Visual novels have remained a staple of my media consumption for over 5 years. I’ll never forget my first experience of finishing Clannad back in 2016. Although it wasn’t my first exposure to the medium (that belongs to Ace Attorney), it was definitely the work that changed my perception of what type of stories visual novels could be. Visual novel stories no longer felt confined to a medium that didn’t utilize its strengths of non-linear storytelling and gameplay mechanics to accentuate a theme. Instead, it felt more like its own art form separate from anime, videogames, or light novels. It was through this work that I learned about how visual novels could be structured thematically. Telling seemingly disconnected stories that although may seem like filler within a vacuum, could actually culminate when given the further context of an entire work.
When I finished Clannad, at the time it was my 13th completed visual novel. Fast-forward 5 years into the future and I’m currently sitting at 118 completed works. To say Clannad flipped a switch within me would be an understatement, it was a work that completely changed my perception of this medium. And although I don’t seek to replace the impact this work had on me, I continue to consume works within this medium in order to see if I can recapture this feeling once again.
Have I recaptured this feeling?
The simple answer is no. Though that doesn’t really consider the nuance of each individual work that has left a massive impression on me throughout the years. Although I did capture a certain level of enjoyment close to what I experienced with Clannad in other fictional works within the visual novel medium, they were special in completely different ways. Not any lesser than what I felt Clannad brought to me at the time, but to say they were the same feelings would be a misrepresentation of those works. It was through increasing my palette that I discovered a beautiful thing about the way I should evaluate fiction.
That a work doesn’t have to capture the same feeling of my favorite piece of fiction in order to leave a massive impression on me.
Context plays a large role in how we as humans evaluate fiction, the individual value of fiction isn’t objective. Rather it’s our interpretation of that value. In other words, every piece of fiction is equal when it’s created. What makes fiction special is what we get out of it. And because of this, I want to highlight every work that I experienced within this medium in some form. Of course, I’ll be extremely negative towards the early rankings of this list, but I do not want people to come out thinking that every work here is valueless. I want this list to reflect the duality of fiction. How good and bad each individual work is under a certain lens regardless of my personal opinion of it.
Whether or not a work is objectively good or bad doesn’t truly matter. Regardless of my personal opinion, all fiction is valuable. When we dedicate our lives to discovering beauty in our favorite works, it stops mattering what those favorite works are. I think that’s the true beauty in fiction (bonus points if you discover my favorite work of the year based on my anecdote).
As a side note:
The entries highlighted in blue have full reviews. Click on them if you want to see more thorough thoughts on their quality.
Without further ado, let’s rank every visual novel I’ve read in 2021!
30) Kaigen Seito
Kaigen Seito has a lot of novelty going for it, considering that it’s an entire “game” based on a joke ending in Hanachirasu. I won’t spoil the joke ending for the uninitiated, but it definitely gave the story more character. Starting out semi-plausible when I consider the themes of the original work until it descends into utter chaos/madness. I find the joke ending to be a very creative and amusing fakeout/detour from the original story that although tampers with the consistent tone of Hanachirasu, did provide something truly memorable at the end of the day. Definitely one of my favorite joke endings in recent years.
I went into Kaigen Seito with an open mind and came out disliking it immensely. When I played Kaigen Seito, I realized how flimsy the actual contents of the joke end actually are. To try to make an entire game based around a joke that has little to do with the actual content of the original story is a bold move. And I respect that move immensely, even if I find it to be a massive miscalculation on the writer’s end. The main issues with Kaigen Seito are fairly simple:
The gameplay is very boring, being a borderline simulation game with a hellish amount of mindless grinding. And the actual story contents of Kaigen Seito are so minimal to the point of not being worth the mindless effort of that grinding. I definitely think the ceiling for this work isn’t very high, but what we got here was a grindfest that rarely ever utilized the strengths of the original joke end. It didn’t take things to an absurd level nor did it showcase any of the original characters in a particularly humorous light.
A very lackluster work with some potential to be an above-average fandisc had more detail been put into the story/character bits and the gameplay been outright removed or completely reworked.
Easily the worst title I’ve played this year, though far from the worst I’ve experienced in this medium.
Overall Grade: F-
What I enjoyed most about this work: The novelty of creating an entire game based on a joke ending is a very cool concept for a visual novel even if this gimmick wears very thin here. Some amusing character interactions as well from time to time as well, even if I find it to be a massive shame that they’re underutilized.
29) Go! Go! Nippon! ~My First Trip to Japan~
This is probably one of the weirdest titles I’ve played this year in the sense that it feels less like a visual novel and more like a brochure for Japan. I guess that gives the game its own charm unique to other works within the medium, but I personally found it to be painfully boring for the majority of its runtime. The novelty at best will only make the game mildly amusing and I feel this is the type of game you should only read in parts (despite being 6-10 hours at most). The game gives me the vibe of propaganda for Japan since it’s mostly just praising how amazing the most mundane aspects of Japanese life are.
Not to say that Japan isn’t a beautiful country, it probably is, but I don’t feel that’s conveyed properly when it feels like the knowledge (of Japanese life) presented here has the sincerity of an infomercial.
One of the redeeming aspects of Go! Go! Nippon! is that it’s very good at conveying the information in detail despite its insincerity. I guess if I were to make a comparison for this work:
It’s like attending a college lecture with a professor that feigns enthusiasm in order to get his students to pay attention. The information will likely be useful, but the cynicism one has will make the professor come off as incredibly disingenuous despite his efforts to convey the information properly. It gets to a point where I can acknowledge he’s doing his job, but I definitely won’t remember this experience outside the test.
The character writing in this work is obviously thin, the game does try pretending to have characters, but they feel like walking billboards rather than human beings. Conflicts won’t arise until the last hour of the game and at that point I just get annoyed. Because why even bother leaning into the visual novel aspects, especially if the conflicts are just stupid and end quicker than they began. It just makes me respect the work a lot less because it doesn’t commit fully to the brochure presentation. I get that the game is doing its job, but if I want information about how great Japan is, I can just read a book or look up what I’m interested in. At the very least that won’t annoy me nearly as much.
The production value in this work is high through the many updates the game has gotten. The character sprites move which has its own charm (they’re 2.5D-ish) and I like the feature of being able to check the Google Map version of the locations they talk about in Go! Go! Nippon! Though I absolutely despise its reuse of assets from works like Kira☆Kira (a personal favorite of mine) such as music, backgrounds, and literal CG’s. In a way, I like adding my own story to this work with that context like:
That these characters murdered the cast of Kira☆Kira and have replaced their lives with the sole purpose of providing more tourism to Japan.
It helps me sleep at night.
It’s honestly a shame that this is likely Overdrive’s most popular work since I consider their company to be one of my personal favorite in the medium. They’re extremely inconsistent with their output, but the passion has always been there regardless of how I feel about the majority of their works (minus G!G!N!). It comes off as almost underground like I’m a part of this companies journey towards the top. Though sadly they never reached the peak of the most prominent companies within the industry, the artistry has always been there. Overdrive rarely sticks to a specific format for their visual novels and tries something different with each release. Even their “music” trilogy with Kira☆Kira, Deardrops, and Musicus have vastly different writing styles/tones.
I guess in a way this follows the trend of experimentation that Overdrive made their legacy in the visual novel industry, I just personally disliked it immensely.
Overall Grade: F
What I enjoyed most about this work: I respect that Overdrive continues to experiment with its visual novels so far into their existence. I also think if someone wants a brochure of Japan with anime girls presenting that information to you, this is likely the best bet on the list (or the visual novel medium). The Google map feature is really cool, I love comparing the backgrounds they drew to the actual location. Production value is decently high despite reusing many assets from Kira☆Kira. In a way this game does add to certain Overdrive works since works like Musicus deals with themes of “selling out” and how people can’t pick the works they create that become popular. Also, the Kira☆Kira horror story is fun to think about even if it’s obviously a shitpost on my end.
28) A Kiss for Petals 1
This is the kind of work that likely caters more to a strictly yuri audience, not that it’s bad for simply being yuri. The game is mostly hindered by its length not allowing for any depth at all with the relationship that was presented here. The game is shallow, to put it bluntly, but at the same time, I can’t fault it too hard since it was a doujin release. You have to start somewhere and I can understand that when you don’t have as much confidence in your writing ability and lack experience, you can create fiction that isn’t reflective of your capabilities.
The character writing is very skeletal and because of the runtime, it feels like a compilation of yuri setpieces as opposed to an actual narrative (a good chunk of the game was porn). The only memorable aspects are when the game leans on more weird/psychotic character moments such as threats of a murder-suicide over the revelation of romantic interest. That has its own schlocky charm that makes a game more amusing to read through for me. Sadly outside of that, this game isn’t really memorable, though I am curious to see how it builds into future titles. Since apparently, the series does get better as it goes along, which I’m excited to see in the future (especially with the different scenario writers involved with different entries).
Overall Grade: F
What I enjoyed most about this work: The yuri is probably very good (to a yuri fan) even if it lacks substance. The game is too short which I guess shows that I have an interest in pursuing the series further if entries get more ambitious as it goes along. The game has charm in its presentation, though has very limited production value due to it being a doujin release. I also really dig the weirder/psychotic moments in this game, they’re few, but they break up the mundanity and are appreciated.
27) Japanese School Life
Another propaganda visual novel, though I did find this work a lot more charming than G!G!N! overall. Though the method in which I played Japanese School Life was different from other entries on this list. I did a read-along with a close friend of mine which likely made the experience a lot more entertaining. This game also isn’t hindered by context nearly as much as G!G!N potentially was, since I’m viewing it in a vacuum as opposed to annoyance from the onset due to having a personal history with the company.
Japanese School Life is probably a lot less thorough of a brochure when compared to G!G!N!, but I find it far more entertaining due to the weird quirks this game has. I find the fact that the game has a feature to turn the heroines into catgirls to be a charming touch that gives the game more character. I also find the protagonist of Japanese School Life to be so unrealistic and literal with his “love” for Japan to the point where it makes all the dialogue in this game 100x funnier. The protagonist of this story acts like a literal child who has just gained sentience as soon as he entered Japan. The mental stimulation of seeing living, breathing catgirls greet him at the entrance of his school probably fried his brain. The protagonist of Japanese School Life is so unabashedly bland to the point he becomes interesting.
This is only accentuated by the fact that the protagonist has a bland name like Brian, which has its own weird/hilarious charm.
Overall I had fun with this title, even if I don’t think it’s quite good (I likely would have hated this had I not played it with a close friend of mine). This work tries to act more like a traditional visual novel which is probably why it’s generally more enjoyable to me. I also find the effort being more concentrated towards visual novel settings like a school building to fit the medium Japanese School Life is in far more than G!G!N!’s variety.
