Archive for June 2022
Best Visual Novel Releases – June 2022
As
the June heat reaches its apex we once again cover the best visual
novel releases of the month and what a month of games it has been. We
have so many genres represented on this months list, from historical
otome to sci-fi detective work, there is a little something for
everyone. Now let’s get into what visual novels you should be checking
out from the past month.
Official Releases -
-Find Love or Die Trying -
This short free visual novel
clearly draws influence from the death game sub-genre and visual
novels such as Danganronpa or TV series like Squid Game which it
makes quite apparent with its game show elements. The set up is that
you are part of a dating show in which the participants must find a
romantic partner within seven or they will be killed. You have to
juggle finding someone to partner up with and getting to the bottom
of the shady broadcast. This visual novel relies on a lot of
shocking twists to keep the reader engaged and prevent them from
thinking too deeply about the shaky logic of the narrative.
However, the short play time prevent this narrative choice from becoming too much of
an issue and the result is a brief but sweet thriller which keeps the
momentum up for the entire ride.
-Meteor World Actor: Badge & Dagger -
The second installment of the
Meteor World Actor series, Badge &
Dagger continues Hiryuu Ruka’s relentless
pursuit of the Cult as he loses himself even more in the hunt. It is
a more focused package than the previous game with the overarching
plot coming out as the aspect the studio is interested in and the
resulting game is stronger for this clarity. However, this means
the romance is even weaker than before with only two heroines and
neither of them manage to justify their inclusion as they get
sidelined by the main narrative. In the end, if you did not enjoy the
previous entry then this second one will not change your mind, but if
you are already on board this ride then it doubles down on what made
the first game good.
-even if TEMPEST: Yoiyami ni Kaku Katariki Majo -
Nintendo Estore VNDB Genre
– Otome, Dark
Fantasy, Mystery. Play Time – 25 hours.
This
month is a good one for Switch owners with the release of three
excellent titles, the first of which is the dark fantasy otome even
if TEMPEST. Our protagonist Anastasia Lynzel has been given the power
of Fatal Rewind, a type of time travel, as she died by a mysterious
witch and Lynzel decided to redo her life and be her ideal self. However,
nothing is without consequence as Lynzel will soon find out as
misfortune catches up with her. even if TEMPEST continues the
trend of the Switch as the premiere platform for otome and it is
definitely on the high tier of what is a competitive field with its
engaging suitors alongside the riveting plot. A must pick up for the
mystery loving otome fan.
-LOOPERS -
Nintendo Estore VNDB Genre
– Nakige, Time Loop. Play Time – 7 hours.
The
second quality title for the Switch is LOOPERS a Key visual novel
with a scenario written by Ryuukishi07. The pedigree on this one
should speak for itself and the narrative delivers the emotional
moments you would expect while not outstaying its welcome with a
short playtime. Taira Akira (Tyler) is obsessed with geohunting and
on one summers day he and his friends are indulging his passion when
they are drawn into a time vortex and become stuck in a time loop. In
this state they meet other people stuck in a similar loop but can
they work together and escape their predicament? A solid visual
novel for someone looking for something short and sweet which hits
all the right notes for the genre.
-Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei -
The
latest release in the Higurashi series, Rei is the fandisc for the
main series and contains a selection of stories. While it is not
essential reading for enjoying Higurahsi, this game acts as a nice
bookend for the narrative and showcases why the series is one of the
strongest in the visual novel space. Both the horror / thriller and
the slice of life elements of Higurashi are showcased separately in
their purest forms as they are turned up to eleven for this victory
march. A definite addition to any Higurahsi fan's game library.
-Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei -
Nintendo Estore VNDB Genre
– Historic Fantasy, Otome. Play Time – 40 hours.
