CLANNAD Side Stories
So I sign into steam and much to my surprise I see Clannad Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de (Clannad Side Stories) on the store page, and after a brief moment of incomparable excitement and a small amount of time to recompose myself I bought the game, now if you have seen my original review of Clannad you will most likely know I have a great deal of passion for this subject matter…..
so I guess I’ll preface this review the same way I did with the original Clannad VN, and this is by saying I maybe a tad bit bias in this as I absolutely love Clannad, I have the Manga, the Blurays, the 10th anniversary art book, so yeah just keep that in mind while reading this review, and try to forgive me ;)
– Real player with 680.7 hrs in game
Read More: Best Anime Casual Games.
CLANNAD Side Stories Official English Release, Published onto steam by Sekai Project and Developed by Key, who has also developed visual novels like Kanon, Air and Little Busters just to name a few. CLANNAD Side Stories is known as ＣＬＡＮＮＡＤ -クラナド- 光見守る坂道で in Japanese. It is originally released on PlayStation®Portable in 2010, it combined the text of the respective novel published in 2005 and audio from the drama CD’s published in 2007. Each story centers around a specific character from CLANNAD, from Nagisa to Yoshino, even including Kyou’s pet, Botan. [Botan is pretty cute but not my favorite of the bunch] Each short story adds rewarding depth to the world of CLANNAD and its cast. A small note before I proceed this review will be slightly different from the other reviews as there will not be any score given. Relavent links can be found at the bottom of this review.
– Real player with 14.2 hrs in game
Memory’s Dogma CODE:01
So, imagine you see a luscious, appetizing cake, copious amounts of fluffy white cream topped with a juicy, plump strawberry beckoning you to taste it. You take a knife, cut yourself a slice, and lo and behold, to your delight, you see a layer of chocolate cream sandwiched between the two layers of sponge cake making up the treat. Mouth watering, you spear a piece on a fork, carry it to your mouth, anticipating the sweetness about to bloom on your tongue, only to discover the chocolate cream is, in fact, dog shit, what you thought was sponge cake is just regular dish-scrubbing sponge, and the strawberry is plastic. The whipped cream is the real deal, but will that make you feel any better? Memory’s Dogma is in fact just that: an attempt to pass a pile of garbage off as something appealing, at least outwardly. The core of it is completely rotten though.
– Real player with 56.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best Anime Indie Games.
Short story, most people will be able to complete it within 2-3 hours or less.
The story is actually rather generic anime plot and predictable, but I still enjoyed the content nevertheless. Just come in with low expectations and have the characters, environment, and music immerse you, since those are the selling points rather than the story itself. Art and CG is very good.
However, there’s a particular scene (actually, a character) that didn’t make any sense to me. Felt it was extremely forced drama. But if I rambled on about this character or this scene in particular, it would be spoilers. This character’s motivations are basically illogical and the story doesn’t give them a chance to redeem themselves and the point of this scene. Felt like it was just there to create some delusional pain or attempt to frighten the audience, but it didn’t quite work on me. This scene could’ve been much better but they failed to execute.
– Real player with 16.1 hrs in game
WORLD END ECONOMiCA episode.01
World End ECONOMiCA Ep.1
Genre: VN - Visal Novel/Reading Storytelling
Rating:
Gameplay:
Having played several other VNs where the player can choose the fate and ending of the story, this one is compleatly linear. No gameplay at all. If you were looking for action or plot twists, look away, you will be reading a lot.
Rating - 8/10
Other - 5/10
Graphics:
Grahpics are okish, capped normally at 1024 x 600 and fullscreened with little damage to the image of the storyplay. Anime style is a diffrence from S&W, more bold and less simple.
– Real player with 29.8 hrs in game
Read More: Best Anime Indie Games.
Summery: A short Kinetic Novel (~10 hours) with mediocre content, but poor execution.
Story: 5 / 10
The story is about a runaway kid which does stock-trading on the moon. The futuristic moon colony setting isn’t really that necessary and I found myself doubting the correctness of the technical explanations on several occasions. There is still two episodes remaining, but as of right now it would probably have been better without the sci-fi setting.
One thing I loved about Spice and Wolf is that it presented trading and economic subjects in way which made them interesting. This was not the case with World End Economica 01, I found most of the stock-trading to be pretty boring.
– Real player with 16.1 hrs in game
からかい上手の高木さんVR 1学期
Edit: No word on the Oculus exclusive content, but English subtitles have been added! Hope to see the Oculus stuff brought to this version soon!
Newly released Oculus version contains more content and English subtitles. Steam version has not received an update since June of last year. The Oculus version is not available in my region, (UK). Until either the Steam version is updated, or the Quest version is released in UK, I will leave a negative review to express my dissatisfaction.
