June 2017 Eroge Releases

Idols are the hot thing this month, with both AXL’s Ai Yori Aoi Umi no Hate and PULLTOP’s Pure Song G@rden! showcasing the future of Japan’s culture. I’m excited for more Mashiro in sprite’s fandisc Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm EXTRA1, while others will be waiting for the fourth volume of ωstar’s Bishoujo Mangekyou series: Tsumi to Batsu no Shoujo. There’s also more sweet stories in Marmalade’s O-uchi ni Kaeru Made ga Marshmallow Desu.

Idols are only any good when made of gold. In a lost temple. Protected by falling boulders. As far as the rest well a surprisingly decent month for once. Sure a few games are the usual bland fare, and some even worse than just bland, but can’t win them all. Still it has been a long time since I had to think about which would be the best three games, instead of trying hard to even come up with three capable of being filler. If only every month was at least this decent.

BLADE×BULLET Kinrin no Soleil

Company: SkyFish
Game site: BLADE×BULLET 金輪のソレイユ
Release date: June 23, 2017 Delayed to August 25, 2017
Comments:
This is the latest game in SkyFish’s Soleil series. Valkyrie, the ultimate divine spirit weapon. Anyone who obtains its power can overcome the military of an entire nation. Deep in the North lies the closed city of Eljudnir, upon which many girls gather with varying aspirations. The last person left standing would be able to obtain its power.

The resurrected Yagi met a girl who called herself Hela, the goddess of underworld. She told him that he possessed the spirit of the malicious god Loki, and informed him that, together with the black valkyrie Reginleiv, he was to hunt down those who sought the powers of the valkyrie.

A bit of a Norse-themed battle royale? It seems a bit darker than usual. I’ll gladly stay out of the fray.

Silly game I have zero interest in. That said however I would like to note that Japan in general really needs to find some new mythological concepts to abuse. The whole Valkyrie thing is kind of boring anymore. Even more so when 99% of them get it wrong from the basics. If you aren’t going to make up something new it is fine to warp and twist existing mythology. Just, ya know, get the parts that are completely copied right. Don’t just use the names and terms to make it sound more interesting than it actually is. Such a lazy approach which denies all sense of creativity.

Ojou-sama wa Sunao ni Narenai

Company: ensemble
Game site: お嬢様は素直になれない
Release date: June 23, 2017
Comments:
Souichi seems to be a normal student, but he is actually an experienced bodyguard. One day, he was asked by his mother, who is also a bodyguard, to transfer into Reihou Gakuen to help her protect a certain girl at the school. Reihou Gakuen used to be a famous girls’ school, and even after turning co-ed, it is still predominantly full of girls. Moreover, he was surrounded by eccentric girls for some reason. One of them was the girl who he was supposed to protect, and she smugly said:

“From now on, you are my ‘schwester’!”

The girls seemed unapproachable at first, but he began to see another side of them as he got closer to them.

It’s an ensemble game that doesn’t have a trap protagonist!? What has the world come to??? (Actually, the last one was Koikata, not too long ago.) The game’s theme is ‘gap moe’, which typically means the usual cliches. Of course, there’s an imouto who happens to follow him to the school. At least ensemble doesn’t deviate there. If you were wondering, ‘schwester’ means ‘sister’ in German, and it is a system that Kuon re-instituted where two students would be paired up for their entire time at the school. I feel that the art is a bit all over the place, especially since there’s eight artists that worked on it. It’s gonna be weird not having a cute voiced protagonist…

If only they changed the relationship between a few of the characters and made Kaoru and Rui heroines I might be more inclined to play this one.

Working with what we have I approve of Ensemble not going trap as those were getting beyond stale and they need to break it up a little. However while I applaud the lack of cross-dressing the rest is the same as ever. Which sadly includes a lot of the stupidly terrible things that continue to pile up in Ensemble games. Even something as simple as tossing the whole German sister thing out the window would improve the quality of the story and setting markedly. Ensemble is still ensemble is what it all boils down to I supposed.

Art wise, yeah I’m gonna have to agree with Micchi here. It is all over the place, with some more obvious than others. I know you need to do this to turn out games quickly but honestly I cannot imagine it being worth it. Eventually flooding the market with crappy games just dilutes everything too much for anyone to care. Take a step back, use the extra time to write well and focus on quality instead of quantity. Competition is too fierce to rely on being massively mediocre.

