Photographic Assets – An Anatomy Of Visual Novels
Taking Snapshots
Historically
visual novels have always had a tendency to utilise Photographic
Assets for their lower cost or due to a lack of artists on the project.
Some of the stars of the medium can be pulled from this pool from
Higurashi to Tsukihime so it is no barrier to the creation of
memorable experiences, but can it actually be a benefit? Being cheap
frees the developer from the expenses associated with those assets
and may allow them to strategically spend that money elsewhere while
also removing a major barrier to entry when it comes to creating a
visual novel. If the game is already set in the real world or
adjacent to it then photos can help reinforce this idea of it being a
tale which happened just around the corner of our everyday lives.
Altering the Photographs for an artistic effect and blending them
into the pool of other assets leads to distinctive mixture of the
familiar and alien and some vastly different presentational outcomes.
Let’s take a quick picture and find out how these assets work in
practice.
Cheap Convenience
Many
of the notable titles utilising Photographs as part of their package
come from the doujin sphere. For them these assets are a reflection
of their limited budget and the skill sets of their creators. These
are people with a passion for their projects but not necessarily the
full suite of skills needed to produce a high quality product nor the
money to hire another person to do it for them. So the Photographic
Assets are a great way to side step this issue by providing an easy to
parse style of presentation, since it is just taken from real world
things the player will be familiar with. Relying on their status as
low budget games they do not have to deal with the negative
associations of this choice since expectations are adjusted
when someone chooses to pick up something made in the doujin sphere.
The quality of these titles is instead leveraged into the stories
they are telling and the interesting ways they can tell them. One of
the iconic examples of this group of games is Higurashi’s original
release which was characterised by photographic backgrounds of a real
rural village with sprites created using the developer’s limited
drawing abilities. It is obvious the photos are a cost cutting
measure where the narrative and soundscape of the work do the
majority of the heavy lifting. Despite this there is a surprising
amount of thought put into the composition and framing of each shot
used and how they can be made to serve multiple purposes, being the
backdrop for comedy one moment and horror the next. While it is not
as diverse as its drawn counterpart due to it being bound by the
real world, there is still a strong sense of the vision which
underlines the personal and intimate fear Higurashi is know for through
the way the almost idyllic images contrast with the dark emotions
they conceal just out of view.
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| These photos are functional above everything else |
In a similar vein Tsukihime’s
Photographic Assets are a product of the limited money available for
its development and is the poster child of getting a lot out of a
little. Being an urban fantasy with its mix of present day locations
and supernatural forces, primarily vampires, gives the game a greater
flexibility than an intense horror experience like Higurashi. This
frees it to be a little looser in its implementation of variety with
many backgrounds being the same image with a filter over it to try
and sell a different time of day or the idea it is another location
entirely. Tsukihime can get away with such a high level or reuse due
to the lack of emphasis it places on these asset which it instead pushes
into the character sprites and the dramatic nature of the writing. In
a higher budget title this would be a distracting for the player, but
in the doujin context it can be a core part of the experience of such
a passion project.
The Real World
Since
photos are a captured image of the real world it is only naturally
visual novels would want to take advantage of this connection to
ground their stories within reality. This approach aims to give the
emotions and ideas a means of reflecting onto the player’s own life
or creating the sense these tales are happening right now around
them. For games about the smaller and intimate moments of people’s
lives this grounding allows for the weight of characters’ actions
to be further pushed as human with all the messiness it implies. The
kind of visual novels which present this angle tend towards shorter
and focused style of experience where this connection to the real
world can be used as an effective and contained framing device.
Looking at narcissu shows a prime example of what leaning into this
angle can achieve. Its hazy presentation of its Photographic
backgrounds elicits a sense of half remember reality where the themes
can find a footing for its ideas yet remain vague enough for the
characters’ emotions to be the main source of momentum. The way the
entire game’s visuals are presented though a slit like view
contributes to a blurring of the line between the different asset
types and lets the realism of the photos bleed over into the drawn
images to further their connection to the player’s own life. Having
such a serious main driving force in the form of terminal illness
lends itself to this sense of reality given its tone and the normal
nature of locations the cast visit.
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| Embracing the photos creates a distinctive experience |
Rather than being a simple
reflection of our own lives, this grounding in reality can instead be
used to sell the idea of a story playing out in our world despite its
otherwise outlandish plot and contrivances. Such a choice aims to
emulate the benefits of live action mediums which inherently sell the
sense of their stories being real since their props and the fact their actors are
all living people the viewers will recognise as such and draw a line
between them and their own lives. 428: Shibuya Scramble is the visual
novel which embodies this approach in its totality. Almost every
asset in the game is Photographic and this gives the title a texture
which immediately makes its stand out as a story set in Shibuya. The
photos of real world locations in the ward provides a sense of place more believable than an artistic representation due to the way it
can capture the imperfections of the buildings and streets. Unlike in
many other titles using Photographic Assets, Shibuya Scramble employs
actors as its cast rather than using character sprites and they are
often in photos taken on site so forming the CGs through which the
majority of the story is told. As a thriller there is a need to keep
the increasingly dramatic plot in some sense of reality and this
complete commitment to a real place and actual people lets the player
suspend their disbelief even in the face of its many twists.
