Today’s Tester’s Corner for Supipara – Chapter 1 is brought to you by Puffketeer!

Hello, everyone. This is puffketeer, making my debut as a beta tester with the first chapter of minori’s Supipara. It was a lot of fun to test, though I admit I may be somewhat biased due to my ardent love for minori’s style of storytelling, as well as their lavish attention to visuals. This particular title is unique among MangaGamer’s titles, and indeed, their partnership with minori, for reasons you may already be well aware of. But first things first, let me talk about Supipara itself.

If you’ve played any minori game before, you may have noticed that a common motif with minori’s titles is memory– the loss of it, the recollection of it, the influence it can have on the present, and physical mementos which evoke it. Naturally, Supipara is no exception. This title sets out to balance a fluffy slice-of-life high school comedy and an occasionally melancholic coming-of-age tale about magic, witches, and the value of memories. If this first chapter is any indication, it pulls this feat off exceptionally well. As an example of a strong, story-driven all-ages visual novel, Supipara shines as brightly as the moonlit sky in its opening scene.

In addition, as you may expect, Supipara adheres to minori’s tradition of lush and beautiful art perfectly; it is an absolute feast for the eyes. From the eerie, yet peaceful fluttering of cherry blossom petals in the night, to the bright reflections of sunlight on the sea, the art in this game is nothing short of top-class. Not a single scene is framed, composed or lit in a way that detracts from the intended mood. Indeed, it would not feel like a minori game without this extreme attention to visual detail. All these points would not be enough to make a truly memorable minori title, though; without an eclectic cast of characters, the story would not have enough substance to be able to stand on its own. Thankfully, Supipara is absolutely overflowing with interesting and quirky characters.

There’s Alice, the titular witch and most important main character, whose frequent bursts of arrogance can often obscure her heart of gold. There’s Sakura, the perpetually cheerful and overambitious idol, actress, and big sister to our protagonist, who views no price as too high to achieve her goals. There’s Momiji, an extremely composed and refined shrine maiden by evening, but something else entirely during the day. There’s Nishizono and Higashino, the “East-West Duo,” whose frequent bickering and commentary on the actions around them set them up as a sort of Abbott and Costello-type comic relief duo. And then there is Hotaru, the half-French girl whose attitude towards others is best summarized with the words “I hope you like pain.” These are all great characters with solid roles in the story, and should we see the remaining chapters completed, we may very well get to see even deeper layers to their personalities that aren’t immediately apparent in this initial chapter.

As I said in my introduction, Supipara is a rather special release for MangaGamer and minori. What is being released as chapter 1 of Supipara in English is actually the first half of the original Japanese version, Supipara – Chapter #01, originally released in 2012. The English chapter 2 will comprise the second half. You are most likely aware that, through funding from sales of eden* and this first chapter, minori is hoping to create three additional chapters to complete the story, should chapter 2 be funded (and as of this writing, the $200,000 goal for funding chapter 2 is very close to being achieved). Even more notable is the fact that these additional chapters, should they be funded, would be released in English first. With the Western visual novel market having exploded in recent months, and the amazing influx of quality visual novels being officially licensed for English release, Supipara has the potential to become a catalyst for something truly great for the visual novel industry, and all those who love and follow it.

To that end, I hope you’ll join Alice and company on this magic carpet ride!

Hello! This is Kitty-tama! Funbag Fantasy (alternatively known by its Japanese title, Kyonyuu Fantasy) is an eroge I’ve had my eye on for some time now, so when MangaGamer announced its localization at Anime Central, I felt excitement well up within the core of my very being. I had the honor of beta testing it, too! I can say with certainty that, to date, this is my favorite title I’ve beta tested. 

Funbag Fantasy doesn’t have a particularly amazing plot by any stretch. Despite that, it’s a fun time through and through! The game is lengthy, but it never overstays its welcome. At its core, the story is your usual rags to riches plot, but the execution feels anything but cliché, what with its little twists and turns. It’s full of suspense and conflict, and needless to say, when the ending comes, it feels earned. I haven’t played an eroge that left me with that sense of satisfaction for some time. Though Funbag Fantasy does have a rich plot with a colorful cast of characters, if the title didn’t give it away, this is definitely a nukige through and through.

Most of the H content within Funbag Fantasy focuses on breasts and all the wonderful things that can be done to them. Given the title of the game, it’s sooo shocking, isn’t it? Sarcasm aside, I quite enjoyed the H scenes this game had to offer. It helps that the focus of the erotic scenes is also one of my biggest fetishes, too! Pun intended? Perhaps. The scenes are mostly dialogue driven, so for those that are a huge fan of dirty talking, this eroge will be right up your alley. Unfortunately for me, though, I’m more a fan of descriptive narration, so while the H scenes did do the job, so to speak, I wished there were more textual descriptions to accompany the dirty dialogue. Perhaps CLOCKUP’s games have spoiled me in that regard, though… Also, this game has a lot of lactation. It grew on me eventually, but for those not as fond of it, you might want to steer clear from this game.

The characters were all very enjoyable, each with their own quirks and charm. My favorite heroines, for the record, are Shamsiel and Luceria. Shamsiel made me wish that succubuses existed so that I could have an adorable, lustful companion like her right by my side. Her constant teasing to Lute and her love of sexual things was endearing, not to mention super hot. On the contrary, Luceria’s sweet and innocent nature, combined with her huge bust, made her very appealing to me. Additionally, her voice actress made Luceria’s purity come to life! Luceria was voiced by Konoha, who you may recognize for her voice work as Sonono Nene from Eroge, as well as Makiba Rika from euphoria. The other heroines were cute, too, but I wasn’t as fond of them.

I really enjoyed Funbag Fantasy. The story and sex scenes felt well balanced, the characters were all endearing in their own ways, plus two of my biggest fetishes were touched on, to boot! If you’re a big breast lover, you have to play this eroge. MangaGamer’s partnership with Waffle was unexpected, to say the least, but it’s exciting to think of what will come next! Perhaps the sequels, or Maki–chan to Nau.? I’d like to see the latter localized for sure… Until next time, everyone~.

Today’s Tester’s Corner for Orc Castle is brought to you by Nurio!

When I think orcs, I think ogres. When I think ogres, I think Shrek. When I think Shrek, I think donkeys. When I think donkeys, I think Ponies. So, essentially, what I’m saying is that Orc Castle is pretty much the same as Pony Castle, and I love it for that reason alone.

…And maybe only that reason. Because out of all the nukige I’ve tested, this one meshed with me the least. And that’s not because it’s a bad nukige or anything, but because it’s all orcs and other such creatures. And for me, I need to be able to identify as someone in the porn to be able to enjoy it. And I’m no orc, or ogre, or mimic, or slime, or any of the other creatures you have in this game. I’m a bear, and a bear alone! (And no, there are sadly no bears in this game.)

So, I can hear all the people asking if this is actually a good game, just like little Johnny asks his mother if he gets socks for Christmas again this year. And the answer is yes, Johnny. Socks last year, socks this year, and socks next year. Socks to be you, Johnny. (And it wool sock for us if this game wasn’t any good…)

…Ahem. Something I always like to see in VNs are small little minigames that change up the pace a bit. To have a bit of a distraction in between pages upon pages of text. It’s what I liked in Koihime Musou, for example. And luckily, Orc Castle has a mini game and it’s pretty fun, if not pretty tough as well.

Look at all those orcs!

I can’t really explain what genre the minigame is because I don’t think I’ve ever played something like this before. The gods have told me it’s reminiscent of RTS, which kind of surprised me, because I’m an atheist. And this god was surprisingly kind to me. Anyway, don’t worry, because if I can’t explain what genre this game is, I can explain the whole minigame itself! Yes, the game gives you a (daunting) tutorial but honestly, who reads those? (I do.)

The idea of the game is that you have a castle (Gasp! Plot twist!) and a heroine is trying to invade it. There are 4 heroines (more on that later) and each of them has a different movement pattern. It’s up to you to predict how she will move, lay out traps in your castle in real time, and set up a chain combo where she falls into trap after trap. Time moves in turns, so every few seconds, the heroine takes a step or turns around and one turn has passed. Keep in mind, placing traps costs both MP and time/turns to appear. MP will be restored over time and after every battle.

The higher your chain combo caused by traps, the higher your damage multiplier will be. And how do you do damage? Simple! You just lead the poor little mousey into any of the soldiers you have around the castle. They engage into battle with the heroine and… …die. Yeah, your soldiers aren’t exactly heroes and are all expendable pawns you use to damage the heroine, all the way until she has 0 HP left. When the heroine has 0 HP, the last soldier who battled her will have his way with her if it’s a non-generic non-orc soldier, and after that, she gets sent to the Orc Prince.

Oh, did I mention, you (Yes, you!) are the Orc Prince? You’re the self-absorbed, good-for-nothing Orc Prince of the Orc Kingdom that’s at war with Asgard, a human kingdom. To prove your worth, you’re stationed at the Orc Castle and need to defend it against Asgardian intruders. Wow, maybe I should’ve lead with this piece of info? Well, too bad this isn’t a digital document where I could’ve easily cut and pasted this paragraph higher up… Oh well!

