Sunday, August 25, 2024
As
another brilliant summer comes to an end it has decided to go out
with an explosion of amazing new visual novels. If you were looking
for some of the best games of the year then you will not be
disappointed by what is on offer as there are some truly inventive
titles. These releases cover some long anticipated visual novels in
the romance and urban fantasy genres alongside a selection of
memorable oddities from supernatural mystery to sci-fi. Let’s dive
in and find out what you should be playing from the last month.
Official releases
Katawa Shoujo
It
has been a long time since the original release of Katawa Shoujo but
its arrival on Steam looks to breath new life into this classic
title. This tale of romance and the struggles of its disabled cast paints
a distinctive story dealing with ideas and emotions few other games
are willing to handle. At its core this is a tale about people making
the most out of their lives despite everything that trying to get in
their way and its hopeful attitude is a core part of its appeal.
Drama is another aspect is handles well as the cast has to grapple
with not only their own feelings but events that are spiralling out
of their control in a way that sell the tension and stakes of the
narrative climax. Now its is more widely and easily available than
ever there is no excuse not to play it, especially since it is free.
Revue Starlight El Dorado
A
part of the greater Revue Starlight multimedia project where it joins
the anime, manga and gatcha game which compose this expansive
universe. This game is an interesting mix of theatre, character drama
and a dash of action to help keep things interesting. It follows the
students of the 99th class as the Starlight festival
approaches and they must take on the challenge of performing ‘El
Dorado’ on the theatrical high seas. The majority of the appeal of
this title comes from its character interactions and there is a
degree of expectation that the player be at least somewhat familiar
with them from previous media in order to get the most out of the
experience. A new player can still find enjoyment in the overall
narrative as it sweeps them up in the drama of the theatre, but it is
undeniably a game aimed at existing fans and if that is you then you
are in for a good time.
Fate/stay night REMASTERED
At
long last Type Moon’s most famous work is now available officially
in English and despite its rocky launch still stands up to the test
of time. This is an urban fantasy tale of seven pairs of masters and
legendary heroes who battle for a chance to obtain the wish granting
Holy Grail. It is a very different narrative experience than the
later entries in the franchise, like Fate Grand Order, since the
focus is on the ground level character interactions and a small
number of master/ servant relationship per route rather than larger
battles and overarching plots. Over the course of its three routes
the player will come to appreciate the layered nature of its cast’s
motivations and how they twist and turn around each other to form the
web of conflict which makes up this Holy Grail War. This is one of
the defining games of the medium and is one you should play if only
so you can develop your own opinion on it and understand the
influence it has had over the years.
Zombie Police: Christmas Dancing with Police Zombies
A
buddy cop detective mystery where one of the two is a zombie is
certainly a unique spin on these genres and helps it stand out. It
focuses on the dynamic duo of the new detective Tamura Yasu and his
partner the zombie detective Kabane Akemi as they grapple with the
cases they encounter in this strange world. Despite the game’s
relatively short play time it does a good job at creating a textured
sense of place where its supernatural elements feel like they belong
and the player can solve the mysteries presented to them. Another
core part of this title’s experience is the questions about the
case that it will periodically demand you answer from the information
you have gathered. These do a lot to immerse the player in the
detective state of mind and keep their attention squarely on the
events in front of them. A definite must play for those looking for a
slightly off the wall detective mystery.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club
Nintendo Eshop VNDB Genre
– Mystery, Detective
Nintendo
seem to be really keen on the Famicom Detective Club series as this
is the second round of remakes of these famicom games. Given the
quality and fatefulness to the original of the previous entries it is
reasonable to expect the same level of polish in Emio. The premise of
Emio is noticeably darker and more direct than those earlier titles
with a serial killer known as the Smiling Man seemly being
responsible for gruesome murders both in the present day and eighteen
years ago. It looks to deliver the compelling drama the series is
known for in a far more tense environment to help make it stand out
from others in its genre. If you are looking for an updated version
of an old fashioned detective game then Emio – The Smiling Man is
for you.
Moonless Moon
Yomichi
is a relatively normal girl living a relatively normal life during
the day, but when sunset comes she finds herself transported to a
completely different world each time. There she experiences many
strange things and makes new friends as she grapples with what all of
this means for and if the world of day still has any meaning to her.
Moonless Moon is an introspective character piece which looks at the
nature of the bonds between people and where people can find meaning
in them in the face of a changing world. It short length help it make
its point in a clear and concise way with each part having a clear
purpose and message. For those looking to have a little more humanity
in their games this is one you should pick up.