Omokage Railback

Company: ハイクオソフト (Haikuo Soft)
Game site: 面影レイルバック
Release date: June 23, 2017 Delayed to September 29, 2017
Comments:
New release date after being pushed back from last February. During Masashi’s last summer as a student, it was decided that he would transfer schools due to his non-blood-related older sister Juri’s work as the young manager of Yoshioka Construction. His new school would be in the small rural town of Yagurana, located at the end of the railroad. He met the young land-owner Iroha, who vows to protect the land from corporations, and started going to school with her. However, the reason why he was there was because of Yoshioka Construction’s desire to develop the land. Moreover, he was the heir of the corporation itself.

This is the 10th anniversary title for Haikuo Soft and the main theme is ‘reunion’. The conflict stems from whether you want to support the development of the land or protect the town and keep it as is. I’m leaning towards laying off the development since I don’t want to make a cutie like Iroha sad. She’s so adorable (and reminds me of Yotsunoha‘s Nono)! I wanna protect her!

Of course it is a sister without blood relation, fair game, of course of course. Convenient eroge loopholes aside there is nothing particularly good, nor bad about the game. Oh, other than Iroha, she can go be useful as part of a foundation during the development of the region.

While at the time my thoughts were little more than “Hmm, this may be worth playing when it comes out.” after all the delays… Lets just say I have been itching to play it for such a long time that it drove me nuts. If this turns out to not be good I will throw such a hissy fit that Micchi will have to sit through hours of my ranting.

I will do it if you sit through hours of my imouto raving.

Can I just give you my sister instead…?

Is she 2D?

With a small dimensional diet I’m sure that can be arranged.

O-uchi ni Kaeru Made ga Marshmallow Desu

Company: ま～まれぇど (Marmalade)
Game site: お家に帰るまでがましまろです
Release date: June 30, 2017 Delayed to July 28, 2017
Comments:

“Hey, are you all right?”

Kanon held out her hand to Ryou, who had collapsed on the ground in the park. Left without a home after being kicked out, he was taken in by her and given a place to stay in exchange for working at her pâtisserie, “Marshmallow Tree”. The shop had been very popular before she had become the owner, but now it doesn’t get many customers due to a change in opening hours and the arrival of a famous competitor nearby.

He was able to liven up the shop a bit with the help of others, but his relationships with them also got more complicated at the same time. Every day is full of chaos, with unexpected events happening one after the other. What will happen to him and the shop? It is the beginning of sweet and fluffy marshmallow days.

The selling point is the art for sure. Illustrators Ashi Shun and Sasorigatame are back from the PRIMAL×HEARTS series, and Chikotam is back with Marmalade for the first time since Koimari. Sweet cafe settings are good as a relaxing title, especially when there’s cute heroines, like lovable ponkotsu Kanon and picture book author Sasa. There’s also loli ‘onee-chan’ Ushio! That’s not a stereotype I see often, but one I’m definitely open to! Hau~ omochikaeri~!

Simple. I like simple. Sure, I used to spurn simplicity, but those were simpler times. Now simplicity in eroge is a rare blessing. Look at Ensemble for example, their insistence on inane complexity completely ruins their games. So, simple, is good. Complexity may be great when you can pull it off, but if you can’t or do not wish to put in the effort, then simple is far better than pointless gimmicks. A good solid foundation is all I ask for. No Matter if the setting, story, or characters are to my taste, start from the base and build your game well.

Obviously to anyone who has read a bit of my commentary I am not fond of the setting, characters, or art style. Far too cutesy for my tastes. But even someone as jaded as me needs a good read without any pretention once in awhile, if just to affirm there are still writers that understand their craft. No matter how sugary it is. Diabetes ahoy.

Zen… playing… a… cafe… chara-ge…???

Boredom and despair make people do awful, sinful things. Besides I have played them before. Just none so… uhh, Micchi-ish…

Ai Yori Aoi Umi no Hate

Company: AXL
Game site: アイよりアオい海の果て
Release date: June 30, 2017
Comments:
In the future, nations and civilizations have disappeared due to rising sea levels caused by tectonic movements and global warming. The survivors lacked technique and talent, but they were able to restore an ancient battleship and attach a spare hydrogen engine to it. Then, a long long time passed, and all land was inundated by the sea, and humans barely survived aboard the self-navigating self-repairing ship.

Ao is a boy who lived in the town aboard the ship. He helps out his parents with plowing the fields and fixing the fishing gear. There is no entertainment aside from visiting the floating market once a month and gazing at the passing ancient flotsam and pondering what they were once used for. It was a relatively depressing life akin to living in a closed society.

