Katawa Shoujo Review

Title: Katawa Shoujo
Release date: 2012-01-04
Developer: Four Leaf Studios
Publisher: Four Leaf Studios

So, yeah... I wonder if there is a single person right now who hasn't at least heard of Katawa Shoujo (Disability Girl) - an OELVN developed by an international team over a period of about five years and finally released on this January. The history of the concept is probably known as well: inspired by Raita blah blah blah started on 4chan blah blah blah but no association with them anymore blah blah blah it's free... yes, that is the only thing you should know. Go play it and I will review it in the meantime.

Sono Hanabira ni Kuchizuke o Series Review

Title of the series: Sono Hanabira ni Kuchizuke o
Original title: その花びらにくちづけを
Alias: SonoHana
Developer: Fuguriya
English publisher: SH1: Count Pacula (as a fan-patch)
                              SH2/3/4/5: AXYPB World (as a fan patch)
                              SH6/8: Petals' Garden (formerly AXYPB World) & Yuri Project (as a fan patch)
                              SH7: AXYPB World & Hanabira-kun (as a fan patch)

In my previous review of "Yuukuri Panic" I said that all-girl schools are the places for pure lesbian love to blossom and this time it is true. SonoHana series are known for their fluffy stories filled with girl-on-girl lovemaking. At the time of writing there already are 10 games in the series with more than half of them translated into English.

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.