I have always wanted to play Summer Memories since its initial release last year on DLsite; however, I was always hesitant to start because I knew that I would not be able to stop. It only took a few hours of gameplay for Summer Memories to turn into my newly discovered obsession. I found myself waking up early on weekends to get an early start. “I’ll only ask Aunt Miyuki for one favor” often extended to two or three and I start doing something that I usually never do: replaying routes to try different options. 100 hours later, I’m finally ready to put my tissue down. What an experience. Never has a single-player RPGMaker game kept me interested for so long, which speaks volumes about how immersive this game truly is. DojinOtome has set a very high standard for RPGMaker games and a strong reputation for themselves.

As simple as that statement is, there's a lot that goes into it. At its core, Summer Memories is the ideological successor to “Housemaid Ladies Disturb My Study!” and “Succumate”. It takes the rock-solid foundation of the relationship and intimacy systems put forward in those two games and improves upon them in every way — story, h-scenes, creativity, freedom of controls. However, this is much of what I expected simply from the announcement preview of the game on DLsite, given the improvements from their previous study simulator to “Succumate” and the prowess DojinOtome has shown in designing all their games.

This is by far my favorite gaming experience of the decade and I played it with only a mouse.

For a game that is developed in RPGMaker, Summer Memories looks really amazing. From the design of each individual character, to the different landscapes and backgrounds, to the animation. You can really tell that a lot of time was spent to make this game feel as alive as possible. I have never seen a game in RPGMaker be as interactive as this one, giving the player this much freedom. The biggest selling points, in my opinion, are the characters and story telling. Without the magnificent writing and voice acting offered, Summer Memories would not have been such an immersive experience. Given how many characters are introduced in the series, it’s amazing how many unique personalities there are. Literally none of the main characters are repetitive, dull, or lack personality. There are countless scenarios and wonderful moments that I remember vividly and am very fond of, for example, when I watched the fireworks with Aunt Miyuki and the rest of the family towards the end of Summer. That was truly emotional. More impressively so, you even feel a part of the game while in the over-world. Many NPCs can be interacted with different choices of actions. Depending on your relationship with them and the progression of the game, you have the option to engage in various activities together, such as doing chores around the house. I especially liked helping Aunt Miyuki with the dishes.

Don’t let the mere 800MB RPGMaker game fool you. The content in this game is actually packed to the brim. The world of Summer Memories is so vast, full of side-quests with promising rewards, quirky and interesting interactions with various characters, and even fun easter eggs to discover.

Despite the game taking place in a small town in the countryside, it has over 10 different locations that you can explore individually. My favorite discoveries by far was when I visited the school’s warehouse at night to buy stuff from some strange man and meeting the candy shop lady on Twitter. Other than that, to my surprise, I even enjoyed playing Kabutomushi, the Japanese rhinoceros beetle battle introduced as a mini-game. Initially, I ignored the minigame as a whole, but once I learned how to play it, it quickly became an addiction. I remember spending two full weekends reloading my save only to play Kabutomushi and collect new beetles. The fact that DojinOtome chose to implement Kabutomushi as a mini-game really goes to show how proud they are of their own culture and childhood.

The protagonist skill tree is fantastically simple. You have access to your perks, actions and passive buffs but in reality, how you decide to play the game is your greatest weapon. To interact with each individual character requires a different approach. Picking the right choices from the many selections you are given weighs heavily in your favor.

In conclusion, Summer Memories is a hell of an experience that will remain deeply engraved in my memory. I mean there aren’t many games out there that allow you to collect bugs, do math and wash dishes. I also cannot stress enough how much this game offers for a single-player experience - I could easily spend another delightful 30-50 hours on my current save file without replaying quests or starting a new game.

This game is a steal at full price, and even more so when it’s on sale! What are you waiting for?

I have always wanted to play Summer Memories since its initial release last year on DLsite; however, I was always hesitant to start because I knew that I would not be able to stop. It only took a few hours of gameplay for Summer Memories to turn into my newly discovered obsession. I found myself waking up early on weekends to get an early start. “I’ll only ask Aunt Miyuki for one favor” often extended to two or three and I start doing something that I usually never do: replaying routes to try different options. 100 hours later, I’m finally ready to put my tissue down. What an experience. Never has a single-player RPGMaker game kept me interested for so long, which speaks volumes about how immersive this game truly is. DojinOtome has set a very high standard for RPGMaker games and a strong reputation for themselves. As simple as that statement is, there's a lot that goes into it. At its core, Summer Memories is the ideological successor to “Housemaid Ladies Disturb My Study!” and “Succumate”. It takes the rock-solid foundation of the relationship and intimacy systems put forward in those two games and improves upon them in every way — story, h-scenes, creativity, freedom of controls. However, this is much of what I expected simply from the announcement preview of the game on DLsite, given the improvements from their previous study simulator to “Succumate” and the prowess DojinOtome has shown in designing all their games. This is by far my favorite gaming experience of the decade and I played it with only a mouse. For a game that is developed in RPGMaker, Summer Memories looks really amazing. From the design of each individual character, to the different landscapes and backgrounds, to the animation. You can really tell that a lot of time was spent to make this game feel as alive as possible. I have never seen a game in RPGMaker be as interactive as this one, giving the player this much freedom. The biggest selling points, in my opinion, are the characters and story telling. Without the magnificent writing and voice acting offered, Summer Memories would not have been such an immersive experience. Given how many characters are introduced in the series, it’s amazing how many unique personalities there are. Literally none of the main characters are repetitive, dull, or lack personality. There are countless scenarios and wonderful moments that I remember vividly and am very fond of, for example, when I watched the fireworks with Aunt Miyuki and the rest of the family towards the end of Summer. That was truly emotional. More impressively so, you even feel a part of the game while in the over-world. Many NPCs can be interacted with different choices of actions. Depending on your relationship with them and the progression of the game, you have the option to engage in various activities together, such as doing chores around the house. I especially liked helping Aunt Miyuki with the dishes. Don’t let the mere 800MB RPGMaker game fool you. The content in this game is actually packed to the brim. The world of Summer Memories is so vast, full of side-quests with promising rewards, quirky and interesting interactions with various characters, and even fun easter eggs to discover. Despite the game taking place in a small town in the countryside, it has over 10 different locations that you can explore individually. My favorite discoveries by far was when I visited the school’s warehouse at night to buy stuff from some strange man and meeting the candy shop lady on Twitter. Other than that, to my surprise, I even enjoyed playing Kabutomushi, the Japanese rhinoceros beetle battle introduced as a mini-game. Initially, I ignored the minigame as a whole, but once I learned how to play it, it quickly became an addiction. I remember spending two full weekends reloading my save only to play Kabutomushi and collect new beetles. The fact that DojinOtome chose to implement Kabutomushi as a mini-game really goes to show how proud they are of their own culture and childhood. The protagonist skill tree is fantastically simple. You have access to your perks, actions and passive buffs but in reality, how you decide to play the game is your greatest weapon. To interact with each individual character requires a different approach. Picking the right choices from the many selections you are given weighs heavily in your favor. In conclusion, Summer Memories is a hell of an experience that will remain deeply engraved in my memory. I mean there aren’t many games out there that allow you to collect bugs, do math and wash dishes. I also cannot stress enough how much this game offers for a single-player experience - I could easily spend another delightful 30-50 hours on my current save file without replaying quests or starting a new game. This game is a steal at full price, and even more so when it’s on sale! What are you waiting for?