#White Album 2 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

medakakurokami · 1 year ago

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I finished over 100 visual novels, here’s a long post with some recommendations

Last month I hit 100 Finished VN’s over on the VNDB and I thought I’d shoot out some recommendations while the Steam Summer Sale is going on (even though some of these aren’t going to be on Steam)

I already have finished up some stragglers and caught some shorter titles so it’s up to 104 Finished, but all the better. I have been reading some VN’s since 2015, but it really became a hobby and a genre I was invested in during Covid lockdown in 2020. I had trouble getting into some of the popular titles, but a couple of games that were lesser known at that time really blew me away that year and I started digging more into the medium. I still have a lot to try out and other classics I’m still interested in trying, but here’s a top 10 I’m confident in recommending to most people, at least the kinda people that would follow this blog. A few of these recommendations are actually multi-part series, but hopefully accessible all around.

Planetarian ($10 on Steam and Switch, ~$5 on sale)

This is a very late entry onto this list but I think it’s an easy recommendation. This is a very short 2-4 hour visual novel that got a well received 2 hour movie adaptation in 2016, but it was strong enough that even while knowing the plot everything still hit hard. It is a story set 30 years after an apocalyptic event destroys most of the world, as a human junk-trader comes across a planetarium with a somehow-still-functional robot named Hoshino still performing her daily duties after 30 years without customers or coworkers. It can come across as a bit saccharine, but it is a quick, well made, and effective tearjerker.

Narcissu 1st & 2nd (Free on Steam)

Narcissu’s first two parts are pretty compelling stories to do with suicidal ideation within the scope of the terminally ill. Which is to say they’re also real tear jerkers, and pretty open about some harsh self-reflective emotions. They both have stellar endings, and can be quite immersive despite the very limited artwork (if the screencap looks weird, the game’s art exists within a narrow strip on the screen, with a sentence or two reading out the story underneath it). Maybe the least accessible on this list, but a $0 price tag makes it easier in some sense to get into.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni / When The Seagulls Cry (~$50 on Steam, $30 on sale)

Umineko you’ve probably already heard of, and here’s me recommending it. Umineko comes in two parts, on Steam referred to as the Questions Arc and the Answers Arc. Despite the split, the overall story follows the events of a certain day on Rokkenjima Island in 1986 as a family meets to discuss their inheritance and their family’s mysteries. Unbeknownst to them they are soon haunted, over and over again, by the revenant of the Golden Witch said to live in the woods of their family’s island.

I’m in the minority of preferring the Questions Arc, where well written and deeply human characters find themselves in deeply inhumane and nonsensical scenarios. The Answers Arc back seats some of that to start delving into an esoteric explosion of clues and backstories, and was still very entertaining even if I was more invested in the episodic stories than the overarching mystery. This may also be seen as inaccessible, $30-50 for a slightly older title and over 140 hours long on average playthroughs, but it is deeply absorbing.

Witch on the Holy Night a.k.a. Mahoyo ($40 on PS4 and Switch)

Mahoyo is me and Nasu’s marriage counselor, it really made me see the good in him. It follows a young witch co-habitating with her magic colleague and the puppy-like boy that unwittingly steps into their world at risk to his own life, just as unexplained apparent murders are witnessed in their town.

This could possibly be a higher level recommendation, though it was apparently intended to have sequels and you can somewhat feel that in the isolated feeling of its main conflict. Despite this, the game is definitely worth experiencing for its classy charm and extremely well made action sequences that at times make you forget you’re not watching a full anime film. It’s also a showcase of Nasu’s strengths in writing character interactions and comedy, and he finally lets Show take over and stops Telling you piles of mage society worldbuilding quite so often. It is also has some of the highest quality production value I’ve ever seen, second maybe to...

Marco and the Galaxy Dragon ($20 on Steam/Switch, less than $10 on sale)

Marco and the Galaxy Dragon is an explosive opera of art, energy, color, and of course music. It follows the orphaned Marco and her dragon compatriot Arco as they hunt for treasure across the cosmos, finding their way to Earth on the hunt for Marco’s mother.

If Umineko’s 140 hours seems steep, Marco has you covered with a quick 6 hour rundown of a rebellious orphan fighting back against her space alien menace to find her own sense of place and identity in the universe, along with ALL the friends she made along the way. If Mahoyo feels like an anime film sometimes, Marco actually just has fully animated FMV cutscenes that are fun as hell and have their own unique artstyle to the VN itself. Thousands of pieces of artwork and a 52-track OST fill the game’s short runtime with no cut corners and and overflow of passion from the devs. Honestly even if you don’t want to read it go buy it, it’s cheap and they earned it.

