2022 was an unusual year for me when it came to prioritizing visual novels.
In comparison to previous periods of my life, I don’t believe I spent nearly as much time reading. I took a much more lax approach when it came to reading releases, only deciding to do it whenever I felt up to the duty. Because of this, I had a mixture of media consumption as opposed to the usual year, where I would read several stories within a month.
I played video games.
I watched movies.
I read literature.
I spent time experiencing some of the latest anime/manga releases of 2022.
And despite this, visual novels dominated most topics of conversation for me in 2022. I dedicated a lot of time to just discussing visual novels as a medium and have made my fair share of recommendations throughout this year. Whether it was discussing some of the intricacies of works like Little Busters after somebody finished Refrain or hearing someone’s thoughts on some of the crazy h-scenes found within this medium, I really couldn’t shut up about visual novels as a whole. In a way, I felt nostalgic talking to others who found joy in their latest playthrough of a work that I had read in the past. Taking me back to a simpler time when every work of fiction felt cutting-edge and superior to the last one I read in terms of quality.
I’m glad to be able to re-experience fiction through others and find new joys in familiar works. These discussions of fiction really convey how powerful media can be when it comes to affecting others and how different each individual’s experience with a story can be. I really liked hearing others talk about their favorite or least favorite works, regardless of my personal enjoyment of them; praise and criticism can oftentimes bear new meanings to others and help both parties appreciate a work in a much more meaningful way. The power of art is in how we evaluate it, and regardless of what conclusion we come to, there’s no true right or wrong. The beauty of subjectivity is something to behold, and I’m glad to be given the platform to talk to others about my enjoyment of fiction, regardless of whether or not I dedicate my entire year to it.
I am truly grateful to those who read my ramblings or share my shitposts; thank you for providing me with these small pleasures in life.
Was this a bad year in terms of visual novels?
Despite having read a smaller amount of works when compared to previous years, this was one of the strongest lineups for me in regard to quality. The year began extremely strong and ended strongly, though I do feel there was room for improvement in the middle. I definitely took some risks that didn’t pay off, reading quite a few works that didn’t leave a strong impression on me. On the other hand of the spectrum, though, I actually gave out a 10.
Two in fact.
To give perspective, in 2021, despite having read 30 visual novels, I didn’t give out a single 10. The only year I gave out more than 1 perfect score was in 2018, so this was a very rare occurrence for me. Though obviously, this doesn’t mean that my opinion is the only one worth paying attention to, I am not an authority on the quality of visual novels (no one is). It was just really nice to read two visual novels this year that I feel will last me a lifetime in the coming years (especially the #1 spot). I’ve gotten more stingy over the years when it comes to giving those high marks, so it’s always really impressive for me when I read something that I feel confident in giving that seal of approval to. It really shows that the medium still has a few more tricks in its bag to keep me interested in following it for the coming years. Visual novels haven’t really stopped surprising me despite having spent over half a decade dedicated to discussing and reading works within this medium.
Hopefully, I will still feel the same way for the rest of this decade.
Anyways, let’s put the introduction aside for now and rank every visual novel I’ve read in the year 2022!
23) Kaeru nyo Panyon
Alice Soft can do better.
This is easily the lowest-effort work that I’ve read this year. Of course, Alicesoft isn’t without its faults; the company does push the medium forward (especially with their early works), but they oftentimes have very thin characterization and prioritize charm above all else. Kaeru nyo Panyon is pretty much this aspect of Alicesoft turned up to 11. There is very little here in terms of actual substance, and to be honest, throughout the reading experience, I wondered if I was reading an Alicesoft work or something crafted for children. This really has no reason to be an 18+ title outside the sexual content; the conflict is borderline something I’d see out of a Saturday night cartoon. Not only that, but I also feel that despite the cutesy tone this one has, it has very little to offer in terms of entertainment value.
They throw away most of the dark comedy that makes Alicesoft great in exchange for very boring character interactions that last as long as minutes before they throw you into the next stage. The cast is as indulgent as I would expect for a normal Alicesoft work, but they don’t offer anything fun or interesting beyond a few catchphrases and the occasional moe. The story is borderline nonexistent; most of the story is told through the 10+ minute opening cutscene, and after that, it’s just pure character interaction after a long, drawn-out strategy RPG.
I guess by mentioning that this is an SRPG, I’ll probably be asked this question…
How does it play?
Well, if you like really boring and plodding gameplay that feels incredibly drawn-out and requires the bare minimum strategy to beat, you might love this.
This feels like a means for Aliceosft to make a very gameplay-oriented visual novel hybrid, and it fails miserably due to how boring the combat is. The animations are cool for the first 5 minutes, but after the honeymoon period, I’m just begging for battles to end. I also really dislike the system put in place where it forces the player to replay levels in order to get certain CGs, encouraging multiple playthroughs. By that point, I just listened to whatever music was available to me at that time (probably something on Spotify) and just kept going and going to fully complete the work. I rarely do that, even for some of the most annoying grinding sessions found within the JRPG genre.
I know Alicesoft is capable of far more than what they showcased here; I don’t doubt this is probably their lowest point in terms of creativity. I also do appreciate the attempt to make the work disconnected from the Rance storylines, but not at the cost of making the game extremely boring. With better pacing between the battles and the story, I could easily see this being something really fun. Sadly, it doesn’t reach any of the highs of their previous works and lacks any ambition to make me look the other way for some of its more egregious faults. The true ending might be one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in an Alicesoft work; this is the stuff they usually satirize, and instead of being played for laughs, it’s mostly played straight.
It is easily the worst Alicesoft title I have ever played. Hopefully, they continue to impress me with future releases that I play, and this is a one-time thing.
Overall Grade: F –
What I enjoyed most about this work: The artwork is fantastic when it’s actually showcased. Some amusing comedy occasionally, though I’d say it borders more on charming than it is funny. With that being said, there’s something really distinct about playing and Alicesoft work, and despite all of the faults contained in this work, it still feels like one (albeit with a weird tone). The lack of strong conflicts kind of makes this feel like a moege, which is an interesting tone for a company that mostly makes sex-heavy visual novels.
22) A Kiss For The Petals – My Dear Prince (A Kiss For The Petals 2)
This was undeniably a small improvement over its predecessor. This entry sported stronger writing than the first one, and I found the relationship between both girls slightly more believable and authentic. The conversations felt slightly less stilted, and I liked that this one had more introspection going for it as well. The improvements aren’t massive, but they are definitely noticeable. One of the most interesting elements of this franchise is the small traces of worldbuilding found within it as well, such as the reoccurring setting (St. Michael’s) and the return of characters from the previous entry (Yuuna). It really makes me feel that this franchise is showcasing more potential than the average yuri visual novel when it comes to future entries. Though at the same time, I don’t feel it’s quite there yet, despite some good improvements across the board.
I would say the lack of a strong conflict does hold this one back since it still feels very childish when compared to even the most skeletal of romance stories. The comedy is slightly better than the previous entry, though I feel it gets undercut by some of the most vanilla dialogue imaginable. The writing is really what holds this back from being something decent, since it’s very basic and lacking in any human emotion. I feel like I’m just reading a compilation of cute scenes with little rhyme or reason behind them. In general, despite the improvements, I feel there’s definitely still a lack of connective tissue, making me want to come back to this franchise frequently. I do appreciate that the work was less trashy than the original, but it also can feel like an even bigger slog due to lacking as much entertainment value when compared. The emphasis on character development will hopefully remain more of a staple with this series since I do feel that the material here is just begging for a more competent writer. since it really can’t be elevated too much with their capabilities (from what I have seen up to this point).
Overall Grade: F+
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s pretty much an improvement on all fronts from the original work, though they’re not very massive leaps, more like baby steps. The stronger emphasis on worldbuilding does showcase a lot of potential for future entries that I hope will be explored. I really like some of the more introspective moments found within this entry specifically, though they weren’t very frequent. The series does have charm; it’s just that too much reliance on the same thing makes it feel too safe and repetitive. The short length makes this relatively easy to read.
21) Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
Ace Attorney: Investigations prioritizes cohesiveness when compared to previous entries in this franchise. Because of this, I find the game to be one of the best in terms of its actual structure. No case in this game feels wasted; all of them build off each other, and in a way, the writers accomplished what they set out to do. However, there is one minor issue…
The game is really fucking boring!