One day, he entered the ship’s engine area, which the adults had told him absolutely not to enter. There was a picture from long ago, showing girls in colourful clothes dancing at a school in front of a large crowd of happy children. This was a ‘culture’ which has long since been lost. Moreover, he found a girl sleeping within a capsule. She was wearing the same clothes as those shown in the picture.

The capsule opened when he touched it, as if he had authenticated something. The girl appeared to have lost her memories, aside from one thing: that she is an idol. An idol’s job is to sing and dance, and to spread happiness to everyone. Ao and the self-proclaimed idol Ai set out to revive the idol culture in this small world floating on the sea.

Just another AXL gam… wait, this seems different since it’s set in the future instead of past. Well, they’re still trying to resurrect the past anyway, so I guess it’s all the same. You’d think that they’d have greater priorities than idols, but maybe mental health is a problem in the future.

Macross on water.

Golden Hour

Company: NIKO
Game site: ゴールデンアワー
Release date: June 30, 2017 Delayed to July 28, 2017
Comments:
This is the first title by NIKO, a sister company of MORE. Yuuya got in an accident just before the regional qualifier finals for the soccer nationals and he couldn’t play anymore. After the team’s eventual loss and the end of his playing career, he lost sight of his goal in life, and instead just killed time at the game center every day. He also gave up on love, believing that the girl he’s interested in, Natsumi, did not feel the same way about him.

On the way to the game center after school one day, he met a girl, Yuki, who looked exactly like Natsumi. It felt like he had met her before even though it should be their first time seeing each other. She suddenly told him:

“I will support your love.”

And so the time which had stopped for Yuuya and Yuki began to move once more…

Eroge loves romanticizing high school love and this one is no exception. In fact, they went overboard with all the bloom effects to make it more ‘dramatic’. At least the scenario might be decent (by Konishi Tsubasa), if they keep it simple.

Story is hauntingly similar to my all time favorite game of this type, Natsu no Ame. Which is honestly a double edged sword. If everything is well written sure this isn’t a bad way to go if a bit cliche. On the other hand if not, things are too complicated to end at simply mediocre and will dive into the bad side of awful real fast. In this case the whole Natsumi and Yuki thing is worrisome. No matter which resolution they go for with that I can only see it being superfluous to the story. As Micchi already said, the key is going to be keeping it simple. All I can do for now is hope they will do a good job.

Tantei Seven

Company: Digital Cute
Game site: タンテイセブン
Release date: June 30, 2017
Comments:
New release date after being pushed back from February. Bango doesn’t like his own name, which has caused him to be teased since he was a kid. However, he has friends by his side: childhood friend Kasumi, best friend Reiji, and imouto Mariya. Together they formed the ‘paranormal research clab’ (the complete idiot Kasumi misspelled the name) at Kototoi Gakuen in Mina-Asakusa.

However, without the adequate number of members, their official club status was denied and their club room was taken by rival clubs. Bango and Kasumi were eager to find other members to search for supernatural activities with them. They gathered many unique individuals and they came upon strange events.

It all started when they entered a house full of junk in search for a lost cat. The place was a den of psychic phenomena, a theme park of malicious spirits. Yet still they advanced into the deepest parts of the house in pursuit of the mysteries of the former tenants. At the same time, a series of bizarre incidents befell the area around the school. First, a commotion regarding a dangerous drug. Then, the death of a cat who had been skinned. Finally, there was even a murder.

There was a doll left behind at each crime scene. Who is the culprit? They must use the special powers which they have possessed since their childhood to solve the crimes.

Welcome to Danganronpa: the eroge. This detective game focuses on the trinity of ‘mystery, occult and suspense’. There’s a main story, as well as side stories and side missions linking a cast of over 40 characters. The protagonist’s hax ability is ‘synesthesia glass’, which allows him to read the feelings of others. You can use this ability to determine if someone is telling the truth or not. The imouto’s ability is ‘sweet sweat’, which does exactly what you think it does: it makes you want to peropero protect her. Digital Cute’s games are always a bit different from the rest and at least offers a unique experience. It might be worth playing for the sheer hilarity of some situations.

