Guilty ~The SiN~ Review

Title: Zaishuu -The SiN-
Original title: 罪囚-The SiN-
Alias: Guilty _The SiN_
Release date: 2003-09-26
English release date: 2011-03-14
Developer: Tactics
English publisher: MangaGamer

Ah, Zaishuu -The SiN-, a visual novel from Tactics that promised to take us to the darker side of an eroge world. Considering that I'm a fan of everything that is horror, fantasy or sci-fi, I was more than eager to get my hands onto it, expecting to experience another "Bible Black". The title left me with very mixed feelings, but I suppose that is the point of this review. So, let's proceed by diving straight into the underworld of Akatsuki City.

Sugar's Delight Review

Title: Sugar's Delight
Release date: 2011-12-03
Developer: Neko-Soft
Publisher: Neko-Soft

The cake is not a lie!

It's an OELVN. It's a nukige. It's yuri. If you wonder how those components can blend together, even though they never did before, read on.

Rise & Fall - Chapter 1 Review

Title: Rise & Fall
Release date: 2011-11-05 (Chapter 1)
Developer & publisher: POPloids

For a change let's review an OELVN here, or at least the first chapter of one, as "Rise & Fall" is an ongoing project and only the first chapter of this kinetic novel has been released. By creators' own admission, the game has been highly influenced by "07th Expansion", and the game bears an undeniable similarity to the Umineko series. At the same time it a sort of fan-fiction, as the majority of the characters are taken from UTAU (not that I know or care what that is; something to do with vocaloids). Not knowing a lick about UTAU didn't hinder my experience with the game in the least.

Hatoful Boyfriend Review

Title: Hatoful Boyfriend (はーとふる彼氏〜希望の学園と白い翼〜)
Release date: 2011-07-31 (2011-11-22 in English)
Developer: Hato-King
English publisher: S. Nazerine Zarib & Hato-King (as a patch)

o_O ................ >_> ................ -.-' ..................... OTL .........................................
Yeah, let me introduce to you a BL (bird love) visual novel named "Hatoful Boyfriend" or "Heartful Kareshi" where you are a female character that can romance various birds... 'Hatoful' here is a joint word of 'heartful' and 'hato' (bird). THIS  IS FUCKED UP, I'M GETTING OUT OF HERE!!! Why are the doors locked and... oi, what are you doing with that cleaver and how the fuck are you holding it with no opposite thumbs?! Oi... Splat...

Kara no Shoujo Review

Title: Kara no Shoujo
Original title: 殻ノ少女
Alias: Girl in the Shell
Release date: 2008-07-04
English release date: 2011-06-29 (voiceless)
                                  2013-10-04 (voiced)
                                  2013-12-09 (Limited Physical Edition)
Developer: Innocent Grey
Publisher: MangaGamer & TLWiki

This time let's review something on a darker and grittier side of a visual novel world. How about a serial murder story set in a post-WWII Japan that doesn't pull any punches when it comes down to displaying the darkest abyss into which a human psyche can sink? Yes, that is a perfect description for "Kara no Shoujo" a.k.a. "Girl in the Shell" - a visual novel heavily influenced by the writings of Edogawa Rampo. Even the chapters in the novel are named based on the titles by this author.

Conquering the Queen Review

Title: Conquering the Queen
Original title: 魔将の贄

Release date: 2004-07-23
English release date: 2011-10-28

Developer: Liquid
Publisher: MangaGamer

Maybe it's unusual, but I do not differentiate between subgenres of eroge. I like them plot based and I also like nukiges. Frankly, it all depend on the mood what kind of game I want to play. And this time I wanted to play a new sexfest from MangaGamer "Mashou no Nie" (retitled "Conquering the Queen" for the Western market). The game was previously known as "The Queen and Princess as Your Rewards", when it was supposed to be released a few years ago and was suddenly pulled to be completely retranslated.

Planet Stronghold Review

Title: Planet Stronghold
Release date: 2011-02-27
Developer: Winter Wolves
Publisher: Winter Wolves
Genre: Indie Western JRPG

Let's temporarily switch our gazes from the far east to the west and review an RPG by Italian developer Riva Celso - the guy behind "Winter Wolves" and "Tycoon Games". Why he needs two different labels to publish his games is an eternal mystery and WW and TG releases have always been hit or miss with me. They ranged from incredibly shitty (Heileen series) to really good (Bionic Heart and Vera Blanc series). So let's disassemble "Planet Stronghold" and see if it is a good game.