So, the minigame is a bit daunting at first (like my uncle), but when you start to understand the mechanics, it’s really doable (also like my uncle — not that I tried). There’s a bit more to it, like breaking the heroine’s armor with high combos, or making her avoid treasure chests. (The Orc Prince even noted how stupid it is to leave treasure lying around for the heroine to find!) Breaking the heroine’s armor eventually strips her naked and allows for very short scenes where a soldier has his way with her. It’s nice to see the Orc Prince cares enough about his soldiers to share the women with them. Such generosity basically made me choke up with emotions as I watched a thick throbbing orc cock ravage a woman’s pussy.

Sometimes, when the heroine opens a chest, you’re lucky, and she’s stripped and put into a ‘bikini’. Well, the game calls it a bikini…

This nukige has 4 heroines – or cumsluts, as the orcs prefer to call them – which also means you have 4 stages in the minigame. Each stage has a few ‘levels’, though. The heroines represent the typical classes you have in RPGs: You have the Warrior (barbarian), Assassin (thief), Witch (mage) and the Imperial Knight (swordsman). Beyond that, the heroines’ appeal lies mostly in their physical qualities than their personal qualities. Though, if I had to pick a favorite, it’s Hilda. (That’s the girl you see at the very top of this Tester’s Corner.) And she’s my favorite for this one line of hers.

She’s a real Phoenix Wright. (And this is totally SFW now, right?) And look at those onomatopoeia!

The orc soldier told Hilda to suck his censor circles (which are totally not hiding a throbbing orc cock) harder and gentler at the same time. My first reaction was to stand up, slam my desk, point my finger, and yell “OBJECTION!” in no reference to any particular game series. Much to my surprise, Hilda is a similar stickler for such details, even as she is munching away on that delicious, musky, purple meat rod naughty bits blocker. I’d honestly do the same if I were in her shoes — if she were wearing any.
Anyway, to get back to the other heroines, each of them has three main sex scenes. That means that each stage has 2 special soldiers (aside from the generic orc soldiers) the heroine can, err… ‘fall in love with’ and the Orc Prince always awaits at the end. Throw in an extra end scene and that makes for quite a lot of scenes in the end! Though I hope you’re not superstitious… Let me tell you, I once had to rewrite an entire presentation because my colleague didn’t want to have 13 pages, since that was bad luck according to him. I did the sensible thing and cried and ran away.

But I’m getting off track here! If, at this point, you’re not aware this is a nukige, then don’t worry. The game will make it very obvious when you open it. It throws, a lotta hentai CG your way, smack-dab right on the title screen. It made it troublesome to pretend I’m a clean, innocent, good little boy like my momma wants me to be. …Because my parents and my sister look over my shoulder like insanely curious hawks.

Don’t worry about the Japanese. I’m told that’ll get translated before release. Also, stupid title just barely left bits of her exposed.

One of these days, they’ll realize I’m a bad boy who reads and corrects orc porn. But not today. Today, they’ll keep thinking my interests lie solely in pure women my age, and not her dog. N-Not that I’m into dogs or anything.

Yeah, I don’t like porn with orcs on human women… I’ll be honest about that. But that doesn’t make this a bad game. Honestly, the art looks good, and character designs are nice too, although a bit too big-breasted for my tastes. There’s actually a surprising amount of attention to detail too, with the sprites in the minigame changing depending on how damaged the heroine is. The music is okay, but nothing spectacular. Though, what I really like about the music is that each scene has its own distinct tune. So you won’t hear the same music twice! So, if orcs and the like are your thing, then this title is definitely for you.

…Seriously, there are a lot of orcs in here. In fact, I’m going to the doctor tomorrow and I fear he’ll tell me “Sorry, but you have Orcs” like some sort of infectious disease. …But it was still worth it, because I care a lot about correct English, whether it’s a nukige or not! It’s my life’s mission to correct all the English in the world, like some sort of obnoxious Superman nobody ever wanted.

My greatest nightmare…

Honestly, before starting this Tester’s Corner, I was thinking of writing everything in a Shrek accent and having Donkey as my assistant. But in the end, I decided against that, and I wonder how many innocent minds I’ve spared today with that decision. In that regard, I really am some sort of superhero. …And the villain, but let’s forget that minor detail.
And with that… Nurio, out!

Let’s see. The title is Please Bang My Wife, and it’s produced by Atelier Sakura Team NTR. I wonder what this about?

It’s not exactly difficult to answer that question. If you somehow expect the contrary, then you’ll be surprised. The game’s title is pretty straightforward about the scenario, to say in the least (and it certainly got my attention). It follows the Sashihara couple, Yasashi and Mariko, as they live out their lovey-dovey married life. The setting is actually pretty interesting as Yasashi is an eroge script writer, which naturally makes him used to all sorts of erotic content. With his job, he has to meet strict deadlines by working all-nighters at their company’s office. With Mariko being left alone for these periods, it doesn’t take a wild imagination to guess what kind of events begin to transpire.

Yes. Netorare. Sex. With that said, the game focuses on Yasushi’s perspective at first, so he doesn’t know what is going on until he starts finding his wife’s behavior suspicious.  He eventually confronts her directly about the affair, only to discover his true feelings regarding the situation he’s in. As the game’s title implies, Yasashi strangely enjoys the idea of his wife being taken by another man, and wants to see it for himself in morbid curiosity.

The “meat” of the ero content is from Mariko’s perspective, seen in scenes unlocked after completing the main portion of the story. Gentle Sasaki’s art is extremely solid in depicting these scenes, along with lewd sound effects and Mariko’s voice. Also, you can choose to have Mariko’s glasses on or off. The ero is obviously important in this kind of game, so it certainly does not disappoint on that front. That’s not to forget what Mariko’s side of the story does for the narrative though. Hearing the story from her words in Yasushi’s side and actually seeing the action is quite the experience. Her internal thoughts reveal her side of conflicting emotions, and the dialogue and descriptions emphasize that “falling” state of her mind. I should probably mention Kazuki, since he’s the character who steals Mariko from Yasushi and all. However, his character is definitely part of the story unfolding, so I’ll just leave it at that.

As someone not too well-versed with the NTR genre, I found Please Bang My Wife to be an entertaining introduction of sorts. It plays things straight, while adding a twist with the conflict in emotions of a male protagonist in his curiosity.

   Today’s Tester’s Corner for MYTH is brought to you by OsirisOmega!

Dig in, this is gonna be a chewy one!

Myth was a visual novel I knew nothing about when I was invited to test it. I was recommended it many months ago during another test I worked on, but I was told that saying anything about the plot would be a spoiler. After having finished the game, I would completely agree with that statement… Everything I can say that this game does is a spoiler, so I’m going to need to be extremely vague.

If only that was the truth…

Myth stars Meito Tanabe, a high school student living in a perfect world where nothing is wasted or unplanned. The humans in the world he lives in lost their shadows long ago in their pursuit for knowledge. Meito has his doubts about this society and the unchanging daily life he lives, and those same doubts transform into motivation to jump into the unknown when he meets a strange girl who appears to have a shadow of her own.

This girl, named Shimon, and a mysterious voice in Meito’s head leads him to the World of Shadows. Here, shadows live like normal humans, much to Meito’s horror. His natural curiosity of this new world and the voice that he heard leads him on chase for information, meeting a diverse cast and exploring his unknown surroundings in the meantime.

Unfortunately, this summary BARELY scrapes the surface of what this game is about… but I legitimately can’t tell you any more due to spoilers. The plot is so warped and twisted that telling you literally anything else will dull the impact of the endless punches this game throws your way. You’re gonna have to trust me on this one.

Look at this handsome guy.

Myth has so many interesting mechanics and features that it’s hard to know where to begin talking about it. To start, there’s an extremely detailed character chart that shows how characters relate to each other while also providing basic information about them. These charts are constantly updated and fleshed out over the course of the game, so it’s always interesting to check in from time to time. In addition, there’s a scene replay system that allows you to revisit any scene in the game without having to exit back to the main menu. This is EXTREMELY useful since the plot has a tendency to get twisty-turny or heavy, so being able to reflect at any point on something that happened earlier can sometimes feel invaluable.

There are other features I wish I could talk about, but again… spoilers. Some become plot relevant in super interesting ways, so I don’t want to reveal what they are or how they function. It’s something you’ll have to discover for yourself!

Again, I really can’t stress enough how interesting the plot is. I’ve never read anything quite like Myth. The narrative structure, general plot lines, and how this game abuses VNs as a genre feel totally refreshing and unique. Don’t let the art or low-key look of this game fool you; it’s definitely something I highly recommend giving a chance. I know I had to be overly vague taking about it, but I hope that only encourages you to take a dive into the unknown. Trust me, it’s worth it. I hope you enjoy Myth as much as I did!

Thanks for reading!

-OsirisOmega

Today’s Tester’s Corner for Go! Go! Nippon! 2016 comes from Nurio!

Hello all! This seems to be the eleventh time I got the honor of working on one of MangaGamer’s titles. So, what title is it this time? Hm…? Go… Go… Japan…? You mean, that title from OVERDRIVE… specifically designed for the western market…? Excuse me for a second…

*relative silence from a madman leaning against the wall can be heard from relatively close*

Wow, am I having a déjà vu! This just all sounds so familiar. Like I’ve been here before in a land long forgotten by time…

Anyway, Go! Go! Nippon! 2016, it is! …But before I go on, does anyone else wonder what happened to the other 2013 versions? I’ve heard of version 1, version 2015, and now version 2016! But where are version 2 to 2014? I’m kind of worried they perished somewhere along the way…

Well, not that it matters. I personally jumped from version 1 completely to version 2016, not having played the 2015 version at all, due to my absence. But now that I’m back, and there’s a new GGN expansion, the MangaGamer bigwigs sat around a table and had a discussion.