Yes, Japanese School Life is just as disingenuous as G!G!N! if not more, but it’s definitely more fun to read through in my humble opinion.
Overall Grade: F+
What I enjoyed most about this work: Has a really weird charm to it that G!G!N! lacked due to a really weirdly written protagonist. The concentration on school settings in Japan gives the game a more “genuine” vibe when compared to G!G!N! due to it fitting the medium it’s in more. The game has a lot of information that can be useful to people that plan to make a trip to Japan as a student, though nothing you can’t get from a quick Google search.
26) Rance VI -Sonogo-
Rance is one of my favorite visual novel series of all time, it’s a great satire of JRPG’s with fantasy settings and has some of the most meticulous worldbuilding I’ve ever seen in any medium. It’s also a series that progressively improved with each entry, with the newer ones building off the ambition/lore of the earliest ones. Another interesting quirk with Rance entries is that they always experiment with their gameplay and offer different stylistic/tonal interpretations of its world/characters depending on the scenario writer. In the case of Rance VI, it was written by Tori who tends to have a darker interpretation of the Rance world when compared to other entries I’ve played.
Rance VI is the latest mainline entry I’ve played and to be honest it’s likely my favorite of the series as of now. It’s a really fun dungeon crawler that builds on concepts introduced in Kichikuou Rance, particularly the Zeth storyline that game had. It acts as a reboot of that storyline and brings it to life in a way that the original simply couldn’t. Due to what was likely time constraints caused by a weary future for the series. I’m glad to see that the series continued to move forward after Kichikuou Rance, because although I love that game as well, I see far more potential in the series building on the underdeveloped concepts of that game. Rance VI is proof that the series has a lot of mileage left in its tank if it builds on the foundation of Kichikuou.
Then comes this compilation of side stories that take place after the Rance VI storyline. They’re average, nothing bad by any means, but if I were to list out any of the ones that left a strong impression on me, I’d be stumped. It’s very unnecessary. The game is probably the shortest work on this ranking as well, clocking in at slightly over 30 minutes divided into several VERY short stories. Some concepts were neat, I liked the theme of grief that some of these side stories had since it does take place after a huge turning point in the series. But I’d be lying if I said it added anything to the original work that was completely necessary. I would only recommend it to hardcore fans of Rance.
Overall Grade: F+
What I enjoyed most about this work: I like that it makes an attempt to add stuff to the original story, even if wholly feels inconsequential to Rance VI. I like that it retains some of the humor of that game as well. I wish the game had better production value, this entry had no new CG’s at all, though the art of the original is still great to look at. Not too big of a time commitment as well which might entice completionists that want to explore every avenue of the series.
25) Lonely Yuri
This is another yuri visual novel. Despite the lower placement on this list, I saw a lot of potential here for something far greater if the author gets more time to develop the characters/story in a future release. This game deals with themes of anxiety and it’s actually tastefully done when it’s showcased. What destroys this work for me though is how short it is. It’s about 2 hours at most and because of this the game lacks a strong emotional impact and almost feels anticlimactic by the end of its story. I feel that this game could actually be something really good if the characters had more development, but sadly the end-product doesn’t reflect the potential.
The game is self-contained and has a lot of amusing yuri bits that I found very cute, so if you want something very relaxed and requires little to no commitment, this is the perfect game to play. But if you want something meatier (like me), this isn’t really something that can provide a more emotional/substantial thrill beyond cute yuri moments. The main character does show bits of good development, but it’s mostly in the technical sense rather than something I have a strong connection to. This may be the most “average” visual novel on this list, so I do think it’s worth checking out if any of my praise has enticed you. But don’t expect anything too great from this one, it’s not that type of game.
Overall Grade: D-
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s cute and well made, but lacks anything that can provide any strong emotions. I see the potential for something really good if the author is given fewer constraints with time. The art is enchanting and the game has a nice and comfy atmosphere to it. The exploration of anxiety when it’s actually showcased is very good. The relationship is very tasteful and less trashy when compared to other yuri visual novels I’ve played.
24) Newton and the Apple Tree
This was such a massive shame. I went into Newton expecting something good. It has a very fun premise and the concept of a moege/sci-fi hybrid really intrigued me, it’s not a mixture of genres I often see. I was so excited in fact, I even backed the Kickstarter for it and bought the Newton branded fidget spinners. But once I actually played the game, I realized something, this game is really fucking short. That’s the killer for Newton.
Everything in this story sadly feels extremely underdeveloped and that’s usually the worst thing that can happen when you write sci-fi. Give nothing but exposition dumps and leave the characters hollow husks as tools for your high concept work. Though in this case, Newton doesn’t really do anything worthy of being labeled high concept. It’s rather standard for the most part with little differentiating from its moege or sci-fi contemporaries. There are some aspects to the theming of this story that I do like such as the consistent prominence of bloodline, legacy, and sacrifice throughout the character routes. Though that’s simply all this has to offer (nice concepts), they don’t really mean much in terms of emotional punch/substance.
Newton’s common route is about 7-8 hours and there are 5 routes that last about 10 hours in total (at most). This is what spoils the fun of Newton the most, the fact every heroine feels extremely shallow as a character. We rarely get anything noteworthy with any of them due to the routes being 2-3 hours each and the story not putting a large enough spotlight on them prior. Once you start a route, you will have your way with the heroine and a small conflict will arise and then the route ends. Rinse and repeat, the routes feel extremely repetitive despite how different the heroines are (conceptually/archetype-wise).
Like if you barely have time to tell a complete story, why spend half the time relationship building with characters on sex. Not that h-scenes are inherently bad (they’re not), but if you barely have time to develop a relationship, it’s far less believable when they have sex after 10 minutes of screentime together. I like my moege when they actually take the time to make both characters’ relationships believable, but instead, too much of that time is dedicated to the generic time travel elements of Newton. Which although aren’t horrible, hindered the enjoyment of the actual game immensely.
Despite me panning Newton, there are aspects to the visual novel that I do like. The production value is pretty high and I really enjoyed the Newton music videos that were placed between routes, they gave the game a unique identity in contrast to the majority of what I play visual novel-wise. Lavi’s route despite being too short does play around with the structure of a visual novel which is always a treat to see. I also like the perspective that Newton hid their identity due to the social pressure placed upon women to act a certain way/never reach a certain level at the time she was born, that was really well done. I also REALLY like the theming of Newton, it does a great job of keeping the themes consistent across all 5 routes, it’s just hindered by the fact it’s way too short. The comedy of Newton is also quite good at points, though largely inconsistent (I mostly like Lavi and Emmy).
Overall Grade: D-
What I enjoyed most about this work: The production value is good and some of the unique presentation choices (music videos) add character to the game. Lavi plays around with the visual novel medium in an interesting way despite being a lackluster route overall. Strong theming that sadly is hindered by time constraints. Funny moments with Lavi and Emmy, the rest of the cast is quite bland. It handles the struggles of being an ambitious woman in the 1600’s quite well through Emmy and Newton’s route.
23) Cartagra ~Affliction of the Soul~
This is the definition of a polished turd. The presentation of Cartagra despite being clunky (from an objective standpoint), treats itself with grace and finesse that I rarely see in a visual novel. This is a work that has a lot of confidence in how it wants to present its story and that’s partly why I’m more forgiving towards it in spite of its shortcomings. The mature presentation of Cartagra is what makes me really interested in seeing other Innocent Grey releases. Since for me the direction of Cartagra and the base story is fine, what keeps this work where it’s at for me is the scenario writer. The game is really badly written (in my honest opinion) and despite feeling very unique, the story tends to fall into the pit of the most generic and lame eroge tropes.
To get the first thing out of the way, the main character isn’t believable at all and comes off as incredibly stupid despite being an ex-police detective. I don’t mind characters being dumb, but if they’re constantly portrayed as stupid despite their credentials and they rarely play into the insecurity or introspection this incompetency would normally cause, I consider this bad writing. The cast ranges from okay to horrendously evil caricatures that pretend to be human but lack anything resembling a normal person (the sister is a prime example). I really despise the game’s eroge elements at points, I don’t think they contrast well with the serious tone of its story. It gets to the point where the story becomes really campy which would work if it wasn’t dead-serious the majority of the time (bad ending, sex scenes, caricature characters). The game is also extremely predictable, you can guess the twist from a mile away and that would be fine if the characters were interesting or the story was great, but sadly the execution screws up any potential this game had to be something above passable.
I pan this game, but I also think the presentation of this story really carries it. I really like how detailed the murders are in this work and they serve as an interesting contrast to the mundane every day of the main characters. That despite the happiness that one can feel, it can be stripped away from them at any time due to the darkness that looms within the human heart. I really enjoy the music as well and the premise is very unique in general for a visual novel, taking place in post-WWII Japan. The game has a sense of maturity I rarely see in anime works generally when it’s not being extremely goofy, if it committed more to this tone, I think this could have been something really special. But as it is, Cartagra is a massive disappointment that shows signs of hidden potential.
Overall Grade: D
What I enjoyed most about this work: The game has a unique atmosphere and keeps itself grounded in reality at points, honing in the maturity of Cartagra for future releases can make something truly special. The presentation of Cartagra makes it have an air of maturity that I rarely see in a visual novel, the director did a fantastic job here. The concept of love is very interesting and stands out in the visual novel medium, though I do feel it lacks as much exploration as I would like. The murders are extremely brutal and detailed which gives the game a bigger sense of authenticity that I rarely see in anime works. The campiness can make the game entertaining at points. The “dream” sequence towards the end of one of the routes is genuinely amazing and I wish to see more like it in future Innocent Grey works.
22) 9-Nine Episode 1
The first episode of 9-Nine is a stepping stone. It never extends beyond being its capabilities/goal and lacks anything memorable outside being used as a tool to elevate future episodes. This entire episode will be composed of setup/exposition rather than interesting character moments and because of this, it might be the most “average” game on this ranking so far besides Lonely Yuri. Though in this case, it’s far more understandable since it’s a part of a series that will expand upon the concepts presented here. We don’t get the full picture until later and I advise you to be patient with 9-Nine since it progressively gets better as it goes along with each new entry.
The production value of 9-Nine Episode 1 is really high, the sprites are very expressive and the soundtrack is good for the kind of game it is (I especially think the vocals are impressive). The story is very VERY different from what I see in moege, essentially being a chuunige x moege hybrid and it manages to do it quite competently despite hiding its best parts for later entries. The balance is really tasteful and I find myself impressed by the ambition even if it does run into the issue of being boring due to being a setup episode.
