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Friday, May 1, 2009

Chain: the lost footprints review


Rating: A

In the past few days, I've been playing this ero-game called Chain, which is technically not a game, as all you do is click and watch. So far so good, the storyline is great. Hard-boiled detective investigates cases which link to one another and explores the depths of depravity while at it. Other reviews were spot on. This "visual novel" is the closest eroges' can be to the film noir genre. Yes, the plot is its strong suit. Most (if not all characters) are well rounded. Character development rivals my Hall of Fame games like Crescendo.

There are many potential developments per character, but first and foremost, this is a hardcore crime story. I know that style of fiction where all ladies have very interesting stories behind them. Everyone, from the high school friend who gets cheated on by her husband, the sidekick who used to be your superior but now serves you faithfully, the bartender who looks up to you for all these years, the daughter of your mentor who you cannot resist, the hostess who lives serving liquor to salarymen, and the lady who was "forced" by her man to have sex with other men as a way to distribute drugs -- everyone has a story between them and the hero and it's best to just enjoy the story as it unfolds. Personally though, I favor the drug dealing woman and the hostess' (well she (they?) do(es) not have a story per se, I just like the character(s) and wished that they were developed much more. What's her name again, Misako? and Megumi?) stories. They both have the aura of...whatever. It's better to fuck tragic girl

While I'm singing praises about the plot, which was really well written. It's hard to compare this to any other eroge in the sense that Chain isn't exactly a romantic tale per se. The sex is more passionate than romantic and the hero reminds you more of James Bond fused with the DNA of Sherlock Holmes and that guy from Animatrix. Every girl is "beautiful" in some angles, (Excet Ayumu) but I think they should fire the guy who did frontal shots. Take the example of the lady who distributed the drugs... She looked great from an angle holding the wine glass, but it wasn't as good in her "dialouge" illustrations. If you know eroges, you'll know.

Gameplay wise, didn't I already tell that this game is not really a game in its spirit. Well, most visual novels aren't anyway. Unlike visual novels though, there isn't really a pick your girl (so far) evident. It's crime first, girl later story. Fortunately though, I am a plot freak. While some are Graphics whores who fawn over Biko 3, I look at Visual novels as a legitimate form of literature MORE than as a quick way to satisfy my pornographic requirements. Yes, people. I play ero-games for the story.




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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

First Impression: Saki - 01 & Guin Saga - 01

Disclaimer: If I blogged the first episode that doesn’t mean that I’ll stick to it. It’s just that I want to give shows a chance before saying that they sucked.

Saki – 01

Impression:
I’m really surprised that Gonzo really did an amazing job in making the first episode. I don’t know if it’s because I’m expecting that they would make a crappy first episode or I just really have a very low expectation for Gonzo shows. Everything was good, the production quality and the overdramatic mah-jong play was exciting. My only rant is the tits of Nodoka, it looks deformed as if she’s not wearing a bra or it’s because of the bad drawing (no that’s not it the production is really good) so I go for the no bra.

I don’t know if this series is yuri but if you watch this episode Saki keeps on blushing when Nodoka is around. I really find the premise of the story, a girl who doesn’t like playing mah-jong and yet she’s good at playing. Even though I don’t know how to play mah-jong and in the show they kept saying mah-jong words that I can’t understand, I really like it. Despite that Gonzo always disappoints me I’ll still try this one since I really2x like it. I really can’t wait to watch the next episode.

The OP was played at the end of the episode and as expected of a Gonzo opening, it doesn’t give us any tip on what’s going to happen instead, we could see some characters that would play a part in the series. About the OP song I don’t like it but it’s still ok.

Guin Saga – 01
Impression:
At first I thought this series would be the boring and slow paced one but I was wrong because there’s a good amount of action and yet there’s the plot. I really liked the first episode and I think I’ll continue watching it but if you’ll ask me if I’ll blog it, I don’t know yet. All I know is picking something to blog this season would be hard because almost all of the shows are good compared to last season.

I’m really curious on the face behind Guin maybe he looks handsome maybe not. I also would like to know his past and what will happen to Remus and Rinda. Remus keeps pissing me off with his whines. For God’s sake he’s a male and he doesn’t act like one, I think I want him to be killed off already. Oh I forgot to say that he’s also useless. Rinda is better compared to him, she has this vision powers and she know what to do even without anyone supporting her. Guin on the other hand is quite cool with his super human strength. He reminds me of King from Tekken and I think their fighting style is quite similar.