Blending In
Tone
is a major consideration when a visual novel chooses to utilise
Photographic Assets, but not every one wants the realism associated
with them. The solution these titles have found is a blending of the
photos into the overall aesthetic of the work through heavy use of
filters and merging it with drawn images. Doing so causes them to
take on an almost dream like quality where the disconnect between
their realistic presentation and the fantastical alterations made to
them fuels a sense of otherness. As such this technique is mainly
seen in games with some kind of fantasy element to play off or those which already have a
strong visual identity the photos can be integrated into since
these can get the most out of the impact it can provide. Few visual
novels can match the artistic distinctiveness of The House in Fata
Morgana so its use of Photographic Assets can demonstrate this trend.
Its striking art style is a big factor in its appeal and so
everything in the game revolves around making the most out of this
trait. To ensure the photo backgrounds do not clash with this choice
of design, they have a heavy oil paint like filter applied to them
and additional splashes of strong colour spread liberally. This
gives them a character of their own where they are a vaguer and
saturated version of reality and act like a stage upon which its cast perform
their grand play.
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| Making the blacks its core visual element leads to something more than real |
Similarly Phenomeno’s supernatural horror is
reinforced through the exaggeration of blacks in their use of colours. This
extends into its Photographic Assets where even bright day time
scenes are defined by strong contrasts between the lights and the
shadows they cast and this is even more prominent at night where the
bright colours struggle to have a presence against the overwhelming
dark. Since the connection between monsters and the dark is baked
into our psyche, every black shadow in the game has a chance to
contain the supernatural threat underpinning the story. Having this
link be through photos creates an additional sense of the dangers
being just around the corner of our lives while not pushing it too
hard since the heavy blacks make the images vague enough to be just
about anywhere.
Conclusion
Choosing
to use Photographic Assets in a visual novel has a wide array of
associations, reasons and benefits which have shaped its perception
and power over the player. Money constraints often lead to using photos as a short cut to reducing the cost of making a game so the
emphasis shifts onto the other elements to take the load off the
visuals. If they are properly blended into the rest of the assets
they can lend a memorable artistic quality and form a kind of hyper
reality to enhance the title’s overall identity. Committing to the
Photographic Assets can lend a sense of realism and place to what
otherwise might appear to be outlandish or overly emotional stories
and ground them in the player’s experiences. Overall such assets
have an interesting variety of uses and they are particularly
effective in small scale or indie titles where player expectations
allow them to shine.
JRPGs – Uncovering The Hybrid
On A Grand Adventure
Visual
novels and JRPGs have an interesting history of interactions and there
has been a lot of overlap in the way they present their narrative
elements. When used together in the form of a hybrid they can play
off the mechanical traits of the JRPG to compliment to player’s
journey. Core to making this approach work is the way the story can
breathe life into the static numbers of battle while those same stats
add a sense of substance to the narrative. Helping this along is the
tendency of RPG combat to naturally be its own kind of storyteller
which creates organic moments or highlights key pre-existing ones.
However, at what point is a JRPG’s narrative no longer a hybrid
with a visual novel and where does it become its own distinct kind of
presentation? The line might appear clear, yet the more consideration
this point is given the harder it is to draw this distinction with
absolute certainty. Let’s start a new save file and discover how
this pair are forever intertwined.
Stats And Spirit
Numbers
define the systems of a JRPG both inside and outside of combat since
all activities within it aim to incrementally increase the player’s
stats and available abilities. At first glance this might seem like a
poor fit to be paired with the character and emotion driven nature of
visual novels. The key to their unity lies in how this contrast can
be made to fill out the lacking areas in each of them. It is easy to become detached from the experience in the
stat reliant construction of RPGs where the cast becomes nothing more
than a collection of spreadsheets to optimise. This obviously makes
it difficult to get the player attached to the characters and could
result in them losing interest if the mechanics are not strong enough
to hold the weight of the title on their own. In steps the visual
novel sections to cushion this issue through providing an all
consuming presentation of the cast in personal settings and climatic
moments so the player has something to grasp. No longer are the
characters walls of numbers but instead stand as believable people.
Evenicle provides a good example of this reinforcement through how it
plays up its cast at every turn. The various girls around which the
narrative rotates also form the core mechanical party members for
combat and since there is quite a bit of the JRPG side of the game a
risk appears of them becoming more stat stick then person. To
mitigate this the game leans heavily into interaction based visual
novel sections where the cast talk and engage in comedy skits in
order to keep their humanity front and centre of the player’s
attention. These are backed up by the more sizeable plot scenes which
are given emotional context through those smaller moments and the
intimacy which visual novels thrive on.
