Card Battlers – Uncovering The Hybrid
Playing Your Last Card
As
one of the biggest trends within the indie video game space, it is
little surprise the Card Battler would end up being merged with visual
novels. These kind of titles use the card battles as a means of
represent the conflicts and interacts which act as the story’s
highlights. Through having the player directly engage with these key
moments the game can present an abstraction of them and push the player to
engage with the broader metaphors and themes of the narrative. In its
most basic form this means the cards and their interactions can be
representations of the character’s actions and emotions where the
player gets to act them out. Conflict can mean battles and here the
random assortment of cards drawn simulates the chaos of the situation
and underlines the tension created by the visual novel sections.
Since the cards provided to the player often represent the abilities
of the characters or the world around them, they can express the
cast’s identities through how their cards feel to play so offering
another avenue of reinforcing their personalities and the tone. How do these
different uses of Card Battlers intersect and interact with visual
novels? Let’s draw a new hand and find out what each has to offer
the other.
Emotional Symbols
Cards
hold symbolic power within human culture, such as with tarot cards,
especially since the imagery depicted on them is concentrated in a
small space and has a physical sense of presence to it. In a hybrid
they can function as a means of cleanly presenting abstract concepts to the player and chief among these are emotions or emotional
actions. These communicate the core ideas of the narrative through
play where the interactions between cards and the objective lets the player experience a simulation of dealing with those
emotions. As such it can snugly fit into the dramatic and intense
moments to do the heavy lifting and leave the space between for the
visual novel element to handle the build up and cool down. By doing
this the title can curate the pacing of the experience in a way
conducive to a character centric story aiming to put the player
firmly into the minds of the cast. The abstraction of a card system
helps form an environment where sensitive topics can be addressed
without having to confront them face on.
 |
| Colour and emotion are powerfully linked |
An interesting execution of
this kind of Card Battler can be found in I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
which uses its cards as a means of exploring being a teenager. All of
its cards are the simple actions and items of a teenager in this
sci-fi world and only a few hold any direction emotional symbolism
rather being mundane in nature. Instead they gain this association
with emotion through the narrative surrounding them to provide
context and enhance the challenges they are used to overcome. They often get
framed and reframed based on the how they end up being utilised
through the lens of a teenager’s wild roller-coaster of feelings
during this sensitive time in their lives. Since this is not a game
about big battles and world ending stakes, the emotions of its cast
have to do a lot of the heavy lifting so weaving them into the
mechanical side makes sense. It is even doubled down on through
the mood system being another angle of reflection for the narrative
which connects back into the Card Battler. Kumitantei: Old-School
Slaughter offers a slight more direct use of emotional cards through
its Danganronpa inspired killing game. Its use of cards is in the
argument sections of the story where the protagonist is attempting to
convince another character of something. This is already a situation
naturally high in emotion and the game doubles down on it through
each card’s colour and stylised imagery making clear the feelings
behind it. With each card played the intensity of the back and forth
comes across as the protagonist eventually pushes through the noise
to convert the other party into one willing to at least listen to the
truth.
Chaos Of Battle
Being
able to capture the messy and improvisational element of combat
through a Card Battler system is something a textual narrative like
visual novels cannot easily achieve. This is created through either
with the randomness of a card pool or the chaos of the interactions
between each card and the battle. Such titles also tend only use the Card Battler for combat and leave everything else to other systems in
order for it to provide a focused impact on the player. Having an
element of randomness through what cards the player will see each
turn works to simulate a reactive environment and encourages a looser
play style where they have to roll with the punches rather than
follow a neatly laid out plan. On the other hand if the interactions
caused by cards are pushed to the front then the chaos comes from the
need to balance them against what the enemy is doing. It forms a push
and pull between the two and the increasing difficulty the player
experiences trying to keep the two sides from overwhelming them
mirrors the pressures experienced by the cast. By doing this it
allows for a strong emotional resonance which the main visual novel
narrative can play off and so expand on the consequence to gives a
wholistic feeling to the entire work.
 |
| Controlling the battle is a constant challenge |
Battle Suit Aces is an example
of how interactions can do a lot of the heavy lifting to create this
chaos despite its relatively ordered card progression. In order to
capture the clash of mechas and monsters underpinning the narrative, there was an effort made to sell the power each possess through
strong visual effects accompanying a dynamic back and forth
between allies and enemies. This operates on two levels, the allied
units and their combos planned out by the player beforehand and then
the enemies messing these up with their own interactions and
synergies which must be worked around. Having to manage these
competing fronts creates a chaotic game state where each element has
to be considers yet all can easily spiral out of control if left
unattended. Since the visual novel presentation in Battle Suit Aces
is relatively static in nature, these battles are the only chance to
properly sell the conflicts and there is a careful bouncing back and
forth between them to keep them both engaging. There is no simpler
version of the chaos of the unknown than the Card Battler systems of
Princess Waltz. The player is dealt a random hand of numbered cards
and must play them to beat their opponents score but since their
opponent plays their cards face down the player has no idea about the total
they are trying to beat. Through these two unknowns the game can
simulate the chaos of the one vs one battles presented in the visual
novel sections while asking for logic and risk management skills to
be exercised. Just like the cast, the player must push beyond the
uncertainty with their unique skills and making reads off their
enemy’s actions.