This is what cripples what should be one of the best efforts from this series. Because despite the consistent quality, none of the cases stand out at all, and even when they do, it just feels like it’s treading water as opposed to leaving any impact on the reader. Relative to most entries in the series, Investigations lacks a certain level of personal stakes that elevated prior entries from decent to legendary. The work is very complacent with being mediocre, and it really shows with how boring the majority of the cases actually are. Despite the game being boring, I do think it laid a very strong foundation for a future entry with the new characters that were introduced. And although the gameplay isn’t perfect, it does feel different in a good way when compared to the mainline series. There are good aspects to this game; I just feel like they were trying to play it safe since they weren’t quite sure what they wanted this franchise to be. Because despite the focused nature of its narrative, it does feel like it was kind of slapped together with the only goal being to create a good foundation for another entry.
And in that regard, Ace Attorney Investigations succeeds.
In terms of case quality, the only standout was case 4, which is actually utilized very effectively in its sequel. It also felt like the only case where it didn’t drag at all and had an enjoyable conflict with some nice fanservice for longtime fans of the series. Case 5 has a very similar issue to Rise from the Ashes (Ace Attorney 1) except it doesn’t reach any highs at all and feels even more redundant. The rest of the cases are just very average, without anything too memorable occurring in them. One of the most admirable aspects of this game, however, is the fact that the character interactions are quite good amongst the main cast. Lang’s little screentime is very enjoyable, and I can say the same for Kay. Gumshoe and Edgeworth are also an extremely entertaining pair that helps elevate some of the weaker writing in this game. I just wish the story was better written and had more of an interest to hook the reader since the characters are fine; they’re just not given enough time to breathe in this new environment. It’s a decent debut in a vacuum, but decent isn’t good enough when your series has had works as good as Ace Attorney 3.
Overall Grade: D-
What I enjoyed most about this work: The story was cohesive, and no case felt like it didn’t matter, which is a rarity for this series. The character interactions among the main cast are mostly enjoyable. The game set a strong foundation for its sequel with some of the plot elements and structural changes to the typical Ace Attorney formula. It never really dips into “bad territory,” besides maybe case 5. The fanservice elements of this game are genuinely fun and don’t feel overindulgent, which they easily could have been.
20) Sengoku Rance ~Three for the Slash! Thrust! Burn!~
This is a cute fandisc that expands upon Kanami and Suzume’s characters without feeling too consequential to the overall lore of the Rance series. To be honest, this work didn’t have much comedy outside the occasional slapstick, which probably hurt my overall impressions of it since it makes the game more boring than it should be (it’s literally only an hour). I do appreciate the game in concept, trying to make a game around such a cute little adventure, though it didn’t feel very fleshed out and borderline gimmicky. By definition, this is as standard as they come when it comes to spin-off entries in the Rance franchise. It doesn’t really overstay its welcome, but it also doesn’t feel necessary to actually enjoy the rest of the franchise.
Because of this, I find the game pointless.
This game doesn’t really have a reason to exist other than to provide cute artwork of the three heroines explored in this work. And it really isn’t too entertaining either due to its short runtime, crippling the potential it has to showcase some of the strong comedy the series is known for. I genuinely feel that this game could have been more enjoyable if it had less gameplay and just provided more detail to the adventure aspect explored within it, since it just felt like a way to increase the overall playtime as opposed to being an integral part of its identity. But then again, it probably would have made the game 30 minutes, and we really can’t have that when they want to give their fans something a little longer. I don’t really feel offended by playing this game, but I also don’t feel it adds anything to the overall Rance experience.
Only play this if you’re a hardcore Sengoku Rance fan.
Overall Grade: D-
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s commendable that Alicesoft tries to provide as much content to their fans as they do, since it really shows how much they value them. I like the charm of this one, and the adventure is cute; it just lacks in terms of actual substance behind what’s going on. The chibi artwork is very pretty, and I like seeing this artist’s rendition of the heroines from Sengoku Rance. The slapstick is very amusing at points, but it’s mostly just crippled due to its short runtime. It doesn’t overstay its welcome; it’s quite short and would take less than an hour to complete if you’re good at the “gameplay” section.
19) Hoshi Ori Birthday Spectacular Extravaganza: Rikka Edition
Jokes aside, this game is 10 minutes long. I only read it after a friend reminded me to do so, and I almost feel like I’m cheating by counting it on this list. At the same time, I didn’t particularly dislike what I read from this. It’s cute to have a birthday fandisc for one of the cutest and most memorable heroines within Hoshi Ori. And this really doesn’t do anything wrong either, though at the same time I just think it’s extremely lazy. They really couldn’t bother with giving me a new CG for the second-best girl?
What’s even the point of this? I could literally use a sprite editor and slap on a “Happy Birthday, Rika” and call it a day with the same result.
This is where the issue lies; this side story doesn’t really need to exist. It’s extremely lazy and feels like it was completed within 5 minutes. They really skimped out here on the production value, and that’s what I find to be the biggest hurdle when it comes to enjoying this. It’s just a 10-minute birthday sequence that will exit the recesses of my mind immediately upon completion. It’s a cute concept, but it really does nothing for me.
It didn’t even have voice acting; what’s wrong with them? Why even make this a game at all?
Anyway, this sets out to do what it does, and it’s competent. It’s a nice, feel-good birthday celebration for one of the most beloved heroines of the original game. I’m not really hating on them for doing this as much as I’m hating them for doing this without much effort put into it.
I would only recommend this if you’re the biggest Rikka fan imaginable, and there’s no shame in that since I read it as well 🙂
Overall Grade: D-
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s inoffensive and doesn’t really feel like it does anything particularly wrong outside of the weak production value. Rikka is a very likable heroine still, though I wish they gave this treatment to the other heroines as well since this was probably made in 3 minutes or less. I still find the writing of the original Hoshi Ori very charming.
18) 9-nine: New Episode
So, in a lot of ways, I feel 9-nine aged very poorly for me…
That’s not to say I dislike the series; I just don’t feel like I enjoy the works nearly as much as I did when I originally played them. I’m not really trying to state that the series lacks in quality, more so that I feel the game had very little staying power with me. I don’t really feel the need to revisit it, and I do think the series as a whole definitely felt like it couldn’t quite strike a strong balance between its chuunige and moege elements, and because of that, I rarely think about the series in a very positive light. I do think there’s praise to be had for simply fusing these elements in such an interesting way, but I also don’t really care for the writing and even less about the characters outside of Takamine and Sora. I guess Haruka is also really cool too, since she is probably the hottest woman to have ever lived, but even then I’m not too crazy about all these characters…
What I’m trying to say primarily is that this fandisc had an uphill battle with me due to my re-evaluation of the series as a whole since completion.
This isn’t really a complete fault of the game, but I do think it was necessary for me to give background to my thoughts on the series as a whole prior to talking about it. Because in order to understand why someone dislikes something, they need to talk about the context behind it. The main issue this fandisc runs into is that it doesn’t really feel like a satisfactory conclusion to the heroines or characters explored in the original series. It really feels like it does nothing that makes me like the original work even more than I did prior. When it comes to supplementary material, this is as pedestrian and standard as it gets, mostly flavor text that seeks to prove nothing and maintain only the interests of the most diehard of fans. In that way, it kind of succeeds, but it really doesn’t feel like something I really wanted to see with this franchise. especially when many characters felt like they lacked in the original due to their limited screentime. I would have loved to see more of Yoichi, Satsuki, and Rena.
It might sound like I’m criticizing the game for what it isn’t, and I do agree that my issues largely lie with the original series, but I really didn’t have much fun with this. Most of the after-stories were extremely short and didn’t really explore the relationship in any meaningful way; they just felt like leftover scenes from the original visual novel. The “relevant” side story content is as boring as the title heroine that it involves, barely doing anything to make me enjoy her character or the original story itself. They did put in the effort in terms of production, but that’s to be expected from a series as popular as this one; it’s not really impressive to me.
I’m not going to praise someone for coming to work and doing the bare minimum when I’ve seen what they’re capable of on other days.
Is this the worst thing I’ve ever read? Far from it; it’s just disappointing that my last exposure to this franchise was pure disinterest in its future. Hopefully, they try something new with this series if they do continue it, since I feel this was completely unnecessary. Because outside of the gimmick it has of being such a unique mixture of genres, it really leaves a lot to be desired in the writing department. It also lacks a large amount of originality, further compounding these issues. There’s definitely potential here (episodes 3 and 4 showcase this), but at this point, I’d rather the author cut their losses and try something completely different in the future.
Also, there’s a complete lack of H-scenes, which were some of the most entertaining bits of the series. They literally removed one of the most amusing aspects of the original works in a fandisc, a predominantly horny subgenre of visual novels.
Overall Grade: D
What I enjoyed most about this work: There is some good comedy occasionally, even though the stories feel really short. I think the production value is extremely high, especially for something they seemingly just slapped together. The character interactions are still really cute and make me feel fuzzy inside, but my disappointment is in wanting a better balance of schmaltz and plot. Sora and Takamine still exist; their existence makes me happy inside.
