Archive for December 2024
2024 – A Year In Visual Novels
With
another year about to leave forever let us turn and look back at
all that has been achieved in the visual novel space. This has been a
year of strong titles from all corners of the world and showcasing
the wide variety of people who find themselves drawn to the medium.
Each new release offered something completely distinct and the range of
genres and themes was greater than ever before as more people came to
appreciate the strengths of visual novels. It has been a relatively
drama free year with the medium seeing a period of continuity with
last year and those trends have gained momentum. Let’s
take a swim through the sea of memories and see what highlights we
can find from this past year.
Selection Of The Best Visual Novel Releases
Fate/stay night REMASTERED Steam / Tsukihime Nintendo Eshop
For
Type Moon fans this has been a particularly good year with the
English language releases of both Fate/stay night and the Tsukihime
remake. These are two influential and popular titles have long relied
on fan translations to carry their influence outside of Japan, but
now everyone can come to appreciate the qualities that made them so
special. They certainly hold the position of the Japanese visual
novels with the widest appeal released this year which has been
helped by the Fate franchise pushing into other mediums and exposing
new audiences to this distinctive universe. Having such a strong
urban fantasy world means these games have stood the test of time and
offer a memorable experience even to new players. If you have not
played either of these visual novels then you owe it yourself to buy
them.
Homicipher Steam
Mixing
otome with horror and a good dose of linguistic puzzles is a
surprisingly strong formula. Leaning into a spooky atmosphere which
is somewhat tongue and cheek lends a strangely whimsical feeling to
the violent deaths the player is likely to experience as they try and
work out the mysterious language. Needing
to pay such close attention to the words and context of the events on
screen without relying on a complex narrative makes Homicipher stand
out among this years releases. It is a visual novel which manages to marry
an intensity into each moment as the player picks away at the wall of
information they must overcome to interact properly with the handsome
monsters. There are few games in the medium capable of holding this
balance of corny and thrilling quite like Homicipher and it is worth
playing just for that unique blend alone.
Tsui No Sora Remake Patch Download
Tsui
No Sora has had an odd history of releases. After its original
release it received a full reimagining in the form of Wonderful
Everyday which took its core ideas and expanded upon them in a longer
format. Then for the tenth anniversary of the release of Wonderful
Everyday, Tsui No Sora received a direct remake which added more
content to the original while being distinct from Wonderful Everyday.
It is this remake which received a fan translation patch this year to
finally make this piece of Tsui No Sora accessible in English. The
remake offers the perfect opportunity for those interested in the denpa genre to play a shorter title with a lot of what makes the
genre so great on full display.
Hookah Haze Steam / Taven Talk Steam
The
legacy of VA-11 Hall-A continues to live on through the drink and
smoke serving games which came out this year. Stepping into the
realms of hookah and a fantasy tavern, these titles followed in the
footsteps of others like Coffee Talk in aiming for a cosy vibe where
the stakes are low and the personal conversations are lent a light
feeling. These elements have become the hallmarks of the genre and as
these titles branch out from being about just beverages into general
service industry fantasies, they are likely to become even more
important. Each tale told through a character’s preferences of
drink offers a unique chance to explore themes and ideas of our
everyday lives through increasingly different settings.
Kanon Steam
Slowly
but surely Key’s entire back-catalogue is being released officially
in English. Kanon is the latest title in this line and received a
much needed lick of paint and full voice acting in order to breath
new life into this 1999 classic. It is an interesting snapshot of
Key’s earlier design principles and shows how much they have
changed over the twenty years since its release. Yet there in an
undeniable continuity between Kanon and Key’s present works through
narrative quirks and recurring themes which make Kanon a must play
for fans of the studio. For everyone else this tale of love and
tears is a charming experience to relax and immerse yourself into.
Let’s hope the rest of Key’s titles are given the same treatment
in future.
Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II Steam
As
a direct sequel to the first Spirit Hunter game, Death Mark, rather
than the second title in the series, NG, Death Mark II had to balance
the legacies of both while leaning decidedly more on the side of the
first. Coupled this messy lineage with a sizeable shift in the
gameplay and the results could have been disastrous, but instead the
title landed firmly on its feet to be one of the strongest horror
games of the year. With its inventive monsters and tense scenarios,
it continues the series’ tradition of keeping the player on their
toes through not adhering to an overly rigid framework for the
smaller stories which form the majority of its playtime. If you are a
someone who has played the previous titles or are just a fan of
horror in general then you should give Death Mark II a shot as it
will make a shiver go down your spine.