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| Battle Time! |
In the opposite
direction, a visual novel can something struggle with its own issues
with player engagement when it comes to the limited ways it has for
them to interact with the story. Here the JRPG elements give a solid
and easy to engage with set of tools to regulate the player’s
understanding of the story via a supplementary avenue. Let’s look
at the Rance games to see how this actually manifests in practice.
Here the RPG side is the core method of progression and as such the
pacing of the entire experience revolves around it. This frees the
visual novel sections from having to manage this aspect which means
they can instead focus on what is needed in that specific
scene. A greater sense of flow is provided to the transition in and
out of these moments while Rance’s antics can be suitably spread
out to ensure they remain humorous rather than wearing out their
welcome. Curating the way the player engages with the story and cast
in this manner is especially important for a comedy centric game
since the delivery and timing of joke are important to its impact.
Natural Storytellers
One
of the main strengths of this hybrid is both sides can be leveraged as
storytelling mechanisms of vastly different kinds. For visual
novels this is pretty self explanatory since their very nature is
narrative and they present stories in the way expected from the
standard linear structure. JRPGs on the other hand possess a far more
nebulous kind of narrative quality in the player driven stories which
form as a result of their interactions with the systems and the
memorable moments it produces. These are the close boss fights and
long stretches between save points where the mechanics of each
playable character get a chance to shine and their successes and
failures have an important role in shaping the way they are
perceived. Controlling such moments can be a powerful tool for
highlighting key narrative beats when the game really wants their
impact to be felt. Fate/Extra has a particularly stand out example of
this technique in the servant battles which act as the climax to each
chapter. Each is an intense bout of difficult combat coupled with the
small number of characters involved creating an environment conducive
to organic narratives surrounding the overcoming of this obstacle
passed through the lens of the story’s context. Impact is what this
set up and this is achieved by producing an intense scene capable of lasting in
the player’s memory where they own story intertwines with the
title’s own. Marrying the two sides of the game in such a manner
keeps the ups and downs of both in sync so they do not feel
disconnected from each other.
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| Extra lives up to the Fate wordiness |
When it comes to the narrative space
during extensive JRPG sections, they serve as an anchor for the
experience to form an emotional thread around when the visual novel
sections are not there to provide it. During such parts of Monster
Girl Quest Paradox the weight is carried by the various monster girls
the player can meet and recruit. Since they have a chance of randomly
asking to join you after a battle no two players will have the same
roster in quite the same order and it leads to each person
experiencing the game’s content in a slightly different order. Due to the
flexibility and options open for team building, the player gets
to shape a crew of their favourites distinct from anyone else and it
is their journey together through the challenging battles which the
player is likely to remember most. By offering the space for the
crafting of a personal story Paradox can allow its visual novel
sections to take a backseat when needed and let the JRPG adventure
play out without having to worry about a loss of investment from the
more mechanical focus.
Too Much Of A Good Thing
Take
any of the examples of this hybrid shown above and it is immediately
striking how close they come to just being straight JRPGs. So the
question must be asked, when does one end and the other begin? In
examining this dilemma through a comparison the exact unique form of
this hybrid can be defined. For this purpose the examples will be
Persona 5 and P3P as the representatives of the JRPG and Evenicle
once more for the hybrid. Despite Persona 5 possessing character
sprites and text boxes there is little doubt these elements do not
constitute a visual novel in any capacity. This is primary due to the
manner in which they frame the events occurring on screen through the
3D models providing much of the context and drama leaving the rest of
the presentation to tidy up the edges. Hence why the sprites of
Persona 5 are fairly static when compared to those of Evenicle which
has a variety of poses and greater expression in them since it has to
solely rely on them to carry the story. The effect on the overall
narrative is a focus on bigger moments and striking emotions in
Persona 5 where the 3D models allow for a greater high of physical
performance while Evenicle tends to zoom in on minor and personal
scenes with group dynamics and the construction of its story out of
smaller and more numerous building blocks.
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| P3P is such an odd title stuck between port and expansion |
As such P3P is an
interesting specimen due to it lacking the 3D models of its original
and instead having to rely more on static assets due to the
limitations of the PSP. This change did not result in a shift in how
the narrative conceives of itself and still continues on as if there
were fully emotive models playing in the background. Scenes do not
have the extra lines of text to compensate for the lack of other
avenues of expression and it is clear this game was occupies the same
JRPG design space as its sister titles within the mind of its
developers. On the other hand Evenicle contains a lot of the internal
and explanatory text expected from a visual novel adjacent title and
understands the space and tools it has to work with. Due to the
developer’s work within the visual novel sphere this understand of
narrative design is reflected in the way they conceive of its place
as a pillar of the final product.