The h-scene writing of 9-Nine is generally very good and I find this to be the weakest of quadrilogy in that regard. I like that the h-scenes have animation as well since the artwork for 9-Nine is extremely good. Where this story falters most is that it’s under the limitation of elevating other portions of the story rather than being good on its own. But outside of that, I found myself enjoying 9-Nine Episode 1 in context which is why it places higher than works like Cartagra and Newton. Since I see 9-Nine Episode 1’s flaw as a necessary evil to get to the good parts of the series. Just don’t expect anything too groundbreaking from this episode. If you expect something weak, you might even be impressed with 9-Nine Episode 1’s quality since it does already show signs of being something great down the line.
Overall Grade: D
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s a strong setup for future entries in the 9-Nine series. The production value is extremely high, probably one of the prettiest games in this ranking. They do show glimpses of something greater with the concepts presented here which can be an exciting prospect for a newcomer. The vocal tracks are very good. The h-scene writing of 9-Nine is generally very good and enjoyable. A very unique concept that’s actually executed very well, did not expect to read a chuunige x moege hybrid that read as seamlessly as this one.
21) Toushin Toshi
A very interesting visual novel that offers a fun premise for a fantasy eroge.
It’s pretty much about a tournament where you partner up with a beautiful lady and fight your way through a gauntlet of men/females. Also if you win this tournament, you can have your way with the person’s partner and get a nut off.
The goal of the protagonist of this game is to help his partner find her lost father.
It’s goofy sure, but amusing to read through nonetheless, especially with the signature charm that Alicesoft works generally radiate. The big issue with Toushin Toshi is that it isn’t nearly as funny as what I’m used to with Alicesoft works. Also, the fact that it’s old limits the game’s potential to be something far greater than what it actually is, everything feels really underdeveloped (a running theme at this point with the visual novels that ranked low for me). The writing is very simplistic and I find myself questioning the quality of its storytelling when plot points just come and go very easily. The game does generally refine the gameplay of previous Alicesoft entries, feeling far more polished than the first Rance entry. But despite this nice coat of paint, it does feel only slightly above what the early Alicesoft games were doing.
Custom is a weak protagonist, lacking any charisma and almost feeling borderline self-insert at points. This kills a lot of the potential enjoyment one can have when they do actually try something interesting with him since he’s not particularly likable. I think the game for a work in 1990 does have some really interesting gameplay ideas, I like the morality system despite being weakly implemented. Feels really cool to see that in such an early videogame release in spite of its substance. For the time it was made, I can see this being really cool. Though it did not age nearly as gracefully as other 90’s visual novels or JRPG’s I’ve played in the past.
Overall Grade: D
What I enjoyed most about this work: I see potential in the series despite generally having a lower ceiling than Rance due to being more self-contained (less opportunity for worldbuilding). It’s playable despite being an extremely early JRPG which is a testament to how decent it must have been for its time. The humor can be amusing at points due to the signature Alicesoft charm that it retains. The premise is amusing even though it feels more like a foundation for future entries as opposed to good on its own merits. The morality system is very forward-thinking for its time.
One of my favorite visual novels of all time got a fan disc.
So I’m either going to be overly critical of this due to not being a necessary inclusion to the Kira☆Kira legacy or I’m going to praise it blindly for being more of the same.
Well, my reaction to this fandisc is that the work can literally be separated into two halves. The first story that Curtain Call has involves characters that were created solely for Curtain Call (with the occasional cameo from Kira☆Kira characters). This portion of the story is horrible. The main character is incredibly annoying and despite the game’s best attempts to connect this thematically into the original story, it feels very tacked on. I really don’t see this as a necessary inclusion to the Kira☆Kira (cinematic) universe. If I were to guess the intent, maybe it was created as a means to promote another band under the Overdrive brand without fully committing an entire game to them. But otherwise, I just think this is a really lame story that adds little to nothing to the original story that I fell in love with.
The second story that Curtain Call has follows the best friend character of the original Kira☆Kira (Murakami) and his unsuccessful band HAPPY CYCLE MANIA. It’s basically a fun little side story that falls more in line with the tone of the original, I imagine this is the scenario that Setoguchi (writer of Kira☆Kira) wrote the draft for. The other side story reeks of added in to make the story longer than it needed to be. I think the story was an overall nice sendoff to the original Kira☆Kira, I would have been happy had the series ended here. Though I think some people will be disappointed by the lack of Shikanosuke and his bandmates. I found this choice to not include them too much to be a respectable choice, since because of this Curtain Call relied less heavily on fanservice and was more enjoyable to read through because of it. Like a nice little treat as opposed to the main course meal. The stories do connect by the end, but it definitely felt like it was just done in order to justify the existence of the first story. Not a bad effort, but really held down by the boring first half.
Overall Grade: D
What I enjoyed most about this work: Fun callbacks to the original occasionally. The lack of a scenario writer does screw with the tone of this one, though I think the base concept for this visual novel is very interesting. The second story is genuinely very good despite its lack of fanservice. I really enjoy some of the humor of this work, especially the second half of its story. The ending is fantastic, though it can be anticlimactic to someone that isn’t as invested in the Kira☆Kira mythos. I was very surprised that Murakami didn’t get a nut off, fits his character, and felt pretty unique for him to romance someone and not fuck them in an eroge.
19) Hanachirasu
A decent read, though I have to bring it up once again, it feels way too short. I don’t like that a majority of Hanachirasu is spent on describing combat methods as opposed to developing the characters. Because it’s genuinely interesting when the spotlight goes solely to the main two leads. This is a revenge story to its core and it’s done very tastefully for the most part even if it does feel slightly melodramatic at points due to the writing style. I find the “dark” elements to mostly work in the favor of the game, though it does run into the issue of being edgy for the sake of it on occasion. It does offer some amusing bits, but for the most part, it doesn’t clash very well with the dead-serious tone of this work.
I don’t think this is the type of visual novel that needs worldbuilding due to the time constraints, but for some reason, it decided to go into excruciating detail for every single bit of information it needed to convey. This hurts the work’s overall impact because it really didn’t mean much by the end of the story. It added very little to the themes of revenge and felt more like an aesthetic for it to wield that feigns profoundness as opposed to essential to the core of this story.
The highlight is easily the relationship between Akane and Igarasu, I really like the pacing in regards to how their story unfolded, seeing the full spectrum of their sides and why they grew to hate each other was definitely a treat. I think the music is overall very good and the game has decent production as well, but what kills Hanachirasu for me is that it’s overly ambitious. It really did not need to develop plot points separate from Akane/Igarasu’s relationship, everything that doesn’t focus on them falls flat on its face for me. I really don’t think that anything besides their storyline is special and because of this, I find Hanachirasu to only be slightly above average. When it had the potential to be something really great if it was fully committed to both Igarasu and Akane’s character arcs. Since although it’s very good, if given more resources to succeed, I think it can be fantastic. A decent work in spite of its time constraints.
Overall Grade: D+
What I enjoyed most about this work: Really good revenge story when it’s actually the focus. The dark elements are mostly well done and tasteful (though it does fall into edge at points). The prose is actually really nice, didn’t mention it before but it read quite fluidly at points and was almost poetic. The meticulous detail it goes into describing combat can probably appeal to some people that look for that kind of stuff. Shows a good amount of potential for the writer IF he can write a longer story.
18) Bokuten – Why I Became an Angel
Easily the most disappointing visual novel that I’ve played this year due to its high concept genuinely being amazing. Bokuten has no right to be as mediocre as it is considering how fantastic the production value is (multiple ED songs for EACH ending with great lyrics, awesome artwork, and plentiful character sprites). This is so perplexing because the only person that didn’t deliver was the writer, he really dropped the ball here. Nonsensical twists and a very unfocused common route completely destroyed any chances of Bokuten being something truly special. I imagine the writer was not working to their strengths (Deardrops showed hints of strong charage writing) and because of this Bokuten failed to appeal to me at all.
It’s an utsuge sure, but with no strong sense of realism to make me feel for its cast beyond:
awww shucks I guess that happened 
The writing here is genuinely horrible at points, almost feeling like a test of endurance for the reader on how miserable a story can be before it becomes completely devoid of emotion or realism. I get that the story is naturally very unrealistic, it’s about an angel. But at the same time, it presents itself with such strong maturity to the point where I can’t help but laugh when it literally forces some of the dumbest conflicts I’ve ever seen in a visual novel.
Case in point:
Yuri’s route, genuinely one of the worst things I’ve ever read and completely destroyed the serious tone of Bokuten.
The only reason this game ranks so highly on this list is because of its high ambition, the game is genuinely one of the most interesting concepts I’ve seen for a visual novel. But sadly the execution completely neuters any semblance of potential joy that I can have for this work. There is an amazing work hiding under all these flaws, but sadly the game is too ambitious for its own good and falls apart once the routes actually start. A real big shame.
Overall Grade: D+
What I enjoyed most about this work: Amazing sense of ambition I rarely see in a visual novel, the execution is horrible, but this is easily one of the most commendable efforts on this list. The production value is fantastic, likely the best I’ve seen for an Overdrive game overall besides Dengeki Strykers and Kira☆Kira (for its time). The common route is very unique, dealing with characters unrelated to the main story with a strong core theme that connects them (sadly a twist in the game negates the quality of these short stories). Minamo route is actually good but really neutered due to the weaknesses of the scenario writer. Some really interesting themes in relation to the concept of love, even if they’re overall not well-executed.
17) Adabana Itan
This is my first Liarsoft work and if this is how the rest of their catalog is like, I’ll be very interested to get to more entries in the future. Adabana at its core is a love story, but that doesn’t really reflect the quality of its presentation. It’s a story that takes a fairy tale aesthetic and makes it a part of its identity to the point where it has an almost nostalgic and whimsical atmosphere. It feels like a story that has been told through generations, though with an interesting twist. Adabana Itan deals with concepts such as metafiction and escapism in art along with this fairy tale aesthetic. It’s a really unique visual novel, but this begs the question.
I’m lumping praise upon praise on top of Adabana Itan and despite this, it ranks quite low on this list of visual novels. Why is that?
That’s because, despite the interesting aesthetic and concept for this work, I feel it lacks substance. Adabana Itan does not have very in-depth character writing and relies very heavily on the tragedy of what occurs in the story for its substance as opposed to meticulously crafting its characters to resemble humans. They feel like mere setpieces/tools to move the story forward as opposed to people and I find that to be a very big flaw with this work. If you want an interesting story with VERY strong theming, this is the work for you, but if you want something that can build a strong emotional connection to its reader. I would not recommend this work as it lacks emotional depth outside of its themes/story, it definitely feels like a case of aesthetic over substance. And to be honest I rather have something that explores itself thoroughly as opposed to what I got here.
The game is really charming sure and I do adore the presentation of it, but I sadly won’t remember much outside of that due to not being able to build a strong emotional connection to its characters. The reason why I believe that this is a good start for Liarsoft is that it shows potential for my future with Liarsoft. This is a very high concept work and I tend to like those, if they can attach some more meat to the bone of their other entries, I think I’ll fall in love with Liarsoft works moving forward.
