Raising Simulation – Uncovering The VN Hybrid
Shaping A Future
Taking
responsibility for the life and future of another person as a parent
or mentor is specific dynamic which many games struggle with
expressing and systematising. Raising Simulation
games step into this niche and attempt to express the complex ideas
and emotions surrounding the subject in a direct and engaging manner.
To communicate the narrative of this journey a visual novel format is
often chosen due to how the two favourably interact with each other.
The menu based nature of a Raising Simulation alongside the stat
based gameplay help complement and contrast the narrative while
keeping the focus squarely on the character being raised through the
player’s actions. Multiple options and endings are a staple of both
styles of game and create an experience defined by actions and their
long term consequences. The modular nature of a visual novel system
plays a large role in how this entire package can come together in
such a cohesive fashion. Let’s assume the role of parenthood and
discover how the duty of care can be an evocative narrative.
Helping Them Reach Their Potential
On
a system level a Raising Simulation focuses around planning out the
day to day life of the person being mentored. These then play out and
stats go up and down depending on the choices made after which the
player repeats this cycle. It is in the way the game presents these
individual elements of the player’s plan as the first and most
repeated interaction with the visual novel sections. Each one is
generally given a small pool of short dialogue interactions for each
type of activity on the schedule and these play out one after another
to create a sense of the character going about their day. They can
take many different forms to fit the needs of the specific title with
some covering the whole screen in a normal visual novel style to
being a small window and chibi art depicting the events. Including
these short vignettes helps add some much need character and humanity
to what would otherwise be series of cold spreadsheet calculations
through their intimate nature while framing them in a light manner.
Having a short duration and multiple version helps them not become
tedious or interfere with the flow of the game as they blend into the
framing of the stat increases and make it feeling like there is always
something new to experience during these sections.
 |
| Being a mentor is never easy |
An interesting
example of this practice can be found in Girlish Grimoire Littlewitch
Romanesque with the selection of small events it uses to highlight
training sessions. These are light hearted and cover the heroines’
growth as they meet stumbling blocks and success. Over the course of
the game they present a convincing picture of effect the player’s
training is having on them and provides a sense of progression
outside of the main story. Interpersonal conflicts only play a minor role
in these events with any friction between the heroines or the
protagonist being played up for comic effect in order ensure nothing
on consequence happens in them. This helps create a sense of the trio
as a sort of family who clash on occasion, but ultimately do care
about each other which is in keeping with the themes and tone of the
game as a whole. Their position just after a stat focused section
means they act to create a space where the player can be remained
that they are dealing with people rather a spreadsheet in order to
prevent the game accidentally distancing the player from their actions.
Having these events be visual novel in nature means they are quick to
view and multiple can be produced easily to keep them feeling fresh
while still offering the expected character centric experience. The
distinctive choice of speech-bubble textboxes reinforces the quick
and easy feeling of these scenes where everything is expressed in a
concise format.
Life’s Many Paths
Shaping
the eventual fate of the character you are guiding is a core part of
the identity of the Raising Simulation. What this means is a series
of different narrative paths which change based on the players
actions and how they choose to shape the character’s stats or
relationships. As such there is a need for a style of story
presentation which is flexible enough to allow for this level of
alternative outcomes while being able to be produced smoothly in the
large quantities this approach demands. Visual novel sections are the
obvious choice for this kind of content with their lean production
methods and the in build audience expectation for branching
narratives. It also offers a consistent framework to express the
variety of idea required for these alternative endings while using
the same art and sound for vastly different effects without them
coming across as clashing due to their relatively simple nature and
universal framing. Being able to act as self contained units of story
and still being able to reflect the artist and tonal vision of the
Raising Simulation mechanics through their common use of assets helps
form a sense of continuity between the player’s action in
developing the character and what sort of person they become since
they share a link in terms of how the player perceive them and their
expected behaviour. Of course subverting this expectation is
something the flexible elements of the visual novel sections also
allow for as the familiar actions of the character you have been
raising spiral out of control due to your mistakes and it can be made
personal through the intimate nature of the format.
 |
| The indirect nature of player expression makes the Raising Simulation an odd genre |
The Princess
Maker games showcase how this demand for multiple paths influences
the narrative presentation of Raising Simulators. They are titles
defined by their flexibility and the means they offer for player
expression through the various endings to the princess’s journey.
Each outcome is written in such a way as to be believable no matter
the path used to reach it while still offering the feeling of being a
fitting conclusion to the tale through vague nods it makes to player
actions without specifying what they were so the player can fill in
the gaps however they desire. Giving the player enough space of
insert their own experiences into the narrative is a trick the games
uses liberally so the focus on it in the divergent paths does not come
across as out of place, but rather they appear to be pulling all
those threads into a sense of completeness. Understanding the need to
offer a fitting outcome for the player’s actions is a key feature
of a good Raising Simulation and Princess Maker places these moments
of change at key milestones of the princess’ life to allow their
impact to match the journey’s rising stakes.