“Nurio? Who’s that?  I mean, we need to get him back on the GGN Team!”

I’m sure they all love me very much… Err, maybe it’s about time I start talking about the game itself? While testing this game, I discovered the dirtiest secret MangaGamer has ever hidden before. Despite being a so-called all-ages title, GGN is secretly MangaGamer’s most lewd game yet! Why do I think so?

What do you mean “You’re delusional”? I haven’t been delusional since 2016! I’ll be your tour guide through my experience with Go! Go! Nippon! 2016! And then you’ll see!

On your right, you see the GGN 2016 title screen

See? How blatantly erotic can you get? Right on the title screen you have your T&A. And the characters happen to be called Makoto Takoto and Akira. Takoto bringing the T and Akira bringing the A! Coincidence? I think not! And look at that logo! It’s an airplane flying towards a fully uncensored penis. How graphic! Not convinced yet? Keep on reading, and you’ll find even more!

On your left, you see the name entry screen, and the one true name

Of course, with the return of Takoto and Akira, it’s also the return of Sexy McMuffinFluff. Or more commonly known as Sexy McMuff by friends and family, particularly his mother. She gave him that name, after all.

So, being only familiar with the original version of the game, I was shocked — shocked, I tell you, to see the girls MOVE suddenly. Nearly scared me to death. MangaGamer needs to provide trigger warnings. “Warning: Contains cute moving girls.” Something like that. It only has one downside, though. I am now so focused on the moving girl, that I can hardly focus on the text and I need to make a tough decision between beautiful text or beautiful moving girls. But ultimately that’s a good thing! How blessed must one be to be unable to pick between two wonderful things? So, is… is this gonna be a thing for all VNs nowadays? Because I can get behind that like I can get behind the curtains whenever my uncle comes visit us.

Straight ahead, we have The Two speaking in moonspeak

Speaking of things that are different. I pulled up a familiar screenshot from the first game, and I wanted to use this opportunity to point out what’s new!

Also straight ahead, we have two unidentified people speaking in moonspeak

Okay, aside from widescreen vision and a new interface that more accurately shows who says what (The characters now have name tags with name and appropriate colors. My colorblindness thanks you, MG!), it also shows the current day and location now. Oh, and do you notice that little wallet tab at the top-right? It pops out whenever you click on it or make a purchase, and you can more easily see how much you’ve spent and what you’ve spent it on. …But the biggest, most important change is that they switched from old yellow light bulbs to white LED lighting in the Misaki Residence.

Like, right in front of you, there’s the map of GGN 2016

Of course, the game also has new content. It adds three new locations, plus a route per girl. So, that’s 6 new locations and 2 new routes. These new locations are Ueno, Nakano, Yanaka, Rikugi-en, Tokyo Station (more exciting than it sounds), and Shibamata. Though, there are a few new locations in the girls’ routes, too! How to trigger the new routes is fairly obvious, but you can actually do some variations that will slightly impact a thing or two. Just a neat little thing. Like my p–

Moving on! Uhm… What more is new or different… Hmm, well, I can say what hasn’t changed! It’s my undying love for Momiji Overdrive and Sexy McMuff’s enthusiasm. No, really, you’d think he has seen enough of Japan after 5 years (My First Trip to Japan? Pfeh, it’s already my second time, MG!) but apparently the guy is as enthusiastic as he was before. But then again, I would be just as excited about our goddess Takoto and her sidekick Akira.

342 meters to your right, we have our goddess Takoto planning world domination while touring Tokyo

And here we have Takoto looking Sexy McMuff deeply into his eyes, wondering which eyeball to take as a trophy. She appears enamored by both

Oops, too late. I guess she took both. Sexy McMuff screams in agony from his missing eyes and accidentally going on a date with the sidekick

I have no idea what I’m doing.

So, what better time than now to show you what I promised? The following graphics screenshots serve as irrefutable proof that GGN 2016 is MangaGamer’s lewdest game yet! If you’re a small child, I suggest either to magically grow up or to avert your innocent eyes.

Exhibit A: Akira ponders her life choices as she prostitutes Sexy McMuff off for 3 yen

Exhibit B: Mere moments later, Sexy McMuff found out the virginal blood wasn’t hers nor his

Exhibit C: So graphic that the CG artist threw himself out of the window

Japan sure is a scary place. And these are only 3 examples. There are dozens of scary things in there. Dozens! …But for real. GGN R18+ next, MangaGamer? Please?

Anyway, sucks to be him for getting sold off, framed for murder and finding a questionable fetish. Luckily, I could learn all of Takoto’s divine lessons on Japan, without risking the sexual dangers. I guess that’s exactly what this VN is for. To have the Japan experience without the need to actually go to Japan. For example, I learned that Japan has toilets that pee by themselves, or how rude it is to keep your shoes on indoors, or how utterly excruciating it is to have your eyeballs stolen, or several quaint Japanese phrases.

She told me this means “I am very intelligent.” I’m sure that’s true

I’ll be sure to use this phrase next time I’m with a Japanese girl, so that I appear very smart! Takoto says it will definitely work!

Me working my flirting magic

Sadly, she was Italian, not Japanese. I guess the beard should’ve been a giveaway, but I swear all these Asians look alike. Anyway, I bet if she were Japanese, I totally would’ve pocketed her! D-Definitely!

…Dating isn’t as easy as VNs make it look, guys. ;.;

Anyway… Nurio, out!

Today’s Tester’s Corner comes from Nurio! …Again!

MYTH

Wait, didn’t I review Go! Go! Nippon! 2016 just yesterday? I must’ve gotten stuck in one of those time vortices again. Oh well!

There’s so much yet so little I can say about MYTH. When I was first asked to test this game, I was told it was similar to Higurashi.

“You like Higurashi, right?”
“Of course! It’s one of my favorites!”
“Great! You’ll love this one too, then!”

Well, they’re not wrong. I won’t pretend that this is a true masterpiece or something like that. But I love this game as you would love your ten-year-old cousin. At first sight, you feel a lot of discord and think it won’t work out between you two, but later, when you get to know them a bit better, you start seeing their good points, though quirky, and at that point, you start loving them more and more and find you might have more in common with them than you thought at first. Surely anyone with a fond family member with a huge age gap knows what I am talking about, right? If not, read on! (And even if you do, you can still read on!)

I would describe this game as the game of subversion. It sets you up with certain expectations and then pulls the rug right from under your feet when you least expect it. So, as I said, the game starts out with a few awkward things. Truth be told, I thought I would hate it! It throws concepts at you, and it makes you wonder if they’re really serious about this or not… It starts with our protagonist being strangely profoundly sulky, and it just feels like a game trying to be deeper than it actually is. You know the ones.

I mean, what?

Then it cuts to an NVL-style section, and it just gets weirder from there. No more strange profoundness, but just… strangeness.

I mean, WHAT?!

And this is not a spoiler. This happens literally at the start of the game… Anyway, our protagonist has a really stiff way of putting things, and as such, all the narrative is very stiff too. At first I didn’t think it was intentional and it was just bad writing…

Who talks like this, honestly? And he’s just talking about tea.

And to contrast our stiff protagonist, we have this extremely loose girl.

Try to wrap your head around that one…

That just makes it look like the writer of this VN doesn’t know if it should go for silly fun or serious depth. Looking back on these early scenes after having gone through the whole game is definitely very strange. After a while, the dialog evolves and becomes more natural, and you realize that this strange intro is very much intentional and serves a certain purpose that I of course won’t spoil here. In fact, beyond the intro, if you happen to find something that looks like a mistake, typo or glitch, chances are it’s intentional and it’s not a mistake/typo/glitch at all. When you’re done with this VN, everything seems like it was exactly how it was supposed to be.

So, what I am saying is, don’t let the first few moments of this visual novel deter you from the rest. It already starts getting better around the fourth day or so, and it only goes up after that.

That said, this game will leave you scratching your head, even after you finish it. But I’ll come back to that point later. First I want to talk about the mechanical and technical part of this game before moving on to characters and story.

I don’t know why, but for some reason, MangaGamer keeps assigning me to visual novels that have a dual language mode. Yes, MYTH has both a Japanese mode and an English mode. Either MangaGamer thinks I can speak Japanese or it’s just a trend now to have multiple languages in one VN. But either way, I think it’s a cool addition that can help people who are on their way to learning Japanese. …Or English.

And that’s not the only option you have. Not often have I seen a visual novel with this many options and buttons. Granted, the options I see here aren’t anything extraordinary, but the somewhat small screen coupled with the various options and buttons makes it just seem like a very impressive selection. Sometimes I feel like I need to search for a hidden key or option in the menus, but not here. I instantly could find the options I was looking for.

Something I need to point out is the audio quality. This is actually another thing this game has in common with Higurashi. The audio quality is… pretty bad. Actually, the music is really good, both in regards to quality and to style. In fact, a few of the tunes actually gave me real Higurashi vibes, which is a good thing. I won’t post samples here, because you should experience these songs on your own at the appropriate moments, I think. …That said, when it comes to sound effects, expect to have some dull audio that makes you wonder what exactly they’re trying to convey. Luckily, the sound effects are not quite as important as the music, the latter being way more influential in setting the tone and ambience of a scene. And before long, just like with Higurashi, you’ll start to like the audio for what it is, especially the music.

And as an added bonus, this game also has falling flower petals, but these don’t murder your computer, so that’s definitely a huge plus!