So I overall think Adabana Itan is an enjoyable work, it just isn’t a great work.
Overall Grade: C-
What I enjoyed most about this work: Amazing visual direction, probably the best presentation I’ve seen for a visual novel this year besides Hashihime. The fairytale aesthetic contributes a lot to the themes of this story. The overall structure of this work is great and the theming is very good as a whole. The atmosphere is simply enchanting. Despite lacking emotional depth, the story has a sense of whimsical and almost romantic charm.
16) Kagetsu Tohya
Easily the most unique fandisc I have played so far, Nasu had no reason to try what he did with this and could have easily just coasted off the side stories in this entry. Hell, I think it’d be better if it just was solely composed of side stories, but instead, Nasu experimented with the structure of a VN and created a very interesting entry in the Tsukihime series.
This is essentially a story about Shiki finding himself within a dream that he has to constantly repeat over and over again in order to get out of (acting as an almost time loop). Because of this, the characters in Tsukihime are going to be more absurd variations of their original counterparts and this is where the game starts showing its flaws. I don’t really like the comedic elements of Kagetsu Tohya, they do not fit the tone of the original game at all.
Tsukihime is an extremely serious game and because of this, I find it very hard to buy into the humor of this work. Even the Ciel Lessons which are supposed to be the “break” from the tension of the original aren’t nearly as comedic or amusing as something like Tiger’s Dojo (Fate/Stay Night). It’s easy for me to believe that Fate/Stay Night characters are wacky since they show a lot of tendencies towards that in the original work. Tsukihime for the most part was completely devoid of that, which makes the humor of this work extremely unconvincing. I especially don’t like how they flanderized Kohaku and Ciel, they barely resemble their original character at all. This kills me especially as a massive fan of both characters (being my favorite heroines of the original). That’s not to say all the jokes don’t land, I love the running gags such as Tsukihime 2 (it’ll eventually come out, I still believe) and Hisui being eccentric. But the comedy is a mixed bag at best sadly.
The game does deliver on its more serious elements, but they don’t make up a good chunk of this game at all. I rarely get to see Shiki turn it up to 11 as a character, but when he does, it can genuinely make for some pretty amazing stuff within this story. The highlight of this game are the serious moments that fit the tone of the original work and the side story material of this game (which are stories that take place within the universe of Tsukihime separate from the dreams).
Overall Grade: C-
What I enjoyed most about this work: The serious moments range from very good to fantastic. The humor despite being very spotty has its moments of genuine greatness. The side stories can be amazing depending on the ones you read, I especially love the Akiha side story that takes place after her route. More Tsukihime is never a bad thing, even if it feels a tad bit forced. The experimental structure for a visual novel is extremely commendable and I hope to see Fate/Hollow Ataraxia improve upon the foundation laid here.
15) 9-Nine Episode 2
The Broski episode of 9-Nine is a massive improvement over the first entry in the series. That’s not to say that the story that episode 2 provides is necessarily amazing, rather it hones in on more entertaining aspects to the work outside of its narrative. This is why I feel it’s far more successful at attaining more memorable results despite being another stepping stone for future entries. Kujo was a very bland heroine and Sora is the opposite of that, the focus is put solely on her and because of this 9-Nine is far more entertaining to read through. Sora’s bombastic nature and fantastic voice work really elevate the material of episode 2. She’s genuinely hilarious and the chemistry she has with her brother makes the exchanges she has highly engaging to read through. The side characters are also showcased a lot more prominently in this entry as well, which gives the game much-needed variety from the many exposition dumps and cute moments contained within this series.
Generally speaking, the route has a theme of incest which although is really trashy to read through, the game really owns up to it and because of this, I find it quite successful at being good for what it is. I don’t really see this game giving people huge morality issues due to how comedic and absurd it takes itself with the incest aspect of the route (paper bag). Though it does touch upon the taboo at points to varying degrees of success, I personally don’t find the main conflict of Episode 2 very interesting and that’s what limits it the most for me. I feel the conflict isn’t very strong due to the main character lacking the introspection to make these dramatic scenes very strong. He approaches the situation at surface level and because of this, I don’t find the drama to be particularly engaging even though it’s not quite bad either. Just kind of middling as a whole when compared to the stronger aspects of the work.
The game does progress the story in a pretty adequate way here and I do find some of the revelations made here to be quite good in retrospect when I consider where the story went. Though I don’t think this is quite great either, it has its flaws, but it’s quite the entertaining read and a good indicator of whether or not you’ll like 9-Nine moving forward.
Overall Grade: C
What I enjoyed most about this work: Far more entertaining than its predecessor as a whole. Sora is an incredibly funny and unique heroine when compared to other brocons, reveling in her own filth to high success. The story progression is good here and I find the side characters to be utilized well here when compared to the first entry. Production value is still high, but it’s obviously just adding on top of what 9-Nine episode 1 had. The funniest h-scene I have ever read is in this game.
14) d2b VS Deardrops -Cross the Future-
This is a really fun crossover visual novel that honestly surprised me due to lowering my expectations. I didn’t really have strong hopes for this one considering Setoguchi (original writer of Kira☆Kira) had literally no involvement in writing it. So this game had a lot working against it for me when I initially started it. The game despite having all these things going against it managed to succeed due to providing strong fanservice from both Overdrive series. This work acts as a celebration of both Deardrops and Kira☆Kira’s legacy. It’s a companion to both works that provides some answers to potential questions the audience had with the aftermath of both Overdrive entries.
I personally did not think the mixture of tones would work out nearly as well as it did here. Deardrops is a much more lighthearted affair when compared to Kira☆Kira and despite this, the mixture of both universes feels absolutely seamless. The tone of Kira☆Kira is obviously neutered due to lacking the same direction/writing style as the original, but this game still feels very in line with the original thematically. Which I found to be a nice surprise, to say the least. The Deardrops author really put in an effort to make this a strong crossover that didn’t make Kira☆Kira feel tacked on.
I do think that the side characters in this game are really underrepresented, but the actual focus being put into the main couples of both entries helps mitigate that flaw. Since the exploration of Shikanosuke/Kirari and Shouichi/Riho’s relationship does feel like it does reach its full potential here. Focusing on the side characters may have hindered the strong writing for their relationships here. The game does feel like it isn’t overly ambitious and because of this I find it to only be good rather than great, but despite this flaw, the execution absolutely makes up for it. This is just a fun read, I highly recommend it if you loved either of these works. It’s more of the same, but that’s part of the beauty of a fandisc.
Overall Grade: C+
What I enjoyed most about this work: The fanservice in this work is amazing, they retread a lot of the “best hits” in both series. The artwork is great, I love seeing Kira☆Kira with the artist of Deardrops. A good extension of themes from both works, I especially like the theme they explore of self-hatred/self-discovery in the Kirari/Shikanosuke portion of this story. The main couples are done very tastefully here and resemble their older counterparts. Despite lacking the depressive/darker nature of Kira☆Kira, it transitions quite well into the tone of Deardrops. More Kirari 🙂
13) 9-Nine Episode 3
9-Nine episode 3 continues the trend of gradual improvements with each subsequent entry within this series. The game has less emphasis on the heroine when compared to episode 2 and focuses a lot more on the overall storyline of 9-Nine. Because of this, the first half primarily feels like a plotge, a stark contrast from the previous episodes. Though one that works in this game’s favor, due to the plotline of 9-Nine being really good (for the most part). The stakes of this episode are far higher than Sora/Kujo’s episode since it deals more with the overall impact of the player’s actions as opposed to the heroine’s conflict. I think the direction that this entry goes into elevates the ambition of 9-Nine immensely, this is where I saw higher potential in what 9-Nine was doing. There is something truly special here and it would be capitalized upon in the next entry (and that came true to an extent).
The game beefs up the cast of characters in terms of their development with this entry. Everyone moves at a faster pace in order to complement the massive developments within the story. Because of this we see characters like Takamine showcased a lot more and to say he’s a highlight of this series would be an understatement. He’s easily one of the most amusing characters I’ve seen this year, a fantastic side character that eats up every scene he’s a part of with his unusual charisma and amazing voicework. Haruka is also a very fun heroine despite lacking the eccentricity of someone like Sora. The dual personality aspect of her character gives her a very amusing gimmick that doesn’t really wear thin by the end of this episode. Which I found to be a testament to how well-executed it is.
My biggest issue with episode 3 is the pacing/structure of it. I do not like that the first half of the story is full plot and then it transitions into pure moege at the end. This did not feel like a seamless transition due to the climatic encounters found towards the end of the first half and because of this, the ending feels like an overly long epilogue. I wish that the moege elements were combined into the first half of the story and spliced better rather than providing them all at the end. It feels forced and halts the overall momentum of episode 3. The episode isn’t all bad (it ranked quite high on my end-year list), but I definitely think it has one of the easiest flaws to point out in the list. Could have been something truly great had the structure been more fluid, but sadly that wasn’t the case here.
Overall Grade: C+
What I enjoyed most about this work: A small improvement over the second entry due to a higher focus on the overall storyline of 9-Nine. Haruka is extremely likable and I find her gimmick highly amusing. The middle of this game is genuinely fantastic, with really high stakes and strong character writing. Takamine is one of my favorite side characters of the year. Higher ambition than the previous 9-Nine entries, leading to a much better work down the line.
12) Deardrops
This is another really fun read, I think Deardrops feels more like a traditional band story when compared to the rest of Overdrive’s catalog. Not because it hones in on the music aspect, moreso since it prioritizes the chemistry of the band as a unit above all else. The character writing in this work is entertaining and I like how characters bounce off each other once the actual band is formed. The primary conflict of the main character is also really interesting and goes into a cool direction in routes like Kanade and Riho as well. I like seeing a more “adult” perspective when I feel the visual novel market is oversaturated with teenager/school settings. Deardrops manages to avoid those cliches completely despite being a charage, a genre that primarily takes place in school settings. Opting to utilize a more mature and realistic setting for its story despite the goofiness of its tone (overall). It gives the game an identity separate from other charage’s I’ve played that occupy the same lane as this one.
The production value of Deardrops is strong and I love the vocal tracks that this game has, they’re extremely memorable and passionate vocal performances. I love the incorporation of a violin into rock songs, provides an interesting elegance that I’m not used to hearing in most commercial rock/pop music. Where Deardrops underdelivers is the shallow character writing outside the main character, Gonda and Riho, most of them lack actual substance. I find them entertaining when they’re in the group and bouncing off each other, but put them in a room by themselves and they’re honestly as interesting as watching paint dry.
