Thursday, 18 July 2013

Dandelion - Wishes Brought to You - Review

“You play the story of 21 year old Hee-jung, a student who leaves home to study in far-away city of Busan. In many ways
she is a typical schoolgirl; she is a timid introverted girl who is very sensitive to what others say. However, she is also afflicted
by haunting childhood memories, and an an unrelinquished desire to succeed in life and surpass others. One day, something that
will change her busy lonely life happens. She comes home to find that a basket of three rabbits and two cats has mysteriously
been left in her bedroom. Soon, she will find out these are no ordinary animals ... They are in fact much more than that.

Why have these unusual animals been left to Hee-jung? What was the purpose behind this? Find the answer by playing
through this roller-coaster of emotions, full of surprises, deceit, and romantic adventures.”


Heejung... Well I can't really say I loved this protagonist. She has a lot of traits I've come to dislike in visual novels such as the typical dense characteristic. She isn't very bold either in my opinion and easily gets embarrassed by the thought of someone just holding her hand. She just sort of... gets on with her busy life even though she doesn't like it all because she's afraid her mother wont accept what she wants and she will be abandoned. That's perfectly understandable but it seems no matter what Heejung does her mother isn't happy about it so I don't see why she even bothers trying to be praised by her mother. I've had more of an 'indifferent' mother so that's probably why I can't quite understand her mindset but I'm sure some might. She does have some qualities I envy though: She's always hard working no matter what she's doing. I don't often come across people who put their everything into something, even if they dislike what they are doing. I generally think that's an incredible trait. But if nothing else, she seems realistic.

Jieun
The timid, apple obsessed Prince
I've read Jieun is the easiest guy to start with because he doesn't have a bad ending, so not really knowing how to play the game, I thought it'd be a good idea to follow this advise.
He's the timid little white rabbit. Apparently white is a sign that he's royalty, which I found rather interesting. In his route, he doesn't talk much to begin with and sticks close to Jihae. His favourite food is apples and he appears quite obsessed with them – always talking about them and wanting to eat them, but Heejung is told not to give him too many as sugar makes him aggressive, which she is reluctant to believe, and so was I. He's just so quiet and sweet! So after being told not to give him more than two a day, she let's him have seven – yes SEVEN apples (He sure doesn't have a problem getting him 5 a day at that rate) and quiet little Jieun starts acting as though he were drunk. He even smacks his head on the table. Geez. I didn't really see him as being as aggressive as I imagined when told about the sugar but yeah, he does change. Jieun starts yelling – ordering Heejung to give him more apples. It was kind of funny to see this! And that CG with his red cheeks was so adorable!! The main thing I liked about Jieun's route is how he changes over the year when he is with Heejung in a realistic way. He starts out the spoilt prince that he is, getting others to do even the most trivial thing for him such as straightening his ribbon. When going out on a date with him, he will even ask Heejung to open the door for him when they arrive back home, but as the story progresses, he starts to want to be more independent. He tries to help with the cooking, even though he's not very good at it and causes Heejung to take longer preparing dinner, I thought it was really sweet none-the-less! I didn't feel like he had on overly tragic past, it felt more like 'shit happens' but he feels guilty and his wish revolves around wanting to correct his mistake which is very mature of him.
Overall he has a nice route to begin with. His character is believable if not a little stereotypical in places and he's very adorable. Although having said this, I still felt at parts there was going to be some kind of BL with Jihae with how close their bond was... That might just be my mind in the gutter though! :3


Jiwoo
The huge tsundere
 Jiwoo was my second choice sheerly because I was sick of his attitude and I thought; “Screw you little bunny, let's see how that attitude changes after I catch you and make you mine”. Evidently... it's didn't change all that much.
Jiwoo is what you call the 'tsundere character' I suppose. He's loud and arrogant, often making himself out to be far more superior than everyone else – generally he's just a jerk. While pursuing Jiwoo he gives Heejung the nickname “Dumbo” and continued to call her stupid through most of the route even after they become a couple. Being the tsundere he is, even though he acts like a complete a-hole he actually only wants someone to reach out and understand him, which Heejung quickly realises - While he's sulking might I add... He sulks a lot actually, but it is kind of cute! :3
He's also complete obsessed with romance novels and old TV dramas as he tries to become some kind of romance guru. He seems to be the jealous type and is quick to jump to conclusions when he finds Heejung out with Jisoo. His 'tragic past' is sort of something that could quite easily happen in the real world... with a bit of a twist I suppose.
Overall I wasn't that keen on this route (Which is probably obvious in the little that I managed to wirite about Jiwoo) , I remember thinking things like: “I really want to punch this guy!” and “These two just don't seem right for each other at all!” but his ending was really something – I did enjoy it, I'll give him that. I have, however, seen a few people that seem to like Jiwoo a lot! Each to their own and all that!!