Expressing Identity
What
cards are available and the actions they represent can give the
characters using them a sense of identity while also building a wider
feeling world carried through into the narrative. Since the player
will be spending a lot of time engaging with and executing the
strategies these cards facilitate, this is a space which organically
finds itself lodged into their mind. As such character and world
building can be weaved into them in a way which reflects the
narrative’s needs as the player's toolbox grows along with their
opposition. The resources available to the cast helps spell out the
kind of world they live in, how they view that world and what kind of
means they are willing to use to achieve victory. A character using
poison to slowly kill their enemy communicates a vastly different
kind of personality to one who uses shields to help keep themselves
and their allies alive. A world saturated by magic will have its
cards filled with spell slinging while one in a sci-fi setting might
instead offer laser guns, mechs and spaceships for the player to use.
Committing into this style of quiet and layered presentation frees
the visual novel element from the need to spend valuable time
explaining the broader strokes of the world and cast so it can focus
on the plot beats and pacing needed to keep the player engaged.
 |
| Clean, clear and violent |
The
majority of the previous examples of Card Battlers follow this
principle to one extent or another, even the basic Princess Waltz has
abilities to activate which serve this function, and all leverage
this added flavour to great effect. Library of Ruina showcases an interesting manifestation of this style since it is a game which leans
on its world a lot so makes for a contrasting method to the previous
titles shown here. Its unique art style coupled with the moves and
abilities represented by the cards establishes not only the context
of this world but also its tone. The cards available to each
character and the kind of fighting they engage in demonstrate details of
setting and culture in this dystopian world of steel and horror. A
broader tone is quickly established through the cards use of strong
colours and often violent imagery as they speak to the game’s
content and establish what the player can expect during their time
here. By having its mechanics create this baseline, Library of Ruina
can play on those ideas in its narrative and they provide something
to fall back onto during long periods of progression so the core through-line of the work can be maintained even in the story’s
absence.
Conclusion
The many avenues for presentation and the way it can seamlessly merge
into a visual novel narrative make card battlers a smooth second
element of a hybrid. They can represent the emotions of its themes
and characters while having the player engage with them in a very
direct fashion. Tone and identity form around how these cards
showcase the cast and world they inhabit in an understated manner. When
battles are fought the chaotic nature of their systems allow the
player to feel the back and forth of combat and never truly be in
control of the situation. By pairing a visual novel with a card
battler the narrative gains access to a new level of symbolism it can
weave in and out of as needed.
Dark Nights Review – Solving Romantic Tension With Spooky Scares
Genre – Otome, Supernatural, Mystery Play Time – 13 hours Developer - Pinlin Steam(Free) VNDB
Supernatural Hunks
Everyone
dreams of something exciting happening to them to break the mundanity
of their lives, but few consider the consequences of this
adventure. Such is the case for Dark Nights’ bored protagonist
Miyoko who gets exactly what she wishes for when people start
disappearing and she becomes entangled with a series of supernatural
men. This tale of tension, romance and a light bit of horror unveils
to her the hidden world living right under her nose. Each of her
suitors is given their own distinct plot completely focused on them
rather than a variation of a core narrative structure which keeps the
game fresh throughout. Small nods to the other routes pepper each play
through and invite the player to explore every possible avenue. The
suitors possess a good spread of personalities that compliment and
rub up against Miyoko’s own strong willed and proactive nature in
different and entertaining ways. Backing them up is a secondary cast
capable of playing both friend and foe to the main characters without
coming across and inconsistent. When it comes to the visuals and
audio the amateur nature of Dark Nights becomes obvious in their
inconsistent quality and this is not helped by a few odd quirks of
scene pacing plaguing certain sections. Are these traits of its
production enough to undermine the otome fantasy? Let’s snoop
around at night and find out.
It Goes Bump In The Night – Narrative And Themes
Variety
stands as Dark Nights’ greatest narrative strength with each route
bringing some new angle to the world and there being little overlap
between their ideas. This keeps the experience of progression fresh
throughout as the player is never quite sure what they are going to
encounter next. It also uses the unexpected to help add tension and compliment a romance where the threats facing the suitors differ
wildly and always remain exciting. Despite this variance, the world
building has a believable consistency to it which never strays too
far from the core supernatural concepts established early on in each
route. No matter what a player chooses they will be met with a
consistent presentation of the world without it falling into a
predictable pattern. Almost everything comes down to spirits, the
undead or those in charge of managing them. Yet there are lots of
variations to this framework such as the spirit world being made up
of different powerful spirits and even guardian demons. Helping all
of these elements feel consistent with one another is the countless
little nods to the other routes inside each route. These hint at the
fate of characters from other routes and tease what their route
involves while also providing the sense the cast do not just
disappear when not chosen by the player. It makes the world feel more
natural and alive where the character decide their own fates and
merely intersect with Miyoko’s life rather than having everything
revolve around her.
