sweet pool review
Well a new year to go though, as an old year has passed. There are a lot of things to look forward to and not.
I am looking forward to:
going to the oliver musical thanks to cinderblock42 in February
Torchwood season 3! and lots of related things
Kichiku Megane fandisk woo
What ever comes my way
Not looking to:
Summer exams I am going to be burried with exams and work
Summer holidays because I don't know what to do
So I had a very boring Christmas, throughout those days. I've been playing Nitro+Chiral new game Sweet Pool and have finished playing, it's been taking me forever because I play every night for 2 hours at least.
I am going to like always give my thoughts and review here. But before I do I want to post common points I have picked up on main characters in Nitro+Chiral games.
General points/design
1.) Main characters are usally aloof and quite, but later on in the game they open up to the chosen lover
2.) Main character lives by themself, the parents are dead
3.) Main character is an uke mostly
4.) Main character thinks they are normal, when they are really not and have something within that makes them different from the others
I really hope Nitro+chiral try to change the next main character, in their next game..
Anyway on to Sweet Pool! For a change I am going to try not to spoil anything. Since you can read that in the sweet pool livejournal community
http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1045/4188293/8762731/349663244.jpg
(The title screen, you have to pass about 4 warnings and wait for the title screen to appear......)
This game felt much shorter then Togainu no chi, with only 6 endings to get. The background and the religious story was very hard to get unless you know how to read Japanese 100% which for me I am not even though I am currently going to Japanese classes.
So like any other BL game, you make choices like always. But this time it is done with more style, the two choices are always reason (blue) and instinct (red) in the form of brain like nerves objects.
http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1045/4188293/8762731/349663255.jpg
I like this design, as when you hover on reason it's a clam logical thought, and when you hover on instinct it's a more dareing challenging thought. Of course these choices lead to the 6 endings that have an ending song each which is nice.
Story
Sakiyama Youji is a student at a school those name I can't remember, he lives by himself in a flat. His parents are dead but does have a sister. He is living a normal day to day life that is until, he starts feeling odd and people he doesn't know start messing around with his life. He does'nt know why, that's for you to find out
That's the basic story anyway, the view points of the story does not stick to the main character, as it switches to another character called Okinaga Zenya who is linked to the back story. I think the whole point of the story is the slow revival of the back story on how it affects the main characters. But when you make the choices it's the character view point.
The background story is most confusing theory concept I have ever heard. But it is well done and is soon understanable when I had to read the spoilers at the sweet pool livejournal community.I really don't want to spoil but it involves flesh , a mesu (female), male (osu),breeding, phermones and blood (of course)
This is a really unique school, religous, horror story. Which is why I love Nitro+Chiral games. I think no other BL game can match up to the complex story of this. If I would type the whole background story/current story I would be burning up pages.
Characters
Interesting enough, I don't have a character I like unlike the previous games. But there are characters I feel sorry for.
pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1045/4188293/8762731/349663250.jpg
Sakiyama Youji
The main character, quite, aloof, lives by himself, but does have the best big sister ever (more about her later). He is not human, does not like eatting, but has a liking to fish
Hatano Wataru takes the role of youji well, sometimes I can't help thinking it's too much like Asato tone. Appart from that it's good, he has improved so much in moaning at the sex events. So I am happy.
Shironuma Tetsuo
The 2nd main character and main seme. He is ten times more quite and aloof then Youji but when you get to know him more, he is very sweet and becomes youji knight/prince. Out of all the characters tetsuo is the one who really understands and cares for Youji, mainly because the two have simular childhoods. Apart from he lives with step parents. Most of the endings (4 of them) belong to him. For me he's a much better character than shiki and Rai, in fact he reminds me of Asato but more macho and more normal, but he still does'nt do anything for me.