17) Dra†Koi
Is this the visual novel equivalent of a shitpost?
Dra†Koi might be one of the weirdest things I’ve ever read in this medium. I definitely think it’s on some post-ironic metafictional bullshit, but despite its uniqueness, I don’t really see myself coming back to it months after finishing it. The work as a whole feels very rough around the edges, and I imagine that’s part of the appeal since it makes some of the dialogue hit even harder during the attempts at comedy. But a lot of the time I feel the game doesn’t make a good distinction between the comedy and serious bits, which in turn makes it feel really uneven tonally. The game lacks a cohesive vision, and because of this, I don’t really see the story amounting to much, despite the work’s best efforts to increase its ambition as the story goes along.
The parody elements are unquestionably interesting, I really like how it takes a piss on common romance/chuunige tropes such as the absurd side characters (the mom is a huge highlight of this game) and the escalation of its romance. But I also don’t really care for the jokes it’s trying to land when they don’t feel like they have much substance to them. I think they’re amusing, but I also don’t feel a strong connection or point in taking the work seriously when it puts together these elements so haphazardly. What I see with this game is a really good draft for a parody visual novel that should likely be double the length of what we actually got. The story just lacks so much polish despite some of the ambition it showcases throughout its runtime (the ending is especially a really cool concept). This is a case of writing a story just for the sake of it. Things happen, and you have cool ideas, but they just don’t amount to anything interesting.
There’s not really much to say with this one besides that Dra†Koi is a fun way to spend your afternoon if you’re really starving for some absurdist comedy. But despite me saying this, I’d argue you can do better with the amount of strongly crafted parody works throughout the medium.
Overall Grade: D
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s a visual novel that feels targeted towards zoomers, which definitely makes for a different experience when compared to the usual slow pacing of visual novels. The work is trashy and basks in its own filth, which leads to some hilarious comedy throughout (the mom). The concept of the ending is really cool; it just needs more time in the oven. The soundtrack is genuinely very good, and I do respect the ambition for such a short project that didn’t seem like it had much thought put into it beyond the general ideas.
16) A Kiss For The Petals – Joined In Love With You (A Kiss For The Petals 3)
A far stronger entry than I could have ever anticipated for this series, considering that it felt like it was lacking in any potential with the previous two entries outside of the worldbuilding. The biggest improvement with this game is the chemistry and romance between the main two. They genuinely have good banter with each other, and I really felt invested in their relationship despite the brief runtime of this work. It’s certainly not winning any awards for originality, but I do think that the competency of its writing made for a very enjoyable moege. You unquestionably will get sloppy writing and trashiness occasionally, but considering the fact that this story was purely going for a cute yuri romance, it definitely succeeded in providing exactly that.
I wish the conflicts felt less similar to previous entries, but I think this one felt the most engaging because of the great chemistry between the two leads. It doesn’t really feel like a bore, which makes it more of a shame that its short length limits the potential of this one. I don’t feel completely invested in the main two, despite them making the most of their screen time, since the story ends as quickly as it begins. I also wish the production value of these works increased in noticeable ways, but as it is now, it just feels like the same game with a different skin visually. The game’s lack of originality and production hold it back the most, since it makes it hard for me to justify anything higher than slightly above average. It’s far from a bad visual novel, but I definitely don’t feel it goes beyond “better than expected” for a series that felt like it needed a much bigger leap in quality to create something that I can confidently call good.
Overall Grade: D+
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s a well-constructed yuri romance considering that it’s about the length of a Lord of the Rings film. I really like the chemistry between the two leads, it’s extremely cute and enjoyable to see them interact with each other. The worldbuilding elements are still present and I do like the attempt to connect the romances all within the same school. It’s no longer extremely trashy, I genuinely feel invested in these two characters despite the short length working against it.
15) Nagomibako Innocent Grey Fandisc
This is the first fandisc that I have ever read where I actually prefer it over the original work.
Cartagra was a work that I didn’t really enjoy beyond its fairly interesting premise and deviations from the typical visual novel formula. Besides these two elements, I found the game extremely weak as a body of work, especially when it came to its writing. With some of its horrendous H-scene placement, I frequently felt the game succumbed to the worst stereotypes of the erotica genre. So to say I was a fan would be an overstatement, I just merely found the work fairly interesting as a whole.
Nothing more, nothing less…
I decided to give the fandisc a try out of pure curiosity, not expecting too much considering how little attachment I ended up having to the original work. And to my surprise, it’s fairly decent.
Is it a masterpiece?
No, not really.
Is it fairly good?
For the most part, it actually is.
The game is mostly side stories that don’t have a strong bearing on the original game but contain interesting bits that flesh out weaker elements. One side story I was a massive fan of was the Rin storyline, which gave a stronger sense of resolve for why she worked in the brothel. It was essentially an h-scene compilation, but I did like the small underlying sadness to her sense of duty and desire for a life outside of the one she has created. It was a really sweet story. I also really enjoyed the made-up scenario where they have a lot of the characters in a raunchy high school comedy environment. The jokes did get repetitive, but I do find the inherent premise of them very amusing, and it didn’t feel like it overstayed its welcome either. The other “side” stories to this weren’t nearly as interesting or notable at all, but they were still neat additions to have.
The centerpiece of this fandisc is the epilogue that takes place after the original ending of Cartagra. It’s fine; I do feel it does a lot to flesh out a certain character, but it also retains a lot of the weaker elements of the original story’s writing, such as attempts to be extremely thematic while also “jumping the shark” to do so, which makes this story hard to take seriously at points. Basically, the emotional moments feel really heavy-handed, despite some of the intricate and subtle writing in certain sections of the game. I think the epilogue provided a much more satisfying conclusion to the original and functions similarly to a tragedy, so with that viewpoint in mind, I enjoyed it. But if you’re asking me to care a lot about a character I mostly heard about and only saw glimpses of who they truly were for maybe the last hour of the original work, you have another thing coming.
Again, this doesn’t suck. It’s mostly being held back by my lack of enjoyment of the original work.
If you’re a fan of the original, please play this.
Overall Grade: D+
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s a fun fandisc that has a lot of variety in the scenarios provided. The Rin storyline is a good example of how to utilize h-scenes in an effective manner to illustrate character motivation. The comedy scenarios are really funny in contrast to the dead serious moments of Cartagra. I like that the developers and writer seem self-aware. The production value is fairly high for a fandisc. The epilogue is a more satisfying conclusion to the original story than the original ending.
14) Mamatoto ~a record of war~
This is an Alicesoft entry that I’d love to see them revisit down the line since the structure of this work is very interesting. It’s basically a story that is divided into two halves, one that explores heroes while the other one explores villains. I really like the perspective shifts in the concept, even if the story itself can’t really support the complexity of its own premise. I think the biggest issue with this story is that the character writing is extremely underdeveloped due to the emphasis being put on the gameplay as opposed to the story. Most of the time, you’re playing the actual game, which is a fairly competent but also incredibly uninspired SRPG. Alicesoft was definitely onto something with this; I really wish they explored this premise more because the contrast in morality makes for a really interesting dynamic between the protagonist and his father. I really like how the villain of this game is closely associated with the main character, and it makes for a really entertaining read to see how these diverging mindsets interact with each other. Especially the villain, who is very conniving, manipulative, and generally a massive degenerate in contrast to the pure kindness of the main character.
Something that really sucked about this game was how much it emphasized the heroines. After you beat a section, you get a moment to bond with a heroine of your choosing, which is cool in concept, but I don’t find any of them that likable or interesting. Something I really dislike is that they make the male characters so interesting when you recruit them, only for their development to be completely halted once you finish getting them. The game rarely utilizes them beyond the recruitment phase, which really stinks since they’re far more entertaining and dynamic when compared to the heroines. This is a very ambitious and cutting-edge entry for Alicesoft, but I feel they missed the mark extremely hard. Since most of my praise comes from a desire for this game to be better than it actually is, everything felt incredibly underdeveloped. Ambition sadly doesn’t always equate to success, and this seems like a franchise that Alicesoft likely won’t revisit any time soon. This is a game that would heavily benefit from a remake that would hopefully double the length of its story. A little more polish, and you have something really special here.
Overall Grade: C-
What I enjoyed most about this work: An incredible creative idea and great structure are sadly undercut by weak writing. The gameplay is more tolerable than most Alicesoft games. I really like the male characters; they’re just really underdeveloped. The perspective shifts are incredibly well done, and how you develop relationships with other characters is very clever in the context of the structure of this work. The level of ambition this game has is extremely high, even if I find it to constantly miss the mark on its potential.
13) Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
A mentally ill person buys milk for their mother, hijinks ensue.
On paper, this visual novel isn’t really anything too special, but the quality of its story relies heavily on the execution. The story feels unnerving, optimistic, and surrealist all at the same time. This work has a strong atmosphere; I’m constantly confused about what’s a delusion and what’s real. The main character does a great job of feeling very human, but at the same time, this humanity almost feels like an imitation of what they consider to be normal. There’s a certain level of sadness with every word that comes out of the main character’s mouth—small undertones of abuse, sadness, and self-hatred. I really love this approach because it makes me consider that their mental state is due to their environment, and these small pieces of backstory that we do get paint a vivid picture of who they are. In a way, this is as character-driven as a story can be. Even if we don’t quite see or experience reality in the same way as our hero, we can still see that they accumulated mental damage over the course of a lifetime. And in many ways, I can empathize immensely with who they are, even if we aren’t quite the same in our worldview.
This is the power of milk inside a bag of milk.
So I’ve praised the crap out of this, yet it doesn’t rank quite high on my end-of-year list. Why is that?
Well, for one, it’s a very short story. There are a lot of great ideas in this story, yet it doesn’t leave the strongest impact due to its length, which puts a halt to the potential impact of its narrative. This is an example of a story that showcases a strong foundation for a great work but doesn’t quite reach that level due to not showing its strongest features quite yet. The author is very talented, and I hope to see them fulfill their potential with the future works they create. In terms of presentation, this is cheap, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel like it needed more than what was provided. They essentially created a strong draft for a story, and I do believe that they gave just enough for me to be impressed without making me blow my load. I really recommend reading this if you want a surrealist take on the unreliable narrator trope, because this is something really special.
Overall Grade: C
What I enjoyed most about this work: A very strong main character with a very interesting thought process that’s easy to empathize with. The construction of the narrative is very unique, and I especially like how this story utilizes the unreliable narrator trope. The presentation is very unnerving while also feeling familiar; it does a great job of masking its low budget with a great presentation. I love how little information the story actually conveys and how it’s made to be discussed rather than fully accumulated in one playthrough; it makes the game feel denser than it actually is.
12) Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice
This is a very Apollo-centric game when compared to previous Ace Attorney entries. In a way, this game ended up becoming the work that the original Apollo Justice game should have been. This focuses far more on the title character while also shaking up the formula in a meaningful way. The new characters aren’t the most developed; I would say the prosecutor that this game has is easily the worst in the entire franchise. I’m also not a big fan of the Phoenix-centric cases, which rely too heavily on fanservice rather than providing a compelling mystery on their own. But what this game does right far outweighs the problems I have with it.
I really like how much effort this game puts into developing characters from previous games outside of the trilogy. I also really love what they did with the cases, with most playing a role in the overall narrative (minus the clown one, which was still extremely entertaining). The mysteries themselves range in quality, but I really love The Magical Turnabout and Turnabout Revolution. The Magical Turnabout feels like redemption for some of the more boring cases in the original Apollo Justice, borrowing a lot of elements from Turnabout Serenade and Turnabout Corner. The plot elements of those games feel right at home here, and I really like how this case never overstayed its welcome, constantly escalating the insanity while retaining a very cohesive structure. Turnabout Revolution, in my opinion, is the best case in the game, but I also feel that it suffered from pacing issues due to being two cases made into one. Because of this, it feels way too long, but at the same time, I really like the ambition showcased here. This is the passing of the torch for Apollo, something that the previous entries refused to fully commit to. I love how they handle his character arc, and I hope to see future entries in this series focus more on him as opposed to Phoenix. Even if the ending does offer questions as to what direction the series will take afterward, I was very satisfied with the conclusion.
This is far more than I can say for the previous two entries, which seemed to never commit to what type of story they were trying to tell with Apollo…
Overall Grade: C+
What I enjoyed most about this work: It feels like it commits to making Apollo the center of attention, something that previous entries failed to do. The conclusion of this work is the most satisfying one in the mainline series besides the third game. I really love how it handles the characters from previous Ace Attorney games, they feel like they’re at their best here. The Magical Turnabout and Turnabout Revolution are some of the best cases in the entire series, and for completely different reasons. The new gameplay mechanic is really interesting, and I hope it will be revisited in future entries with more refinements.
11) ISLAND
This is a game with the highest potential of any entry on this entire list, and for the most part, it actually succeeded in fulfilling it, despite my apprehensions about calling it a great visual novel. In many ways, the completion of this work left me with a similar feeling as Rewrite. I know this game is really amazing in many ways, and I might actually love it, but it leaves me with so many mixed feelings when I think about it as a whole, to the point where I question whether or not I actually enjoy it at all. This sounds like a contradiction, but I don’t feel like I enjoy the product as a cohesive whole and only pick and choose moments I love.
This is a game riddled with many inconsistencies and flaws. First off, the story is very convoluted to a nauseating degree due to its excessive amount of red herrings to push the reader off its own twists (which didn’t even work on me like 70% of the time, I actually had a lot of this work figured out prior to even finishing Karen due to its strong foreshadowing). I think the convolution, in general, is a double-edged sword because it allows for a lot of interpretations when it comes to the main storyline, but at the same time hurts the overall experience in a way that makes it feel almost like a happy accident whenever the work does reach a conceptual high. I mean to say that ISLAND harms itself by introducing so many volatile plot elements to its own storyline. This has gotten to the point where I’m not sure the subversion attempt is worthwhile. Another major issue is that the character writing lacks oomph; too often, the reader is told what a character feels or what happens to them rather than seeing it in action, which prevents the work from reaching the potential highs of its emotional premise. Many characters end up becoming plot devices rather than living human beings; this does not count the main heroine, but I also think it’s a shame many of the characters don’t stand on their own when you disconnect them from the conflict of the story.
So I spent a lot of time criticizing Island, what does it do right?
It’s conceptually amazing; the actual premise of ISLAND is fantastic, and everything that takes place in the last third of this story is amazing. This story takes a lot of notes from works like Ever17 and YU-NO. I even see some Key influences, but despite that, it manages to feel completely unique in how it structures its mystery and human emotions. The main leads are fantastic characters, and the whole story around them is beautiful. The theme of self-love and self-sacrifice is an inherently human premise, and it’s thoroughly explored in every route within this game. Although I found the first 2/3rds of this game a drag due to its exposition dumps and weak character writing, everything this game does in the last 3rd is commendable and shows the power of what a visual novel can do that other mediums simply can’t. Tell an interesting story, utilizing route structure and heroines to create a strong emotional climax. The level of respect I have for how the story actually ends speaks volumes about how much I respect ISLAND, despite how messy it feels throughout. ISLAND is a labor of love from an author who wants to tell an ambitious story despite his writing abilities not being quite at the level required. There’s a lot to criticize, but I also feel that the genuineness that ISLAND possesses throughout its runtime more than justifies a lot of its flaws.
Like Rewrite, I believe this story will age well with me over the course of my life. And I will find myself coming back to it more than I’d like to admit in spite of all the issues I have with it. I think there’s a certain beauty to that, a beauty that not even the best of constructed narratives can quite reach. ISLAND has this beauty.
Overall Grade: B-
What I enjoyed most about this work: One of the most unique premises that I have ever seen for a visual novel. The actual character writing of the main two is amazing despite lacking the next-level writing needed to elevate them beyond the enjoyment of their conflict. The production value of this work is top-notch, and I really like the atmosphere of this story. The ambition this work has makes me ignore a lot of the issues it has, though I can see them being dealbreakers for more seasoned readers. The ending is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen this year; it’s true artistry of the highest caliber.
10) Sengoku Rance
This is the funniest Rance game. Don’t @ me.
Sengoku Rance is a gateway visual novel for a lot of people that want to get into the Rance series. And for good reason: this is one of the least consequential entries in the series in regard to plot. Despite this, I really enjoy it, but the number of elements in this story that address plot points from previous Rance games is minimal at best. This Rance entry is carried by its entertainment value and infinite replayability. Unlike the majority of the Rance games, this game has very enjoyable gameplay. It has a learning curve, to be sure, but it’s incredibly rewarding. It’s basically a more refined version of Kichikuou Rance when it comes to gameplay. The story of this game is also essentially the Kichikuou Japan storyline, except it’s actually fully fleshed out. In general, the storyline is formulaic and pretty much what one would expect from Tori. By this time, their writing ability is still at a high level but has also become quite stale due to the repetitive plot elements and structure of their stories. Sengoku Rance doesn’t really change the formula, and because of this, it suffers when compared to works like Rance VI and Toushin Toshi 2. Especially since the story structure of these felt far fresher by that point, I think Sengoku juggles too many characters, and because of this, most of them don’t get meaningful development or conclusions to their arcs.