 |
| Dreaming of something exciting |
Supporting these vibrant routes is the
entertaining mixture of romance and light horror. The horror in Dark
Nights’ come across more as spooky rather than actively trying to induce fear in the player and it is akin to haunted house ride at a
theme park. This is not to say it cannot create feelings of tension
and danger since Miyoko’s fragile nature is constantly reinforced
through the bad endings and monsters she faces. What allows this
horror to not be overwhelming comes from the playful way it presents
these darker elements through making them somewhat silly punishments
of obvious failure or the achievements for bad ends having funny
illustrations on them. This lighter presentation of horror lets it
complement the slowly building romance between Miyoko and the suitor
where the two can bond in the face of their shared dangers alongside
the excuse to get physically closer to these handsome men. Since
these relationships are the main attraction of an otome, a stronger
horror element might have overpowered the positive emotions of this
romance so this is skilfully dodged and instead employed to showcase
the development of their bond.
 |
| This collection for the ending achievements is a fun addition |
A
consistent problem throughout Dark Nights is the way scenes and some
endings can be too short or abruptly come to an end. For scenes this
mostly comes in the form of events which serve a function but are not
given the space to feel natural. They have the characters say all the
important information in rapid succession before stopping as soon as
their utility has ended which is jarring since it creates the sense
the cast are robots. Fortunately scenes like these are mostly
concentrated in the common route and the opening sections of a few
suitor routes but disappear as the player progresses further into
them. This makes for a poor first impression of the game which might
turn off potential new players from the joys found in later sections.
In the case of some endings, not all are created equal and some
normal and romance endings lack a proper climax and resolution and
instead just stop. What this means in practice is things like major
plot beats or antagonists dealt with of screen in a single line
despite all the build up or a happy ending not earned by the
characters and just shoved onto them. As you can imagine this leads to a
feeling of being left without a way to tie up the player’s feelings
towards the route’s suitor and leaves a sour taste in their mouth.
The majority of endings do not suffer from this issue but this makes
the ones which do stand out in the worst way possible and are
disappointing when the bar for ending quality is so high.
Another
minor issue is the weird way Dark Nights insists it is set in a
village despite the location being far too large to be considered
one. There are inconsistencies like the fact that Miyoko can run
through the streets for an extended time to escape oncoming zombies,
a lot of villagers die and become zombies yet the village never seems
to run out of people and there being parts of the village Miyoko has
never been to despite living in there all her life. Each one of these
point to the village in fact being at least a small town where these
traits would make sense since it would easily excuse them. This
issues is at most distracting rather than damaging but does
contribute to the overall inconsistency of the narrative at times.
Ghosts, Ghouls and Charming Men – Characters
Key
to any good otome is a likeable suite of suitors for the player to
select from and invest into and those on display here more than meet
this standard. A wide variety of personalities exists across the
suitors from the blunt but kind Zeikun to the carefree and lazy
Kurato and these lead to a lot of distinct interaction based on who
is the focus of a route. What further pushes their individual
identities is how they do not all get along with each other and often
come into direct conflict with each other and in doing so reveal new
sides to themselves. Most importantly of all they bounce off Miyoko
in fun ways as their banter creates a sense of the bond between her
and each suitor while contrasting it with her other relationships. It
makes her connection with them feel genuine and unique to each of
them since they bring out different parts of her personality. Miyoko
being the story’s primary driver gives her a refreshing wilfulness
and helps equalise the relationship with her chosen suitor despite
being physically weaker than them in need of their protection.
Without her they would not be moving forwards and it is only because
she drags them with her that they manage to overcome their issues and
find happiness. It also makes for some amazing dialogue where the
characters have to face down this force of nature and find her
persistence difficult to deal with. As for the secondary cast, they
nicely fill in the roles needed from them as they dynamically jump
between ally and enemy depending on the route while remaining
believably consistent in their motives and actions. Finding out how
they will react in a new route to Miyoko and the suitor forms a
strong part of the appeal of exploring the game’s narrative to its
fullest. Their interconnecting web of relationships and shared
history slowly unveils itself with unguarded comments and heartfelt
cries providing these sneak peaks behind their masks.
 |
| Kaichi is one of the best examples of someone who is both friend and enemy at different times |
Fantasy Bellow Normality – Visuals, Audio And Technical
The
amateur nature of Dark Nights is brought into sharper focus when
considering the three pillars of visuals, audio and design choices.
From a visual standpoint it is the inconsistencies which highlight
this quality through the contrast between the sprites and the CGs.
There is a gap in presentation between the two which creates a
feeling of disconnect where they do not seem to show the same
characters. The CGs come across as lush and vibrant where their
dynamic and expressive poses compliment an excellent colour palette
and vivid lines to form strong visualisation for the narrative.