Hatoman Gunsou does'nt really say much, but his deep voice suits his character. That's it really
Mita Makoto
Youji best friend, really bright, happy, and popular person. He likes eating and tries to support his friend, that is until he goes nuts by youji pheromones. Mita is really a mix of Rin and keisuke (more Rin in personality and madmen crazy like keisuke). I really hated his ending as it's not happy and made me feel sick, but in Tetsuo path he does go back to normal and shows how a loyal friend he is
You know I love Kishio Daisuke, I talk about him a lot with my friends. And here really fits the profile of Makoto reallt well, as expected from a professional seiyuu and I still love him
Okinaga Zenya
The odd character who starts to pick on youji calling him yo-chin. He is really a messed up character, can manage to be happy, creepy ,possessive and feel sorry for all at the same time. He is really a love or hate character, but has a lot of attention due to what he is and how he is linked to the back story. He lives together with Kitani and kunihito. Offently the story switches to the three. His ending is really expected as he really does'nt turly understand Youji feelings, even enough he knows what Youji is.
Midorikawa Hikaru pretty much does his character well, and uses a different tone that is not Shiki.
Kitani Kouhei
A loyal helper to zenya (more loyal then damn Ianto!), serves zenya to his every needs, shopping, cooking, cleaning. I am not sure how he first met zenya but he used to serve Kunihito in which they has a history together. Out of all the characters he is one of the most nicest and the one I feel most sorry for. He really is left completely in the dark on the background story and as an result gets caught up in it. I really thought he at least get paried up with zenya or hell even youji, the poor guy.
I really don't know who Kitani seiyuu he seems new and unknown, his name is 秋月秀行. I really can't say much appart from he does his character well
Okinaga Kunihito
A crazy old man, I really hate. I am glad what happens to him in Tetsuo path in the end serves him right. He truly believes in the background story theory a lot.
I don't know who Yousuke Akimoto is, appart from he is an old seiyuu that has done a lot of roles. He acts rather like a mixture of aggressive, panicked old man. He does talk in a odd way due to his following in the background theory.
Kamiya sensei
A science school teacher in youji school. He acts as an mentor to youji giving him suggestions and generally being worried for him. his character is interesting since he's really not good or bad. Instead he acts as an supervisor in the whole situation of the story, he knows everything about the background theory more then all the other characters put together. Appart from that he really does nothing appart from giving advice or talking to the main characters. A shame really
Yusa koiji is a great VA, ever snice he played mido in Kichiku Megane. He sounds really calm, but at the same time really creepy. I hope Nitro+Chiral can get yusa again for another game.
Youji sister
If anyone knows her name, please comment because though out the game I don't think I ever heard it. Anyway she's the ideal sister everyone wants (even me), she doesn't live with him but is in hospital beacuse she having a baby. She calls Youji often and apart from Testuo really understands and cares for youji. Giving him advice and making him feel at ease. In the end she calls the baby yuji which is really sweet. And for once the two do look like sister and brother (in which most BL games never ever do koibito yugi is a fine example)
I don't know her seiyuu, but she does a good job, at the general but at the sad tone of a gentle sister,
Christine
Not a character, but a mascot. Lamento has qiums, Togainu no chi has solid, sweet pool has christine. Chirstine is a lisard that is dressed in a kimono, he is kitani pet and has a thing for hair. I think it's the cutest thing ever.
Music
http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1045/4188293/8762731/349663251.jpg
The BGM is good and catches the atmosphere of the game environment setting. Zizz studio always does it job well. It reminds me of Togainu no chi BGM, but better. Apart from that it's really lacking compared to the musical masterpiece that is Lamento (That is hands down still has the best BGM)
The vocal songs really don't do it for me too, the opening fits the tone of the game but is really yet another rock song in english (and believe me in the UK we have a lot of rock songs in english), the same I can say for the hunger, red road, and diving deep. There's only two songs I like and that's VLG and Miracles may, VLG is catchy and different and Miracles may is just a touching and calming song. All of the lyrics really are not understandable, most of them don't even rhyme.
Endings(SPOILERS HERE)
So there is 6 endings to get, 5 you can get in any order and one you have to get last. They are all different endings, but what I like about them is that, as well as being open they also has a sense of ambigulaty. Some of the endings make you think about what is going on and the meaning behide it.
