VN of the Month January 2001 - Vampirdzhija Vjedogonia

I consider Renaissance , Yougen Tennyo and Vampirdzhija Vjedogonia to be masterpieces of the month, but chuuni always wins.

1. Renaissance [010112] JIN Koji is a would be artist, living alone under his aunt's, who is a genius in Art, support. He hates his father because he didn't take care of his mother when she was sick. His father tries to repair their relationship and Koji's hate starts to thaw and decides to go back to Tokyo to enter a university. However, it seems that triggered by his decision, mysterious incidents start to happen around Koji.... Watercolor graphics and special language are the features of this work. I don't like the structure here as we need to choose our next day activity each evening, and if school is chosen, there's the need to choose lessons to attend as well - I believe such structure hurts narration. As for language, it's so called intellectual and exquisite. As a result, much is not explained and should be guessed. The great thing about the story is that even though routes are seemingly unrelated, all the stories get together in the end. Game is of masterpiece level, but not for everyone due to specific language.

2. Fuuraiki 風雨来記 [010118] FOG 1 2 3 In Fuuraiki the player controls a photographer that got an assignment to take the ferry to Hokkaido region and there he will start a journey in which he will take photographs of places and will meet different kind of people (most of them girls). The game features a photograph viewer in which the player can view all the photos that he took during the game. There are lots of different places to visit and different characters to talk to and take photographs. The game takes place in the far northern Hokkaido region. Contributions to a writing assignment await the reporter at the end of each day which requires suitable photos taken during the day and an online bulletin board is available for making contact with the home office. There are English reviews.

3. Angelic Concert エンジェリック コンサート [010119] Success 1 You're a DJ, if DJ's existed in the medieval magical setting that the story is based on, who happen to be the 'music' behind the voice of the main character. Now, her aim in life is to aim higher in her musical career by entering the Angelic Concert. The winner receives fame, fortune and adventure on the short but well-drawn way to the concert. The game mixes AVG-style text with musical minigames. Not even going to look at this child game.

4. Cheerio! ちぇりお! [010119] Tactics 1 Our main character is a senior in high school. He's a student studying his hardest to get into the same big city-high class university as his girlfriend, who is one year ahead of him. A high school student and a college student. The big city and the country. Because of their different situations and the distances involved, they are slowly drifting apart. Around our main character, we have inseparable relationships with girls, cute cousins, a quiet class mate, and a new clumsy teacher. With these natural relationships with these girls, our hero could not help but feel that the rift between him and his girlfriend is mending. Story oriented game, but I don't like the format. The period is long (about half a year), there's the need to pass qualification tests each month. Heroines do not have a distinctive individuality. After all, for me it's a game with graphics being the only appeal point.

5. Five Years [010119] Air Plants Five years after school main character becomes a suspect in a murder case after return from overseas. The group of his school friends offer cooperation in resolving the case to clear his charges. But as investigation approaches the core, it becomes evident that one of the friends is the culprit. There are almost no choices concerning investigation. The composition of the incident and the suspense are weak. Much more attention is paid to heroines and especially to flashback memories. There is basically just one H event at the end of each heroine route. So not a bad game, just weak in most sections.

6. Kaiun Sentai Miko Sanranger Revenge 開運戦隊 巫女サンレンジャーりべんじ [010119] Aqua House "Seifuku Master" organization is dismissed, and colonel An-an travels to a foreign country to wrap things up there. At that time one of the Miko-san Rangers attacks the base to avenge her comrades. "Seifuku Master" gets hastily restored, and the new spiral of confrontation begins. I refuse to look into this bakage all over again.

7. Moonlight Sonata [010119] eclair A country torn by war. Adventurer Rian walks around it earning his living with swordsmanship skills. He meets a mysterious girl Lilu. What's hidden in her past and what adventures await them? Oh wow, orthodox fantasy is a rare guest in visual novels. The background of the main character is not explained, so it takes time to get involved in the story. There is not much of the story from the start, basically we just choose icons of new girls on the map and start travel with more and more girls. Individually heroines aren't developed much as characters, but each one has her ending, and that's the gist of the game.

8. Tentama てんたま [010125] KID 1 Tentama tells the story of an angel in training that to become a full angel. He has to visit Hayasegawa Shiina and his schoolmates and helps him to be happy, and to do that he has to find a girlfriend in this adventure dating interactive game. In this game, Kid introduced a very interesting system, where you can see the Tentama world from different characters' perspective and their thoughts/feelings at the moment. The player will see most of the time the world from Hayasegawa Shiina perspective, and the angels just tell him if the girls like him or not. The main female character of the game is Enoki Rikako, a first year highschool student that goes to the same highschool as Shiina. She hates ghosts. If the player wins Rikako-chan's heart, he will unlock an omake scenario for Eri-chan that will tell Eri-chan's side of the story.  The number of characters is large, but many routes feel just unnecessary. The core routes are well done. A cheerful school slice with loli-like heroines.

