Recommend a VN

[Flutterz]

Basically you play Muv-Luv for Alternative. Unlimited is like a prologue to Alt (a Chapter 0 if you will) and Extra is basically just for backstory (a Chapter -1 if you will?)

So I've been told, but I'm just pointing out that it doesn't even feel like a sequel, just part of the same VN. It has the same slightly cliffhangerish ending as true routes, where you did all you could, and you get a good ending, but something beyond your powers prevented you from getting the best one.

Well, Steins;Gate will get that word. I downloaded it earlier.

You won't regret it

[Mysterious Stranger]

VNs don't have true routes...

Plenty of VNs have true routes. There is even a tag for it on VNDB: http://vndb.org/g181?fil=tagspoil-1.tag ... d;s=rating

Of course judging by the fact Deardrops and ef have it tagged, people clearly don't know how to use it.

Does Deardrops not have a true route? While I was playing through it I assumed it would've been Kanade's, but in retrospect Riho's made a bit more sense as the true ending. Does Cross the Future not specify anything?

Edit: Just going by the VNDB description for Cross the Future, it makes it seem as though Riho's arc really is the true route, since that's the only ending in which Shoichi goes overseas.

[Nobody in Particular]

So I've been told, but I'm just pointing out that it doesn't even feel like a sequel, just part of the same VN. It has the same slightly cliffhangerish ending as true routes, where you did all you could, and you get a good ending, but something beyond your powers prevented you from getting the best one.

Oh I agree completely. That was one of the things I liked about ML, it all seemed like one big thing. Like Monster Girl Quest is.

Well, Steins;Gate will get that word. I downloaded it earlier.

Have fun getting to it without a walkthrough.

Does Deardrops not have a true route? While I was playing through it I assumed it would've been Kanade's, but in retrospect Riho's arc made a bit more sense as the true route. Does Cross the Future not specify anything?

Riho's route would be the canon route, sure, but that differs from the true route. A true route (which you have already seen in Kira Kira) is where a new route is unlocked after all the other routes/the main route have/has been completed.

Not to be mixed up with the forced route order, like in Hoshimemo.

[Mysterious Stranger]

Riho's route would be the canon route, sure, but that differs from the true route. A true route (which you have already seen in Kira Kira) is where a new route is unlocked after all the other routes/the main route have/has been completed.

Not to be mixed up with the forced route order, like in Hoshimemo.

Ah, I see. Was not aware of the distinction. I assumed true routes were synonymous with canonical endings.

[Xanatos]

Riho's route would be the canon route, sure, but that differs from the true route. A true route (which you have already seen in Kira Kira) is where a new route is unlocked after all the other routes/the main route have/has been completed.

Not to be mixed up with the forced route order, like in Hoshimemo.

Ah, I see. Was not aware of the distinction. I assumed true routes were synonymous with canonical endings.

They are, at least according to the terminology. "True route" pretty obviously implies canon.

[Flutterz]

Oh I agree completely. That was one of the things I liked about ML, it all seemed like one big thing. Like Monster Girl Quest is.

Now that I think about it, VNs with true routes are pretty much all done in a way where you read the initial routes just to get acquainted with the setting and the characters, while the real focus is the true route itself.

They are, at least according to the terminology. "True route" pretty obviously implies canon.

All true routes are canon, but not all canon routes are true routes. Basically this:

A true route (which you have already seen in Kira Kira) is where a new route is unlocked after all the other routes/the main route have/has been completed.

They usually serve the purpose of not only being the canonical ending, but also delivering the reveal, as well as answering all the little questions you might have had. They tend to do this by changing something you had no control over before or giving you(the protagonist) some information that you didn't have, and making you go through something similar to the main routes, but with those changes in mind.

[Xanatos]

All true routes are canon, but not all canon routes are true routes.

It's a bonus route.

[Flutterz]

All true routes are canon, but not all canon routes are true routes.

It's a bonus route.

In my mind bonus implies optional, and most true routes are far from optional

[Xanatos]

All true routes are canon, but not all canon routes are true routes.

It's a bonus route.

In my mind bonus implies optional, and most true routes are far from optional

All routes are optional. Unless you're a robot programmed to play VNs...That'd be something.

[Flutterz]

All routes are optional. Unless you're a robot programmed to play VNs...That'd be something.

You know what I mean :c
That'd actually be kinda cool, until you read all the good ones. After that you'd have to spend the rest of your days reading terrible eroge with tentacles and no plot whatsoever.

[Xanatos]

All routes are optional. Unless you're a robot programmed to play VNs...That'd be something.

You know what I mean :c
That'd actually be kinda cool, until you read all the good ones. After that you'd have to spend the rest of your days reading terrible eroge with tentacles and no plot whatsoever.

Eh, I'll take those if I'm in the mood for 'em.

*suddenly imagining Mystery Science Theater 3000 where hostages are forced to endure terrible visual novels*

[Flutterz]

All routes are optional. Unless you're a robot programmed to play VNs...That'd be something.

You know what I mean :c
That'd actually be kinda cool, until you read all the good ones. After that you'd have to spend the rest of your days reading terrible eroge with tentacles and no plot whatsoever.

Eh, I'll take those if I'm in the mood for 'em.

*suddenly imagining Mystery Science Theater 3000 where hostages are forced to endure terrible visual novels*

Well, you probably wouldn't be in the mood for them 24/7 for the rest of your days. Or maybe you would, and then you should probably see a doctor, because I'm pretty sure that's not normal.

[Mysterious Stranger]

You know what I mean :c
That'd actually be kinda cool, until you read all the good ones. After that you'd have to spend the rest of your days reading terrible eroge with tentacles and no plot whatsoever.

Eh, I'll take those if I'm in the mood for 'em.

*suddenly imagining Mystery Science Theater 3000 where hostages are forced to endure terrible visual novels*

I thought the exact same thing.

[Flutterz]

Now I'm done with Muv-Luv Alternative, and boy was it good. A really interesting plot that keeps you guessing, good character development, even though admittedly most of it is Takeru's, and by far the best visual presentation I've seen in a VN thus far. During all of the battles and half of the rest of the time it almost feels as though I'm watching an anime. As far as I could tell every character that talks has a set of sprites, even the ones that only appear in one or two scenes.
Once again, it's more of a true route for Muv-Luv, rather than a sequel. It does an amazing job of bringing everything together at the end and answering all the questions that are worth answering. I can't help but wonder if Age made the two games separate primarily to not have Muv-Luv drag Alternative down, because I'm almost 100% certain that if the 2 were a single game, it wouldn't be the top rated game on VNDB. Maybe I'm just overthinking.
The only real downside I could find is that it feels as though there's a flashback in every scene, and quite often it's the same flashback over and over again. I realize that they help to give you a different perspective of a past event given what you now know, and some of the flashbacks are from Unlimited routes you may have not seen, but it still feels as though there are far too many.
I want to play something a bit more lighthearted next, so I'm going to try Yukizakura next.
By the way, does anybody know where I can find a translation of the final scene of Alternative? Because everyone talks in Japanese without subs for quite a while and I have no idea what they're saying.

[Mysterious Stranger]

*suddenly imagining Mystery Science Theater 3000 where hostages are forced to endure terrible visual novels*

Ah, speaking of that idea, this video is pretty much the closest you'll get to VNT3K.