Jisoo
The kind but overly jealous black cat
He's my third because he's hawt!! Yep, that's right, that is all there is to my choice here! :3
The first thing I noticed about Jisoo's route is that he doesn't come across as being as stupid as he does in the other routes. He's actually very sweet and caring towards Heejung but he's also overly jealous and I mean OVERLY here as well as jumping to conclusions without a shred of proof. He constantly asks if Heejung has a boyfriend and if she is lying or not. It even goes as far as Jisoo saying she can't take other guys out with her (though I don't think she's the type to mess around anyway) or even think about other guys. He just comes off as 'two sides of the same coin' to me. The main thing I loved about Jisoo is how he's portrayed while talking about his little sister. He really does sound like he's a great older brother and that he loves her very much. Even though he's seen as being really cheerful (or madly jealous) throughout the game, he really shines during this part and the story about his past was rather heartbreaking – Not to the point where it made me choke up or made me tearful but it was still really touching! One of the other things to note about Jisoo is that his past, unlike the other two I've played to this point, doesn't explain his jealous personality but it does explain his need to protect Heejung. I might have missed something, or didn't interpret something I should have, but even at the end of his good ending I was still unsure of the reason for his jealous behaviour – Maybe there's something in his bad ending but I didn't get around to playing that yet. Nope, it still wasn't explained but holy hell was he scary on his bad route. I mean SERIOUSLY scary. I think he's been watching/playing Amnesia and got an idea from Toma or something. Drugging poor Heejung – crist. It was a pretty interesting experience though since I've, fortunately, never been in a situation like that before. And as an extra side note – Jisoo has the most CG's! 
Overall I honestly don't know what to think of Jisoo – There were just so many feels in his route. Every time I began to think: “Maybe he's just really worried about Heejung, it's sweet!” and started to overlook his jealousy and see only the kind side of him – BAM, he started acting jealous again and I was left thinking: “I really don't like this side of him!”. His good ending was really something though, I majorly choked up here. It was a great ending to a very emotional route. I think his character was written very well!



Jihae
The self-conscious gentleman
Well after using Jihae for Jisoo's bad route I felt kinda bad and I was interested as to what was hiding behind that gentleman exterior that I hadn't learned about from Jieun's route. Sadly... not much. Jihae was a complete gentleman throughout his route, his 'down side' was that he was very self-conscious about they way he looks. Heejung has a hard time keeping eye contact with him for the sole reason that he was so incredible beautiful and poor Jihae thought the reason she wouldn't look at him was because his appearance was displeasing. Even though he became a very successful model in a short space of time, he still seemed to believe looking at him was making Heejung uncomfortable for the wrong reason. Man, how many people can't relate to that one? I suppose that because I can relate so strongly to Jihae is the reason he quickly became my favourite! I couldn't help noticing that every time Heejung took Jihae out with her, he's always telling her to get some rest upon returning home. It eventually stopped and he started saying he'll cook tonight instead but I think because I was on the look out for hints that would lead me to his 'dark side' I was questioning everything. This game is totally messing with my head right now haha! I didn't really find out anything new about Jihae's past that wasn't already shared through Jieun's route, it was just more detailed. Talking about Jieun I actually thought Heejung would be sort of taking Jihae from him in an unknown sort of way here, and although that's kind of what happens, it's handled in such a way I didn't feel she was a bitch or anything. In other words it was done in a subtle but understandable way. Kind of like... Jieun hands him over, not necessarily happily but for Jihae's own good type way. Out of the four guys I've played so far, Jihae is the only one where Heejung's mother doesn't come storming into her life again to yell at her, instead, he's also the only one to try and break up with Heejung to make his disappearing easier on her – not necessarily the best thing to do but I could totally see where he was coming from! I'm also going to add as a side note that Heejung looks extremely beautiful in the last CG in this route!
 Overall like I already said, unless Jiyeon can beat Jihae, Jihae is my favourite guy. He's very caring and sensitive toward our protagonist and it's been nice to see a true gentleman in a visual novel – Lord knows it's hard to find one without an ulterior motive in the real world!! I can also imagine Jihae being last on most peoples list in order of playing as he does seem to be the quiet guy that just sits in the corner patiently waiting for his turn... Heck he even tells Jisoo something similar to that during the game.

Before I finish up with Jihae and move on to Jiyeon, I'm going to add that (until this point) Jihae's route seems to have the most mistakes in the text. His name was even misspelled at least twice!! Geez.

