- Joined
- Dec 20, 2022
Yeah, if I ever recommend this game to anybody it's going to be with the caveat of "just look the story segments up on youtube."
Visual Novels
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Poop A Loop
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2017
Finished Chapter 5 of Higurashi and am in the middle of Chapter 6.
CHAPTER 5
Re-telling what happened with Satoshi and revealing that Mion and Shion switched up who should have actually been the "demon" was an interesting twist to Chapter 2. I really felt for Satoshi because I grew up in a small town where I wasn't part of the rich inner circle and therefore didn't get any of the same opportunities the children of the small town nobility did. Not nearly as traumatizing but I definitely understand feeling bitter about the Sonazakis and feeling like you couldn't depend on anyone except yourself.
Shion's slow descent into madness was also really well framed. Same goes for explaining how and why Keiichi saw "Mion" again even though the cops explained she fell off the ladder and broke her neck trying to escape. Rika tearing out her own throat was also creepy as hell, and was the final reveal that I guess made it obvious that something supernatural was going on regardless of whatever other conspiracies the town was inflicting on itself.
Assuming no one is lying, this chapter also revealed that the Sonazakis didn't have anything to do with the murders so there's something else going on that I assume will get explained later.
CHAPTER 6
This chapter is making me really like Rena. I remember reading people teared up during Satoko's question arc and while that was certainly heartbreaking, I actually feel like Rena's inner monologue about her parent's divorce and feeling betrayed hit home a bit more.
What I really like about this VN is that it makes you constantly waffle back and forth between different conclusions without feeling cheap about it. It's legitimately presenting information to you in a way that keeps you on your toes, and this chapter so far has been the best at it. I'm constantly questioning whether Rena is legitimately nuts or if everyone else is just gaslighting her and Keiichi. Rika's little moment in the junkyard with Rena doesn't help either haha.
I'm just now at the point where Keiichi figures out that there's some kind of multiple worlds thing going on. If this was any other VN I'd be rolling my eyes, but I trust that we're going to get an interesting explanation.
Re-telling what happened with Satoshi and revealing that Mion and Shion switched up who should have actually been the "demon" was an interesting twist to Chapter 2. I really felt for Satoshi because I grew up in a small town where I wasn't part of the rich inner circle and therefore didn't get any of the same opportunities the children of the small town nobility did. Not nearly as traumatizing but I definitely understand feeling bitter about the Sonazakis and feeling like you couldn't depend on anyone except yourself.
Shion's slow descent into madness was also really well framed. Same goes for explaining how and why Keiichi saw "Mion" again even though the cops explained she fell off the ladder and broke her neck trying to escape. Rika tearing out her own throat was also creepy as hell, and was the final reveal that I guess made it obvious that something supernatural was going on regardless of whatever other conspiracies the town was inflicting on itself.
Assuming no one is lying, this chapter also revealed that the Sonazakis didn't have anything to do with the murders so there's something else going on that I assume will get explained later.
CHAPTER 6
This chapter is making me really like Rena. I remember reading people teared up during Satoko's question arc and while that was certainly heartbreaking, I actually feel like Rena's inner monologue about her parent's divorce and feeling betrayed hit home a bit more.
What I really like about this VN is that it makes you constantly waffle back and forth between different conclusions without feeling cheap about it. It's legitimately presenting information to you in a way that keeps you on your toes, and this chapter so far has been the best at it. I'm constantly questioning whether Rena is legitimately nuts or if everyone else is just gaslighting her and Keiichi. Rika's little moment in the junkyard with Rena doesn't help either haha.
I'm just now at the point where Keiichi figures out that there's some kind of multiple worlds thing going on. If this was any other VN I'd be rolling my eyes, but I trust that we're going to get an interesting explanation.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2024
Key is hosting a poll for their most popular characters, music et cetera
THEGREATMADSCIENTEST
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2025
Does anyone Read Qruppo VNs here
I find them rather entertaining
I find them rather entertaining
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2019
So, some Ever17 updates.
