Pallas_Raven

These all seem... fine? A lot of Moeges because that is what sells and nothing beyond that genre. I'll probably play some of it out of interest.

This is a condensed version of the full review which can be found on my Main Blog Here. Genre – Science Fantasy. Playtime – 6 Hours. Developer – ALICE IN DISSONANCE. Publisher – Phoenixx. VNDB Before The Storm LIGHTKRAVETE marks ALICE IN DISSONANCE’S first new fault title in seven years and this gap has lead to a substantial change in their overall style. Gone are the static character portraits, now each character has their own live 2d style model which moves as they speak and react. A dynamic camera now changes to focus on key characters or background elements and gives each scene more life. However, do all these bells and whistles come at the cost of what made the fault series so special? Let’s find out. A World of Wonder - Narrative and Structure - There is something special about the world of fault. Its blend of fantasy and sci-fi concepts always made for an engaging read in their previous games and this trend continues in LIGHTKRAVETE. Unlike in previous fault games there is no overarching villain to push the narrative forward, since this is a prequel, and as result the world building has to do more of the heavy lifting. The story starts by presenting the kingdom of before the events of the first game which provides it with a sense of place that had previously been lacking and sets the stage for the story. Once this has been established the narrative moves onto the meat of the world building, the technical mystery. Without spoiling the exact nature of it this mystery, it is an exploration of the limitations and practicality of utilising magical technology for a new purpose not previously achieved. This section of the story is by far the strongest as it has the player piece together the solution along with Khaji, our protagonist, by having the two gain a full picture of the puzzle at the same rate and when the solution is revealed it is extremely satisfying. The only issue with the emphasis LIGHTKRAVETE places on world building is its overuse of in-universe terminology to the point of being actively distracting. One such example of this is the in-universe word for bear which is beare. This might at first glance seem like a petty nitpick, does a single letter difference really matter? The answer is in the frequency and the way these instances impede the players enjoyment by forcing them to stop and reread the sentence to understand it. This collectively adds up to distract for the excellent core narrative and, since most in-universe terminology is used were standard English would have been clearer, the writers could have easily avoided this problem by reducing their usage of these terms. A story cannot exist on world building alone and so LIGHTKRAVETE has a character focused narrative to complement the world building and give it context. It is through Khaji’s struggles that this aspect manifests and we slowly get to see the development of his character in tandem with the growing mystery. His overall character arc is one of the most cathartic experiences in a recent visual novel release as he grows before our eyes from someone who is cowardly and unsure into a person who achieves his dreams. While it is not the most original arc, it is used by many for a reason and here its strength is obvious. A Cast Of Many Qualities - The Characters - The cast of LIGHTKRAVETE is one of the areas in which the game stumbles slightly as character development and interactions are not evenly spread among them leading to some characters feeling underdeveloped or unnecessary. This flaw can be explained by splitting the cast into three groups, the main characters, the minor characters and the old fault characters. Having a memorable main cast is key to any visual novel and LIGHTKRAVETE succeeds at this for the most part. Khaji Oberg has the excellent character arc need for a protagonist and being in his head space throughout the story gives the player a mix of outsider and insider perspectives on the workings of the fault world. This high bar of quality defines all the important characters of the story and it is clear that the writer knew that this was where they wanted to focus their efforts and the fruits of their success are obvious. It is when we reach the minor characters that the cracks begin to show themselves. This secondary cast are noticeable less fleshed out and seem to exist just to deliver exposition. The lack of emphasis on these less important characters is understandable given the short playtime of the game but it is a disappointment none the less. The larger issue is the one scene each of these character has where they explain their backstory and without exception they are tragic in some fashion. This is not so bad in theory, but these backstories are all delivered almost back to back over a small section of the story and the result is a parade of misery which comes across a slightly silly. If they had been spaced out over a larger time frame then this issue would have been less noticeable and each story would have been given the space to breathe. The Spark of Life - Visuals and Audio - If there is one area where ALICE IN DISSONANCE are at their strongest it is in the visual design and the quality of their narrative presentation. Each character portrait has been given a complicated live 2d style allowing for a stronger suite of dynamic expressions and the addition of motion to formerly static scenes. This works well for the talking heavy nature of the fault series with its focus on ideas and world building and adds emotion and spice to the character’s discussions. Complementing this change is the addition of a dynamic camera which focuses on aspects of the scene to increase the emphasis on certain characters and places while lending a sense of life to the world. Together these elements support the already strong narrative by lending weight or levity when needed to keep the player engaged with Khaji’s story. However, this approach is not without issues and even if they are not deal breakers, they are still worth discussing. The first is the mouth movements while the character is speaking. If the game had voice acting then this would not be an issue at all, but since it doesn’t the silent mouth moving as the text is displayed makes the otherwise emotive portraits come across as lifeless dolls. The other problem is that some of the poses which characters take cause parts of their body to noticeable clip through each other. It is not a frequent occurrence but when it does happen it is distracting from what are otherwise effective narrative moments. Verdict – 8/10 – LIGHTKRAVTE is an astonishing work of character and world building which demonstrates why ALICE IN DISSONANCE are masters of their craft. Pros and Cons - Pros: +The fault universe continues to have some of the best world building around. +Khaji’s character arc has an excellent catharsis to it. +Visuals and animations are astounding. +The technical mystery in the second half is extremely compelling. Cons: -Overuses in universe terminology leading to unnecessary confusion. -Some character poses and movements do not look quite right. -Old fault characters feel out of place. -There are pacing issues in the first half.

