The Love Story that Starts in Winter: Review of [160826] Giniro Haruka

Foreword: As a super-delayed review, I feel that there needs to be some form of explanation.

I generally didn’t really want to touch any tone work’s titles purely because of the fact that it’s super long (I didn’t touch games like Hatsukoi 1/1 for the same reason). After hearing people suggest this game for me, and me myself having played relatively longer games like Sengoku Koihime, I thought I would be able to handle it.

Oh boy was I wrong.

The reason why I’m making this a short review instead of a full fledged one is because I ended up getting sick of it after completing Yuzuki, Bethley, and 3/4 of the way through Mizuha’s route and ended up going “fuck this shit” and dropping the game. For this reason, I won’t be talking about the characters at all, but basing my scores purely on what I experienced with the game so far, as well as my opinions.

For this reason, please understand that my review for this game is greatly unreliable. Please only use it as another player’s opinion instead of a source of solid information/criticisms. Let’s get to it.

Title:  銀色、遥か (Silver Color, Far Away)
Producers: tone works
Release Date: August 26, 2016
VNDB Link: https://vndb.org/v18778
Getchu Link: http://www.getchu.com/soft.phtml?id=885200
Game Type: Realistic Romance Novel

Summary: Yukito’s childhood wasn’t colorful like anyone else’s, but it was definitely filled with kindness. His 2nd year in middle school was filled with potential as his younger sister Yuzuki hastily followed him outside to his “present”, and it’s not long until both of them form and remember new and old relationships.

The transfer student from Canada Bethley, Yukito’s new classmate Momiji, Yuzuki’s new best friend Hinata, Mizuha their childhood friend who they soon reunite with, and finally his own sister Yuzuki.

This is a story about them and their friendship that creates a group of inseparable friends. Even when Bethley returns to Canada, they are sure they will be able to meet again soon.

The Aftermath in Paris: Review of [160527] Otome Riron -Belle epoque-

Foreword: As with a lot of veterans of this genre, I don’t really like it when producers “ride on” the fame of certain titles to profit as much as they can, although I can’t blame them since that’s what they’re there for in the first place: money. However, I feel like this is much less significant for producers like Navel who actually change things up with their “sequels” unlike other producers (like Circus *coff*) who literally utilize the same general plot or setting.

Overall, I found this Otome Riron’s sequel/fandisc to be quite impressive for some reasons, while finding it poor in other parts. I would most definitely say however that it’s a game worth going through if you enjoyed any portion of either Tsukiyori or Otome Riron (first title), and there’s a reason why I finished this game in two days.

While quite obvious, as a fandisc, this review will contain spoilers to the main game. Please do not read this review if you have not already played the first Otome Riron title!

Title: 乙女理論とその後の周辺 -Belle epoque- (Otome Riron to sonogono shuuhen) Lit. Trans: Maiden’s Logic and the Surroundings of its Aftermath; Belle epoque is “Beautiful Time” in French (Thanks Google Translate!)
Producers: Navel
Release Date: May 27th, 2016
VNDB Link: https://vndb.org/v18130
Getchu Link: http://www.getchu.com/soft.phtml?id=867748
Game Type: Sequel to Otome Riron

Summary: This game is a sequel/fandisc for the Otome Riron series, including a brand new “Alternate Route” featuring Bluette as the main heroine, but also including afterstories for Resona, Meryl, and Bluette’s “Alternate Route”.

Story Length: Moderately Short (15 hours)
Complete Story Clearing Difficulty: N/A
Comments: No choices made within the game except to start which story first. I HIGHLY recommend finishing the “Alternate” route before moving onto afterstories. I personally thought it was a good flow to finish said main route then to move onto Bluette’s after story, which connects pretty well.

The Incarnation of the Poem of Sakura [151023]Sakura no Uta

Foreword:

Okay DAMN. People said this game was good but I did NOT know it was going to be THIS good. Well, only parts of it.

This title’s definitely on kamige level, but it’s really unfortunate that I can’t really say it’s a kamige because of a couple of reasons. Despite this, I wouldn’t hesitate to call this one of the most impactful games out there and MAN it really left a big impression on me. More like, why didn’t I hear about this title before? The all ages trial was from 2008! Ya’ll need to make recommendations like this more often because I often find myself missing them. Though to be fair on the other hand, most of my bias for this game comes from the fact I love seeing philosophy in galge/eroge in general. It really gives me a lot of “shower thoughts” that I can ponder about for the next few days.

While I’m going to be praising this game for the most part, it isn’t without flaws. I’m going to point out some major kinks that this game had that makes it awfully awkward in some areas and may be more of a turnoff. I think Sakura no Uta would be a great example of how a lot of amateur players scream is the best game ever, and completely ignore said fatal flaws, lol.

This review will contain minor spoilers and analysis of the game! Please only consider reading this review if you didn’t really understand the game or have already played it!

Title: サクラノ詩－櫻の森の上を舞う－ Sakura no Uta -Sakura no morino uewomau- [Lit. Trans: The Poem of Sakura – Dancing above the Forest of Sakura-]
Producers: makura
Release Date: Trial released in 2008, Official Release in October 23, 2015
VNDB Link: https://vndb.org/v562
Getchu Link: http://www.getchu.com/soft.phtml?id=44121
Game Type: Philosophical Poetic Novel with Slice of Life Themes

Summary: Naoya’s father died, who was his last blood relative. With no other family left on this planet, Naoya also refuses his father’s inheritance of 150 million en (Roughly 1.5 million USD) and now penniless, he somehow still finds the leisure to mess around with his friend Kei. However, as the funeral in the forest of cherry blossoms end, Kei’s older sister Ai invites Naoya to live with them in return for making meals at their house, which Naoya agrees to.

It’s been so long since that unfortunate accident 6 years ago that left Naoya, a world-famous artist himself, refusing to draw again. Now with the innocent childhood friends all grown up, Naoya must move on from the death of his relatives and live his own life with the relationships that he has. However, little will he know that he’ll be the center of even more; more pain and suffering for the people around him. He’ll never understand until much later how much of an influence he holds as the son of the World-Famous Artist.

What is mind? No matter
What is matter? Never Mind.