The game offers a lot of different ways to play, rewarding both aggressive and defensive play styles. I really like the ending system as well, even if I do feel most of the routes don’t go far enough for me to care too much about them. This is most notable with Ran, whose storyline feels completely rushed and without many meaningful moments. I do like the true ending, even if it does feel like it takes a little too much from Kichikuou Rance. The best quality Sengoku Rance has going for it is the humor and character interactions; this is easily the funniest game in the franchise up to this point. I love how strong the character gags are (especially Shibata’s), and the general writing of Rance, despite being even stupider than previous entries, works to get the most out of every character. When I criticize the character writing of Sengoku Rance, I mostly mean that it’s very surface-level when compared to entries like Rance VI; they’re still extremely entertaining, but I feel this game is mostly missing a big arc that elevates the cast beyond entertaining. At the end of the day, I’m still happy with what I got. I really enjoy this game, and I do think it’s overall a fantastic entry (one of the best, in fact); I just wish it did more with the worldbuilding and experimented more with the structure of its story. Since I think it would easily be the best entry up to this point if the storyline was more engaging, it doesn’t help that the Kichikuou Rance style of gameplay doesn’t allow for the strongest character development (most character development being segmented as opposed to within the storyline).
Overall Grade: B
What I enjoyed most about this work: The gameplay is easily the most enjoyable of any Rance game up to this point, it doesn’t feel like a chore and is infinitely replayable. The character writing is the funniest of any entry so far. The storyline is very good in the first half, though I find the storyline in the second half too formulaic, it’s still very enjoyable. I really like the idea of the route system, it utilizes the gameplay of Sengoku Rance in a very creative way. When compared to Zeth, they did an amazing job fleshing out the original Japan storyline of Kichikuou Rance (it had a lot less to work with).
9) Fate/Hollow Ataraxia
This is the ultimate spiritual successor to Heaven’s Feel. I love the main storyline of Fate/Hollow Ataraxia; it does a great job of providing the same themes as the original work while reinventing its structure, which, in turn, makes for a wholly unique experience. The theme of how one’s happiness can become stagnant when one doesn’t allow themselves to grow as an individual due to fear of the unknown aligns well with the original Fate/Stay Night story. It’s amazing that Nasu managed to make something as esoteric as Kagetsu Tohya very cohesive through Fate/Hollow Ataraxia. This feels fully realized in spite of how disjointed the structure of its story actually is. This game manages to feel very complete, which is something I would have never expected from a fandisc of the original Fate/Stay Night. I like how this game spends so much time fleshing out the side characters rather than the main cast. which allows me to see characters like Caster and Rider in completely new lights. I really enjoy how this game rewards people who loved the original story in a way that celebrates the original while also doing its own little thing. That’s extremely commendable, and if I were to praise anything about Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, it would be that it manages to do the impossible:
It creates a fandisc that stands on its own.
The issues with Fate/Hollow Ataraxia mostly come from its length. I think the game spends too much time on jokes that don’t quite land as hard as others. I’m not a fan of how a lot of jokes don’t build off each other, and the segmented nature of the story makes it feel like there’s a lot of filler amongst the best parts. The segments, in my opinion, are at their best when they emphasize Shirou’s happiness at a particular point and how that happiness will be erased when he returns the next day. In many ways, the game feels heavily influenced by works like Majora’s Mask. I would say the scenes that best embody the best slice of life that this game has to offer are the Sakura Mansion scene and sleeping with Illya, both truly beautiful scenes that convey the best and worst aspects of having another chance. I feel that if you cut the game by at least 1/3rd, you would get something that rivals the original Fate/Stay Night, but as it is, it’s still a very enjoyable experience. The serious moments of this work are also amazing; Caster’s backstory made her one of my favorite characters in the entire franchise. So this game still manages to reach the same highs as the original; it’s just more muddled due to the weird structure it has. If you loved the original Fate/Stay Night, I think you’ll find this extremely enjoyable. But this does very little to elevate it beyond the Heaven’s Feel route and the side characters.
Overall Grade: B+
What I enjoyed most about this work: The story manages to make the Kagetsu Tohya formula work in a very thematically cohesive way (even if the storylines can be messy). I love the thematic connections to Heaven’s Feel; this is genuinely some of the strongest writing Nasu has ever done. The side characters are extremely enjoyable; I especially love Caster, one of the best characters Nasu has ever written. The “slice of life” segments that emphasize the value of small moments and the sadness of these moments being taken away are masterful. The production value is amazing for a fandisc; it feels as well made as the original Fate/Stay Night in that regard.
8) 428: Shibuya Scramble
One of the most uniquely presented visual novels on this list, having more in common with a television show than an anime series I really like how much of 428 feels completely different from the typical visual novel simply because of its presentation style. It makes the game feel more like an experience than an actual story, which in turn provided me with a level of immersion that I just didn’t get from most major releases I’ve played this year. I like how this story uses multiple perspectives to flesh out its story, and it doesn’t have the usual issues I have with these stories where certain characters feel lacking due to their need to flesh out a piece of a story. Most characters felt like they fulfilled their potential, and I really enjoyed how likable the entire storyline and cast actually are, having a strong earnestness to their storytelling that I haven’t felt from a work since maybe Kira Kira. This genuinely feels like a passion project in the purest sense of the word. An interesting element of this story is how realistic the setting is and how it manages to make this very serious storyline feel borderline surreal through its humor. It makes for a very unique tone that gives the story some edge when compared to more “mature” visual novels. Another thing that really caught me off guard is how meticulous the worldbuilding is. Shibuya feels like a living, breathing world, and that’s probably because it is, but at the same time, the game puts in a lot of effort to make sure the audience knows how vibrant and beautiful the city truly is beyond just the real-life explanations.
I really don’t have much issue with this work; even the side story content is amazing.
So why doesn’t it rank highly on this list?
Mostly because, near the end, the storytelling falls into very cliched tropes. It’s satisfying enough, sure, but I don’t really feel a strong emotional connection to everything, despite how strong it was prior. I definitely feel this game suffers the most towards the end of its story, which kinda feels like it just ends in a way that doesn’t leave me completely satisfied. This story comes off as the type where I care far more about the journey towards its ending as opposed to the actual conclusion, which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it also left me disappointed that it took very safe routes with the conclusion of its character arcs. This isn’t really a case of bad writing as much as it is me just wanting to feel more for what should be some pretty well-constructed scenes. That’s not to say the ending is bad; I really like many of the scenes in the last third, especially anything involving Kenji, who to me felt like the most human character in this game along with Kano. Where this game most succeeds is when it’s being funny, and for the most part, it lands all of its jokes. This is the funniest game I have read since Majikoi, and I genuinely mean that. The bad endings are some of the best I’ve seen in the medium since Fate/Stay Night as well, with some being good enough to be their own premise if given to the right hands.
There’s really no reason not to give 428: Shibuya Scramble a try; it’s a work of art that shows the medium still has many ways to innovate while retaining a lot of what makes it special.
Please play this, it’s an amazing visual novel.
Overall Grade: A-
What I enjoyed most about this work: The presentation of the work is amazing; all details within this story are accompanied by CG. I love the earnest storytelling and character writing; it makes for a very enjoyable experience. I really like the cast in general; many don’t fall into becoming plot devices, and even when they do, they’re still very amusing (Kenji and Minoru are some of my favorite main characters of the year). The pacing of this story is perfect; I never feel bored reading it, and I really enjoy how the story progressed for the most part, even if it falls into more generic territory towards the end. The structure of this work is very interesting; I really like the gameplay element of segments being divided by time and how each character plays into another’s fate through their actions. I’ve seen some of the best bad endings in a long time. I really, really love the side story content, and the worldbuilding is far better than it has any right to be considering it’s based on a real-life place.
7) Summer Pockets: Reflection Blue
I’m not sure if I’m sharing an unpopular opinion here when I say that Summer Pockets is one of the best stories Key has ever produced.
