There are as many as two games about GameDev, and since there's not much else to look at, one of them Sousaku Kanojo no Ren'ai Koushiki becomes game of the Month.
Somehow both number of masterpieces (14) and number of openings I am able to collect in 
Surprisingly, all age 
2019 hit the new bottom in many aspects and marked the beginning of COVID era, so there was a noticeable loss in attention for visual novels by the end of it. I counted only 13 masterpieces, could not even get 100 openings in 
euphoria review
2 months ago
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VN of the Month September 2021 - Fuyukara, Kururu.
For me only Fuyukara, Kururu. makes a stand in September.
VN of the Month August 2021 - Princess x Princess
New August, new portion of pain and shame. Princess x Princess wins by default as the only title that qualifies for competition.
VN of the Month July 2021 - Fuuraiki 4
Nothing good comes out of July. But if I had to play one thing, it would be Fuuraiki 4
VN of the Month June 2021 - Ryuusei World Actor: Badge & Dagger
I'd rather nominate an absolutely incomplete title Ryuusei World Actor: Badge & Dagger than choose from several moege-like games.
VN of the Month May 2021 - Madohi Shiroki no Kamikakushi
Madohi Shiroki no Kamikakushi is the only decent game I see in May.
VN of the Month April 2021 - Umi to Yuki no Cyan Blue
Umi to Yuki no Cyan Blue is the winner by default.
VN of the Month March 2021 - Waga Himegimi ni Eikan o
Genpei Ryouran Emaki -Gikei- and Waga Himegimi ni Eikan o are both good games, yet the first one has too many downsides this time.
VN of the Month February 2021 - Meikei no Lupercalia
Two releases... just wow. And one is a gameplay title, so guess who wins - Meikei no Lupercalia , which is also a masterpiece.
VN of the Month January 2021 - Buddy Mission Bond
Traditional visual novels once again show full impotence thus leaving Buddy Mission Bond winner by default.
Realive リアライブ [Purple Software]
I was never fan of Purple Software yet as of now I claim Realive to be VN of the Year 2019. Curious, right?
Satsuki End
Kaya End
Nemuru End
Minato End
True Route
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwGwDxf37gEkRtsaFVrm8TiT95cw_g3Lz
Character Design rating: 9/10
Protagonist rating: 10/10
Story rating: 9/10
Game quality: 10/10
Overall rating: 9/10
I did not expect much of this game, to be honest. And the way it began did not fascinate at all. Bunch of kids without any real need to change themselves for some stupid reason decided to follow instructions in an unknown mobile app to be reborn as a stronger version of themselves - and those orders of course had to be somewhat perverted leading to etchy situations. There's absolutely no sense in that, just an opportunistic moege setup pretext. But system started to get more and more complexity steadily, so soon I started to feel very involved - each of six players got different RPG-like classes , different lvl 1 tasks, after that different lvl 1 skills and so on on up to lvl 5. At that time I took the bait firmly - that creates myriads of variations to apply various skills for various situations. And tasks were only partially H-oriented and only for classes that suit the theme like idol. Most of tasks were formulated rather neutrally, especially for traditional classes like knight. So first element that lured me was gamification.
Another appealing element was flexible protagonist concept. Chihaya is only nominally protagonists. There are a lot of scenes with different girls alone or communicating with another girl. For those moments game naturally takes any other girl as protagonist or just watches the dialogue from aside. Again, it all happens very naturally and this way we don't get our share of usual irritations because of protagonist. This leads us the the third element that I adore.
Horizontal communication. I address this issue again and again in different reviews because it's that important. And Realive is the king of horizontal communication because of flexible protagonist. It's done so vividly that we can define relation between each pair of girls let alone observe numerous jokes applied to each other in conversations.
And that brings us to humor. I can't say game is humor-oriented. The bulk of humor is sekkuhara jokes and quite some teasing. It's enough to recognize its strong presence , but not to fall the level of bakage.
I'd like to return to plot again, because with explaining the setting, five tasks for each girl and receiving five skills for everyone there is just no time to spare on meaningless filler scenes. Realive basically does not have SOL scenes. Even if some scene resembles one - it's story driven and needed to gather together or prepare for task etc. No room for fillers at all. Because of this story density there's no desire to skip any scene in common route. And thanks to that there was next to zero romance during common route.
I usually rate individual routes lower than common route, and, frankly speaking, this game did not overturn the tendency. I still found myself skipping parts of individual routes that developed in an evident way to me. But this time it was not just about romance and sudden drama as there was a twist - how would heroine use rebirth chance as I did not believe they would selfishly magically get reborn themselves. And they did not disappoint. Oh, and I sincerely enjoyed Kaya route as gothic loli tsundere never gets old - and her reactions at gaming center were purely hilarious. But what's more important - individual routes feel like continuation of common route with the humor, horizontal communication and dating openly happening naturally and only gradually overflowing into individual romance.
As for true route , it was foreshadowed by multiple hooks that it would be devoted to Levi's identity. I still hoped there would be RPG-like action story on top of that, but instead identity theme just got developed deeper.