As I said early each ending is connected to a song, which pretty much sums it up. The credits are shown in different ways as well which is nice. So I am going to show the endings order I got. There's a bit of spoillers but doesn't give too much away I hope
The red road: Tetsuo path, if you mainly pick instinct (and a few reason). Youji accepts himself as an monster. So he and testuo both fulfil the background story theory, but die in the process. But it produces a new child in which Kitani finds. And the child fate is unknown, My play time was FIVE HOURS
Diving deep: Testuo path, mainly instinct but picking reason for the last choice. Making youji unsure about him being a monster or a human. So before he and tetsuo tried to fullfill the background theory, the two are too late as Kinani kills them. Years later Kitani meets up with kamiya as he finds out more about tetsuo history and the rest of the background story. Play time the same as 5 hours
The hunger: Makoto path, all of the choices are reason. As said before I really hate this ending so in summary youji gets raped and eaten by Makoto. Nice....play time 20 minutes
VLG: What does VLG mean? I am not too sure. Zenya's path pick more instinct with some reason. In summary Youji becomes Zenya sex slave wooo, play time 10 minutes at least
Miracles may (Violin Version): tetsuo path, half reason and half instinct. Youji want to be human with testuo, but are shot in to the pool. After tetsuo lives and is now having a normal life, youji is with him but I really don't know if he's alive or dead. Play time 3 hours at least
Miracles may: Tetsuo path, half reason and instinct like before but on the final choice picking reason. Tetsuo lives but youji dies, this time tetsuo doesn't remember youji at all and carries on with his life. There is one point where he nearly remembers but soon forgets. play time the same as 3 hours
So there is no happy end at all, which is refreshing. My overall play time is over 6 hours at least, but took me a whole week at 2 hours every night.
Overall I am happy with this game, it's not going to be a favourite, but it definitely made me thought about a few things. I could'nt play this with AGTH as it randomly catches and translated bits and bobs of the text.
Well before I finsh off, I bet everyone going to ask where I got the game from. For me there are two areas one is aarrinfantasy forum and the second is mirainoyume (a LJ community but you do have to join)
Well that's me done
Kino_san XD
I am looking forward to:
going to the oliver musical thanks to cinderblock42 in February
Torchwood season 3! and lots of related things
Kichiku Megane fandisk woo
What ever comes my way
Not looking to:
Summer exams I am going to be burried with exams and work
Summer holidays because I don't know what to do
So I had a very boring Christmas, throughout those days. I've been playing Nitro+Chiral new game Sweet Pool and have finished playing, it's been taking me forever because I play every night for 2 hours at least.
I am going to like always give my thoughts and review here. But before I do I want to post common points I have picked up on main characters in Nitro+Chiral games.
General points/design
1.) Main characters are usally aloof and quite, but later on in the game they open up to the chosen lover
2.) Main character lives by themself, the parents are dead
3.) Main character is an uke mostly
4.) Main character thinks they are normal, when they are really not and have something within that makes them different from the others
I really hope Nitro+chiral try to change the next main character, in their next game..
Anyway on to Sweet Pool! For a change I am going to try not to spoil anything. Since you can read that in the sweet pool livejournal community
http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1045/4188293/8762731/349663244.jpg
(The title screen, you have to pass about 4 warnings and wait for the title screen to appear......)
This game felt much shorter then Togainu no chi, with only 6 endings to get. The background and the religious story was very hard to get unless you know how to read Japanese 100% which for me I am not even though I am currently going to Japanese classes.
So like any other BL game, you make choices like always. But this time it is done with more style, the two choices are always reason (blue) and instinct (red) in the form of brain like nerves objects.
http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1045/4188293/8762731/349663255.jpg
I like this design, as when you hover on reason it's a clam logical thought, and when you hover on instinct it's a more dareing challenging thought. Of course these choices lead to the 6 endings that have an ending song each which is nice.