Now, if you’re like me, then the intro will leave you questioning a lot of things. It’s rough to get into due to the way it’s written. Though the particular writing serves a purpose, it doesn’t change the fact that it’ll be too confusing for some people, like myself. So, to save you from this anguish, I’ll quickly summarize my interpretation of the intro, no spoilers. Yes, I said “my interpretation”, because I do think there are multiple ways to interpret the intro (and the rest of the visual novel for that matter).

Our protagonist lives in a perfect utopia, but he is not happy with this to the point he appears downright depressed. Basic human needs have been taken care of, every problem and mystery has an answer, mankind is not dependent on nature anymore and is completely self-sustaining. And the list goes on. It’s a very calculating world without any randomness to it anymore. People are taught that the answer they seek is in a textbook, and that there are no real troubles anymore. But this also makes the world very samey and boring and that’s exactly the issue our protagonist has with this world.

There’s one more thing about this world. This world lacks shadows. Or at least its people do. And that’s when our protagonist suddenly sees a girl who does have a shadow and follows her into a world inhabited by shadows. In this world, only this girl has both a body and a shadow, while the rest of the inhabitants consist of only a shadow. Yes, literally. They don’t have a body at all; they’re just shadows. This girl is the first person our protagonist has seen with both a body and shadow… That is, until he meets two other girls exactly like that. Their origins are mysterious, though, as they both suffer from selective amnesia. And thus the four of them work together to find out exactly what is going on.

That’s all I can say about the intro without spoiling anything. But I hope that helps you make sense of it all when you start up the game! Now, I’ve kept saying “our protagonist” instead of using his actual name, so I think it’s high time I start introducing a few of the characters.

Meito Tanabe: Straight-faced and calculating

First up, we have our protagonist — Hm? What’s with the empty space to the left of that image, you ask? I just pulled these images straight from the Character Chart, which outlines all the characters and their relations as you keep playing this game. If you click on the character, it shows their sprite and some information to the left. I think this chart is vital, because before long, you’ll have an entire array of characters, and their relations grow ever more complex. Anyway, I already said most I could about Meito, but I can add that he’s critical and a quick judge of others. When he’s faced with a problem, he’ll immediately think of a solution.

Shimon: Happy-go-lucky and birdbrained

Secondly, the first girl with both a body and a shadow that Meito meets. She’s aloof and happy and nothing really seems to get her down. She lives alone in a large house in a village in the world of shadows. She’ll be Meito’s guide of sorts to get around in the world of shadows, but good luck getting anything useful from her. She’s friendly with anyone and everyone, and there isn’t anybody who doesn’t like her, aside from maybe the critical Meito.

Sou: Immature and short-tempered

Sou is my personal favorite, though at first she was my most hated character, believe it or not. It takes a while for her to grow on you, but after a while, her antics are something you just love to see. Immature in both body and spirit, she has plenty of energy and makes jokes that fly over everyone’s head. Though she seems a bit like a small child, her jokes often have some sort of raunchy streak to it. Deep down, beyond the silly exterior, she is a nice girl who cares, though.

Riri: Mature and demure

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Sou is Riri. She’s sweet, mature and calm, much like a “Big sister” type of character. Both she and Sou appear in the other world on the same day, both with a body and shadow, but without any memories of their own. Riri meshes the best with Meito, both having a good head on their shoulders and being proactive toward a solution while the other two are simply having fun.

There are a lot more characters, but I fear trying to describe them all would be too spoilery and time-consuming. This Tester’s Corner is already too long as it is! You can think of these four people as the main characters, though, as the story will revolve around them for the most part, with Meito being the protagonist, from whose perspective you see the whole game.

There is one more thing I want to say about the characters. As I’ve mentioned before, the rest of the inhabitants are all shadows, which means that their sprites are rather simple.

A personal favorite quote of mine. Try saying that out loud!

As you can see, they’re literally nothing but a silhouette. At first, I thought this was just a lazy plot device to cut cost/time/effort on drawings, but when you realize they even made sprites for Meito when they really didn’t need to, you’ll notice that they honestly didn’t cut any effort anywhere in the art. Sure enough, the art style isn’t SPPL levels of beauty, especially with some wonky perspective or anatomy in some of the CG, but I think the game looks good in its own right.

I don’t know if I should say this, since it’s somewhat spoilery, but not really. If you’re really sensitive about spoilers, you can skip this paragraph. But what I want to say is that, since this game is a game of subversions, it also means that when you think it’s over, it’s not over yet. There’s more content hidden in this game than it lets on at first. The game isn’t over until the title screen is completely white like so. Only then can you be certain you’ve seen all the game has to offer. If not, go back in there and see if you’ve missed anything. Though I say this is the end, there are actually still some extras for you to check out after the main game, like “Sou’s Case Files”, which is a short non-canon series of logic puzzles, featuring Sou as our master detective. Okay, that’s the end of the very minor spoilers!

And I also believe that’s actually the end of my Tester’s Corner. I covered about everything I wanted to. All that’s left for me is to thank MangaGamer, because if I wasn’t put on this game, I never would’ve tried it out. But now that I’ve played through it, I’m really glad I did, because I look back on this game with a particular kind of fondness that I don’t have for a lot of titles.

Lastly, you may be wondering… “Nurio, where is the usual craziness? Your typical antics? Where is your onee-chan, the bears, your weird uncle?” And to that I say… Isn’t a crazy person not being crazy the craziest of all? Profound!

Nurio, out!

Today’s Tester’s Corner for Go! Go! Nippon 2016 is brought to you by Nake!

Go! Go! Nippon 2016, was a blind run for me, without prior experience of the 2015 title. The layout after the initial day was very different from other types of visual novels I have had the honor of playing. The CG and the animation, which I was totally not expecting, literally blew me away.

I highly recommend this title. From the amazing mass of places you can visit, to the high replay value it offers. There are two routes you can go through, one with a “moe” personality, and the other being meaner, but cuter of the two. There are plenty of choices you can make throughout your week-long adventure. There is also a language toggle, and you can set it so the Japanese is on top, so it makes for a great learning opportunity. The wallet function is also very nice, since you can see the total amount of money that you spent. If you are ever planning a trip to Japan, or simply want to learn more Japanese, then this is a great game to help you along the way.

Thanks, see you next time!

Today, we have a tester’s corner from Opernlied!

The Stargazers is a colorful space adventure, both in its art and cast of characters. While there are a lot of stars in space, the ones getting the attention are the crew of the Shooting Star, so it’s not going to be some epic space odyssey spanning multiple galaxies.

Although the story follows the adventures of Temperance, Risty, and Viiflidi, the center of the crew is Temperance, or Tem, as she prefers to be called. I consider her the center because she’s the newcomer of the crew, and her arrival is a turning point with the other two main characters. Her disciplined personality contrasts greatly with the attitudes of the others, and it becomes all too noticeable with their interactions between each other. If I dare make a comparison, Tem is very similar to Azusa Nakano from K-On!, both being eager newcomers that are disappointed at the lack of seriousness in the environment they arrive in. I suppose there’s more to compare with K-On!, if you were replace the high school light music club with robots and piloted mechas in space. I mean, they’re both light-hearted stories! But I digress.

Anyway, the perspective system is certainly a highlight of The Stargazers and its story. Sure, Tem is a pretty big deal, but seeing the thoughts behind the analytical Risty and the playful Viiflidi and understanding the motivations behind their actions undoubtedly adds a lot more to their characters, as well as the group dynamic with the trio. The different perspectives also offer flashbacks, shedding backstory on various things, like the characters’ reasons for going into space. Even though you are given the option to switch perspectives throughout the story, it seems to make the most sense to simply stick with one character until the end, but the option is there, I suppose.

With all that said, the one particular issue I should mention is that while there’s a story arc of sorts with a conclusion, there’s Stuff That Happens and the whole idea with the space setting leaves a whole lot of room for more. But there isn’t, so you might end up hoping the developers continue the adventures of the Shooting Star.

Today, we have a tester’s corner from Kitty-tama!

Hi, this is Kitty-tama and today I want to discuss one particularly nifty detail I took note of when testing The Stargazers.

In a typical visual novel, when you make decisions, they don’t usually carry over into future playthroughs. Essentially, you start over with a clean slate when you start a new route. This isn’t so much the case with The Stargazers; every little decision you make stays consistent with each subsequent playthrough. This detail made for a pleasant surprise as I tested this game. When I began going through the first route, Temperance’s, and got to the scene where I could choose between three food items, my very first thought was “Oh, one of these scenes…”

However, when I reached the same scene in the next route, I was impressed to see that Temperance ended up eating what I’d chosen when doing her story! Sometimes it’s the little things that really stand out.

The Stargazers has quite an abundance of decision points despite its short length. If you like a game with a higher decision point count and not feeling as if you’re just staring at a screen with little interaction, this game definitely is a solid pick.

I enjoyed The Stargazers; it gives off a cheesy sci-fi pulp fiction feel (with yuri!) alongside an engrossing, if short, story. I won’t spoil anything, but the romance aspect to the story was quite different than most VNs and while the execution was a little bit clumsy, it had its cute moments! I was a tad disappointed in its shortness simply because I wanted to see more of the girls’ adventures in space, but what was in the game was fun and I had a pleasant time testing it.

Until next time, everyone!

Today, we have a tester’s corner from Ryechu!