Why not 10/10 then? For me the primary criteria is whether I skip some parts or try to catch every word. Realive is not such a genius game that breaks conventional rules, but rather a skillfully crafted well designed hand-made masterpiece. If follows a set of rules that I advise for all visual novels to use to make it deep:
- Flexible unfixed protagonist
- Gamification
- Additional complexity layers that do not leave time for fillers
- Just romance is not an option, need additional element to focus during individual routes
- Horizontal communication should be in the center
- Mild humor and teasing is generally better than gags and bakage tilt
- Forget about pure SOL scenes without plot meaning
Common Route
Satsuki End
Kaya End
Nemuru End
Minato End
True Route
VN of the Year 2020 - Silverio Ragnarok
Somehow both number of masterpieces (14) and number of openings I am able to collect in Visual Novel Openings 2020 decreases yet again. Silverio Ragnarok symbolizes the whole trilogy for me, so I consider it to be the winner in 2020 , but I admit It can change after I review Hakuchuumu no Aojashin . Also plan to do the same with Hoshizora Tetsudou to Shiro no Tabi just because I did not find an English review. Then it will be Tsui no Sora Remake 's turn, next undecided, probably something from 2009 and further.
VN of the Month December 2020 - Tsui no Sora Remake
Tsui no Sora Remake is more than just a remake and is VN of the Month. Other worthy competitors include Akatsuki Yureru Koi Akari and Hoshizora Tetsudou to Shiro no Tabi . Kara no Shoujo - The Last Episode is also supposed to be good for those who care about depressing games.
VN of the Month November 2020 - Hokenshitsu no Sensei to Shabondama Chuudoku no Joshu
Hokenshitsu no Sensei to Shabondama Chuudoku no Joshu is the only game I can point out.
VN of the Month October 2020 - Einstein Yori Ai o Komete
No masterpieces as usual. Einstein Yori Ai o Komete is better than others.
VN of the Month September 2020 - Hakuchuumu no Aojashin
Hakuchuumu no Aojashin is the clear winner in September.
VN of the Month August 2020 - Seishun Fragile
Seishun Fragile still takes the upper hand, yet for me it's the month without masterpieces.
VN of the Year July 2020 - Root Film
Root Film is nowhere near masterpiece, but I'd still rate it higher than others this month.
VN of the Year June 2020 - ATRI -My Dear Moments-
Surprisingly, all age Adabana Itan and ATRI -My Dear Moments- put traditional titles to shame this month.
VN of the Year May 2020 - Secret Agent ~Kishi Gakuen no Shinobi Naru Mono~
Secret Agent ~Kishi Gakuen no Shinobi Naru Mono~ is the only game deserving attention in May for me.
VN of the Year April 2020 - Silverio Ragnarok
No-o-o. Micchi stopped updating blog and lots of releases ended up without translated description, as expected. With trilogy at its end, can finally nominate Silverio Ragnarok for this month and most probably for this year. Looks like another series reached conclusion, so can now call 9 -Nine- Yukiiro Yukihana Yukinoato a masterpiece.
VN of the Year March 2020 - Kami-sama no You na Kimi e
Kami-sama no You na Kimi e is the only worthy game in March. Micchi supports that and also Ore no Sugata ga Toumei ni , plus Icing -love coating- .
VN of the Month February 2020 - Marco to Ginga Ryuu
Marco to Ginga Ryuu is the only bearable title this month. Micchi does not mind Full Kiss S , Oshi no Love Yori Koi no Love and Hajikano ~Kimi ga Iru Heya~
VN of the Month January 2020 - Kamisama no Shippo ~Etogami-sama tachi no Ongaeshi~
If I choose between indi touching crap, a lolicon moege, a twisted nukige , another mimikko moege and a single heroine nukige, what would entail the least cringe... there aren't good choices here, so I clench my teeth and call Kamisama no Shippo ~Etogami-sama tachi no Ongaeshi~ VN of the Month. What a wicked start of the year... Micchi does not mind this choice and also suggests Amairo Chocolata and a fandisc
VN of the Year 2019 - Realive
2019 hit the new bottom in many aspects and marked the beginning of COVID era, so there was a noticeable loss in attention for visual novels by the end of it. I counted only 13 masterpieces, could not even get 100 openings in Visual Novel Openings 2019 . Without a clear favorite I'll call Realive VN of the Year .
VN of the Month November 2019 - Shiraha Kirameku Koi Shirabe
An average chunige Shiraha Kirameku Koi Shirabe still wins over an average charage for me. Micchi likes all of Docchi no i ga Suki desu ka , ChuSingura46+1 Wacchi to Onii-chan no Raburabu Nagaya Seikatsu and some fandisc.
VN of the Month October 2019 - Raillore no Ryakudatsusha
Gratz on hitting the new bottom with just three releases. Raillore no Ryakudatsusha is the only notable one. Micchi notes Ai Kiss and two releases with shifted dates.
VN of the Month September 2019 - Kimagure Temptation
Kimagure Temptation is good enough to be VN of the Month , or it may easily be AI: The Somnium Files if you can stand investigation games. Micchi also gives a chance to Cross Concerto and Study § Steady
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