How will you Act when you Realize the Truth? Review of [161222] Shinsou Noise

Foreword: Without a doubt I’ve been slowing down. While there’s definitely my fault in this delay of finishing and writing reviews, I also want to place at least a portion of the blame on generic titles which I was simply not interested in or annoyed me to the point I put it off. Instead, I found myself going to doujin titles, games (admittedly, I played roughly 10-15 doujin titles between the last review and this one), and MMOs instead of galge, which is like one certain friend who went down this path (although for other platforms) much earlier than I.

For that reason, the bottom portion of this review (or where I place my “dropped games” explaining my reasoning) may be quite long. I still haven’t really figured out what I wanted to do with all these dropped titles because they’re now becoming rather increasing in number compared to actual review posts (wow much quality)

Let’s get to the review of the most recent game I played which left quite a bit of impression on me, I would first off say that as with a previous game I played, Senmomo, this game was actually rather fun. As that mystery game where you are required to use clues and various other hints to solve a crime or make various conclusions. It was almost like a puzzle game, which I really appreciated.

Obviously, however, this title wasn’t exactly the best ones out there, so I’ll be talking about the things that I found to be not-so-praiseworthy, which mind you, will take up quite a while. Let’s get started!

Please do note that this review may contain mild spoilers for this game! 

Title: シンソウノイズ (Shinsou Noise) [True Emotion Noise]
Producers: Azurite
Release Date: December 22, 2016
VNDB Link: https://vndb.org/v19684
Getchu Link: http://www.getchu.com/soft.phtml?id=916833
Game Type: Mystery/Suspense Novel with themes of Social and Human Psychology

Summary: Since he was born, Kazuma had a strange ability to hear the “inner thoughts” of people around him. These inner thoughts would never lie and always tell the truth, and would sometimes overwhelm the poor boy.

After being abandoned by his parents and raised by his grandmother who also had this ability, Kazuma learned to live his daily life by shutting himself apart from all his peers and refusing to associate with anyone. Despite how he was able to see the “truth”, it’s this very truth which pushed the poor boy into depression and despair as he saw the evils and trickery that humans were capable of.

It was around this time he meets Yukimoto Sakura, a mysterious girl who would often go to the rooftop of the school and simply stare at the sky. When looking at her inner thoughts coincidentally, Kazuma saw violent and gorey images of her death which at first made him almost want to regurgitate his lunch. However, this event also lead him to wanting to know more about this girl, as he stops her from committing suicide one day.

It won’t be long however, that on another certain day, Kazuma would hear a loud thud, and witness the death of the same person who was his first love, and the inner thoughts of someone who whispers:

“I Killed Her”

Scary!

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.

Once More… We Try Again: Review of [161028]Re:LieF

Foreword: And finished! I really think I was burnt out with the crappy games that I’m not giving the “good” ones a fair shot, which is the absolute saddest thing you can do as a eroge veteran/review writer. I’ll be focusing on VNs and eroge a bit more than my MMO hobbies because in my opinion, the former is more important to me.

Immediately hooked on due to the opening movie, this title was first on my priority list (along with Giniro Haruka which is now getting pretty damn painful to play), though as with any game where one has more impact overall, Re:Lief was finished first.

Overall what I could call a “decent” game, I’d conclude that this game is graphically and poetically stunningly beautiful. I love it when games include “morals” within them, which this game had, but as a critical review writer, I’m here to also point out the not-so-beautiful stuff which was really a turn-off and rant worthy in my opinion. For that reason, this review may sound generally negative, but I’d like to remind readers that I tend to exaggerate some of the negative features due to personal bias.

I DO want to mention with GREAT EMPHASIS that due to the nature of this game, as well as what my review needs to cover to properly convey my points, this review will contain spoilers. I hate to include spoilers in my reviews, but I really can’t control what NEEDS to be written in a good review, so I’m really at a loss. I mean I can write a shitty ass, vague review that you’d see on Getchu, but I’m sure no one (including myself) would want to read it.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN HEAVY SPOILERS! PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE READING FURTHER IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED!

Title: Re:LieF ～親愛なるあなたへ～ (To you, my most dearest)
Producers: RASK
Release Date: October 28, 2016
VNDB Link: https://vndb.org/v19587
Getchu Link: http://www.getchu.com/soft.phtml?id=911416
Game Type: Slice of Life Novel with themes of sociology and life philosophy and sci-fi bullshit

Summary: Society can be such a harsh place. No matter how hard you try, an unfortunate accident, an abuse of authority, or just simply a series of unlucky encounters can crush a person’s efforts to no end. It’s even more unfair since those who are less worthy to succeed are often the ones who do, and the people who are working so diligently are kicked to the curb having to lick their own wounds.

Tryment Project is a plan for these individuals who were oppressed by the unfairness of society, and need a place to relearn and rejuvenate themselves with new knowledge. It is a place of new hope or new paths, or perhaps even new relationships. In the truest sense, the people who are accepted into this program receive a second chance. However, to the protagonist, Nitta Tsukasa, this wouldn’t be just a second chance…