Interesting Visual Novels From Game Jams
NaNoRenO 2024
Monochrome Pixels
Dealing
with burnout and workplace harassment through the eyes of a Senior
Game Developer, Monochrome Pixels is a perfect example of how game
jams can explore ideas and emotions a more commercial or long form
title would struggle to cover. Our protagonist Diana provides a
perfect window into these themes as she struggles against her
terrible boss and contrasts wonderfully with the optimistic and
ignorant Enya. The two make for an engaging dynamic duo as the player
navigates Diana’s life with all its stresses.
you're just imagining it
Framing
itself as a chronic illness simulator, this visual novel tackles what
it a complex and emotive topic with a touch that never lets it become
too depressing. It follows a journey to find a diagnosis for whatever
condition is causing you to live in constant pain all the while
trying to push through the challenges of everyday life. For what is a
very simple game it offers a chance to empathise with others in a way
only this medium could achieve.
Blood City Limits
Setting
your visual novel up with a striking art style can do a lot to
support the story’s core identity and drawing people to play it in
the first place. Blood City Limits sets itself apart with its
disorganised lines and contrasting blocky colours which helps sell
the broken state of this apocalyptic world. As the characters explore
this decayed world the visuals form a key part of their story.
Yuri Game Jam 2024
The end of an obsession
It
would not be an end of year round up without a least one Ebi-hime
title and this time it is a twisted yuri tale. It focuses around a
yandere centric relationship with a good few twists and turns as our
protagonist has to navigate around problematic witch. Over the course
of this short game it has fun with the ideas surrounding the yandere
and this leads to a strong title that is concise in its
implementation.
Oto-hime
Twisted
love seems to have been a running theme for this years Yuri Game Jam
as Oto-hime firmly presents itself as a horror game. Utilising the
folktale of the titular oto-hime through its own lens, it creates a
yuri visual novel set in the depths of the ocean. It gives the player
just enough agency over events so the game can invest them in the
outcomes they have brought upon the protagonist as they stumble
through the alien place they find themselves trapped in.
Otome Jam 2024
Under The Thorns
A
mystery centric title where a newly hired maid Clara must uncover the
truth about her new employer and discover what he is really like
behind all the rumours about him. It captures the fantasy and romance
of the Victorian style nobility and time period without having to go
into too much detail. Mood is the most important feature for Under
The Thorns and it manages to maintain it consistently over its entire
play time.
Love Limit
If
you have had enough of all those serious visual novels and
their complex themes then the over the top comedy of Love Limit has
you covered. Mixing the act of romance with saving the world from an
alien invasion is a perfect recipe for silly antics and the game
fully embraces this absurdity to hilarious results. It also manages
to be genuinely touching at times to help give the jokes some much
needed substance behind them.
Things To Look Out For Next Year
The Shell Part III: Paradiso
After
the shocking end of the second game, the wait for the third game has
been painful with the original English release of the second title being
in 2015. At long last the finale of this dark mystery tale will be
available for fans around the world. The distinctive and broody
1950’s murder mystery series follows the private investigator
Tokisaka Reiji as he grapples with a variety of grisly murder cases
he finds himself personally wrapped up in. The Shell works hard to create a
thick atmosphere that envelops the player from the moment they start
until the dramatic climax in an all-consuming way. If this third
instalment can continue the high bar set for the series then this
will be the best mystery game of the year.
Angelic☆Chaos RE-BOOT!
It
is another Yuzusoft game. This statement will either make you jump
for joy or roll your eyes since at this point the studio has been
around long enough for people to have made up their mind on their visual novels.
Angelic Chaos takes a more openly supernatural approach to the slice
of life/ romance genre the studio is known for with angels and demons
being key players in the narrative. It even has the reincarnation
trope since the protagonist was the demon lord in his previous life so
it is lining up a lot of commonly used concepts in a neat row. However, if there is
one thing Yuzusoft is good at it is taking familiar ideas and
creating an extremely solid game which is specifically catered to
their audience. If you are in that audience then Angelic Chaos will
no doubt be one of the best visual novels of 2025.
Corpse Party II – Darkness Distortion
‘Wait
isn’t there already a Corpse Party 2?’ I hear you cry and, yes,
there is indeed one under the title of Dead Patient. Unfortunately,
Dead Patient seems to be a dead project and from its ashes a second
Corpse Party II has been born. Darkness Distortion is also set in a
hospital but rather than a modern currently in use one like in Dead
Patient, it is instead a long abandoned location where everything has
decayed from its former glory. When three friends trespass on the
hospital they find themselves at the mercy of Ayame’s curse and the
countless horrors within its walls. So far from what little we have
seen of the game it appears to be a remix of the original Corpse
Party in a new settings with a new cast. It looks to be a return to the
developer’s roots after the distinct changes of Blood Drive and
Dead Patient so it will be interesting to see how they handle this
familiar formula.
Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog
This
is a game wearing its influences clear to see through its mecha
designs and 90’s anime aesthetic. It is setting itself up as a sort
of old style Gundam narrative with a more personal spin on the
overarching plot where the crew of Gun-Dog are the central focus. There
is a demo available on Steam that covers the game’s opening scenes
and gives a taste of the overall construction of the gameplay
experience. From this demo it is much easier to recommend its mixture
of adventure game mechanics and stylish storytelling to those who
crave the unique feel of 90’s anime. Even those who might not fit
into the target demographic should still give it a shot just to
understand how visual design can do a lot of heavy lifting for a
game.
Best Visual Novel Releases – December 2024
As
the festive season is well underway and the end of the year fast
approaches, it is time to wrap up the remainder of the visual novel
releases. Since most visual novels do not want to compete in the
crowded holiday market, the number of new titles is lower than usual
and yet there are still some interesting smaller games to look at. We
have a good variety from early access sci-fi to a cut-throat
thriller to an emotional slice of life. Without waiting a moment
longer, let’s dive in and find out what you should be playing from
the past month.
Official Releases
Hatsuyuki Sakura
As
a cute slice of life, Hatsuyuki Sakura has to offer some kind unique
element to stand out from in this already crowded area of visual
novels. It chooses to do this through a mixture of an enforced order
to its routes, a somewhat episodic structure and just enough darker
elements to spice things up. The result is a memorable entry into the
genre which does not reinvent the wheel and instead paints its canvas
in striking colours. Hatsuyuki Sakura’s story follows Kawano
Hatsuyuki, a delinquent who has a chance encounter on December day
with a girl named Sakura who is looking for her rabbit. As the winter
continues onwards into spring their intertwined lives start to bring
changes neither of them could have ever expected and lead them down
paths they had long forgotten. If you want a romance story with
something a little more to it then Hatsuyuki Sakura might well be up
your alley.
Astral Ascension
Early
access visual novels are not something normally worth highlighting
due to their inherently incomplete nature and the uncertain quality
of the final product. However, PixelFade Studio have proven to be
able to provide consistent releases and the experience they aim to
give the player is predictable which makes buying into their titles a more
reliable investment. Each of them games is some flavour of the
romance and adventure genres with each new setting and cast of
characters adding just enough to spice up the story while not
straying far from its roots. This time round its it the spaceship
sci-fi genre which has been chosen to define the visual and narrative
direction. Our protagonist finds himself blacklisted from piloting
after being wrongfully terminated and joins a mercenary ship in order
to continue to support his ill sister. From here the game takes the
player on a personal adventure through the star filled with
excitement and love. Overall, Astral Ascension is another title which
knows its audience and aims to meet their expectations.
Paper Perjury
Over
the years games have experimented with detective stories where the
protagonist is in a profession not normally associated with detective
work. Paper Perjury choses to follow a police clerk named Justina
Smith as she picks through the department’s paperwork in order to
uncover the trails which link the mysteries together. Adopting this
angle gives a fresh feeling to what might otherwise be a familiar
tale of robbery, embezzlement and murder and leans into the paper
nature for a surprisingly tactile experience. The pixel art aesthetic
furthers the distinctive vibe of the game and invokes the early Ace
Attorney games as a clear influence. It characters are each a vivid
portrait of personality and charm within which layered motivations
exists for the player to pick apart through their deductions. A solid
entry into the detective genre of visual novels and offers a good
time for fans of this kind of narrative.
CELL 0: Cyber Entertainment Leisure Lounge
Isolation
takes a toll on the mind and it can make people behave in ways
that expose their weakness and fears. Such is the focus of this
cyberpunk post-apocalypse tale as it follows the struggles of the
artificial human Kenzo. He has spent his whole life alone with his
only companion being the sweet AI called Acine. This isolation for
human contact has left its marks on him and as the world beyond his
bubble and the purpose behind his existence becomes clear will he be
able to cope with the truth? A short and entertaining visual novel
for those seeking something mentally simulation in a bite sized
package.
The Restless Sheep & The Lone Wolf -A Tale of Cutthroat Lovers-
Clockup’s
games are always a wild ride and The Restless Sheep & The Lone
Wolf is no exception with its over the top action and thrills making
it stand out. It follows a protagonist who can only get a good nights
sleep after killing someone and so he works as an assassin for a
yakuza boss. Then he meets a call girl named Azami and he finds his
tightrope walk of a life has come crashing down as entangled involved in
a web of violence. Each increasingly absurd action scene and dramatic
moment helps maintain the visual novel’s exciting and tense
atmosphere. This is a story which makes no attempt to be even the
slightest bit realistic or grounded and thrives on pushing the limits
of beliability. If that sounds like your cup of tea then you should
check out this title for a good time where each moment offers
something new.