As Much Or As Little
A
modular system of narrative storytelling is a fundamental requirement
for any title in this genre due to their stop and start structure
preventing a more standard linear style from being used. The system
of presentation needs to be able to say what needs to be said in both
long and short form while not making the jump between them feel
jarring. Here is where the visual novel acts as the perfect element
to meet the needs of this shifting gameplay style. It has the ability
to be concise or verbose depending on the situation and use the same
set of tools to do so in order to offer the narrative an instantly
recognisable layout so the player immediately knows what is going on.
The relatively static nature of what it display on screen helps in
merge seamlessly into the menu based nature of the Raising Simulation
as the two animate in a similarly rudimentary way, but still posses
the ability to convey complex emotional states. Any gaps in story
content where the game wants to focus in on the act of raising the
character can be accommodated as the visual novel sections act as
individual building blocks for the narrative rather than a direct
flowing story so it in their totality that the tale is told and any
pauses do not matter on this scale.
 |
| The future is a strange thing |
We can look to Volcano Princess
to see this modular structure in action. Over its entire playtime the
game loves to swap between telling its story and the act of raising
in order to create its pacing through the contrast of its two halves.
It ties these seemly contrasting bodies together through the tight
focus they all have on the protagonist’s daughter who is the person
the player will be raising. This enables it to invest the player in the
person they are raising through the story and the act of raising them with the mechanics focuses on this emotion. Each modular element lets the
player see what consequences their choices are having without
becoming too invasive or too distant and it aids in selling the
daughter as their own person. Keeping the suspense of what is going
to happen next to the daughter is also a core motivator offered to
the player through the spacing of the visual novel sections.
Conclusion
Raising
Simulations and visual novels are a pairing which works to help the player
understand the importance of its primary characters while knowing how
to take their hands off to let the flow of events carry them
forward. Mixing in short vignettes helps add context to what would
otherwise be a series of dry numbers ticking up and reinforces the
idea of this character preforming these actions of self improvement.
The modular nature of the visual novel sections give the narrative a
flexibility to raise and fall around the Raising Simulation mechanics
so as to not get in their way and provide them with the space to form
a story. All of this is drawn together in the flexible endings which
are open enough to allow the player’s path to be reflected back at
them and give them a feel of consequence. What visual novels offer
here cannot be overstated as they provide the Raising Simulation with
the ability to shape itself into whatever form it needs without
having to constantly adjust to a more rigid form of narrative
presentation.
Neko Para Series Review – A Slice Of Life Paradise?
Genre – Slice of Life, Comedy Play Time – 6 hours per game Developer – NEKO WORKS Steam VNDB
The New Patisserie In Town
For
a series of short visual novels with the fairly simple concept of
running a patisserie assisted by cat girls, Neko Para has left a
surprisingly lasting impression on the medium and remains a talking
point to this day. There is an undeniable appeal in the brightly
coloured fantasy of this light hearted world where cat girls and
humans live side by side. It feeds into a certain brand wish
fulfilment focused around unconditional and mutual affection where
conflicts are never anything more than hiccups for these bonds.
This is hardly unique to Neko Para as there are plenty of other slice
of life visual novels doing exactly the same thing, but here there is
a refined and keen understanding what its audience wants and how to
playing into it to capture their hearts. However, behind all of this
are some of the strangest world building choices in many game which
undermine the atmosphere in seemingly unintentional manner. Is this
strange combination really enough to explain Neko Para’s success?
Let’s bake some cakes and find out.
Cat Girl Paradise? - Narrative And Themes
Knowing
the limits of a game’s narrative and shaping the play time and
content around this pillar helps ensure it will not outlive its
welcome. The episodic nature of the Neko Para titles allows them to
make this concise format its biggest strength through their
relatively self contained nature. Each visual novel has little
connection to the others outside of a vague sense of our protagonist,
Kashou, building up his cat girl harem. A common framework is shared
between them with each focusing on a different pair of cat girls and
their relationships and conflicts as their core narrative which
provides recognisable points of reference between titles. These
elements mean that it is easy to pick up any of the Neko Para games
and be able to understand what is going on while having a good time,
since no individual part of the series influences any other. At first
this might seem to be a double edged sword as without any sort of
overarching hook why would a player complete more than one game?
