this kind of thing, though it should be mentioned that this game's setting is as unbelievable as that of the Secret Game/Killer Queen series. Kikan Bakumatsu Ibun Last Cavalier- VN of the Year, 2015. While this was the single weakest VN of the Year I've ever chosen (2015 was a poor year for VNs, overall) it was the single best release of that year, in my mind. This story is based in an alternate Japan, where mystic stones turn women barren in exchange for immensely increased physical and mental capabilities. It follows an alternate Okita and Shinsengumi through a Bakumatsu era warped by mysticism and steampunk elements. Akeiro Kaikitan- Based in the same setting as Nanairo Reincarnation, this story follows a young man who attracts supernatural beings like a magnet but has no defenses against them as he tries to deal with murderous ghosts infesting his school's old campus. With endings ranging from shocking in their excess of sorrow to gentle in their endless kindness, this is a game that draws on your emotions, plucking them like strings. Koisuru Otome to Shugo no Tate- One of the first 'classic' VNs I've played and my intro into AXL's art and style of creation. This duology is interesting as being typical of what is best about AXL as a company (excellent settings, solidly developed characters, and a story worth reading). Since AXL's style for its serious games and the level of quality is relatively identical compared to other companies, I should mention that playing this, Ou no Mimi, or any of their other serious titles will give you a similar experience, if with different emphasis. Inochi no Spare- Making a 'hard' utsuge satisfying is difficult, but sometimes, as in this case, they manage it. Inochi no Spare is a masterfully oriented trip through the characters' own personal version of hell, and the catharsis that comes from reading this the first time is immensely satisfying. Love Kami (the original game)- No, I don't mean those shitty later games focused on kami idols that came out over the last few years. I mean the game from over six years ago that focused on the first co-ed school for the gods of Japan and humans. As an intro to some of the concepts from Shinto, this is an excellent choice, and it also happens to be one of the single best charage in existence. Too bad the sequels are so... not. Tsuisou no Augment- This is a game and its FD as well (same name, different kanji). Honestly perverted, almost constantly hilarious, and frequently hard-hitting emotionally, this game that begins with the protagonist committing suicide in his old age by plunging a kitchen knife through his own throat is one of the more memorable reads I've come across over the years. Vermilion Bind of Blood- The most solid title by Light's second team, a kamige focusing on the vampires of a fictional city called Foggy Bottom in the modern US. It is a dark, violent glimpse into the life of a vampire who, just by being who he is, defies the expectations of those around him, even as he seeks to fit in, as the Guardian of vampiric law in the city. Tenshi no Hane o Fumanaide- Sometimes referred to as the 'title by Shumon Yuu that almost doesn't feel like it was written by Shumon Yuu' this is a fantasy title about a world where god is not only known to exist, but he regularly grants miracles that change the very fabric of reality through chosen humans he takes to his side on a yearly basis. This game takes a hard look at the Christian and Gnostic views of Deus, as well as self-determination as a philosophy. Typical of Shumon Yuu, the characters have their own answers, but you are left wondering whether he agrees with any of them. Semiramis no Tenbin- This game is remarkable for two things (other than its excellent story), its brutally honest portrayal of the essential flaws in Japanese law and society and the uniqueness of its heroines. This is a game full of psychological manipulation, moral ambiguity, and philosophical questions about the fragility of absolutes. Minamijuujisei Renka- The third charage on this list, remarkable for its funny and interesting characters (as is appropriate in a charage) and the excellent heroine paths, this game shows off the largest non-nukige VN genre at its best. Natsuiro Recipe- A rare 'gentle and sweet' VN, based in a backwoods community in Japan. It is a perfect choice for a reader looking for a healthy, soft, and warmhearted read. Kaminoyu- The first thing that needs to be mentioned about this game is that there are no human heroines in this game. It is also a well-written mild romance that manages to be interesting without being excessively complex. Baldr Sky Dive games- These science-fiction third-person action/VNs are notable for being the masterpiece works of Team Baldrhead at its best. They present a dark, thoughtful picture of a dystopian future, where the unification of humanity into a single world state and the advancement of technology has only served to emphasize the ruin humanity has brought upon itself... Baldry Sky Zero- A side story told in a parallel version of the same time period and universe as the Sky Dive games, it is a brutally honest look at how humans can dehumanize one another and themselves, given the chance... and again, how technological advancement is not always a good thing. Ikusa Megami Zero- A grand story that covers centuries, following Serika in his journey from a paladin of the god of storms and adventurers to the legendary Godslayer. This is perhaps one of the three most well-written jrpgs I've ever played, as well as an excellent VN. Sakura, Sakimashita- A science-fiction story about a distant future where humanity has found the secret of immortality... and an asteroid threatens to destroy Earth. Suddenly, the tokoshie (meaning 'eternals') must face certain death. As immortals doomed to die, how shall the characters choose to live??? Gin'iro Haruka- A romance story of immense length and incredible quality covering a decade of the characters' lives. Few visual novels can match this game for character development, romance, or character growth. Kamikaze Explorer- A 'representative' of the Clochette's story-focused charage. Anyone who likes a good story in a VN or likes charage should try this one. Hikoukigumo no Mukougawa- If it weren't for Mishio Eiri's path, I wouldn't be considering this game for this list... but Mishio's path has a force of its own that definitely pushes this into the area of being a 'must play' VN. Akatsuki no Goei series- Say what you want about this series and the writer's bad habits, it is definitely worth playing. Highly amusing, sometimes brutal, and strangely dystopian, this is definitely a world and a set of characters worth experiencing. Reminiscence- Setting aside links to the Akagoei series, this game would be worth putting here on its own... and in particular for the fact that it has the best little sister path I've ever seen in a VN. Soreyori no Prologue- This is Minori's token entry on this list and the game I found to be the most tolerable amongst their lineup. Really, feel free to play any game in this company's lineup... you won't see much of a difference between them, in retrospect. Shirogane no Soleil- The first game and introduction to the heavily Norse Mythology influenced Soleil series. While its art, story, and characters are somewhat retro by modern standards, this game's quality still shines through even today. Izuna Zanshinken- I almost didn't add this VN to the list, but there is literally no other VN in existence that can take this one's place. This is the story about a vigilante assassin associated with a yakuza group, making examples of villains with the sword and the claw. Re:Birth Colony- A dystopian sci-fi based in a post-apocalyptic arcology with a highly stratified society. There are so many reasons to play this and none not to. Bokura no Sekai ni Shukufuku o- This place could go to Sakura Iro Quartet or Otomimi Infinity, but I chose this one for accessibility amongst the three shining stars of the mimikko revolution! Sanzen Sekai Yuugi- The sole otomege on this list and the only one I have read (of about two dozen) that completely escapes the sin of Damsel-in-Distress Syndrome (otherwise known as DIDS). Sengoku Koihime X- This place could be taken by Shin Koihime Musou as well, but I picked this one. Baseson's feminized historical revisionism at its best!