Conclusion
Intertwined
through their joint understanding of the importance of narrative,
JRPGs and visual novels can play off their common strengths to create
a complete package of presentation. The stat based nature of JRPGs
can provide substance to the visual novel sections while they provide
a personal touch to its cold calculations. Leaning on 3D models and
limited narrative elements is at the core of a JRPG and a visual
novel element can reshape this into a more intimate style of story.
Mechanics can naturally lead to their own organic player driven
stories which offer a means of exaggerating key moments in the story
or filling the down time between narrative content. Overall the
pairing is difficult to effectively implement but does offer an
intricate set of tools for those who want to get more out of their
JRPG’s tale.
Otome – Genre Deep Dive
A Feminine Touch
As
the inversion of the male centric structures typical of many visual
novels, it may be tempting to dismiss the beautiful woman surrounded
by handsome men as being more of the same just with the roles
swapped. However, this change in gender focus results in a
fundamental shift in design philosophy in order to appeal to a
noticeable different demographic. The larger male cast in the form of
the suitors is reflected in the way they clash and interact with each
other and their more aggressive pursuit of the heroine’s
affections. Emotional intelligence defines the Otome heroine, they
mix personal vulnerability with strength in their romance and
complete the suitor in a way which places the pair on equal footing.
Otome’s freedom from the typical trappings of the male centric
romances allow for a broader spread of settings, themes and tones
without losing sight of the attractions of the romance fantasy. Yet
it still adheres to much of the overarching expectations of visual
novels such as choices, routes and even its use of erotic content.
Let’s flee from the parade of adoring men and find out how the
genre’s core features promote such a distinct identity.
Pursued By Suitors
Just
like the heroines of male centric visual novels, the suitors are the
main selling points of Otome and form the backbone of the conflicts
and narrative direction. They differentiate themselves from their
female equivalents through how their masculinity is played up to achieve
a unique suite of personalities. Suitors tend to be more aggressive
and possessive in their romantic pursuit of the heroine and they are
often the ones to initiate the first push even if the heroine ends up
being the person who makes their relationship a reality. Amnesia: Memories
loves its its overly possessive men with almost all of the suitors
demonstrating these tenancies at some point or another. By far the
most extreme example of this is Touma who locks the protagonist up in
a cage in what he claims is an act for her own safety and, while the
game does treat it an overprotective action, it is never painted as
negative. Instead he is just letting the possessive aspect of his
love taking over and the protagonist has to work to bring him back to
reality so they can be together. This allows the
protagonist an agency over the narrative through being the one
who ultimately resolves the conflict with a taming of the beast
style of romantic fantasy.
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| Not exactly a great first impression |
Undertones of violence are a common among
Otome suitors were the man is just a powder keg waiting for a spark
to ignite. Mixing in this trait gives a sense of danger to what might
otherwise be fairly vanilla romances and expanding on how conflict
can be handled within the narrative. The suitors of BUSTAFELLOWS are
all have a certain degree of this undertone due to their connections
to the criminal underworld. On a moment to moment level this works as
a way to keep the player on their toes since the treats facing the
heroine could be inside the group and well as external to it. Even
when it becomes clear the suitors are not an immediate danger the
tension still remains for the men with more direct connections to
violence such as Shu Lyn O'Keefe. The narrative value then
transforms into a process of overcoming the barrier this presents
between heroine and suitor and fleshing out their character arcs as
the motives of the suitor are revealed. It is worth noting at this
point the connection between these traits, attractiveness and erotic
appeal within the genre’s audience. While Otome eroge rarely get
localised they do in fact exist and display the same aspects of
masculinity just filtered through the characters’ sexuality. Let’s
look at one of the few translated examples in Fashioning Little Miss
Lonesome. It is different in tone from the previous titles covered as
a comedy romance and so lacks the direct undertones of violence
present it those games. Yet when it comes to possessiveness and
aggressiveness the suitors are more than happy to oblige as they
pursue the heroine and coerce her into going along with their plans.
This plays into the comedy and erotic nature of the game through its
sheer absurdity and the way it leans into these as attractive
elements to create an appealing and safe fantasy for the player to
enjoy.
The Not So Distress Damsel
Otome
heroines make for an interesting contrast when compared to their male
equivalents given how vulnerability has a prominent role in their
characterisation and development. This is not the same as being weak
where they are a damsel in distress to be protected by the suitor,
even if that style of narrative does exist within Otome. Rather it is
a characteristic of their emotional intelligence where they are able to be open with their own feelings in a way male character is simply
not able to be. This is especially important in the way it relates to
the suitors since they need her to help them sort out their own
chaotic emotions and reach the happiness they desire. Through this
the heroine attains a critical non violent role within the story’s
progression to ensure they are always relevant and pushing the plot
forwards. The heroine of Hakuouki, Yukimura Chizuru, is a good
example of this idea as while she does have some martial skill and
supernatural blood in her veins, her identity in relation to the
suitors in not defined by these traits for they instead come to rely on her
to be their emotional crutch. As the suitors place in the world is
taken away from them over the course of the narrative, Yukimura
remains the only constant in their lives and she has to grapple with
their increasingly decaying mental state in an effort to save them
from this downward spiral. Her ability to successfully navigate this
process works well as a core pillar of the game since its heightened
feelings naturally lead to big outburst and powerfully empathetic
moments from both sides of the relationship.