However, it is very clear that Neko Para is fine with people playing
as much or as little of the titles as they like due to its commitment
to this structure and it more interested in creating a consistent
tone and flow of content for the niche it has found. This choice does
make it a polarising game series since it does nothing to change or invite
new players in over its course and those who bounce off
it will continue to do so while not understanding the success it
experienced despite it not attempting to improve upon it flaws. Such
a deliberate design speaks to a vision about what the titles should
be and gives them the strength to communicate it clearly.
 |
| So many cat girls! |
When
it comes down to it the Neko Para games can easily be summed up as a
slice of life set in a patisserie with cat girls and it keeps to this
core identity at all times. Knowing what they wants to be while
maintaining its simplicity gives these titles the means to refine
their atmosphere into the comfortable and fluffy one the genre
thrives on. Take how the games deal with the cat girls Chocola and
Vanilla as an example, they are the focus characters of the first
volume and in here they are involved a selection of daily life events
before leading into a minor conflict at the climax which is quickly
resolved by the protagonist. Throughout there is prevailing sense of
an everyday world without any of the real world worries associated
with it and instead only the good times. After their volume Chocola
and Vanilla are reduced to a supporting role, but future games are
still keen to reinforce the bond between them and the player so they
pop up from time to time so as to remind the player of the good times
they have had together. Blending the stories themes into a continuous
whole is one of the key impacts of this style of intermingled
characters and tone as it paints a picture of nothing having lasting
consequences and instead has the player live in the moment. ‘The
good times will go on forever’ is the alluring promise of Neko Para
and it makes this a powerful motivator for the players continued
progress through the bright games. There is a level of polish to the
atmosphere with its carefully crafted laid back nature which speaks
to a strong understanding of the genre and what people want from it.
 |
| It is strange to think these two are only one year old. |
It
is strange that Neko Para seems to obsessed with accidentally
undermining its carefully crafted tone and atmosphere at almost every
turn. These issues all stem from the world building introduced over
the course of the series where new revelations about it have
uncomfortable or bizarre implications. Let us look at a few examples
to see how exactly they damage the overall experience of playing Neko
Para. Perhaps chief among the odd choices made is the status of cat
girls as pets. In this one important detail the developers have
dehumanised the majority of their cast especially as it becomes clear
how few rights cat girls actually have in this world. This is made
worse due to high level of mental capabilities demonstrated by cat
girls, they are not animals so it feels uncomfortable to treat them
as such. Then there is specified age of each of the cat girls which
is an issue both in terms of how young they are and how short this
implies cat girls’ live to be. Having an age range from one to
three years old creates an uncomfortable dissonance between their
apparent age and the relative maturity they act with. It also
showcases how rapidly cat girls age with Chocola and Vanilla being
mature enough to mate when they are one year old which implies a
short life expectancy and how the happy times on display will be brief. All this must lead one to ask the simple question, why
were these elements included at all? Does the audience for a slice of
life tale about cat girls really care about the specifics of their
social status or life cycle? The answer is obviously no and if Neko
Para had realised this it could have avoided these strange issues.
The cat girls could simply be another species of human and their
equals instead of pets and the story would not need to change much
and the games could just have omitted the characters’ age as most
other titles do rather than make a point of highlighting it. These
choices are perhaps the single oddest design decision a slice of life
visual novel has made and displays a tone deafness in conflict with the
rest of the well tuned experience.
Pets And Their Humans – Characters
At
the centre of the stage are the cat girls and their antics. Each one
of them follows a general archetype that many players will be
familiar with, but pushed through a cat shaped filter. What this
means is a lot of meowing and cat related traits sitting alongside
their expected ones. They stick closely to their templates and
present an immediately recognisable version of these simple character
traits which is design to be pleasing to witness. For example,
Vanilla is a standard Kuudere with her reserved emotions and
seemingly distant disposition hiding a side of her that genuinely cares
about Chocola, the other cat girls and Kashou. At no point does she
every deviate from this core identity and her every action is what is
expected of someone with her personality. That is not to say she
lacks any traits of her own as her close bond with Chocola
demonstrates, but instead that this never treads on the toes of her
archetype. All this is in service of the slice of life fantasy and
assists in wrapping the player in the warm blanket of ideas they are
already familiar with. The standard nature of these focus heroines
reassures the player of the kind of story they are in for and
promises them an experience which will stay firmly within their
expectations. For Neko Para’s audience, this is exactly what they
want and the games play into this desire for certain predictable
characters.
 |
| Oh no run! Her brain is overheating! |
There
are two notable humans, Kashou and his little sister Shigure, and
they could not be more different from each other. Shigure is close
to the cat girls in terms of role and falls into the archetype of the
sister with a brother complex, but, unlike the other heroines, is
never a romance option so instead act the wingman supporting them.
