Review by Matt S. One of the benefits of publishing a review a little later after release is that you can check against some of the other reviews to see how your own take on the various themes and ideas expressed by the game were taken by others. Having checked…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. After Piofiore: Fated Memories just about ruined me when I played it a few weeks ago (I just never thought Otome games would get that dark), I rather enjoyed the contrast that Café Enchanté has offered. It’s another lengthy, substantial visual novel by the same developer…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Anyone questioning the wisdom of having so many games being ported to Nintendo Switch, with minimal additions or changes, should perhaps consider that not everyone has had the chance to play the original releases. Case-in-point, for whatever reason I had never played Code: Realize. With it…
Read MoreNews by Matt S. Aksys has announced the release dates for its 2020 lineup of otome titles for Switch, and there’s a good mix of the favourites and new ones to look forward to. As far as favourites go, there will be ports of Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ and…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Given the number of games that I play, I have a really simple filter for figuring out which are truly special to me: They’re the ones that I remember in one, ten, or more years. It’s not a useful guide when sitting down to review something…
Read MoreNews by Matt S. Death Mark was everything that I like to see in my horror. Chilling, disturbing, and also at times sensuous, even erotic, the game perfectly encapsulated that contrasting and at time complimentary mix of horror and sexuality that should be there, but often isn’t in video games.…
Read MoreNews by Matt S. If you haven’t played Death Mark yet, you absolutely should. It’s a brilliant example of horror writing and storytelling, and one of the most intelligent, atmospheric visual novels ever crafted. And now, courtesy of Aksys Games, we are going to get its sequel: NG. NG will…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Death Mark offers a very uniquely Japanese sense of horror. Not only because it borrows its stories from very common Japanese urban legends, but also because it weaves into its narrative a deep sense of tragedy and sadness. And it’s brilliant at it. I rarely find…
Read MoreNews by Matt S. Well, someone has to support the PlayStation Vita, which somehow continues to kick on as the premiere destination for visual novels. And Aksys is without a doubt the biggest supporter of visual novels. Miku bless Aksys. There are three mystery-focused VNs coming from Aksys to the…
Read MoreNews by Matt S. Yasuhiro Wada is a true hero of the games industry. For years now he’s been crafting the most beautiful, charming, innocent games, from Harvest Moon through to last year’s delightful Birthdays: The Beginning. Wada’s aesthetic avoids violence for pastoral peace and his games promote harmony and…
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