This looks interesting... I can't help but feel that this just has the Silent Hill name slapped on it to sell it since it looks like it has nothing to do with those games' plot or style. However, I'm still sort of looking forward to it. Having Ryuukishi07 as the scenario writer is a good start. I only hope it doesn't suffer the same fate as Prey.

Oh, this is a pleasant surprise. I quite enjoyed Even if Tempest so I'm definitely up for a fandisc. It does make me wonder what they can even do for this game outside of the standard set of after stories?

This is a condensed version of the full article which can be found on my Main Blog HERE. Secrets Of The Dead My relationship with Yuzusoft’s work has been a mixed one. The quality of the artwork and the likeable characters draw me to their games, but I often find myself burned out on them due their often unnecessary length and inability to handle their core premises with any depth or consideration. Despite these feelings, I continue to come back to their games so I can only assume the good outweighs the bad. Fortunately, Cafe Stella managed to hold my attention from the duration of its narrative and reminded me why I still play their games. It also reminded me that Yuzusoft’s writing often leaves a lot to be desired. In this analysis I will cover my thoughts on Cafe Stella in more detail than I could in my review due to their spoiler based nature. Please read the original review here to gauge my overall thoughts before continuing onward. The Many Paths To Love - Route Analysis -Common Route - Overall I would say that the common route is a strong example of how the genre should strive to open its narratives. An immediate inciting incident which wastes no time in setting up the premise (Kousei’s death and revival), the gradual introduction of our heroines and then the establishing of the location in which our routes will take place (the setting up of Cafe Stella with everyone’s help). These events all complement each other to form a memorable whole. It is just a shame that the common route keeps going even after it has finished setting up for the main routes. This extension mostly takes the form of a sub-story where the cast helps to cheer up a father by holding a surprise birthday party with his daughter. While this little narrative is sweet, it is completely vestigial and kills the pacing by focusing on a minor character who does nothing for the characterisation of the main cast. It feels as if the writers were trying to pad out the runtime of the game. -Akizuki Kanna - If there is a single word which describes this route perfectly it is inconsistent. This is mostly due to its close connection to the supernatural element of Cafe Stella and, as I noted in my review, the writers do not know how to properly handle this aspect. The opening section is the strongest with the focus on building the relationship between Kanna and Kousei and the reality of Kanna’s transient nature hanging over the whole thing (since she is already dead). Having the two accept that despite the limited time they might have together it is still worth loving one another is a powerful sentiment and when she fades away as the two ride the Ferris wheel the catharsis of the moment is palpable. Unfortunately, it is after this point that the writers cannot seem to decide where to go next with the narrative. Obviously Kanna was never actually going to ‘die’ given the overall positive tone of the game, but to reach the point of her rebirth the game takes a sequence of odd turns. Firstly, the initial solution to the problem of Kanna’s death is presented to Kousei on silver platter without him having to do anything or find the motivation to seek it out. This makes it come across as rushed and undeserved. Secondly, this initial solution (time travel using the butterflies) turns out to be a red herring with Kousei forced to say goodbye to Kanna for a second time in a very similar scene to that first one on the Ferris wheel. This section creates feeling that the writers are just repeating themselves. Finally, when Kousei returns to the present it turns out that Kanna has been given a new body by the power of the butterflies with no drawbacks and this makes you question why the time travel sequence even exists at all if the goodbye scene is just going to be immediately invalidated. Overall, this section makes me think that the writers did not have a plan and just wrote whatever they thought of in the moment as this portion comes across as a mess. -Hiuchidani Mei - I have surprisingly little to say about this route. It sits firmly in the middle of the pack in terms of quality and does nothing special nor terrible. There are only two real point of note. The first is having Mei being the one who has to ‘man up’ and declare their love rather than the protagonist is a nice change of pace. Placing the heroine in the proactive role is a good way to switch the dynamic up and it is executed here with a suitable degree of finesse. The second is the Insect Devouring Eye which acts as the supernatural element of this route. Unlike in Kanna’s route, this is not mishandled and is a relatively inoffensive addition which adds little to proceedings but also doesn’t detract from them either. However, it is a prime example of Yuzusoft simply not knowing what to do with their gimmicks as they do nothing with it for most of the narrative only to have it resolved quickly at the end, almost as if they would rather not have to deal with it at all. -Shiki Natsume - Shiki’s route is one of the strongest ones in the game. This is mostly because of her distinctive character mixing well with Kousei and the fact it does not focus on the supernatural element. The themes of finding a purpose in life and the value of your dreams are at the heart of this route and since both Shiki and Kousei are manifestations of the same character failing as they cannot reach either, they complement and reflect each other to make for a stronger message. Helping this dynamic along is their strong banter which sells their growing relationship in an amusing and heart-warming manner. As they become each other’s strength and find the direction to a life worth living, you cannot help but cheer for them with every shaky step they take forward. -Shioyama Suzune - Despite being the shortest route in the game and for a sub-heroine, Suzune’s route is by far my