[Personal] Visual Novels Ratings (11/27/12)

We all know why. Muv-Luv Alt is consistently rated in the top 10 VN in many Japanese VN sites. This means it compares with gems such as Clannad and Fate/Stay night. Also, it's the best utsuge ever.

No VN, Manga, Anime, or Story has emotionally stirred me in a significant way whatsoever as of date.

It takes a lot to get to me, unfortunately; only a handful of [parts of] stories have barely rubbed the surface of the emotional portion of my mind.

I say "rubbed," not even scratched.

The most effective ones are the stories based on true events (Most VNs are fictional though, so there's the disadvantage, if they want to bring me to tears (0.0000000001% chance)), although even then they are practically ineffective.

Must be something wrong with me.

I see that you're very realistic in this regard. I personally try to have similar feelings to the protagonist in the VNs that I play, but that always depends on the way the story is told. In this particular one, I got sometimes pretty emotional due to all the events that ocurred.
By the way, have you played too Muv Luv Extra and Unlimited? (I assume that you have at least played Unlimited although I believe that Extra is also a important part that can allow you to enjoy Alternative a lot more).

Yes, everyone should force themselves to play Extra. It makes a huge difference, and many of the references in Unlimited and Alternative relates to Extra, and you'll be like "Oh! I remember that! DE JAVU!"
Not to mention the emotional impact. Damn, Muv-Luv has made me feel more depressed then anything ever has.

I have now been able to fairly give my personal rating of the highly anticipated "Katawa Shoujo".

What the group, Four Leaf Studios, has done is simply respectable (for all its fans alike).
However, I wish I hadn't been exposed to the various comments/feedback of people whom overhyped it raw to the bone marrow. I realize it's a very interesting concept but that's where the uniqueness of that VN begins to quickly subside. Notice how I say †˜that VN’ instead of "this VN". Yes, fellow reading and writing enthusiasts, there is a very, very big difference when one uses either this or that in this context. If anyone disagrees with my personal rating on "Katawa Shoujo", feel free to give your opinion as well.

The writing in KS was consistent in the wrong way, to be bitterly honest.
- Large number of incoherent sentences (There are just so many, or rather, too many, to be accounted for. Such as this: "The task is quite difficult given the haphazard way the store is laid out, and the many things poking out of the shelves they're on or sitting on pieces of furniture, but eventually we safely arrive at at an old desk..."
Too often while I was reading KS did I find myself thinking: "If it's really that difficult to formulate such sentences, don't even attempt to write them in the first place, seriously."
I felt as if my reading skills were in danger because of the out-of-place use of complicated words (as if they looked through a dictionary, and hadn't referenced their own brains) which did not blend well with the overall writing.
Therefore (the usage of unnecessary descriptions/words), the VN did a good job of hiding the fact that its viewers are supposed to be uneducated (or just plain ignorant), by making the protagonist ignorant of far too many things (no offense to those who now feel they are uneducated).
- If they were trying to be as realistic as possible, that endeavor failed, because they broke too many customs and rules traditionally held in Japan; meaning it was too fictional even though the setting itself was non-fictional enough.
- Every minute or so I found myself bothered by something in the writing, and that has rarely happened for me while venturing in past VNs which I've gone through. Why: Because the writers didn't seem honest with themselves.

The list of negatives is quite large, and I'm sure any fool who frequents VNs often, such as myself, would be well aware of that.

This is decent for people whom aren't used to VNs yet, or whom are new to them, but it may as well be disappointing to avid writers/readers with decent sensibility and respect for other cultures and themselves.

Besides the rest of my post which you see above though, I do recommend trying this VN out if you haven't yet.

Anyways, that's all I have to say, and don't mind me, I always point out the negatives in VNs rather than the positives in them.

Here's your list of positives though:
- It's free of charge

P.S. I have no favorite route.

Yeah, hearing people saying "It's the Most emotionally gripping VN ever" when the only VN that they ever read is Katawa Shoujo.. sure killed my hype for it.

What bothers me most is that many people are compelled to voice such a claim just because of the accumulated renown; this is popularity which is not completely undeserved, but still rather annoying.

It has become a bit too wisespread for us in the VN world (well, from what I see, at least) that I just had to vent my opinion somewhere; of course, that's with an updated post here.

Thank you very much, Fakku.