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| A promise can mean a lot |
A variation of this can
be seen with Steam Prison’s heroine, Cyrus Tistella, who early on
in the story is placed into a dangerous situation which she spends the
rest of the game dealing with and manages to do so in no small part
due to her emotional intelligence. It is through her ability to see beyond the fronts of the suitors she is able to pull herself up after her
fall from grace since she is able to pull out the good in them even
when it appears there might not be any. What is important here is the
way this sensitivity to emotion serves her better than her notable
physical prowess, in part due to her diminished position, but mainly
due to the way it aligns the game’s themes unity and seeing beyond
discrimination. Another approach to this emotional sensitivity is
contrasting it with the violence which the heroine and those around them
engage in. Ueno Enju from Nightshade presents this conflict between
the two sides of the heroine, the emotions she feels for those around
her and the shinobi heritage which she takes pride in yet is a path steeped in violence and ruin. The outcome of the story is based on which side
she chooses and so is how the suitors react to her which makes for an
engaging friction amongst the group.
Conflict Across The Spectrum
One
of the noticeable features of Otome is a willingness to leave the
confines of the typical school setting and try its hand at stories
in a fantastical or adult environment. Schools do still have a major
presence in the genre but not quite the strangle hold it has over
male orientated titles. The kinds of female appealing narratives offer
a greater degree of freedom in the way they can be presented to the
player as demonstrated in the previous sections. Underpinning this
flexibility is the aforementioned elements of danger from the suitors
masculinity which naturally lends itself to being mixed in with other
sources of more mature threats and mysteries. Many of these settings
have the characters as adults within a working environment like the
police in Collar x Malice. For its protagonist, Hoshino Ichika, her
work provides a reason for her to become involved with the suitors
and place herself in danger while doubling up as an avenue to express
the game’s themes. Given the already contrived nature of the
title’s set up, it would have had to tie itself in even more knots
to get a school setting to make sense on top of it not meshing with
the tone it wants to establish. The work environment and professional
experience of the cast also lend the narrative a baseline level of
maturity within the player’s mind before they even open their mouths
and further reinforce this direction. Otomes entirely detached from
the real world are also freed from the school mandate if they set the
appropriate expectations, such as with Psychedelica of the Ashen
Hawk. Under a blanket of thick snow and medieval trappings the game
keeps any thoughts of school out of the player’s head by rapidly
defining the limits of its narrative space and confining them within
its walls. Despite the relatively young age of the protagonist, the
focus on the concealing their gender and the danger they become
involved in make sure the forwards pressure becomes a core aspect of
the title’s identity. Such a story relies on the completeness and
alien nature of its setting to immerse the player and so the freedom
from setting expectations allows it commit to the absence of familiar
elements from our own world.
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| Colours and place create a powerful sense of place |
Conclusion
No
genre is quite the same as Otome with its particular vision of
romance, drama and characters, even its male equivalents tend towards
stories of very different kinds. Part of this uniqueness stems from
the suitors and the way they lean into their possessive and pursuit
of the heroine to create a cast of proactive and dynamic individuals.
It is also a genre not bound to the school setting to the same level
as its peers so offers a flexible package for a greater variety of
stories to be told within it. The way the heroines of Otome get to
present their strength and vulnerability through their emotional
intelligence results in more charged narratives where the suitor needs the heroine as much as she needs him. Overall the effect which the gender of audience has on how visual novels can present love and
relationships is interesting to witness and shows what can be
achieved within the medium.
Irotoridori no Hikari Review – Colourful Is The Future Of Love
Genre – Romance, Slice of Life, Fantasy Play Time – 25 hours Developer – FAVORITE Patch Download VNDB
Call Of Forgotten Memories
When
following on from a visual novel with one of the most satiating
finales in the medium, but some mixed quality heroine routes, how do
you provide any meaningful additions to story? Irotoridori no
Hikari’s answer is to be a hybrid of sequel and fandisc to try and
expand on the ending while tidying up the lingering issues. The main
way it does this is through the heroine after stories which take the
cast and address any remaining conflicts and give them proper
conclusions. Returning characters maintain their strong personalities
and now feel like a part of a group as they interact more rather than being an island to themselves as they were previously. Visual design continues
to be this series’ strength with it doubling down on the
imaginative art styles of the new worlds the cast find themselves in
and it keeps the player excited to see more. However, not everything
is quite a brilliant when it comes to Irotoridori no Hikari’s role
as a sequel where it is clear they did not know what direction to
take the narrative and instead repeated the original’s ideas in a
new inferior and messy package. Can the after stories do enough to
hold the player’s interest or will the burden of succession be too
much? Let’s return to the library of souls and find out.