Pre-rendered Cutscenes – An Anatomy Of Visual Novels
Flashy Graphics
It
a common feature in visual novels to have an animated opening and
credits sequences, but some titles take this further and sprinkle
pre-rendered cutscenes throughout their play time. These come in a
variety of different forms from imitations of the visual novel’s
normal presentation to anime style scenes to cut out paper puppet
theatre. Each one offers the game a distinct way to influence the
player’s perception of certain elements of the narrative as it
progresses. They can provide the developer with absolute control of
the pace and visuals of a scene and by extension try to ensure a
specific reaction from the player. Motion is key to the effectiveness
of these cutscenes due to how it can be made to complement and
contrast the rest of the visual novel. It can also function as a pay
off to a climatic or emotional moment in order to underscore its
importance while providing catharsis. These are all parts of the
experience of Pre-rendered Cutscenes which can exist separately or
come together to form new styles of presentation. Let’s watch a
movie and find out how this all works in practice.
Absolute Control
As
with all games, visual novels give a lot of control over their pace
and progress to the player through their interactive nature. This
presents a problem for developers where it can be difficult to make
key moments have the impact they are aiming for with any degree of
consistency as the player can choose way they engage with these scenes. If
the player moves forward too slowly, takes a break from the game or
simply chooses to go experience an entirely different route, can the
developer guarantee the same emotions for that moment despite the
player’s freedom? Many titles simply choose to accept the risk of
these moments not having the right impact and keep the player firmly
in the driving seat. However, others choose to assert a more direct
control through Pre-rendered Cutscenes. These sit the player down and
make them watch a predefined sequence in which the developer has the
ability to shape the player’s perception without having to worry
about anything interfering. Sometimes these cutscenes even take the
form of game footage tailored to have the exact pacing and
choreographed action needed to sell the developer’s vision for the
scene. For the big and important moments of a narrative this control
lends a weight to the events being depicted and is a powerful
contrast with the content beforehand. This is not something every
player is going to appreciate due to loss of the control which the
game promised through all the systems they have already engaged with.
As such it is important they not be overused and risk testing the
patience.
 |
| I/O really does love the moon |
One visual novel which takes full advantage of the control
offered by these Pre-rendered Cutscenes is I/O. It follows the rule
of only having them at key points in the story where it is critical
that the player’s experience be curated in order to keep the game’s
complex plot threads feeling coherent. The web of interconnected
character relationships and actions I/O uses to drive the player
forwards make it difficult for the title to have clear climatic
points or encourage the player to adopt a fast pace since the complexity
often forces a slower and more thoughtful direction. Cutscenes offer
the ability to force a change in how events are perceived as it
dictates the elements which should be the focus going forwards and
invoke a sense of emotion that might otherwise be lacking. There is a
trend in I/O to use the style of the visual novel interface as the means of
presentation before slowly transitioning out to a more abstract
imagery. It creates a sense of the game melting away to reveal the
truth behind the words and ideas. It becomes the sole focus as the player
gets the sense they are seeing to the heart of what is going on. The
impact of these cutscenes never diminishes due to the way they are
spaced out at infrequent intervals and keep to a short runtime so the
player will never become bored or overly familiar with them.
The Pay Off
Sometimes
a Pre-rendered Cutscene does not need a complex meaning or key
narrative purpose, it can instead be a fun inclusion to spice up the
expected formula. They are treated as a reward for the player’s
progress and a suitable way of ramping up the feels these scenes
being climaxes for their respective plot beats. Each one offers a
dramatic or visually interesting continuation of events where the
priority is to impress rather than to further any sort of greater
narrative purpose. Instead they acts as means to motivate the player
to continue engaging with the game or as a send off to leave them
with an impactful memory. As such they tend to take forms vastly
different from the visual novel they are a part of like animated
shorts or dynamic 3D graphics. By shifting so far away from the
material surrounding them, they can stand out in a striking manner so
the excitement they invoke can help them better function as eye
candy. Limited use is once again key to the power of these cutscenes
since repeating the same pay off on a regular basis causes it to lose
the special feeling so key to any type of reward. It also helps keep
costs down given the expensive nature of these fancy animated
cutscenes and allows more money to be put into each individual one
rather than spreading the money too thin which could have led to a
worse quality overall.
 |
| Blazblue's mixture leads to an interesting use of cutscenes |
The Blazblue games takes advantage of this form of
pay off to great effect and allows them to play into the fighting
game half of their play time. At certain key progression points
throughout the series have utilised animated cutscenes to offer the
player as a reward for their success in both a narrative and gameplay
sense. The fighting game battles build up an expectation for a form
of release that parallels the ramping up of the story where the
fights get more challenging. Here the cutscenes provide a catharsis
for this escalation which is appropriately memorable due to how
different it is from the rest of what the player has experienced. It
is a natural high point to the journey where the player can feel the
momentum of their achievements push them forwards to the next major
plot beat or the ending. Since the fighting gameplay already leans
heavily into the animated style the game is based around the
cutscenes do not have the dramatic contrast they have in a more
static visual novel. Rather than diminish the power of these
cutscenes, it instead offers an enhanced vision of what the player
has been doing with a greater feeling of fluidity and organic
interaction to its presentation.