Birushana
is the final Switch game on this list and we have saved the best for
last with this historic fantasy otome set in Heian period. Shanao
is the youngest heir of the Genji name and despite how the world sees
her, she is no male heir. The tension between the rival Genji and
Heike clans bubbles under the surface as Shanao finds herself torn between
her duty to the family name and her desire for a peaceful life. She
must set out to defeat the Heike and bring about peace but there is
more to this feud than she realises. It is nice to have another
historical visual novel as the established time period adds a lot of
flavour to the work while still leaving enough room for a subversion
of the expected events. Birushana is an excellent example of its
genre with engaging characters and an excellent sense of dramatic
tension and pacing. Another title for the discerning otome fan.
-AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative -
The
direct sequel to the original AI: The Somnium Files, nirvanA
Initiative follows two new protagonists Mizuki and Ryuki as they
solve the case of a corpse which appeared in two halves six years
apart with no signs of decay. This visual novel is from the creator
of 999 and Virtues Last Reward, Uchikoshi Koutarou, which speaks to
the type of gripping mystery filled with plots twists that
awaits you. If you played the first AI game then you know the sort of
innovative detective story this sequel will offer. However, if you
have not played that first game I would not start here as many
returning characters are presented without context with the
assumption you played the first game. So play that entry first before
considering picking this one up.
-FLOWERS -Le volume sur hiver-
Le
volume sur hiver marks the end of the FLOWERS series with its fourth
and final entry. The protagonist of the first game, Shirahane Suou,
returns to her role and acts as a nice full circle for the stories
of these girls. Bring everything to a close with the close of the
year is the driving thrust of the narrative with not only character
arcs coming to an end but also the overarching mystery of the series.
If you want one of the strongest yuri experiences currently available
then you cannot go wrong with this excellent visual novel.
Fan Translations -
-Summer Pockets REFLECTION BLUE -
Patch Download VNDB Genre
– Nakige, Slice of Life. Play Time – 50 hours.
While
there is already an official release of Summer Pockets, this fan
patch is for the expanded version of the game named REFLECTION BLUE
which adds several new routes, more slice of life scenes, more music
and an altered table tennis mini-game. It is more Summer Pockets for
those who could not get enough of the original and want an excuse to
experience this Key crying simulator again. There is definitely an
argument to be made that this already long visual novel did not need
additional content as the pacing of the original release was a
carefully planned affair. However, if you want more of what makes Key
popular you probably do not have any choice but to read this
expansion until their next full new release comes around.
-Deus Machina Demonbane: Roar of the Machine God -
Patch Download VNDB Genre
– Science Fantasy,
Mecha. Play Time – 40 hours.
Demonbane
is one of Nitroplus’ greatest early titles which alongside Saya no
Uta and Phantom of the Inferno established their identity as a
developer and their style moving forward. This latest patch is for
the PC port of the PS2 version which boasts a higher resolution, full
voice acting and additional CGs and backgrounds. If you have ever
been curious about Demonbane then this release is an excellent
version with which to experience this classic title in all its glory.
The intriguing story which captured the hearts of many is on full
display at its strongest and if you have the time I highly
recommend you give this one a go.
-Snow -
Patch Download VNDB Genre
– Nakige, Fantasy,
Drama. Play Time – 50 hours.
If
the release of a patch for one classic game was not enough for you
then this month has you covered with the release of a patch for Snow.
This classic nakige
which was originally
released in Japan in 2003 now
has its time to shine in the West thanks to the tireless work of fan
translators. The story
of Snow follows Izumo Kanata who has traveled to the
village Ryujinmura
to help his cousin manage a hotel. In this village there is legend
about a dragon goddess who fell in love with a human and as a result
the village has always been covered with snow. As our protagonist
gets to know the people of the village he begins to uncover how the
legend ties into the present day village and its inhabitants.
Top 10 LGBTQ+ Visual Novels
Representation
is important for games. They are the medium of the modern age and as such
they should reflect this new world. Visual Novels are at the forefront of
this push for diversity in no small part due to their
low cost allowing for more people from the LGBTQ+ community to
express themselves in diverse ways. This list consists of two types
of visual novels, the first are those directly about the LGBTQ+ experience and the second are the ones who have
LGBTQ+ characters as the protagonists and in prominent
roles to normalise their presence in our medium. Now without further
ado, let’s begin at number 10.