Expansion And Completion – Narrative and Themes
The
overall quality of narrative’s implementation is a significant set
up over the original both in terms of its broad strokes and the
individual heroine after stories. Many of the rough edges which made
the original feel so uneven at times have been sanded down with a
renewed focus on the cast’s presentation. Gone are the lengthy and
dry flashback scenes so prevalent before and in their place are
conflicts and emotions grounded in the here and now. This makes the development and explanations of
the cast's struggles feel more organic within the flow of the story for an
overall pleasing play experience. Then there is the greater inclusion
of the different worlds visited through the basement and these are
given new layers of depth and fantastical wonder be they new or
returning places. Each one now has a complete vision of what they are
and how they relate to the cast rather than just pretty backgrounds
as many were in the original. What changes such as these create is a
well rounded sense of place and people which is core to the
appeal of this series and tries to retroactively rehabilitate the
previous weaknesses.
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| Looks like her brain has shut down |
Each
heroine after story falls into one of two camps, those consistently dedicated to a single narrative through line or those split down the
middle between a slice of life opening and the conflict centric
second half. Mio and Kana’s after stories fall into the first
category and make for an interesting pair to contrast the strengths
and weaknesses of the after stories within Irotoridori no Hikari.
When looking at Mio’s story it quickly becomes clear this is the
weakest of the bunch due to its unfocused direction. It lacks a core
arc and instead tries to stretch out the thinly vailed metaphor of
Mio’s transparent body over a play time it is not capable of
supporting. Then part way through another character gets reintroduced
after which their characterisation becomes the centre of attention to
the point you could be forgiven for thinking it was their after
story. Despite this wandering about, the after story is still does just enough to justify its existence and is an
enjoyable enough expansion to Mio’s original route. By contrast
Kana has the strongest after story in the game with a clear focus
which wraps up her arc in a nice bow. Part of the reason for this
comes from its extensive use of the other worlds starting out in the
familiar town of yokai and ending up in a snow covered library filled
with robots. It also more explicitly ties the themes of Haku and
Ren’s conflict to Kana’s own regrets so both can reach a
satisfying resolution in tandem. The way they play into each other
creates a constant core identity underlying the experience so no
moment feels like the game is spinning its wheels. Kyou and Tsukasa’s
after stories belong to the second kind and share the same set of
boons and issues. Both their opening halves are unrelated slice
of life sections where nothing of importance happens for either and
they remain static continuations of their original selves. This makes
for a somewhat dry start but the way they lean into the group
dynamic, and sell the post
route relationships the cast have with each other, does provide enough entertainment to not make these sequences
too boring. By contrast their second halves contain major and
important resolution for them to the point at which this material
should have been in the original route since it that impactful to
their arcs. As a result there is a certain whiplash when this shift
between the two happens since little set up is done before hand and
it does not make for a smooth transition. Yet the emotional catharsis
provided through these second halves cannot be over stated and more
than compensates for the weaker opening.
 |
| It is never easy to reach what we desire |
Perhaps
the keen eyed among you might have noticed the absence of a specific
heroine from the prior discussion, the pancake loving Shinku. This is
because her after story is tied into the largest problem with
Irotoridori no Hikari, its attempts to expand the original’s
broader strokes in terms of protagonist Yuuma and those associated
with Shinku’s world. In isolation Shinku’s after story is a sweet
tale about her trying to be cuter for the sake of being Yuuma’s
bride while coming to accept her feminine aspects with a few crumbs
of future plot developments. Its issues stem from the way it
resets Shinku and Yuuma’s characters back to the way they were
before the finale of the original game and so playing it is like a constant stream of deja vu. A minor
problem with the overall structure of the game is the way the greater
narrative set up in Shinku’s story does not progress and the player
is forced to do all the other heroine stories before they get more on
it, at which point they might have forgotten much of it. Once the
player has moved beyond the after stories, the next issues rears its
head in the form of the Ai side story. This begins a recurring lesson
this game shows us, sometimes you should not explain or show in
detail things which were never meant to be a core focus. For Ai’s
story this is the world she and Shinku originally resided within
where everyone gets one wish granted. The extended time the player is
now given in this world reveals how poorly thought through the whole
concept is and why it was so vague in the original game. It is not a
fantasy world so the wish system and its ridiculous implementation
within the world are distracting and hurt the characters associated
with it since they end up have do dance around this lumbering
elephant of a concept. After this side story the player will reach
the game’s finale and they will quickly come to realise it is a
poorly executed repetition of the original’s conclusion. Shinku and
Yuuma undergo the exact same arcs as before up to and including the
separation of the pair being a major dramatic device. Except this
time is feels the need to give Yuuma a backstory which adds nothing
to his character and removes a layer of mystery in exchange for a dry
and hollow explanation. Everyone involved more or less ends up back
to exactly the same place they started the game and it comes across
as the game spinning its wheels since it does not know how to move on
from the original. These combine to sour the experience
of playing Irotoridori no Hikari rather than ruin it since the
majority of the time spent with it will be in the other character
after stories.