Her over the top actions make for some entertaining scenarios as she
lives vicariously through the cat girls and is not above messing with
Kashou for her own amusement. This added bit of chaos helps alleviate
the potential issue of the character interactions becoming stale due
to the characters’ static natures by throwing in curve balls to
spice things up with new situations for them to react to. On the
opposite end of the scale sits Kashou who is the expected self insert
of the slice of life genre. Aside from this love of western
confectioneries and minor disputes with his family, he is entirely
bland and works perfectly as a suitable vessel for the player to
place themselves into. In that regard he is hardly anything special
with many similar protagonists existing in the medium, but here he
works to fulfil the expectation of familiarity established through
every other aspect of games. He is in many ways the perfect
embodiment of what it is like to experience Neko Para.
Every Twitch Of Their Ears – Visuals, Audio And Technical
Atmosphere
is the connective tissue joining all the elements surrounding the
narrative together. They reflect the light and breezy tone of the
story and turn it into a pervasive sense of place for the games to
relax the player in. The high quality and expressive live 2D supports
this pillar visually through the way it lends life to what would
otherwise be static artwork and sells the idea of the characters as living
people. From the way they bounce around in excitement to the many
expressions they can dynamically adopt, the over the top nature of
these movements invokes the energetic feeling of an anime and helps it match the narrative tone. The existence of a patting mode where
the player can stop the game at any point and touch the on screen
characters to see their reaction further reinforces the reactivity
and energy of the games. Neko Para’s soundtrack is nothing special
from the stand point of a slice of life visual novel, all the classic
tracks are here from the peaceful everyday to the exaggerated joke
and each offers nothing memorable. However, they do work in this
context due to role adhering to the exceptions players have for
this series. The sound scape of a work does a lot to place the player
in the right frame of mind to accept the narrative on an emotional
level. By meeting the genre expectations it wordlessly communicates
what is to come without having to spend valuable play time explaining
it.
 |
| Movement adds a lot to how alive something feels. |
Conclusion
Neko
Para is a slice of life visual novel with cat girls. On the surface
that statement might seem obvious, but there is a surprising amount of
effort which goes into ensuring the player does not think twice about
it. Everything about these games focuses on this core identity. The
episodic and separate structure of each title allows players to
experience as much or as little of the series as they want without
missing anything. Couple this with its polished and focused narrative that
places a sense of great importance on a light tone and the result
is form of light entertainment which can be enjoyed at leisure. This
is further reinforced through the use of live 2D and a familiar style
of slice of life soundtrack and they all push the games in the same
direction. Characters also fall into the expected archetypes of the
genre and exist as refined versions of the player’s expectations
for the cast. It is only in the unnecessary world building that Neko
Para stumbles from its all consuming tone and introduces some
uncomfortable and strange elements. Is this enough to ruin the
experience? That will depend on how much the specific genre it is
peddling appeals to you.
Verdict –
Neko Para knows exactly what its audience wants and never
deviates from the path of appealing to them. If that audience includes
you then you are in for a good time. Otherwise expect to be
disappointed by something shallow and standard.
Pros -
+
A series of short and focused titles which know exactly what they
want to be and who they are appealing to.
+
The commitment to the fantasy of this everyday world allows the games
to have a level of narrative polish only possible with a keen
understanding of the genre.
+
Each character falling into a clear role and they interact with each
other in heart-warming and funny ways.
+
Strong visual design and familiar music direction do a lot to help sell the
comfortable feeling of this patisserie.
Cons -
-
Never evolves beyond being a simple slice of life tale so may
disappoint those looking for something more substantial.
-
Strange world building choices distract from the core fantasy and can
make the player feel uncomfortable.
-
Characters are static and there is little in the way of meaningful
development for them.
Best Visual Novel Releases – September 2024
With
the leaves turning brown it is truly a sign that autumn is finally
here and with it another batch of excellent visual novel releases to
warm you up as temperatures drop. Both official titles and fan
patches are firing on all cylinders as they provide yet another month
of thought provoking and emotionally engaging games. The spread of
genres on display continues to impress from detective remasters to
boys love horror to two denpa visual novels, all bringing their own
spin on established and new ideas. Let’s rake over some leaves and
see what visual novel you should be playing.
Official Releases
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
Capcom
continues the process of porting all the Ace Attorney games from the
DS systems to modern hardware. This time it is the turn of the
spin-offs staring Miles Edgeworth as the player swaps sides to the
prosecution. The investigation gameplay changes to match this new
protagonist with the act of prosecution being shown as a game of
chess where both side take turns breaking down their opponent’s
defences. It also trades out the point and click style of clue
discovery for sprites of the characters which the player controls
talk to witnesses and pick up evidence. Upon its original release
these two games received a mixed reception due to these gameplay
changes and the plot and mysteries being even more nonsensical than
usual, so it was a pleasant surprise to see them announce it was
getting a remaster. While this is be no means a game everyone will
enjoy, it is nevertheless something a fan of the series should at
least check out to see if its unique take on format appeals to them.
