I am past the common route and through half of the heroines' routes, so now would be a decent time to write a review.

Aokana is an interesting visual novel involving a sport known as 'Flying Circus' where two players, known as Skywalkers, compete in a large square track for points. The Protagonist, Masaya, is an ex-Skywalker who quits after a crushing mental defeat. Years later, in the summer of his second year, he runs into a girl who loves the sky. That is where the story begins.

Pros:

• Great story. The sport that the visual novel is based around, Flying Circus, provides very interesting "battle" scenes between the characters while also helping reveal each heroine's story in an indirect way. The common route, while long, helps cover each and every heroine as well as establishing the routes for later. Each heroine's route is different from each other and aren't carbon-copies of the others' routes. Even without the 18+ content, the flow of the story is very much the same.
  
• Good characters. The visual novel does not confine itself within the generic tropes that can be seen in manga, anime, and visual novels. While they can be labelled within them, they are shown to have their deviations and are not simple cut-and-paste characters.
  
• AMAZING design. I just can't find any word to describe it other than 'beautiful'. The characters are beautiful, the background is beautiful. I cannot find anything to complain about in terms of design. It is, without a doubt, one of the greatest I've ever seen.
  
• Soundtrack. It's amazing, it's pleasing, and it's something I would, without a doubt, buy with little regret despite it's rather steep price.

Cons:

• Price. I sounds hypocritical, talking about how I'd buy the soundtrack without regrets then talk about the pricing of the novel itself, but it's very expensive for a visual novel. The novel is about 35 hours for an average reader, which coincidentally aligns with the pricing of the novel, $35. I was doubtful of buying this even with a price reduction. I highly recommend buying this when there's a sale or a discount available if you're not in a rush.
  
• Endings. To avoid spoilers, some of the endings feel lackluster. With the rest of the story having action and drama and issues that they try to solve, the endings leave something to be desired. I'm not entirely sure of what, but there is something missing that just makes you feel slightly uncomfortable and confused.

Summary:
Aokana is a great visual novel. Despite it's rather high price, it is one of my recommendations for "entering the world of visual novels", providing a great experience throughout the story. With an interesting cast and a compelling story line, you'd probably forget how long you've played until you're interrupted by the episodic endings. If you're looking for a story that isn't exactly like the others, this is something you should read.

I am past the common route and through half of the heroines' routes, so now would be a decent time to write a review. Aokana is an interesting visual novel involving a sport known as 'Flying Circus' where two players, known as Skywalkers, compete in a large square track for points. The Protagonist, Masaya, is an ex-Skywalker who quits after a crushing mental defeat. Years later, in the summer of his second year, he runs into a girl who loves the sky. That is where the story begins. Pros: [list] [*] Great story. The sport that the visual novel is based around, Flying Circus, provides very interesting "battle" scenes between the characters while also helping reveal each heroine's story in an indirect way. The common route, while long, helps cover each and every heroine as well as establishing the routes for later. Each heroine's route is different from each other and aren't carbon-copies of the others' routes. Even without the 18+ content, the flow of the story is very much the same. [*] Good characters. The visual novel does not confine itself within the generic tropes that can be seen in manga, anime, and visual novels. While they can be labelled within them, they are shown to have their deviations and are not simple cut-and-paste characters. [*] AMAZING design. I just can't find any word to describe it other than 'beautiful'. The characters are beautiful, the background is beautiful. I cannot find anything to complain about in terms of design. It is, without a doubt, one of the greatest I've ever seen. [*] Soundtrack. It's amazing, it's pleasing, and it's something I would, without a doubt, buy with little regret despite it's rather steep price. [/list] Cons: [list] [*] Price. I sounds hypocritical, talking about how I'd buy the soundtrack without regrets then talk about the pricing of the novel itself, but it's very expensive for a visual novel. The novel is about 35 hours for an average reader, which coincidentally aligns with the pricing of the novel, $35. I was doubtful of buying this even with a price reduction. I highly recommend buying this when there's a sale or a discount available if you're not in a rush. [*] Endings. To avoid spoilers, some of the endings feel lackluster. With the rest of the story having action and drama and issues that they try to solve, the endings leave something to be desired. I'm not entirely sure of what, but there is something missing that just makes you feel slightly uncomfortable and confused. [/list] Summary: Aokana is a great visual novel. Despite it's rather high price, it is one of my recommendations for "entering the world of visual novels", providing a great experience throughout the story. With an interesting cast and a compelling story line, you'd probably forget how long you've played until you're interrupted by the episodic endings. If you're looking for a story that isn't exactly like the others, this is something you should read.