Throb! The Greatest Inventions of the Sexy Era! Review

Title: Todoroke Seiki no Daihatsumei Ai to Okori to Kanashimi no Himitsu Kessha Dai Ni Kagakubu
Original title: 轟け性紀の大発明 愛と怒りと悲しみの秘密結社第二科学部
Alias: Throb! The Greatest Inventions of the Sexy Era! ~Second Science Club–A Secret Society of Love, Rage, and Sorrow~
Release date: 2009-07-24
English release date: 2013-06-21
Developer: Softhouse-Seal
English publisher: MangaGamer

"Throb! The Greatest Inventions of the Sexy Era!" is the latest title in MangaGamer's lineup of shitty nukiges that I decided to play. My motto: "Experiencing the shit so that you don't have to". Surprisingly, it's also the best title in the said lineup, beating any previous S-S game in every aspect.

Phenomeno Review

Title: Phenomeno
Original title: フェノメノ
Release date: 2012-06-16
English release date: 2012-10-02
Developer: Nitroplus
English publisher: Suimin Chuudoku & Pin201 (as a fan-patch)

While the name of my latest venture into visual novel world is "Phenomeno", it has little to do with a Dario Argento movie and even less so with that film starring John Travolta. Instead it is one more VN from "Nitroplus" that caught my attention.

The "Phenomeno" novel was first released on the Internet as a collection of two scary stories. Later the novel was expanded with an additional story and published in "dead tree". "Phenomeno" the visual novel only turns the very first story called "The House that Grants Wishes" into a game. Actually that is a kinetic novel as there are no choices to influence your outcome and the text is a 100% carbon copy of the one present in the book. It's no wonder that after Suimin Chuudoku translated the book into English, a Russian guy named Pin201 took the translated text and made it into a patch for the game. Oh, and did I mention that the game is completely free? Must have slipped my mind.

Orion Heart Review

Title: Orion Heart ~Injoku no Suku Mizu Sailor Senshi~
Original title: オリオンハート～淫辱のスク水セーラー戦士～
Alias: Orion Heart
Release date: 2009-03-27
English release date: 2013-05-24
Developer: Portion
English publisher: MangaGamer

Strangely “Orion Heart” was one of the MG nukiges that I expected to like. After all, it’s made by “Portion” – a sister company of “Liquid”, and previously I really enjoyed the latter's visual novel “Conquering the Queen”. Alas, it wasn’t destined to be so…

SSSS: Super Secret Sexy Spy Review

Title: Nakadashi Spy no Sounyuu Sousa -Shikyuu no Heiwa wa Ore ga Mamoru!-
Original title: 中出しスパイの挿入捜査 -子宮の平和は俺が守る!-
Alias: SSSS: Super Secret Sexy Spy
Release date: 2010-10-22
English release date: 2013-04-03
Developer: Softhouse-Seal
English publisher: MangaGamer

Why is it that after playing "Super Secret Sexy Spy" I hear a tune in my head? A tune that sounds suspiciously like AVGN theme song - you know, the one about playing shitty games that suck ass... Must be a completely unfounded coincidence.

Saya no Uta Review

Title: Saya no Uta
Original title: 沙耶の唄
Alias: The Song of Saya
Release date: 2003-12-26
English release date: 2009-02-24 (as a fan-patch)

2013-05-06 (commercial release)

2019-08-13 (re-master)

Developer: Nitroplus
English publisher: TLWiki (as a fan-patch)

JAST USA (commercial)

One hardly needs to introduce "Saya no Uta" - after all it is one of the most famous visual novels in the West and for good reason. No, shock value is not that reason, but rather the fact that it is a brilliantly written little piece of fiction that, while being quite short, still manages to pack a real emotional punch.

Shikkoku no Sharnoth -What a Beautiful Tomorrow- Fullvoice ReBORN Review

Title: Shikkoku no Sharnoth -What a Beautiful Tomorrow- Fullvoice ReBORN
Original title: 漆黒のシャルノス -What a beautiful tomorrow- Fullvoice ReBORN
Alias: Sharnoth of the Deepest Black Fullvoice ReBORN
Release date: 2008-11-21 (2011-12-22 Fullvoice ReBORN Edition)
English release date: 2011-09-05 (2012-11-20 Fullvoice ReBORN Edition)
Developer: Liar-soft
English publisher: Amaterasu Translations (as a fan-patch of both Regular and Fullvoice ReBORN Edition)

Previously I have played and reviewed Liar-Soft’s “Sekien no Inganock”, which was a strange, beautiful and altogether memorable piece of work. Now it’s time to take a closer look at its sequel/spin-off/sister game thingy called “Shikkoku no Sharnoth” where secret societies, British government, supernatural forces and one clueless girl clash over the right for the new dawn to come.