General Eroge Impressions & Discussion

[hyl]

Originally Posted by Aer0gam3r

I just finished Hatsuyuki Sakura and every route left a bitter feeling in my heart. Also the true route was that feeling ten times over >____>. But yeah, the game was enjoyable and I've come to expect this sort of bittersweet feeling from Saga planets. It's part of why I love them ^^. Though I would still say that Natsuyume beats Hatsuyuki in regards to how crap I felt after playing it.

Spoiler for Hatsuyuki Sakura & Natsuyume Nagisa:

imo Hatsuyuki Sakura had a better overall "true route" than Natsuyume Nagisa. While the first 4 Ayumu chapters did a great job at establishing the backstory on Nagisa and Ayumu , the actual final Nagisa chapter felt way too short but it did answer all the questions on the mystery.
Unlike Natsuyume Nagisa the other heroines and side characters in Hatsuyuki Sakura played a bigger active role in the conclusion of the story , but Natsuyume Nagisa did connect all of the routes to the true route and that was pretty nice

Spoiler for spoiler:

eventhough it's very similar to little busters, but w/e

Natsuyume Nagisa was probably more a utsuge than Hatsuyuki Sakura (more a nakige) and that's why you felt worse for it. Not that I am saying that Aya didn't suffer in the true route ;_;
edit: sorry i couldn't resist this


While the music was decent in Natsuyume Nagisa, the OST in Hatsuyuki Sakura was incredible (actually i think it is still one of my favorites OST's of any eroge that i have played the last year, even beating Grisaia no Rakuen's OST)
When it comes to the characters, Hitsuji is still so far the best heroine in any Sagaplanet's game that i have played and i doubt Karumaruka＊Circle will change that

Originally Posted by Aer0gam3r

Their next title, "Karumaruka ＊ Circle", doesn't look to appealing to me to be honest. Also I hear that the writer for that one is different from the norm?

Niijima Yuu left Sagaplanets last year to free-lance. Also he is not the only one who is absent. Samoto Fuuri, who did the voices of the characters in Sagaplanet's previous games (Ayumu in NatsuNagi, Ichika in Kisaragi goldstar and Aya in HatsuSaku) won't be voicing a character in the new game

As for the new writers, i don't think they are bad though.
Seo Jun did Alcot Honey comb's Harupoco and Aemushi and i can probably expect a decent comedy.
Toishi Hiroki wrote for Sorahane's games like Aqua and Sakura, Sakimashita and can probably write a decent drama with some slice of life kind of stories.
Mikuriya Mikuri did the story of some Cabbit games, eventhough i haven't read any of those. I did read that Midori no Umi was very well received though

However having strong writers doesn't always guarantee a strong story, like having Kagami Yuu and Konno Asta for Amairo Islenauts >_>

[Mahou]

Originally Posted by Aer0gam3r

@Mahou I couldn't really tell by your comment on it, but how did find Zutto suki shite, takusan suki shite? I'm a bit interested in it. Also, I LOVED Fureraba XD.

I haven't played much due to other distractions, to be honest. From the few bits I have seen, it should be a-okayish. The "gearshift" in the MC's head to change in aggresive-mode seemed for me somehow forced, but beyond that I guess it's quite heavy on icha-icha. 8 h-scenes per heroine *is* quite a lot in that regard (I used a savegame to take a glance at CGs and recollection-mode). Chara-wise, there seems nothing too outstanding either: wacky-imouto, two female osananajimi, tsudere kouhai whose deredere side is (temoprary) seen quite soon and the awesome shy classmate and booklover Serina-chan . So yeah, that doesn't say much, but it *should* fit with the other light-hearted pure-love-VNs that don't care about story (and drama!). I finish at least Serina's route and see if my "speculations" remain like that.

[Aer0gam3r]

Spoiler for Hatsuyuki Sakura & Natsuyume Nagisa:

Originally Posted by hyl

imo Hatsuyuki Sakura had a better overall "true route" than Natsuyume Nagisa. While the first 4 Ayumu chapters did a great job at establishing the backstory on Nagisa and Ayumu , the actual final Nagisa chapter felt way too short but it did answer all the questions on the mystery.
Unlike Natsuyume Nagisa the other heroines and side characters in Hatsuyuki Sakura played a bigger active role in the conclusion of the story , but Natsuyume Nagisa did connect all of the routes to the true route and that was pretty nice

Natsuyume Nagisa was probably more a utsuge than Hatsuyuki Sakura (more a nakige) and that's why you felt worse for it. Not that I am saying that Aya didn't suffer in the true route ;_;

I would probably have to say that Natsuyume's true route was better. Sure Ayumu's final chapter was short, but the sense of mystery and loss was "overwhelming" and led to a grand finale XD. However what me and my fellow blogger Aedes dislike about the true route is what happens to the other heroines of the game.

Spoiler:

Since the whole thing is a dream, the time you spent and the relationships you formed with them means pretty much nothing. They also don't contribute ANYTHING to the true route and basically just disappear

I enjoyed how the heroines in Hatsuyuki played a good role and the sense of friendship was heartwarming. Sakura's active role leading to the grand ending was awesome and the last CG brought me to tears (MANLY TEARS DAMN IT!!!). Also I had to hold back because I was playing on train...I was desperate to finish the game and I had uni >____>.