Sadly, until Otomege writers toss aside the DID Syndrome, their appeal will always be narrow, even amongst females.

This is the list, as it currently stands, of VNs being considered and those previously considered but disqualified for VN of the Year 2017. While this year hasn't been good for producing kamige, it has succeeded in producing a number of memorable ones. Being Considered Ojou-sama no Hanbun wa Ren'ai de Dekiteimasu Oni ga Kuru. ~Ane ga Hinshi de Pinchi Desu~ Haruru Minamo ni Suisei Ginka Additions from 12/30/2017 Bakumatsu Jinchuu Houkoku Resshiden Miburo Yami to Hikari no Sanctuary Aoi Tori Kanojo wa Imouto de Tenshi de Eliminated/disqualified candidates/Runners-up Silverio Trinity (Disqualified for being a direct sequel incapable of standing on its own) Shin Koihime Musou -Kakumei- (ditto to above... with the addendum that it is also a remake) Hataraku Otona no Ren'ai Jijou (realistically, this VN just hits my sweet spot and really isn't VN of the Year material) Fuyu Uso (similar to Trinity and Koihime) Hikari no Umi no Apeiria (funny, interesting, but ultimately falls short) Additions from 12/30/2017 Kin'iro Loveriche (fun, good feels, but not quite there) Kizuna Kirameku Koi Iroha (great first job by a new company, but it isn't a finalist) Junjou Karen Freaks (funny fantasy with mimikko, but not quite there) Bokura no Sekai no Shukufuku o (great nakige, great story, but not a finalist)

