General Eroge Impressions & Discussion

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by XxSleepyxX

You have Three Routes to choose form. The devil, the angel or the human route. Your able to "bang" multiple girls thats how you power up. The game based off Weis; if you lack Japanese knowledge playing this game might be hell for you unless you want to go through trial and error. If you don't like card games don't bother to play it just find the cg.

What...it uses the same system as W/S? So is this game like sponsored by Bushiroad?

[thewingedone]

Originally Posted by Mazyrian

The DCI scenarios are basically alternate routes for the heroines (Nemu and Kotori), and the interaction with the DCII cast is minimal. The DCII scenarios are more interesting, though there were also some missed opportunities.
Overall, it was fun, but it could have been funnier.

What kind of interactions?

[Mazyrian]

Originally Posted by thewingedone

What kind of interactions?

Spoiler for light spoilers:

The DCI scenarios follow a route where Jun'inchi didn't hook up with anyone, though is close to Nemu and/or Kotori.
Nemu: Jun'ichi, Nemu and a bunch of heroines warp to DCII. They meet Otome/Yume (and never Yoshiyuki or DCII Sakura) and stay at Sakura's house, and help with the Christmas Party preparations.
Kotori: Similar, the warped ones are Kotori and her friends.
There's a little drama and then the H. Interaction with DCII cast is about null.

In the DCII scenarios Yoshiyuki finds a door in the principal's room that leads to DCI. With either the Student Council+Yume or his classmates they go there and get trapped in a sort of time-loop. They are helped by Kotori, Nemu and Miharu, and maybe some other ones that I have now forgotten.
Nemu gets kind of freaked out when Yume calls her obaa-chan, and decides not to inquire further.
Kotori and Nanaka try to make some sense of their familiar relationship and fail.

[cranston]

Originally Posted by Kleeyook

Hey! Anyone play Soukoku no Arterial yet? How is it? Who can we bang? Yandere? Selectable demon girls and angels? Do we have Earntz's route?

I downloaded the trial version and tried it out over the weekend, and it was awesome!

The trial had no voice, but the soundtrack seems nice.

The card battle system is easy, fast-paced and fun. Much better than the card game in Princess Waltz. In the general sense, it is like a faster, simpler version of the card game in the 1st Xenosaga game. Only thing is that this battle system doesn't make any contextual sense unlike Princess Waltz.

Story is interesting, even if it is cliched. Normal school-going students suddenly enter a dimension rift, where they discover that they have some kind of special powers which helps them survive fights with monsters. After finding the exit once, the group decides to go back and explore driven by curiosity. This last part is unusual, but I can relate. I'd do the same in their shoes (assuming I don't chicken out). Nothing grand or epic like saving the world or the damsel in distress. Yet...

[XxSleepyxX]

Originally Posted by Kleeyook

Thanks for the info. I guess I should just wait for a year, maybe it'll get translated to English like Kamidori.

LOL, actually i don't see it being translated anytime soon. The game has waay too many unique cards. It'll give anyone a pain and to edit everything by hand? It makes kamidori look like a cakewalk. If you honestly want to play either learn jap or use ITH. I played and beat and i didn't need to understand jap. The only times i had problems where those stupid relationship events.

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

What...it uses the same system as W/S? So is this game like sponsored by Bushiroad?

Actually i'm pretty sure it isn't. If i remember correctly this isn't eushally's first card type-like game. Its just people who play Weis would have a easier time adapting to the play style. But honestly i picked it up real easily. The only problem in the beginning was getting cards to make a decent deck.

[cranston]

Originally Posted by XxSleepyxX

Actually i'm pretty sure it isn't. If i remember correctly this isn't eushally's first card type-like game. Its just people who play Weis would have a easier time adapting to the play style. But honestly i picked it up real easily. The only problem in the beginning was getting cards to make a decent deck.

I'm getting my shipment in the next couple of days and looking forward to it.

From the trial version, the game looked simple enough not to mandate translation of the cards. Just focus on the numbers for attack power and hit point and that should be enough. Sure, some odd things will happen because of the card text special effects, but nothing that will break the game (insta-win etc). Of course, I've only got the early cards as reference.

[Mahou]

Currently playing Sakura no Reply. As most bloggers discovered it has its share of similarities with da capo . Sweet-producing magic + the mention of a miracle sakura tree. The beginning so far has been enjoyable with a very funny class introduction/welcome (back). VAs sound good as well.
In contrast to Sora to Kumo Kanojo no Koi where the VA for the imouto and childhood friend sounded really unpleasant (to put it nicely) to me . And the osananajimi's first impression was, furthermore, not the best either >_<.