White Album 2 (You’ll have to be creative to find this one)

This is the only recommendation that’s currently only available in an adults only 18+ Rating for the English translation. That being said, it’s one of the few erotic VN’s that felt justified in its pornographic scenes. The story is split into two releases: Opening Chapter and Closing Chapter.

Opening is a short and powerfully delivered love triangle narrative following Haruki, Setsuna, and Touma as their hastily formed 3-man light music band falls into itself with feelings. It’s charming but gut wrenching and sweeps you into its drama very effectively before kicking you on your ass in the end.

Closing Chapter is a long and drawn out disassembling of their lives as they fail to heal from the wounds of the relationships seen in Opening. It, to great effect, takes the readers own experience with how fun and passionate the Opening Chapter was, and shows how trying to cling to halcyon days can make us so dispassionate about our present lives. Painful stuff! Good music, too.

The Princess, The Stray Cat, and Matters of the Heart 1 & 2

a.k.a. Noratoto ($40 on Steam for both, ~$15 for both on sale)

This is a very personal recommendation, and maybe one more easy to make on this blog where many of my followers might be receptive to sincere but slapstick ecchi comedy as art. Every route is highly different however and to me, some are pretty average for galge, while others stand out as amazing. The comedy writing as well feels like it was written by someone with actual comic writing experience, and not just regurgitating the usual ecchi manga jokes.

The general premise of Noratoto is the protagonist Nora, being transformed into a cat by Patricia the princess of the Netherworld, and he must reverse this curse via a kiss before it becomes permanent. A benign fairy tale premise, but one that somehow gives way to underlying stories about existence and finding purpose in families and where that leaves those without families or with abusive or divided families (it is from the same developers as Marco and the Galaxy Dragon, and the themes of finding identity without family match up very closely). Uniquely it is a visual novel written somewhat in 3rd person, narrated by a motherly voice as if the VN was being read to you as a bedtime story.

Like I said, it is dependent on route and some come across as your usual ecchi gal-game schtick, but some stick out, and if every route was as high quality as Nobuchina’s in the 2nd game, it would probably be my favorite visual novel.

The Original Ace Attorney Trilogy ($30 on most platforms, $10 on sale)

You’ve almost certainly heard of Ace Attorney already and have most likely played it. This is me telling any Ace Attorney fans reading that the original trilogy still reigns supreme (regardless of Turnabout Big Top). This is also me telling anyone who has held out on trying Ace Attorney to try it, and to start with the original trilogy.

Obviously this trilogy follows the Meme Man Himself, Phoenix Wright, as he defends the innocent and brings the guilty to justice acting as both lawyer and his own main investigator. While each case presents a unique mystery, the original trilogy has an underlying arc that reaches from beginning to end with a massive conspiracy that Phoenix has to breach to bring justice to the perpetrators and resolve the memory and regrets of his beloved mentor.

These games have some speedbumps as you may be banging your head against the wall trying to find the right evidence, but the experience that breaks through does so with gusto, succeeding on what it sets out to be: games that make you feel like you’ve brought justice to the world.

Utawarerumono Trilogy ($40/60 each on Steam, trilogy bundle $62 on sale)

Utawarerumono was my first proper visual novel, and it set the standards pretty high. I’ve posted about it several times in the last few years, and it remains one of my favorites. It is a labor of love on the part of the developers (the same developers as White Album 2), who developed the latter two games over the course of several years and have made this the spearhead of their company for the time being. Which makes sense, since it is about war.

The first game follows a masked man who is given the name Hakuoro waking up in a rural village with amnesia, confused about the strange population of beast-men living there. Despite not understanding his situation, his ingenuity brings the village prosperity. When the local lords try to put the village under their thumb, Hakuoro and the villagers are able to turn the tides against them. Their village grows into a kingdom as Hakuoro seeks the mysteries of himself and the world around him.

The latter two games pick up some twenty years after the conclusion of the first, and follow a man who is given the name Haku, waking up in the woods with amnesia confused about the... you get it. He is met by Kuon, a young girl on her way traveling to the capital of their nation of Yamato. Haku graciously accepts her help getting out of the cold woods, and decides to join her to the capital. As events play out, Haku finds himself under the direct command of the nation’s leader the Mikado, and carries out missions on his behalf as the nation continues to drag itself into war and conflict and Haku also seeks the truth of his identity.