I suppose I'm probably won over by how emotional Natsuyume's ending was compared to Hatsuyuki. But again, this my personal preference and I'm actually not too sure of things myself actually =p.

However I would say that Hatsuyuki is overall better than Natsuyume.

Originally Posted by hyl

edit: sorry i couldn't resist this

SEEING THAT ONCE WAS BAD ENOUGH DAMN IT!!!

Originally Posted by hyl

While the music was decent in Natsuyume Nagisa, the OST in Hatsuyuki Sakura was incredible (actually i think it is still one of my favorites OST's of any eroge that i have played the last year, even beating Grisaia no Rakuen's OST)
When it comes to the characters, Hitsuji is still so far the best heroine in any Sagaplanet's game that i have played and i doubt Karumaruka＊Circle will change that

Hands down Hatsuyuki's sound was awesome. The sad music made me blue and the action ones got the blood boiling ^^.

Originally Posted by hyl

Niijima Yuu left Sagaplanets last year to free-lance. Also he is not the only one who is absent. Samoto Fuuri, who did the voices of the characters in Sagaplanet's previous games (Ayumu in NatsuNagi, Ichika in Kisaragi goldstar and Aya in HatsuSaku) won't be voicing a character in the new game

As for the new writers, i don't think they are bad though.
Seo Jun did Alcot Honey comb's Harupoco and Aemushi and i can probably expect a decent comedy.
Toishi Hiroki wrote for Sorahane's games like Aqua and Sakura, Sakimashita and can probably write a decent drama with some slice of life kind of stories.
Mikuriya Mikuri did the story of some Cabbit games, eventhough i haven't read any of those. I did read that Midori no Umi was very well received though

However having strong writers doesn't always guarantee a strong story, like having Kagami Yuu and Konno Asta for Amairo Islenauts >_>

Haha I'm not very good when it comes with stuff outside the realm of the game. What I mean is that I don't really remember names of voice actors, writers, artists, etc. Though I do the bear minimum of knowing some companies ^^.

I'm glad to hear that some decent writers are there for SP's new game. Though I have my doubts that they'll go for an utsuge. Please correct me if I'm wrong because I'm basing that on basically nothing >____>.

[hyl]

Spoiler for Hatsuyuki Sakura & Natsuyume Nagisa:

Originally Posted by Aer0gam3r

I would probably have to say that Natsuyume's true route was better. Sure Ayumu's final chapter was short, but the sense of mystery and loss was "overwhelming" and led to a grand finale XD. However what me and my fellow blogger Aedes dislike about the true route is what happens to the other heroines of the game.

Spoiler:

Since the whole thing is a dream, the time you spent and the relationships you formed with them means pretty much nothing. They also don't contribute ANYTHING to the true route and basically just disappear

The problem is , the sense of the main mystery in the common route was mostly lost in all of the routes untill Maki's (which sadly was the weakest route)

Spoiler for spoiler:

Actually the dream part is probably not my biggest concern. My problem was what happened to all the characters.
Apparently Haruka doesn't exist, because she was dreamt up by the real world version of Aria (who was that nurse Arita)
Hitsuji is probably still suffering , because I think her backstory is actually what happened to her in the real world. Except that there is no Nagisa to comfort her when she wakes up from Ayumu's dream. If you think about it, it makes her happy ending even more heartbreaking , especially what she has to say at the end ;_;
edit: recorded that small scene on youtube

Couldn't care too much about Tsukasa's story though

[relentlessflame]

I added more spoiler tags to some of the recent posts, because you're really getting into it in terms of specific routes and endings. Please just put the whole thing behind spoiler tags rather than only trying to hide the "plot points", because in the end you're giving away a lot more than you think.

[Micchi]

Originally Posted by hyl

Spoiler for Hatsuyuki Sakura & Natsuyume Nagisa:

The problem is , the sense of the main mystery in the common route was mostly lost in all of the routes untill Maki's (which sadly was the weakest route)

Spoiler for spoiler:

Actually the dream part is probably not my biggest concern. My problem was what happened to all the characters.
Apparently Haruka doesn't exist, because she was dreamt up by the real world version of Aria (who was that nurse Arita)
Hitsuji is probably still suffering , because I think her backstory is actually what happened to her in the real world. Except that there is no Nagisa to comfort her when she wakes up from Ayumu's dream. If you think about it, it makes her happy ending even more heartbreaking , especially what she has to say at the end ;_;
edit: recorded that small scene on youtube

Couldn't care too much about Tsukasa's story though

Damnit, why did you have to remind me

Hitsuji T_____T

[Aer0gam3r]

Originally Posted by hyl

Spoiler:

The problem is , the sense of the main mystery in the common route was mostly lost in all of the routes untill Maki's (which sadly was the weakest route)

Spoiler:

I suppose that "fault" of Natsuyume Nagisa is what makes the true route stands out for me compared to Hatusyuki =p

But what hell do I know; I'm a terrible judge of quality T____T.

