Recommend a VN

[Woody Alien]

I am trying Everlasting Summer as well, it seems pretty good (although in my first gameplay I got Semyon's bad end AKA the worst possible one... what is wrong with me ) but I don't see it as a bishoujo game full of feels, more like some kind of supernatural mystery Twilight Zone-style.

For now I got Slavya's bad end and Alisa's good end and, while I enjoyed them I felt that the mystery element was more compelling and I hoped that it was described in better detail. Does the game improve in both feels and plot in the other paths?
Uh, nevermind... I just read the last post. Still, I want to go through every possible ending, since I quite enjoyed it as a novel. Will keep an eye on Moonworks' (former Soviet Games) latest projects.



Also, where's Comrade when we need him? I just wanted to ask him if the tenets of Communism were faithfully represented in the game.
(Just kidding )

[Velitation]

Well, looks like Everlasting Summer might be something I will play shortly.

For my two cents, I finished Virtue's Last Reward a little while ago, though I did not play 999 before playing it. Have to say it works well on its own. Felt like it had one of the better stories of any 3DS game in recent memory.

I've subsequently started 999 (finally picked up a copy, though VLR does spoil it, whoops on my part), and it's been great too, though I'm starting to see why people that played 999 weren't too impressed with some of the directions VLR took.

[AaronIsCrunchy]

I've gotten round to Everlasting Summer as well after having it sat on my computer for ages (seemed popular with people on here so I thought I'd give it a bash?) Have only gotten Lena's bad route so far, but if I can never do that route again it'd be great as it's fairly emotionally draining... a response which reminds me of a certain other VN (although this one's more, as Woody said, more mysterious).

[Vempele]

White Album 2 has the best voices. I just read the Mini-After Story and it was kinda pointless but still more than worth it just for the voices.
Dies Irae has the greatest endings.
Aiyoku no Eustia is the prettiest. Seriously, even the font is pretty.

As for VNs you'll be able to read without knowing Japanese, Subarashiki Hibi is great and the translation project appears to be making good progress.

[Puncyclopedia]

Well, looks like Everlasting Summer might be something I will play shortly.

For my two cents, I finished Virtue's Last Reward a little while ago, though I did not play 999 before playing it. Have to say it works well on its own. Felt like it had one of the better stories of any 3DS game in recent memory.

I've subsequently started 999 (finally picked up a copy, though VLR does spoil it, whoops on my part), and it's been great too, though I'm starting to see why people that played 999 weren't too impressed with some of the directions VLR took.

As someone who likes both 999 and VLR, I think VLR's the better game overall - but 999 does a job of setting building that VLR never lives up to. The creepy is strong with 999 , while VLR tends to be more "...wait, REALLY?"

Recently worked through the first Da Capo - I had mixed feelings on it, but overall thought it was worth my time.

[ArcCain]

I have heard several people mention Higurashi at several times and have seen several VN make references to the series.

The first time I ran into the franchise was many years back when I stumbled over a clip from the show on youtube were in one of the characters is forced to rip of her own fingernails. The clip shocked me to say the least but since that day I have always had this morbid interest to look it up...

Now that the games are being re-released on steam sooo... should I look them up? Are they worth it?

[Alpacalypse]

Now that the games are being re-released on steam sooo... should I look them up? Are they worth it?

I've watched the anime in its entirety and bought the first arc on steam (haven't played much of it yet, though, so take this with a pinch of salt) and I'd recommend it if you're up for a thoroughly creepy experience and intriguing mystery. Each arc is pretty long (first is supposedly 5-10 hours and the second is longer), so I'd say that they're about the right price.

If you're not up for a dose of psychological horror, though, don't bother - it gets pretty disturbing towards the end of arc 1. And the later arcs don't get any better *shudder*

[brythain]

I have heard several people mention Higurashi at several times and have seen several VN make references to the series.

The first time I ran into the franchise was many years back when I stumbled over a clip from the show on youtube were in one of the characters is forced to rip of her own fingernails. The clip shocked me to say the least but since that day I have always had this morbid interest to look it up...

Now that the games are being re-released on steam sooo... should I look them up? Are they worth it?

The scenery from the same village was used for KS, didja know? You can actually find the exact roads etc on Google Maps. I did!

[ArcCain]

I've watched the anime in its entirety and bought the first arc on steam (haven't played much of it yet, though, so take this with a pinch of salt) and I'd recommend it if you're up for a thoroughly creepy experience and intriguing mystery. Each arc is pretty long (first is supposedly 5-10 hours and the second is longer), so I'd say that they're about the right price.

If you're not up for a dose of psychological horror, though, don't bother - it gets pretty disturbing towards the end of arc 1. And the later arcs don't get any better *shudder*

That sounds rather ominous... I kinda want to find out what leads up to shit getting so fucked up and I am a bit more battle hardened now so... I might give the first arc a try and see what I think about it? Though the brutality and cruelty of that clip still gives me a bad feeling. I would ask how accurate the anime adaptation is to the VN but since you haven't played all of it that might be hard to say.

The scenery from the same village was used for KS, didja know? You can actually find the exact roads etc on Google Maps. I did!

Well shit, I did not know that. What's the name of the village?

[Alpacalypse]

The Nail-ripping scene doesn't happen until arc 4/5, so you won't run into it with the current steam releases for a while (they're only up to arc 2). The first arc is less brutal, more creepy.
And, as far as I understand, the only differences between the game and the anime are one arc which is anime-only and a few missing details in the anime from other arcs. So the knowledge is mostly transferable.

Oh, and the village is Shirakawa-go (linky)

[ArcCain]

The Nail-ripping scene doesn't happen until arc 4/5, so you won't run into it with the current steam releases for a while (they're only up to arc 2). The first arc is less brutal, more creepy.
And, as far as I understand, the only differences between the game and the anime are one arc which is anime-only and a few missing details in the anime from other arcs. So the knowledge is mostly transferable.

Oh, and the village is Shirakawa-go (linky)

For a second there I read nipple-ripping scene. All right, how many arcs is there in total?

[Alpacalypse]

8 or 9 IIRC - possibly more depending on the version of the VN they're doing (PS2 version had an extra arc from what I've heard).

The guys who are currently translating it are releasing each arc individually and have finished arc 1 (Onikakushi or "spirited away by the demon") and arc 2 (Watanagashi - "cotton-drifting"). The arcs themselves are quite long, as I said before, but it's up to you whether £5-ish (or your regional equivalent) is worth it for each one.

[ArcCain]

8 or 9 IIRC - possibly more depending on the version of the VN they're doing (PS2 version had an extra arc from what I've heard).

The guys who are currently translating it are releasing each arc individually and have finished arc 1 (Onikakushi or "spirited away by the demon") and arc 2 (Watanagashi - "cotton-drifting"). The arcs themselves are quite long, as I said before, but it's up to you whether £5-ish (or your regional equivalent) is worth it for each one.

Is each arc an independent story or are they more like chapters in a larger story?

[Alpacalypse]

Sorta one and sorta the other - every arc involves the same characters (more or less) and contributes to your (and the characters') understandings of the bigger picture, but they also have their own distinct stories though some arcs are repeats of the same stories with a different perspective that changes how the whole thing is viewed. I'd say more, but that would be spoilers

[ArcCain]

Sorta one and sorta the other - every arc involves the same characters (more or less) and contributes to your (and the characters') understandings of the bigger picture, but they also have their own distinct stories though some arcs are repeats of the same stories with a different perspective that changes how the whole thing is viewed. I'd say more, but that would be spoilers

Okay, then I have a better understanding of the set up. I might have a crack at it then and see what I make of it.