These games are expansive in scope while still putting a large focus on the day-to-day lives of its characters. Around 100 hours across all three games it is impressive how much story it manages to fit in, but the pacing does bounce around between sweeping conflict and sleepy conversations. It is also in part, a strategy RPG game with the battles in the war being controlled by the player. These are decently made, especially well in the third game, but don’t ask too much of the player and the story remains the main focus and biggest portion of the runtime.

The House In Fata Morgana a.k.a. Fatamoru

($40 complete version on PS4/Switch, ~$40 main game + expansion on Steam)

I’ve gushed about this enough on this tumblr, I’ll keep it brief.

You are a formless soul who is led by the hand of a mysterious maid through the doors of a mansion on an unknown plane of existence. Through each door lies a story of the house in a different era, all following people bound together in ways that leave them cruelly and violently undone by the end of their stories. The connection between these stories, the mystery of the house and the supposed witch that resides within, and the mystery of You the wandering soul all slowly unravel in a bloody show of catharsis and soul. The game is dripping with traumatic poetic text, grating beautiful music, and all of its atmosphere geared toward being oppressive yet enticing. One of the best things I’ve read.

Honorable mentions:

Va-11 Hall-A and Endless Mondays get shout outs as some of the best Original English Language VN’s I’ve read, with cool artstyles and a mature cast they manage to be fun and relatable. Va-11 Hall-A delivers a great arc for its protagonist and Endless Mondays has great dialogue on the threat of automation of creative industries.

Grisaia Trilogy and Hatsumira are both absolutely raucous trilogies that are a lot of fun. Not wholly recommendable to all, Grisaia has some strong moments and a hilarious unique cast but is a mess overall (but we love Michiru). Hatsumira is a bit more consistent, a more stable and fantasy-oriented Grisaia.

A.I. The Somnium Files duology are detective games with highly divisive endings, but great comedy and characters that make them very easy to get through and enjoy the whole way to the end. It’s just a toss-up whether you’ll like that ending.

Sakura Wars games are finally being translated, and they are a great showing for anyone who wants to try some classic dating sim stuff but with some pizazz thrown in with the setting and mecha combat.

The Tears to Tiara duology by the same developers of Utawarerumono and White Album is also one to keep an eye out for. The first game's definitive version isn't available in English and the second game is stuck on the PS3 and no longer available digitally, but if they ever come out on Steam they are worth your time.

Nanairo Reincarnation and Kinkoi: Golden Loveriche are also two solid ecchi comedy galge. Both have surprisingly deep and genuinely heartbreaking underlying mysteries and conclusions.

I still have a lot I wanna read, Planetarian is the only Key novel I’ve read. On the docket are Labyrinth of Galleria, Little Busters, the 9 -nine- series, and Kara no Shoujo and White Album 1 releasing on Steam this year. Some classics I didn’t mention are Fate/Stay Night, Muv Luv, Steins Gate. Muv Luv I read Extra and enjoyed it, but never pulled the trigger on reading the rest, I may at some point on a whim. Steins;Gate I played through half of on PS3 and now my PS3 is in the closet, the VN is really good and has a unique atmosphere to the anime, buuuuuuut knowing the plot has made it hard to want to restart on PC or another console. Steins;Gate is good, if anyone is reading this far and hasn’t seen the anime or read the VN, do it.

#long post #i'll only tag the main ones #planetarian #narcissu #umineko #witch on the holy night #marco and the galaxy dragon #white album 2 #the princess the stray cat and matters of the heart #noratoto #ace attorney #utawarerumono #the house in fata morgana

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atopearth · 5 months ago

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White Album 2 Part 10 - Mini After Stories

The Way Towards Happiness

Ohhh they're married now! It's nice to see Haruki try to tell Setsuna to get up on a Sunday and not spend the whole morning sleeping haha. They're so cute. It was so funny to watch the banter between Setsuna and her mother. A definite plus being with Setsuna is having the Ogiso family, they're all very kind and sweet in their own way. It's so cute and relatable how Setsuna's mother coming over to help them pack for moving was so unproductive because her and Setsuna just chatted about everything they found lol. It's also unsurprising that Setsuna's mother was able to get through to Haruki's mother and even hang with her. Honestly, Setsuna always felt like the epitome of "the correct path" in life where you have the "perfect" girl, great family that heals everything and helps Haruki strive upwards in his career but as the famous meme goes, just because it's correct doesn't mean it's right and that's why we have Kazusa's route imo😆 There's something quite funny about how on Christmas Eve this time, both Setsuna and Haruki were so busy that they both couldn't make it for their plans lol. I guess it's because just like Setsuna said, she doesn't feel the need to and won't lie anymore like all those times where she said she wasn't waiting for Haruki when she in fact did. Having hotpot on Christmas is a very interesting choice though haha! Maybe that's how it is in real life, but honestly considering the angst and everything with Takeya and Io, I always find it underwhelming how they got together. I feel like it was only shown like once and it was so forgettable for such important side characters lol. I guess it's good that they're happy now and thinking about kids lol.