10. Blackberry Honey -
 |
| It is a nice change to have genuine period maids in a visual novel. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/716340/Blackberry_Honey/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v21426.
Play Time – 8
hours.
When
I decided to make this list I knew I had to include a title by
Ebi-hime. She is one of the most prolific producers of western
yuri visual novels and they are all of excellent quality. Since I
did not want to populate this list with multiple works from a single writer, I
settled on Blackberry Honey since I think it is her best work. What makes this visual novel stand out is the setting of 19th
century England which is a rare period for the medium to cover and
goes a long way to separating it from its peers. One of the benefits
of this choice is that the romance between the two women is
highlighted within a context distant to the reader. Through this
sense of place and distance the relationship is examined with greater focus than a
more modern day setting as is a time where the acceptance of their
bond was non-existent. Overall a solid entry to start this list with
excellent characters and gripping setting.
9. Ladykiller in a Bind -
 |
| Being tied up occurs surprisingly regularly. |
Itch.io
– https://loveconquersallgames.itch.io/ladykillerinabind.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v14359.
Play Time – 20 hours.
This
visual novel is certainly a distinctive memorable experience in
both the positive and the negative sense. The story takes place on a cruise
ship where our protagonist, simply referred to as The Beast, is
forced to pretend to be her twin brother as she finds herself
thrown into a game of social manipulation. By far the strongest point
of the narrative is its unashamed look at sexuality through various
lenses, such as cross-dressing, homosexuality and bondage. It is
refreshing to have these subjects receive equal billing rather than being segregated and treated as a taboo.
Of all the games on this list Ladykiller in a Bind provides by far the
most direct exploration of its subject matter and if you want a game
that addresses these issues in a clear manner than this is for you.
If this visual novel is so good why isn’t it higher on the list I
hear you ask. The reason is fairly simple, all the characters are not good people and are constantly doing morally questionable things. I
understand that this is part of the point which the work is making,
but there is only so much of these characters I can tolerate
before I start losing empathy with their self destructive actions.
8. A YEAR OF SPRINGS -
 |
| These three tales are endearing through their sweetness. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/1688580/A_YEAR_OF_SPRINGS/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v22619,
https://vndb.org/v25720,
https://vndb.org/v27085. Play
Time – About 1 hour per
game.
While
is in fact three games instead of one, they are all short
experiences which are tied together through a strong common theme and work together as a cohesive experience. A YEAR OF
SPRINGS is a collection of the three visual novels by npckc which
focus the feelings of love, connection and belonging. This game makes
the list for the diverse range of topics its covers, including being
transgender and being asexual, which are handled with the needed
sensitivity. Rather than directly addressing these ideas A YEAR OF
SPRINGS focuses on having you inhabit the mental space of the
characters and making you feel these experiences first hand. This
gentle approach allows for an emotive exploration of topic which
deserve more coverage of this quality in our medium.
7. Kindred Spirits on the Roof -
 |
| I wouldn't be so sure about that... |
Steam
–
https://store.steampowered.com/app/402620/Kindred_Spirits_on_the_Roof/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v8508.
Play Time – 23 Hours.
Liar-soft
are one of my favourite visual novel developers and in Kindred
Spirits on the Roof they bring their unique style to the exploration
of homosexuality. Our protagonist Toomi Yuna is trying to live a
quiet life when she meets two ghost on the roof of her school and is
enlisted by them to help create more ‘yuri’ couples so they can
understand their own feelings. As you might expect the narrative
focuses on the couples that the ghosts are trying to create and is the
strongest point in the game’s favour. While most narratives would be content with a single homosexual pairing, Kindred
Spirits is interested in seeing the growth of these feelings from
multiple perspectives. The result is a broader consideration of the
people and feelings which go into the formulation of their
relationships and presents that to the player in a light and
digestible form so as to not overwhelm them. Kindred Spirits is
probably the most interested in presenting the normality and natural
formation of homosexual feeling of any of the games on this list and
for that it definitely earns its place here.