November 2017 I delayed this one so I could get fun2novel's input on Yurameku Kokoro ni Michita Sekai de, Kimi no Yume to Yokubou wa Kanau ka (As he put it, this game is boring as hell and spends way too much time implying things without actually doing anything). While November had some surprisingly great leases (Kizuna Kirameku being primary amongst those), Aoi Tori was the only conceivable winner for the VN of the Month, November 2017. December 2017 You might think me a bit premature, naming a winner before I played Koi ni, Kanmi or Natural Vacation... but I'll be straight with you when I state that the latter, from the samples I played, is nowhere near the quality of the main two candidates for the month (Miburo and Loveriche). The latter... I'm just not interested in (yet another sweets shop charage... why are there so many of those, especially on VNs simultaneously released in English and Japanese?). It was a straight-out competition between Miburo and Loveriche this time around. I briefly considered disqualifying Miburo, on the grounds that it is a sequel, but it can stand on its own nicely without being propped up by its predecessors, so I went ahead and considered it. Loveriche, for all that it isn't the best Saga Planets game (that's a competition between Flowlove and Hatsuyuki), is still one of the better games released this year. In the end, I concluded that Bakumatsu Jinchuu Houkoku Resshiden Miburo was the stronger release, if only by a hair. Akane as a heroine and the lack of Ayaka as a heroine were the two negative elements that pushed Loveriche below Miburo after the foreshadowing issue and Miburo's historical infodumping cancelled one another out. So is decided the December 2017 VN of the Month.

Akane would have been fine, if this were your standard charage. However, in this particular game, she was out of place. One of the attractions of the heroines in this story is the way they are all interlinked with both the protagonist and one another. Akane is the exception... and her character development is by far the weakest as a result. I honestly don't understand why they made her a locked heroine.

This is the latest release by Saga Planets, the makers of Hatsuyuki Sakura and Natsuyume Nagisa. This, like many of the games by this company, is an emotional game that sort of edges around being a straight-out charage, though it can't really be called a story-focused or a true nakige. This kind of genre ambiguity is common to this company's better works, so in that sense, it probably wasn't a bad choice, overall. First, I should say I skipped Akane's path. I played the first three heroine paths and enjoyed them, but Akane's path was so... cliched that I had to skip it after the midpoint. I was also impatient to get to Ria's path, lol. Anyway, this game begins with Ichimatsu Ouro, the protagonist, encountering the princess of a fictional north-European superpower, and her dragging him to a school for elites as a result. I'll be straight with you about this... disregard the getchu page info entirely. Even the best of the info there is misleading, probably deliberately. Anyway, Ouro, who was looking to get away from his life anyway, takes advantage of entering the new school, getting along with Sylvia, Elle (Sylvia's bodyguard), Rena (a friendly fashionista who is also Sylvia's friend), and Ria (a smoker and delinquent girl he meets on the rooftop) while managing to gradually make his own niche at a school mostly full of rich people. Now, it needs to be said... there should have been an Ayaka path in this game. Ayaka is a snarky little ass at the beginning, but she would have made a great heroine. Moreover, it was rather obvious that the writer wanted her to be one (there are lots of elements that could turn her deredere at a moment's notice), so I'm expecting an FD with an Ayaka route, later, lol. Getting back to the rest of the game (I'm writing this at nine in the morning, after not sleeping to finish it), Sylvia's path is easily the strongest of the three heroines that are available from the beginning. Part of this is because of her generally affectionate nature, part of it is because of her position in life (Princess with insanely loyal followers), and part of it is because she is just that great of a character in general. Her path actually has two different endings, depending on whether you've seen Ria's ending or not. The second ending is basically an additional epilogue based several years after the end of the story, and it is obvious to see why you needed to see it only after seeing Ria's ending. Elle... is the classic straight-laced heroine that goes insanely deredere once she falls in love. I honestly enjoyed her path immensely, even as I felt they were stretching credulity a bit with some of the twists and turns (based on Elle's personality, I honestly couldn't see her making some of the choices she did, even with Sylvia's encouragement). Nonetheless, if you want to see a seemingly hard-edged woman go all soft and mushy, this is a great path. Rena... is the classic 'close friends suddenly become lovers' path. The beginning of their romantic relationship is hilarious and the lead up into the ending is excellent, with a perfect epilogue, given the path they chose in life. I will say that this is the only path where the protagonist stands up to his recent past in its entirety, so in that sense, it is perhaps the most complete of the paths up to this point. Ria's path... is the game's main path. Ria herself is not much of a delinquent... for all that she is foul-mouthed and a smoker, she is at the same time kind-hearted and very much at ease with the protagonist after a few initial bumps. However, for her path... this is the path that threatens to define this game as a nakige... with good reason. If you paid attention to the extensive foreshadowing in the other heroine paths, you will probably be able to figure out what the core crisis of this path is, but this is also the path where Ouro shows himself at his best, right to the very end. Now, I need to go into Ouro, which I normally would have done first. Ouro is mostly your average guy... save for the fact that he is insanely thoughtful and good in a crisis. However, what is stronger about him is that he generally knows when he is at his limit and finds someone to lean on at the right times, without going all dependent and whiny. That said, I really, really, really wish they hadn't made him of average-level intelligence and lazy when it comes to studying. That particular trope is one I wish they'd chop up then wash down the drain in pieces, forever. Overall, this is an enjoyable game... the foreshadowing for Ria's path is a bit excessive, Akane's path was unnecessary, and this game needed an Ayaka path... However, this was still a fun game to play. I left this game behind with a feeling of satisfaction, and, if I still keep going back to wanting an Ayaka path (yes, I do), I'm sure Saga Planets will eventually oblige, lol. Edit: I should also mention that the reason Akane's path is not enjoyable is primarily because it doesn't 'fit'. It doesn't fulfill a need the others don't, and Akane herself pales compared to the other heroines. Worse, she is the only girl with a sprite who doesn't fit into that close 'circle' they have going, so there is almost no development of her character outside her own path. In addition to Ayaka, this game could have also used a Mina path, if only because Mina (Sylvia's little sister) is so obviously on the edge of falling for the protagonist anyway in several of the paths... in the sense that a woman who loves 'reforming' men falls in love with one of her projects, lol.