Hey everybody! Ryechu here! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I hope you haven’t missed me too much! Have you played Critical Hit yet? That’s what’s been keeping me busy recently, but when New Generation was announced, I was chomping at the bit to get to work on it, and when I was given the go-ahead, I’m not gonna lie, I did a little dance. Please don’t try to picture a Raichu dancing, I’m not as cute. Anyway, A Kiss For the Petals: The New Generation is the nineteenth (yes, that’s 19) game released in the Sono Hanabira ni Kuchizuke o VN series. Oh man, I keep drooling at the thought that maybe the rest of the games in the series will see an official English release. Who’s with me?!

In this story, we get to meet THREE new couples! First, we have Hazuki (a very humble girl who tends to daydream a lot) and Manami, a girl who is one person in public and an entirely different person in private. Ai and Aya are a pair of twins who couldn’t be any more different from each other, but good lord are they cute when they’re together. And we have Nagisa and Rina, the sort of “prince/princess” couple. In New Generation, not only do we get to watch these romances bud, we get to see what happens… after that romance buds!

So at St. Michael’s, the students have been super gung-ho about this new fad called the “Best Couples.” Basically, the couples they are always squealing over. At the beginning of the story, Hazuki wants to be a part of that club, and she has her eyes set on Manami. After some prodding from her friends, she finally decides to go for it, and the rest is history.

I’m not sure if we should REALLY be playing with fire like this. She might just step on you.

In Ai and Aya’s route, we have a pair of sisters who recently realized that they were separated at birth, and Ai is now uninterested in anything but her sister. But what about Aya, how does she feel about all of this? This is by far my favorite route of the trio, and that’s because of the darkness that happens. No, spoilers, but there’s a lot more going on here than meets the eye.

And then we have Nagisa and Rina. While Ai and Aya might be my favorite route, Nagisa is my favorite character. When it comes to protagonists (the route is played from the perspective of Nagisa), there are three things I look for: a tomboyish attitude, a blunt, tsundere personality, and a smile you just want to fight people for. Nagisa checks all those off and more. When it comes to their route, we have a pair of childhood friends who clearly love each other, but neither is willing to take the next step. That is, until something in particular happens…

How To Get Your Way 101: Facial Expressions That Kill

Testing these titles is so much fun. When I’m reading, I’m not only enjoying the story, I’m also keeping an eye out for technical issues and grammatical errors so that when the game is released, it is as perfect as it can be. What’s also fun is seeing these games being converted to Ren’py so beautifully. If you have ever played the original versions of any of the Sono Hanabira titles, you know that there are a lot of technical issues, and every last one of them can be eliminated simply by moving it to a different game engine. I imagine that, after the release of Remembering How We Met, the transition is now infinitely easier, and I really do hope that we’ll see more of these titles in the West.

I wish you knew how tempting YOUR behavior was.

To anybody who plays this game, please, please, please listen to the opening and ending songs. They are so much fun to listen to, and it was a blast every time I opened the game. With that all said, I really hope you enjoy A Kiss For the Petals: The New Generation! Feel free to follow me on Twitter, and I look forward to the next time we meet!

~J “Ryechu” R

Today, we have a tester’s corner from Puffketeer!

Please note, the following article may contain mild spoilers.

Hello again, everyone. I am puffketeer, and I am quite excited to be able to write this particular Tester’s Corner. It is plain to see that 2016 has been, thus far, quite an amazing year for the proliferation of yuri visual novels in English, a niche-within-a-niche whose addressing for the English market is undoubtedly long overdue. And no visual novel is more proudly representative of this genre than A Kiss for the Petals, also known as Sonohana, the contraction of its original Japanese title. You may have heard of it, you may have sampled the early titles, and if you’re like me, you likely first became aware of the series through its animated OVA adaptation, originally released in 2010 and recently reissued on Blu-Ray this year as well. But, like many truly notable visual novels, there is so much more to this series than what its outward appearance may suggest. And with this English release of The New Generation, which marks the series’ first official 18+ English release, and one devoid of any censorship at that, we hope to truly demonstrate how yuri will save the world.

You showed me how to do / Exactly what you do / How I fell in love with you
The Turtles – “You Showed Me”

As you may be aware, 2016 marks the series’ 10^th anniversary, an occasion which the developers of the series have been all too eager to celebrate. Since the surprise sleeper hit of the original game back in 2006, Sonohana has truly been in a league of its own. While many visual novels tend to be one-shot stories, with occasional fandiscs to provide extra story content for any loose ends not initially tied up, or to provide extra routes for popular side characters, Sonohana has stuck to its guns and refused to stray from its own remarkably liberal-minded ideology, while building quite an impressive universe of characters & settings over multiple games, drama CDs & light novels. Of course, the series’ most notable trait is the complete nonexistence of heteronormativity; at St. Michael’s, girls liking girls is, as series producer Mi Kara Deta Saba has said, “the most natural thing in the world”, and certainly not an avenue for catering to the fetishistic desires of heterosexual men. Anyone predisposed to that sort of thing can go watch Valkyrie Drive; this is not the yuri you are looking for.

Got an instinct that tells me when I’m warm / Like a weather vane before a coming storm
Rational Youth – “In Your Eyes”

Rather than asking the viewer to project onto, or otherwise step into the shoes of, a male protagonist, Sonohana simply opts to give the viewer a glimpse into the lives of couples who are either about to fall in love, or are already in love, told through their own eyes as they grapple with their feelings, and with coming of age as well. Beginning with The Maidens of Michael in 2012, the series’ first effectively “full-price” title which aimed to provide much more content in one game than the original doujin titles could, the series took a unique approach to the route-based structure of many romance VNs. Each route in the full-length Sonohana titles runs concurrently with the others, each focusing on a particular couple, none of whom take priority over another. Indeed, with these newer titles has seen an increase of interaction between members of each couple as friends & classmates, fleshing out their characters even more, which the early titles never really engaged in aside from occasional, fleeting cameos.

I got you, that’s all I want / I won’t forget, that’s a whole lot
Split Enz – “I Got You”

In New Generation, we are shown three couples, all of whom get their own route, all of whom have their own unique chemistry, and all of whom are an indisputable joy to watch falling for each other. The first couple, Hazuki & Manami, are a couple not atypical of others which have come in the series before; they are very much a “commoner falls in love with rich girl” couple, much like Nanami & Yuuna from the very first game. Indeed, Hazuki shares Nanami’s most distinguishing trait, her constant daydreaming, and if anything, is quite a bit more vigorous with her imagination than Nanami often is. However, Manami is a markedly different type of contrasting character; she is, naturally, a wealthy young refined lady… or so the outward appearance she gives at school would suggest. Meeting Hazuki allows her to open up an entirely different side of her, but to say any more would be spoiling the wonders for you all.

We learn to live with a little pain, my dear / We love the tension in the atmosphere
The Puppets – “The Way of Life”

This said, it is the other two couples, childhood friends Rina & Nagisa and long-separated, recently reunited twin sisters Ai & Aya, whose stories truly make New Generation shine. Rina & Nagisa are a pair of close friends who are not above public displays of affection, and yet seemingly scared of tearing down the very last wall separating their friendship from becoming a genuine romance, while Ai & Aya are long-separated twins, both bearing the pain of separation and isolation from one another due to their separate upbringing, but also at odds on how they express their concern & affection for each other precisely because of their separate upbringings. Both couples are definitely at a “much more than friends, but not quite lovers” stage, who go through no shortage of pain to tear down that barrier, and the viewer may even be prompted to shed genuine tears at the most serious moments in their stories; I know I certainly did once or twice.

Take my hand, don’t think of complications / Now, right now, your love is liberation
Pet Shop Boys – “Liberation”

With the series’ increased emphasis on storytelling & characterization over its existence has come a rather surprising display of maturity in the depiction of sexual content, along with philosophizing over how sexuality & romance go hand in hand. Given the general conservatism & continued prevalence of casual sexism in certain areas of Japanese society, Sonohana has always been quite liberal-minded in its underlying message – love is love, irrespective of gender, social class, or any other factors which may divide the common humanity of two people. In New Generation, the concept of consent is openly discussed without whitewashing or hesitation, to particularly powerful effect in Rina/Nagisa’s route, and one character’s line is a direct rejection of the idea that non-heterosexual relationships are somehow less valid. The sex scenes are, naturally, no less explicit than one might expect, and yet almost painfully intimate, intended to arouse the viewer both physically and emotionally, focused squarely on depicting the tenderness & shared desire of two who are in love. Contrasting with the early titles, the story is no longer in service of the sexual content. Rather, they are perfectly in balance with, and inseparable from, each other. In Sonohana, love begets sex, and sex without love is nothing short of a sin. Sex is natural, sex is fun, sex is best when it’s one on one.

Did I see tenderness where you saw Hell? Did I see angels in the hand I held?
Talk Talk – “Living in Another World”

For those of you who may have previously thought Sonohana to be nothing more than mindless yuri nukige based on the early titles, we do hope that with this, the series’ very first fully uncensored, 18+ English release, we can coax you to reconsider that view. And we also hope that, with your support, we can be afforded further opportunities to bring the many, many more titles in the series, and perhaps even the glut of drama CDs, light novels, & other offshoots of this marvelous universe, to you in English, with much the same level of effort & love we have poured into both this title and Remembering How We Met. I am a firm believer that yuri will save the world; we would be grateful if you, too, can become a believer, with not a trace of doubt in your mind.

Here’s to another 10 years of Sonohana, and may the world overflow with yuri.