Also, Reflections Blue isn’t that great of an expansion pass…
So before people get mad at my opinion here, I played this game twice, so maybe the magic of the original Summer Pockets is lost on me due to playing a 30- to 40-hour story twice in a row. But I really don’t like a lot of what Reflection Blue added; it feels like it overcomplicated the original while also not adding enough for me to feel satisfied with the new vision they created. I’m not a big fan of the new routes added, especially Shiki and Nomiki, which are too redundant for their own good thematically, especially Shiki, which feels like a boneless version of Umi’s character arc. Shizuku is one of the most unique routes Key has ever constructed, but it’s also riddled with such a small amount of development in contrast to its very poignant and beautiful themes. The ending of Shizuku is my favorite conclusion to a story arc in Summer Pockets, and it’s a shame that I know the buildup towards it was very wonky at best, especially since the character takes a complete backseat to her conflict and her co-stars. If you gave this route a few more hours and focused more on Shizuku’s relationship with other characters, I would think that Key wrote their best route since Kamome, but as it is, it’s a flawed experience that perplexes me to this day. Umi’s route is, in my opinion, the best route Reflection Blue added; it’s amazing and extremely well constructed narratively; a lot of the development missing for Hairi in the original is found here, and I really love the beauty of its story in context to the ending of the original work.
The new additions besides this aren’t very noticeable in the heroine routes (Ao in particular really could have done with a longer epilogue). The main changes to Alka are great, but I’m very mixed about what they did with Pockets, destroying the ambiguity of the original ending in favor of something more concrete and simple. I know that’s a very cynical thing for me to say, but I genuinely dislike how this story ended in contrast to the original, and this new addition really makes me feel like Key backtracks at the slightest amount of criticism (even when they’re right). Rewrite and Tomoyo After are other examples of Key “changing” their endings to cater to a wider audience, and for me, they reflect exactly what’s wrong with the medium:
A lack of risk-taking due to the fear of immediate backlash.
In my opinion, Key should have committed to its original vision; it had no reason to change the original ending, and by doing so, it showed a lack of deviance from the status quo. I think Reflection Blue is a very good work, but it’s far from the quick fix that the original Summer Pockets needed to be a masterpiece on par with Clannad and Little Busters.
And for that reason, I will criticize it in my end-of-year rankings instead of praising it. Please play Summer Pockets. Reflection Blue is also great, and it added a lot of QOL features that I liked as well as some very interesting conceptual routes, but it also represents a lot of what I dislike about the medium, namely, a lack of pushing the medium forward.
So at the end of the day, is Reflection Blue worth reading over the original?
The argument is there. This doesn’t add enough bad things to dilute the original. Especially if they are unfamiliar with the context of the original “Pocket” ending, which is one of the most beautiful endings Key has ever created. The routes added aren’t really bad and range from decent to amazing. The main story itself is mostly unchanged, but I still like the majority of it. Even if I do feel Ao’s route focuses far too much on the worldbuilding element, which makes me dislike it more when compared to the more character-driven routes like Kamome and Tsumugi. More changes could have been made, but I don’t think they wanted to move forward with this work and instead give the fans something that would completely satisfy them. Because of this, Reflection Blue isn’t really offensively bad unless you really like specific things about the original, I just feel it makes the work feel more uneven in quality and makes the ending less impactful.
Overall Grade: A-
What I enjoyed most about this work: It’s the original Summer Pockets with added content, and it’s still really fucking good. Shizuku is a really interesting route conceptually and one of the most unique Key routes in terms of subject matter; I love it in spite of all the writing flaws it has. Umi is a fantastic route and the best addition to Reflection Blue, a genuinely amazing route to revisit in the context of Alka/Pockets. The production value is very high; they even added insert songs and new CGs for each route. Alka/Pockets (original), Umi, Kamome, Shizuku (debatable), and Tsumugi offer some of the best moments Key has ever had from a writing standpoint.
6) YU-NO – The Girl that Chants Love at the Edge of the World
So for this one, I want to talk about the influence of this work on the visual novels that I have played before and after it. Here’s a list of them:
Clannad, Little Busters, Steins; Gate, Tsukihime, Fate/Stay Night, Ace Attorney, Ever17, Muv-Luv Alternative, ISLAND, Higurashi, etc.
This is literally just off the top of my head, there are far more than this.
To say YU-NO is influential is an understatement; it’s essentially the framework of every plot-centric visual novel since its release. Any visual novel that incorporates an interactive mechanic to drive its narrative (that isn’t pure gameplay) owes its life to YU-NO. YU-NO demonstrated the potential of visual novels, and the medium is still catching up to the groundwork this work set forth. The flowchart feature in this game is nothing short of brilliant, and it’s possible that it’s the most important thing that many works took from it specifically. This mechanic demonstrates how, rather than traditional storytelling, storytelling can be done entirely through an interactive feature of the game. YU-NO showed what visual novels could be as an art form, and there’s no higher praise than I can provide it beyond that; it’s the most essential visual novel that I have ever read. All of its flaws come from its age, which many works steal from, as opposed to the actual flaws of the work itself; this was a different time, and I want people to be mindful of this when they go into it. YU-NO isn’t quite as cutting-edge as it used to be, but the ripple effects of its impact will be seen for decades to come as more and more authors incorporate these elements into their stories.
YU-NO is essentially the Citizen Kane of visual novels. This is innovation in its purest form.
I could praise YU-NO all day for its innovation, but how does the story hold up?
Fairly well, even if it’s quite rough around the edges.
YU-NO didn’t age the best since a lot of the sex jokes don’t quite land as hard as they did several years ago. I can understand that the humor can be juvenile, and in many ways, a lot of what makes this work special is how it manages to be so emotionally powerful in spite of all of its trashiness. I think the general storyline is still incredibly unique, and the final route of YU-NO is probably one of the most ambitious routes in the entire medium. It’s a shame the author couldn’t quite add more to it since they passed before changes could be made with the remake of this story, but as it is, it’s still an incredibly impressive route that likely influenced a certain little genre of modern anime. The character writing isn’t amazing, but I do like the conflicts of the heroines and find them to have genuine moments throughout, namely Arima and Mio, whose routes I found to be the best written. Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed was how each route contributed to a larger picture, and how this game included alternate endings after you finished. These features in general probably played a large role in how stories like Little Busters were constructed and I can’t really thank YU-NO enough for that.
The music of YU-NO is as intoxicating as it is beautiful, evoking a feeling of sentimentality with a tinge of sorrow. I really love how this game sounds, and the artwork has aged amazingly well considering that it’s nearly 30 years old. I would say YU-NO is probably the most atmospheric visual novel I’ve read since the original Kanon, evoking a feeling of pure nostalgia that I simply can’t get from newer works. This story also does a great job of keeping the reader’s interest; there were very few times I was actually bored throughout the entire runtime of this story, as each route incorporates a new mystery to latch the reader onto. And although I don’t think the conclusion is quite as satisfying as I’d want it to be, it still leaves a massive emotional scar on me to see the journey end in such a poignant way. The ending is one of my favorites conceptually, though I do think it’s a shame that the incorporation of a certain h-scene along with the anticlimactic final scene leaves me wanting more. I really think YU-NO could still be a masterpiece by today’s standards, even if the work itself isn’t quite as favorable nowadays when compared to contemporaries in the same genre.
Please read this work if you have even the slightest interest in the history of visual novels. It’s a truly groundbreaking work in every sense of the word.
Overall Grade: A
What I enjoyed most about this work: The storytelling is fantastic, and each route plays some role in the bigger narrative of its story. The charm of the art style and the music make for a legendary atmosphere that simply can’t be captured by the majority of works I’ve read in the medium. The innovation of the gameplay mechanics found within YU-NO represents some of the most important changes in the direction of stories within the medium. The character writing aged very well with certain routes, even if the perverted MC trope is still at maximum overdrive throughout YU-NO’s runtime. The final route is one of the most ambitious routes in the medium and is likely the inspiration for several visual novel and anime genres moving forward.
5) Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth: Prosecutor’s Path
The best Ace Attorney game that I have ever played.
This is simply the peak of character and case writing for the entire series; nothing in this work feels wasted at all, and the worst parts are still better than some of the best parts of the entire series. Edgeworth’s character arc is amazing in this game; each case develops him in a meaningful way, and how much he grows to love other people within his group really showcases how much emotional range the character truly has under his tough exterior. I love how this game manages to make the first case immediately interesting; it’s far better than anything in the prequel to this game, incorporating new elements of the game that immediately grab the reader’s interest, such as Logic Chess. They even manage to make the case feel more immediately consequential than a tutorial case with the scale of its storyline relating to the previous game and how they utilize the mystery here in future cases.
And you know what the craziest part is?
This is the worst case in the game.
Ace Attorney: Investigations 2 is a labor of love; the game does about everything you can do right with the series. All the new characters feel very fleshed out, the cases all feel consequential, and it reaches some of the biggest emotional highs of the entire series. It truly is a fantastic game, far superior to anything else in the series, with the exception of The Great Ace Attorney series (which I have yet to play). I really like how this sequel sought to address every issue with the original game and build upon it to the point where I oftentimes question myself whether or not the original game had a lot more quality to it than I gave it credit for. To call this game a perfect sequel would be an understatement; it’s a complete overhaul that seeks to elevate everything while also reaching the highest level of quality possible for what can easily be considered the worst entry in the franchise. If I were to pick the best cases, it would be the entire set of cases in this game. But if you put a gun to my head, maybe cases 3 and 5, since they’re just that damn great.