Something you have to understand with lists like this one... updating them is a pain in the ass. I don't think Fata Morgana was in English the last time he updated, and Wagamama is about as average as a charage can get. Wings... well, the people that like it love it, the rest of us dislike it intensely.

男の娘 *blinks and looks innocent*

Sex robots will appear first, and they will gradually combine them with bio-engineered materials to make them more lifelike... and then all of the sudden, the new slave race will be there one day. I did say that it was a 'veneer' of morality, didn't I?

It'll be decades before corporate brainwashing destroys people's veneer of morality enough to allow for the creation of new sub-species of humans. Even then, only the rich will be able to afford the living love dolls, lol.

Yes. All Soleil games with gameplay can skip the gameplay if you have the 100% clear file.

I do recommend you play Chaos Region first, since Blade X Bullet is most closely linked with certain characters in that one. Also, Chaos Region goes into the most detail about the weird way in which bits and pieces of the original Asgard universe have been spread all over the place.

Chaos Region has a gender-bending protagonist who has a seriously wide variety of h-scenes based on whether s/he is female or male at the time.

mmm... nobody? I don't actively try to hide it, but there really isn't anyone around me interested in this kind of thing. Edit: I have mentioned it to others in the past, but the only people in the area that actually know what I mean are the people I lend my physical copies to... about two-thirds of my collection is circulating through the metro area at any given time. Edit2: If I didn't circulate them like that, they'd be taking up too much space... I also started lending out my rpg collections a few year back, to interested people. Sometimes I don't get them back, but I always take a deposit on the rare ones so I can buy another copy.

Edit: I should note that Last Cavalier is more attractive mainly because it has some really interesting variations on history's flow based on who you save. In particular, I recommend checking out Sakuma's path and Sakamoto's path, because those two dramatically alter history's flow. Sakuma was a scientist in the truest sense, and a lot of history speculators think that if he hadn't died so early on, Japan's modernization would have been hurried by at least a decade. Ryouma, on the other hand, was something of a genius at getting people to agree with one another, and his assassination is said to have been the death of all possibility of a peaceful solution to the problems between the Tokugawa supporters and anti-Shogunate powers.

Best imouto route ever is Aki from Reminiscence... After that... https://vndb.org/v18790 https://vndb.org/v11569 https://vndb.org/v3938 https://vndb.org/v21523 https://vndb.org/v21495 https://vndb.org/v10958 https://vndb.org/v6411 https://vndb.org/v15143 https://vndb.org/v12984 https://vndb.org/v18141 https://vndb.org/v15871 https://vndb.org/v13630 https://vndb.org/v4942 https://vndb.org/v19372 https://vndb.org/v3746

I'll be honest, I am also not at peace with the way they didn't change most of the characters' historical fates, especially since some of those fates are truly nasty/tragic. The excessive historical detail of the events after Ikeda-ya and the Kinmon no Hen were more than a little bit of a headache, since it felt like they were trying to shove too many details into the story. Kikan Bakumatsu Ibun handled things in a way that I found more interesting, though it was radically tilted toward the fantasy steampunk stuff.

Mmm... it is relatively rare for me to run across this type of thing and actually enjoy it, but... https://vndb.org/v9175 The black-haired one is a trap, and that company specializes in trap heroines and imouto stuff. https://vndb.org/v10238 One trap heroine here.