I really enjoyed Haruki and Setsuna's walk down memory lane right before they moved. It reminded me of when I graduated from university the first time and I took a nice long walk around campus to all the places that held memories for me. Overall, I think Setsuna's after story was very nice and sweet. I think the best thing about being with Setsuna will always be the friends she comes along with haha. I'm honestly not the biggest fan of Io and Tomo but having Takeya is always great for Haruki. Anyway, their peaceful married life is exactly how you would picture it and they're definitely the "perfect couple" after enduring all the years of pain they had to go through because of each other's actions. The ending was fulfilling in that it made me smile and happy that they were finally able to be openly honest with each other about everything and truly treat the other as a life partner without anything hindering them anymore. It was great to see and I loved their cute little banter.

The Way Back to Happiness

Just seeing Youko alive and healthy enough to see Haruki and Kazusa come back to Japan is good enough for me tbh. I always feel sorry for Miyo-chan having to deal with Youko and Kazusa though hahaha, poor lady has it rough. As for Kazusa and Haruki arguing the moment they appear, it just feels so natural hahaha. Lmao, I love how when it comes to arguments, Kazusa is the one who comes to whine first because she's lonely and Haruki is ignoring her, she's such a cute baby haha. I really felt for Miyo-chan when she said maybe she really should quit her job after hearing Kazusa through the phone pouncing on Haruki lmaooo. Lady needs a break. Although I love the Ogiso family too with their warmth, I don't think anything beats my love for Youko. It was so funny when she said she thinks she'll be able to live to see her grandchild grow up and even attend the funeral, she's such a riot, I love her🤣 Haruki teasing Kazusa with the phone booth story when she lost all her stuff and could only remember Haruki's number was so cute, especially since she was embarrassed haha. I love how Kazusa got her revenge by taking Haruki to the concert hall and asking him if he knew this place since he never appeared for her concerts, so savage but true🤣 Seeing them go back to the place where they revealed their true feelings for each other really made me feel nostalgic, because not only was it an iconic scene in the novel, but I still remember it from watching the anime many years ago.

I think there's something sweet about Youko now living in the house Kazusa used to live in alone as a teenager. I'm glad Miyo-chan lives with her. I wanted to cry when Youko told Kazusa that her and Haruki had been forgiven for a long time and that she visited the Ogiso household many times to try and talk to them and apologise for her. It was so heartwarming to see Youko help Kazusa retrieve a place for her here in Japan so that she could come back without feeling guilty anymore. Honestly, Haruki and Kazusa's memories are definitely the best and my favourite. I don't think any of Setsuna's can really compare. Anyway, I loved how they went back to their high school and talked about how Haruki used to love watching Kazusa's sleeping and would always wake her up because he wanted to see her face. I can't find a more fitting place for them to have their wedding ceremony, and honestly Kazusa looks beautiful all the time but she was really gorgeous in her wedding dress. And there's just something about seeing Kazusa in white when that's usually Setsuna's colour. The only thing I'm sad about is that we never really got to see Kazusa and Setsuna talk again even though it's basically shown that everyone is friends again. But I guess when it comes to Kazusa and Haruki, their story was always focused very much on the relationship of the two of them rather than anyone else so I guess it is a fitting end. Overall, I definitely loved this after story more but I'm biased because I always enjoy Haruki and Kazusa's banter more, and when it comes to Youko, all their interactions become so entertaining to watch and yet so heartwarming as well. It's really beautiful to see how far Kazusa and her mother have come to mending and communicating in their relationship, if anything, I loved watching over their relationship progress and show each other how much they loved and cared for the other. Walking back on all those memories is definitely something I very much enjoyed and it makes me so happy to see everything culminate into the beautiful Kazusa wedding dress CG. To be honest, I could probably listen to Haruki and Kazusa talk for an entire game and I'd still love it because they're just so fun.