6. The Expression Amrilato -
 |
| A cute couple cuddling, what could be better? |
Steam
–
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1044490/The_Expression_Amrilato/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v21321.
Play
Time – 11 hours.
The human
desire to be understood by others, to communicate their purist
intentions to one another, is a powerful feeling and it is at the heart of The
Expression Amrilato.
The
story begins with Rin finding that she has been shifted into a
different world which is only subtly different from our own with its
pink sky. There she meets Ruka
who offers a helping hand
and Rin comes to realise
that the people of this world speak a different language to her. From
here the learning of language is used as the literal and
metaphorical barrier of communication between the two and as they
slowing break it down they come to understand each other’s
feelings. This blending of the themes of communication and acceptance of
one’s sexuality elevates this simple narrative above many of its
peers as it understands how to use metaphor to deal elegantly
with its ideas. The only
point against this game is that it also frames itself as an
educational product and has the player learn the language of this new
world. Unfortunately, this
language is Esperanto which isn’t widely spoken making the learning
sections feel like a bit of a waste of time.
5. Hashihime of the Old Book Town -
 |
| The distinctive art-style of Hashihime makes it stand out from the crowd |
Manga
Gamer –
https://www.mangagamer.com/r18/detail.php?goods_type=1&product_code=1137.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v17018.
Play Time – 30 hours.
This
is the second visual novel on this list to be set in a historical
setting, but rather than 19th century England it is set in
20’s Japan. With its striking visual style, Hashihime of the Old
Book Town makes a lasting impression on the player’s senses that
complements a narrative of existential thoughts and murder mystery.
While the homosexual elements are one part of a whole work rather
than the sole focus, as similar aspects have been in the previous places on
this list, Hashihime explores them in amongst the other tensions of
the narrative to both normalise these feelings and explore them in
this cultural setting. If you want a plot with twists and turns
accompanied by excellent characters and a gripping world, then you
can not wrong with Hashihime of the Old Book Town.
4. Lonely Yuri -
 |
| We all need someone to lean on, to support us when things are tough. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/800120/Lonely_Yuri/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v10569.
Play Time – 2 hours.
If
there is one phrase that sums up Lonely Yuri it is short but sweet. This is a story of opening up to someone and how that can be both
difficult and rewarding. Lonely Yuri is a tone piece which explores
its themes and sexuality through an emotional resonance between protagonist and
player. As a result there is not much of a narrative to speck of, but
given its short length this never becomes an issue. It is the simple
story of two girls, Konno Fusa and Aeba Seri, and their budding
relationship. Nothing more and nothing less, yet it somehow captures
a strength of emotion which many visual novels strive for and fail
even with their much longer play-times. If there is one game on this
list you should play if you only have a small amount of time then it
is Lonely Yuri.
3. DRAMAtical Murder -
 |
| I think he has a thing for hair. It is nice hair. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/1481080/DRAMAtical_Murder/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v5916.
Play Time – 20 hours.
Cyberpunk
is a genre which always catches my attention as its ability to
comment on our society and create engaging narrative is second to
none. DRAMAtical Murder is an excellent entry in this genre with its
gritty yet eccentric world and thoughtful and exciting story. Our
protagonist Aoba lives in the shadow of the Platinum Jail, a
walled-off resort where the wealthy live in luxury. While many people
his age fight in street gang or lose themselves in virtual reality,
Aoba just wants a peaceful life and works at a junk shop, but as strange things
start happening it becomes clear he will have to fight or have
nothing left to return to. The strength of the writing on display in
DRAMAtical makes it stand out not only for its roller-coaster ride
of a narrative but also its weaving of strong homosexual
romances into each route. It truly deserves its high spot on this
list or any list of the best visual novels.
2. FLOWERS - Le volume sur été -
 |
| Innocent Grey's style is at its strongest in the FLOWERS series. |
Steam
–
https://store.steampowered.com/app/858940/Flowers_Le_volume_sur_ete/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v15395.
