Sunday, September 24, 2023
The
wind rustles the dry leaves on the ground and signals the arrival of
Autumn and the riches of the seasonal harvest. Visual novels have
reaped a some rich releases this month with some big names getting
titles and interesting new ideas being demonstrated. There is
everything from games about hacking and cyberpunk to confinement
horror to a twisted fairytale and all of them showcasing the variety the medium is
known for. Let’s sweep away those leaves and find out what
treasures can be found in the world of visual novels.
Official Releases
ANONYMOUS;CODE
As
the latest entry in the Science Adventure Series ANONYMOUS;CODE has
some big shoes to fill next to the giants of Chaos Head and Steins
Gate. The foundation it chooses to rest its narrative on is that of
hacking in a near future Japan where the prevalence of technology is
clear to see. From a visual identity standpoint it mixes its sci-fi
aesthetic with a comic book presentation as it regularly shifts away
from the expected textboxes of the medium into a panel style to
highlight key moment of emotion and tension. Even its more direct
story push a very different set of feelings on the player compared to
what has come before in this series. While there is an element of
mystery to what is going on in the world, this is a tale more
interested in being exciting and engaging you with the character’s
struggles than building up any form of slow boil tension. If you come
in expecting this to be in line with what has come before then you
may leave disappointed, but that would be missing the point of an
energetic and personal visual novel which deserves its place
alongside those older titans.
Solace State
Continuing
the theme of visual novels with interesting presentation is Solace
State. This cyberpunk title is not content with simple textboxes and
instead expands its reach through ‘hacks’ to every vaguely flat
surface so long as it makes for an arty and powerful framing. All of
this is supporting a tale interested in ideas of community and
humanity in the face of division and the march of technology. Putting
on the shoes of the protagonist Chloe, you must utilised the power of
‘social hacking’ to engineer a future for her and her friends
under the crushing pressure of a harsh world. Solace State is a game
which wants to present the consequence of your actions and so leans
into the short and wild divergent ending style of visual novel with
it boasting about its 38 possible endings. The variety in everything
from its world to its characters gives the game a sense of life and
life lived that textures its locations and make clear the vision
around which the narrative is based in a way only this team is
capable of doing.
Mary Skelter Finale
As
a hybrid visual novel utilising a dungeon crawler as its partner,
Mary Skelter Finale bring the series to a close in a suitably
dramatic fashion. This PC port may not be the best way to play the
game due to strange choices made during the porting process which
have resulted in a weaker graphical experience, but the issues are
not large enough to overshadow what is an excellent example of how
visual novels can merge with other types of game. The twisted
manifestations of fairytales that the characters encounter as they
traverse the jails are reflected equally in gameplay, through the
nightmare chases, and in the narrative, through the characters own
nature as blood maidens. Atmosphere is what Mary Skelter Finale does
best and each second of the game oozes tension and surreal imagery in
a way few others in either style of game can match. While not a good
game to enter the series with, it is a treat for fans who wish to see
how it all ends.
Fan Translations
H2O √ after and another Complete story Edition
Patch Download VNDB Genre
– Slice of Life, Romance Play Time – 40 hours
To
centre a game around a blind character is an interesting choice for
any game to make, even more so for a visual novel where the
importance of the visual is even in its name. However, H2O cleverly
integrates this disability into its presentation through making it
clear that what we are seeing is the protagonist’s imaginary vision
of what the world must look like and things start out of focus but
shift into clarity as he gains more knowledge about them. This
intelligent writing extends to the rest of the game as it deftly
deals with the ideas of trauma and how one can heal from those
experiences through their own will and through others. Each character
brings their own scars to the table and not all of them are open and
willing to be healed as their pain has made them defensive against
attempts to have a meaning relationship with them. It is the clashes
between these contrasting desires of haunted individuals that makes
its evocative emotional moments all the more potent. A title for
those who are look for some meat on the bone of their romance visual
novel.
Gensou Rougoku no Kaleidoscope
Patch Download VNDB Genre
– Confinement, Horror Play Time – 7 hours
This
game lists Ryuukishi07 as its scenario writer and that alone should already
cue you in to the kind of twisted horror game on offer here. Follow
the story of girls who find themselves confined in a mysterious place
with their life on the line. Do not be fooled by the cute visuals
this is a title not afraid to engage in bloody scenes and bring out
the worst in its characters in order to unveil them for what they
truly are inside. Its short length also helps it since the narrative
has a relatively simple and direct destination which allow it to
be bite sized bit of fear and prevents the shock value the game
relies on outstaying its welcome. Overall it is a nice treat for fans
of horror with one of the greats of visual novel horror at the helm.
