Rant: ...meanwhile, some Quickies
Break time for me again, as I try to get into Sumaga and figure out what other game to take up after that. Kinda stuck there, since I also have the KiraKira and Edelweiss fandisks to go through, but I haven't been up for that as of yet.
AneImo2: The last fandisk to be released in connection to this game has really shaken any faith I had in boot-up. It's funny and sad at the same time, since their first impression game (AneImo2) was very well-done and lacked nothing while presenting a very nice set of stories. What bugged me is that afterwards they released 2H's, which was basically a yaru game with the characters from AneImo2. The latest fandisk, called ImoImo (since it focuses on Yui and Satsuki) has left me scratching my head over what they're doing with these characters.
This, of course, is in conjunction with the horrible two-part OVA that was based on the game.
R.U.R.U.R.: Just when I was about to give up hope, I found an interesting tidbit on light's website. As it turns out, the plans for the R.U.R.U.R. console port have changed, and instead of a PS2 release like originally planned, they have decided to release the game on PSP. ETA so far is this winter, and still promises new CG artwork, a new ending for Benibana, a grand finale-type ending and mentions the staff that worked on the PC version of the game will be making this one. There's also mention of a reformed (刷新) Ichihiko, but I don't know if they mean a change to his personality or just a change to his character design.
The pessimist in me is wondering how much they're planning to cut from the game (I'm unfamiliar with the memory capacity of UMDs). Still, I'm putting money aside for the limited edition release as we speak...
G.J.: Someone must have heard my sort-of good comments on Hime to BOIN and found them unacceptable, since G.J. has announced their upcoming game for November. Not that I could call it much of a game...
Anyway, the release will be called "Sano Toshihide, your personal manga man". The title already alludes to weird things. It's not much of a game, but one of those paper doll booklets with the cut-out clothes to put on them, but in the form of a PC "game". Existing Sano artwork can be modified and changed as the player would see fit, being capable of adding things and so on.
Yes, I'm also asking outloud "and this going to cost the same as an actual eroge?". I hope this is some sort of elaborate joke, otherwise I'd take it as a sign that G.J. doesn't have enough money to make a real game and is kind of forced to make something as ludicrous as this.
Then again, it could turn out to be brilliant and ground-breaking, but the chances of that happening are very, very slim.
Swan Song: I was finally able to play a bit of this game. To present some info on it, the game was developed as a joint work between Flying Shine and Le.Chocolat. It is a visual novel set in modern times, following the life of a young college student who must find a way to survive after a powerful earthquake causes most of his town to sink underwater on Christmas eve.
Sadly, I can't say much more, since the game files keep corrupting on me and I keep getting a read error on the script. The premise looks really good and I love the layout overall, but I won't be able to explore the story behind this game until I can get around those errors...
Featured Character:
Name: Ogushi Yuniko
Game: Seven Online Gamers ~Offline~
Designed by: Sano Toshihide
Voiced by: Kawashima Rino
Yuniko is first introduced when her character in Seven Warriors Online (a Samurai named NEEV) runs into our protagonist's own character in a forested aread after he gets separated from his party. She explains that she's been playing solo the entire time on her character, and made it as far as lv38 (SWO's level cap being lv40). Our protagonist offers to join forces with her, but she decides to test his skill before befriending him. After some thought, Eiyuu chooses to meet up with her one week later to duel.
After losing to him, Yuniko accepts him as her friend and makes him come to the Japan Auto Exhibition with the purpose of meeting up with him. Of course, our protagonist is lost amidst all the car afficionados, not even knowing what the person behind NEEV looks like. At the end of a seemingly fruitless day, Eiyuu has a chance encounter with Yuniko at a net cafe. As it turns out, she was the model that was having her picture taken with the various cars at the show.
Being older than the other characters, Yuniko is very laid back and not as finicky as Anko or Kohane. Still, she's somewhat vulnerable and very insecure of herself (despite being forward and decisive in-game). Upon meeting our protagonist face-to-face, she actually asks him what he thinks of her, admitting that her feeling of self-worth is derived from the opinions others. In fact, Yuniko's interest in Eiyuu stems from the fact that he doesn't openly think of her as strange.
As a side note, Yuniko's family owns a small restaurant, and her father has been wanting to find a groom for her to inherit and continue the family business. She was also a fan favorite in the pre-release character poll held by G.J.
