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.

May Club Review

Title: VR Date - Gogatsu Club
Original title: Ｖ．Ｒ．デート 五月倶楽部 or メイクラブ
Alias: VR-DATE Simulator May-Club
Release date: 1995-08-25 (original release)
                       2001-05-12 (DX Edition)
English release date: 1999-05 (original release)
                                    2003-03-21 (Milky House Memorial Collection)
                                    2010-12-12 (DX Edition)
                                    2012-06-28 (JAST USA Memorial Collection Special Edition)
Developer: Desire
English publisher: RCY America & Milky House (original release)
                                JAST USA & Milky House (Milky House Memorial Collection)
                                JAST USA (JAST USA Memorial Collection Special Edition)
                                ViLE Project (DX Edition) (as a fan-program/loader)

I believe it would be prudent to review another of eroge classics available in English – “May Club”. This is one of the old visual novels I have never played before. Actually, I did download “May Club” together with a few other VNs more than a decade ago, however I failed to understand how to play it, got bored and dropped it after about an hour. What do you want from me? When I was fifteen I had an attention span of a goldfish and a patience of a bull in heat.

Nocturnal Illusion Review

Title: Mugen Yasoukyoku
Original title: 夢幻夜想曲
Alias: Nocturnal Illusion
Release date: 1995-04-21 (original release)
                       1998-11-27 (Renewal Edition)
English release date: 1998-04-15 (original release)
                                    2003-03-21 (Milky House Memorial Collection)
                                    2011-01-14 (Renewal ViLE Edition)
                                    2012-06-28 (JAST USA Memorial Collection Special Edition)
Developer: Apricot
English publisher: RCY America (original release)
                                JAST USA & Milky House (Milky House Memorial Collection)
                                JAST USA (JAST USA Memorial Collection Special Edition)
                                ViLE Project (Renewal Edition) (as a fan-program/loader)

This time I will review a timeless classic of visual novel world – “Mugen Yasoukyoku”, better known in the west as “Nocturnal Illusion”. It was one of the first Japanese H-VNs released in the occidental territories. Published by “RCY America” that died after releasing only two visual novels, it developed a surprising cult following, despite being a work of completely unfamiliar genre to many people.

Deus Machina Demonbane review

Title: Zanmataisei Demonbane
Original title: 斬魔大聖デモンベイン
Alias: Daus Machina Demonbane
Release date: 2003-04-25
English release date: 2011-05-13
Developer: Nitroplus
English publisher: JAST USA

At long last! The time has come to review "Duke Nukem Forever"! I will fire up this game that has been so damn long in the making and proceed to kick alien ass, while basking in the masculine glory of Duke himself. Even the fact that I don't even have the fucking game won't stop me, as I have the next best thing - "Deus Machina Demonbane" - a visual novel that has been stuck so long in the publishing hell, that some people even lost hope to ever see it in English. Contrary to the detractors, the game was released (well, about three years late, but that's not the point; is it?).

When the great master H. P. Lovecraft penned his imaginings about horrors from beyond time, space and human understanding, he created vivid and frightening pieces of literature, but he made a huge oversight that diminished the appeal of those works quite a bit. Two of those oversights to be precise: his works lacked giant ass robots and scantly clad lolitas. Japanese being the most advanced nation in the ethereal realm, took it upon themselves to fix it.

Nitro Powah!

So, today JAST USA provided us an announcement of their future releases, which predictably involves lots of Nitroplus power. After the successful sales of Demonbane (damn, I'm only 1/3rd through it - the thing is looong) we are getting "Saya no Uta", "Kikokugai", "Hanachirasu", "Sumaga" and "Django". Despite the fact I've already played the first two, I'm definitely getting them all.

Also predictably we are getting the sequel to "Aselia the Eternal" called "Seinarukana". The last announcement in the lineup was somewhat unexpected. I happily reaffirmed myself to be a massive perv, as upon the announcement of "Starless" I cheered. I has lots of crazy shit and that is exactly what I expect from my nukiges.

With the coming of "Kara no Shoujo", "Aselia the Eternal", "EF", "School Days", "Yumina" and more I foresee those few years to be very interesting :-D

Who needs post boxes anymore?

Guess what? I come home from work, enter the balcony and find a friggin' package with my copy of Demonbane in it. Seriously? Postman (woman?) didn't find me at home and instead of leaving a notice in my post box just thrown it into the balcony. Who needs those post boxes anymore, they are sooo yesterday...
At least I finally got my copy. In fact, I had to pester JAST twice about it as they apparently somehow managed to loose me from the database O_o
Also JAST needed to use cases with sturdier pins. My disk was loose in the case and reading online many people have that problem. It has some light scratches, but installed fine. And no, I'm not gonna play it now. I still have "The Witcher: Enhanced Edition" to finish.... What? I'm a patient man.