New Expressions On Familiar Faces – Characters
When
it comes to the cast they are almost entirely inherited from the
original title, which is to be expected from a sequel, and the game
does a good job of continuing what made them so memorable in the
first place. The arcs they undergo in their after stories give a
fresh perspective on what makes them tick and helps round out their
colourful personalities while being a joy to watch. Shinku and
Protagonist Yuuma are still loveable characters despite the reset
they undergo and this it is a testament to the emotional investment
they are capable of invoking even in this diminished form. A majority
of the play time is spent focused on this cast and their ability to be so human provides the player with something solid to grasp on to as
they reacclimatise to the narrative. The problematic characters are
Ai and Original Yuuma who are also more or less exactly the same as
in the original game which is to say flat and weakly presented. In
that original title this made sense since their role was an extremely
minor one so additional depth would have been a waste of time, but
here their major role in the side story and finale makes this austere
identity distracting. Compounding this problem is the introduction of
a new character in the finale who is completely devoid of the unique
personality traits of even the weaker characters like Ai and Original Yuuma and exists to function as
a deus ex machina for the plot. They are a black hole who’s
position in the story meant they could never be given any meaningful
identity due to their minimal screen time and so end up as a worse
version of Ai’s role in the original.
 |
| Poor Kana remains a terrible maid |
Sakura In The Snow- Visuals, Audio and Technical
Visuals
were always something the original game excelled at and Irotoridori
no Hikari builds upon this foundation to expand on its weaker
elements. In particular the new locations are a stand out for their
distinct use of colour and striking imagery to sell the other worlds the
characters find themselves exploring. The new CGs keep to this vision
of a dream like quality which exaggerates the emotions of the scene
it accompanies creating a heightened awareness in the player of the
subtleties being acted out before them. Similarly the music maintains
the same identity and plays with the inherited soundtrack to
recontextualise the familiar tunes within new situations. This way the
memory and immediacy of the OST is merged together reinforces the
game’s atmosphere while expanding on what sort of emotions in can
invoke. As for issues there is a minor technical issue in the
structure of unlocks where the opening after story unlocks the rest
then they must be played to unlock the side story and finale. This is
a problem due to all the new plot being in that opening and ending
with nothing being contained within the other after stories. Poor
pacing is the result where the player is suddenly jerked back into
the narrative after having left it for many hours which makes it
difficult to reinvest in the plot.
 |
| The other worlds are striking |
Conclusion
Irotoridori
no Hikari was given an impossible task of being both a sequel and a
fan disc at the same time and balancing their disparate needs, so it
should come as no surprise it has its fair share of issues. The after
stories expand on each characters arcs in fun and engaging ways while
wrapping up any lose ends left from their routes. Accompanying these
are a general tidying up the narrative structure, such a not relying
so much on flashbacks, which make the reading experience more
pleasant. Visuals and audio inherited from the original are expanded and give new life to familiar spaces. The returning cast remains as
strong as ever and their emotional exploration and conflict is a core
part of the game’s appeal. It is when Irotoridori no Hikari tries
to be a sequel the issues pop up as it does not have a concrete idea
of what to do next so it just makes a worse copy of the original’s
finale. Couple this with a reliance on some of the weaker characters
for its payoffs and the result is a messy final act. Overall,
Irotoridori no Hikari has more than enough it is favour to recommend
it, but the mixed quality of content may leave a sour taste in the mouths
of some players.
Verdict –
Revisiting the colourful world is an absolute delight as familiar
faces are given proper resolutions and entertaining interactions.
However, its attempts to move on from its predecessor are poorly
executed and it ends up being a weak imitation.
Pros -
+
Strong after stories which wrap up and expands each heroine in
new and exciting direction.
+
Many of the minor issues with the original’s narrative presentation
have been resolved.
+
The returning cast remain as strong and loveable as ever.
+
Excellent visual are put to good use creating the imaginative world
the cast traverse.
Cons -
-
The side episode and finale are weak and end up as a worse version of
the original game’s conclusion.
-
Ai and Original Yuuma are not developmented in the way they needed to
be for their role in the story to work.
-
Resetting Shinku and Protagonist Yuuma’s character arcs makes for a
repetitive experience where the player constantly feels like they
have seen this all before.
