I finished Lilly's route a few hours ago.
While the path is well-written and overall rather pleasant, I was a bit surprised (not exactly pleasantly) by how much effort was seemingly put in de-Mary-Suing Lilly, and by "cliche'ness" (which, while acceptable, was slightly too noticeable) of some moments in her path.
First of all, I sometimes had the feeling that some of Lilly's reactions and actions
(such as her apparent like for wine despite being "Japanese Underage", as well as her being the epitome of a non-morning person) were done just to avoid the seeming Mary Sue'ness Lilly was threatened with during her creation. However, mostly, I was greatly pleased by how well Lilly was written and I have to hand it to the devs that they have done a good, nay, great job.
As for the cliche part... The possibility of
a loved one leaving to return to the country where her family is and thus being separated forever from the protagonist leaving is cliche. The last minute airport dash is the ultimate cliche... Given that he could've called EITHER Akira or Lilly to simply have them postpone their leaving of Shizune's house or them taking flight (as I can quite easily understand how he didn't want to pour his heart out for her over the phone). This is ESPECIALLY true for Hisao, who ran half of the way and got into a crowd where anyone could just bump into him, and we all know how great his health is. It'd only be more cliche if he ran over to Lilly despite his heart attack. Introducing him losing consciousness and the possibility of losing Lilly anyway was a good move and it helped, also being extremely emotional. I actually believed I am getting the bad ending here and I've done something wrong, first because Hisao was seemingly dying at the airport, second because Lilly wasn't there when he woke up at hospital.
I will say that I am a bit surprised at how little Hisao can apparently do to ruin their relationship, however. The amount of choices that seemed to matter was minimal, the only vital ones being apparently those concerning showing care for Hanako and being honest with Lilly (as Lilly apparently has a sixth sense about someone approaching and a seventh sense about other people lying. The Force is strong with this one). The weird part is, once you're on Lilly's route, it is simply assumed Hisao naturally falls in love and other than screwing up, there is no way to stop the relationship! Sure, nobody would take the option other than to achieve 100% completion, but I believe in all of the routes we should at least have a chance to deny having feelings for a particular girl (or maybe a last-minute switch that leads to a different or bad ending).
I am also surprised at
Lilly going half-nymphomaniac on Hisao after just having confessed his feelings for him. She didn't strike me as that type. However, it was a pleasant surprise. I'm also pleased by how despite their overall good and quite mature attitude towards sex, Lilly and Hisao still managed to get the protagonist a heart attack through doing it in the wrong way. Shows how his health is not something they can ignore.
I am, however, a bit displeased that there was little we could choose to do about Hanako and how I practically missed the fact that it was apparently Hisao who helped her gain that shade of confidence she now has.
Overall, I'm glad I went with my favorite choice as my first girl instead of last. Lilly was inspiring and now I even find myself wanting to try Shizune's route to learn more about her feud with Lilly, as it is never completely explained in the blind' blonde's route. It's also pleasing to see how Lilly stays as the overallmature girl with some moments of weakness and childishness, while it's Hisao and Hanako who do most of the growth.
Overall, I rate it with 4 points on the scale seen above, 9 hearts out of ten (<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3), 87/100 points, I don't know, you get my drift. Overall, very well but it had a few dissapointments. I still believe it may be the best route, but I'll hold my judgement. I will also say I am extremely pleased to have completed it!
Notguest wrote:I humored Kenji and talked about school instead of Hanako, but I still got the good end. Has anyone tried to work out which choices affect what yet?
I've done that as well. I wasn't even aware not humoring Kenji could have a negative outcome. As for the train conversation, I talked about Hanako just to be safe. Overall, it appears choices regarding being honest to Lilly are top priority, choices regarding Hanako (such as trying to keep her privacy and talking about her on the train) are second and all other choices are last regarding their positive and negative effects.
lurch wrote:Am I the only person who was disapointed by Lillys route?
The writing didn't seem as clear as the writing for Emi's route (though that may have been because I was reading it at 4am doped up on painkillers), and it had a massive cliche in it. The second I read about Lilly's summons to Scotland, I was thinking 'I hope this doesn't lead to the last-minute airport dash'.
It was nice, but it just didn't seem as polished as Emi's route. Can't talk about the other routes yet, as I havn't played them.
I actually liked the seeming little makover Emi has gotten for the final version and what little of her we see in Lilly's route, so I may give her a shot, especially as some people seem to greatly appreciate her route.
As for the cliches... It's a romance story, for all of our sakes, they're not completely avoidable. It still avoided kissing in the rain, having Hanako become jealous, having Hisao think too much of an ex, having Hisao defeat his illness throgh sheer force of will at a crucial moment, and done a great deal at how it handled the
protagonist's last minute decision of trying to make Lilly stay. I think it was quite good overall. Not perfect (nothing is, I always avoid maximum and minimum ratings whenever possible), but still very good.
Since I doubt I'll ever go for 100% game completion, can someone tell me what are the other endings for Lilly's route?
I think mine was the best one possible (
Lilly visits him in a hospital, stays in Japan and they say farewell to Akira on a field of grass before Hisao makes his internal monologue about future), but of course having not seen the others I am not 100% sure.