Finished the Tsugumi, Sora and shared bad ending, some impressions
Really enjoyed the Tsugumi route. Once you started getting why she's so incredibly jaded and suicidal it falls into place. It's also very enjoyable to see her warm up to Takeshi. I do wish it went a bit more into the existential DREAD of having an immortal body yet being trapped underwater, the angle shouldn't have been "maybe I can die here", it should be more "oh god, what if I don't die and I'm cursed to be perpetually crushed under water for eternity?". I do find her ability to handle her fucking hamster incredibly lacking. Why oh why would you not bring it with you during the IBF excursion down? A part of me could also interpret it as her still having one final suicidal pang and using Chami as her excuse, but still, wasn't too fond of having that excuse on the table to force her up again, hell, even if a bit melodramatic, maybe a "I assume they are all dammed to die from the illness, I can't bear to see it". I am also assuming that Takeshi was up to his ass on adrenaline and Cure thanks to the antibodies from Tsugumi as well as having tasted her blood. So that justified him not keeling over and dying instantly once he left the decompresion early as well as all of his feats of keeping up with Tsugumi. As for the ending part where it seems they are home free but they are too heavy, kind of to be expected they would go with that knowing how VN go, but it was a nice bittersweet moment that was handled well. I also have the expectation that once more flags or whatever are up there will be some extra developments here, since hot take is that Takeshi now has the same condition as Tsugumi and should in theory regenerate.
As for the Sora route... first I'll call it the incel route since my god.... Probably, having "AI" today and cases like the retard that necked himself because he got too invested in his Daenerys AI larp is not helping me get immersed here, but I just cannot bring myself to give a shit about the UwU computor. It did have it's cute moments like the dolphin scene, but then incredibly cringe shit like how Takeshi taught Sora to behave like a gold digger... Tsugumi was also confusing as all hell in here. Impression I get is that for post plot reasons, Takeshi NEEDS to have taken in some of her blood, so same deal, he ain't permadead after everything floods. But the how he got her blood was just weird. Does this also mean alternative Tsugumi managed to handle her hamster properly or accepted it's eternal sea prison? I guess in this route Tsugumi's infatuation with Takeshi is more of a Stockholm thing than an organic thing like in her route (Takeshi was helpful, but nowhere near as much as in her route, and Tsugumi didn't open up to him nearly as much), but felt this route was kind of half baked. Also, the part that drove me up a wall, why in the name of FUCK would Sora not propose the draning and filling the central elevator to everybody else? It sounded incredibly viable on paper and the only cost is the fucking AI. I really needed an explanation of why this was not proposed earlier, how it would be incredibly risky, or how it would only work with a single person or something similar, but at that point, the melodrama was coming in hard...
We also get bad ending. Seeing how Yu's story is centered in the kid route, guess she never had any chances with Takeshi? Not much else to add.
For the most part it's fine, not setting my world on fire mind you, Steins Gate, Fate or Clannad this is not. But it's better than other stuff I've gone through. I do think the digusting cutesiness of Coco is absolutely overbearing, and some of the attempts of "humor" fall flat to me. But when it gets serious it for the most part lands things. Hoping the kid route is better and I expect a callback to Tsugumi's childhood friend that could see the future as well, since it seems too like they are establishing a clear link there.
Finished the Tsugumi, Sora and shared bad ending, some impressions
Really enjoyed the Tsugumi route. Once you started getting why she's so incredibly jaded and suicidal it falls into place. It's also very enjoyable to see her warm up to Takeshi. I do wish it went a bit more into the existential DREAD of having an immortal body yet being trapped underwater, the angle shouldn't have been "maybe I can die here", it should be more "oh god, what if I don't die and I'm cursed to be perpetually crushed under water for eternity?". I do find her ability to handle her fucking hamster incredibly lacking. Why oh why would you not bring it with you during the IBF excursion down? A part of me could also interpret it as her still having one final suicidal pang and using Chami as her excuse, but still, wasn't too fond of having that excuse on the table to force her up again, hell, even if a bit melodramatic, maybe a "I assume they are all dammed to die from the illness, I can't bear to see it". I am also assuming that Takeshi was up to his ass on adrenaline and Cure thanks to the antibodies from Tsugumi as well as having tasted her blood. So that justified him not keeling over and dying instantly once he left the decompresion early as well as all of his feats of keeping up with Tsugumi. As for the ending part where it seems they are home free but they are too heavy, kind of to be expected they would go with that knowing how VN go, but it was a nice bittersweet moment that was handled well. I also have the expectation that once more flags or whatever are up there will be some extra developments here, since hot take is that Takeshi now has the same condition as Tsugumi and should in theory regenerate.