Today, we have a tester’s corner from Wavedash!

Hello there. My name is wavedash. In this Tester’s Corner, I’ll be giving a quick spoiler-free overview of what Himawari is about, specifically what I believe it’s about.

In my opinion, most visual novels cannot be adequately summarized without touching upon their themes. Characters and settings usually aren’t enough, and are often misleading. For example, Kira☆Kira isn’t just about a band. It’s about the power of music; its ability to bring people together and profoundly change them. Of course, this is easier said than done; themes are subjective and some may involve spoilers.

In my eyes, Himawari has two main themes. First, our dreams and how they change as we do. Second, how our pasts and futures shape our present selves. Every major character in Himawari is driven by their dreams, their pasts, or their futures. For better or for worse. None of these are particularly creative by themselves, but Himawari approaches them from many directions. What if you had no dreams? What if you had no past? …Or no future?

Hinata Youichi, the main protagonist, is a painful reminder that amnesia can have a severe impact on one’s life. Losing both his memories and his family in an accident, he knows nothing about his town, his school, or himself. A complete lack of goals or aspirations, surrounded by reminders of tragic loss. What effect would this have on one’s psyche?

Almost half of Himawari takes place several years before the common route, presented from the point of view of various other characters. Every character in the game is defined by their pasts, many shackled to it. Can they break free? Do they even want to? Where is the line drawn between denying one’s past and moving on from it?

Lack of a future, something we all take for granted, is perhaps more devastating than the previous two combined. Being stuck in the past denies you of your future, but it’s far from the worst way to “lose” your future. More morbidly, how would you live your life if your knew the day you would die? Or if you were driven by belief of impending doom for all of mankind?

While all this might sound rather heavy, keep in mind that these themes are *in addition* to what you might see on the surface. There’s definitely no shortage of comedy and cute girls. Aries, the main girl/alien, provides some amazing comic relief. But Aqua is cuter, of course.

Himawari – The Sunflower – is now available on MangaGamer.com and Steam!

Today, we have a tester’s corner from Umbel!

Look at those sunflowers!  Look at Aries’ shining face!  Look at the endless sky!  This is Himawari, I’m Umbel, and around here we are sugoku shiawase desu!

…Being what I thought to myself as I started it up.  Which isn’t actually too far from the truth and for the bulk of the game you will be getting exactly what you expect: Aries and Aries affiliates being cute.

That being said, Himawari is cute. And, for the most part, is simply a slice of life VN with an alien girl(?) and potentially MIB members around every corner…  or not.  The primary theme running throughout the entire game is that things are not always as they seem, and you can safely expect twists to show up very highlighting exactly that fairly often as you go through- including the game itself, which genre hops from slice of life to space opera(lite) and back to slice of life, then murder mystery, then slice of life… and it goes on for the entirety of it’s relatively high amount of playtime, probably around 40~60 if you’re intending to clear all extras and read everything.

The story starts with you, Hinata Youichi, an amnesiac recovering from a tragic space plane incident two years prior and his Space Club’s President, Amamiya Ginga, on their adventure to send a rocket to the moon and travel beyond it!  …With those dreams to come crash landing in the middle of the track club’s practice… for the twenty first time.  The failure itself quickly gets put in the past as plans for the next Himawari launch come under way and the boys part ways for the day.  Late in the night, Hinata is gazing at the stars and he sees one shooting… and crashing in a nearby park!  Much to everyone’s surprise, surely, the star was in fact not a star, but a spaceship, containing none other than the mysterious amnesiac girl… Aries!  Our slice of life adventure ‘takes off’ there~

The story flows in a completely linear pattern for the most part- choices are either fluff or will quickly(usually, abruptly) lead you right back to the title screen.  Routes are not available until after you’ve cleared the common route, which took me a bit off guard but ultimately is probably for the best; crucial bits of information are only revealed by going through the order proper, making it play out almost like a mystery in many cases.  You do not, and will not ever have all the cards… a fact that you will be reminded of very often.

The music was a pleasant surprise- the 75 tracks played throughout the game are generally very nice and fit the mood… or tastefully subvert the mood completely, in some nutty cases.  Most of it is, predictably, very upbeat and light.  Lots of woodwind.  They’re not amazing, but there are a few ball busters that smash it right out of the park.

This isn’t actually a lewd scene, but it caught your eye didn’t it?!

Moving on to the H scenes… there are none.  Well, let me rephrase that, “none”- there is exactly one for each heroine in the first place, nearly at the end of their routes, and they are very… tastefully… censored.  It might be a bit of a turn off to anyone looking because Aries and Asuka are incredibly cute, though the game actually wasn’t sporting any erotic CGs in the first place.  Adding on that, though, is that there is a lack of CGs in general.  The backgrounds are beautiful, and the few CGs we do get are pretty cute… but there’s very few.

All in all, if I had to put a number on it, it’d be a solid… 8/10.  The quality of the game itself is overall great game for anyone looking for something meaty to sink their teeth into and are looking for sugar instead of smut… and don’t mind a carpet or ten being yanked out of them.

You can grab your copy of Himawari – The Sunflower – on MangaGamer.com and Steam today!

Today, we have a Rance 5D + Rance VI tester’s corner from Umbelia!

Hello~  My name is Umbelia and I’d like to talk with you about go-… games you probably already know about.

Well… it’s Rance! Rance 5D and Rance VI.  If you’re interested at all, you almost certainly already know what you’re getting… but let’s pretend you’re not a grizzled eroge vet and want to be told details about the gem that is the Rance series.

Some background information first, then: Alicesoft is an eroge developer unlike others in that, for the most part, their games are always less VN and more game.  For me, this is an absolutely wonderful thing… the Rance series, titled after our lovely, sexist, asshole in green, is their flagship- and it very much always holds true to that point.

Exhibit A: A trash man in a trash robe.

Rance, for an eroge series, has a very elaborate lore and the story is actually very good.  Each game in the series chronicles Rance and his mage-slave Sill Plain’s adventures saving the world or overthrowing evil empires or that sort of thing.  Very 90s anime-esque except with more sex.  Without spoiling too much, Rance 5D and Rance VI involve him going to the mage-run country of Zeth and dealing with their… numerous corruption issues within the government, racism, at least two different rebellions, and the consequences from said rebellions.

Rance didn’t sign up to be a hero, though- he just wanted the booty.

Every Rance game plays a little different, though most commonly they at least incorporate some form of first person dungeon crawling… though 5D is one of the exceptions.  5D is, essentially, a single player board game.  The story is handled by getting events in a roulette, combat is almost completely luck based (though, you can chose what die role means what action, allowing for some level of strategy… but not much.), and the game itself is very short.  Because of the simplicity (and ease of death + auto saves) it’s actually very easy to get into and pretty fun to play.  The humor is mostly gags and, because of the condensed size of the game, tends to be fairly fast paced.

Exhibit B: My wife being adorable for humor.

Don’t be fooled though, Rance 5D is a minigame, but Rance VI is -huge- and you will spend a lot of time working through it, even if you’re not being a completionist.  Conversely to 5D’s whimsical structure, VI is just straight up a dungeon crawling JRPG with sex scenes. Gameplay is structured around juggling party members in and out of combat to juggle their Stamina Points, which limit how many battles they can be in before needing to exit the dungeon or use rare items to recover, as well as typical JRPG party balancing and grinding reminiscent of Final Fantasy 2 or so.

Speaking of JRPGs with great soundtracks that I’m totally not using as an awkward segway: Rance’s OST, as a series, tends to be extremely high quality. Alicesoft in general is very very good about their music, neither 5D nor VI disappoint there at all.  As in “I literally have a folder with Rance music that I’ve listened to for years”… it’s mostly from the immediate sequel; Sengoku Rance, but Rance VI and Rance 5D are very welcome predecessors regardless. There’s not really much to say about it other than that it’s great!

In spite of my praising it here for it’s quality as a game before being an eroge, it should be highlighted that it’s -not- because the smut is lacking at all.  Again, true to Alicesoft games and especially Rance in general, there is a huge number of CGs with an extremely varied cast that touches on many different fetishes and it’s all very high quality.  To give you a idea of the sheer number without outright spoiling you: aside from the actual heroines and party members (all of which, ignoring the three guys, have at least one H scene) there are gal monsters who are catchable and get a CG for it- 43 of them dedicated to galmons alone.

Exhibit C: The other wife gets eaten by Rance while banging HER wife.

All in all… really, the only reason I -wouldn’t- recommend Rance to someone was if they were looking exclusively for a quick and easy nukige. Rance 5D will ballpark around 4~6 hours and VI can very easily clear 30~40 if you’re going to be thorough at all.  But even then, if you’re into JRPGs at all I’d still not turn you away.  If you’re reading this, Rance -probably- has something for you.

Rance 5D + Rance VI is now available for purchase on MangaGamer.com!

Today we have some insight into Rance 5D from one of our testers!

Hello everyone, this time I get to talk about Rance 5D: The Lonely Girl, the first title in the Rance series by Alicesoft that is now being published by MangaGamer, who have graciously allowed me to beta test it.

I have to say I had no idea what to expect going into it as I am rather new to Alicesoft in general. I knew they were revered by many eroge fans in both japan and the western community but I didn’t know why this was other than Rance being famous for being “gameplay” games rather than straight ADV eroge.

