Reseñas recientes de Semaphia

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?

A much more memorable VN than the first entry, with some truly excellent moments throughout its admittedly short story. The characters, having had time to develop, are more relatable than before, & the new cast of supporting characters/narratives are simply more enjoyable, too.

The game still isn't up to much in the OST department, and the art/direction, while improved in some ways, can still fall pretty flat in others. However, this is the game that makes the series worth playing, and this is the game that has me looking forward to what comes next.

Overall, it's an interesting visual novel that tackles rather difficult subject matters with moderate success. It's let down a tad by it's lackluster OST, somewhat forgettable characters, and the "life" of the art itself, but it's definitely worth a read at sale price.

Edit: Having finished the sequel, I can say with more conviction that this series is worth getting into. The second game does a lot of things better than the first, as it builds on the foundations laid by it. Definitely something to keep in mind!

Let me just get something out of the way: The 18+ content is NOT necessary, nor is it a major miss in any way. People are drastically overstating the importance of these scenes, so don't worry about missing out on them (unless you're just looking for fap material, in which case, fair play to you).

I'll start off by saying that my thoughts on The Fruit of Grisaia are mixed, but mostly positive. To start off with the positives, in summary; it's a very funny VN, the art is (mostly) great, the OST is very entertaining (albeit a bit limited), and the characters do feel unique & distinct in many ways. I also quite like the fact that it's kinda like a kinetic novel. You do a short route to unlock the romances, then you turn them down one by one until you get to the story you want, only to decide between a good & a bad ending at the end. That's pretty neat, as it makes me certain that I'm not missing out on any great exposition.

There are some technical negatives, though. Firstly, the lack of cloud saving/steamworks support in an 80 hour+ title is pretty unforgivable, especially given it's free & relatively easy to install. Plus, the auto-mode, while laden with options, is also pretty lacking in even the most basic functionality you'd hope for from a VN. These are pretty minor issues, I know, but I still feel they're worth bringing up.

More importantly, the story... Narratively, what really loses it points for me is that a few characters are best when you're not playing through their arc, while others are pretty forgettable unless you're playing through their arc. For me, there's only one of the main five characters who remains entertaining through the main arc, the arcs of the other girls, and her arc herself, and that's Komine Sachi.

If I were to rate the character arcs (no actual spoilers), I'd say the must play arc is Sachi's, while the should play arcs are Yumiko & Michiru. Amane's isn't bad, but Makina's should be avoided at all costs, or at the very least played right as the last of the bunch. I played it first, and honestly, it left me pretty jaded with the game. I powered through the other arcs, & I'm glad I did, as they're much better in comparison.

My biggest issue, however, would be the lack of emotional impact... I'll try and hold off on any direct comparisons, but I can't help but shake the feeling that if some of those character stories were developed by a different studio, especially Amane's, that they'd have left a much more meaningful & impactful mark on my person.

TL/DR: As it stands, I've 90 hours I (mostly) happily spent reading through a genuinely interesting novel with a LOT more highs than lows, and I'll definitely be giving the other titles in the franchise a read in the new year. If you're after something funny & entertaining, while it may drag in some places, The Fruit of Grisaia is a solid choice. If you're looking for a full-on feels trip, however, it's not quite there.

A funny, touching, and thoughtful continuation of one of CLANNAD's most memorable narrative arcs. While certain facets of the story might not hold the same weight as After Story to some, to others, it holds even more...

Where do I sit? Honestly, I'm uncertain, but whatever I end up settling on, Tomoyo After is a game I'll still wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who's played through Tomoyo's route in CLANNAD.

(PS, the soundtracks are amazing. The Piano Collection features 5 tracks from CLANNAD & 5 from Tomoyo after, each beautifully arranged.)