Jiyeon

And finally the little orange cat. Jiyeon might have been first on my list if I hadn't of played the demo which seems to push you in his direction. He acts cute and all but I didn't really like his sprite! I'm not entirely sure why and the fact that he can't pronounce a lot of words correctly isn't cute... It just isn't Jiyeon!! In fact his whole 'I'm an adorable little kitty – love me' thing didn't sit right with me at all. It may be some what 'cute' (for a lack of a better word) that his favourite colour is also his favourite food but seriously, if some free loader in my house was content with leaving orange peels all over my place for me to clean up when they have the luxury of getting their favourite food for free, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't continue to roll over and not only let him do as he pleases but encourage him! Bad Heejung!! There are several sides of Jiyeon shown in his route. His cute and cuddly side soon disappears after Heejung finds out that he's going out and lying to woman so that they will give him money and other things. He forcefully threatens Heejung, warning her to stay out of his business before leaving. He's actually quite terrifying here, but even after Heejung is abused she can't give up on him. I guess she's already in too deep but the fact that she mopes around constantly and acts like she wants to be thrown a pity party as well as feeling worthless all the time is not really what I like to see in a protagonist. I suppose it's realistic but still, it doesn't mean I have to like her right now! Those guys that can get into your head and make you feel completely worthless really are the worst! But having the strong desire to carry on and try to help him she does eventually get him back and you see yet another side of Jiyeon. It's similar to his first side – he's happy and playful but doesn't try to act cute any more. When Heejung tries to get him to stop manipulating other woman to get what he wants and to stop lying so much he agrees... a little to easily which again, didn't sit right with me. Considering he's a compulsive liar or sorts I didn't like how she could just trust his word like that! Love does strange things to people I suppose. I did actually take quite a liking to Jiyeon towards the end. He's sort of romantic in his own way. The scene with the Wizard before the credits felt a little rushed though. Usually there is dialogue back and forth between him and Heejung but for this route it was just him talking. Jiyeon also seems to be the only guy out of the five who is willing to throw away his chance at getting his wish by pushing away Heejung. I'm a little at a lose as to why he even agreed to be in the game...
Overall it's an interesting route, you get to see a lot of sides to Jiyeon. I personally think he's the most deceptive of the bunch. He's also the only one that doesn't have a scene for Christmas as well as being the sole guy to give her a gift during a scene, although it doesn't get put into your tiny little purse afterwards.

Wizard

The love crazed wizard
He may not really be an obtainable guy (even though I think it would have been interesting to see) but I think because he's an important part of the game (and hawt!!), I wanted to put a little bit about him. So he is of course the person who made the game involving Heejung, he does this because, apparently, he's madly in love with her after observing her in the human world. She can't see him of course, because she doesn't have a desperate wish and he gets tired of waiting. He's defiantly more of an obsessive stalker than anything else and I also thought it was a little crazy, but I suppose if you so desperately want something that is being dangled in front of your face but you can't have it, you're not going to stay sane forever. Once you complete the five guys routes there is a “Behind the story” option in the bonus tab within the extras option. You get to see more of his side of the story and why he's made the game. It's pretty interesting and at the end of it, there is a nice CG.
Overall though, I find it hard how he can justify himself as being “good”. I guess that granting peoples wishing is an incredible thing and if they are that desperate, the price of their memory doesn't look like a huge deal, but when he has to take away some ones memory to keep himself alive, the illusion of being good sort of fades away and you're left with what is necessary to survive!

  Heejae
Not actually an obtainable guy
Heejae may indeed not be romanceable but I wanted to write a little about him anyway. I'm sure anyone can tell just by looking at him that he doesn't fit in this game in that way. Even though I felt bad that he is like the definition of “friend zoned” I couldn't help but laugh at him most of the time. If you manage to get your stress level maxed (I only did this while the guys were animals, not after) he invites Heejung out for a drink and you get this pretty funny looking CG where he's pretty wasted. The creep is caught trying to invite himself into Heejung's house twice from what I've managed to find. I was also curious what would happen if I avoided increasing my points with all the guys before they turned human and this leads to a Heejae sort of ending which I pissed myself laughing at. Turns out the guys parents own a chicken restaurant and he's working hard delivering chickens... Man, the way he sounded so passionate about it, I couldn't help myself. There was a mixture of laughing and cringing on my part for this! Geez, I swear, you guys have to try this out. It really can't be missed, especially if you have a humour similar to my own!! He's gonna have to make that chicken pretty damn tasty if he hopes to provide for Heejung this way that's for sure!