It's an abomination, sadly. Even setting aside censorship, the translation and the grammar of the writing is pure shit. It feels at times like it was written by a third-grader. Edit: The original material was great though.

This is the third game in the series that began with Chuusingura (please don't judge that particular work by the utterly shitty translation). I do highly recommend that you play both Chuusingura and Bushi no Kodou before you play this game, because it is necessary to fully understand some of the events that occur (particularly in the true Hijikata ending). First, a bit of background about the Bakumatsu period. Essentially, after Admiral Perry forced open Japan with the threat of his cannons, the Bakufu (also known as the Tokugawa Shogunate), was forced to sign the usual set of unequal treaties Western nations forced on Eastern ones with less advanced tech during that period of history. Japan's peculiar double-headed political structure at the time, with the Emperor 'lending' his authority to the Shogun of the time in order to rule Japan and the then-emperor's stated wish for the exclusion of foreigners lent anti-Tokugawa factions and ambitious feudal lords the justification they needed (mostly to convince their followers) to start moving against the Bakufu. This was made worse when one of these factions succeeded in assassinating Chancellor Ii, who directed the political purges and authoritarian political moves of the Bakufu immediately following Perry's actions. This gave others the idea to do similar things to anyone they saw as supporting the Bakufu, and Kyouto became the center of a bloody series of assassinations of officials and merchants who sided with the existing authority or benefited from foreign contacts. The Aizu Clan, which was given the authority and rather nasty job of bringing peace to Kyouto, recruited ronin (masterless samurai) in order to form a police force that would capture or execute the other ronin making trouble in the city. This resulted in the formation of the Roushigumi, which later became the Shinsengumi seen in Hakuoki, Peacemaker Kurogane, and the Rurounin Kenshin OVAs (Saitou Hajime in the main series was also a member). Historically, the Shinsengumi, despite having suffered a number of internal disputes and factional splits in the years leading up to the fall of the Bakufu, were amongst the few who fought to the end against the new government, and Hijikata Toshizou's final death and his death poem are one of the most incredibly romanticized objects amongst samurai-loving weaboos of the classic stripe. Some left-leaning history buffs in Japan blame the romanticization of the Shinsengumi and the characters from Chuusingura for the intense rise in nationalism and insane glorification of samurai culture that occurred leading up to WWII. Now down to business... it should be stated that this game is about fifteen times more violent than Chuusingura was. The protagonist and other members of the Shinsengumi killed people on a daily basis with swords in broad daylight, and they don't really hold back when it comes to portraying that. This game is also just as long as Chusingura (maybe slightly longer) was, despite being essentially one long path for most of its length (with about a third of it devoted to individual paths). This is because the story covers about six years worth of chaotic events, both political and personal. Going into this game with a full knowledge of the fates of the Shinsengumi members, I couldn't help but wish some of their fates would be changed (hint: of the original membership, only Saitou Hajime and Shinpachi live to see old age), and there are a lot of characters I honestly wept for... no matter what game I see him/her in, Sakamoto Ryouma is always an admirable character and seeing the pointless deaths of a number of clear-eyed individuals with an eye toward the future is just as bad. However, this game follows history to the end in the Hijikata path and for most of the game otherwise... and while the Shinsengumi might be cultural icons now, their lives were colored with blood and tragedy. There are four main paths, three side-paths (paths for heroines that die or are otherwise separated from the main cast for some reason), and one true path (Hijikata Ending 2). The main paths include Okita Souji, Kondou Isami, Hajime Saitou, and Hijikata Toshizou. Okita's path... well, if you've seen any of the many anime (except Gintama) where he pops up, you'll know what I mean when I say it ends on a sad and somewhat empty note. Kondou Isami's path is marginally better (if you know about Kondou's historic fate, it is nice to see it changed). Saitou's path is significantly better and more detailed, as are the three side-paths (which is somewhat ironic). Hijikata's paths are, of course, the most complete-feeling and satisfying, though the first one left me in tears for a solid ten minutes. This game does have some major flaws... there was an obvious history buff's obsession with detail when it came to portraying a lot of the historical events involved, and that aspect could start to feel interminable in the space between the story's main turning point and the heroine paths. However, I found myself willing to forgive that flaw in the end. Overall, this was an excellent story, and it takes relatively few liberties with history (beyond feminization of historical figures), which is unusual in Shinsengumi portrayals. The most unusual aspect of the game (the protagonist's ability) was mostly a dormant issue for the greater part of the game, so it often left me with a nice illusion that I was seeing through the eyes of a real Shinsengumi member. I was surprised at one revelation in the true ending, though... HUGE SPOILERS