Anyway, that's it for today.
-Moroboshi Yuumei
AneImo2: The last fandisk to be released in connection to this game has really shaken any faith I had in boot-up. It's funny and sad at the same time, since their first impression game (AneImo2) was very well-done and lacked nothing while presenting a very nice set of stories. What bugged me is that afterwards they released 2H's, which was basically a yaru game with the characters from AneImo2. The latest fandisk, called ImoImo (since it focuses on Yui and Satsuki) has left me scratching my head over what they're doing with these characters.
This, of course, is in conjunction with the horrible two-part OVA that was based on the game.
R.U.R.U.R.: Just when I was about to give up hope, I found an interesting tidbit on light's website. As it turns out, the plans for the R.U.R.U.R. console port have changed, and instead of a PS2 release like originally planned, they have decided to release the game on PSP. ETA so far is this winter, and still promises new CG artwork, a new ending for Benibana, a grand finale-type ending and mentions the staff that worked on the PC version of the game will be making this one. There's also mention of a reformed (刷新) Ichihiko, but I don't know if they mean a change to his personality or just a change to his character design.
The pessimist in me is wondering how much they're planning to cut from the game (I'm unfamiliar with the memory capacity of UMDs). Still, I'm putting money aside for the limited edition release as we speak...
G.J.: Someone must have heard my sort-of good comments on Hime to BOIN and found them unacceptable, since G.J. has announced their upcoming game for November. Not that I could call it much of a game...
Anyway, the release will be called "Sano Toshihide, your personal manga man". The title already alludes to weird things. It's not much of a game, but one of those paper doll booklets with the cut-out clothes to put on them, but in the form of a PC "game". Existing Sano artwork can be modified and changed as the player would see fit, being capable of adding things and so on.
Yes, I'm also asking outloud "and this going to cost the same as an actual eroge?". I hope this is some sort of elaborate joke, otherwise I'd take it as a sign that G.J. doesn't have enough money to make a real game and is kind of forced to make something as ludicrous as this.
Then again, it could turn out to be brilliant and ground-breaking, but the chances of that happening are very, very slim.
Swan Song: I was finally able to play a bit of this game. To present some info on it, the game was developed as a joint work between Flying Shine and Le.Chocolat. It is a visual novel set in modern times, following the life of a young college student who must find a way to survive after a powerful earthquake causes most of his town to sink underwater on Christmas eve.
Sadly, I can't say much more, since the game files keep corrupting on me and I keep getting a read error on the script. The premise looks really good and I love the layout overall, but I won't be able to explore the story behind this game until I can get around those errors...
Featured Character:
Name: Ogushi Yuniko
Game: Seven Online Gamers ~Offline~
Designed by: Sano Toshihide
Voiced by: Kawashima Rino
Yuniko is first introduced when her character in Seven Warriors Online (a Samurai named NEEV) runs into our protagonist's own character in a forested aread after he gets separated from his party. She explains that she's been playing solo the entire time on her character, and made it as far as lv38 (SWO's level cap being lv40). Our protagonist offers to join forces with her, but she decides to test his skill before befriending him. After some thought, Eiyuu chooses to meet up with her one week later to duel.
After losing to him, Yuniko accepts him as her friend and makes him come to the Japan Auto Exhibition with the purpose of meeting up with him. Of course, our protagonist is lost amidst all the car afficionados, not even knowing what the person behind NEEV looks like. At the end of a seemingly fruitless day, Eiyuu has a chance encounter with Yuniko at a net cafe. As it turns out, she was the model that was having her picture taken with the various cars at the show.
Being older than the other characters, Yuniko is very laid back and not as finicky as Anko or Kohane. Still, she's somewhat vulnerable and very insecure of herself (despite being forward and decisive in-game). Upon meeting our protagonist face-to-face, she actually asks him what he thinks of her, admitting that her feeling of self-worth is derived from the opinions others. In fact, Yuniko's interest in Eiyuu stems from the fact that he doesn't openly think of her as strange.
As a side note, Yuniko's family owns a small restaurant, and her father has been wanting to find a groom for her to inherit and continue the family business. She was also a fan favorite in the pre-release character poll held by G.J.
Anyway, that's it for today.
-Moroboshi Yuumei