– Real player with 3.5 hrs in game
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san
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the most cutest anime I’ve ever seen
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the most sweetest manga I’ve ever read
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the most adorable game I’ve ever played
11/10
– Real player with 1.6 hrs in game
A Clockwork Ley-Line: The Borderline of Dusk
A Clockwork Ley-Line is an awesome VN but with serious technical issues!
Introduction
The story and setting are really interesting, especially for someone like me who plays mostly slice of life-ish VNs. Once you have started with reading you don‘t want to stop.
Each time a new Mist appears, means that something funny will happen.
Playtime
Concerning the playtime, one guy states in his review that he needed only 3h to complete his first playthrough. I can only absolutely disagree to this, since I cleared the true end after around 20h.
– Real player with 26.2 hrs in game
I love this game. Kind of obsessed with it, really. It has good, dynamic characters, and a solid plot without plot holes (with the exception of a small, but still present, plot device at the end).
My only complaint is that Steam registers the launcher as playing the game, and the launcher closes after the game launches, so Steam doesn’t accurately display your total play time. While you can get around this my renaming the actual start app to the launcher app, it comes at the cost of font modifiers and punctuations (quotation marks and dashes, specifically) displaying as the game’s coding markers (specifically, ・ followed by a character)
– Real player with 18.7 hrs in game
fault - milestone one
Fault: Milestone one is the first VN game of the Publisher ALICE IN DISSONANCE and is the start of an evolving series.
We start the Visual Novel in a dark night where the country of Rughzenaide and its capital is being attacked by an unknown paramilitary assailant. Suffering heavy losses, this unknown force is invading the Kings Palace, where they intend to kill Selphine the princess because she possesses a greater power that could put every military force to falter.
Being cornered and unable to escape, the Princess’s life guardian resort to a last hopeful escape through a special mana current, but for some reason this mode of escape did not go the way it was intended too. They were able to escape, but not to the actual destination they planned. Instead, they were sent to the other end of the world. To make matters worse, all of this is in a zone where is no mana to be found in the surrounding area, which is necessary for them to be able to use their manakravte.
– Real player with 41.5 hrs in game
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this kinetic novel. I bought it solely because of the first minute of the trailer.
It was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Looking at it now, from a critical standpoint, I can freely admit that Fault Milestone One has quite a few flaws. Much of the story is told through flashbacks and, as with any VN, there is quite a bit of exposition.
But for the fifteen hours it took me to devour this, purchase the sequel on the spot, and devour that too, I was utterly entranced.
– Real player with 27.4 hrs in game
NEKOPARA Extra
This game saved my life.
I am 27.
My ex-wife and I have a daughter together, and adopted our son together. They are now both 4 years old.
When we were going through our separation, I found myself lost and miserable. I was self destructive. I got so mad one day from everything spiraling out of my control that I punched some concrete in a moment of overwhelming emotion. That caused me to break my 5th metacarpal in my right hand… my working hand… my games hand.. the hand that I held and carried my children to bed with.. The hand I desperately needed to make sure I could continue to provide.
– Real player with 7612.3 hrs in game
BEFORE NEKOPARA:
⡆⣸⡟⣼⣯⠏⣾⣿⢸⣿⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⠸⠁⢹⡿⣿⣿⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⠄
⡇⡟⣸⢟⣫⡅⣶⢆⡶⡆⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣛⠃⠰⠆⠈⠁⠈⠙⠈⠻⣿⢹⡏⠄
⣧⣱⡷⣱⠿⠟⠛⠼⣇⠇⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⣰⣿⣿⡆⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠉⠈⠄⠄
⡏⡟⢑⠃⡠⠂⠄⠄⠈⣾⢻⣿⣿⡿⡹⡳⠋⠉⠁⠉⠙⠄⢀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠂⠄
⡇⠁⢈⢰⡇⠄⠄⡙⠂⣿⣿⣿⣿⣱⣿⡗⠄⠄⠄⢀⡀⠄⠈⢰⠄⠄⠄⠐⠄⠄
⠄⠄⠘⣿⣧⠴⣄⣡⢄⣿⣿⣿⣷⣿⣿⡇⢀⠄⠤⠈⠁⣠⣠⣸⢠⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄
⢀⠄⠄⣿⣿⣷⣬⣵⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣟⢷⡶⢗⡰⣿⣿⠇⠘⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄
⣿⠄⠄⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣶⣾⣿⣿⡟⢀⠃⠄⢸⡄⠁⣸
⣿⠄⠄⠘⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢛⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⢄⡆⠄⢀⣪⡆⠄⣿
⡟⠄⠄⠄⠄⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⢿⣟⣻⣩⣾⣃⣴⣿⣿⡇⠸⢾
AFTER NEKOPARA:
⣾⣿⠿⠿⠶⠿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣤⣄⢀⡅⢠⣾⣛⡉⠄⠄⠄⠸⢀⣿⠄
⢀⡋⣡⣴⣶⣶⡀⠄⠄⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣴⣿⣿⣿⢃⣤⣄⣀⣥⣿⣿⠄
⢸⣇⠻⣿⣿⣿⣧⣀⢀⣠⡌⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠿⠿⣿⣿⣿⠄
⢸⣿⣷⣤⣤⣤⣬⣙⣛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⡍⠄⠄⢀⣤⣄⠉⠋⣰
⣖⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢇⣿⣿⡷⠶⠶⢿⣿⣿⠇⢀⣤
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣽⣿⣿⣿⡇⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣶⣥⣴⣿⡗
– Real player with 143.0 hrs in game
Order of Ataxia: Initial Effects
No reviews for this one? Guess I’ll give it a shot.