Adding Motion
Not
all pre-rendered cutscenes are a large and dramatic affair, they can
focus on filling in specific feels and absences within a visual
novel. A common way they can be used is to add a sense of movement to
what is normally a static medium. This can be done through a constant
steam of small cutscenes featuring heavily dynamic motion such as in
Danganronpa. Here the aim is to add energy into each scene through
framing them with the repeated appearance of cutscenes and keep
feeling in the player’s mind so even the static moments seem to
move. Danganronpa loves to insert cutscenes in every dramatic moment
it can even if they only last a few seconds and this helps match the
vibrant and over the top tone the game is aiming for. The motion on
display still holds to the mixture of 2d and 3d which is the series’
hallmark and lends a context and physicality what might otherwise
appear a little strange on its own. Presenting moments of a regular
basis like this showcases how they occupy the space shown in the
narrative and reinforces the idea they do not just exist within the
flat plane of the visual novel.
 |
| The use of real people and places gives Shibuya Scramble an interesting feel |
In certain games this is a necessity
in order to make the game appear natural and distract from its rigid
construction. The live action stills and how they interplay with the
cutscenes in 428: Shibuya Scramble are a good example of how
important this can be. Real world places and people are not static
and as such when using static photos for a visual novel there is the
issue where the player will be distracted by the lack of the motion
they would expect from the real world. So the solution provided by
Shibuya Scramble is intermittent live action cutscenes where the
actors in the stills play out specific motions. This helps overcome
the player suspend their disbelief during the static content through
showing what it is representing and showing the characters as the
living people they would expect from the images.
Conclusion
The
possibilities for using pre-rendered cutscenes in a visual novel are
far more varied than their rigid form might indicate. Each one can be
an important pay off for the narrative and gameplay as it rewards the
player with a memorable spectacle to ensure it leaves a lasting
impression. When used liberally they can provide a sense of motion
and life to what would otherwise be a static medium and contextualise
the game within a feeling of place. Through the control it offers a
developer these cutscenes can give them the ability to have be
precise in how a key moment is show and the emotions in invokes in
the player. Despite their high cost, the pre-rendered cutscene allows
visual novels to expand into an axis of perception not normally open
to them and they are worth considering when developing your own work.
Puzzle Games – Uncovering The Visual Novel Hybrid
Opening The Locked Box
Incorporating
narrative into a Puzzle Game poses challenge due to the often
abstract nature of its gameplay systems. The distinctly separate way
the player interacts with the puzzles also contributes to this
possible feeling of dissonance between the two halves. Visual novels
offer a way to alleviate this tension through bringing the
presentation of the story closer to the level of the puzzles. It
provides a framework within which the puzzles can be understood as
part of a cohesive whole where the each puzzle matters. A consistent
atmosphere of mystery helps link the two section together with the
threads of intrigue to push the player forwards. This is all brought together
into a common abstraction of their respective systems as both sit far
from the realm of realism while still having their own identity.
Let’s find the solutions and discover exactly what this hybrid
brings to the table.
Uncovering The Solution
Neither
Puzzle Games nor visual novel are bound by the idea that they have to
be realistic and instead aim to present their respective systems in
way to directly engage the player. They focus on abstracting the core
emotion and identity of the moment and turning into something which
is easy to digest while still providing enough depth to make them
feel meaningful. For Puzzle Games this mood is very specific, it
wants to create a situation where the player is forced to think about
the gameplay in front of them and carefully piece together a
solution. The visual novel takes a narrative and reduces it down to
its key elements to form a space within which characters and plot can
be addressed in concentrated expressions of humanity. This similarity
in terms of abstraction means they operate on the same level and so
it feels more natural for a Puzzle Game to move into a visual novel
section as opposed to a more realistic cutscene. It also prevents the
somewhat detached nature of puzzles or the contrived situations that
allow the puzzles to exist from being brought to the player’s
attention due to the smooth transitions between the two halves. The
more each part leans into their distinct natures, the greater the
commonality becomes and it provides some unexpected wiggle room for
designing the hybrid to achieve specific results.