Overall
There was one major thing that annoyed me with this game and that was the text. It was as if it didn't have a single proof-reader. There were so many typos, some words didn't have a space where they needed one (mainly in Jihae's route), some of the sentences were a little hard to understand because of unnecessary words and a lot of the time, the guys names were mixed up and misspelled, it was very off-putting to say the least and in some places, it really spoiled the mood for me! Considering you have to pay for this game, I did expect a little more here but even after saying that, I'm still grateful that it's in a language I can understand.
I knew off the bat that this was a stat raising game and I've never been that fond of them but this one just felt so much more drawn out then it needed to be. All that saving and loading also become tiresome fast. It made it quite difficult for me to finish this game in all honesty!
Other than that, the artwork is beautifully done. The story itself was okay, it's something I haven't quite played before, but I must say that if five guys suddenly turned up at my house with the selfish intention of trying to make me fall for them just so they can have a wish granted, I'd probably be pretty pissed to say the least no matter what that wish may have been.
I particularly loved how the guys were all so different from each other and although most of them I didn't end up liking, I still really enjoyed playing each route. Their personalities are so defined and I think they were all written really well! The way they interact with each other and the protagonist was believable and sometimes pretty comical. Their defining traits shone through strongly making them feel more like a person than something inside a game and the way they can sway your emotions was amazing: such as in Jisoo's route, I really did feel terrified for Heejung, which isn't an emotion I normally get to feel in a visual novel and in Jihae's, my heart really did go out for him for most of his route!
Another thing that took my fancy was the option to go out with a guy on the weekend (assuming they were home). There were so many options and I really liked that fact that each guy responds to the weather depending on what time of the year you go out. Such as if you go to the beach when it's cold and you come across a girl in a bikini they will pass a comment on it. This again makes the game more realistic in my opinion!
Ah, yeah, one more thing, and I'm not sure if I liked this or not but you couldn't look through the CG's of a guy until you finished his route. It certainly helped motivate me to complete the game but at the same time, I can't help thinking that that feature was only put in place because of the tiresome stat building mechanics.

I'd like to just say that I'd be happy to recommend this game and leave it at that but it's not going to happen. I'd personally only recommend this game to people have don't have a problem with the stat building mechanics in these games and if you have a lot of patience. If you're still on the fence about it, there is a demo out along with the full version of the game!

And finally, I'll leave you with this cute/funny picture!

Monday, 24 June 2013

Area-X Review

Area-X - A Time Traveling Otome Game

FINALLY Area-X is released and ready to play! Like X-Note (If you haven't played it yet – you really need too) the game is more about the story and not so much the romance. Not to say there isn't any at all, but if you're the type that likes to see the MC get at least a kiss you may be a little disappointed with this game. None-the-less I would recommend playing it either way – it's a great visual novel!



So... What is Area-X? For those of you who don't know...


“AREA-X - A Time Traveling Otome Game 
In the far future, people live 1000 meters deep underground. Technology is abundant, but life is a constant struggle. An organization sought to end this by sending people back in time to recover lost natural resources. Elcia is one of such people. As a Time Negotiator, it's her job to travel across various dimensions and negotiate with people of the past.
However, in a strange twist of fate, Elcia accidentally stumbled upon an unknown dimension known as "Area-X" during her very first mission. Following its discovery, more bizarre incidents and conspiracies awaited her one after another - all of this eventually led to discovering the uncanny nature of the world and how it all ties to Elcia’s very own mysterious past...
GAME OVERVIEW:
Area-X is a blend between a Visual Novel, a Dating Sim, and an Adventure Game. Follow the story of Elcia as she travels through time and unravels the true nature of her mysterious surroundings. The game spans six chapters, of which you can explore multiple dimensions, complete missions and make choices to determine Elcia's fate.

Developer: Zeiva Inc Production
Spec: Flash, 170 MB, 800×600
Genre: Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction
Rating: Teen 13+
Release Date:16 June 2013
”


Just to warn you, this will probably have a lot more spoilers than my other reviews. 

http://zeiva.net/otome/image/area_x_art_01.jpg
You play as Elcia. She's young, beautiful, strong willed and a sadist... Yep – that's right, a sadist and boy was it fun to play as her. Elcia is also very special in several ways. First – unlike most Time Negotiator's Elcia is able to stay in other dimensions for a lot longer than most, she also isn't limited to travelling to only one era. Throughout the game you will also discover more and more secrets about her as you play through the different routes but I don't want to give to much away right now.