Originally Posted by hyl

Spoiler:

Actually the dream part is probably not my biggest concern. My problem was what happened to all the characters.
Apparently Haruka doesn't exist, because she was dreamt up by the real world version of Aria (who was that nurse Arita)
Hitsuji is probably still suffering , because I think her backstory is actually what happened to her in the real world. Except that there is no Nagisa to comfort her when she wakes up from Ayumu's dream. If you think about it, it makes her happy ending even more heartbreaking , especially what she has to say at the end ;_;

Spoiler:

>_____> I was under impression that the whole thing was just a dream (i.e. Haruka, Tsubasa and Hitsuji never existed in the first place). Guess that's what I get for playing the game using ATLAS

@relentlessflame
My bad. Will take more care from now on ^^

[hyl]

Originally Posted by Aer0gam3r

Spoiler:

>_____> I was under impression that the whole thing was just a dream (i.e. Haruka, Tsubasa and Hitsuji never existed in the first place). Guess that's what I get for playing the game using ATLAS

@relentlessflame
My bad. Will take more care from now on ^^

Spoiler for spoiler:

I had to refresh my memories and reread the final chapter again.
After Nagisa went into a coma from the shock of finding the pendant, she was brought to a sanitorium. There for some unknown reasons she had the power to make other people also fall in a "coma" or rather transport them to her dream world.
The effected people were:
Nene , who became the fairy king in the dream world

Yume, who stayed the same person in real life and in the dream world

Tsukishima Masaki, who became Ryougi Maki (and her route implied that she was always a girl but due to family issue's she was raised as a man. And she looked that way because in one of the Ayumu chapters Tsukishima asked what kind of girl Nagisa liked and he answered something like a a middle long haired girl with heterochromia)

Arita, the nurse at the sanitorium who ended up falling in a coma at the same time when Yume, Nene and Tsukishima did. While not directly mentioned who and where she was in the dream world, it's probably not a coincidence that she resembles Aria, the maid who stayed near Haruka. Eventhough there was also an Arita in Hitsuji's route, so it's possible that both Aria and Haruka never existed and it will complicate matters even more

And according to Arita, there were (edit) some other patients (number not specified) who fell in a coma and most likely Mihama Hitsuji (kind of obvious if the backstory in her route is true) and Aoyama Tsukasa.

edit: all of this are mosty speculations based on the implied info though and i haven't read the novel that's the sequel to the story

edit
Come to think of it, i also need to hurry up and order the Hatsuyuki Sakura novel and see if there is some kind of happy end

later edit: it's pretty much available everywhere in japan >_>
whatever i am going to buy it anyway, eventhough i am not sure what to expect

[farios]

Speaking of Najima Yuu,he is going to write a new game for a new brand called Qoo Brand with Kira Inugami (Seitokai Ichizon artist), Kozakura Ryou(Natsuyume Nagisa) and Asakura Hayate

http://twitpic.com/d7e9ll

[Newprimus]

Aozora Stripe's trial:

Kyouko = Ultimate troll MILF.

[blitz1/2]

Oh wow...playing Amairo, Shirley's delusions are like BEYOND Sana level.

[Aer0gam3r]

Originally Posted by hyl

edit
Come to think of it, i also need to hurry up and order the Hatsuyuki Sakura novel and see if there is some kind of happy end

later edit: it's pretty much available everywhere in japan >_>
whatever i am going to buy it anyway, eventhough i am not sure what to expect

You know if these novels are downloadable anywhere?

[rladls716]

Shirley's delusions, acting, nose bleed, and Masaki's hitting her at the end.

[Newprimus]

LOL Gleamgarden no Shoujo's protagonist. You know it's not your usual male lead when a girl falls from the sky, and the guy gets out of the way and lets her smash headfirst into the dirt, and then tells her afterwards to get up by herself.

[Hitenma]

Just finished Kara no Shoujo 2.
Being in despair

[Achiuakuna]

Originally Posted by Hitenma

Just finished Kara no Shoujo 2.
Being in despair

Hope 3 will make 2 worthwhile because I felt that 2 is just a stepping stone to the final conclusion, which makes sense because it's the "purgatory" chapter.

Though I do think it can be its own game. If you cut off the beginning and the end it really looks like a standalone story.

[Hitenma]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to KnS3 too. I heard that it is named 空ノ少女 but I can't find any official information about it

[Achiuakuna]

Originally Posted by Hitenma

Yeah, I'm looking forward to KnS3 too. I heard that it is named 空ノ少女 but I can't find any official information about it

Let's just hope that it doesn't take another five years to make like this one did...

[Newprimus]

Playing that new SAGAPLANETS game's trial.

Niijima Yuu, come baaaaaaaaaaaaccckk!!!!!!

I'm not sure I like this new thing from sagaplanets. I'll play more just to be sure.

[Hitenma]

Originally Posted by Achiuakuna

Let's just hope that it doesn't take another five years to make like this one did...

Well, it took five years because KnS wasn't meant to have a sequel to begin with.
Now they have decided to make a trilogy, let's hope that we'll have the third game soon