Viewing entries tagged
visual novel
Sometimes I find myself as far from my comfort zone as I've ever been before, and it usually means I’m playing something close to a JRPG and the like. In fact, I doubt I would have ever really given this game a fair shot if it hadn't been for some friends emphatically recommending 13 Sentinels to me, repeatedly, and without hesitation.
Puzzle games are often doomed to be limited in scope, as they involve some kind of abstract game mechanics that have been taken from real world equivalents. Translating something like a sudoku puzzle into a video game actually appears to be a difficult task, at least if you're trying to jazz it up a little and not just make another cookie cutter version of the same thing. With that in mind, I'm thrilled to have discovered that Murder by Numbers is to Picross, as Huniepop is to Match 3.
I remember when I was first getting into visual novels in general. At first I didn't really understand the appeal, as most of the ones recommended to me consisted of little more than sexually suggestive anime. In fact, I didn't realise that visual novels as a genre could ever exist without some kind of horny element, which I later found out to be completely false. This, however, is not one those visual novels. This is one of those anime-looking, unnecessarily horny entries into the visual novel library.
Up until now, I never thought I would be writing about visual novels unless I came across one that was particularly interesting. The reason being that there are only ever a few things going on in these games, most of which can only be appraised through a subjective analysis of taste. At the end of the day, a visual novel is only as good as its art and its writing, which can mean different things to different people. Perhaps there's something worth discussing though, so let's have a crack it for a change.
Normally I wouldn't bother talking about a visual novel, as most of them follow the same kind of format. The only things that generally matter for me in the genre, are whether the story is interesting enough, and if the art is any good. In fact, I think the latter might be all it takes to get me interested.
Following up a huge indie success must be like trying to write a novel after publishing a best-seller. All that expectation and affection gained from success can often be a recipe for disaster, as a sequel rarely lives up to its predecessor. Of course, we remember the ones that do, but have a look at movies in particular, and you'll find that there are a hell of a lot of sequels that you've probably never heard of.
I'm not sure if I've ever come across a Ludum Dare game on Steam before, but I imagine there are some out there. I don't mean a game that was developed from a game jam concept, but an actual entry in all its glory up on Steam for all to access.
I've often wondered why the visual novel format has mostly been adopted by the weeb anime crowd as their format of choice. Of course it's a short jump from manga and anime to a visual novel game, but this particular genre could be utilised in many more ways. Visual novels aren't inherently bad, as when they work they can be an enjoyable way to tell a story. I'd just like to see it used for something other than hentai or dating sims.