Best Visual Novel Releases – February 2026
The
icy clutches of winter have begun the slow process of thawing and as
heat returns to our bodies now is the perfect time to look at what
visual novels have come out while we were shivering in the cold. This
month has been a shot in the arm when it comes to new releases with
some prominent titles come out and developers finally stepping into
the English language space. As a result there is quite a range of
games on offer from an alternative universe reimagining of a classic
otome to a strange mixture of violence and comedy. Let’s dive in
and see what you should be playing from the past month.
Official Releases
Wayblazer Dämmerung
This
title marks the first official English localisation of a Eushully game with their distinct brand of gameplay centric visual novels.
Wayblazer Dämmerung is a high fantasy tale about the struggles of a
young man and the kingdom around him, wrapped up in an isometric
dungeon crawler RPG. It plays to the strengths of each side with
extensive narrative sections which know when to stop and let the
mechanics be front and centre before swapping back for the next big plot beat. Supported by a colourful cast of playable characters are the
various outings the player will making into the dungeons and they
give a life to proceedings and promote an investment in the world. A must
play for fans of a good visual novels and JRPGS.
Wagamama High Spec OC
As
a fandisc for an original title which came out in English nine years ago,
OC has an uphill battle to get the player reinvested in these
heroines. Thankfully it not just a collection of after stories but
also includes some new routes for previously minor girls which helps
inject a feeling of new life into the experience rather than be a
trip down a faded memory lane. These new additions are the homeroom
teacher Yukari, the protagonist’s editor Chitose and the class
representative Karen. Each one brings their own new conflicts and
contributes to a sense of uncovering new sides to characters the
player though they knew. Wagamama High Spec was never a particularity
complex visual novel instead leaning into a comfortable feeling
as its main appeal and OC does nothing to shift this so may end up
feeling familiar to fans. However, this may be exactly what you want
and if so this is fandisc will deliver that in spades.
Hakuoki SSL ~Sweet School Life~
Nintendo Eshop VNDB Genre
– Alternative Universe, Spin Off, Slice of Life, Otome Play Time
– 20 hours
Did
you play Hakuoki and think all the stuff about the Shinsengumi, oni
and the fall of the shogunate was just getting in the way of the
romance? Well SSL ~Sweet School Life~ has you covered as it takes
the suitors and drops them off into an alternative universe school
setting for some traditional slice of life love stories. Yukimura
Chizuru is the only girl at a previously all boys school and as you
can imagine this leads to her being the centre of the men’s
attention. The game does a good job at taking the suitors’ core
personalities and motives and translating them into a modern day and lower stakes environment while keeping enough to make them instantly
recognisable. Considering all the inside jokes SSL scatters
throughout its play time, it assumes the player has completed at
least the original narrative and uses this basis to have a bit of fun
with the player’s expectations. In isolation it is still a solid
school otome, but just playing this one game on its own misses out of
much of what it has to offer the series.
Death Match Love Comedy!
Meshing
colourful hyper violence with an over the top romcom is certainly one
way to leave a lasting impression. The premise of having the
protagonist explode if a girl confesses their love to him should
speak to the kind of tone this visual novel establishes from the
start. He must fight off potential love interest and discover the
reason behind he new found tendency to detonate. This is a game with
a high amount of bad endings to sell the absurdity and danger of the
situation he finds himself in so be careful with your choices. If
that was not enough all sorts of strange supernatural elements from
angels to a weird pink cat creature will prevent him from being able
to smoothly escape his fate. Death March Love Comedy has a very
specific brand of humour, as you might have guessed by now, which it
not for everyone and if you do not find it funny then there is very
little else for you here. So if you did not chuckle at the premise
this may not be worth your time, but if it did then welcome to a wild
ride.
DRACU-RIOT!
After
being stuck in the seven circles of localisation hell, DRACU-RIOT’s
English release is finally seeing the light of day. This is one of
Yuzusoft’s earlier titles and marks an interest phase in their
development into the major studio they are today. It follows
Mutsura Yuuto through a series of unfortunate events where he is involved
in a kidnapping and ends up becoming a vampire. Now unable to leave
the artificial island of Aqua Eden, he must adapt to his new vampiric
lifestyle and in the process get to know the heroines who have found
their way into his life. The strong merging of urban fantasy and
romance form the core of the game’s appeal and sets it apart from
the studios other titles while still having the quality and
flavour they are know for. Overall this is a perfect title for those
who want their romance visual novels to have a little something
extra.
PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse
The
first PARANORMASIGHT game was apparently enough of a success that
SQUARE ENIX decided to green light another one. Set on the remote
island of Kameshima and featuring an entirely new cast, this tale of
horror focuses on secret Mermaids of Ise and how they play into the
fates of the people living on the island. This mystery is the
backbone of the game’s momentum as dangers and truths from the
distant past come up from the depths of the water. Just like its
predecessor this title is not revolutionising the genre and instead
represents a competent and well put together example of what fans are looking for. Since it is not connected to the previous entry
this makes for a good time for anyone seeking a suspenseful bit of horror.
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