If you are looking for some other visual novels that might touch stir your emotions (or are at least in the 'great' category), I recommend Umineko no Naku Koro ni (and Chiru), Family Project, Steins;Gate, Yume Miru Kusuri, Daibanchou Big Bang Age (similar to Sengoku Rance...kinda), and Kira Kira. Although I have to agree with amorim, and suggest that you tackle the Muv-Luv series first.

I'm kind of like the opposite of you. Heart wise. I feel things too deeply. But I agree with most of your comments and its good to hear another's opinion. I hope you find something to touch your heart. Its an experience worth feeling.

Thanks for the suggestions, but although I do not have an extremely large number of Visual Novels on my list, I have ventured into quite a large amount of them. All of the ones you listed are ones I already completed, or are at the very least 90-99% completed.

I have a personal policy of not rating/giving-my-opinion-on/judging something until I view every last piece of content and text within, then maybe going over it again if I feel like it, and going back to it some time later if I feel the need to go over particular scenes.

Yes, my brain is wired so strangely that I'm unable to fully grasp the emotions (though I fully understand them) that are supposed to bring one to tears or to joy.
Therefore I'm left with a technical point of view:
How well-written is the story, how was the character development, what elements stood out on purpose, how did the characters affect the story and who cares about stereotypes because what matters most is their function(s), how did the idea drive the story and/or characters and why, was there a moral or a message in the VN or did it just want to entertain me because I don't care about entertainment I want something that has a meaning, oh no story isn't everything boohoo I have to take into account the art and music and all that other stuff to be fair, etc. The list goes on.

I'm lazier than I thought.
Maybe I'll come back soon; still too busy.

Edit:
Just a note to anyone who's new to the Fakku VN community.
Very often you won't find the download links to the Visual Novel if you're only looking at the first post of the threads; this is especially the case if you're using my links in this thread because I link you to the first post of the thread. So before you post about that in the corresponding threads, look in some of the more recent posts in the later pages of the thread. You can also go Here.

This is due to the Megaupload issue that occurred, obviously.

Welcome back! I don't know if you know me but that's ok! I was wondering if you were like me and going, WHERE IS THE BOOB WARS CRACK..... If you were to play it I was wondering if you were to rate it? It looks like hells of fun.

Darzu usually doesn't play nukiges.

emmm personally i don't think saya no uta is good for Beginner Recommendations List. there a scene like *beep* and eat *beep*. Saya no uta is good vn but that for more advance vn player, for beginner it will be nightmare.

sorry bro, no mean to offense

As Amorim stated, I usually don't dip into the nukiges very often for obvious reasons. From the title and appearance alone, the Visual Novel "Boob Wars" seems like one of those VNs but I don't want to judge it based on those factors alone, so I will await the reviews of others and make a decision thereafter.

I am not waiting for the crack because like with all VNs: I'm mostly in favor of purchasing a copy from the companies if it is at all possible, especially if it's at an affordable price for any persons respectively. This particular Visual Novel happens to have an accessible way of obtaining it (at MangaGamer I assume, but correct me if I'm wrong) so I recommend that for anyone who's interested in it.



I see what you mean, and why I placed it there was because of how bizarre the overall concept of "Saya no Uta" is. It's not a good feeling or a bad one, but one that makes it clear to the reader(s) that not all Visual Novels are as simple being in some town, being some guy/gal, and getting some character you like to sleep with you.

My first VN was "Swan Song", and it remains my favorite because the idea, so simple, so possible, got me involved in it.
Really, I believe it's the idea, and how well that idea is articulated, that can pull a new person into the VN world and have them thinking about it, whether they like it or not, and just might have them trying out other VNs.

Different opinions though, of course.


P.S.
I'll fix this thread up later.

Oh cool, cool. That makes sense and I can respect that. Here's to hoping it's not that simple a story then lol.
I can't buy it because I have my own 'reasons'

Oppai Sensou is just another "cheap" Nukige. It's originally produced by Softhouse Seal, who releases many cheap Nukige.

It's okay for a quick fap, but expecting a good story from Softhouse Seal is a no no.

Gosh darn it. lol xD

Kamidori finally completed; will rate soon.

I understand grinding and going through fights and such so you are allowed certain benefits, like with Sengoku Rance, Daibanchou, or Recettear, but there's a point where it feels like many hours of repetition done in order to progress only little by little, by little.

Overall though, I cannot claim that there was clear boredom.