 |
| Time to match those tiles |
To see their dynamic
in action we can look at Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa and
examine its design choices. Puzzles in this game take the form of tile matching gameplay which is entirely divorced from the otherwise
realistic modern day characteristics of the title. They exist in a
separate space and represent the use of the protagonist’s
supernatural powers and often accompany climatic moments in the
story. In presenting this story in a visual novel format Kotodama can
use a consistent pool of assets that compliments the puzzles through
their common 2D nature. These shared elements include the character
portraits and backgrounds, making it clear the puzzles are taking
place in the same location and against the same person as was
depicted in the visual novel story. This consistency helps cushion
what could have been a rocky transition since the 2D assets align
with the colourful tiles and create a sense of the two belonging
together where a less abstract style of narrative presentation would
have clashed with it. Bright colours and bold shapes are used throughout
the interface and general art direction of the visual novel half of
the game and they are a deliberate choice to reflect the strong colours of the
match four tiles. Alongside the exaggerated expressions of inherent
in the anime art style this hybrid can form a baseline of player
expectations for the game’s identity and ease them into the puzzles
without sacrificing the feeling of narrative cohesion. Nothing
Kotodama does with either half of its gameplay is particularly
notable compared to what other titles have achieved, but it does
showcase how a series of relatively small touches and focus can do a
lot to allow puzzles to settle within a visual novel narrative.
Consistent Mystery
Being
able to maintain a consistent tone throughout the overall experience
of a Puzzle Game is important for controlling how the player
perceives its different aspects. A visual novel element can easily
handle this requirement due to its compatibility with the mystery
genre which Puzzle Games so often lean into. This choice of genre
stems from the way a mystery narrative forms a larger scale puzzle
for the player while puzzle sections act as smaller doses of this
tone. Their similarity blends the two aspects into a coherent whole
where each part offers the same identity. The reason a visual novel
works so well as the means of story presentation for a Puzzle Game is its compatibility with the mystery genre. It can show personal
moments and clues to the mystery alongside one another in a natural
feeling manner where the higher level concepts can be brought down to
a human level. The intimate perspective offered by a visual novel is
the main reason for its ability to shift between the various moods
needed by the puzzle section in order for them to make sense within
the game’ structure. In pushing the title through the lens of a
mystery, the puzzles become part of shared ethos with the visual novel
element and from it a consistent picture of a world for which the
puzzles make sense. As a result the experience of playing the Puzzle
Game feels smooth and more believable even if it still inherently an
abstraction of reality.
 |
| Time to figure out the puzzle box room |
999 and Tantei Opera Milky Holmes could not
be more different from each other in terms of plot, but they both
make use of this continuous mystery element in similar ways. For 999
the sense of mystery is all consuming as it is present throughout the
dangerous situation the characters find themselves in and their lack
of understanding of why it is happening. This slow uncovering of what
is going on and how the characters can escape it is mirrored in the
increasing complexity of the puzzles and as the solutions to both
become clearer the player’s feelings of accomplishment which create a
harmonious experience. With Tantei Opera Milky Holmes the mysteries
are more individually self contained and pose little threat to the
characters since they aim to provide a light tone. These mysteries
are often paired up with an associated puzzle which needs to be
solved for the game to progress and the solution to be revealed. It
shows the player a direct line between the puzzle and the mystery in
a way they would find difficult to ignore and draws the two halves of
the game closer through this simple communication. Rather than
feeling out of place, the simple nature of the game’s structure
allows this directness to come across as a natural extension of it
where the player knows exactly where they stand and they are wrapped
in a comfortable blanket of familiar ideas and tones.
A Framework For Understanding
On
their own puzzles are just a detached gameplay system without any
inherent meaning beyond the player’s ability to solve them. It is
in their contextualisation where their power lies to make the player
feel as if they uncovering the same solutions as the characters in game.
Visual novel sections provide a simple and easy to parse framework
through which the puzzles can be understood and directed as part of
an overall flow for the game. Since this is such a vague idea it is
best to look at it through a couple of examples where the puzzles are
abstract in nature and demonstrate how this technique stops them from
feeling out of place. The tile matching gameplay of Tropical Liquor
is nothing particularly remarkable on its own with its four by three
grid offering nothing the genre has not seen before. What gives these
puzzles a memorable quality is the way they are given a romantic and
flirtatious atmosphere through the build up provided by the visual
novel sections. The tile matching is contextualised as the act of
going on a date and drinking with the girl you selected in the
narrative. It lends a certain playfulness through the somewhat silly idea
that a person can be wooed by someone’s skill at puzzles and this
keeps it feeling consistent with the light atmosphere in the rest of
the game. Murder By Numbers has a more distinct style of gameplay
where the player must solve increasingly complex grid based number
puzzles. Given the mentally demanding nature of this style of puzzle
its contextualisation shifts into a variety of discovery and mystery
solving elements where the puzzles represent the key actions of our
protagonist. Helping this along is the heavy use of the
aforementioned consistent mystery element which makes the framing of
the puzzles appear natural to the world around them.