http://zeiva.net/otome/image/area_x_art_04.jpg
I started with Belph and if I'm completely honest, before the game was released he was the guy I was least interested in. I didn't actively seek out his path but seeing as you can only choose between him and Yuras until you've completed both of their good and bad routes and I didn't really have a clue what I was doing at first, it just kind of worked out this way.
Belph is a pretty laid back or should I say a 'lazy' guy who spends his free time either playing video games or drinking.
He also attended the same school as Elcia where they caused so much mischief that they got the nick-name “Sadistic duo”. I'll leave you play the game to find out why that is :3.
On Elcia's first day at her new job she finds out Belph will be her operator, they spend a few minutes “strengthening their bond” via jokes and laughter much to Irina's (Elcia's best friend) dismay before Elcia heads out on her first mission. Almost as soon as she reaches her destination Belph makes a joke that a normal person probably wouldn't find funny in that situation (although I thought he was great) then proceeds to talk half-arsed nonsense before leaving her to do her job. By this point I was already enjoying myself. His half-arsed, lazy but witty attitude carries on like this for a little longer until Elcia finally arrives back in her own era.
I don't really want to write to much about the novels story as it might somehow discourage some from actually buying it and that would be a shame, but yeah, Belph's witty attitude really does give him a nice characteristic and you can see that Elcia and him get along quite well.
Belph's bad ending was... I suppose it was a little sad considering how it turns out but I didn't really feel any strong emotion for it. You can see he's doing his best to protect Elcia by sacrificing his own freedom in many ways and still I only felt a tiny bit sorry for him – nothing more.
Belph's good ending however, I found to be really fun, he's still mischievous but you see it in a slightly different light. The bonus ending via sea path I thought was amazingly done. It's a very small chapter but it brought a smile to my face none-the-less. The Sadistic duo are together and making the most of it. They are care-free, having fun and at the same time, making the world a better place. This also has my favourite Belph route CG in it.


http://zeiva.net/otome/image/area_x_art_10.jpg
Yuras is found in the Ice ages and I think it fits him perfectly. He can appear cold at times as he has very little to say and doesn't usually speak until prompted too. He does however, speak truthfully without hesitation. Yuras is a strong fighter and can dispatch jaguars instantly. The first time Elcia meets Yuras is just the best. Believing her to be dead after a jaguar attack he tries to bury her in the snow. Needless to say, it's quite a funny scene. Even though Yuras doesn't speak much to begin with, you do learn quite a lot about him, his past and his relationship with his family. He's very close to his older sister and is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her. I also found it rather cute how, even though Yuras lives in a world filled with snow he doesn't know what a snowman is, referring to it as more of a monster yet he still loves to make them after Elcia introduces them to him.
Yuras bad ending... I think I was too shocked to feel much other than a great deal of sympathy. You do really see a side of Yuras that you don't want to be on the receiving end of. He's pretty brutal.
His good ending I liked seeing his mature side as well as his childish side. He was so adorable here. That's all I can really say without spoiling it to much though :/


http://zeiva.net/otome/image/area_x_art_06.jpg
Rexus... Ah how I've been waiting to romance you since X-Note. If you played X-Note you will likely be pleased to find Rexus hasn't changed all that much. He can still be found lurking behind objects much like he was with Essi in the park but only this time he has to face Elcia when he's caught. She doen't have a single problem teasing him with her sadistic humour and I loved it when she can make him blush as red as a tomato. The whole scene in ORZ Corporate at the staircase if you're on Rexus good path is the best thing ever!! That tomato faced Rexus really is something I couldn't get tired of swooning over... ahem. Again as with X-Note he tries to act dumb most of the time but Elcia can always see through him easily, telling him repeatedly that he isn't a very good actor. If anyone is wondering, Rexus path really does fit in nicely around his story with Essi from X-Note and it's done in such a creative, unique was I would never have been able to guess it... although maybe I should have been able too... I dunno. Aaaanyway for something I've been looking forward to for quite some time, this route really didn't disappoint. It may have made me go “eh...?” in a few places but it comes together nicely and it was really great to see all the old characters from X-Note too. I still can't believe it was Elcia who made Anon who he is in that novel but I'd really like to thank her for it heh-heh-heh.
I know I just said the route didn't disappoint but I can't truthfully say the same for the endings. I know Zeiva Inc isn't big on the whole happy ever after romance thing but still, I couldn't help hoping for more here, maybe that's because I've been wanting to seduce this red-haired hunk for what seems like ages. That's not to say I didn't like the endings at all – in fact the good ending is very practical... That's not how I'd have imagined describing a good end to a visual novel but there you have it!