As for the Sora route... first I'll call it the incel route since my god.... Probably, having "AI" today and cases like the retard that necked himself because he got too invested in his Daenerys AI larp is not helping me get immersed here, but I just cannot bring myself to give a shit about the UwU computor. It did have it's cute moments like the dolphin scene, but then incredibly cringe shit like how Takeshi taught Sora to behave like a gold digger... Tsugumi was also confusing as all hell in here. Impression I get is that for post plot reasons, Takeshi NEEDS to have taken in some of her blood, so same deal, he ain't permadead after everything floods. But the how he got her blood was just weird. Does this also mean alternative Tsugumi managed to handle her hamster properly or accepted it's eternal sea prison? I guess in this route Tsugumi's infatuation with Takeshi is more of a Stockholm thing than an organic thing like in her route (Takeshi was helpful, but nowhere near as much as in her route, and Tsugumi didn't open up to him nearly as much), but felt this route was kind of half baked. Also, the part that drove me up a wall, why in the name of FUCK would Sora not propose the draning and filling the central elevator to everybody else? It sounded incredibly viable on paper and the only cost is the fucking AI. I really needed an explanation of why this was not proposed earlier, how it would be incredibly risky, or how it would only work with a single person or something similar, but at that point, the melodrama was coming in hard...
We also get bad ending. Seeing how Yu's story is centered in the kid route, guess she never had any chances with Takeshi? Not much else to add.
For the most part it's fine, not setting my world on fire mind you, Steins Gate, Fate or Clannad this is not. But it's better than other stuff I've gone through. I do think the digusting cutesiness of Coco is absolutely overbearing, and some of the attempts of "humor" fall flat to me. But when it gets serious it for the most part lands things. Hoping the kid route is better and I expect a callback to Tsugumi's childhood friend that could see the future as well, since it seems too like they are establishing a clear link there.
Dumb mst3k fan
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2025
I don’t normally play visual novels. A friend recommend Higurashi.
I’m not really enjoying it. Supposedly it’s going to get good. It kind of reminds me of chooses your own adventure books, but less fun. Are there any non anime VN’s?
I’m not really enjoying it. Supposedly it’s going to get good. It kind of reminds me of chooses your own adventure books, but less fun. Are there any non anime VN’s?
Poop A Loop
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2017
I feel like Telltale The Walking Dead games are pretty similar to VNs but with more choices like a CYOA book and without the anime aesthetic. The first season of TWD is really good but it falls off afterwards.
Another really good one is The Wolf Among Us.
You're not going to get away from the anime aesthetic playing eastern VNs so if you can't stand that approach you might as well just write off that genre entirely. There are titles that don't quite smack you in the face as much with it like Utawarerumono, but no matter what the tropes and stereotypes are still there even if they aren't on the main stage.
Dumb mst3k fan
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2025
It’s not that I don’t like anime aesthetic’s, it just seems kind of counter intuitive in this particular case. I get it, it’s trying to pass itself off as a slice of life type situation with the undertones of something really fucked up is going on. It’s just not really hooking me. I understand why it was recommended to me. The concept is cool, it’s just, at the moment, really boring.
Thanks for the recommendation of the telltale games. I’ve already played them and had fun with twd until season 3. I adore twau and I really wish season two was actually happening but that trailer was just a cocktease and unfortunately it’s never going to happen.
Poop A Loop
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2017
Yeah that makes sense. The slice of life stuff is annoying once you get the idea that everyone is friends with each other. I found myself just quickly clicking through the scenes as if I was watching a video at 2x where I generally understood what the author was going for and just wanted you to get the idea that everyone is friends, they have fun together, they have good memories blah blah blah before we get to the good stuff.
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2023
VNs are basically CYOA books, so these work
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2024
I love this image
wtfNeedSignUp
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2019
I want to sperg out on this The Hungry Lamb review: https://www.rpgfan.com/review/the-hungry-lamb-traveling-in-the-late-ming-dynasty/
Basically the argument is that the 10$ VN is short and focused on a small cast, which is absolutely retarded. Not everything needs to be dozens of hours. The arguments on the characters not being fleshed out is also false.