The bgm of the first episode was also good because Nobuo Uematsu is the behind the music. He’s the one behind the bgm of some Final Fantasy series so I expect greatness from him. There’s no OP in this episode but of course there’s an ending and I like the song, it fits the setting of the series. The ending sequence just browsed the still pictures of some of the characters and I have nothing against it.

until then...

~ja

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First Impression: Tayutama ~Kiss On My Diety~ - 01 & Tears to Tiara - 01

Disclaimer: If I blogged the first episode that doesn’t mean that I’ll stick to it. It’s just that I want to give shows a chance before saying that they sucked.

Tayutama ~Kiss On My Diety~ - 01


Impression:
If I’m not mistaken this one came from a ero game so I’d been expecting that this one would be ecchi and full of fan service but wow, there’s hardly any fan service in the first episode so I’m quite impressed. The plot is hardly interesting; a goddess met a boy yadda yadda. Also there’s problem with the production and animation, it’s quite low. There are some scenes that the faces and eyes look weird and inconsistent and also the actions which suppose to be exciting didn’t excite me one bit. I think this another brainless show but still quite entertaining because of its silliness. Yuuri’s voice reminds me of Saito’s voice in Zero no Tsukaima and I did a little research and it turns out that Yuuri’s seiyuu is the same seiyuu as Saito which is Satoshi Hino. Every time Yuuri open his mouth I still think that the one talking is Saito.

There’s no OP in this episode but there’s an ending and I don’t quite like it and I easily forgot the song that I have to listen to it again.

Overall nothing worthy of praise except the fact that there is less fan service which is a good indication that the series might be good. I’m not impressed with the first episode so for sure I’m not gonna blog the next episode or the whole series but I’ll be watching the next episode to see if it could change my mind.

Tears to Tiara – 01
Impression:
Wow, a very interesting first episode coupled with high production value and good voice cast. The first episode revolves around Riannon getting kidnapped and being sacrificed to the demon lord Arawn and then her brother tries to rescue her. Arawn then defies those who resurrected him and frees Riannnon from their spell which leads to Riannon admiring him. There is a lot of action coupled with good animation but because of it only bit of the plot is revealed. The animation is really high in this series, everything is detailed so I’m expecting that the future episodes would still have good animation even if it would drop a bit.

The OP song is ok and seems appropriate for the series and the animation sequence seems to hint of what would come and it excites me. Btw, the girls in this series are so hot and they would form a harem with Arawn which is also a very handsome character, damn you Arawn having all those lovely chicks all by yourself. I like ED song more but the ending sequence is not that interesting.

I might blog this one since, I really liked it but let’s see. I know I’m so slow in watching and blogging these first episode of the spring line up but I’m gonna finish it and I’ll post my decision on what to blog. I think there would be 5 more first impressions and then I’ll decide what to blog. I’ll try to finish this by Friday so wish me luck.

until then..

~ja

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Monday, April 27, 2009

Ristorante Paradiso episode 3

Whoa, Nicoletta loves Sant-0

Hehehe. I don't know why I have a very favorable impression of this series, but whatever it does, its definitely working for me. On one hand, we have this 20 year old chick who falls for someone old enough to be her dad and on the other, we have a set of geriatric, bespectacled "gentlemen" who pretend they don't like a taste of pussy. All combined, it makes for something quite original and effective in luring fans dismayed by the crap flowing out of this season's line up.

Maybe it's Nicoletta's strong personality (mixed with childishness though) that proved key to her being likable, to me at least. Most often, girls in anime aren't pushy. Worse, they are shy, feminine and generally useless pieces of shit (cough*Nagisa*cough), especially in the harem crap shits that we unfortunately have in abundance. Not here though. Aside from series' like Paradise Kiss or NANA, I have never seen any romance angle viewed from the POV of the female, not until Ristorante Paradiso. Usually, it's always the same routine, which is the males POV and quite frankly, it's getting old. Good thing that Ristorante Paradiso is going in the not-so-usual track. Kudos! One more thing, most male oriented romances are pumped full of adolescent rage, not this.

Or Maybe it's because of her mom. Her quite carefree way of being one and the nature of her relationship between her and Nicoletta, which resembles something more like intimate friends or sisters rather than the traditional parental role. I've also gotten tired of moms being portrayed as plain homemakers with no redeeming uniqueness or just as wallflowers, partly because my own mom was neither. But this series is different. The mom is a significant part of the entire story itself. Just like other moms in real life, there are things she does for herself, and she has her own quirks. Olga is a solid character for a role that's usually very flat. Her individuality makes her unique, unlike Nana (Hachiko's) or Caroline's mom.

I like this series. Maybe this and Eden of the east are only the two worth my time.

Stay tuned.

















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