Play Time – 20 hours.
The
second game in the FLOWERS series, Le volume sur été (or Summer as
I will refer to it) follows Yaegaki Erika, a sharp-tongued and asocial
girl, as she start off on the wrong foot with her new Amitie partner
Takasaki Chidori and the mysteries of the school soon start to reveal
themselves. This visual novel earns its place at number two because
of the strength of its characters and the reflection of their
homosexual relationship in their dynamics and growing feelings.
Similarly to some of the other games on this list, Summer is a game
which uses the emotive and empathetic nature of its characters to
engage the player and have them experience the themes and ideas it
wants to present through these emotions. It succeeds brilliantly at this technique while
still having the room to build up the overarching mystery of the
series in a meaningful way which does not detract from the core of
its identity.
1.WE KNOW THE DEVIL -
 |
| The way the art, sound and writing all come together makes this game special. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/435300/We_Know_the_Devil/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v18419.
Play Time – About 2 hours.
The
first place on this list is held by the self styled Group
Relationship Horror Visual Novel. In this story three kids must spend
twelve hours in a cabin in the woods and live through their encounter
with the devil. WE KNOW THE DEVIL’S focus is on what it means to be
queer and the feeling of being isolated because of what makes you
different and it achieves this through its choices where you must pair of
two of the characters and leave a third alone. Couple this with the
haunting use of sound and music and the distinctive art style and the
effectiveness of the atmosphere and message of the game could not be
clearer. There is nothing else quite like WE KNOW THE DEVIL and its
keen writing and structure make it truly deserving of the top spot.
Honourable Mention – Nurse Love Addiction -
 |
| What a cute couple... for now... |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/485040/Nurse_Love_Addiction/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v16610.
Play Time – 25 hours.
Our
honourable mention is one of the subtler visual novels on this list.
If you start to play it you might be forgiven for thinking that this
is just another cute yuri game with no real substance to it,
but how wrong you would be. Nurse Love Addiction only reveals its
true nature if you make the wrong choices and then things start
taking a turn for the strange and the characters show the other side
of themselves. The overall mystery which unveils itself as you play
keeps you glued to the screen as events play out. This visual novel
was a strong contender for this list but ultimately its darker
elements can be a bit overbearing and so it only earns a place as a
honourable mention.
Cafe Stella Analysis (Spoilers) – There Is Only One Yuzusoft Game
Secrets Of The Dead
My
relationship with Yuzusoft’s work has been a mixed one. The quality
of the artwork and the likeable characters draw me to their games,
but I often find myself burned out on them due their often
unnecessary length and inability to handle their core premises with
any depth or consideration. Despite these feelings, I continue to
come back to their games so I can only assume the good outweighs the
bad.
Fortunately,
Cafe Stella managed to hold my attention from the duration of its
narrative and reminded me why I still play their games. It also
reminded me that Yuzusoft’s writing often leaves a lot to be
desired.
In
this analysis I will cover my thoughts on Cafe Stella in more detail
than I could in my review due to their spoiler based nature. Please
read the original review here to gauge my overall thoughts before
continuing onward.
The Many Paths To Love - Route Analysis
-Common Route -
 |
| While this father and daughter story is cute, it adds nothing to the narrative. |
It
is just a shame that the common route keeps going even after it has
finished setting up for the main routes. This extension mostly takes
the form of a sub-story where the cast helps to cheer up a father by
holding a surprise birthday party with his daughter. While this
little narrative is sweet, it is completely vestigial and kills the
pacing by focusing on a minor character who does nothing for the
characterisation of the main cast. It feels as if the writers were
trying to pad out the runtime of the game.