Story
Sakiyama Youji is a student at a school those name I can't remember, he lives by himself in a flat. His parents are dead but does have a sister. He is living a normal day to day life that is until, he starts feeling odd and people he doesn't know start messing around with his life. He does'nt know why, that's for you to find out
That's the basic story anyway, the view points of the story does not stick to the main character, as it switches to another character called Okinaga Zenya who is linked to the back story. I think the whole point of the story is the slow revival of the back story on how it affects the main characters. But when you make the choices it's the character view point.
The background story is most confusing theory concept I have ever heard. But it is well done and is soon understanable when I had to read the spoilers at the sweet pool livejournal community.I really don't want to spoil but it involves flesh , a mesu (female), male (osu),breeding, phermones and blood (of course)
This is a really unique school, religous, horror story. Which is why I love Nitro+Chiral games. I think no other BL game can match up to the complex story of this. If I would type the whole background story/current story I would be burning up pages.
Characters
Interesting enough, I don't have a character I like unlike the previous games. But there are characters I feel sorry for.
pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1045/4188293/8762731/349663250.jpg
Sakiyama Youji
The main character, quite, aloof, lives by himself, but does have the best big sister ever (more about her later). He is not human, does not like eatting, but has a liking to fish
Hatano Wataru takes the role of youji well, sometimes I can't help thinking it's too much like Asato tone. Appart from that it's good, he has improved so much in moaning at the sex events. So I am happy.
Shironuma Tetsuo
The 2nd main character and main seme. He is ten times more quite and aloof then Youji but when you get to know him more, he is very sweet and becomes youji knight/prince. Out of all the characters tetsuo is the one who really understands and cares for Youji, mainly because the two have simular childhoods. Apart from he lives with step parents. Most of the endings (4 of them) belong to him. For me he's a much better character than shiki and Rai, in fact he reminds me of Asato but more macho and more normal, but he still does'nt do anything for me.
Hatoman Gunsou does'nt really say much, but his deep voice suits his character. That's it really
Mita Makoto
Youji best friend, really bright, happy, and popular person. He likes eating and tries to support his friend, that is until he goes nuts by youji pheromones. Mita is really a mix of Rin and keisuke (more Rin in personality and madmen crazy like keisuke). I really hated his ending as it's not happy and made me feel sick, but in Tetsuo path he does go back to normal and shows how a loyal friend he is
You know I love Kishio Daisuke, I talk about him a lot with my friends. And here really fits the profile of Makoto reallt well, as expected from a professional seiyuu and I still love him
Okinaga Zenya
The odd character who starts to pick on youji calling him yo-chin. He is really a messed up character, can manage to be happy, creepy ,possessive and feel sorry for all at the same time. He is really a love or hate character, but has a lot of attention due to what he is and how he is linked to the back story. He lives together with Kitani and kunihito. Offently the story switches to the three. His ending is really expected as he really does'nt turly understand Youji feelings, even enough he knows what Youji is.
Midorikawa Hikaru pretty much does his character well, and uses a different tone that is not Shiki.
Kitani Kouhei
A loyal helper to zenya (more loyal then damn Ianto!), serves zenya to his every needs, shopping, cooking, cleaning. I am not sure how he first met zenya but he used to serve Kunihito in which they has a history together. Out of all the characters he is one of the most nicest and the one I feel most sorry for. He really is left completely in the dark on the background story and as an result gets caught up in it. I really thought he at least get paried up with zenya or hell even youji, the poor guy.
I really don't know who Kitani seiyuu he seems new and unknown, his name is 秋月秀行. I really can't say much appart from he does his character well
Okinaga Kunihito
A crazy old man, I really hate. I am glad what happens to him in Tetsuo path in the end serves him right. He truly believes in the background story theory a lot.
I don't know who Yousuke Akimoto is, appart from he is an old seiyuu that has done a lot of roles. He acts rather like a mixture of aggressive, panicked old man. He does talk in a odd way due to his following in the background theory.
Kamiya sensei
A science school teacher in youji school. He acts as an mentor to youji giving him suggestions and generally being worried for him. his character is interesting since he's really not good or bad. Instead he acts as an supervisor in the whole situation of the story, he knows everything about the background theory more then all the other characters put together. Appart from that he really does nothing appart from giving advice or talking to the main characters. A shame really
Yusa koiji is a great VA, ever snice he played mido in Kichiku Megane. He sounds really calm, but at the same time really creepy. I hope Nitro+Chiral can get yusa again for another game.