The biggest limitation of this game is that it’s tied to a prequel that, frankly, isn’t very good. I was not expecting this series to have the best and worst entries between releases. The game does a lot to make the original more enjoyable in retrospect, but the time investment required makes this a hard sell for me. I think the emotional depth and character writing are far above anything in the mainline series, but I also do feel that it’s not quite as good when compared to other visual novels I like. I feel the best Ace Attorney characters are oftentimes amazing at best and not the best that the medium has to offer, mostly due to the frantic nature of its storytelling. Even so, Edgeworth is one of my top 25 male visual novel characters based solely on this game. So the game still has great character writing, and the plot itself is also very good. Case 5 is probably my favorite in the entire series, though I do think the final piece of evidence can be a bit too repetitive and simple considering how complex the mystery was prior. All in all, this is an amazing game; it’s a shame that it never got localized because it’s easily my favorite entry in the series up to this point.
Overall Grade: A +
What I enjoyed most about this work: The best-constructed narrative of the entire series, every case is relevant in some form and entertaining as well. The side characters introduced in this work are amazing, and everyone from the original Investigations game is fantastic in their own right (though I wish Gumshoe got more screen time). I really love the new gameplay mechanics like Logic Chess; they make the Investigation games stand out more than the mainline entries in regard to the gameplay adding more to the narrative and characterization. Cases 3, 4, and 5 are some of the most emotional and beautiful cases in the entire series; they’re simply Debeste! The music of this game is really memorable, and I love the sprite work. This might legitimately be one of the biggest leaps in quality I have ever seen in a sequel.
4) Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Higurashi is a masterful work and the best debut work I have ever read.
I never expected Higurashi to be a visual novel that I love nearly as much as I do right now. This is genuinely one of my favorite works in the entire medium, and I’m not even talking about the answer arcs yet. Ryukishi shows such a high level of ambition that is simply unheard of by authors who started out the way he did. This does not read like a debut work; this reads like someone pouring their heart out after years of being a seasoned veteran within the medium. The amount of effort Ryukishi puts into constructing a narrative with the priority being long-term storytelling is insane; he challenges the reader to theorize, discuss, and consider his work far more than the majority of authors within the medium. This is a meticulous work as much as it is a display of pure passion for the medium. Every episode is consequential, and how Ryukishi utilizes the medium of visual novels to construct a different reality from what’s being portrayed makes it feel like such an essential work for the medium. The untrustworthy narrator trope is best used in this work, and the mystery surrounding each individual character’s behavior makes for an extremely character-driven mystery, one in which I care far less about what is happening and far more about why it is happening.
What motivates someone to kill? What motivates someone to go insane? What motivates someone to close their heart?
What motivates someone to survive?
These are all questions that Ryukishi wants the reader to consider. It shows that he cares a lot about how people perceive his works but also wants readers to be open to the idea of interpretation. The question arcs provide some answers, but they’re riddled with mysteries that simply won’t offer a satisfactory conclusion to everyone. Ryukishi himself states through the characters in the game that he does not see reality as a single entity and that there are many ways to view what’s in front of you. I really like how, going into the story, Ryukishi plays around with the idea of interpretation. He doesn’t see a single reason why someone does something and instead considers multiple reasons; humans are layered. They’re not characters. This approach made every character feel like a human; Higurashi might genuinely have one of my favorite visual novel casts in the entire medium, though many of their peaks won’t be seen until future episodes.
My first impression going into Higurashi would be that it was a very violent work, and when I played it, Ryukishi showed such a high level of restraint when it came to building towards his violence. Ryukishi didn’t really write a visual novel to simply shock his audience; instead, he provided a story that was made to be engaged with and thoroughly analyzed. He does not want his audience to watch these characters die; he wants them to rip their hearts out when they see any of these characters in pain. That is Ryukishi’s power, and it is likely what influenced him the most when he wrote this story.
He was influenced by the structure of a Key work and fused it with the horror elements of Tsukihime, creating something that retains these characteristics while giving his own take on both formulas. Because of this, Higurashi doesn’t read like a derivative work; it reads like someone who simply became a big fan of the medium and just wanted to give their own take on the stories within it. I still can’t believe that he managed to craft such amazing work on his first go-around with the medium. This is one of those legendary releases that will forever remain a benchmark for the horror genre. This is a work where horror is oftentimes the humanity of others as opposed to the fear of the unknown.
We are far more afraid of what we believe we know about someone than of what we actually know about them.
Overall Grade: S
What I enjoyed most about this work: The construction of the narrative prioritizes long-term storytelling, and because of this, very few moments genuinely feel wasted within Higurashi. The use of sound effects to convey the atmosphere makes this work feel genuinely unnerving throughout its runtime. The option to have three different art styles that convey different meanings depending on the scene makes for a very unique visual novel experience. The character-driven mystery and horror make for some amazing moments that don’t feel lackluster due to the strong buildup. Ryukishi’s confidence in writing a story in which he challenges the reader to solve his mystery and constantly asks them questions makes for such an interactive experience.
3) WHITE ALBUM 2 ~introductory chapter~
Maruto might have written one of the most intimate stories in the entire medium, all within the span of 10 hours. This is a rare visual novel where everything feels purposeful, no moment feels completely wasted, and everything just escalates into a poignant yet melancholic crescendo. Maruto wrote a story without caring how others will evaluate it; he wrote something that showcases his love for the world he creates without portraying a hero or villain. He created a story where everyone is a human, capable of doing great things with their humanity but also capable of hurting others in irreversible ways.
He wrote the introductory chapter to White Album 2.
The progression from DameKoi to White Album 2 is, for lack of a better word, simply insane. He threw away a lot of the trashiness of Damekoi and crafted a story that embodied the best aspects of that work turned up to 11. You can see how he retains a lot of the same plot elements, yet what he crafted here is so different from that work, and in my opinion, it’s for the better. Throughout my experience with Introductory Chapter, I always felt like I was on thin ice as Haruki, like I could fade away at any moment within this game. This game does an excellent job of capturing how indecision can often lead to unhappy outcomes and how happiness can always be saved only if people commit to their sacrifices. What this story captures best is duality: humans aren’t creatures that exist to do one thing right; they are simply living contradictions that barely manage to do good things by the skin of their teeth. What I mean to say is that there’s no real measure of what’s right or wrong; people make mistakes, but they can choose to learn from them or stagnate. That’s what I love about this story in general: that it commits fully to this idea of humanity as something that is permeable but also not replicable, that individuality will often win over logic, and that you have to be willing to experience the consequences of your actions regardless of whether or not there was a right choice.
The scars humans inflict on others are what make us human; we accumulate damage and try to move forward in spite of that. We try to find new sources of happiness, and this will open up old wounds. The beauty of being a human is that you continue to exist in spite of all this hardship, in hopes that one day you will reach your own form of happiness. The introductory chapter is the perfect start to this idea. Please read it.
Overall Grade: S+
What I enjoyed most about this work: The entire work, but primarily that it sets an amazing foundation for a future masterpiece.
2) Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai
This is the ultimate answer to the mysteries provided in Higurashi. What I love about Question Arcs is that it sets the foundation for a masterpiece. With how tightly constructed each episode is afterward, Answer Arcs exceeded expectations. I love everything about this work.
Answer Arc paints intimate pictures of the original cast; no stone is left unturned when it comes to the characters writing here. Everyone gets a logical payoff to their arc, and even if they don’t, they are used effectively enough for me to feel completely satisfied with how the story ended. The themes of Higurashi for me were trust, survival, and reality. But there was one theme that stood above everything when it came to my enjoyment of this narrative:
Belief.
I believe that much of Higurashi’s story can be summed up in this way.
Belief in others, belief in superstition, and belief in yourself.
