What are you playing?

[ratboi]

well I just finished euphoria after months of putting it off....... the true end and route are strange but very good. I really enjoyed it.

[Zidan209]

Just started with Sharin no Kuni. Can anyone tell me if it's possible for the voice to not be cut off when i get to the next line?

[Chronopolis]

Starting playing Magical Charming as a much needed change-of-pace. (before that I was reading the LN series SukaSuka and SukaMoka. Both those were intense and crushingly sad at times). I haven't played much VN's in the last couple months, it's nice to enjoy them some more.

Not much to say. Basically just recovering with moe.

Spoiler

I don't think I've seen so much cute since Himawari no Kyoukai.

 

Edited October 18, 2017 by Chronopolis

[littleshogun]

Replaying Kamidori for Yuela's route here - it's my 2nd playthrough by the way, and quite busy with completing Tian's append quest here which apparently was bugged. Also did many grinding here as well, so I think my level was pretty balanced between characters for now at least.

Edited October 19, 2017 by littleshogun

[Deniz]

I just finished the Mai route in Yoake.This game is basically a polished version of Shuffle.There are lots of similarities but it is not a bad thing.I think it is decent.

[onorub]

After reading Grisaia no Kajitsu two years ago, i've read Meikyuu and Rakuen.

Meikyuu: After stories were fine (Sachi>Michiru>Amane>Makina>Yumiko for me), while Grand Route was great and the highlight of the series for me.

Rakuen: Prologue was pretty great but i didn't like the main story very much (crappy third-person narrative, lame villains and weirdly convenient ending turned me off).

Overall, still a solid trilogy. Kajitsu>Meikyuu>Rakuen for me.

[Akshay]

3 minutes ago, onorub said:

Kajitsu>Meikyuu>Rakuen for me.

Kajitsu >>> Meikyu >> Rakuen

[Kurisu-Chan]

Hehe, i'm going to start Fate/Stay Night.

I've waited 4 years, 4 years since i started VNs, but finally, i'm playing Fate/Stay Night.

That's why i didn't play all the highly-rated VNs, so i could play them whenever i want and be mind blown.

 

[Dreamysyu]

So, I finished the main ending for Looking Glass Insects in SubaHibi. And, honestly, this VN is great! When I was starting it, I thought it was going to be another overhyped disappointment, but it turned out to be one of the rare times when the hype was fully justified.

So, I'll write a few words about each chapter so far.

Down the Rabbit Hole. I already wrote my opinion about it in an earlier post, but, basically, it serves as a good introduction to the story and the themes, and overall is pretty enjoyable. Also, Yuki is the best character.

Spoiler

I laughed so hard at this part!

It's My Own Invention. Still great, though a bit long, and H-scenes that come one after another kind of mess up with the pacing a bit. Overall, it's a nice mindfuck, and it's interesting to try to find at least some logical explanation for the things happening on the screen. I strongly hated Takuji (I think, he might proudly join the protag from Himawari as my most hated VN protagonist) but in his case it's totally fine and justified, because: a) he is intentionally pathetic, and author clearly wanted to make him this way; b) it works in the story; c) I don't think he even shows his full character in this chapter, because

Spoiler

he is clearly a very unreliable narrator, and some scenes show that there might be actually something more to his character, though I don't think these things will make him less pathetic; d) the last confrontation with Tomosane shows that, even though Takuji did some terrible things in this chapter, he did them all for Hasaki. Her name was left out except for in one sentence, but I think it was pretty obvious. On the other hand, it could also be Takuji's mother (though I'm for Hasaki). It still doesn't justify him in the slightest degree, but in the end it makes him a bit more relatable.

So, in the end, though I hate him and I doubt it will change, I still think that he is a great character.

Also, I kind of spoiled one major plot twist at this point (about Tomosane), but, honestly, as long as it doesn't affect my enjoyment of the story, (and it doesn't, at least, not in a negative way) I don't care.

Looking Glass Insects is my favorite chapter in the story so far.

Spoiler

And it's the point where this VN jumped from a borderline 8-9/10 to a strong 10/10. Well, I kind of disliked Zakuro before this chapter, so I never would've guessed I would sympathize with her so much in the end.