Going into the game the first thing that struck me as particularly interesting was the soundtrack, composed by Shade, which is pretty “vgm”-like compared to most eroge. Something you’d expect from something you played on a snes game (but at much higher fidelity of course). This isn’t a bad thing by any means though as it simply enhances the atmosphere of the game making it feel like a console videogame. Due to the game’s length there aren’t a huge amount of tracks but what’s there is rather good.

Now, onto the game itself. There’s two main aspects to it, exploration which is done in a point and click adventure game style which is the bulk of the game and generally the part I like the most due to the clever puzzles and dialogue that occurs during the majority of it. And there’s the “board game” part which supposedly makes this game rather infamous, since it basically leaves your progress up to the whims of the random number generator that runs the game. You could end up progressing the story, fighting enemies, getting cool new items amongst other things. I never really had that much trouble with it as the game provides you with tools to mitigate all sorts of bad luck and ends up being rather fun trying to see if you can manipulate the game to give you the results you want by using certain items and options the game gives you.

The writing in Rance 5D is actually the most surprising aspect of it, it’s a laugh riot. I didn’t expect the game to be so hilarious from beginning to end. I expected it to be slightly more serious and “videogamey”, and yet it was refreshing at every turn. This particular incarnation of Rance is a lovable goofball who never stops being hilarious no matter the situation whether it’s life or death or just general tomfoolery he’ll always get you smiling. That’s not to say the entire cast isn’t good. Every single character portrayed in the game is amusing in one way or another, but Rance generally steals the spotlight from everyone in the game making him the source of most of the game’s amusing moments.

I mentioned earlier that the game is rather short, which most people would see as a negative, but it actually works fantastically with the game’s format because you can play for 20 minutes at a time and feel like you’re actually making progress. If you’re super hardcore and dedicated you could probably finish it during a long weekend but if you’re a more laidback player you can take your time and savour the game all throughout a week or two in smaller gameplay sessions and not feel like you’re not doing anything.

By the end of the game I was basically converted into an Alicesoft fan even though I had never really had an interest in them before. I can say that I look forward to the rest of the Rance series and after playing this I hope you all do as well!

Today, we have another tester’s corner for Rance 5D + Rance VI!

Hello everyone! I am glad to be brought back as a beta tester by the always lovely people at MangaGamer. This time I was allowed to test what is probably the most high profile game to date I’ve worked on. That is to say Alicesoft’s masterpiece: “Rance VI: The Fall of Zeth”. I have to say I was super stoked to be able to beta test this game as I LOVE dungeon crawling games, the Wizardry games on DOS and the Super Famicom are some of my favorite rpgs of all time. And to be able to play another game in that style is just marvelous. As I mentioned in a previous Tester’s Corner for Rance 5D I was rather new to the Rance series but after 5D I was extremely excited to jump into this beta test. I’d heard a lot of really great things about this game in the past and boy does it ever deliver. This is without a doubt the best gameplay focused eroge I’ve seen.

Firstly. Let’s talk about the soundtrack. Whereas 5D has a more retro style soundtrack in my opinion, VI is more like PS1 game. DragonAttack’s work on Rance VI has an extremely varied mix of electronic tracks, orchestral tinges and “epic” feeling tracks where the guitar just goes HAM just like in everyone’s favorite JRPGs of old. It really does fit the more involved gameplay of Rance VI and is actually my preferred soundtrack of the two despite both of them being fantastic. Of course my personal favorite tracks in the game are actually not in the gameplay sections but rather the menu music since almost every menu in the game has its own unique themes (Shoutouts to my boy Pluepet). It’s all very nice 90s styled electronic music that hits just the right spots for me as I am a huge fan of that era of video game music and doujin music as well.

Next let’s talk about the gameplay, which is the meatiest aspect of the game by far. It’s a first person dungeon crawler like what you’d see in a Wizardry game or more recently Etrian Odyssey, the difference here being that instead of being restricted by D&D rules your characters have stamina points which deplete one by one after each random battle. I personally think this is a pretty good system because it makes you think how you’re gonna tackle each dungeon and makes you step out of your comfort zone and use every character to their fullest since everyone has different stamina values. Early on it can feel rather harsh but I think it’s rather rewarding when you end up beating a dungeon with just that one last stamina point, you just feel like a million bucks because you planned your attack strategy for that dungeon properly and the game rewards you for it.

As for the random battles themselves they’re rather traditionally styles battles there’s a set turn order and you pick what character attacks what enemy. There’s also a front and back row system like what you’d see in suikoden. Melee characters can only attack the front row until it’s cleared and ranged characters can attack either. It’s simple but works great. It’s also really fast paced and the game even allows you to make it go even faster in the battle options menu.

The story in Rance VI is actually so grand in scale that I could spend thousands of words talking about it and still not even be close to done. It’s actually funny because the scale of the game is rather deceptive. It starts out rather minimal, sort of like Rance5D but it grows into something so much more grand and bombastic that is a joy to experience, there’s so many twists and turns that work so well throughout the game. And the ensemble cast that forms Rance VI’s cast makes it a joy to read through. Sometimes the gameplay segments even feel like a chore because you just REALLY want to know what’s gonna happen next. It’s such a gripping game story that I think everyone who buys the game is gonna disappear for like a month or two to just play through the entire game and experience the amazing story it has to offer.

That’s not to say the game can’t be hilarious when it wants to be, it’s chock full of pop culture references, inside jokes amongst other amusing tidbits that make such a grand story not feel overwhelming.

I mentioned the ensemble cast just before this. Characters from all throughout Rance’s history make appearances in this game and I have to say I expected to be indifferent to such a huge cast given that so many characters I didn’t know showed up in this game. But I was completely wrong. Everyone in this game has great characterization, even characters that seem like one note jokes like Rocky are very likeable. And characters that show up from previous games like Maria and Shizuka feel right at home in this, like you always knew who they were. It speaks to lengths to how good the cast is in this game that you can drop a 40+ character cast onto someone and they still remember everyone by name because they’re all so memorable. I love all the character interactions in this game because they feel legitimately real, like everyone’s known each other for years. Heck even a majority of the villains are rather amusing and likeable.

Quite honestly the only negative aspect I can think of in the game, is the fact that to trigger events you need to grind for event orbs via the “adventure achievement” system in dungeons. It’s not that bad since it also helps you out with leveling your characters. But it feels like it kills your momentum in some of the more exciting moments of Rance’s adventure. But it’s really just a minor complaint in such a fantastic game that I almost felt it wasn’t worth mentioning. If Rance VI is a 10 out of 10 then this minor nitpick doesn’t really change my opinion of the game, it’s still a 10 out of 10.

To be honest I’m not sure if any other gameplay driven VNs can really compare to Rance VI, it’s definitely one of the most fun JRPGs I’ve played in general. It has such a high level of polish that I am actually kinda… scared of playing other Rance game because I don’t know if they’ll hold up in comparison. That said I still look forward to the future of this series in English because Rance has proven itself to me as the pinnacle of gameplay focused eroge and I’m sure it’ll keep delivering in the future.

Thank you to everyone at MangaGamer for letting me test this game, the localization staff for Rance for their hard work, and everyone else involved in making this release possible.
PS: Chizuko is best girl don’t @ me

Today, we have a tester’s corner for Da Capo III R from Kashiwazaki!

Hello! Kashiwazaki here, with a tester’s corner for the long-awaited Da Capo III R.

This project was the first MangaGamer title I’ve had the pleasure of working on. I’d heard of the Da Capo series every once in a while, but this was my first time experiencing it. Luckily, Da Capo III R only has neighboring ties to its predecessors. There’s plenty of bonus material, references, and throwbacks to earlier games, but DCIII can be easily enjoyed as its own independent story.

I liked it enough to pick up a tiny Ricca of my own

Da Capo III R is, at its heart, a story about learning to overcome one’s weaknesses. Acknowledging your limits and then growing past them, coping with grief and facing towards the future, or forgiving yourself for a long-term regret… These are the sentiments DCIII wants to convey.

It’s also a story about cute girls, but that much was obvious.

The gameplay itself is straightforward, for the most part. Da Capo is, in nearly every way, a traditional romance visual novel. There’s an art in sticking to things that work, though, and its direct approach makes the game feel comfortable and approachable.

The heroine map also has adorable animated chibis of the girls.

Every heroine, whether she was my type or not, felt endearing and likeable. I liked the whole cast. The CGs are bright and expressive, with over 100 images to unlock. The OST is extensive, ranging over 80 tracks, several of which have vocals. (I Can’t See It is great.) Each arc has its own opening movie, the first one being fully animated. There was no effort skimped and no shortcut taken on DCIII. There’s simply so much material available that the dedication put into this game is plain as day.

Ricca is also voiced by Emi Nitta (Honoka from Love Live!), so that’s exciting, too.

“Best girl” is a subjective term, but…

If you’re still on the fence about giving Da Capo III R a try, consider trying out the demo, as it’s… the full prologue of the game. 6,000+ lines. I’d say that’s more than enough to get comfy.

Da Capo III R and Da Capo III R ~ X rated are available on MangaGamer.com and Steam today!

Today, we have a tester’s corner for Da Capo III R from Puffketeer!

Hello once again. I am puffketeer, bringing to you my third, and most challenging, Tester’s Corner to write thus far, as this one concerns the latest main entry in a genuine juggernaut of a franchise, spun out of a visual novel into multiple crossover forms of media, including, naturally, multiple animated series. I am, of course, referring to Circus’ now running on 15-year saga of time, magic, and cherry blossoms – Da Capo.