Basically the argument is that the 10$ VN is short and focused on a small cast, which is absolutely retarded. Not everything needs to be dozens of hours. The arguments on the characters not being fleshed out is also false.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2024
Its even more equally retarded when you realize that game has a sequel. Maybe the author doesn't realize this, but a lot of short visual novels have succession stories that build upon the story.
wtfNeedSignUp
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2019
I can't find information on a sequel for it (especially as it's a closed story) but I wrote about it few months ago with overall positive outlook. A short VN only focusing on a core cast is classic storytelling.
I think people are too used for 60 hour VNs as a standard. The short ones have a ton of charm.
I interpreted this personally as this being the entire town mobilising towards covering for him the night of the Watanagashi, since Hinamizawa is tightknit enough to cover for each other or come to each other's defense. Their creepiness might've been as a warning to Keiichi to take the hint without breaking their role. I'm not much farther than you in it though, so who knows.
Poop A Loop
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2017
Well, I finally finished all of Higurashi.
Given all that, would I enjoy Umineko?
Overall, the Answer arcs were pretty good. Especially the explanation of how Mion and Shion switched places and how what happened with Mion going nuts was actually Shion the whole time. Rena's descent into madness was fascinating as well. The interesting part of now knowing about the overall conspiracy also helped explain why Tanako gave Rena her notebooks. She wanted to make Rena become a terminal L5 patient...
I'm a bit disappointed in the reveal of what was going on. It feels like there could have been a more interesting reveal that was more supernatural or combined the supernatural with the parasite. That's just my preference, though. I can step back from my personal preferences and recognize that this is still a really good story.
Until the last chapter I'd say overall it was 10/10, then the ending of chapter 7 going into this weird shonen swordfight between Rena and Keiichi and the last chapter stumbling over that fragment connection thing with the conspiracy actually being a shadowy organization that had nothing to do with Hinamizawa's community itself hurt my experience. I could also only suspend my disbelief so much when a series that was previously having people kill each other out of suspicion now has those same kids set traps that special forces commandos would fall victim to because "oh, they're actually just counterintelligence, they aren't actually all that dangerous". I can suspend my disbelief, but not when a story breaks its own narrative logic like that.
I'd feel like the plot would have ended on a 10/10 if the reveal of what was actually going on was consistent with the direction of the Question arcs. I'm not sure how I feel about it still and I'm having a hard time expressing why I still like it while also being disappointed in the reveal. Higurashi's reveal isn't necessarily nonsensical, but it's so far removed from the tone and theme of what I read beforehand that I didn't enjoy the twist as much as I would have if it would have stayed closer to the themes the question and early answer arcs were going for.
It has a ton of heart and I really respect what Higurashi was going for. The characters overall were great and the character writing saved the last chapter for me. I think if the writing was weaker I'd be seriously bummed about the plot itself instead. So much so that by the end I think I liked Irie, Tomitake, and Ooshi just as much as (if not more) than the kids themselves. Even if the twist jumped the shark, Higurashi had so much under its skis that it still drifted to a strong finish and I was sad to see all the characters I liked so much go. It's considered a classic for a reason.
I'm a bit disappointed in the reveal of what was going on. It feels like there could have been a more interesting reveal that was more supernatural or combined the supernatural with the parasite. That's just my preference, though. I can step back from my personal preferences and recognize that this is still a really good story.
Until the last chapter I'd say overall it was 10/10, then the ending of chapter 7 going into this weird shonen swordfight between Rena and Keiichi and the last chapter stumbling over that fragment connection thing with the conspiracy actually being a shadowy organization that had nothing to do with Hinamizawa's community itself hurt my experience. I could also only suspend my disbelief so much when a series that was previously having people kill each other out of suspicion now has those same kids set traps that special forces commandos would fall victim to because "oh, they're actually just counterintelligence, they aren't actually all that dangerous". I can suspend my disbelief, but not when a story breaks its own narrative logic like that.