-Akizuki Kanna -
 |
| This is the most powerful moment in the entire visual novel. |
Unfortunately,
it is after this point that the writers cannot seem to decide where
to go next with the narrative. Obviously Kanna was never actually
going to ‘die’ given the overall positive tone of the game, but
to reach the point of her rebirth the game takes a sequence of odd
turns. Firstly, the initial solution to the problem of Kanna’s
death is presented to Kousei on silver platter without him having to
do anything or find the motivation to seek it out. This makes it come
across as rushed and undeserved. Secondly, this initial solution
(time travel using the butterflies) turns out to be a red herring
with Kousei forced to say goodbye to Kanna for a second time in a
very similar scene to that first one on the Ferris wheel. This
section creates feeling that the writers are just repeating
themselves. Finally, when Kousei returns to the present it turns out
that Kanna has been given a new body by the power of the butterflies
with no drawbacks and this makes you question why the time travel
sequence even exists at all if the goodbye scene is just going to be
immediately invalidated. Overall, this section makes me think that
the writers did not have a plan and just wrote whatever they thought
of in the moment as this portion comes across as a mess.
The
remainder of the route has Kanna bridge the gap between Kousei and
his father and it is a fine enough section even if it feels as if it
does not have a connection to the previous conflicts and narrative.
There
is one final facet which I wish to discuss about the route and this
is the additional world building elements introduced here. These are the fate of
Kousei’s soul should God smite him and his suffering in his
previous lives. It is clarified that if Kousei does not appease God
not only will he die but his soul will also be annihilated, meaning
he will never be reborn again. This revelation makes God come across
as a truly unfeeling and uncaring entity who is only interested in the
order of their world, especially given the pain Kousei endured in his
previous lives where he suffered and died young due to parental
neglect. It is the collective suffering of his previous lives which
allowed him to gain the powers in the first place. God did nothing to alleviate Kousei’s suffering
and they must have know that Kousei would eventually develop the
powers which they are intolerant of and as such they come across as
tyrannical. Without a doubt this implication was not the writers intention given
the genre, but is instead another example of the loose and poorly
thought through plot elements which are all too common in Yuzusoft’s
work.
-Hiuchidani Mei -
 |
| Mei might be the most Yuzusoft heroine possible. |
-Shiki Natsume -
 |
| Shiki and Kousei's strong dynamic is heartwarming to watch. |
There
is a single misstep made by the writers in Shiki’s route which
leave a strange taste in the mouth when you bump into it. This is the
strangest choice to include the revelation that Kousei’s time
travel at the start of the game not only saved himself but also Shiki
who was caught up in the accident. This creates a weird power imbalance between Kousei and
Shiki with Shiki owing her life to Kousei and resulting in an unequal
relationship dynamic between the two. There was absolutely no reason
to have this revelation since it never plays into the narrative and
could easily have been cut out. All it does is put Shiki in the
inferior power position and leave an uncomfortable feeling behind
since it appears as if it exists to put the player character above the
heroine. This feels like an accidental connotation rather than a
deliberate intention as none of the other routes have anything of
this nature, but it does highlight the importance of considering the
implications of even minor narrative elements as they have consequences
for the reader’s enjoyment.
-Sumizome Nozomi -
 |
| Nozomi can be surprisingly solemn at times. |
Once
again it is the narrative inclusion of God which sours the experience
of playing this route. More specially the reveal that it was not the
red butterfly which has been causing the supernatural attacks on
Kousei but instead an angry God. The reason for this is God sensing
that Kousei might reawaken the dormant power inside Nozomi and so they
act to remove him, only being stopped by the red butterfly. This is
problematic in two ways, firstly this makes it clear that God will
smite Kousei without warning if it seem like he might cause a problem
and secondly the narrative does not actually resolve Nozomi’s
powers so she could resume her reawakening at some point and bring
God’s wrath down on the pair again. Together these elements create
a sense that Kousei’s life will constantly be in peril no matter
what he does since he has no way of knowing if he is coming into
contact with someone who might react to his presence and anger God
again. This is another example the problem of the including God in
Cafe Stella and the poor handling of this aspect creating unintended
narrative issues.