The route quality of Deardrops is also a mixed bag, routes like Riho and Kanade are great. But the other two “routes” provided are genuinely shoehorned in for the sole purpose of sex scenes/marketability rather than artistry. Which honestly fucks with my head when I think about the game as a whole. They completely wasted my time by giving me two character routes that last 2-3 hours at most and don’t go anywhere interesting. I especially dislike Rimu’s route, the ending is hilariously bad. Felt like the author just wanted to end it because they didn’t know how to write for her character at all. Yayoi isn’t much better, but at the very least it’s less painful to read through and she’s far more likable than Rimu. Deardrops is a really fun read that’s dragged down by the lackluster character routes for 2 band members and overall shallow character writing.
Overall Grade: C+
What I enjoyed most about this work: Kanade and Rimu are genuinely great routes that live up to their potential. I really like characters such as Shoichi, Gonda, and Riho (it’s the other characters that drag this game down). The chemistry of the main cast is a lot of fun despite the shallow character writing. The game is relatively fun to read through, had a smile for a majority of my experience reading this one. The vocal tracks are fantastic, more consistent than Kira☆Kira (though lacking as strong highs), the rock x violin fusions are also really cool. A unique setting for a charage, not a school setting at all, dealing with a slightly more “adult” perspective than what I’m used to for this genre.
11) Baldr Force
Baldr Force is one of the oldest visual novels I’ve played on this list and despite its age, still felt pretty fresh to me nearly 20 years away from its original release. That isn’t to say that Baldr Force explores new avenues when it comes to sci-fi, but it does explore relatively interesting frontiers for a visual novel. It’s a cyberpunk visual novel that deals with the concept of revenge in a virtual reality setting. The game definitely carved its own identity within the medium and I really appreciate it for that sole reason.
The storyline of Baldr Force is really good. Dealing a lot with the theme of revenge and the sacrifices one has to make in order to attain happiness. Whether or not Baldr Force gave a strong answer with its exploration of heroine routes is debatable, but it is laser-focused throughout. The theme is relatively consistent and I find that to be impressive when it’s also trying to develop its complex storyline of contrasting ideologies in the format of a conventional galge.
Storylines involving conspiracy, revenge, the value of human life, and reality within a computer are commonplace in Baldr Force. And for the the most part, despite its age showing on occasion, it’s surprisingly tasteful. The game is really forward-thinking for a visual novel that was made in 2002 and although it’s cliched by today’s standards, it still has some nice surprises that did leave me in shock by the end of its narrative.
I do think that Baldr Force runs into a lot of issues though. I’m not a fan of constantly making the player replay portions of the story in order to progress further. Especially when it’s mostly gameplay sections that take up way too much time (though the gameplay is actually quite easy, I find it annoying). This is a very outdated concept and I hope that future Baldr entries don’t follow that trend.
The routes despite progressively getting better as the story goes along and being utilized well from a structural standpoint (all routes were relevant and build on each other), still feel quite weak in context. I don’t like that a lot of characters feel like sacrificial lambs for the narrative since it hinders the emotional impact of their storylines. Which are great conceptually, especially Tsukina and Ayane who underdeliver due to the focus on being tools to expand the bigger storylines. They feel hollow despite the stakes of their routes being massive and consequential to the main characters internal conflicts. There are great routes hiding within Baldr Force, some of which we actually get to see, but for the most part they feel like lost potential.
In general, the character writing of Baldr Force is weak, they feel like mere actors that don’t try to push me into emotionally investing in the story and instead just act out their roles. All characters are utilized well, though at the same time they’re nothing to write home about. I especially find the villain to be incredibly shallow and used solely as a plot device. The actual characters outside the main heroines have little substance to their characters outside vague hints of a personality/backstory. This is definitely a visual novel that would have largely benefited from more slice of life, because most characters feel really hollow.
The eroge tropes can take away from the seriousness of the game, I especially dislike the stupidity of characters like Reika and how they unlock hidden potential within the virtual reality-sphere. It’s really goofy and takes away a lot of the intensity from some of the more heartfelt/tragic storylines. I feel a lot of the time Baldr Force has weird tonal clashes with these goofy elements trying to co-exist with the serious ones. It makes the game more memorable, but hurts the overall package when I look back on them.
These are all issues, though, considering the age, I can look past a lot of them (for the most part). This is definitely worth playing if anything I said remotely interested you.
Overall Grade: C+
What I enjoyed most about this work: The plot is actually really great for the most part, the last 3 routes are genuinely fantastic. The soundtrack and production value are very high for a game made in 2002, the UI is especially really cool. The story is extremely ambitious and I really respect that it shoots for the stars despite missing at certain points. I really like the theming of the game, revenge is really well handled here through the writing of its character routes. The structure of Baldr Force elevates it a lot, the story provides really interesting twists based on the little context provided in early routes.
10) 9-Nine Episode 4
Easily the most consistent 9-Nine entry. Episode 4 ends the series on a high note, providing some of the strongest setpieces across all episodes along with some of the best pacing I’ve seen all year. There is rarely a dull moment within the 4th entry of 9-Nine due to the high concept of the work finally matching the quality of its storyline. Without saying much, episode 4 really takes advantage of the medium and is the type of story that excels specifically as a visual novel. I have high praise for the 4th episode overall, it’s a great visual novel. Though at the same time despite enjoying my time with this entry immensely, I do think it suffers from several flaws that do hurt the overall experience for me and prevent it from being much higher on this list.
The last 3rd of 9-Nine Episode 4 is great, containing some of the most intense moments I’ve seen in a visual novel (in 2021). But I do feel that to an extent, the game is extremely limited due to the character writing. And what I got here despite being very enjoyable, doesn’t really reflect my overall attachment to its characters nor is it something fantastic. I have praised 9-Nine for its character writing on occasions, but that praise comes from thinking that the characters are enjoyable. But once I actually took the time to consider how high the concept of the work is, I felt slightly disappointed with the overall package.
Despite 9-Nine having some genuinely intense moments, the main character of this work doesn’t really elevate those moments beyond the action. What I’m trying to say is that Kakeru is serviceable at best, when he should be amazing considering the work he’s in. I feel he lacks as much introspection or self-reflection necessary to take these good moments to the next level and because of that, the emotion does feel a bit underdeveloped. That wouldn’t be a massive issue in other episodes, since the focus is put on the heroine. But it’s most noticeable here since this is about Kakeru, a character that approaches most of these intense/emotional situations in their most objective form. Kakeru doesn’t really showcase the emotional maturity or depth needed for these great moments and because of this, 9-Nine suffers.
There are other things to dislike, I think the main villains of 9-Nine are extremely weak characters, lacking anything truly substantial. But at the same time, their actions are extremely interesting in context, so I find myself somewhat lenient towards their deficiencies due to the moments they produce within the story. The presentation is great as always and although the actual ending of this work isn’t the greatest thing ever, it did feel worthy of the build for this game. In the sense that 9-Nine maximized its strengths as a concept for this section of the story, though felt a little too safe for me.
I think the 4th episode of 9-Nine was great for what it was, I just know it would be capable of being a masterpiece had the character writing been a little stronger.
Overall Grade: B-
What I enjoyed most about this work: Strong concept with overall great execution in the storyline. Some genuinely intense moments sent chills down my spine within the last third of the story. The last third of the story is great in general. Noa is a very likable heroine and probably the most substantial of the cast, though not my favorite (Sora and Haruka). The production value is great as always, insert song is especially a memorable inclusion to the soundtrack. The pacing is fantastic, one of the best-paced visual novels I’ve played all year.
9) Toushin Toshi 2
This is the type of sequel that exceeds the original in every way and is honestly one of the most impressive 90’s visual novels I have ever read. A game that despite showing its age with some gameplay mechanics and shallow writing, shows its quality through its sheer charm and influence on the medium moving forward. The biggest improvement within this entry of the series is the main character, he’s far more proactive than Custom was. Seed feels like an actual character with real motivations beyond simple lust, it helps that he has an actual backstory. One that actually plays into every action he takes within this entry and allows for depth to his spectrum of emotions.
This is a real zero to hero story since Seed’s motivation for participating in the tournament is to be worthy of his childhood friend’s hand in marriage. A simple albeit well-executed storyline that has a great sense of escalation and boatloads of charm. There’s a certain level of innocence within Seed that really differentiates him from other Alicesoft protagonists and makes him likable in a genuine way. Seed feels like a normal dude that just wants to be with his girlfriend and despite this game containing the “dark” eroge elements of previous Alicesoft games, it definitely feels the most human of their works (that I’ve played so far).
Surprisingly the gameplay is good, outdated sure, but very playable which is more than I can say for most early Rance entries. Something that I specifically like about this works gameplay is that the scaling of enemies feels far more natural than other AS games that I’ve played. It doesn’t really feel cheap and I didn’t have to grind nearly as much as their other works, which made the experience far more smooth. Just play smartly and this game will be a breeze, though it does have its occasional challenges that will require more thinking in how you approach the situation. Not the most amazing JRPG mechanics ever, but definitely an improvement over their previous works.
Something that Toushin Toshi 2 improved upon was the karma system of the first game. It actually has some bite to it here and does have consequences on the overall storyline/Seed’s character. A really unique mechanic that I’m glad Alicesoft built upon, even if it’s still in a pretty infantile form here. It helps that Seed is genuinely a good person despite his flaws and seeing him commit some really evil actions definitely felt consequential to his overall character. Another good aspect of TT2 is the character writing is generally improved and the participants in the tournament are far more interesting/unique. I had a lot of fun working my way up the ladder, especially with characters that have actual personalities to them beyond their archetype.
Where Toushin Toshi 2 slightly falters is the second half of its story. It contains some really great parts, but it does feel like it drags on occasion/plays it too safe. I’m not really big on the actual ending of the story, feels anticlimactic considering the build of its story even if it was a fitting conclusion for Seed’s character. But don’t let these small nitpicks deter you, this is a must-play if you’re curious about Alicesoft’s capabilities outside of Rance. A very impressive title that generally aged gracefully for a 1994 release.
Overall Grade: B
What I enjoyed most about this work: Seed is a great character, one of the few 90’s visual novels where I feel I can genuinely say that. Great pacing in the first half of its storyline and a good sense of difficulty scaling throughout. Character writing is far more fun than the original Toushin Toshi, night and day difference in regards to character depth. Really unique mechanics such as the karma system make me want to revisit this game again. The dark eroge elements are decently tasteful for an Alicesoft game and play into the characterization of its cast. Large scale and truly epic for a visual novel made in 1994.
