First playthrough

[Megumeru]

Yeah, but I think that has less to do with how the route's written and more to do with you being a cynical little so-and-so that hates Lilly. You just don't want there to be a good ending for them.

touche!

Actually, it does. And I've mentioned this many times, I don't hate Lilly; I dislike her. 'Hate' is a strong word my friend, and the living things in this plane of existence that earned the title are JB, Nicki Minaj, and cockcroaches.

The route works flawlessly in ACTI, ACTII, and part of ACTIII, but there's this something that's missing when 'Lilly's second leave'-theme come to play and the relationship between her and Hisao. When I read the route, somehow it just doesn't give that warm fuzzy-ness inside akin to Shizune & Hisao's interaction, the curiosity about Rin and her antics that her route gave, the feeling of trust and (false)protectiveness that Hanako's path provide, or the joy and sorrow you and Emi experienced in her story.

Lilly's route--IMO--feels more...puppy love. Sweet, with lots of interaction; but nonetheless it wasn't made to last. The formula feels like Hisao > Lilly > lovelove > rinse and repeat; it doesn't have that 'uniqueness' or 'bond' that sticks out in the relationship of the others like Rin's path (Hisao > Rin > 'what is love?' > Hisao wonders > R&R.), Hanako's (Hisao > Hanako > 'should I trust you?' > Hisao wonders > R&R.), Shizune's, (Hisao > Shizune > banter > reply with snark, intelligent comments > R&R), or Emi's (Hisao > Emi > thy shalt not know my secret! Anal! > R&R).

What about the ending? It felt as if everything falls almost conveniently as a conclusion. Akira mentioned before how she might 'not be able to take her boyfriend abroad' and Lilly herself is expected to return to Scotland by orders of her parents; the ending instead concludes that Akira's taking her boyfriend to Scotland, her family somehow disappeared from Lilly's worries, and everyone lives happily ever after--by the time the credit rolls I was laughing instead of tear-jerking. Not to mention the 'scumbag Lilly'-joke that sprang up (Never leave my side, she said. LEAVES FOR SCOTLAND UNANNOUNCED).

I applaud the ending though, it was quite the bravado despite how silly it is.

But to summarize, Lilly's story is...what it is; a love story. Cliche, simple, and down-to-earth lovey-dovey but quite effective in delivery. Nothing special about it, but its rather extravagant ending did left quite an impression--not to mention an epilogue, unlike the rest of the routes. The plot somewhat reminded me of Shakespeare's Romeo n Juliet albeit a happier ending.

A shorter summary: it feels so cliche that I cringe in laughter of how 'dream-like' the ending is.
...
...
...and then it hit me. "What if Hisao actually died in the chase and it was all a figment of his imagination?"

and so, hilarity ensues up to this point of time
have a flashy-thing

[Xanatos]

OH! My FIRST playthrough actually ended with pretzels and whiskey on the roof. I forgot...I distinctly recall staring in disbelief for a while thinking "...That's fucking dark. Seriously. What the fuck. In the horny bunny game, I just got fired. Y U KILL ME, 4LS?!"

*Thoughts may be exaggerated.

[Jack of H3arts]

OH! My FIRST playthrough actually ended with pretzels and whiskey on the roof. I forgot...I distinctly recall staring in disbelief for a while thinking "...That's fucking dark. Seriously. What the fuck. In the horny bunny game, I just got fired. Y U KILL ME, 4LS?!"

*Thoughts may be exaggerated.

Yay, another n00b like me!

...or Emi's (Hisao > Emi > thy shalt not know my secret! Anal! > R&R).

Best summary of Emi's route I've read.

[Oddball]

Yeah, Megs, you've mentioned why you don't like Lily's route a few times. People act like they actually care about each the, people change for the better, things actually happen, and plot points get resolved, which is pretty much the exact opposite of everything that happens in Shizune's route.

And all that's okay. Everybody's got their own opinion and you're welcome to it.

However, what gets annoying is your tendency to point out anytime there's a topic even vaguely about the subject how Hisao really died in Lilly's ending because having good things happen (you know, like a heart attack and major surgery) just isn't realistic.

Of course the need to insult others as if it will somehow prove you right is a very Shizune like trait though. (That's not a compliment by the way.)

[Xanatos]

OH! My FIRST playthrough actually ended with pretzels and whiskey on the roof. I forgot...I distinctly recall staring in disbelief for a while thinking "...That's fucking dark. Seriously. What the fuck. In the horny bunny game, I just got fired. Y U KILL ME, 4LS?!"

*Thoughts may be exaggerated.

Yay, another n00b like me!

I was focused so much on everything but the choices that I never managed to branch off. Same thing happens in every VN I play (many of which are hentai if that thought quotation didn't give it away) the first time around.

[Megumeru]

*snip*

On the contrary. The end of Shizune's route saw a resolution to the conflict between Misha, Shizune, n Hisao love triangle in both good and bad ending both emotionally and mentally.

And did I even think of insulting anyone? Not in the slightest. This is a forum board where discussion come and go afterall; fantheories are free to come and go. But true to one thing, you hear what you want to hear so maybe it's just you.

Besides, references are necessary when statements are made.
Have another flashy-thing

[ingway]

?

[OtakuNinja]

It's the same with every character. I can argue just as well with an Emibro as I do with a Shizune-fanboy.

[FoxtrotZero]

Well, it only took my 11 hours but it seems that I'm done with my first playthrough. Not sure if I'm supposed to be proud but I got the good Lilly ending, or atlast I think I did so I'm pretty happy considering it was the ending I hoped to achieve. Made this post cos I'm curious what your first playthroughs were like, what ending did you get and all that good stuff.
Also congratulations four leaf studios for making such an awsome game!

I got the good Lilly ending and I only had 8 hours. I skipped the second two intimate scenes to come back to them later, but that wouldn't make up for three hours.
Wait, It does count as the good ending when you almost die and she visits you in the hospital, right?

[FoxtrotZero]

After all that, I reclaimed my life and continue with the rest of the routes--with Lilly's being the last, giving me a laugh I cannot describe by the time the airport and ending scene comes in

Yes, that end was a little silly, wasn't it? I liked it, though.

You can call it silly. I might call it cliche. But I couldn't stop crying.
But, after accidentally hitting Emi in Act I by going against my better judgement on the track and going back to get with Lilly, I technically hit the good ending completely unassisted.

[Xanatos]

Well, it only took my 11 hours but it seems that I'm done with my first playthrough. Not sure if I'm supposed to be proud but I got the good Lilly ending, or atlast I think I did so I'm pretty happy considering it was the ending I hoped to achieve. Made this post cos I'm curious what your first playthroughs were like, what ending did you get and all that good stuff.
Also congratulations four leaf studios for making such an awsome game!

I got the good Lilly ending and I only had 8 hours. I skipped the second two intimate scenes to come back to them later, but that wouldn't make up for three hours.
Wait, It does count as the good ending when you almost die and she visits you in the hospital, right?

Yeah, that's the good ending.