Muv-Luv - The Peace I Took for Granted

If you're wondering whether you should play this game first before going to Muv-Luv Alternative or not, then my answer is yes. Otherwise, it'll be a bit like playing Higurashi or Umineko straight to the answer arc without playing the question arc first. The experience you're getting will differ quite a lot.

Now, this is more like me eternalizing my thoughts and feelings for this game in a way that hopefully made you understand why I recommended this game without spoiling it and give you an idea about what you're going in to.


Muv-Luv Extra: The Final Gate

I used to fantasize a lot about piloting a mecha/robot. Something most boys have done at least once. Or maybe, (in a time where Isekai genres is flooding the market) most will be fantasizing about going to another world having adventures, waifus, bond-deepening struggles, and etc. But, is it really what we wanted? Are we sure we about leaving this life behind? Perhaps we are taking the things we have now for granted?

Extra is the first part of the game which focuses on the school premise. It is the most similar world to ours than the other parts of the game. I already know that Muv-Luv is about war stories with mecha. Playing this part at first made me felt weird and can't help but wishing that I'll get to the war part sooner.

This part is a huge confirmation dialog, the final gate between you and your so-called dream world. Maybe most of us will feel like "yeah, yeah, they'll probably do this and that. Just start giving the good stuff already." and not realizing that the generous offer this world gave us. A time where we can chat freely with our friends; Be casual to others even those who are more senior than us; Being able to spend a lot of time with our love ones near each other. It is as if this part is kept on popping out the dialog in our mind:

Are you sure you want to leave this world behind?
(Yes) (No)

And we kept on answering yes.


Muv-Luv Unlimited: Honey-Moon Phase with The New World

Unlimited is the second part of the game. It's the prologue to the war premise. You have arrived at your so-called dream world. You started by knowing more about the world, seeing what difference it had with your previous world. You are given the chance to realize your dream about piloting a mecha after finishing your training.

You endure all sorts of training in order to realize your dream of piloting a mecha. Even though it's hard, you still found yourself able to finish it. And despite all those hard training you got, what made you struggle the most are the people, the ideologies, and their way of thinking. You started pushing your ideals and opinion to others. Not realizing that it is a privilege in your previous world. Something that the current world could not let go so easily, labeling it as insubordination or even a military crime.

The confirmation dialog like in Extra kept on appearing Are you truly sure you have what it takes to keep on living surviving in this world? Are you sure this dream world is truly what you want? Will you still choose this dream world when it exposed everything to you?
And yet no matter what you chose, the world stay as it is and not letting you come back fully. You kept on moving forward, not knowing what the uncertainties has prepared for you. Hopefully, the end of the path justified the reason of you coming to the current world.

Save in the name of true love