8) Marco & The Galaxy Dragon
Easily the visual novel with the highest production value on this list. I genuinely think it’s one of the best looking and most consistently visually appealing works I’ve ever played within this medium. Marco & The Galaxy Dragon feels like a visual novel that prioritizes the experience above all else. It does lack substance on occasion, but it makes up for it completely with its uniquely inventive style of storytelling, character writing, and pacing. While other visual novels thrive in their complexity and theming, Marco & The Galaxy Dragon prioritizes entertainment value above everything. There was never an occasion that I read this story where I thought it was boring, a rarity in a medium that is known for its slow, glacial pacing.
Another thing that makes Marco & The Galaxy Dragon standout amongst its contemporaries is that it’s truly an all-ages visual novel to its core. I don’t feel there are many things in this work that limits its audience at all, it genuinely feels like something I could recommend to just about anyone. Of course, there’s some violence and lewdness along the way, but it makes up a small fraction of the work. Leaning into a more cartoony tone rather than what I’m used to with all-age releases within the medium.
The comedy of this visual novel is also great, though it’s absurdist humor which can alienate some people that don’t value creativity and view it as randomness for the sake of it. Where the humor mostly excels in its pacing of jokes, it feels like the novel is constantly throwing fun gags at you at a rapid pace. It never lets up, from the visual gags in the CG’s to the actual dialogue onscreen, the story is absolutely drenched in its own style of humor. This can annoy some who are used to visual novels taking themselves dead-serious, but to others, this will be a breath of fresh air. The game is a perfect length, never overstaying its welcome at all and although it really doesn’t take advantage of the medium from a storyline perspective, it makes up for it, and some change with its visual direction.
My only major issue with Marco & The Galaxy Dragon is that its pacing although unique, can make a lot of storylines feel underdeveloped. Not that the potential amongst all the storylines in this work were equal, but it does feel like a compilation of vignettes at points rather than a cohesive unit. It reminds me of something like Chainsaw Man in that regard, where it feels like the story escalates at such a rapid pace to the point it’s hard to soak in the characters/stakes on occasion. Since it moves at a pace of 100 scenes per minute rather than taking its time to develop its world or characters. It’s adventurous territory for a visual novel sure, but I do feel it lacks as much polish as I’d like because of it. I’m also not too big on the “emotional” scenes in this game, though they do fit the tone of the work and are implemented well. I just feel they don’t necessarily add too much to what was already there. A must-play if you don’t mind a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Overall Grade: B
What I enjoyed most about this work: Inventive storytelling/character writing that although can lack substance, gives the game a unique style, unlike any visual novel I have ever read. Tremendous production value, rarely a moment the game won’t flash new art at you. The pacing is really fun and allows for very few boring moments, even if it does limit the thoroughness of some storylines. Fantastic absurdist-styled comedy elements that add more charm to this work than take away from it. A TRUE all-age visual novel, easy to recommend to just about anyone as long as they’re not a stick in the mud. Western influence on this work gives it a VERY unique identity amongst its contemporaries.
7) True Remembrance
While Marco was an example of excess giving a work a sense of style unique to its own medium, True Remembrance is the exact opposite. This is a case where simplicity makes the work excel. A visual novel that commits fully to its own promise of ordinary days that create extraordinary moments:
True Remembrance is an ordinary tale of the ordinary days spent in an ordinary town by an ordinary girl who learns that everything in this world is extraordinary – or that nothing is.
True Remembrance is a beautiful story, one that chooses to tell its narrative within the confines of a small town. It has a high concept, dealing with a global epidemic that causes depression with the only cure being the removal of one’s memories. It serves as an interesting allegory for depression, with the concept being that those that suffer despair are those that stay in the past.
One cannot choose what happens to them nor should they be blamed for falling into the pits of despair, but one cannot deny their past. To simply forget about your failures won’t bring about change and you will find yourself never having learned that there was a path without failure. Acceptance of one’s flaws is the key to finding happiness.
This is what I got out of True Remembrance. A beautifully told story that although can be a little too sentimental at points with its writing style, manages to make me believe that anyone is capable of redemption. This work elicits a very strong reaction out of its reader with its overall emotional maturity and lack of bullshit. There’s very little in this game that I feel was wasted, this game makes every moment count and I think that’s the beauty of its execution. One shouldn’t expect anything grandiose with this one, by definition it’s a story that was created out of pure passion. Someone had an idea and they made their vision a reality.
If I were to compare this work to a previous visual novel that I’ve read, it reminds me of something like Symphonic Rain. A story that doesn’t really fall into the anime clichés of typical visual novels and instead chooses to focus on the humanity of its characters. While Symphonic Rain was alienating in its structure/characterization, True Remembrance was transparent and to the point with these elements. Despite sharing a similar atmosphere/tone, True Remembrance is far more sentimental and because of this can feel that the work is melodramatic at points. I never felt that the game was ever horrible because of this, but it does make every action count in a way that can be hard to understand for some readers. To the point where I sometimes question the quality of its writing, it can be a little too emotionally charged for very small things. Which can hurt how organic the story feels at points. A double-edged sword mind you (it absolutely does transcend the quality of scenes), but a noticeable issue when it does show up.
Also the ending despite being good, does feel like it rushed itself a little too much. The plot reveal is great, but there’s a certain level of depth the ending lacks which hurts the overall story since it’s so well-paced prior. The production value of this story is also very low due to being made on what was likely a shoestring budget. Not a killer, but it’s what prevents True Remembrance from ranking higher.
Overall Grade: B+
What I enjoyed most about this work: Emotionally charged writing can make the smallest of actions feel grand, for better or worse. Despite production value issues, it does manage to have a very strong sense of atmosphere. More laidback and human-based storytelling allows for a different tone from the usual anime-styled visual novels. Theming and structure of the story are fantastic. Very few parts that I felt wasted the narrative, otherwise most things in this game felt necessary to elevate its theme. This truly feels like a story that was made from passion and it shows from its writing style and production, clumsy at points but incredibly genuine. A high-concept visual novel with more simplistic storytelling, not very common in what I usually read.
This one has actually grown on me since my initial review of it back in early 2021. Mostly because I find the best parts of this visual novel to really outweigh the worst parts about it. Although the visual novel does have a little too much padding and can vary in quality from route to route, the overall package is a lot of fun. One of the most unique visual novels that Overdrive has ever produced, a superhero visual novel with elements of metafiction and absurdist comedy. It’s definitely not the “smartest” visual novel on this list, but it’s easily one of the most entertaining games I’ve played all year. The writing despite being very juvenile manages to have a lot of charm, regardless of the stupidity of its story at points, it rarely feels without purpose. The satirical elements of Dengeki Strykers never feel pretentious and seem like they come from a place of love, which is a rarity in fiction for me. I really like the clash of tones with the story taking the piss out of conventional superhero stories through its characterization/plotline without ever faltering from its pure-hearted love for the genre. This is a visual novel with a lot of passion behind it and feels like a love letter to fans of comic book (Japanese or American) stories.
I would say the comedy of Dengeki Strykers is a lot of fun, though it’s definitely on the poop joke spectrum instead of cleverly constructed with multiple layers. It’s not a bad thing, since I find those jokes generally more enjoyable anyways, but I can see someone thinking that a dog named Joseph talking about his dick all day in a deep voice isn’t necessarily peak comedy to everyone. The character writing in Dengeki Strykers is mostly surface level, but I find it fun for the kind of story it presents and quite memorable in a “turn off your brain” sort of way. Though that’s not to say the character writing is devoid of any substance, Mirror and Hilko are high points for me in terms of visual novel characters in 2021 specifically for their writing. So the game regardless of some shallow character writing does deliver with a good portion of them.
I rarely feel that the game ever jumped the shark despite the absurdity of its premise, which shows that it must have been doing something right.
I really like how this game utilizes its structure to further elevate the quality of its overall story. Some routes are wasted opportunities (Steel and Heaven), but most routes actually build into each other in very creative ways. For example, I really like how the Zero saga introduces a lot of mystery and feels very rushed on the initial playthrough. Only for this choice to make complete sense once you actually play the Sky saga where all the weaknesses of Zero are contextualized. It’s honestly a really clever way of using visual novel route structure to elevate the quality of your story, something I wasn’t expecting for a “dumb” visual novel. The game also has some really strong action sequences that are obviously absurd in execution, but give the game a lot of character and feel absolutely balls to the wall hype. It feels like I’m watching a really fun battle shounen when the action actually becomes the focus in Dengeki Strykers. A quality that really stands out when compared to the more serious tone of chuunige-styled visual novels.
The production value of Dengeki Strykers is great, it’s likely the most expensive feeling work Overdrive ever produced. The character sprites feel like they have a lot of movement and I feel most situations that needed a CG actually got one, which isn’t something I see too often. I guess if I were to list another issue with Dengeki Strykers, I’m not a fan of its heroine writing. I feel this game really didn’t put effort into the females, being shoehorned in at the end of routes simply to lead into an h-scene. It doesn’t help that Yamato himself isn’t the most dynamic main character and because of this, he lacks chemistry with most of the females. Though I would say that the Hilko route (Love Saga) has genuinely good romance, though that’s an outlier amongst a lot of weak storylines involving love. Dengeki Strykers definitely won’t appeal to the main demographic of visual novel fans, but I do think it has carved out its own niche as a fun superhero VN with hidden depth.
Overall Grade: B+
What I enjoyed most about this work: A fun storyline that actually uses its routes to paint a bigger picture. Very unique themes for a work about superheroes within the visual novel medium. The humor of this game is hilarious, though it can be repetitive or too juvenile for certain groups. A lot of passion comes through the writing style and although it’s not winning awards for prose, reads well for the kind of story it is. Strong characterization with Mirror and Hilko. High production value work that actually feels like it’s throwing everything at you in order to work. Really fun action sequences that provide contrast to the more serious fights in other visual novels. A love letter to comic book/manga fans (heavy on fanservice)
5) The World’s Most Forbidden Love
This is my first Maruto visual novel and if the rest of his stuff is written even remotely like this, he could easily end up being one of my favorite writers. This was a fantastic story with some of the most consistently human characters that I’ve seen in a very long time. If I were to describe the style of character writing for this story:
It’s about good people that make shitty choices due to their goodness at heart and desire to protect those they love. It’s about the sacrifice of one’s happiness in order to maintain the status quo and whether or not the sacrifice is worth the cost.
This game does have a trashy concept on paper, mind you, despite this amazing theme, the end goal of this story is to have sex with a teenager. But the journey towards that is written in such a way where I can acknowledge it’s wrong morally but executed extremely well. This is a case where the reader will likely have to try separating the “morality” of a work from the quality of its writing. Because although this visual novel is great, it’s very problematic with what it potentially normalizes through its storytelling. The game does a good job of describing the taboo of its subject matter and why it’s a difficult choice to make. I would like to think that this story’s end goal isn’t trying to normalize grooming, but at the same time, I can’t fault someone for thinking that.
After all, it is called The World’s Most Forbidden Love.