http://zeiva.net/otome/image/area_x_art_07.jpg
We then come to Livan found in the Middle Ages. He's obsessed with painting and refers to a lot of things as if they were paintings. He's a generally nice person and says multiple times how he receives joy from helping people – He even willingly gives a thief his money knowing that they are lying when they say they only steal because they are hungry. I'm always curious about these overly nice types of characters as I'm always expecting them to be secretly evil or something. I was even waiting for him to poison the king while making cookies but they never happens. I'm not entirely sure if I'm actually disappointed or not. Livan's path has a few strange characters such as a king obsessed with cookies to the point where he will end every sentence with the word “cookie” and another man who is obsessed with bears and the word “fabulous”. At the very least, they are defiantly amusing if not a little annoying at times. I'm still not sure what to make of Livan altogether though, because as soon as I started to think “Oh, maybe he is just a generally nice guy” BAM I'm shown otherwise. Where the hell was he hiding that personality? Even knowing this you can defiantly see he cares a great deal for Elcia and he's willing to do whatever he needs too to ensure her safety.
His bad ending I wasn't too surprised by as the events towards the end played out. It really made me feel for Elcia though.
His good ending was... not really what I had expecting and it's nice to be surprised sometimes – this is no exception. It's a very interesting end for a game and I can say I quite enjoyed it even if it isn't the usual type of thing!

http://zeiva.net/otome/image/area_x_art_12.jpg
Ferim is the fifth and final path in the game. He is located in a place called Area-X. Almost nothing is known about this area and most Time Negotiators that arrive at this place end up there by accident. Ferim originally tells Elcia to call him “Time Manager” as he is the being that transcends time and he is able to oversee all dimensions. Ferim seems to be a complete mystery and is only willing to give the utmost minimal information, encouraging Elcia to figure the rest out by herself. Ferim's path is different from the others as you don't spent your time solely in his era, instead, you spend some time exploring the others eras. Ferim's path feels more like a way to answer any last minute questions and a way to wrap up the game as a whole. Having said this I still think he's well worth the wait. Shortly after my personal most hated mission in the game you get to see what Ferim actually looks like and damn... Why does he feel the need to hide behind that hood? I found him to be the most interesting characters out of the guys as he will sometimes admit to things he probably shouldn't with a straight forward answer and what seems to be pride. All around, he probably is my favourite guy – He's just written so well!! Ferim only has one ending unlike the other guys and it felt more like a reward for finishing the game. It's defiantly what I'd call “bittersweet”.



Overall I quite enjoyed this visual novel. The story through the different paths connected together nicely and Zeiva Inc didn't forget about X-Note either. It wrapped up nicely in each route and by the time I finished the game all my questions were answered quite nicely. There were tones of interesting characters, both old and new and I especially had fun roaming around in the 'Present'. Although now I do feel a little nostalgic and will probably dust of my copy of X-Note for another playthrough pretty soon.
No expense was spared with the beautiful CG's. You can find many throughout the game and they are all very well done. I laughed at some, chocked up on others and swooned a little here and there... >.> Sadly there isn't a gallery in this version but I've read there will be one in version 2.0. The sprites are the same. Zeiva Inc didn't cut any corners. If they needed a new sprite, they just got on with it and made a new one. Even all of the old characters from X-Note got a nice overhaul and while we're on the subject might I just point out that Loil somehow managed to look even eviller even if he is covered from head to toe in pink... them eyes man!
There were some issues I had with the game such as there wasn't (at least any way that I found) an option to skip only read dialogue so I ended up skipping over some stuff I hadn't read before, especially in Yuras' path because I couldn't for the life of me get his good ending for ages and this just made me even more frustrated having to go back and read most of a chapter again.
I also think the face that you have a play through both the good and bad endings of Belph and Yuras path before you could move on to Rexus and Livan might annoy some people. I personally didn't have a problem with it. If that's how someone wants you to play their game then so be it. But I still wouldn't be that surprised if some people have a mini nerd rage over it.
Before I finish up, I'd just like to thank Zeiva for making yet another amazingly beautiful story – It really has inspired me to try and improve my writing skills!

So... would I recommend this visual novel? Absolutely! If you're not convinced, you can check out the demo and make your mind up from there. The full version can be bought from the official Zeiva Inc website too.

Sunday, 23 June 2013

Area-x Walkthrough

Area-X - A Time Traveling Otome Game 
A lot of the answers I found myself, but some I did find on Zeiva Inc's facebook and tumblr so I can't take all the credit!
I have also put together a guide for the missions in this game. It can be found here!

Belph – Good end
Chapter 3
Look for Belph
Switch on the lights – TV
Switch off the lights – Area – Lounge – Bartender
Area – Planetarium – Search Planetarium
Not really.
Area – Lounge – Bartender – Belph
Area – Home – Switch on the lights – TV
Chapter 4
I don't care
Area – Work Station – Talk to agent D for password
Browse the Database – Autopsy Report
Agent D – Browse the Database – Underground cities
Area – ORZ Headquarters – Agent A – Agent B
Area – Botanic Garden – Belph
Wait a minute – Area – Lounge – Bartender – Whatever drink
Area – Thera – Go to ORZ Headquarters
Wait – Area – Lounge – Bartender
Area – Thera – ORZ Headquarters
Chapter 5
I knew it from the very beginning.