Spoiler

Basically, it does a very old textbook trick: shows some happy and fluffy moments with Mamiya in the beginning, and then throws everything into complete *despair*.

Honestly, when I reached this exact moment, I actually felt like something inside me broke.

Though the final part of this chapter was a bit weird. For a second I thought: "Wait... Is this VN actually going into that direction", but then I realized that, well, a story with an unreliable narrator is still a story with an unreliable narrator (and the ending, basically, showed that I was right).

So, yeah, summing up, this VN is pretty great. Go read it if you haven't yet!

 

PS. On the unrelated note, what's up with this VN's vndb page? Some character profiles clearly have some unmarked spoilers. Though it isn't obvious on the first glance, some information isn't revealed at all at this point, and it does matter!

 

 

PSS.

1 hour ago, Kurisu-Chan said:

That's why i didn't play all the highly-rated VNs, so i could play them whenever i want and be mind blown.

Thanks! Now I have a good excuse for why, after 4 years of reading VNs, I still haven't read Steins;Gate. (Please, don't kill me )

Edited October 21, 2017 by Dreamysyu

[Kurisu-Chan]

I am going to murder you in your sleep.  

At least now you got 2 visual novels to read : Steins;Gate & Steins;Gate 0, you're a lucky dude.

[Not_At_All]

Started reading Tokyo Babel today. So far it's pretty good - the story isn't anything special so far, but I like the protagonist.

3 hours ago, Akshay said:

3 hours ago, onorub said:

Kajitsu>Meikyuu>Rakuen for me.

Kajitsu >>> Meikyu >> Rakuen

Agreed on this. If I had to be precise on the arrow placing it would be something like Kajitsu >> Meikyuu >>>> Rakuen for me.

 

I am really looking forward to reading SubaHibi. I've seen a lot of positive words about it here and I can see it's already in 6th place in vndb rating which I've grown to trust a lot by now. So far the only one in the top page by rating that disappointed me was G-Senjou no Maou.

[Akshay]

2 hours ago, Kurisu-Chan said:

Hehe, i'm going to start Fate/Stay Night.

I've waited 4 years, 4 years since i started VNs, but finally, i'm playing Fate/Stay Night.

That's why i didn't play all the highly-rated VNs, so i could play them whenever i want and be mind blown.

 

You're already going into the VN with your mind pre-blown. Once the mind has been blown, it cannot be re-blown. - Sheldon Cooper

Sad

[Kurisu-Chan]

Just now, Akshay said:

You're already going into the VN with your mind pre-blown. Once the mind has been blown, it cannot be re-blown. - Sheldon Cooper

Sad

But you forget the power to forget. 

[Dreamysyu]

2 hours ago, Kurisu-Chan said:

At least now you got 2 visual novels to read : Steins;Gate & Steins;Gate 0, you're a lucky dude.

Well, right now it's a second major VN in my to-read list after Dies Irae.

Seriously though, I should've read Steins;Gate back in 2013 when I originally became interested in it. But vndb listed the English release as incomplete for some reason, so I decided to watch the anime instead. And, though it was great, it had some flaws with how it handled the sci-fi elements and the overall characterization of some characters, and that worsened my overall impression. And, from what I've seen and heard about the VN, I'm pretty sure it actually handles those moments much better, but, since I already know the story, I never really managed to make myself to sit through more than several chapters. Though It has been several years since I touched it for the last time, so it's probably the time to try it again.

Okabe is still the best protag ever though.

[Nandemonai]

4 hours ago, Not_At_All said:

Started reading Tokyo Babel today. So far it's pretty good - the story isn't anything special so far, but I like the protagonist.

Sorami isn't the protagonist for very long.  But I like Setsuna as well.  Tokyo Babel is a lot of fun.  The story's got issues, but the characters make up for it.

[Akshay]

7 hours ago, Dreamysyu said:

 

Thanks! Now I have a good excuse for why, after 4 years of reading VNs, I still haven't read Steins;Gate. (Please, don't kill me )

I watched the anime before I knew what VN's were. Once I started I was kind of reluctant to play it thinking it wouldn't be as fun, since I already knew the story. But people have said so many good things about it, that I'm gonna play it anyhow.

