Quote:
Originally Posted by Klashikari
That said, I'm not exactly that sure for Tayutama considering how I got utterly turned off by Skyfall (he typed some live feed on msn, and he went so much panzer about many stuff that it was scary).
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That i did indeed
I found the start of Tayutama a very disappointing affair to say the least. From an utter lack of likable characters (Ameri came closest to what i could like ...not fully there though), to some ridiculous plot developments hinging on characters having an IQ to put a dried fish to shame that were tried to be passed as drama (Somehow a trip to school mutates in to escape from Alcatraz), to a male lead that felt like being back to stone age after having just finished Fortune Arterial and seen a respectable one in Kouhei, to an utterly dry confession that lacked any form of buildup from the guy's side to feel believable ... and towards Ameri no less, which should have been a fairly effortless match ... and at that point i got sidetracked and haven't found the time and motivation to pick it back up yet
At least the plot was starting to look up at that point, and Mashiro became far less annoying once i took a step towards Ameri's route, but heh ... while not all bad, the game certainly lacks the spark that would make me want to go back to it.
... and then i blame Klash for sidetracking me with
Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo ... which turned out to be a very solid and pleasant experience overall. I wasn't too sure of what to expect when i stepped in to this title, but whatever my expectations were, it is safe to say it surpassed them by the end. The premise did seem like requiring a fair bit to be swallowed at start, but they quickly made the best of it with the gritty setting of the police state situation, and the awesome Wakamoto endowed "villain" Houzuki (Whom you will love to hate) quickly pull one in to the setting, which then proceeds to take the player through a progressively darker issues, peaking in Natsumi's chapter and carrying over to the final one.
My sentiments on the title largely echo those of Klashikari, so no use repeating them that much i guess
Solid pacing (Except for momentum loss during the 'second half' of Touka's chapter) and a good set of characters that contribute relevantly to both the grand scheme of things and their local routes, nice and unexpected plot twists, a good resolution, and a respectable (and unique) male lead. All that together makes Sharin a very welcome experience.
What has plenty of room for improvment is the games BGM though - sadly, it doesn't really live up to the task a lot of times. While the somewhat retro feel to it would be fine, given the mood of the setting, it often fails to deliver what could have been the full potential of emotional impact some scenes were capable of. While not perfect it wasn't bad enough to be obstructive either ...so while the title could have certainly benefited from a more refined BGM, it isn't all bad either.
The biggest "flaw" (well, it can be easily avoided though by doing the right thing
) is the fact the game pretends to have multiple heroine "paths" ... it doesn't - the only choice is Natsumi
As the game goes on and you finally push yourself through the end and experience all the chapters (that must be cleared in set successive order), it becomes quite obvious the game was written as a solid story with Natsumi as the romance interest in mind, with the other girls quickly slapped on as "gettable" for marketing issues. Can't be helped i guess with the specific plot advancement of this title, but the end result is what it is - take all the other girls, multiply buildup by two, combine it, and you still have a far cry from what Natsumi and Ken have going for them, to the point of seeming simply pitiful. The only other choice that 'might' make a little bit of sense is Ririko, but that still doesn't hold a broken candle to Natsumi.
That aside, the title is still of rarely good quality, and i am enjoying the fandisc now - full drive Natsumi moe mode
It is good to see her finally perked up and no longer her former broken self - she indeed deserves every bit of the happiness