To get Belph's bad ending either don't go to the lounge and talk to the bartender or pick an alternative answer whenever given a choice.


Yuras – Good ending
Chapter 3
Stay home
Area – Open Arena – Elder
Is that a giant poop on your head?
Elder
What does Santa hate outsiders?
Elder – Elder (Keep talking to him until he talks about 'beautiful ladies')
Area – Village gate – Yuras
Yes, of course!
Area – Field
Search for signal
Area – Summit
Search for signal
Chapter 4
Area – Open Arena – Eder
What does the 1000-year-old ginseng look like?
Area – Small hut – Ciera
Area – Village gate
Wait for Yuras
Of course!
Chapter 5
Yes, you are.

To get Yuras bad ending either don't speak to Elder and Ciera or pick an alternative answer whenever given an option. 
Also the password needed for this section of the game during chapter 5 is apparantly 'BUSINESS'

Rexus – Good Ending – Puppy's (Anon) Path
Chapter 1
Area – McMirage – Talk to ???
Area – Dudebucks – Boss
Are you trying to be a chicken, a cow, or a pig?
Area – ORZ Corporate
Examine the building
Contact
Examine the town
Toss a coin
Area – Pedoe Manor
Enter the manor
Chapter 2
When given the option, go to Present
Examine the street
Area – ORZ Corporate
Examine the building
Chapter 3
Investigate on my own
Contact
Change here
Area – Computer Lab
Browse the Database
Area – Loil's Office
Examine the office
Contact
Examine the table
Area – Staircase
Use the staircase
Chapter 4
Staff B
No
Area – Dudebucks
Let's eat here
Pick something for Rexus
Ask Rexus to toss a coin
Go find Puppy
Be more persistent
Chapter 5
I believe in destiny

To get Rexus' bad end pick an alternative answer to any of the options when given the choice.

I will get around to a Yuon route for this at some point...possible.... maybe...*shrug*
Sorry guys I lost my save game data and didn't end up getting around to playing the second Rexus route but an anonymous person posted this guide in the comments so I'm going to update it here for easy access - thanks to whoever that person is! :)
Rexus - Good ending - Yuon path
~Short version~

In chapter 1 ignore everything and go to ORZ Corporate. Follow the guide, but instead of "Go find Puppy" you will see "Go find Yuon". Choose it.

~Long version~

Chapter 1
Area – ORZ Corporate
Examine the building
Contact
Examine the town
Toss a coin
Area – Pedoe Manor
Enter the manor
Chapter 2
When given the option, go to Present
Examine the street
Area – ORZ Corporate
Examine the building
Chapter 3
Investigate on my own
Contact
Change here
Area – Computer Lab
Browse the Database
Area – Loil's Office
Examine the office
Contact
Examine the table
Area – Staircase
Use the staircase
Chapter 4
Staff B
No
Area – Dudebucks
Let's eat here
Pick something for Rexus
Ask Rexus to toss a coin
Go find Yuon
Be more persistent
Chapter 5
I believe in destiny

Livan – Good Ending
Chapter 2
When given the option go to the Middle Ages
Area – Pedoe Manor – Maid A
Talk to all 4 maids and ask about Ursin
Talk to ??? in both Dining hall and Bedroom
Chapter 3
Investigate on my own
Talk to Noble A three times
Talk to Noble B three times
Examine the town THREE TIMES
Area – Orzea Castle
Talk to Knight A and B three times
Area – Silver Mountain
Talk to Traveller three times
Area – Pedoe Manor
Talk to Maid A and B three times
Go to Pedoe Park
Pretend nothing happened
Chapter 4
Examine the town THREE TIMES
Area – Orzea Castle
Enter the castle
Forget about it...
Area – Bedroom – Memme
Area – Dining room – Livan
Chapter 5
Try to do something on your own

To get Livan's bad end either don't examine the town/talk to the people the appropriate numbers of time or pick any alternative answer when given a choice.

From what I can tell, Ferim only has one route so just have fun with it!!



 

Area-X - Mission guide

 Area-X - A Time Traveling Otome Game
I also have a guide for how to get each guys good ending. If interested, it can be found here!

This guide currently doesn't have the missions for Ferim's path. I'll be updating it with them soon!
Now includes Ferim's missions!

Mission 1
From left to right start with Thursday and end with Wednesday
Alternatively see here.

Mission 2
Click around the screen until you find a light (almost white) square, then click that square again.