favourite and she is definitely my favourite character. There is something refreshing about an older adult character who does not lord that age difference over the main characters and is instead cool with meeting them on their level and rolling with their pace. Her passion for baking is infectious as she puts her utmost into her work so she can have pride in it, but at the same time the narrative uses this quality as her weakness. She has to learn the value of compromising while being inventive within limitations rather than having everything being perfect. In addition, the almost complete lack of the supernatural element allows the narrative to squarely focus on what the writers do best, characters and their interactions. The shorter run time also aids this approach as there is no space for excess fluff and ensures that the narrative adheres to its core direction. Helping this along is the sweet romance between Suzune and Kousei which endears them to the reader even when it has to share the limited space with the main thrust of the route. Suzune’s realisation that she has fallen in love with a younger guy is one of the highlights of the route. All these elements come together to form the purest example of why I still like Yuzusoft’s work and convinces me that their style is better suited to short form routes rather than the long ones they generally focus on. The Butterfly Effect – Overarching Thoughts -Yuzusoft and their gimmicks - As I mentioned in my review, Yuzusoft tries to spice up their slice of life visual novels by introducing a gimmick element. For Cafe Stella this was the Shinigami and butterflies and it was one of the less problematic examples of this practice. The introduction of new gimmicks in each Yuzusoft game is understandable as it is an easy way to differentiate them from one another and avoid the feeling that their games are all the same. However, there is a price to be paid for the loose way in which they use these elements and this is that they often rub against the light nature of the game’s genre. In Cafe Stella there are a lot of small examples of this such as with the previously mentioned issues regard the use of God, but previous games have suffered from it in different ways like Riddle Joker's complete unwillingness to deal with the realities of spying even when the protagonist is caught doing exactly that very thing. This desire by Yuzusoft to have their narrative cake and eat it brings the reader out of experience more than they seem to realise. Maybe this problem could be avoided if they chose lighter topics for their gimmicks rather than things like death and spying, but it seems that they want their gimmicks to have some spice to them even if it comes at a cost. -Pure blushing virgin maidens- There is a habit among those who create visual novels in the slice of life / romance genre to make all their heroines virgins, likely due to the cultural value placed on ideas of purity. However, Yuzusoft takes it much further than most with almost all their heroines suffering from a condition I like to call Pure Blushing Virgin Maiden Syndrome. This generally manifests in a heroine’s route and this heroine will occasionally lose all their defining characteristics and start to blush while behaving in an innocent and pure manner even if they were previously established to be flirty and mildly perverted or assertive. They will give over all control to the protagonist and let them lead even if it makes no sense for them to do so. The problematic misogyny this invokes is a result of an attempt to pander to their target male audience as well as a failure to understand how to build even power dynamics between a couple. It is also reflected in other odd choices such as the aforementioned issue of Shiki owing her life to Kousei in her route. All of these missteps harm the strength of the characterisation on display by undermining their established traits and breaks their believability. The only thing this achieves is leaving an unnecessary bad taste in my mouth and is a stain which could easily to removed without offending the target audience as it is the variety of their heroines which is one of Yuzusoft’s strengths. -Fear of interpersonal conflict - As a company Yuzusoft have a strange fear of interpersonal conflict, particularly within the main cast. The characters never have anything more than minor disagreements and generally exist in harmony with each other even when it makes no sense for them to agree on the subject. This no doubt stems from their choice to work within the slice of life genre and results in them being afraid of breaking the warm and comfy atmosphere by introducing conflict. However, this does not mean they do not understand the need for interpersonal conflict and it is this contradiction which plagues their games. What this manifests as are false conflicts which initial seem as if they are going to pit characters against one another but are later revealed to be a misunderstanding or harmless trick. They use this to have interpersonal conflict without it having any consequences. A sanitised form without any possible negative elements. The most notable example from Cafe Stella is the initial conflict surrounding Suzune where her former boss is presented as undermining her attempts to get a new job after she left when they had a disagreement. They even go so far as to have the very mention of her name in the shop she used to work by a taboo which causes the staff to go silent. However, later in an almost throwaway line Suzune reveals that it was all a misunderstanding and there was never any conflict at all. There are similar examples to this throughout Yuzusoft’s work such as the false climax in one of the routes of Noble Works and demonstrates this as a common issue in their work. Conclusion Cafe Stella, and by extension all of Yuzusoft’s work, is flawed but engaging example of the strengths and weaknesses of the genre. While there has been a fair degree of criticism here, there is undeniably something endearing about the mood and characters of Cafe Stella which is difficult to find elsewhere. The flaws outlined here could be solved with a little bit of conscious effort on Yuzusoft’s part and elevate their work to greater heights within the genre. Whatever the future holds for Yuzusoft, their next work will be something fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.