However, if you are new this is not the Ace Attorney game for you, it
assumes prior knowledge and investment in the franchise and there are
better titles with which to start your journey into this world.
Date A Live: Ren Dystopia
As
the fourth Date A Live visual novel and releasing after both the
light novel and anime have reached their conclusion, Ren Dystopia
sits in an odd position. Rather than being set after the end of the
concluded story, it instead takes place after the end of the events
covered in Date A Live III and focuses on the new additions from that
series, namely Natsumi and Origami. Structurally it is more or less
identical to Rinne Utopia and Arusu Install where each significant
spirit is given a section for the player to send time with them and
these all lead into a finale about the newly introduced character.
Like those previous two titles, this game feels like a love letter to
the spirits who have defined this series. This has the obvious
consequence of requiring the player to already have a familiarity
with the source material and it does nothing to assist new players in
understanding what is going on. One for the fans who will want to
spend more time with this colourful cast.
The Town of Nie
After
pursuing a strange man down a dark alley, Hisora finds himself in the
afterlife and with no way back he finds himself staying at an in
there alongside its excentric male residents. However, as a living
human in the world of the dead his life is a source of danger for him
as its population finds his condition enviable. Such is the set up for this
boys love tale of self exploration and coming to terms with one’s
own feelings. In terms of tone is aims for a kind of light horror
with bloody scenes as the backdrop to the romance between the male
leads and this mixture aids in keeping the interpersonal tension high
and the conflicts engaging. If you are looking for a different take
on the genre then The Town Of Nie is for you and offers some
excellent thrills and heartfelt moments.
HAPPY SAIN† SHEOL
Long
ago a disaster swept the land corrupting all in its path, leaving it desolate and making life difficult. So those who remained
gathered under the religious banner of Saint Sheol in order to claw
out an existence. In the present a young boy named Belial arrives at
the capital in order to become a trainee priest for Saint Sheol and
things seem to be looking up for him. However, this harsh world is
not so kind as to let that happiness last and Belial is about to find
out the hard way just how ruined this world really is. As a title
leaning heavily on the psychological horror and denpa genres to carry
the wait of its narrative where its characters are constantly in
danger from forces both external and internal they do no understand.
It also loves its pseudo Christian imagery and a core element of its
visual design comes from introducing and corrupting these symbols of
power and purity. For those seeking a haunting horror experience you
cannot go wrong with HAPPY SAIN† SHEOL.
Fan Translation
Karenai Sekai to Owaru Hana
Patch Download VNDB Genre
– Drama, Nakige Play Time – 11 hours
Working
at a cafe in a town filled with brilliant blooming flowers sounds
idyllic, but all is not quite as happy as it seems. One night our
protagonist Shou follows one of the sisters he works with away from
town to a hill covered in flowers and there she reveals the cost they
pay to continue to live in this world, other people’s lives. Such
is the basis of a tale about what it means to live in the face of a
world that seems to not care about your efforts. This is a game which
makes it clear from the start that it is trying to get you to cry at
the plight of its characters and it makes sure every moment is
building towards these emotional crescendos. It often feels very
episodic in nature with a fair amount of self contained incidents
without a core driving force until the later parts of the game. This
works as a method of creating an investment in the characters by
providing a platform for them to express themselves, but it does lack
something for the player to hold onto to motivate them to continue to
the end. Even with this issue, it is well worth your time if you want
an emotionally charged drama then Karenai will be a good time.
Tsui No Sora Remake
Patch Download VNDB Genre
- Denpa, Psychological Horror, Mystery, Philosophy Play Time –
20 hours
This
remake marks the third version of the Tsui No Sora concept, between
the original, Wonderful Everyday and the remake itself. As such it
has a lot of baggage to pick through in order to create its own
identity. Rather than the complete reimagining of Wonderful Everyday,
the remake sticks much closer to the plot and structure of the
original while adding in a few new things to expand it into a new
understanding of the narrative. The core appeal of its uniquely
biting denpa story translates well into this new incarnation and it
maintains the tension and visceral thrills many come to these games
for. So too does the games love for philosophy continue to shine
through as it intelligently handles its themes and ideas with both
direction emotion and abstract philosophical debates. Few games can
match the narrative strength of the Tsui No Sora Remake and you owe
to yourself to play this title.
Kinetic Novel – An Anatomy Of Visual Novels
The Only Path Forwards
Choices
and the routes they lead into are often seen as the defining elements
of what it means to be a visual novel, but the reality of the medium
paints a far more varied picture in the form of the Kinetic Novel.
This entirely linear format goes against the flexible design of other
visual novels in favour of a more controlled and curated experience.