-Shioyama Suzune -
 |
| The mature yet adorable best girl. |
In
addition, the almost complete lack of the supernatural element
allows the narrative to squarely focus on what the writers do best,
characters and their interactions. The shorter run time also aids
this approach as there is no space for excess fluff and ensures that
the narrative adheres to its core direction. Helping this along is
the sweet romance between Suzune and Kousei which endears them to the
reader even when it has to share the limited space with the main
thrust of the route. Suzune’s realisation that she has fallen in
love with a younger guy is one of the highlights of the route. All
these elements come together to form the purest example of why I
still like Yuzusoft’s work and convinces me that their style is
better suited to short form routes rather than the long ones they
generally focus on.
The Butterfly Effect – Overarching Thoughts
-Yuzusoft and their gimmicks -
 |
| If only Yuzusoft would focus on what they do best, characters. |
However,
there is a price to be paid for the loose way in which they use these
elements and this is that they often rub against the light nature of the
game’s genre. In Cafe Stella there are a lot of small examples of
this such as with the previously mentioned issues regard the use of
God, but previous games have suffered from it in different ways like
Riddle Joker's complete unwillingness to deal with the realities of
spying even when the protagonist is caught doing exactly that very
thing. This desire by Yuzusoft to have their narrative cake and eat
it brings the reader out of experience more than they seem to
realise. Maybe this problem could be avoided if they chose lighter
topics for their gimmicks rather than things like death and spying,
but it seems that they want their gimmicks to have some spice to them
even if it comes at a cost.
-Pure blushing virgin maidens-
 |
| On the surface this might not seem like an issue... |
The
problematic misogyny this invokes is a result of an attempt to pander
to their target male audience as well as a failure to understand how
to build even power dynamics between a couple. It is also reflected
in other odd choices such as the aforementioned issue of Shiki owing
her life to Kousei in her route. All of these missteps harm the
strength of the characterisation on display by undermining their
established traits and breaks their believability. The only thing
this achieves is leaving an unnecessary bad taste in my mouth and is
a stain which could easily to removed without offending the target
audience as it is the variety of their heroines which is one of
Yuzusoft’s strengths.
-Fear of interpersonal conflict -
 |
| A real group of friends has conflicts. This cast does not. |
However,
this does not mean they do not understand the need for interpersonal
conflict and it is this contradiction which plagues their games. What
this manifests as are false conflicts which initial seem as if they
are going to pit characters against one another but are later
revealed to be a misunderstanding or harmless trick. They use this to
have interpersonal conflict without it having any consequences. A
sanitised form without any possible negative elements. The most
notable example from Cafe Stella is the initial conflict surrounding
Suzune where her former boss is presented as undermining her attempts
to get a new job after she left when they had a disagreement. They
even go so far as to have the very mention of her name in the shop
she used to work by a taboo which causes the staff to go silent.
However, later in an almost throwaway line Suzune reveals that it was
all a misunderstanding and there was never any conflict at all. There
are similar examples to this throughout Yuzusoft’s work such as the
false climax in one of the routes of Noble Works and demonstrates
this as a common issue in their work.
You
see if you setting up what appears on the surface to be a serious
conflict only to reveal that it was fake you undermine the value of
your conflicts as player will assume every conflict to be similarly
empty. Over the course of a narrative this damages any attempts to
raise the stakes and makes for a less engaging experience. Yuzusoft
understand this on some level since they do want some conflict in
their stories but do not properly realise that peace and conflict are
opposites which need to be treated with the sincerity.
Conclusion
Cafe
Stella, and by extension all of Yuzusoft’s work, is flawed but
engaging example of the strengths and weaknesses of the genre. While
there has been a fair degree of criticism here, there is undeniably
something endearing about the mood and characters of Cafe Stella
which is difficult to find elsewhere. The flaws outlined here could
be solved with a little bit of conscious effort on Yuzusoft’s part
and elevate their work to greater heights within the genre. Whatever
the future holds for Yuzusoft, their next work will be something fans
of the genre are sure to enjoy.