[Onjouji]

I haven't really played a lot of eroge, but my personal favourite is Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate. The CG is just beautifully done, and the art in every scene is amazing. ~Some~ of the storylines were well done (especially Isara's) and kept me engaged throughout the entire route. The opening to the game was also amazing (Initiative by Mami Kawada) and the endings were sung by the respective heroine seiyuu (I liked Isara's ending song and Mifuyu's)

Right now, I am playing Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi, and it's boring me to no end. I'm currently doing Ibuki's route, and it's just really boring for me (mostly because I'm not bothering to read her dialogues since the creators have offered a "Skip" option that actually skips a couple of scenes without needing the player to read it first) Though I'd like to give Koyori's route a try because I've seen a review and her route sounds interesting.

Anyway, here's my list of eroge I've played:

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate
Mashiro-iro Symphony
Nursery Rhyme
Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi (currently playing)
Your Diary
Bloody Rondo
Gift

And again, I haven't played a lot of eroge. xD

[hyl]

Originally Posted by Onjouji

I haven't really played a lot of eroge, but my personal favourite is Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate. The CG is just beautifully done, and the art in every scene is amazing. ~Some~ of the storylines were well done (especially Isara's) and kept me engaged throughout the entire route. The opening to the game was also amazing (Initiative by Mami Kawada) and the endings were sung by the respective heroine seiyuu (I liked Isara's ending song and Mifuyu's)

Right now, I am playing Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi, and it's boring me to no end. I'm currently doing Ibuki's route, and it's just really boring for me (mostly because I'm not bothering to read her dialogues since the creators have offered a "Skip" option that actually skips a couple of scenes without needing the player to read it first) Though I'd like to give Koyori's route a try because I've seen a review and her route sounds interesting.

Anyway, here's my list of eroge I've played:

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate
Mashiro-iro Symphony
Nursery Rhyme
Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi (currently playing)
Your Diary
Bloody Rondo
Gift

And again, I haven't played a lot of eroge. xD

It's nice to see that you liked KoiChoco, eventhough it's not one of my best ones i still enjoyed
As for hoshikaka, in my opinion lot's of routes were pretty mediocre and like many others the only one that i did end up lsomewhat iking was Madoka's.But let's not stop my opinion from playing it though.

[cranston]

Originally Posted by Onjouji

Right now, I am playing Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi, and it's boring me to no end.

If I find it boring, I'd drop it near immediately.
For me, the most frustrating is when I get bogged down by h-scenes. Love the characters, like the story, but the h-scenes?
1. 6-hours story.
2. 1-hour h-scene
3. 5 minutes story.
4. 1-hour h-scene
5. 5 minutes story
6. Start of another h-scene. Groan in frustration. Restart with another character.
7. 3-hours story (skipping common route sections)
8. 1-hour h-scene
9. 5 minute story
10. Start of another h-scene. Groan in frustration. Restart with another character.
11. 3-hours story (skipping common route sections)
12. Start of h-scene. Can't take it anymore. On indefinite hold.

[hyl]

Originally Posted by cranston

If I find it boring, I'd drop it near immediately.
For me, the most frustrating is when I get bogged down by h-scenes. Love the characters, like the story, but the h-scenes?
1. 6-hours story.
2. 1-hour h-scene
3. 5 minutes story.
4. 1-hour h-scene
5. 5 minutes story
6. Start of another h-scene. Groan in frustration. Restart with another character.
7. 3-hours story (skipping common route sections)
8. 1-hour h-scene
9. 5 minute story
10. Start of another h-scene. Groan in frustration. Restart with another character.
11. 3-hours story (skipping common route sections)
12. Start of h-scene. Can't take it anymore. On indefinite hold.

Most eroge have atleast 2 or 3 H-scenes per character (while nukige have much more than those standard, but i tend to avoid those type of games), so if you really played lot's of those games then you would have expected that though.

[Mahou]

Originally Posted by cranston

If I find it boring, I'd drop it near immediately.
For me, the most frustrating is when I get bogged down by h-scenes. Love the characters, like the story, but the h-scenes?

Mhm, I don't mind if it starts generally boring as long as the characters can make up for the story (which is most likely a given with my taste/preferance). Yes, I also managed my way through Hoshizora and was angry at Ui's ending and liked Madoka-chan.
I don't mind to not skip h-scenes, but I have no probs in skipping them, should they feel "too" long/dragged out. Though, most likely I also start skipping them once scene 2 or 3 moves along and I just want to see my happy ending .

@KoiChoco: Was also one of my first 10 or so jp. VNs. Except for a few really stupid drama-parts, I enjoyed it as well although I have remained a Chisato fan . Might replay it once the anime starts to refresh my memory and *hopefully* understand more of Michiru's route.