Unfortunately the sprites cannot match this high benchmark and each
is somewhat stiff in their posture with a limited variety of
expressions leading to the cast feeling wooden at times. Then the
small OST comes into focus as it is not quite large enough to fill
what is not a short visual novel which results in a lot of repeated
tracks the player will become very familiar with. Each track is used
appropriately but over the course of the long play time they lose their
impact and no longer invoke the emotions in the player’s mind.
Another sign of the amateur nature of this title is the extremely
short common route. The suitors are given one scene each before the
game asks the player which one they want to pursue.
 |
| Oh my, look another handsome man |
Conclusion
Keeping
a romantic tone while having the pressing weight of horror is the
mixture which characterises much of Dark Nights. Each route takes a
different part of this setting and explores it through its suitor as
it weaves in aspects from other routes to create a complete feeling
world. Vivid characters dance around each other in a battle of life
and love where the friends and enemies change dramatically from
suitor to suitor and set to a backdrop of beautiful CGs depicting
their most heartfelt moments. There are some hiccups hampering the
player’s enjoyment of the game from some of the more amateur
visuals to the abrupt endings to some scenes, but these are ultimately minor or infrequent enough to overlook for what is otherwise an
exceptional otome.
Verdict –
Perfectly captures a spooky horror tone which allows for intense
romantic interactions with its many engaging suitors and their
supernatural problems. Oddly cut off scenes and some limited visuals and audio do hold it back from its potential.
Pros-
+
Every route has its own distinct plot thread which deals with a
different part of the setting to keep the narrative feeling fresh.
+
Blends romance and horror together in a fun mixture of spooky and
steamy moments.
+
Suitors have a good variety of personalities and clash with each
other. This extends to the secondary cast who jump between friend and
foe depending on the route.
+
Beautiful CGs enhance the most powerful and memorable events in the
game.
Cons -
-
Some scenes and endings are too short or end too abruptly leading to
an unsatisfying and poorly paced feel at times.
-
Weak character sprites and an OST too small for the game’s length
hamper its presentation.
-
Common route is too short and demands the player choose a suitor
before the player has even had a chance to get to know them.
Best Visual Novel Releases – May 2026
Despite
spring fleeing now from the blasting heat of summer, visual novels
have not wilted under the punishing rays of the sun and instead provide us
with an exciting array of new titles. This has been a month defined
by developers taking shots at new ideas and remixing old ones from
taking mysterious phone calls to preparing coffee for excentric
guests, there is a wide swath of options. Let’s dive in and look at
which among these new releases are worth your time.
Official Releases
Coffee Talk Tokyo
The
Coffee Talk series returns once again, this time with a new setting
in the bustling Tokyo and an entirely different set of characters to
make beverages for. Small and incremental changes are the order of
the day here as little of the fundamentals have shifted from the
previous two titles. All the changes revolve around streamlining the
UI and user experience while adding in a few new options to the
drink brewing process to prevent it from becoming stale. By far the
biggest draw is the new cast who bring their fresh problems and
struggles wrapped up in the usual coating of supernatural races to
create some truly entertaining dynamics. This move to a new group of
characters marks an attempt to make this game a good entry point into
the series, but at the same time it relies just enough on the old
material to mildly confuse a fresh player. Despite this quirk, the
trip to Tokyo is one fans of the genre should not miss out on.
Birushana: Winds of Fate
Nintendo Eshop VNDB Genre
– Otome, Heian Period, Fan Disc Play Time – 20 hours
This
title is the fandisc for the historical otome Birushana: Rising
Flower of Genpei which released four years ago and it sets about trying
to round out the narrative. It is clear Winds of Fate wants to stick
to a more upbeat style of story compared to the original which it
primarily does through its after stories following on from the best
endings of each route. These consist of very little conflict with the
romance and slice of life aspects taking centre stage so the suitors
and the protagonist can spend quality time together. The only slight
exception to this rule is the new routes for some of the
sub-characters as these are set during the original game so inherit
much of its serious tone in new and exciting contexts and
relationships. Yet even they do not quite go to the same places as
before and stay within the overall lighter tone. If you enjoyed the
Rising Flower of Genpei then there is a lot for you here in a fandisc
that understood what its audience wanted.
NICE TO MEET YOU, AGAIN
Purple
Software has become increasingly willing to move beyond the standard
route structure which defined much of their earlier work to create
shorter and more focused titles. Nice To Meet You, Again is a part of this
trend with its singular direction around a core narrative conceit and
mystery carrying the entire experience. This takes the form of the
protagonist, Kinou Yumeto, being offered the opportunity to redo his
youth after he crosses paths with a demon but when he travels back he
finds a girl in the past which he has no memory of ever meeting. Weaving
this central mystery through the various moments of drama and
emotional growth makes for a compelling and intimate tale which knows
when it has said its piece. The magical element understands when to
stay in the background and adds just enough to chew on in order to
keep the player engaged. Another excellent title from Purple Software
for those seeking a more directed experience, now if only all their women would not have ridiculous breast sizes.