You’re my magician
I tell you everything, you make it everything
Lime – “You’re My Magician”

Where to begin with such an iconic series? Well, of course, two main entries in the series have preceded this title, Da Capo III R, which, it must be noted, is not the originally released version of Da Capo III, but rather a heavily rigged version with a great deal of bonus side stories added, including one centred on the cast of Da Capo II which can arguably be called a “reunion special” of sorts. In addition, the X-Rated version adds explicit sexual content as well; both these versions were released in 2013 in Japan, one year after the original version (which notably lacked the sexual content of the X-Rated edition), and these are the versions we have toiled over a long, long period of over 3½ years to bring to you in English for Windows, macOS and Linux. We are just as stoked to finally be bringing this title out as we hope you are to finally be able to play it.

I’m wishing on the stars for Christmas, and hoping for a better day
When it doesn’t hurt to feel this way
Hurts – “All I Want for Christmas is New Year’s Day”

Da Capo has enjoyed a healthy history of success on consoles in Japan in addition to PC, with all three main titles to date receiving all-ages ports for PS2 & PSP. There’s even been an otome-themed spinoff title, Da Capo Girl’s Symphony, which was originally released in 2008 for Windows & 2010 for PSP. Naturally, the main games have all received anime adaptations as well, further cementing its status as a genuine crossover hit among eroge. With all the releases and re-releases of each main game to date, not to mention the many, many fandiscs & side stories released, let alone the crossover titles Circus has released which gather together characters not just from Da Capo, but from other major titles released by the company as well, calling this a “juggernaut” of a franchise, as I did in my opening, is certainly no understatement.

Da Capo III is an especially notable entry in the series, however, as it serves to link the overarching story line of the first two titles together while tying up remaining loose ends, and particularly memorably, forgoes the tried-and-true Japanese high school setting for much of its length, instead choosing to showcase much of the story in early 1950s London. Yes, that London. True to the era, where evening fogs were quite common in the city, fog plays quite an important role in the story and overall atmosphere, but you’ll have to play the full game to understand why. In any case, the story line is self-contained enough that it can be easily enjoyed even without prior knowledge of the previous two games, though knowing the lore from them definitely helps in certain ways. More on that in a minute.

You’ve got me where it hurts, but I don’t really care
Cos I know I’m OK whenever you are there
New Order – “Tutti Frutti”

One other particularly notable aspect of the Da Capo series is its adeptness at melding explicit sexual content with a compelling storyline & quirky characters. While not shying away from displaying the graphic details, the sex scenes in DC3R are presented with a tone of profound tenderness, not just showing “sex” on its own, but rather, two people expressing their mutual love for each other in a physical manner. The myriad of emotions which accompany such an experience are on full display: bashfulness, ecstasy, yearning, unity, but above all, the joy of loving another person. Da Capo, as a series, arguably has some of the sweetest scenes of vanilla boy/girl sexual content in the entire medium of VNs, and is also one of the most accomplished at weaving this content into the story without bogging it down. While not absolutely integral to the story’s experience, as evidenced by the series’ crossover success in all-ages editions, it can be argued that the sexual content adds an additional dimension to the characterizations & relationships built between our protagonist, Kiyotaka, and the main heroines, though I will let you, the player, be the judge of that.

Please keep them away / Don’t let them touch me
Please don’t let them lie / Don’t let them see me
Gary Numan – “Complex”

Now, returning to the question of how this title fits in with the first two Da Capo titles. The main storyline certainly has its connections to previous chapters in the long saga of Hatsune Island, especially given Sakura’s status as a character of particular importance in the story. However, the connections do not end there, especially for fans of Da Capo II. Everyone’s favorite banana-loving emotional android, Minatsu, makes a cameo appearance early on, having now become the head of her own detective agency, and as mentioned before, there is also a bonus side story, Ultimate Battle in the Cherry Blossom Breeze, which revolves around the cast of that game throwing a heavily nostalgic welcome-home party for Sakura upon her return to the era of that game’s events. Indeed, everyone from Anzu to Erika to Wataru has time to shine here. And of course, you’ll get to see more of Otome being overtly affectionate towards her beloved “Otouto-kun” as well. That said, however, DC2’s most recent and final fandisc, 2015’s Dearest Marriage, is much more of a last hurrah for that game’s cast than this side story is; rather, the focus here is on tying up the overarching story of the entire series, and tying up things for Sakura as well. Still, out of all the side stories included in DC3R, Cherry Blossom Breeze remains the standout.

Where does love come from
When you’ve sold your reasoning out?
Talk Talk – “Give It Up”

This is, of course, not to say that the other side stories included do not add anything of note to the experience. While three side stories for characters within the story are included as well, the one other story of particular note, Ultimate Battle of Their First Encounter, focuses on Kiyotaka and Himeno’s first arrival in London, and their initial days as students at the Weather Vane academy, including their first meeting with Ricca (as the title implies). The main story in London is set some time after their initial arrival, and the prologue of the main story actually shows small portions of this side story as brief dream sequences between scenes, so it serves as quite a welcome expansion. Da Capo has always had a knack for fleshing out its characters & settings with side story after side story, though it can be argued that such side stories are mostly written with fanservice in mind. Still, given DC3R’s already remarkable length, the additional side stories serve to give the game even more staying power. A really good visual novel is one where you can lose yourself in the characters & setting, and DC3R is quite a strong contender for that label indeed.

Feels like home
I should have known
From my first breath
Depeche Mode – “Home”

This title has, of course, been a long time in the works for localization, and in fact, it has been so long that two fandiscs have been released during the interim in Japan (Platinum Partner in 2014, and With You in 2016). Whether or not the possibility of seeing these, let alone the many other fandiscs associated with this franchise, in English will come to light rests in your hands now. As mentioned earlier, Da Capo III is self-contained enough that it makes for a good introduction to the series, even to those who may be unfamiliar with the previous titles, and given how much anticipation has surrounded this game’s English license, we are hopeful that with this, and the upcoming English release of the series’ spiritual successor, Dal Segno, we can bring further tales from this iconic series of time, magic and cherry blossoms to English-speaking audiences.

Like the da capo of a song, back to the beginning.

P.S. While there is, regrettably, no Mikoto route in DC3R (as she is quite gleeful to point out in one fourth-wall breaking scene), the With You fandisc contains one, so for those of you who wish for the ability to read her route in English, supporting this release is highly recommended.

Today, we have a tester’s corner from Ryechu!

Hey everybody, Ryechu here! This is my seventh beta test for Mangagamer, and I think I’ve finally got the hang of things. Let me tell you about this awesome game from Propeller: The Shadows of Pygmalion!

Okay, so I was asked to work on this after finishing the beta test for A Kiss for the Petals – New Generation! because, of course, I love yuri/shoujo ai titles. Admittedly, I wasn’t very familiar with Pygmalion when I was asked, so I did a little research on VNDB before saying yes, and then I came across a specific tag: Personal Armed Combat.

Shiny… :Q_____

Needless to say, I was all for picking this up.

Originally released in 2013, The Shadows of Pygmalion starts out with quite a lot of set-up. You assume the role of Hajiro Mina, a rather docile girl who is living out her life like any other high school girl would. You’re in a group with a few other girls, including one Aizawa Makoto. Voiced by Kitamuri Eri (Samael – Tokyo Babel, Chiester 410 – Umineko, and, my favorite: Kawashima Ami – Toradora!), Makoto is that girl who always wants to be at your side. And generally, she gets her way.

And then some weird things happen. Mina comes across a massive mansion, and contained within are a ton of secrets that change her life forever. It is during this time that she is made an emissary: essentially a warrior that fights for a character named Ruka. Mina then meets her fellow comrades-in-arms in rather quick succession. Mina is told that she will eventually have to actually fight in the name of Ruka, and Mina’s unsure about the whole situation.

From this point on, Mina starts to hang out with two of her fellow emissaries, Riko (the refined, quiet type) and Jessica (the hyperactive half-Japanese girl). This, of course, pisses Makoto off to no end, and things start to happen. For the sake of not spoiling the game, I’ll just say that it’s absolutely worth the ride.

You had ONE job!

This was the first time I had the opportunity to work with Ritobito (editor) and fnord (translator), and I had quite an enjoyable time! Reading the prose from these two excellent writers is a breath of fresh air from all of the stuffy academic papers I’ve been having to read lately for school. Now, granted, there were a few words here and there that I had to pick up my dictionary out for, but that thing gathers a lot of dust because I tend to stay with what I know, and this was an exciting change of pace!

We did have  few pretty funny problems during the beta test, one of which revolved around the fact that the original script had all of the italics markers wrong. It was pretty funny to be reading along to find a line that would be missing a letter and then the rest of the sentence would be in italics. One of the script commands actually caused the text to become incredibly small at one point, too.

‘Murica

The Shadows of Pygmalion is considered all-ages, but there are a few scenes that cut it close, and since I love yuri, I of course enjoyed them thoroughly. My favorite character? Jessica, hands down.

One more thing, be sure to play all the routes! After you finish all of the routes, a new route will appear! And when you complete THAT route, play the game one more time! There are a few extra scenes you get for finishing the game, and one of them is quite frankly one of the craziest things I’ve ever read. It’s just the right amount of creepy, and you need that in your life. I promise you.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )

Be sure to pick up this title! It was a lot of fun to work on, and even more fun to experience!

~J “Ryechu” R

The Shadows of Pygmalion is now available on Steam and MangaGamer.com!