The writing is great, though the game is definitely more of a slice of life visual novel which has its fair share of detractors. The benefit to this story is that the writing is from a technical standpoint amazing, I love its prose. Also, the huge emphasis on relationship building and introspection really elevate the character writing to another level. Osamu is a fantastic protagonist and quite unique to boot, being a very mature adult by the time this story starts. He’s also fully voiced and the performance is genuinely one of the best I’ve seen all year. They do a great job of providing the vocal range for someone that is spineless but good at heart, someone that sacrifices their own happiness for the sake of those he loves. And the heroines also have really strong performances as well, I especially am fond of Mitoko and Himeo’s voicework.
The storyline is very unique for a visual novel and isn’t a school setting in a conventional sense. You do go there, but most of the time is spent in the office or talking to other heroines, providing a really unique atmosphere/dynamic when compared to other visual novels. The heroines are also adults as well. You have a coworker, boss, ex-wife, and teenage girl that serve their roles as heroines very well, offering distinct dynamics with Osamu. I am especially fond of the ladder structure for this work, I find it to add so much to the structure with each choice the MC makes having massive emotional consequences on Mitoko. It truly felt like a journey getting to her route, since the player got a really good idea of her true nature with each route developing her character further and further. One of my favorite visual novel structures of the year.
Where this game suffers for me is that the h-scene placement can feel really forced, I don’t like how it breaks up the pacing of the game when they’re shoved into the story without any care in the world. The game is structured in a way where they’re not implemented organically and you get them all at once, the only time I found this effect was Asami’s route. The writing of these scenes is very good, but I wish it was placed at a better point. I find Mitoko’s route to be kind of anticlimactic due to sharing the same space as Asami. It makes sense from a narrative standpoint, but I wish they added more to Mitoko’s route to differentiate it after a certain choice. Would have gone a long way for me. The first route of the game is also easily the weakest, though I get why it was done since it foreshadows a lot of Mitoko’s character development in her own route. I just wish the conflict of the route was better integrated since it did have a tendency to feel more forced when compared to the other ones.
Overall Grade: A-
What I enjoyed most about this work: Great character writing with a strong sense of theming throughout every route. The taboo subject matter is commendable even if it does raise the issue of being problematic with its conclusion. The main character is fantastic and is the perfect type of character for this story about the value of sacrifice. The story is very unique, dealing with more adult subject matters when compared to other visual novels, not really the perspective of a high schooler. The music is great and the game has good production value, I will remember quite a few of these CG’s for the next few years. The ladder structure works to this game’s favor and makes the theme more prevalent (take notice of Mitoko’s characterization).
The most emotional visual novel that I read in 2021. Kin’iro Loveriche is a game with a reputation that precedes it, yet somehow it managed to subvert my expectations with its final route. This is easily one of the most thematically focused games I played this year, every route contextualizing and elevating its final hours. A theme as old as time is highlighted:
Live your life without regret. Thinking about the past in a negative light will only hurt you. Be glad that it happened because it got you to where you are now. Your past doesn’t define you. You’re perpetually golden.
Every single route helps paint this picture of living without regret and making every moment in one’s life “golden”. A theme that is easy to understand but hard to follow, sometimes the pain overwhelming the strongest of people. It’s a concept that requires determination to follow thoroughly and this story is about Ouro’s journey towards that goal. To become golden, he must accept the hardships that come with life as much as the happiness. Because otherwise, he’ll find himself in a path of self-destruction in which there’s no escape.
The beauty of Kin’iro Loveriche is it’s laser-focused theming. Though at the same time, Kin’iro Loveriche can appeal to others outside of that. The comedy for the most part is great, characters bounce off each other very well and I rarely feel that the humor misses the mark. I also think that Kin’iro Loveriche finds a very healthy balance between offering somber and comedic moments back to back. I don’t think there were many times in this story that I felt the balance of comedy/seriousness wasn’t maintained properly. It has a fairly consistent tone throughout even if its comedy is mostly of the goofy variety. Despite this praise, I do find the game too sexually charged at points with its humor. I don’t mind horniness mind you, but it rarely feels necessary and detracts from the magical tone of this one at times (especially the threesomes).
I genuinely think that Kin’iro Loveriche has one of the best common routes that I’ve read in the past 3 years, consistently entertaining and rewarding to those that look for subtext. Along with this, the routes have a really strong sense of structure and cohesiveness that I rarely see in a moege-styled work. There are very few moments within Kin’iro where I find myself questioning what the point of a route was since even if I can rank importance between routes, I do feel that they were all necessary to make the final route better (to varying degrees).
The production of Kin’iro is nice, but I mostly want to praise the “golden time” moments. Genuinely one of the prettiest uses of animation that I’ve seen within a visual novel, making scenes of pure intimacy turn into one’s of pure ecstasy. The soundtrack is also really great, with many tracks that I will remember far into the future. Especially since the game is good at soundtrack placement, a very subtle but crucial aspect to taking a good soundtrack to the next level. Voice performances are strong here as well, Sylvia and Ria’s voice actors give some of the most convincing performances of 2021 for me. I truly feel immersed into their characters due to their strong emotional depth and comedic timing, very passionate performances.
My only real issue with Kin’iro Loveriche is that I find the first 2 routes to lack due to their strong thematic focus. Which for me, is great, but also makes the heroines feel very weak in context to the rest of the game. Sadly I’m the type of person that wants to eat his cake and have it too, so it can be quite glaring when I find the first 2 routes weak due to their plot focus. I especially think Elle despite containing some essential moments for Ria/Sylvia suffers a lot from this, since I don’t think Elle provides much that adds to the theme. Rather it uses its time to elevate the plot elements of the story (such as Ria), which makes the route feel quite hollow in contrast to the rest. The threesomes in this game were also not something I enjoyed, I especially dislike how it’s implemented into Reina’s route.
Genuinely one of the worst h-scenes I’ve read in a long time. Not because it’s not erotic or badly drawn, rather it just completely changes the tone of the route. Taking what should be a serious conflict and turning its solution into a complete and utter joke. Reina’s route barely recovers from this.
Overall Grade: A-
What I enjoyed most about this work: Strong emotional depth that managed to subvert my expectations completely despite its praise and detractors. Great route structuring, routes don’t really feel wasted. Sylvia and Ria route are some of the best routes I’ve read this year, genuinely fantastic all-around. The common route is strongly written, balancing comedy and somber moments quite well. Great production value, the soundtrack placement is perfection which is a sign of a strong director. Contains one of my favorite themes for a story to have, to never regret your mistakes/past and learn from them.
3) Ayakashibito
This game is very reminiscent of something like Fate/Stay Night with how it approaches the characterization of the main character. Though goes for a more cryptic approach when it comes to culminating his character arc. The game to its core is a story about someone whose existence has never known happiness and once they find that happiness, the sacrifices they must endure in order to maintain it. The entire game is about Takabe’s growth as an individual who has never known the love of others into someone that wishes to protect everyone at the cost of his own existence. This is somebody that has finally found what he has always desired, a normal life. And this is the primary focus of Ayakashibito, of course, it’s a chuunige, but it’s just as much about the beauty of everyday life.
Basically what I’m saying is that Ayakashibito has a lot of slice of life.
I can’t quite say that Ayakashibito will appeal to everyone, but it’s at the very least a commendable effort with a unique storyline. I find myself constantly looking back to this one for its theming since it utilizes its routes very well to highlight Takabe’s character arc. A lot of these storylines revolve around different sacrifices Takabe or another character have to make in order to find beauty in their miserable existence. Which plays very well into the antagonist of this work, Kuki. A character that is very enigmatic, but reflects the complete opposite of Takabe’s character. A person that has known loss and instead lashes out on the rest of the world instead of moving forward. Somebody who doesn’t grow and try to find other forms of happiness, instead of being stuck in the past due to their own weakness. One of the best aspects of Ayakashibito is the dynamic between Takabe and Kuki, which although may have an anticlimactic conclusion, is truly rewarding when given time to sit on the reader. Easily my favorite aspect of this work.
Generally speaking, the character writing of Ayakashibito is great. I really enjoy how fun the characters are, being based more on fun interactions within a group as opposed to intimate one on one development. It gives the game a lot of charm and also highlights the core theme of finding happiness in the most simple of pleasures. I do feel some of the cast can feel underdeveloped due to this, but I do find myself enjoying the package overall. A major flaw with the character writing is that a lot of the best individual moments between cast members occur in completely disconnected routes. This can make the game feel very disjointed, but at the same time, I do see this as taking advantage of the medium visual novels provide in some form. Since a lot of the development a character gets is locked into certain routes and spread out quite evenly, which helps add to certain routes with the context of how a character is like in other routes. It’s not perfectly implemented, but I do appreciate the effort to make the routes feel distinct even if it missed the mark slightly.
I think the biggest issue people will have with Ayakashibito is they’re going to expect an action visual novel with slice of life elements when it’s actually the complete opposite. I’m not trying to say the action scenes aren’t great, some of them can step toe to toe with the best chuunige out there. But they’re not a primary reason for me to play this game, it’s merely the cherry on top of the cake. The actual meat of this story will primarily be the slice of life and how it relates to the main theme of this story. Spending simple times with friends that although will never know the full extent of your struggles, accept you for who they see. I would say patience is the key to enjoying Ayakashibito, since although it’s paced quite competently, it does make unique structural decisions that will alienate certain readers. An example is keeping a multiple route mystery that lasts the entire game and also making character motivations unclear for large sections of the game (despite being showcased heavily). They make the payoffs feel far more rewarding, but I don’t think everyone will jive with these polarizing structural choices.
The route quality of this one is very high, I enjoyed every route to varying degrees. I found Kaoru to have the weakest character writing of the routes we did get, but it appealed to me with strong action sequences and thematic focus. This route elevates the final route as well to a different level despite feeling rushed in some portions as well, so even if I poke some holes here and there, I do like the package in context. I love Suzu’s route, but I think it had the potential to be the best route in the game if it had a stronger focus on the side characters. Since I feel they go into the background due to this being the route that culminates the Takabe and Kuki storyline. This is a massive shame, even if Takabe still emphasizes their importance to him by the end of this work.
Tonya is my favorite route despite being the least consequential to the main storyline, which is a rarity for me. Though I will die on the hill of saying it’s absolutely essential to the main theme of sacrifice. Touko is the route that emphasizes the friendship aspect the most and delivers on that front, providing one of my favorite introductory routes of the year. Something that I love about the structuring of Ayakashibito is that Kuki becomes more and more prevalent within each route, creating a really nice sense of escalation and tension throughout the visual novel. Since the reader is left in the dark for why he acts the way he does for the majority of the work, making him feel like a massive threat even when allied with Takabe.