[Riku]

I saw the anime 2 or 3 times before finally playing the VN. Was still totally worth it for all the non adapted scenes, mainly one I REALLY liked. Also, having Okabe's POV, so being in his head and reading his thoughts makes it at least two times better than the anime.

[Not_At_All]

6 hours ago, Nandemonai said:

Sorami isn't the protagonist for very long.  But I like Setsuna as well.  Tokyo Babel is a lot of fun.  The story's got issues, but the characters make up for it.

I meant Setsuna when I said I like the protagonist.

 

For the Steins;Gate discussion, I have read the VN and watched the anime a couple of times and I must say I prefer the anime version. VN has some exclusive scenes that makes it worth reading anyway (you can't have too much Steins;Gate), but when I revisit it, it will be in the anime format. It is a great adaptation and I prefer seeing Okarin from 3rd person instead of 1st. Also the anime exclusive story (Deja-vu movie) is pretty good too.

It is probably the only VN that I feel this way about.

[Zidan209]

Reading Sharin no Kuni, just go out of the cave with Sachi.

Still reluctant to believe that it wasn't all a halucination and i didn't get a bad end or something

[Okarin]

Besides, Steins;Gate happens on a hot summer, and everyone knows that summer is the superior season and when you score all the girls.

(Even though I now like more the winter, I still appreciate summer, I was influenced early by Kimagure Orange Road and my pumping serotonin).

[Kurisu-Chan]

On 22/10/2017 at 7:05 AM, Riku said:

I saw the anime 2 or 3 times before finally playing the VN. Was still totally worth it for all the non adapted scenes, mainly one I REALLY liked. Also, having Okabe's POV, so being in his head and reading his thoughts makes it at least two times better than the anime.

I saw the anime 3 times and played the VN 2 times, so i can tell you, i like both.
Both are amazing. 

[Canicheslayer]

Old (bad) habits die hard : i'm reading four VNs at the same time (and soon it could be five...remember Little Busters!)

- Dead End Junction : finished Part 3/4. The Western/Fantasy setting is very pleasant. Unfortunately,  the story and the characters are not very surprising (too superficials, too cliché). Similarly, the comics style presentation was a good idea. Too bad the lack of CGs ruins it (contrary to Quartett!).

- Danganronpa v3 : Finished first chapter. Its outcome was great and destabilising, just like a famous english crime novel

SPOILER ! DANGER !

Spoiler

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

- Chaos;Child : Chapter 8, first playthrough. Reading Chaos;Head just before was a good idea  More seriously, the link between the two VNs is really interesting and each twist or revelation has all the more impact. However, just like C;H, the first chapters were disconcerting (The protagonist's behavior, shonen atmosphere). Otherwise, the story is really intriguing, for the moment.

- Fate/Hollow Ataraxia : Act 2, phase 4-5. It is always a pleasure and a joy to go back to Fuyuki City. First point : Tohsaka Rin is still my waifu N°2. Sakura, Saber, Taiga and Caster are great too (and Lancer deserves a very special mention). Second point : the story part is interesting (maybe a bit far-fetched) and the Slice of Life part is excellent (another good idea : with the Ecllipse part, the H-scenes are optional). In short, It's an excellent Fandisc. Many thanks to the fan-translators

Edited October 27, 2017 by Canicheslayer
3.0

[RadicalCarenChan]

Just finished DDLC recently. That was a really nice ride (that kinda robbed me of a few nights' good sleep, but worth it).

Right now slowly rereading Fate/Hollow Ataraxia with the long-awaited voice patch. Not sure what to read next, probably Sharin no Kuni or Stein's;Gate (I've watched the anime, but perhaps it's time to ascend to the level of a primary).

[PapaRabbi]

Started reading Ayakashibito the other day, really enjoying it so far.

[kooolm]

Finished reading AIR a few days ago alongside Kazamatsuri book club podcasts and I have to say it was sooo awesome. Thank you, Aspirety, Pepe and the other guys for this enjoyable time I had listening to your discussions.