[hyl]

Most eroge these days have a cliche and sometimes boring premises, so i wouldn't drop them if they are boring at the beginning though. The reverse can also be said, some stories start out strong but near the end i thought: That's it?
If i only checked the first 30 minutes, i might have dropped series like Princes Evangile, Nanairo Kouro, Hoshizora Memoria or even Mashiro iro Symphony.

edit: Hareten,your diary, akasaka, otoboku 2 were also titles that in my opinion didn't start out strongly but were to some extend enjoyable at the end. While games like Manatsu no Yoru no Yukimonogatari and Renzero had a slightly stronger premise or beginning , but was ended being pretty mediocre for me (partially to blame on the main character or weaker character routes compared to the common route).

So i don't think you should judge a game based on the first hour or so. Because you probably haven't finished the common route yet.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by cranston

If I find it boring, I'd drop it near immediately.
For me, the most frustrating is when I get bogged down by h-scenes. Love the characters, like the story, but the h-scenes?
1. 6-hours story.
2. 1-hour h-scene
3. 5 minutes story.
4. 1-hour h-scene
5. 5 minutes story
6. Start of another h-scene. Groan in frustration. Restart with another character.
7. 3-hours story (skipping common route sections)
8. 1-hour h-scene
9. 5 minute story
10. Start of another h-scene. Groan in frustration. Restart with another character.
11. 3-hours story (skipping common route sections)
12. Start of h-scene. Can't take it anymore. On indefinite hold.

I wonder game is it that has only 5 min. breaks in between H...I swear, it would be the easiest to read eroge ever...

Normally most eroge easily stretch into 20+ hrs (minimum. Can be up to 50+ on certain titles) with H only at maybe one point per route....IE light novels on steroids

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by hyl

Most eroge these days have a cliche and sometimes boring premises, so i wouldn't drop them if they are boring at the beginning though. The reverse can also be said, some stories start out strong but near the end i thought: That's it?

For the latter case, I often find that the best part was whatever was shown in the trial. It seems sometimes like they really polished that trial portion a lot, but then didn't have the time to apply a similar level of polish/editing to the rest of the game. So you get games that have a really strong common route, but then individual routes that sort of meander and don't carry on in the same tone/style. Part of this is probably precipitated by secondary writers doing some of the routes, but I think it's really a problem with editing and deadlines; if they had had more time, they could have reworked some of the story, but at some point you just have to get the game out the door.

As far as the former case goes... I do find that there are some games where it takes me a while to get into it. Usually it's because the characters don't appeal to me right away, or there's something about the character interactions or plot premise that feels off. Sometimes I also start heading down a route that isn't really clicking with me, but then I'll switch to another route and start liking it. So it can indeed be weird that way.

With eroge, since I pre-order it, I'm generally more willing to give it a longer chance than I might with say, anime, where I'll just drop/ignore shows if they're not appealing to me after a few episodes (and won't buy the BDs after that). If you already paid for it, you sort of figure that you might as well try to give it a chance, and that makes it a bit of a different experience for me.

Originally Posted by Mahou

I don't mind to not skip h-scenes, but I have no probs in skipping them, should they feel "too" long/dragged out. Though, most likely I also start skipping them once scene 2 or 3 moves along and I just want to see my happy ending .

I tend to do the same thing. I don't generally mind some H scenes, but they need to be properly spaced out in the work and not too pointless or excessive. Sometimes I'll CTRL through some scenes if I don't really care and just want to get on with the story. I get annoyed at some games where you have a really long build-up to the relationship, and then suddenly it's like an endless string of H scenes one after the other, and credits. I prefer when sex isn't the focus of the relationship (or the game), unless the scenes are really important for plot reasons (which is rare, but sometimes happens).

[hyl]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

I tend to do the same thing. I don't generally mind some H scenes, but they need to be properly spaced out in the work and not too pointless or excessive. Sometimes I'll CTRL through some scenes if I don't really care and just want to get on with the story. I get annoyed at some games where you have a really long build-up to the relationship, and then suddenly it's like an endless string of H scenes one after the other, and credits. I prefer when sex isn't the focus of the relationship (or the game), unless the scenes are really important for plot reasons (which is rare, but sometimes happens).

The problem with the last several eroge's that i have read is that they are not that well spaced. By the time that you reach the point of the first H-scene, the next H-scene will show up quite fast.
I agree that there are rare occasions when a H-scenes played a part in the story like for example Haruka from Natsuyume Nagisa.