9. Yougen Tennyo 妖幻天女 [010125] Scoop 1 Prince Raziel is the successor to the demon throne, but his interests vary wildly from whatever his father keeps in stock, not to mention actual marriage. When his soon-to-be fiancée turns out to be an angel - a mortal enemy of the demon kind - Raziel takes a liking for the girl and decides to make her his bride, much to Demon King's disapproval. After a heated argument, king promises to approve of their relationship, but only if Raziel manages to bring her back to the demon realm. Clueless on how to begin, prince Raziel joins forces with his ever profit-hungry childhood friend Rosetta and together they embark on a fantastic journey through mystical realms, full of glorious dickings and endless hopes for treasure troves ready to be taken. In this realm, your future half is revealed through divination, the rest does not seem to matter that much. In order to reach the heavens above, our duo has to traverse through Hell and obtain four elemental stones, which will allow them to open a magical portal leading to the mortal plane. From there onwards, they will have to pass through the Machine Country and Country of the Beasts, before they reach entrance to heavens. A seemingly simple task, if not for the fact the stones are being kept away within four great towers and each of them is supposedly protected by a powerful guardian. Obviously, the stones themselves contain tremendous powers that allow it's bearer to control the elemental energies and as such, shouldn't ever fall into anyone's hands, especially demon. No one really knows what lies beyond the mortal gates, but they're confident to push onwards. Such is their fate. There is an English review.

10. Aoi Tori ~L'Oiseau Bleu~ 青い鳥～L’Oiseau Bleu～ [010126] Panda House Main character suddenly leaves his town and returns to his home town Haraiso. There he meets his childhood friend girl Nagi. Together they travel to the dream-like world to chase blue birds of their dreams. Story is quite abstract, it's rather a set of relatively comical stories loosely connected with reality. When one dream develops to the middle of it - there is shift to next dream and so on. Game is similar to previous creation SPARK in absurdity and flow, so evaluation is difficult.

11. Card of Destiny [010126] Abel Software 1 This is a battle between 2 countries in the middle of an unbearable war.This takes place in an old continent called Recena. The 2 countries: 1. ROANA... A country whose people believe in the god of charity. 2. VOLD ... A country whose people believe only in power. They are plotting to rule the entire continent with their powerful army. The people have been demanding for someone to appear to declare an ending to this unbearable turmoil. A boy from the ranks comes and makes that stand. Art had always dreamed of becoming a knight. He makes his dream a reality in order to bring peace back to the world... With its multiple dream-like colors, this RPG game is the first piece of work to be released in the 21st century in digital animation. This highly polished system has been developed for unlimited potential in strategies.Depending on the way you fight, you'll enjoy going up against a stronger enemy than yours on equal terms. Furthermore, by fulfilling certain conditions, one is able to acquire a special "Layer Card", which really makes the 2nd and the 3rd game exciting to look forward to. Because different original artists, and illustrators drew the pictures of characters and the cards themselves, the quality of the computer graphics is remarkably clear.This is one card game that you'll really enjoy, with its beautiful girls. Well I like Abel Software, but this is again some weird genre mix, mainly a 3D dungeon type RPG with card battles. The encounter rate is obnoxiously high, and whatever advantages game may have is crossed out by these battles at every third step.

12. Dousoukai Again 同窓会again [010126] F&C FC01 1 The members of the tennis club at Sakura Junior High School. Have a class reunion on New Years Eve. They’re all twenty, and Mizuho is happy to get to see Tatsuya again, her secret love. At the reunion, they plan to stay at Mizuho's mother's lodge in the hot spring resort for a ski trip. Unfortunately, however, Mizuho's mother's become ill. She doesn't know whether she should care for her mother or finally give her self to Tatsuya. There is an English review.

13. Fukushuu ~Ryoujoku no Yaiba~ 復讐～凌辱の刃～ [010126] Crowd 1 Yuichi Nakazawa, the protagonist, has been subjected to "bullying" without reason since childhood. He goes to another school in order to change the circumstances and escape from the bullying, but this time he is being subject to bullying from girls. Amid such a miserable life, a ray of light is shinning to Yuichi. He is protected by one of his classmates, a girl. However, they both start to be subjected to bullying. They become intimate with the hope that there is no bullying someday, and both encourage each other by email. However, the modest happiness Yuichi was having did not last long. Yuichi is surrounded by a group and humiliated. With his men's pride smeared and his eyes full of tears, Yuichi has decided to take revenge ... There is an English review.

14. Infantaria [010126] Circus 1 As the scars of the 'Dragon War' continue to plague the lands since ancient times, the isolated 'Hiver' kingdom is trapped in an unnaturally long 'Winter'.  Because of the kingdoms natural environment and isolated location, 'Hiver' has been able to maintain peace for a long time.  Princess Sofia, the heir to the throne, I's worried about her inexperience and wishes to go to the outside world to get to know more about her people's way of living, while concealing her royal heritage. The protagonist, a Knight of Imperial Guard, petitions the king for the princess sake and his majesty graciously permits Sofia to go to the "Canary Kindergarten" as a teacher under the protagonist's protection. There is an English review.