Ayakashibito is a fantastic visual novel, I hope to see more works like it in the future. One’s that emphasize the main character and make challenging risks that elevate specific themes.
Overall Grade: A
What I enjoyed most about this work: The dynamic between the protagonist and antagonist is genuinely some of the best character writing I’ve seen all year. Thematically focused to a fault, which will alienate people that don’t take their time to think about what every route meant. Character writing is extremely strong and enjoyable, very chemistry-based comedy. The slice of life is very tasteful and adds to the overall theming/tone of the game. The overall route quality is very high (entertainment value) AND feels relevant to the main theme of the story. Some of the action in this game can stand toe to toe with the best fights in any chuunige, though they’re not the primary reason to play this game.
A strong sense of ambition and confidence that I rarely see from an author makes Hashihime stand out amongst not only its BL contemporaries but amongst a sea of mystery visual novels. This is a work that oozes character, showing an uncompromised vision while having the budget to support the artistry showcased here. You can fault Hashihime for not being in your preferred genre of visual novels, but you cannot fault the overall product.
Since this is truly something special…
Hashihime is a BL visual novel that critiques the relationship between humans and the fiction they consume or create. Dealing with the theme of escapism and how it can blind people from finding faults in their own life choices. How the obsession with fiction that people have can ultimately lead towards a path without self-evaluation. The game approaches this from an existential perspective with the main character (he is an author) delusions blending with reality in aggressive ways. The creations in many ways can protect Tamamori, but at the same time, they shield him from reality. A fantastic storytelling device within this story that provides much-needed substance to its major themes. Despite the complexity of its subject matter, Hashihime approaches it from multiple perspectives throughout the routes it offers. A true masterclass of route structuring, even if the game peaks quite early (the first route is easily the best part of this game, luckily it’s 2/3 of the actual story).
The character writing of Hashihime is oftentimes cryptic, though opens up as you go along and rewards the reader if they pay close attention. It’s a story that lives and dies by its theming and although some characters can seem weaker than others, they illustrate their concept of escapism quite well. I love the characters in this game due to their eccentricities and the variation they provide, rarely is there a truly boring moment within Hashihime. Rather everything feels consequential to the overall story, even if some of the stylistic choices with dialogue can be a little too one the nose. Though it does fit the characterization of Tamamori, since we see the entire story through his perspective. I love the prose of Hashihime as well, the sentences flow very smoothly and don’t feel robotic despite the complexity of its subject matter. A rarity in visual novels that are as high concept and ambitious as Hashihime. I never felt that I was ever being lectured or looked down upon by the author as he described his various literary influences. Rather he exuded confidence and gave me just enough to understand how it relates to the overall story without hurting the pacing of his story.
Despite the atmosphere of this work being dreamlike, everything feels organic.
The game deals with very interesting subject matter, one of my favorite aspects of this story is its lack of fear in exploring concepts such as sexuality. Especially since they apply it from the perspective of post-WWI Japan, a truly unique take that I don’t think I’ll ever see in another visual novel ever again. And this isn’t simply a small aspect of this work, the BL feels absolutely essential to elevating the story. I think Hashihime contains my favorite romance of the year with how thoroughly it explored the relationship between Minakami and Tamamori. A genuinely beautiful story between these two that gave me just enough to feel strong emotions without ever feeling overdone. The rest of the BL elements can vary in quality (never dips below good), but are mostly tasteful due to Tamamori being a very adaptable main character.
The route structure of Hashihime is strong, but it can feel that some routes are underdeveloped due to the emphasis Hashihime has on its theme. The first route takes up a large portion of the work overall and because of its finality, other routes have to kind of work around it. That’s not to say the other routes are garbage, they aren’t and they all add interesting layers to the concept of escapism. But I do think that Hashihime may have benefited if it introduced these routes earlier or incorporated some of these arcs into the common route. The most eye-catching aspect of Hashihime is its art style and it absolutely does deliver (and then some). Easily one of the prettiest visual novels I have ever read with one of the most interesting art directions I’ve seen for any work. Taking elements from both gothic and psychedelic artwork, fusing them to create its own aesthetic separate from every visual novel that came before and after it. The game has generally really high production value as a whole, my only critique is that I wish it had more songs in the soundtrack. Since it would have elevated an already amazing work to a higher level, though I understand that pickers can’t be choosers.
The ending of Hashihime will divide people and it’s purposefully made with the intention to piss off the reader. I personally enjoyed the ending, since it directly relates to the harsh reality of the dark path escapism can lead towards. Though I would say it does feel a bit undercooked due to being anticlimactic and somewhat short relative to the rest of the game. It’s not exactly a high point of this story, though as a thematic culmination of the story’s theme, it’s quite great.
Would I recommend Hashihime to someone that has no interest in BL?
Yes. Because it’s really fucking good. The story is tremendous and I would recommend it to anyone that simply wants a strong mystery with arthouse elements.
Unless you literally just hate gay people, there’s no reason not to play this at all if anything I said remotely interested you.
Overall Grade: A+
What I enjoyed most about this work: A high concept work that doesn’t fall under the weight of its own ambition, approaching itself with confidence that I rarely see in any visual novel. One of the best art directions that I have ever seen in a visual novel. Deals with complex subject matter that will alienate some readers, but will appeal to people that don’t like to be pandered to. This game has really strong prose, sentences/dialogue flow extremely well. Great route structure, even if it peaks rather early. A boy love title that takes place in a very unique time period and challenges the reader with its literary references and themes of sexuality. It has the strongest romance I’ve seen all year with Tamamori and Minakami.
1) Musicus!
Overdrive’s swan song ranks at the top of this list.
Kira☆Kira is one of my favorite visual novels of all time. A genuinely heartfelt story with strong thematic focus and passion oozing out of every crevice of its being. It also contains Shikanosuke Maejima, who has one of the most personal depictions of self-hatred and teenage angst that I have ever seen in a visual novel. To say that I love Kira☆Kira is an understatement, it is genuinely one of the most emotional works that I have ever read. So to see that this was Setoguchi Ren’ya’s final visual novel for several years was an interesting feeling. He stopped with his best work (that I’ve read) up to this point and did so under his own terms in order to move his focus towards novels. Which he had every right to do since he created what was likely the best-selling Overdrive work up to that point. After the success of Kira☆Kira, Overdrive would continue to create fiction under different writers. Experimenting with different concepts and never really sticking to a specific format for their works minus the involvement of musical themes/various bands. They did this for several years with varying degrees of success, though none matched the acclaim or sales of Kira☆Kira (minus Go! Go! Nippon!).
So Overdrive decides to end their legacy with a bang, completing their mark on the visual novel medium with the man who wrote their most successful visual novel:
Setoguchi Ren’ya.
And thus Musicus was born. The final Overdrive work.
Musicus acts as a soft reboot to the original Kira☆Kira, dealing with many similar themes and sharing plot commonalities. The main difference between these works is what aspects they emphasize the most. With Kira☆Kira it has a strong focus on the concept of finding purpose within a group and is more self-contained. Music is merely an aesthetic to further elevate its theme. Musicus on the other hand has a main character that’s more existential and is simply trying to find his own happiness. Whether or not that comes from creating art, befriending others, or observing music is irrelevant. For him, the true purpose of existence is to immerse himself within his interests and see where it goes from there. He doesn’t truly know whether or not it will bring him happiness, but he wants to recapture the feelings he thought he never had through the creation of his own art. In this case music. Music is not merely an aesthetic in this work, rather it’s a part of its core identity. And that’s what makes Musicus such an interesting companion piece to the original Kira☆Kira, since it doesn’t seek to outright replace it. Rather it just focuses on the same theme and executes it completely differently. What Setoguchi created here is something that encapsulates the concept of Overdrive:
A company that created fiction and never reached mainstream success. And despite this, continued to think forward and try pushing themselves to create art that reflected their passion. It doesn’t truly matter whether or not they reached success, they reached the hearts of many people due to their passion. This had its own beauty beyond abstract concepts such as “success”. It was true artistry.
Musicus is one of the best written visual novels that I have ever played. Despite personally preferring the rougher writing style of Kira☆Kira (it allows for more emotion), I think overall Musicus has a more refined sense of theming and plot structure. Musicus has a structure that involves the protagonist Kei Tsushima finding different forms of happiness:
Ozaki has him accept the happiness of being with someone else he truly cares for rather than chasing his dream of pursuing music as an art form.
Meguru has him find happiness through creating art that although may not reach the mainstream, will reach the hearts of those that followed his career.
Sumi’s route has him give up on his dream for the benefit of someone he cares for, leading him towards a darker path. The sacrifice of one’s happiness in order to bring about joy into another person’s life. Can you reach true satisfaction in this manner?
Mikazuki helps him realize the futility of reaching “true” success. Because it isn’t defined by an objective metric, rather it’s the happiness he finds from pursuing his passion.
All four of these routes contribute to illustrating the main concept of the game, that success is measured by your own sense of satisfaction. Worrying about how others will evaluate your art will only lead you towards a path of self-destruction. People create art because they love to do so, not because of the success that they will attain. That is coincidental and largely based on the audience your art creates, separate from the artist themselves. I think the Ozaki route is likely the weakest link amongst these 4 stories, but it still felt essential to me by the end of the narrative. I would say this is my favorite message of his works, even if I find it to be the less cryptic and the most simple of his visual novels. A testament to the writing ability of Setoguchi. Some of his best work is contained within Musicus.
I could say more about Musicus, but I think it’s very obvious that I enjoy the story immensely. It’s easily one of my favorite visual novels of all time and although I don’t feel quite comfortable (yet) to give it a 10, I do think it has the potential to grow on me over the next few years. A beautiful story that I can see myself coming back to time and time again, not my favorite Setogouchi work, but a tremendous sendoff to the illustrious history of Overdrive.
If you want to see my full thoughts on Musicus, I reviewed it (along with quite a few of the works that appeared on this list).
Overall Grade: S
What I enjoyed most about this work: One of the best written visual novels I have ever played, great use of structure and theming to illustrate its concept of “the meaning of life”. Strong character writing overall, though I do feel some of the cast has a tendency to illustrate a theme more than stand on their own as individual characters. Kei is one of my favorite protagonists in recent memory, really introspective while also providing some very personal angst throughout the story. Sumi route is one of my favorite character routes of all time, the feelings I had when I read it were of pure terror and resentment for the choices Kei made. Despite being less emotional than previous Setoguchi visual novels, I find the message to be the strongest and most fully realized of his works. The artwork is really beautiful and the soundtrack is top tier, some of the best vocal songs Overdrive has ever produced. It manages to tell a complex message utilizing philosophy without feeling nearly as heavy-handed when compared to its contemporaries. Kaneda is a funny man.
VNSalesman R&R 
Great post HaHaHaHaHa. Kepp up the hard work… >B(
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