There is nothing new about the Kinetic Novel with many of oldest
titles following this structure. Over time it fell out of favour as
the non-linear elements appealed to the tastes of an audience who
wanted more player expression. Nevertheless the Kinetic Novel has not
disappeared and found its niche in side content or fandiscs where its
self contained nature works to keep the focus on the smaller scale
narratives. Sometimes a big title does come along utilising it due to
the fine level of control allowed through its structure and ability
to shape the perception of key moments. Why has this style of visual
novel survived the test of time? Let’s be railroaded and find out.
A Straight Line
What
does it mean to be linear? At first glance it might seem to be simpler
than its non-linear cousin given its lack of systems surrounded its
core narrative. However, it is exactly because of this lack of other
distractions that a Kinetic Novel must tread carefully since all eyes
are focused on a single path of progression and people are more likely
to see any issues with its story. This pressure is not unique to
Kinetic Novels and many different types of games using linear
structures run into the same issue. Keeping the player engaged in the
narrative without anyway for them to influence it means crafting a
directed experience where the pacing is a roller-coaster ride with
enough ups and downs to create texture. There is also a
greater emphasis on making the characters universally interesting as
they have a uniform importance rather than the specific focus of a
route based title and this leads them to be some of the most
memorable characters in visual novels. Player expectations are generally higher
for Kinetic Novels due to the idea that for something lacking in
anything outside of its narrative to be worth their time it must be
an exceptional in what it does. Its singular focus helps it meet
these expectations, but it is an uphill battle which many titles fail
to reach the top of.
 |
| A story about robots being linear is oddly fitting |
Let’s look at Stella of the End as an example
of a Kinetic Novel and its relationship with the linear. It chooses
to utilise its structure by immediately present the core unique
elements which will drive the narrative forwards and act as the main
source of intrigue in the machines and the robot girl our protagonist
finds himself escorting. Once this is established the game is sure
never to lose its focus on those parts in order to keep the
experience for meandering and helping it maintain player engagement.
This also plays into the pacing of the Stella of the End which is an
episodic odyssey style story and those elements form the constant
that bridges the gaps between each episode and makes them feel like a
cohesive narrative. Since it has no choices it has to rely completely
on these core driving forces to provide the meat of the experience.
These must be up to scratch since the player cannot simply play
another route if they are bored so the game have one chance to
present the narrative to the player and it has to maintain that
consistently throughout its play time.
Narrative Control
The
biggest incentive for making a Kinetic Novel over a standard visual
novel is the many tools it offers to curate the experience and ensure
each story beat has the correct impact. A route based title cannot
know which path the player is going to choose first or last and so
has to format each one make sense in isolation with a part of the
narrative rather a cohesive whole. Being entirely linear means a
Kinetic Novel can avoid this pitfall as the player’s current
progression is a constant and known factor a developer can use to
plan the exact experience they desire for the player. This allows for
plot twists and hidden information to be effectively paced and
unveiled without the player losing track of what is going on as they
would if they were jumping between separate routes. If a title is aim
for a specific kind of narrative complexity or has a key emotion it
wants to be the focus above all else then the control offered by the
Kinetic Novel provides an easy means of ensuring these elements are
not lost in the structure of the visual novel. These are also the
kinds of games which do not mind being linear since they have strong
and immediate hooks to drag the player through the entire play time
and so trading player freedom for control over the story does not
effect them negatively.
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| Umineko cares about one thing, its mysteries |
Umineko and Higurashi are some of the most
well known Kinetic Novels and take full advantage of the narrative
control offered to them. Each episode is a mystery onto itself which
feeds into an overarching mystery and their linear nature makes it
easy for the information for both sides to be tightly controlled and
paced leading to a series of dramatic ups and downs that build into a
finale. It relies heavily on the complex and engaging nature of these
mysteries to keep the player engaged and their strength is boosted
through the intensity provided by this linear structure. On the
opposite side of the content spectrum sits Witch On The Holy Night
which leans on its action and heightened drama as the means to keep
the player moving forwards. The game benefits from its linear
structure because of the way it can craft its characters’ emotional
journey in a precise way and weave them into one another rather than
having them exist separately as in a route based title. Having a
shorter play time and a once and done style of narrative also aids in
making the choice of a Kinetic Novel feel natural.
Side Content And Fandiscs
By
far the most common place to see Kinetic Novels is as fandiscs or
side stories to an existing route based visual novel series. These are
short and self contained works which build upon an established
premise and characters so require little in the way of set up to
function. They are focused on a few key elements per title with after
stories and different perspectives on the original game being the
most common types of content. Since the ending has already been
reached for the core narrative before these stories even start it
makes little sense to allow the player to influence their direction
given everything major has ended. These are merely tales of the
characters’ happy lives afterwards and small pieces of new but
unimportant information and as such it makes more sense to offer them
up to in the most direct fashion possible. In doing this the game can
make sure it doesn’t outlive its welcome by not asking the player
to go through its stories more than once. Their nature means the
stories can never have any meaningful narrative beats in them and so
exist as fan centric fluff. This is not a bad thing as it is exactly
what they player has signed up for, but this is a victory lap and
going round the same scenery as before can be fatiguing after having
already spent so much time their in the original title.