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

As far as the former case goes... I do find that there are some games where it takes me a while to get into it. Usually it's because the characters don't appeal to me right away, or there's something about the character interactions or plot premise that feels off. Sometimes I also start heading down a route that isn't really clicking with me, but then I'll switch to another route and start liking it. So it can indeed be weird that way.

Sometimes a character that you initially didn't like ended up being either more likeable at the end or she had having a better plot than expected (as a recent example for me would be Rio from Dracu-Riot), so it's sometimes worth it to play the remaining routes. In some games you have to read the stories from the initially less likable characters if there is a true route after finishing all of the other stories though.

edit: Darn, I have just read that Tokeijikake no Ley Line is delayed to 27th of july. Oh well , atleast 1/2 summer is coming out end of this month.

[Mahou]

Originally Posted by hyl

In some games you have to read the stories from the initially less likable characters if there is a true route after finishing all of the other stories though.

Hello Mirai no Nostalgia ! When only 2 from 4 main heroines are enjoyable and 1 of the "good" girls's route was simply disappointing (romance-wise) + a main character who on top of being as useless as it can get, is trashtalked by imouto 1 and a classmate (my main complaint about the latter's route as I cannot really find it funny. her route *had* potential by itself), made me more ctrl-pushing than reading >_<. All of that just to see Anna's route which was - for me - that much better .

@dropping a VN: Generally speaking, I hardly do it. There are, of course, a few I stopped playing because the beginning was to me simply boring, but there are also cases where I'm willing to retry it. For example, I couldn't really get into Gift or to heart 2, but I'm willing to try my luck again with to heart 2 at a later point.

Anyway, just finished Mai's route in Sakura no Reply: I like the VN overall. Yes, the power of friendship prevails over everything and I love it. The characters are very lovely and the main is okay-ish even though we didn't see much of his sweet-producing magic. Okay a bit more about Mai's route ... The confession was very sudden and lacked probably a proper build-up from Ichigo's perspective. Mai's drama felt a bit forced with her huuuuge amount of self-loathing after a certain incident and the consequences from it were "Huh?!". Same for how the consequences were resolved Asides of that, they were a lovely couple and I enjoyed the non-drama moments much. Mai's already one of my favourite charas in Sakura no Reply

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by cranston

If I find it boring, I'd drop it near immediately.
For me, the most frustrating is when I get bogged down by h-scenes. Love the characters, like the story, but the h-scenes?
1. 6-hours story.
2. 1-hour h-scene
3. 5 minutes story.
4. 1-hour h-scene
5. 5 minutes story
6. Start of another h-scene. Groan in frustration. Restart with another character.
7. 3-hours story (skipping common route sections)
8. 1-hour h-scene
9. 5 minute story
10. Start of another h-scene. Groan in frustration. Restart with another character.
11. 3-hours story (skipping common route sections)
12. Start of h-scene. Can't take it anymore. On indefinite hold.

What the hell? I'll play it !!!! As a fan of Eroge you just gave us more reason to play it.

*hmmm... click ,click, ...loading...... Damn so slow!!!!:eyespin:

[cranston]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

I wonder game is it that has only 5 min. breaks in between H...I swear, it would be the easiest to read eroge ever...

Perhaps you should only get nukige. I've tried only 1 nukige ever, (something Guerilla something). I got hold of it cheap and was curious. I fastforwarded through 90% of it, saved the CGs and deleted it.

For a more "proper" Visual Novel, it's not easy. That many sex scenes "needlessly" delay plot progression. Incidentally, I was talking about Princess Lover. I put it on hold back in '09 (I think) and I've still not managed to get back to it. Currently, I'm playing Eiyuu Senki and I've also reached a similar stage. All the sex is interrupting my efforts to conquer the world. Doesn't help that I lack interest in some members of the harem.

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Normally most eroge easily stretch into 20+ hrs (minimum. Can be up to 50+ on certain titles) with H only at maybe one point per route....IE light novels on steroids

I think the most time I spent on a visual novel (actually maybe a hybrid) was Seinarukana. Game clock probably ran up to 300+ hours. Now that I'm thinking about it, I realise I rather miss it. It was an awesome game, with awesome story, and awesome characters.

Originally Posted by Genjichan

What the hell? I'll play it !!!! As a fan of Eroge you just gave us more reason to play it.

I'm not so much a fan of eroge as a fan of visual novel-style romance and story-telling. Amongst my favourite visual novels are such titles as Galaxy Angel, Clannad, Kimikiss, Amagami and Sakura Taisen. Zero ero-content.

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by cranston

I'm not so much a fan of eroge as a fan of visual novel-style romance and story-telling. Amongst my favourite visual novels.....Clannad....

I'm still playing Clannad. Damn the VN is so long and there are male routes (no yaoi). Can't wait to reach Nagisa's.