The entire plot of Higurashi revolves around whether or not these feelings are misplaced. I really like this because it makes for such an interesting viewpoint with regard to what motivations characters have to be doing what they do throughout the course of this game. The emphasis that is put into the character writing of this work makes for some of the biggest emotional highs of this work, ones that share the same structure as a Key work but feel completely unique to Ryukishi’s vision. I absolutely adore what he did with characters like Shion and Keiichi, who paint such vivid pictures of their feelings within certain moments of this game to the point where I question whether or not I’m reading something that’s fiction. There’s a certain air of legitimacy that characters have in this work, where I can fully resonate with who they are, and each time they talk about their emotions, I feel like I’m being cut wide open. The beauty of Higurashi is that it shows the horror of being a human while showcasing that humans aren’t inherently evil. Anyone is capable of change; they just have to realize it. This optimistic take makes Higurashi feel like a very profound work despite some of the insane elements of its story, especially in chapters 5 and 6. This story is able to transform displays of pure violence and tragedy into incredibly life-changing experiences. That’s the quality of this work, which I don’t feel anything I’ve read embodies quite as well as this one. The level of intimacy and realism put into the violence makes for many scenes that could easily be misconstrued as shock horror but are actually beautiful displays of love and affection in context.
Higurashi is simply on a different planet from the horror visual novels I’ve played.
This section of Higurashi takes massive risks narratively as well. Chapters 7 and 8 might be one of the biggest risks I’ve ever seen a visual novel take with how it’s constructed, with one focusing completely on the main cast while the other is a conclusion to the side characters. This change of scenery and the tone of the latter might make for some debates on whether or not the quality is up to par with the rest, but I believe that it is. If anything, I consider this set of chapters to be some of the best writing moments in the entire series, with both demonstrating a strong sense of knowing the audience only to subvert expectations in a way that best embodies the story’s main theme. Another thing I want to praise about Higurashi is the main character. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t think I’ve seen nearly as much praise for him as I probably should. He’s genuinely one of the most realistic “child” characters that I’ve seen in the medium, and to see his growth within chapters 6 and 7 made for some of my favorite parts of any visual novel. His character is truly amazing, and I hope more people acknowledge the quality of Keiichi Maebara. You really don’t get a lot of those in the medium. Savor the ones you do get.
I would like to provide an analysis, but most of it would be in private notes anyway. Maybe in the future, I will review Higurashi legitimately, but for now, know that it’s a visual novel that I cherish dearly.
Overall Grade: S+
What I enjoyed most about this work: Strong character writing and a sense of unity among the cast make every interaction feel legitimate and every conflict feel heartbreaking. The storytelling is amazing; I really love the thematic approach to chapter 8’s ending, and it makes for a very interesting debate between pessimism and optimism. The really in-depth character writing of Shion and Keiichi made for some of my favorite character arcs of all time. The twists are very clever, though they’re also quite predictable, I feel Higurashi is constructed in a way where the mystery doesn’t matter as much as the reason why characters commit their actions. How this visual novel utilizes choice makes for some of the most interesting advantages visual novels have while also being a mostly linear work. The music is far superior to Question Arcs, the BGM is memorable, and you is one of the most beautiful vocals I’ve ever heard in a visual novel. A story that takes a very interesting approach to illustrate the failures of the mental health and social work industries while not completely demonizing them is rare. I really like this balanced approach to this. For me, a message that resonated with me most with Higurashi is the idea of asking others how they are and to make sure they’re okay, it’s very simple, but it’s what I’m taking the most out of this game as far as messages go.
1) WHITE ALBUM 2～closing chapter
White Album 2 is a masterclass of character writing and storytelling. It is the best-written visual novel that I have ever read.
White Album 2 is in direct contrast to most works in the medium; instead of being a pure love story like works before it, it’s instead an impure love story, one that acknowledges the inherently ugly and distasteful feelings of love just as much as the beauty of it. The story is far from pleasing; it felt like I was watching a cringe compilation that would get worse and worse as the story escalated its conflicts, and because of this, I feel like reading it forced me to acknowledge a lot of the grossest parts of who I am, for better or worse. This is a story that doesn’t care how somebody will evaluate it, like the previous one, except it goes even further with this concept, showing how depraved the concept of love actually is. I often read visual novels that feel like wish fulfillment with their concept of what love consists of; this one is the polar opposite of those works. Nobody is an inherently good person within this story; there are no villains; the biggest antagonist of this story is the main characters themselves and their inability to move forward. I love how much of a risk Maruto took when it came to constructing this narrative by introducing new heroines only to have them mirror the main three of the original work and serve as plot devices that showcase the ugliest parts of Setsuna, Haruki, and Kazusa. This would be lost on someone who just wants an immediate payoff. This story took the approach of borderline deconstructing the original work’s conflict in three different ways. It’s one of the most genius utilization of route structure that I have ever seen, with each route symbolizing a different time period and person.
The centerpiece of White Album 2 to me is the Setsuna character; it’s genuinely one of the most realistic portrayals of humanity that I have ever seen in any medium. For quite some time, I didn’t believe I could find a character that I enjoyed more than Nagisa Furukawa from Clannad, but this story proved me otherwise. This character is just as weak as they are self-sacrificing, and one of the most insane things I’ve ever seen with visual novels is how each person I talked to who spoke of her had completely different opinions on her morality. This is a character that values interpretation above all else; it’s insane how different her actions can be construed in different lights depending on how the reader’s experiences with the work and their own lives shape their viewpoint. This is the type of character that will alienate anyone who wants a more traditional waifu. Setsuna Ogiso isn’t that; she’s a person. That’s the biggest mark of quality that I could ever give a character; she made me believe that she was human through the sheer effort put into her character writing, every detail painting an even more intimate picture of who she is. A masterclass character that elevates every single moment of this game through their expressions, mannerisms, and actions.
That’s not to say that the other characters don’t bring their A-game to this work. Haruki is a fantastic protagonist that will frustrate the reader while also emotionally investing them in every struggle they face. He’s such a vulnerable person and seeing them portrayed in the manner in which they give in to their emotions after what they were in the first chapter paints such a bleak picture of who he is now. Kazusa is a fantastic character who is underutilized throughout the game but is constantly present in the minds of the main characters. Takeya is one of my favorite best friend characters of all time; everything about his character screams insecurity and self-hatred, but it’s done in a way that only reveals bits and pieces of who they truly are (similar to Setsuna). I really love the main cast of this game; it’s amazing what Maruto managed to do with the original story, elevating every character and conflict while also putting a lens on what constitutes a happy love. How this author highlights self-sacrifice through each route and doesn’t place any blame on any specific character only shows how humans aren’t always right or wrong; it’s what we choose to believe that will make us the happiest. It’s a very mature message that I feel will go unacknowledged by the general masses who want to play the blame game, and in my opinion, this is in direct contradiction to the characters he wrote. Everyone shares the blame. That’s the beauty of this story: there’s no real right or wrong choice; you just have to commit to your decision. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s one everyone needs to swallow in order to heal.
Maruto didn’t convey a story because it would sell well; he conveyed a story because he wanted to. This is an author who summed up all of his experiences up to this point into one story; it reads like someone whose artistry has finally reached its peak after years of trying to get the perfect story. The construction of White Album 2 is literally that of a fan who is very passionate for the original source material and who provides their own spin on it that acknowledges the existence of the original while also having its own unique identity. Maruto showcased maximum artistry here; this is probably the most daring visual novel I have read since the original Symphonic Rain, and even then, I’d argue this surpasses it in terms of quality. It’s a very rare thing when artistic intent is able to have the budget needed for it to succeed, and White Album 2 manages that. This is a visual novel that will lack influence due to the only person being able to write this type of story being the author himself, but this is also the beauty of its creation. It’s the right person at the right time, creating fiction for the sake of their vision rather than to appease the masses.
This is a masterpiece of the highest caliber.
Overall Grade: S+
What I enjoyed most about this work: The route structure for the closing chapter is among the best that I have ever seen; it’s not driven by the heroine but by what they bring to the main three. Setsuna and Takeya’s character writing are some of the most insane and intimate details of someone’s life put into a visual novel; I seriously thought I was reading someone’s personal journal half the time I saw them act out within this story. The theme of this story is incredibly complex and genuinely disgusting; it forces the reader to confront the worst parts of themselves and continue to move forward despite all the sacrifices required to do so. How this story conveys two forms of happiness and doesn’t outright tell the reader which one is the better decision might be one of the biggest artistic strokes of genius that I have seen in a visual novel story. The production value of this game is very high; some sprites can look weird, but for the most part, you get what you pay for in terms of presentation. How well the character sprites accompany the dialogue in this work is fucking insane; I tended to have soul-piercing stares from certain cast members stuck in my brain for months after I finished this. The soul-crushing reality of moving forward is acknowledged within both true routes, and the beauty of how neither was the right choice makes it feel so impactful. The prose is some of the best that I have ever seen in a visual novel; it’s simple but conveys so much meaning through pure intimacy. This is an artist whose experiences led them to create a masterpiece; this reads like the culmination of their entire catalog prior to this point, and in many ways, they peaked here.
VNSalesman R&R 