15. Koisuru Oukoku 恋する王国 [010126] Giga 1 2  In a mythical age, a young man seeks to become an adult. He leaves his farm home to face the frontiers of the kingdom. He comes to a town where one can seek any apprenticeship freely. This is so one can find his own purpose in life, and perhaps his own lover as well. Jobs include: border guard, educator, various magical schools, fisher, and more. With each job there appears to be a respective woman in the same profession to charm. Will the hero be able to find and woo the girl of his choice in time for the town's festival? Game is localized, with English reviews.

16. Shippuu Dotou! 疾風怒濤！！ [010126] Zombies Paradigm Main character is the prince of Woodland country. After reaching adulthood he follows an ancient tradition and goes on a journey to train as a warrior. He has a girlfriend, but on his way there are a lot of women to rescue. Will he become a king and find his queen? 3D dungeon crawler. The mechanics is quite simple. Only bosses can be struggling and require preparation. Story is one way road and consists of 5 chapters. There are eight heroines suitable for H both by hero and the monsters.

17. Tsuki no Shizuku 月の雫～ツキノシズク～ [010126] Cure Light 1 Youhei Amano has been lazily wasting his time away at home during summer vacation. One day, he happens upon a want ad in the classifieds for a part-time job as an employee for the Amaba Family. Youhei jumps at the name; the Amabas are prominent millionaires in his hometown, Hirano. Curious about this wealthy family, Youhei applies for the position. He is hired! Residing at the Amaba estate are 3 sisters: Shizuka, Kaoru, and Mayo. Hitomi the maid and Genjuro the butler also live there. Genjuro's existence is nothing but a hindrance, but life is exciting being surrounded by beautiful girls. With enough said about that, Youhei begins to get curious about a certain door within the mansion. No matter whom he asks about the door, he gets the same evasive, negative response. "What is on the other side?" he asks himself. There seems to be some connection between the history of the Amaba Family and their grip over the town of Hirano from way back... First half is comical while working in the mansion with maids and occasionally triggering H events. The second one is serious after the identity of the mysterious girl is revealed. Ending is quite painful. Game with a good atmosphere.

18. Vampirdzhija Vjedogonia 吸血殲鬼ヴェドゴニア [010126] Nitroplus 1 2 3 4 One night the protagonist sees a beautiful woman in distress; he tries to help her but she bites him. She turns out to be a vampire! And now he will turn into a vampire too, unless he finds her again and destroy her first. So he joins with a group of vampire-hunters... There are English reviews.

19. Yuki no Nioi to Kaze no Iro 雪のにおいと風のいろ [010126] Ripe The last school weeks of three boys and three girls. Soon they will be blown apart. But while there is still time, there's a perfect opportunity to create memories for the future. Surprisingly ordinary setting for Ripe. Development is sluggish as there are few chances to talk with the girls. Only after Christmas party it's finally possible to hit after one of the girls. Scenario writer lacks the ability to explain. Heroine ending is quite sweet, but the other two heroines automatically get bad ending. Scenario is thin and lacks excitement.

BLOCKED

1. Vampire Hunter [010104] Gin no Ken Chris is a hunter who seeks only for one prey - the vampire Lark who slaughtered all his family. There are six possible outcomes of this confrontation. Doujin

2. Kara: Suzuna Hen 殻 鈴菜編 [010115] CresCENT BLANK Company president is blessed with status and health, but he life looses its colors for him. The only thing he can enjoy is to train his recently remarried wife and daughter-in-law.  Nukige

3. Gimai ~Haitoku no Chigiri~ 犠妹～背徳の契り～ [010119] Selen Main character receives the whole inheritance after his painter father's death. His stepmother makes him indecent offer to have an affair with his sister-in-law Yuna in exchange for sharing inheritance. He has feelings for Yuna, but what will he choose in the end? Nukige

4. Meganekko Bunny ~Key-Pan-chan めがねっ娘ばに～きーぱんちゃん [010123] Soup There are three typing scenarios featuring meganekko, bunny girl, and maid android: 1.  Tomorrow starts from the end「終わりから始まる明日」 2.  Chiitomeey「ちいとめーよ」 3.  Square sky「四角い空」  Anthology

5. Pachi Moso ぱちもそ [010126] Soubi Kenkyuujo Main character is visited by a dog-type robot Pachi who comes from a future to save the future Earth by helping protagonist get rid of his virginity. That was the start of long horny dream realization. Nukige

6. Love Hina Party ラブひなパーティー [010126] Marvelous Interactive Includes anime scenes in the endings.  Gameboy exclusive

7. Swap A For B すわっぷ　Aふぉ～B [010126] Optim Twin brother and sister have been confused since the childhood. Brother suddenly gets directed to a girls school. When he discovers the truth it's too late already - it's time to have fun. Nukige

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