While I have not personality backed anything, I know somebody who backed their Wonderful Everyday Kickstarter because they loved the game so much and wanted the physical goods on offer. Any time I bring it up you can see the light go out in their eyes and a bitterness spread across their face. They have resigned themselves to have to wait for years now. It is a sobering reminder about the risks of backing a Kickstater.

This is a condensed version of the full review which can be found on my Main Blog HERE. Genre – Slice of Life, Romance. Playtime – 40 hours. Developer – Yuzusoft. Publisher – NekoNyan and Hikari Field. VNDB A Second Chance Dying is never pleasant, especially when you have lingering regrets. Takamine Kousei’s death is as sudden as his life was unremarkable and in his final moment he wishes his life could have been more. However, this is not the end for Kousei as he finds himself back at the start of the day he died but this time instead of meeting his demise he meets a Shinigami and a talking cat. They inform him that he is responsible for the time jump and God is not happy. The Shinigami offers him a way out of this conundrum, assist her with her work by opening a cafe. So begins Kousei’s tale of love and lost souls. Yuzusoft are well known for their slice of life visual novels and Café Stella and the Reapers' Butterflies does not deviate far from their comfort zone, for better and for worse. With a total of four heroines and one sub-heroine and a run time in the region of forty hours, there is no shortage of story on offer for fans of the slice of life genre. However, does the quality match the quantity? Let’s dive in and find out. Of Love and Butterflies – Narrative and Themes - When it comes to visual novels of the slice of life / romance genre there is often a lack of an overarching plot in favour of smaller personal stories and Café Stella is no exception. Each route focuses solely on the issues of the heroine with only the loose threads of the supernatural and Kousei’s damaged soul joining them. This is overall not a bad thing, but you should set your expectations when buying the game. The routes themselves have an excellent variety to their stories and do a good job at selling the romantic build up between each heroine and Kousei. However, there is a formula which each route follows and it becomes readily apparent once you have played a few of them. While this does not ruin them, since they do not have any important plot point which could be spoiled by the structure of the narrative, there is an undeniable repetitiveness which can make the individual events of different routes blur together. This is symptomatic of the broader formulaic nature of Yuzusoft’s work with similar narratives being played out in multiple games. As such Café Stella can bring feelings of deja vu for those who have played other games by the studio, whether this is a good or a bad thing will depend on how much you like their style. However, there is an elephant in the room throughout the entire game, the supernatural. Each Yuzusoft game generally has a gimmick to spice up the slice of life formula. In the past this has been things like spies in Riddle Joker and witches in Sabbat of the Witch. For Café Stella it is the Shinigami and the butterflies that are the souls of the dead. These gimmicks always sit awkwardly alongside the romance and slice of life elements, never being properly utilised or existing as consequence free set dressing. Such elements can actively harm the experience as in the case of Riddle Joker’s unwillingness to deal with the realities of spying in any fashion, but for the most part they are just distractions that add little to the core experience. Maidens Bound to the Dead – Character Overview - A likeable cast is a critical aspect of the slice of life / romance genre. If there is not a fight over who is best girl then there is a problem with your characters. This is one of the areas in which Café Stella excels when compared to its peers. The characters’ likeable personalities and strong chemistry is one of the standout features and is the main reason the game is worth playing. The