Schrödinger's Call
Earning
the award for most distinctive release this month, Schrödinger's Call
takes the conversational style of visual novels and leans into it
with its core concept of a mysterious phone which connects the
protagonist to various animal people. Even as the quiet spectre of the
apocalypse hangs over each call, the human connection is what the
game considers to really matter and all of its mechanics revolve
around getting the player to feel its importance. The tenuous nature
of the link through a phone line further pushes the personal nature
of the tales told to the player and invests them in these last
confessions. All this is shrouded in a mystery about the
protagonist’s past and the nature of the place they find themselves
in and provides an engaging hook beyond the moment to moment
interactions. If there were a single title on this list you should
play before all others then it is Schrödinger's Call.
Iris Odyssey
Combining
magical powers, a modern day setting and yuri might seem like an
eclectic mixture but Iris Odyssey is a surprisingly direct and well
paced title. It follows the intersecting journey of two women, Fuka, who is trying to track down her missing brother, and the investigator
Iris, as she pursues a criminal band of rouge sorcerers called the
Skyseekers. As the two become closer they find themselves entangled
in a conspiracy far larger than they had originally imagined and must
test the limits of their bond to overcome it. This game understands
the assignment of an urban fantasy with its interweaving of our world
and magic into a believable mesh which lends its thriller narrative a
sense of grounded realism. Overall this is a fun time for those
looking for a light magical romp with some likeable characters.
Fan Translations
Sengoku † Koihime ~Otome Kenran ☆ Sengoku Emaki~
Patch Download VNDB Genre
- Sengoku Period, Gender Swap, Fantasy Play Time – 80 hours
From
the studio which brought you The Romance Of Three Kingdoms but
everyone is a woman comes the Sengoku Jidai but everyone is a woman.
More specifically the period surrounding Oda Nobunaga's, who is of
course a woman, rise to power with an added supernatural element in
the form of the oni. It only loosely follows the events of history
using it more a spring board for references and nods to the player
rather than a script to be rigidly adhered to at all times. As should
be obvious by now, this is a comedy harem style of visual novel
firmly aimed at taking its gender swap concept to its absurd
extremes. Enjoying this title means being able to meet it on the
level of seriousness it present in its long title and silly premise.
If you are willing to do so then there is a funny and light story waiting for you which will take you through the colourful characters which define
this period of Japanese history.
Seasons: Emotional Resonance And The Passing Of Time – An Anatomy Of Visual Novels
Cycle Of Seasons
Human
civilisation has been defined by the yearly rotation of Seasons and people have long come up with stories using their powerful emotional resonance. The dark days of Winter capture a very
different feeling to the warm Summer sun which makes them excellent
narrative devices to form an underlying tone. Japanese culture is
especially sensitive to the Seasons so it is no surprise to find the
medium of visual novels being heavily influenced by them. Even titles created beyond its boards still adhere to this core
thematic identity both as homage to the cultural associations and as a
convenient means of controlling the player. Spring is most often
linked with new starts and a generally positive outlook with a tinge
of uncertainty from the remnants of Winter. By contrast Autumn adopts
the idea of bounty and harvest while having an undertone of decline
as the greenery dies away. The embrace of Winter is a still and
frozen one where death lurks yet there is a beauty in that coldness
and a knowledge it will one day give way to Spring. This
article will not be covering Summer since it has already been covered
extensively in its own separate work Here, but the overarching
points remain unchanged and apply to it as well. What is important to
note is how Seasons rarely exist in narrative isolation and instead
tend to transition into one another in particular at the end of a
story or route. Let’s watch the changing Seasons and see how they
intersect and define their visual novel space.
Spring: Beginnings And Hope
For
the natural world, Spring is the true beginning of the year where
life takes its first tentative steps to be born anew from the cold
embrace of Winter. Visual novels love using Spring for their setting
due to the striking and immediately recognisable colours and imagery
surrounding it. Streets lined with sakura have become such a
ubiquitous feature of the visual presentation of this Season and it is
odd to see a title show springtime without them. This is the most
striking Japanese influence on Seasons in the medium with it being
present even in games made elsewhere in the world, for example it is
rare to see daffodils being used despite being so closely linked to
Spring in European cultures. Other imagery finds its way in alongside
the sakura when it comes to budding plants, animals with their young
or other signs of new life. All of these feed into the thematic idea
of new beginnings and rebirth which underpin the traits attributed
with Spring. It easily ties into stories about young love or finding
hope in a change of situation which naturally lend themselves to
sharing the same language of visuals and text. What this achieves is
a smoothing of the overall demonstration of the core ideas through a
short hand the player is already familiar with due to its prolific
use in the medium. By leaning on this baseline a developer can ensure
a smother experience where their new narrative elements can stand out
against it to make them easier to parse via the contrast.
 |
| Spring is the Season of Flowers |
The Flowers
games absolutely love making use of the Seasons in exactly this
manner and the first game, -Le volume sur printemps-, presents the
Spring example of this technique. All the standard features of Spring
are accounted for here from the deluge of sakura to the countless
other flowers in bloom amongst the greenery. This use of flowers
throughout the aesthetic and theming of the title engages the visuals
and narrative in a carefully thought out multilayered presentation.