 |
| It is the people around the puzzle who decide how it is understood |
Conclusion
From
the perspective of the overall cohesiveness of a puzzle game, the
hybrid with visual novels is by far the most effective merger when it
comes to lining up the narrative and the puzzles. It can form a
framework through which the puzzles can be understood and firmly
grounds them within a context that give them significance. Their
common abstract nature allows the transition between on type of
section to another feel smooth while still maintaining what makes
each interesting to engage with. A trick visual novel elements like
to use is the blending of a mystery tone into both sides of the
gameplay to create a feeling of consistency through the entire
experience. The benefits of this type of hybrid are significant where
the game wants to have its puzzles be more than simple mind benders
and instead part of a narrative whole. If you are considering
creating a puzzle game then including a visual novel element may well
elevate your title far beyond what it could achieve with just puzzles
alone.
Sound Of Drop: Fall Into Poison Review – Trapped In An Aquarium
Genre - Horror, Mystery Play Time - 8 hours Developer - LYCORIS Steam VNDB
Tales Whispered In Water
There
are few genres more subjective than horror, for what one person fears
another might find banal. Some universal fears can be reliably
utilised, such as a fear of the dark, but even these vary in effectiveness.
Sound Of Drop takes a big risk by focusing in on a single type of horror,
the fear of the ocean, and making this a core part of its identity.
This gives it a feeling distinct from its pears which is helped along
with the characters being trapped with the horrors. It plays up the
mystery of the supernatural forces behind the danger and the odd
behaviours of its human cast in order to lay on the atmosphere thick
so the player will jump at anything strange. The characters
themselves do their best to further this direction with their
interconnective web of relationships and lies, yet their limted screen time can somewhat undermine it. Does Sound of
Drop manage to thread the needle to create a compelling horror
experience? Let’s peer through the glass and find out.
Deep Within Our Fear – Narrative and Themes
The
ocean is an alien world for a land based species such as humans. To
us it is place where wonder sits alongside fear for it is as hostile
to us as it is beautiful. These clashing emotions form the backbone
of how Sound Of Drop builds its horror and plays with the lives of
its characters. Rather than setting its story in the ocean it instead
subverts the presumed safety of an aquarium turning it into a death
trap. It is a structure design for humans to be able to admire the
ocean’s beauty from solid land where they have the advantage, so
stripping that away creates a sense of vulnerability as if left
adrift amongst a swarm of predators. The sources of fear are twofold
being split between the water itself and the creatures living within
it. In Sound Of Drop the water has an almost toxic quality to it on
top of the possibility of drowning in it and there is a recurring
presentation of it being binding in nature for the living and the
dead. Playing up the fear of being dragged down into the depth allows
the mere presence of water to exert a constant tension on each scene
where the danger is everywhere. Reinforcing this feeling are the
creatures of the aquarium which now move freely within the space and
are almost supernatural in nature. For them the air is now just like
water as their burst forth from their tanks and swim through
it. They form a more direct threat to the characters as the creature's poisons
and sharp teeth can swiftly end their lives. Both are joined
through their common alien nature as they have odd forms which
contrast greatly with anything from the land and feeds on the
player’s fear of the unknown.
 |
| Water is filled the unseen danger |
These
scary moments would be nothing without a narrative to bind them
together and this takes the form of a mystery where the characters
are trapped and isolated. It starts out as an investigation into the
strange urban legends surrounding the aquarium by Mayu and Himeno and
escalates when Mayu’s missing little sister Mari appears before
them. They become tangled in a web of deception and it is around the
human characters the plot of the story rotates. The horror atmosphere
heightens the feelings of distrust towards the various people Mayu
meets and makes them seem as if they are one step away from being
just as dangerous as the creatures out to get them. By focusing on
Mari for the core pillar of the story, Sound Of Drop gains a strong
sense of direction since Mayu has a clear goal and everything is
pointing towards solving this mystery. It builds up over the course
of the multiple endings available until the finale where it provides a
catharsis and resolution appropriate for its narrative and closes
the book on the fear it has been utilising. If there is one problem
with this approach it is how much it relies on the horror to do the
heavy emotional lifting for a lot of the game. This means if the
player does not find the style of horror scary then the game lacks
the teeth of keep them invested for much of the fist half. Once it
shifts onto the revelations about what is happening this issue fades
away, but the player may not reach that point due to this reliance on
the horror.