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| Focus on a single character in a side story allows all the emotional weight to rest on them |
For example
the Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm – EXTRA games are continuations of
specific parts of the original game and firmly focus on the one
heroine they want to be the star of the show. Here it would make no
sense to offer the player choices due to the lack of other possible
heroines to follow and how the title wants to tell a story without any
distractions from its core premise. In a similar vein Dies irae -
Interview with Kaziklu Bey provides the backstory for a specific
character and is set in a past distant from the events of the main
game. The outcome of this story has already been determined since the
player knows what happens to the protagonist of this side story from
the events of the main game. As such a Kinetic Novel makes sense so
as to not confuse the player about how this fits into the timeline of
the original title and it helps keep the focus squarely on the events
which shaped the character.
Conclusion
Being
a straight line gives the Kinetic Novel a specific niche within the
modern visual novels space which meets the needs of certain kinds of
games. Having a linear structure fundamentally changes the way both
players and developers engage with a narrative as all eyes are on the
core experience with nothing to distract or offer a diversion from
it. In exchange the developer gains a large amount of control over
the narrative in order to shape it into an exact form with the needed
pacing and emotional beats needed to create powerful moments while
knowing the order the player will experience them in. The most common
place to find Kinetic Novels is in the form of fandiscs and side
stories which lend themselves to a linear structure as they expand
off existing elements of a concluded story. Overall, while not as
popular as they once were in the medium, the Kinetic Novel possesses
a unique set of tools that meet the needs of certain kinds of
narratives and should you plan on making on such visual novel then it
is worth considering this type of structure.
Denpa – Genre Deep Dive
Madness In the Static
We
take the familiar for granted in our everyday lives so when that is
undermined it disturbs us on a fundamental level and leaves us with
an uncomfortable sense of wrongness. It is these feeling the Denpa
genre taps into as it slowly eats away at normality and gives it over
to insanity. As a subgenre of horror visual novels it is focused
around creating fear, unease and dread in the player through its own
distinct angle. Denpa understands the importance of build up to
selling a horror experience and makes sure the baseline it intends to
undermine is cohesive so its collapse can have a far greater impact.
All the while there is a constant uncertainty about the reliability
of the narrator who is witnessing this descent into insanity and yet
they are often so certain of their correct perception it makes you
almost want to believe them. This is also a genre which loves to use
its horror to address themes which are not commonly dealt with in
visual novels and from an angle where they have the necessary
emotional impact to really sink in. Let’s watch the world slip into
insanity and find out how all of this works in practice.
A Familiar Insanity
It
is not easy to create a believable descent into insanity from a state
of relative normality for the world around the protagonist. Make the
change too fast and it will appear silly as the escalation does not
properly match the events which lead to it as the characters’
everyday lives are grounded in a familiar version of reality.
However, if it is too slow then the player will lose interest since
the content they will be playing mostly consists of mundane vignettes
which have little impact on their own. So the answer Denpa games have
come up with is to sow the ideas of uncertainty about the characters
in subtle ways over the long term. On their own they appear innocent
to the point where they can be easily overlooked, but as they pile up
it becomes impossible to ignore. This helps keep the player’s
attention through getting them to jump at shadows just like the
protagonist is doing and it maintains this source of tension until
the curtain is pulled back. Once the shift from mundanity to insanity
has been complete, the spiral towards whatever disastrous conclusion
awaits can begin. Despite the game being more direct with the events
being shown, they make sure that the player never feels in control
and lean into the feeling of being pulled along ever faster by a
force they cannot see nor have any chance of resisting. Even here
Denpa does not lose sight of the normal lives people not involved in
the insanity are experiencing which helps call into question the
legitimacy of emotions and actions of all those involved.
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| Establishing a normal is key to breaking it down |
Higurashi
takes full advantage of the necessary setup of the mundane to help
sell its characters and make them likeable so the contrast with their
insanity is more pronounced. It places these slice of life events
right next to the subtle build up of uncertainty in order to make the
player not want to believe in the feelings of oddness they are
experiencing about the characters they have come to care for and
create a point of friction it can slowly build on. Once the madness
is in full swing it can leverage the memory of those happier times as
a means through which it can continue to care about the characters
even has they do terrible things to one another. On the other hand
soundless A MODERN SALEM IN REMOTE AREA has a sense normal so
obviously wrong and twisted it is difficult to feel safe in it and
yet it still serves the same role as a source of contrast. Here the
uncertainty is out in the open for all the characters to see, but the
characters do not seem aware of them as they blindly try to continue
their lives. The player is given a noticeably higher amount of
understanding about just how many things are wrong with this place
than the characters do so the player is forced to watch powerlessly
as they spiral into the unseen danger. Despite this increased
knowledge the game is sure to never reveal enough to make its plot
twists easy to see and instead includes a few red herrings to
undermine the player’s belief in the accuracy of the conclusions
they have reached.