On the surface it connects the title Flowers directly into the game by living up to its name which creates a bright design space going
forwards. Then there is the connection between yuri and flowers which
further ties together the overall theming of the work as the
blossoming love becomes reflected in the very world around the cast.
To bring this all together the protagonist, Shirahane Suou, also
reflects the new beginnings theme in her arrival at the academy
marking a new stage in her life and it taking place in Spring subtly
pushes this transition as a positive change even if she does not yet
full understand that herself. These three aspects push the Season
front and centre at all times and provides a distinct feeling to this
Flowers game which the later ones can play off while they shift into
their new Season.
For a far subtler example, Katawa Shoujo makes use
of Spring not so much for its own visual identity as much as its
contrast with Winter. The game opens with a snowy confession and
Hisao Nakai first near death experience and from here everything is
framed in contrast to this moment of disaster. As such the arrival of
Spring always coincides with the new hope and moments of release he
finds from the school and the people attending it to underscore the
change they are bringing into his life. Compared to the Flowers games
Katawa Shoujo’s Spring colours are far more muted and less directly
presented to the player since the Seasons are not so narratively
important. The grounded nature of the game’s environment choices
give this theming a lighter touch to ensure the struggles of its cast
feel authentic instead of the hyper reality of fiction. Both approaches
achieve the same overall effect but at different levels of player
consciousness suitable for what each title wants from the Seasons.
Autumn: Harvesting Decline
When
it comes to Autumn the associations are significantly vaguer and it
lacks the direct and universal language found in Spring. The browns
and yellows of vegetation and a lower light level dominate the visual
language of Autumn making it easily recognisable and it also lacks
the culturally specific elements attached to Spring. However, its
emotional and thematic elements are far more nebulous in nature with
it invoking a wide variety of impressions and being defined more by
its place between Summer and Winter. This ends up resulting in Autumn
having everything from prosperous harvest to slow decay being
connected with it. Developers have more free rein on what theming
they can use with this Season but they cannot rely on it to present an
easy to understand message so must put the work in themselves.
Due to
this flexibility it is better to discuss Autumn through a few
examples of it inside visual novels. 11 eyes utilises the decay and
decline aspect of Autumn as an undertone to the growing danger
swallowing the lives of the characters and then the city itself. The
Season is never directly mentioned by the narrative since it has
little bearing on the what is happening in the escalating magical
battles. Instead its darker colour palette adds to the tonal mesh
formed around the dire situations to further the tension surrounding
it while also acting as a contrast against the growing bonds between
the cast. Alongside this it is tied into the end of the
world style scenario 11 eyes develops, where Autumn’s decline
and decay towards winter mirrors this world’s own march to its end.
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| Getting dressed up for Halloween |
On a less serious use of this Season, Sanoba Witch pulls on the
thread of harvest and bounty and even makes use of a seasonal
festival in the form of Halloween. Here the association is made
between Autumn and love where the deeper colours and cooler
temperatures offer the perfect excuse to snuggle closer while their
emotions grow larger. Similarly to 11 eyes this is a predominantly
background element which defines the game’s visual design in terms
of both colour palate and the clothes worn by the characters and offers a distinct space to work within separate from other Seasons. One
notable exception to this coming in the form of the Halloween party
where Autumn gets shove in the player’s face in the most direct
manner possible. It is no coincidence this is also the point where
romantic feeling begin to truly mature into a concrete change in both
parties since it can nicely invoke the association with bounty and
plenty in a romantic context. Over the course of the runs through the
game for each route the party acts as recognisable marker of the
progress of time and the player’s position within the story lending
the narrative a natural sense of forwards momentum inherent in the
cycle of Seasons.
Winter: Cold Beauty
Despite
being at the opposite end of the year Winter shares a similar direct nature to its emotional and visual power with Spring. The world blanketed in white
snow invokes a wide range of reactions from the player from awe at
its pure beauty to fear of the cold and death it can bring to the
unprepared. It is the Season with the most directly negative
associations with stasis, oppressiveness and depression brought about
through the dark and cold which define the characters lives during
it. Thick coats and gloves immediately speak to the temperature
before the characters have even begun to comment on it and it
furthers the continuous presence of these thematic association as
they press down on the player’s thoughts. Yet is is not without
hope since the player instinctually knows Spring will come and Winter
needs only to be endured for better times to once again sprout. This
is also why many stories set during Winter come to an end with the
characters being at their happiest in the Spring which follows to
provide a visual catharsis through the transition into brighter
colours. The beauty of the Season presents a new angle to
complicate the player’s feelings on the Season where its majesty
written in pure white can have positive connections to the narrative
beats. In particular it often gets mixed with the idea of pure love
romance as a visual symbol of their untainted bond and a sense that
the world itself reflects their growing relationship. A coldness
still exists in this presentation, hence why such games transition
into Spring at their finale, and it acts as an excuse for physical
intimacy where the lovers cuddle together to share warmth while they
overcome the harsh temperature.