Youji sister
If anyone knows her name, please comment because though out the game I don't think I ever heard it. Anyway she's the ideal sister everyone wants (even me), she doesn't live with him but is in hospital beacuse she having a baby. She calls Youji often and apart from Testuo really understands and cares for youji. Giving him advice and making him feel at ease. In the end she calls the baby yuji which is really sweet. And for once the two do look like sister and brother (in which most BL games never ever do koibito yugi is a fine example)
I don't know her seiyuu, but she does a good job, at the general but at the sad tone of a gentle sister,
Christine
Not a character, but a mascot. Lamento has qiums, Togainu no chi has solid, sweet pool has christine. Chirstine is a lisard that is dressed in a kimono, he is kitani pet and has a thing for hair. I think it's the cutest thing ever.
Music
http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL1045/4188293/8762731/349663251.jpg
The BGM is good and catches the atmosphere of the game environment setting. Zizz studio always does it job well. It reminds me of Togainu no chi BGM, but better. Apart from that it's really lacking compared to the musical masterpiece that is Lamento (That is hands down still has the best BGM)
The vocal songs really don't do it for me too, the opening fits the tone of the game but is really yet another rock song in english (and believe me in the UK we have a lot of rock songs in english), the same I can say for the hunger, red road, and diving deep. There's only two songs I like and that's VLG and Miracles may, VLG is catchy and different and Miracles may is just a touching and calming song. All of the lyrics really are not understandable, most of them don't even rhyme.
Endings(SPOILERS HERE)
So there is 6 endings to get, 5 you can get in any order and one you have to get last. They are all different endings, but what I like about them is that, as well as being open they also has a sense of ambigulaty. Some of the endings make you think about what is going on and the meaning behide it.
As I said early each ending is connected to a song, which pretty much sums it up. The credits are shown in different ways as well which is nice. So I am going to show the endings order I got. There's a bit of spoillers but doesn't give too much away I hope
The red road: Tetsuo path, if you mainly pick instinct (and a few reason). Youji accepts himself as an monster. So he and testuo both fulfil the background story theory, but die in the process. But it produces a new child in which Kitani finds. And the child fate is unknown, My play time was FIVE HOURS
Diving deep: Testuo path, mainly instinct but picking reason for the last choice. Making youji unsure about him being a monster or a human. So before he and tetsuo tried to fullfill the background theory, the two are too late as Kinani kills them. Years later Kitani meets up with kamiya as he finds out more about tetsuo history and the rest of the background story. Play time the same as 5 hours
The hunger: Makoto path, all of the choices are reason. As said before I really hate this ending so in summary youji gets raped and eaten by Makoto. Nice....play time 20 minutes
VLG: What does VLG mean? I am not too sure. Zenya's path pick more instinct with some reason. In summary Youji becomes Zenya sex slave wooo, play time 10 minutes at least
Miracles may (Violin Version): tetsuo path, half reason and half instinct. Youji want to be human with testuo, but are shot in to the pool. After tetsuo lives and is now having a normal life, youji is with him but I really don't know if he's alive or dead. Play time 3 hours at least
Miracles may: Tetsuo path, half reason and instinct like before but on the final choice picking reason. Tetsuo lives but youji dies, this time tetsuo doesn't remember youji at all and carries on with his life. There is one point where he nearly remembers but soon forgets. play time the same as 3 hours
So there is no happy end at all, which is refreshing. My overall play time is over 6 hours at least, but took me a whole week at 2 hours every night.
Overall I am happy with this game, it's not going to be a favourite, but it definitely made me thought about a few things. I could'nt play this with AGTH as it randomly catches and translated bits and bobs of the text.
Well before I finsh off, I bet everyone going to ask where I got the game from. For me there are two areas one is aarrinfantasy forum and the second is mirainoyume (a LJ community but you do have to join)
Well that's me done
Kino_san XD