Extra episode - To My Sworn Enemy

Sometimes, I don't know how I should describe Setsuna when she always goes back to Haruki no matter how many times he cheats on her, and the thing is, he emotionally and physically cheats on her to the point that is unforgivable because you know how seriously he loves Kazusa. So yeah, I don't know if I should call her resilient? Obsessed? Silly? Disrespectful to herself? I really don't know but as someone who thinks that you should always put yourself first, I can never really understand how she basically tortures herself to be with Haruki alot of the time. Of course I can understand taking him to the psychiatrist and stuff considering Haruki's condition but I'm sure Takeya could do that. Especially since Setsuna supporting him is a form of torture to Haruki himself too. He's already been abandoned by Kazusa and now he's forced to face the guilt of betraying Setsuna again and be smothered in her kindness and care when he's wallowing in guilt and negative emotions. I really can't see how this is beneficial to either of them no matter how much she loves him. Honestly though, alot of the time Haruki is with Setsuna, I feel like just as it's probably love, a part of it is also guilt that he "should" be with her and maybe that's why I'm never really on board with their relationship. I won't deny that he likes her, but I'm sure over the years with Io and Takeya constantly pressuring him to get back with her properly blah blah blah, I'm sure being with Setsuna is naturally considered to be the "right path" and the only path rather than a choice he truly made for himself. I guess this toxic relationship is what they both "want" though. Haruki doesn't want to be alone and abandoned and needs her, and she wants Haruki to completely depend on her so she can have him in that way even if he's not completely him.

Considering how big of a deal it always was for Youko to want to spend her last remaining days in Japan, seeing her go to Vienna for Kazusa to protect her in her last moments instead is just so sweet. It's difficult to watch Haruki stressed about missing work and thinking of himself as weak and useless, and that everyone will forget he ever existed at the rate he's going, because it's too relatable to me. However, unlike Haruki, I was stressed from work itself and life which in the end led me to quitting altogether. I didn't mind being forgotten but that guilt of not going to work (it was volunteering but still work) coupled with feelings of inadequacy really can drive you very down. I think Setsuna's mother was a bit too much to tell Setsuna that she's young and can start over with another guy but from Setsuna's father's perspective, I can understand why he wants to bring Haruki's mother into this and I agree with his methods because Setsuna is obviously breaking herself down. Seeing Youko's condition deteriorate breaks my heart though and now I can't help but wish she stayed in Japan, because even though she's here in Vienna supporting Kazusa, no one is really supporting her. Kazusa will always be her child and she will always worry about her. It's hard to watch Setsuna crack because she hurts everyone around her in her desperation to protect her and Haruki's relationship. Sigh. And now we experience Setsuna breaking down and being unable to move to go to Haruki's place because of the stress it's put on her. Honestly, it's so hard to read because I've experienced this as well. Back in the day, I made it all the way to the city to go to work but I couldn't go the rest of the way. I stood in one spot, unable to move forward, unable to go back until I just started crying uncontrollably and had to go home in the end. It was terrifying that I could "want" to go to work but be physically unable to go. However, unlike Setsuna, I never had the strength to go back once I left that day. So, honestly, despite my grievances with Setsuna, I really do admire her for always moving forward no matter what, I'm definitely much more like Kazusa. I'm glad Haruki told her to never come back and to help and protect herself before she becomes like him, because at this moment, they are definitely both bringing each other down. I always love Setsuna and Kazusa fighting it out with their emotions and true thoughts so that is always welcome. It's nice that it led to a breakthrough for Setsuna to rejuvenate herself. What I really enjoyed was knowing that Haruki left a note everyday he went out to tell Setsuna where he was, hoping that one day she would come back after everything and still choosing to be with him. It was also really great to see Youko pick herself up after Kazusa's concerto, it's always wonderful to see Kazusa and her mother so full of life.

Overall, the mini after stories were nice and short, true to their name, and I enjoyed them as a happy end to everything. It really feels endearing to watch over them look back on the past as they move forward together in life, it was really sweet. I do have to say though, My Sworn Enemy was better than I expected and probably my favourite read here. It was really nice to see everyone falling apart in their own ways but picking themselves up for their various reasons. It was as dramatic as the main story and I guess that's what we're all here for haha. As for my impressions of the whole game itself, I would rate it an 8/10 for me but it was definitely a very long journey. I can't tell you how many breaks I needed because each and every character frustrated me in some way and I would need a break haha. But just as they frustrated me, it also made understand this story truly is a drama through and through and just as it's terrible because of how frustrating it is, the story is great because this is its main focus. I will always love Kazusa the most and despite everything, the Introductory Chapter will always be the most nostalgic favourite because that's when everyone got to be together, but going through the Closing Chapter just made seeing Kazusa again in Coda so exciting. Anyway, it's hard for me to put in words but it was a nice ride because the emotions displayed in each and every character was something you really felt. Even if it was ridiculous, even if it was annoying, you could really feel the weight of everyone's decisions and thoughts and I guess that's what makes this game so great.

#white album 2

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