heroines have a good variety to their personalities with little overlap between them meaning that they standout in distinctly memorable ways. Kanna is a mischievous yet kind Shinigami, Shiki is a sharp tongued classic tsundere, Nozomi is the no nonsense childhood friend and Mei is a cheerful and slightly childish junior. It is a testament to the quality of the character writing when my favourite heroine is the sub-heroine Suzune, the perfectionist baker, which is rare since they are often not given a chance to shine with most resources being focused to the main heroines. Secondary characters receive a similar treatment with each being given the space they need to shine without them ever getting in the way of the main characters. This even treatment of the characters and their dynamics allows for all of them to be active players even outside of their own routes or conflicts and creates a rich feeling cast who are a pleasure to watch doing even the most mundane tasks. Undeniable Quality – Visuals and Audio - One area in which Yuzusoft have consistently excelled it is in their visual design and its quality. Each heroine has a surprisingly large assortment of expressions and poses along with different outfits to the point at which you will constantly see something new from them. In a similar vein the variety of CGs and super deformed cut-ins makes the important moments of humour and emotion stand out, but at the same time they are not overused so each remains special. The bright colours and attention to detail throughout the visual design demonstrates a clear understanding by Yuzusoft of the visual identity of their work and of the genre. This results in a distinct presentation which clearly sets expectations of what experience is in store for the player. One final aspect worth touching on is the extensive quality of life features present in Café Stella. These range from a route flowchart, the ability to suspend and resume anywhere, full controller and keyboard remapping, the function to favourite any voice line and many more. The sheer expansiveness of these features always surprises me whenever I play a Yuzusoft game and they are the example other visual novel developers should strive to match. Verdict - 8/10 – With its engaging characters and well put together routes, this is one of the better examples of its genre and of Yuzusoft’s work. Pros and Cons - Pros: + Excellent visuals and audio as you would expect of a Yuzusoft game. + A genuinely likeable cast of characters. + The focus on the cafe makes for a nice change from the standard school setting. + A level of technical polish few other companies can match. Cons: - A supernatural element which feels as if the writers have no idea what to do with it. - Has a formulaic structure to its routes which can lead to them feeling repetitive. - The protagonist has an inconsistent personality. - If you have played other Yuzusoft games then this may feel familiar.

Thank you for the welcome! I agree that better graphics doesn't equal a better game. Visual Novels were the medium which helped me realize that truth and I haven't looked back since. Also if I ever need more VN recommendations I'll know where to look.

Thank you for the warm welcome. It is strange how world works sometimes especially when it comes to confusingly similar names. If you hadn't contacted me it would never have occurred to me to join the Fuwanovel forum so it worked out quite well in the end. I'll definitely be using the User Blog feature to help get more eyes on my articles and engaging with the people here.

Hello everyone! I am Pallas Raven. Small time visual novel and game indiedev with a love for betraying the player's expectations. I also run a blog where I post weekly about everything visual novel related such as reviews, news and analysis of the medium. My first experience with vns was with the release of the mirror moon translation of Fate Stay Night in 2008 (boy does that make me feel old...) and I have been addicted to them ever since. It also helps that they have a low spec requirement since I always find myself well behind the curve when it comes to tech. Hope we can get along!