This is a visual novel. If you’ve never played one of those, gameplay consists of reading and making choices. Basically a choose your own adventure.
TL;DR at the end.
At the time of this review, the game is not fully voiced (it will be getting a voice patch later, according to the store page). I completed a single path through the game, and reloaded before the final choice to get a second ending. Took me 3.5 hours.
ART: You can see the art in the screenshots on the store page. It remains consistant the whole way through. Characters have several facial expressions and a couple poses.
– Real player with 3.5 hrs in game
I rarely ever write reviews but I like the developers other visual novels and this one didn’t quite reach that expectations but even so it’s by no means bad. I didn’t write a review so much as make two lists but it’s what came to mind so that’s what I did and now I’ll go to waiting for the next Rising Angels episode. :)
Bellow are my positives and negatives for the visual novel.
Bad/what could be improved:
- Better audio visual feedback when you click something, like a sound effect or the text to scroll.
– Real player with 3.4 hrs in game
Shining Song Starnova
Oh my, it was a fun long adventure! This visual novel is about the ragtag band of seven cute idols and you play as their producer trying to make them great again. I can’t say I was too excited when I just started. Not my cup of tea absolutely. But I realized once again that when a game is really well done, it doesn’t matter if it’s up your alley or not.
My first impression was very positive. All those settings, nicely organized gallery. In this regard everything was just flawless. Artwork is lovely. Each girl’s sprite is beautiful, CGs are so pretty and there’re also cute chibi images. Even being so far from my actual preferences I still have made 100 screenshots. Plus, the game is partially voiced, has cards and achievements.
– Real player with 88.7 hrs in game
Shinning Song Starnova First Impressions
(Completed Mika’s Route)
Love in Space is probably my favorite Visual Novel developer. They seem to always be put on a budget via crowdfunding but they always deliver. The Sunrider series is a great blend of sci-fi opera, fanservice and story payoff, I was always a fan of the spinoff academy entry more than the main series, but they are all treasures.
Shining Song Starnova is the latest visual novel created by the team and joining up with Sekai Project they once again release a top-notch visual novel. Multiple routes, great writing (I was a bit fatigued from the use of “oy”), and great characters make this entry a must have and possibly a great starting place for those new to the visual novel genre.
– Real player with 50.2 hrs in game
WORLD END ECONOMiCA episode.02
World End Economica 2. Even though my recommendation wasn’t exactly glowing for the previous one, I would definitely recommend this one if you made it through the first. In my honest opinion, it was definitely better than the first.
The story this time around is four years on from the end of WEE episode 1 and is still economics based but the plots shift a bit. He is no longer making money for the sake of some ludicrous dream. In fact, he is no longer making much money at all. He and some Swiss (?) noble attempt to fight the corrupt giants of the financial world and a romantic sub-plot creeps in. He is stuck in a love polygon between several girls (yes this is a visual novel) but, this being WEE you do not get a choice in the matter. Fighting for justice is not simple and Haru (this translation team changed his name from Hal) must learn this while walking the razor’s edge and not lose sight of what really matters.
– Real player with 21.9 hrs in game
Took five hours to burn through the entire thing in one shot.
If your think 13 bucks is worth five hours of reading, then buy this. ‘Cause it’s amazing. The game is full of references to the first game though, so if you haven’t played or read that, you’re probably going to be pretty lost for the first hour or so, upon which the information is reiterated so many times that you can probably piece together even if you didn’t know that yes, there was a WORLD END ECONOMiCA episode.1 even though this is episode.2. Really, if you’ve played one, then you might find the constant reminders irritating. I sure did after, what, the twentieth time?
– Real player with 13.1 hrs in game