Belph missions
Mission lll
Main hall – Click the papers and blood trail
Operator room – Click the broken wires
Launch site – Click on the broken glass
Cafeteria – Click the food on the floor (looks more like spilt coffee) and the U-Pad by the chairs

Mission lV
Up x3
Right
Up x2
Right x2
Down
Right x2
Up x2
Left
Up
Left x4
Down
Left x3
Up
Left x2
Down
Left x2
Down
Left
Down x2
Left
Down x3
Right x2
Up x2
Right
Up x2
Or follow the grey path in this screen shot

Mission V
26 black notes on the piano
26 letters in the English alphabet
Click on the music sheet stand for the word.
If you have trouble with the English alphabet/are too lazy to look, I have a screen shot of the order of the numbers to input here.

Yuras Missions
Mission lll
Iron Ore as the Striker
Fungus as the Tinder
Pentlandite as the Holder

Mission lV
Last row – second one down
Press change twice

Mission V
More or less a game of sudoku

Rexus Missions
Mission lll
Same a mission 3 for Belph's route but check both robots in the launch room as well this time.

Mission lV
Check middle pillow
Chest poster
Check draws under the pot/black box
Check pot
Check black box
Check both draws above pot/black box
Check draws under pot/black box again
Check poster again
Check area on the left side of the plant

Mission V
From left to right
Blue, Yellow, Violet, Indigo, Red, Green, Orange

Livan Missions
Mission lll
Exactly the same as Rexus third mission

Mission lV
The 'note' has all the details for the recipe.
Set the heat to average and time to 40 minutes

Mission V
On the left side, bottom shelf there is a book with a picture of a bear holding a pinwheel. Set the four bears on the bed posts in accordance to it.



Ferim Missions
Mission lV
As a rule of thumb, I'm going to suggest talking to anyone you meet (They all have interesting things to say anyway). This mission seemed to take me far longer than the rest >.<
Go to Main Hall – Area – Cafeteria – Examine the room
Area – Main Hall – Thera – Area – Lounge – Bartender
Go back to Main Hall – Examine the room
Go to Science Lab – Warp – Middle Ages – Examine the town
Warp – Future – Make your way to ORZ Headquarters – Work station – Agent D – Browse the Database – The Red Forest - ORZ Headquarters – Agent A
Warp – Ice Age – Area – Cave – Examine area

Mission V
Speaking to Ferim gives the best solution for completing this mission.
The one where he tells you to use the mnemonic of the seven deadly sins.

Saturday, 1 June 2013

Suki Dayo: “I love you” - Review

sukidayo.jpg

A girl named Megumi transfers into an outstanding private school.
Well, she lived a normal life, what will happen when she goes there?!
Inside the school, there is an Enchanted Forest.
Whoever goes there, disappears. Is this rumor true?
Some say it's because of a student who went there.
He kicked various plants and flowers which angered the Guardian of the forest.
After that, he disappeared. Is this true? Or is this wrong?
Megumi is also single, help her find a boyfriend.

Megumi - You. A girl who transferred to an outstanding private school.

Landlord - The Landlord of the dorm you're living in. She is the first person you became comfortable with. She has secrets.

Ayu - You're seatmate in class. She's your friend and she's very close with Arashi. She has a huge brother complex. She's also an airhead. (kinda)

Arashi - You met him on the way to school, he's your school mate. Very close with Ayu. He is nice and princely, very easy to approach.

Gray - Your rude roommate at the dorm you're staying at. He may not look like it but, he is caring in a way.

Naru - The cat person at the forest. He's cute and small in height.

This short visual novel was made in the space of 2 months and is the authors second one completed. For me the story was lacking hugely. None of the characters really had any strong personalities and although some do have defining characteristics none of them felt real. I think that if the author had spent less time making so many endings (about 13 in total) and a little more time on the story and background of each character it could have been so much better as there was a lot of potential but in the end it fell flat. I was left with a lot of questions such as; “Why was the landlord throwing books around in the first place?” and “Why is it stated that the place in which Megumi studies is not only a college but a university as well when it doesn't seem to have any impact on the novel at all?”. Granted I didn't managed to finish this one so my answers may be hidden in there someone but I'm not curious enough to find out. Another thing I found strange was the brother, sister 'true love' story. I... I honestly just don't know how to cover something like that. The story also seems very rushed, such as falling completely in love in the space of 2-3 days... I don't buy it. Maybe I'm just not a hopeless romantic but again, it just didn't feel believable this time round.

Overall it's not bad for a second project and I think it was solo made too – but don't quote me on that! It's probably not something I would go out of my way to recommend but at the same time, the novel does seem to have a lot of positive feedback. However, if you are interested in giving this one a try, head over to Lemma Soft Forums to get your copy.

I've also managed to make a bit of a walkthrough for anyone interested!