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| Dark, cold and dire |
Kara no Shoujo - The Second Episode
embraces the oppressiveness of Winter to match the dire situation
surrounding its mysteries. Its world is permanently caked in a layer
of snow which is ever so slightly dirty in its colour to make sure
the player finds no beauty in it and only the weight it presses down
upon the people living through it. The muted colour palette it uses compliments this tone and nestles the tension of Tokisaka Reiji
pursuit of Kuchiki Touko and the other mysteries encountered along
the way in dim haze where the answers are obscured from view. Keeping
this relentless cold even into its final act ensures the pressure on
the player never diminishes and they are left in the same state a
Tokisaka Reiji when the curtain falls.
While nowhere near as
depressing, G-senjou no Maou operates the lens of Winter in a similar
fashion. Its use of snow is far more strategic with it only coming in
a key dramatic moment to lay the oppressiveness on thick and sell how
important these scenes to the characters. Over the course of the
title the darker colours end up being the continuous manifestation of
the feelings of being trapped reflected in web of the yakuza as
events slowly spiral out of control. Complimenting this approach are
the many scenes taking place in the dark or a darkened room to really
push the claustrophobic sense of being lost within the underbelly of
the world. For G-senjou no Maou Winter can be a more ambiguous force
which is presented through the activities related to the Season. Azai Kanon’s figure skating demonstrates this tendency
through its association with Winter and its pure white as well as
Kannon’s passion for it. Even this is somewhat muddied by the
conflict the figure skating brings to Kannon’s life, there is still a decidedly positive emotion provided and it works the cold beauty angle.
Conclusion
Seasonal
presentation forms an important part of the tool kit available for
visual novels both in terms of aesthetics as well as easy to access
themes. Spring leans into its associations with new beginnings and
rebirth through its bright colours to craft stories leaning into hope
and the future. Winters sits on the opposite extreme as stasis and
oppressiveness define the fiction set within it and leading to dire and
darker tones. Autumn prefers to take a backseat role pulling up ideas
of decline and harvest to create rich soil for a wide variety of
narratives. There is a Season for every kind of visual novel and
knowing when to utilise them can enhance your work while giving it a
memorable aesthetic flare.
Coming Of Age – Genre Deep Dive
On The Edge
Transitioning
to adulthood and leaving the days of childhood behind is a common
thematic trope throughout history so it should come as no surprise
for visual novels to make use of it. Coming of Age rarely holds the
sole focus of the narrative and instead exists as a genre only
visible once the characters' arcs have been completed and they gain
their maturity. Playing directly into drama of entering the adult
world and assuming the responsibility which comes with age is the
simplest form of the genre given it places it directly in the
player’s face to make the theming clear. Since maturity can be
subtle in nature there are games which choose not to tie it to age
and rather present it as something gain through personal conflict
beyond the process of growing up. Not all presentations of the Coming
of Age are entirely positive with many dwelling on what has been lost in the face of the inevitable march of time.
Let’s put on our big boy shoes and find out how a genre can extract
drama from the act of getting older.
Stairway To Adulthood
There
is an inherent layer of conflict built into ageing as the march of
time changes people and forces them into uncomfortable new
situations. Periods of transition bring these feelings to the
forefront and few are more dramatic then stepping into adulthood.
Gone are the protections of childhood and the characters are thrust into a
world of responsibility which they must contend with. This is by far
the most direct type of the Coming Of Age story since it is a literal
coming of age rather than a purely emotional one. Since it is so
immediate in its presentation these visual novels tend to deal with
the realities of adulthood such as jobs and having children. They
push the idea of responsibility in a series of smaller scale changes
to a character’s life before leading them into the life shattering
conflicts required for an exciting finale. Titles looking for a slow
build up while pushing a continuous Coming Of Age theming tend to
pick this style for exactly these reasons since it gives incremental
emotional moments to keep the player engaged in the lead up to the
pay off while also appearing to be a natural extension of its ideas.
