Semaphia の最近のレビュー

A damn near perfect soundtrack for a damn near perfect game. Higher quality sound files would be preferred, but I'd listen to this OST as MIDI files playing off an old cassette player if I had to.

After finding "The Fruit of Grisaia" to be more than a tad underwhelming, I was at a loss as to whether or not I should continue with the franchise. Eventually, seeing how I'd already read the majority of the content, I decided to see it out & play through both Labyrinth & Eden.

Labyrinth, for me, is the highlight of the trilogy, with its focus on the more interesting characters in the story being the highlight of the main route. The ending of the main route also sets up the final game of the trilogy very nicely indeed, and so, we're onto Eden...

Eden, like Fruit, has a SERIOUS issue getting emotional value out of what should be really impactful scenes. I hate to draw comparisons to other story-driven games/mediums, but how much impact can a certain event have if it's been telegraphed so blatantly for hours beforehand? I'm referring primarily to the return of Kazuki. Ever since the first game, it was hinted that she was still alive, and the second game even had her featuring in the opening animated sequence. Even if none of this serves as concrete evidence for her return, it surely builds up expectations, so when she does return in Eden, it's like... Well, duh, of course she's coming back. This is far from the only instance of it happening in the trilogy, but it is, by far, the most egregious. On the other hand, the writing is still consistently funny, & the scenarios the cast find themselves in continue to be as outrageous as ever.

Plenty of new songs added to the previous selection make for a fresher feeling soundtrack than Labyrinth, but there's not many stand outs among them. The level of art, as you'd expect, is as consistent as ever, & nothing ever felt out of place during my time finishing this trilogy. Sadly, however, the game still has a terrible auto-mode, which is frustrating to the extent where I found myself actually skipping some character VA's once I'd read the dialogue.

My thoughts on Eden as a whole are pretty middling-good. If you've come this far in the franchise, it's worth seeing it out to its (obvious) conclusion. It doesn't offer much in the way of surprise or emotional impact, but it is as funny as both of its predecessors, & just as ridiculous to boot. I was hoping for something a bit more dramatic/impactful to make me realise what exactly it is I seem to be missing when it comes to the hype for this series, but sadly, I couldn't find it.

For me, "Labyrinth" is the undisputed highlight of the Grisaia trilogy. Whilst others may (fairly) criticize it for its perceived lack of content when compared to its predecessor, I personally feel it offers a much more consistent experience, which is, in part, due to the shorter game length.

It's also in (no small) part due to the main arcs focus on some of the more interesting characters & relationships, especally Yuuji, JB, & Asako. Also, unlike "Fruit", all five of the side stories in Grisasia are pretty enjoyable, but in return, none of them are particularly special, either - They're just low investment/low reward slice of life fillers, which works for me, as I believe both "Fruit" & "Eden" have serious issues when it comes to getting the most out of their emotional plot ideas...

The art is just as consistent as the first game, but the OST doesn't feel anywhere near fresh enough, seeing how most of it is taken straight from "Fruit". The opening/ending songs, however, are very good indeed. Technically, the game still has one of the most frustratingly useless auto modes known to man, but at least this one has cloud saving.

I guess whether or not you'll prefer this game to the titles it's sandwiched between will come down to preference, but if you, like myself, found Yuuji & JB more interesting than all of the sidekicks, & want to learn a little bit about what got them to where they are today, then the main arc of Labyrinth is definitely worth 10-15 hours of your time.

Not quite as good as "Afterglow", but still an enjoyable read, and a solid companion to Labyrinth. Have to laugh at this having cloud saving while some of the main games don't, though...

Short & sweet. A lot more meaningful experience then the Leisure of Grisaia (which is just a fun addition), in no small part due to its focus on the more interesting characters in the franchise. Worth a read after finishing the main route of "The Labyrinth of Grisaia."

To add anything to an incredibly complex piece of art is always going to be a challenge, but to add something of value to something as beloved as The House in Fata Morgana is a whole new level of difficulty... Yet it's executed so perfectly you'd think it were the most simple task in the world.

If you've read the original, then this is an absolute must. Beyond stunning from start to finish, A Requiem for Innocence solidifies The House in Fata Morgana as not only one of the greatest video game stories of all time, but also one of the greatest stories period.

Sabbat of the Witch/Sanoba Witch is a rather rare experience in that it sets the bar pretty high & never once falls below it throughout it's 60 or so hours of content, despite never clearing it by much, either. If I were to review it in just two words, they'd be "consistently entertaining." If I were to review it in more words? Well...

Sanoba Witch is a really well presented VN with an interesting theme, cast of characters, and individual story arcs that kept me entertained for the entirity of my time with it. It's made me laugh (a lot), cry, but it's seldom caught me off guard - In fact, if there's one mark against it, it's that, at times, it's incredibly predictable: That said, it never once stopped me from enjoying the story.

Seldom spectacular, but always above average, Sanoba Witch is an enjoyable lighthearted read that I'd recommend to anyone who just wants to relax with some daft pervy jokes & a surprisingly touching story (at times)... And no, when I say surprisingly touching, I don't mean the h-scenes.

(I didn't play with the 18+ patch, so I can't attest to the quality of that content, but judging by the writing elsewhere, I'm guessing it's hilarious >.<)

Let me say this right from the start - It took a lot for me to not give up on "G-senjou no Maou" in the opening 15 or so hours. The slice of life content was some of the least compelling I've read in a visual novel, mostly due to a lack of humour & endearing early game characterization, which led me to seek advice online about whether or not I should keep on going.

Long story short, I kept going; and I'm very glad that I did. If you're already playing through this story yourself & you feel like you're not getting what you hoped for after the first 10 or so hours, I implore you to continue, as what waits for you just a little bit further on is a very smart & emotionally impactful VN. On the other hand, if you're considering buying/playing through G-senjou no Maou, then I instead suggest that you be mindful of the fact that it takes some time to get going, and that you'd best be prepared for that going in.

The side routes are nothing to write home about, & are overall pretty lacklustre compared to the main route. I went through them as I'm just a bit of a completionist that way, but really, I don't think you'd be missing out on too much if you decided to skip them. However, if you want to see for yourself, then I'd personally rank them thusly: Shiratori Mizuha (the funny option) = Miwa Tsubaki (the feels option) > Azai Kanon.

Artistically, the game is beautifully illustrated, and while I'm not totally sold on the OST as a whole, some of its renditions of classical favourites (especially the playful ones) are excellently done. It's also no slouch in the tech department, although I suppose I would've liked a "Borderless Windowed" option, but ah well.

Overall, despite its pretty horrific start, I reflect on my time with G-senjou no Maou as time well spent. An average opening followed by a long period of excellence that doesn't quite meet the overall standards of the best, but still stands as a very good visual novel in its own right.

Sometimes, I can be pretty good with words... Other times? I'm a bit lost for them - This is one of those times.

"The House in Fata Morgana" is one of the most satisfying stories I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It's hard to talk about what makes it truly great without at least hinting at spoilers, but it really does all just come together in a beautiful, natural way that's so hard to pull off with such a difficult plot.

The soundtrack is incredible, and there were times where it just helped bubble up the emotions I was feeling inside, whether they be happy, sad, tense, or otherwise. The art suits the game perfectly, and the technical side of things is exectuted brilliantly.

An absolute must-read. A beautiful, harrowing, mesmerising story - But above all else, an unforgettable one.

"Aw man... My crotch is itchy..."

When a game's first line of dialogue is that good, you know it's worth £1.99. Sure it's only an hour or so long, but it'll get a few more laughs out of you, so hey, why say no to more Fruit of Grisaia?