Unreliable Narrators
As
players we inherently put our trust in the characters we control and
choose to believe in the version of events they present to us,
especially when they are so close to our own experiences. It is this
trust Denpa exploits to further its perversion of the familiar by
taking away the one point of stability the player thought they could
rely on. This is not a sudden change but rather an encroaching sense
that the events do not quite add up, these holes build up the idea of
information being withheld and the question of why enters the
conversation. The protagonist will also starts to behave in strange
ways, they seem to lack appropriate reason for the action they take
or overreact to events so as to do things far more drastic than what
is called for in the situation. Each of these can be excused as a
reaction to the stress they are put under as the normal world around
them gives way to madness, but there is only so long that the player
can hold onto this line of reasoning before the truth dawns on them.
Once the player accepts the unreliability of their POV character they
are forced to look into the insanity they are witnessing for answers
as to what is really going on, but in doing so they are drawn deep
into the spiral towards the narrative’s chaotic conclusion. They
too begin to feel the same dread and tension the characters are undergoing
and with no one to fall back on they will directly feel the tension
of each step towards the truth.
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| Takumi is far from a normal protagonist yet manages to construct his own style of normal |
An interesting example of this
practice can be seen in Chaos Head with its less than stable
protagonist Takumi. From the beginning he is obviously not a
character who’s opinions on the situation can be entirely be taken
seriously due to his tendency to assume the worse about everyone
around him. As such a few odd things happening around him can easily
be dismissed as manifestations of his paranoia and this becomes a new
normal where the player thinks they have his delusions figured out.
So when it becomes clear that they do not have a true grasp on him
the feeling of being lost is even greater as they question all the
examples of instability they had previously dismissed. In many ways
the unreliable narrator is the most insidious type of subversion
since it eats at the established expectation from the ground up and
influences everything else above it. Now the player can never know
what normal truly is and so is left grasping at straws.
Truth At The Edges Of Reason
Being
so connected to the idea of the normal way people behave and how
scary it can be to have that suddenly change, Denpa can speak to deep
seated emotions and thoughts about our own nature. It is easy to
never think about what it means for something to be normal and simply
accept what we experience without question since a ‘normal’ by
its very nature never challenges. Twisting this normal something
unrecognisable gives a space where it can be looked at for what it
truly is in its absence. Once established this examination can be
used to drive whatever themes and ideas the visual novel is seeking
to establish as key to the ongoing narrative. Sometimes there is
value shown in the normal where it offers a place people can be
themselves without issue, as with the everyday lives of the Higurashi
cast. At other times it is a dangerous thing where the characters
have slipped through their complacency and it brings ruin to those
inhabiting it, as with the community in soundless. Another angle
Denpa likes to take with this consideration is asking what sort of
people choose to inhabit this normal and how their reasons for
deteriorating into madness reveal important aspects of the human
condition.
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| That will not help the situation... |
This last one is something Wonderful Everyday loves to
play with its different protagonists. Each one looks at the normal
world and its descent into insanity and comes to their own
conclusions about what this means and the value it has for them.
These are varied from Yuki and her distress at the slow deterioration
of the life she holds dear to Takuji and his unwavering belief that
the world is coming to an end so the normal no longer matters.
Through this comparing and contrasting of viewpoints, the
commonalities between them become clear and the game asks the player
what this fact tells them about themselves and humanity as a whole.
It provides some answers to these questions through its endings, but
leaves enough of a gap for there to be room to ponder their meaning
long after the credits.
Conclusion
Denpa
makes a strong case for the power of contrast and a subtle build up
to the unsettling parts of horror. It takes the familiar sense of the
normality and slowly twists it over a long span of time by sprinkling
just enough insanity for the player to have doubts, but not enough
for them to say anything conclusive. Once the madness is in full
swing the game can examine the idea of the ‘normal’ and question
the value and substance it has not only for the cast, but also for
the player and use this to support its core themes. Backing all of
this up is the unreliable narrator where the player slowly comes to
realise the extent of what the protagonist is not telling them and so
lose their only rock in this river of questionable information. This
is a genre of horror which seems the least scary on the surface, but
is brilliantly placed to get under the player’s skin when they
least expect it and leave them feeling vulnerable.