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| YU-NO's cast are often defined by their immaturity |
One of the most prominent examples of this jump to adulthood is
Clannad, in particular the After Story section. Tomoya has to deal
with the responsibilities of being an adult as they are thrown at him
one after another from getting a job, marriage and preparing for a
child. Many of these end up being minor hiccups used for comedy but when combined they create a sense of Tomoya’s growing maturity
through him overcoming them. They lay the foundation for the bigger
hurdles of his journey into adulthood in the form of dealing with a
child. Forming a connection with his child presents the greatest
challenge for him given all the personal and emotional baggage
surrounding his own life and only by finally coming to terms with it
can he be a good father. This acts as the climax solidifying the
final stage of his Coming Of Age where he can cope with the
responsibilities and maturity appropriate for his age. Not all uses
of this style need present day or real world connections to be
impactful since maturity is an internal quality. YU-NO presents this
approach in its later section where Takuya is whisked out of our
world and ends up being trapped there leading to him having to
quickly learn to be an adult. Since this is a loosely fantasy world,
adulthood means a maturity and responsibility to those around him
rather than the specific expectations for the modern world, hence why
he does not get a job but instead involves himself in activities related
to his survival. Interestingly just like Clannad the final stage of
this journey into maturity is connected to a child but this time it
is the pursuit and reconnection with the child after they are
kidnapped. The idea of successful raising a child is a common
narrative beat to end the arc on since it is seen as the most taxing
aspect of being an adult.
Maturity In The Face Of Change
Not
all Coming Of Age stories need to be focused around a transition to
adulthood and they are more often based around a looser idea of
personal maturity. This makes for a malleable source of drama and
development suitable for appearing alongside other styles of
narrative without distracting too much from them. It can take the
conflict at the centre of story and have the cast mature in the face
of this challenge and can co exist with each specific character arc
to create a complete sense of transition out of childish traits into ones
demonstrating growth. These tend to be focused around negative
internal elements like trauma which haunt the character and need to
be resolved so they can move on with their lives. What is important
to emphasise here is the idea of the growth as maturity must be
pushed by the game, either explicitly through text or implicitly
through the character’s place in the world, just overcoming the
negative aspect is not enough in of itself to be considered Coming Of
Age. However, it is exactly this slight overlap with other genres
which allow it to be so freely used within a complimentary context to
those same genres. Little Busters encapsulates this approach to
Coming Of Age drama as it entangles this journey to maturity with a
variety of different narrative threads. For the majority of the game
it stays in the background of the thematic mixture so the romance and
supernatural threads can be the focus yet still contextualises those
as steps towards a growth in overcoming trauma. This continuity
of its underlying presentation makes the shift into it being the core
message during the finale a natural one where the revelations about
reality and its sadness are contrasted against the cast’s known
ability to grow beyond it. So as they move into a maturity they
previously lacked there is a strong sense of catharsis where the
title’s conclusion becomes a final release for a quiet build up and
it is a powerful emotional moment to end on.
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| His age should not be the reason he accepts... |
The Melancholy Of Growing Up
Growing
up is not all sunshine and rainbows, some aspects of childhood and
innocence are forever lost in the transition and, no matter how much
the person might want to recapture them, they can never truly be
restored in quite the same way. For visual novels this manifests in a
sense of melancholy at this transition into maturity where the lost
is dwelled upon for dramatic effect and the cast wrestle with its
passing. How these emotions all play out varies wildly from game to
game since melancholy is an extremely vague feeling being anything
from the partner for depression to a loose acceptance of change. Its
shifting nature makes it unsuitable to be the main thematic push so
it often ends up forming the underlying tone present through each
step along the Coming Of Age journey. Despite this position in the
narrative structure, its use is limited by the emotional state it
invokes not always being compatible with the kind of stories told
alongside this genre due to the more positive spin on growing up they
aim towards. While melancholy might not be immediately negative,
there is a connection with dwelling in the past and loss which forces an
introspection on maturity and demands a slower pace for it to have
its desired impact. Kimi ga Nozomu Eien demonstrates this use of
Coming Of Age drama through the way it ties into the romantic
progression. It focuses on the characters’ loss of innocence due to
the gaining of responsibilities both to themselves and to the one
they love. There is juxtaposition between the childishness of their
love triangle and the realities of relationships where it plays out the drama to its extremes through this transition and its consequences.
The game continuously rubs in this melancholy into the wound to fully
immerse the player in the vat of emotions it has concocted so it can
make the catharsis of their resolution all the more powerful.
Transitioning out of these darker feelings is key to their success
since they are never entirely escaped, but merely something to be
pushed beyond as the characters move into maturity.
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| One birthday closer to the inevitable march of adulthood |
Conclusion
Utilising
the genre of Coming Of Age can be a surprisingly flexible process
which reflect the vastly different experiences people face in their
journey into maturity. The transition into adulthood due to age is
the most common way to use this idea since it is an easy to
understand experience the player can be expected to be familiar with.
Growing up may not be a universally positive process for the cast so a
title may choose to focus on the melancholy from a loss of innocence
and freedom as a means of creating an emotional tone. Maturity is not
necessarily a quality inherent to a certain age which means titles can frame their narratives within the context of personal
maturity in order for a more flexible application. Tying all of these
versions of the Coming Of Age genre together is the idea of
transition and growth so its appeal to developers as a means of
expressing a character arc is the foundations of its use in visual
novels.
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