Bubbling Desires – Characters
As
a horror game there is a need to keep the characters isolated in
Sound Of Drop since it is when they are on their own that they can be threatened in
a convincing manner. If there was a single constant companion it
removes a lot of the tension as they are always there to help the
protagonist. So the solution the story comes up with is to shift who is with Mayu constantly while making you question the reliably of
her new allies. It allows for the feeling of isolation without having to
give up the presence of other characters which gives the game a
greater flexibility with how it can present the mysteries and dangers
of the aquarium. This approach relies heavily on Mayu being strong
enough to hold the player’s attention due to being the only
constant element. Fortunately she fulfils this role well by blending
a sense of vulnerability into her personality through her honest and
open reaction to the terrors around her. Doing this helps frame the
horror in a genuine feeling of dread where Mayu expresses the alien
nature of the threats and gives them an immediacy which they would
otherwise lack. Yet even in her fear she is not above acts of heroism
in the face of these dangers when she finds people who need her
help to survive and she acts to keep them both alive. She does not lose
her vulnerability but instead pushes passed her desire to flee in
terror in order to do what she believes to be right. Throughout all she experiences her core motivation of discovering what is
going on with her sister’s sudden reappearance never shifts and this
provides an anchor around which her personality can be properly
showcased. Combining these results in a relatable protagonist who
acts as a good window into the game’s horrors while
still having their own identity and motivations.
 |
| Friend one moment then enemy the next |
Having
the other cast members who appear on screen regularly shuffled around comes
with a major downside in the inability to give all the secondary
characters depth. Juggling these characters results in them not
getting enough screen time to properly express who they are and what
they want from this situation. It also hampers their character arcs
since the limited space they have makes them feel rushed with sudden changes
in their personality clashing against what has been established for
them. How much this effects each individual character varies wildly
as some like Sayo only have minor hiccups in their presentation while
those like Rieko jumping all over the place. Then there is Mari who acts
as Mayu’s main motive and the person around which a lot of the plot
revolves. She never escapes the prison of being a plot MacGuffin who
acts purely in the way the narrative need to keep it on track and it
makes her feel robotic. For such an important character this
behaviour is a major issue as it detracts for Mayu’s motivation
through the way it fails to sell a reason why the player should care
in the same way as Muyu. This creates a gap between the game and the player
which causes harm to their immersion which is is important for selling
a horror title.
In The Depths – Visual, Audio and Technical
Everything
surrounding the core of the game works to reinforce the horror tone
and sell the danger the characters find themselves in. It makes
liberal use of bad endings to provide a direct sense of lethality to
the player’s choices in order to keep them on their toes. This
helps showcase that the threat is genuine and gives the narrative a
tool to control how tense a scene is through placing a choice in it
to ask for the player’s attention. Supporting this feeling of
danger is a soundscape with all the tension building elements it
needs to weave in and out of the player’s perception. The music is
often subdued yet still has an edge to it as if saying a monster
could be around any corner and the characters are not safe. It can
raise up to meet the needs of a dramatic situation where it can wash
the player with waves of powerful melodies to communicate the
emotions of all those involved. SFX are similarly well used with
appropriately damp and organic sounds for the creatures. Their watery nature also sells the ubiquity of water in
the narrative and the pressure it exerting on Mayu’s struggle for
survival. On top of this the visuals work to show the aquarium as a
place once seen to be safe and mundane which has now been perverted
into something alien and hostile. The empty corridors and the
creatures moving beyond the confines of their exhibits pushes this
idea of the humans no longer being in control which fuels the horror
of an inversion of who is in control. Each creature Mayu encounter
has the same appearance as it normal counter part and instead relies
on its already alien appearance to unsettle.
 |
| Is the sea captured or has it captured us? |
Conclusion
When
it comes to preying on the fear of the sea’s depths, Sound Of Drop
knows exactly how to press all the right buttons to sell this form of
horror. It pushes both the inherent dangers of water to humans as
well as the alien nature of the creatures living within it in order
to create a hostile environment. The visuals and audio all work to
support this tone through a twisting of the familiar aquarium into
something monstrous. It also plays up the human end of the conflict
by switching around the characters on screen and making their
motivation unclear so the player is never sure if there are friend or
foe. Mayu works brilliantly as the protagonist, and the only constant
throughout the entire experience, as she is vulnerable yet still has
the will to overcome it. The only downside to this approach is how
much of a mixed back the rest of the characters are due to their
limited screen time. Overall this is a strong horror title which
dives into a category of fear not widely explored and this results in
a distinct feeling game.
Verdict –
Crafting an air of tension and mystery, Sound of Drop plays on an
aquatic brand of horror which allows it stand out as truly
spine-chilling experience.
Pros -
+
Utilises the alien and dangerous nature of the ocean to create an
atmosphere of fear.
+
By always changing which cast members are on screen and slowly
revealing their motives, the game makes the player paranoid about
their every action.
+
Mayu is the prefect blend of vulnerable and brave for a horror
protagonist.
+
Visual and audio all support this brand of water based fear.
Cons -
-
The secondary characters are of varying quality with their limited
screen time hurting their believability.
-
If you do not find this brand of horror scary then it loses a lot of
its impact since this is very much a one trick pony.