I'd feel like the plot would have ended on a 10/10 if the reveal of what was actually going on was consistent with the direction of the Question arcs. I'm not sure how I feel about it still and I'm having a hard time expressing why I still like it while also being disappointed in the reveal. Higurashi's reveal isn't necessarily nonsensical, but it's so far removed from the tone and theme of what I read beforehand that I didn't enjoy the twist as much as I would have if it would have stayed closer to the themes the question and early answer arcs were going for.
It has a ton of heart and I really respect what Higurashi was going for. The characters overall were great and the character writing saved the last chapter for me. I think if the writing was weaker I'd be seriously bummed about the plot itself instead. So much so that by the end I think I liked Irie, Tomitake, and Ooshi just as much as (if not more) than the kids themselves. Even if the twist jumped the shark, Higurashi had so much under its skis that it still drifted to a strong finish and I was sad to see all the characters I liked so much go. It's considered a classic for a reason.
Given all that, would I enjoy Umineko?
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2020
I still think you would enjoy Umineko. The story never really jumps the shark that hard and drops in quality but I'm waaaaaaaaay too biased to definitively say that. It's still a fantastic read with a lot of the wonderful character interactions that you came to love from Higurashi. It's also just a different story that I'd say is far more focused that Higurashi is and I'd say it respects your time more than Higurashi does. The first couple of hours are slow but that's just because they have 18 characters to introduce and a setting to show you. Give it time and it will pay off very early on.
Some people either come to love or loathe the Shounen anime sections in Higurashi due to being such a major departure from what was shown in the Question Arcs and I found my self loving it but I can totally understand why somebody would be disappointed as it was such a major tonal shift. Rena's scene in the junkyard in Tsumihoroboshi still might be my favorite thing Ryukishi wrote but after an Umineko reread I'm genuinely not sure. EP8 and EP4 of Umineko have some of the best moments in the series but EP6 was always special to me.
If you don't want to be done with Higurashi yet, I'd recommend reading Higurashi Rei or at least the Saikoroshi arc for Rei. It's officially out on all platforms and acts like an epilogue for Higurashi as a whole.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2024
Juggling several visual novels at the moment - some preliminary thoughts.
Sharin no Kuni: The Girl Among the Sunflowers
Full Metal Demon Muramasa
Rewrite
Yume Miru Kusuri
Sharin no Kuni: The Girl Among the Sunflowers
Has a fascinating premise. It feels like a better version of Fruit of Grisasia. It doesn't have the harem feel, and it takes the philosophical, societal and political questions it addresses much more seriously instead it being a parody critique. I feel like sister component is totally unnecessary, and definitely one of the bigger flaws with it. It also has some unnecessary fan service scenes that kinda hurt Ken's image despite him being a top tier protagonist.
Edgy. I've put off reading it, and have felt like dropping at times. Everything in this novel is over the top, and I like its just being edgy for the sake of being edgy. Its one of most highly rated visual novels, and I'm so confused here. I'm missing the point? I'm on Chapter Four now.
I'm still very early into it, but I like it. You really can't go wrong with KEY novels. Shizuru peaks my interest, but so does the occult club leader. I'm assuming Shizuru joins the club later, and that will make for some interesting interactions.
I've met all the girls, but haven't done any routes that. This was just an off the top recommendation for me. I don't have any problems with it so far.
Many of the KID developers were people who got hired by the same company that worked on S:G. The similarities aren't really a coincidence.
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2020
Sharin no Kuni piques my interest as a Grisaia enjoyer but I don't know no Michiru is a hard sell.
Also I'd stick through with reading Muramasa, at least until you finish CH4. CH4 is a fantastic chapter on its own and it never feels edgy for edginess' sake (minus like one or two of the rape scenes which I just didn't feel needed to be there). The story also offsets a lot of the edgier moments with sillier ones and this especially comes into play during Kanae's route in particular. I wasn't expecting a VN like this to be so goofy with its jokes but a lot of the jokes in the latter half of the novel are so damn silly that I forget it's a story where fucked up things happen to people.
wtfNeedSignUp
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2019
Does Sharin no Kuni has an English translation? Every time I look it up it says that there's a translation pending.
Muramasa is a game with a lot of good shit but goddamn it's one of the worst morals in fiction.
Muramasa is a game with a lot of good shit but goddamn it's one of the worst morals in fiction.