Another of these games. Honestly I will never understand how anyone can get away making and selling this garbage. I have said this before so I’ll keep it short this time. Any mystery or detective styled game needs to keep things simple. All this extra crap, especially the special abilities just weakens the feelings of suspense while ruining much of the fun of trying to think ahead and solve it. There are tons of other things done poorly or just plain wrong here, but when they can’t even get the very core of it right, is there any value in pointing them out? At least for me I think not.

Pure Song G@rden!

Company: PULLTOP
Game site: ピュアソングガーデン！
Release date: June 30, 2017
Comments:
In 2027, advances in virtual reality technology have allowed for the creation of a ‘mixed reality’, combining both reality and virtual reality. It is not uncommon to see ‘virtual idols’ performing, and the most popular one is Ai, who was created using the newest state-of-the-art VR technology. Kanata is part of the M3 (Music Mediaworks Mate) circle of music lovers, along with his self-proclaimed guardian and cohabitant Kuon, and kouhai Asuka, who is interested only in weird ‘sounds’, among others.

One day, they were able to attend the huge virtual live event “Pure Song Garden” as part-time staff members thanks to the connections of Ritsu, a lady who lives in the same apartment as Kanata, and who used to take care of him when he was a child. Before the event, Ritsu brought them to the stage and did a start-up test for Ai as a special demo for them, but when she appeared, something felt off.

Actually, it was not Ai, but a beautiful girl Iroha who looked just like her. She said that she came from fifty years in the future for a short trip. Her ‘navigator fairy’ Suzu, a girl with fairy-like wings who accompanied her, explained that only Iroha’s consciousness travelled from the future and that she was only temporarily using Ai’s virtual body. At that time, there was a great commotion on the event grounds over Ai’s sudden disappearance. Iroha will have to take over Ai’s role on stage at the live, and Ritsu and the M3 members did their best to support her.

Everything was going smoothly at “Ai”‘s performance when a warning sounded and an unexpected error occurred! The “VR hazard” accident resulted in Iroha unable to return to the future.

HAI DOMO VIRTUAL YOUTUBER IDOL KIZUNA AI DESU! What a coincidence that we have two games this month with idols named Ai and one is from the ‘past’, while the other is from the ‘future’. This feels like Cocoro@Function! 2.0, complete with bouncing oppai the E-mote system. Iroha, Kuon and Asuka are all good heroines, but I have to choose the adorable kouhai. Yes, I chose the “I want to marry her” option. Hau~ omochikaeri~! I don’t quite get how the ‘time shifting’ works, but how will Iroha return to her timeline? But I guess more pressing is how will the H scenes work for Iroha when she’s technically in a virtual idol ‘doll’ body. I have faith in science and technology.

First of all this is basically all pop music. If you enjoy it, congratulations for liking what is essentially statistical math. It is all just a formula designed to leave the most impact. Hence why that crap tends to get stuck in your head easier. In other words pop is just a calculation to draw in money, not musical expression, or even music.

Hence this brings me to the main point here, I hate vocaloids. About the only thing I hate more than vocaloids is Kpop, since while they are the same thing, the vocaloid is more honest about it. When something is tuned specifically to be pleasing to the eyes and ears is it still art? I think not. There is no expression involved.

On to the game itself, the concept is pointless, gimmicky, and well, rather stupid. Maybe it’s just me but I find most games that include things like the E-mote system tend to focus too much on those useless system gimmicks to be any good story wise.

But you get to control the bounciness level! Gameplay!

Set it to max, throw them hard at the ground, and bounce them into orbit. Or better yet the Sun.

Akaneiro no Kyoukaisen

Company: ALcot ハニカム (ALcot Honey Comb)
Game site: 茜色の境界線
Release date: June 30, 2017
Comments:
One night, Shuu met the fox spirit Tomoe. In order to become a goddess, she must subdue the ‘tatari’ (curses) which devour all. Shuu’s hometown of Kanbe has been struck by these curses since some time, and despite the efforts of Tomoe and the half-youkai Kasumi, their numbers have only increased. Now Shuu’s kouhai Shion has also become targeted by them. In order to protect his hometown and those precious to him, Shuu joined the fight against the tatari. As they cross the line between the human and demon worlds, the world becomes dyed madder red.

The concept of the game is a mix of 燃え (fiery battles) and 萌え (moe), with a somewhat traditional feel. There’s only happy ends, and also a focus on more ero in H scenes (particularly using different perspectives). Tomoe used to be a loli when you take her in, but she’s grown a lot since then. On the other hand, I will spoil Kasumi all day long. I don’t expect much from the story, but maybe the characters will make it worth playing.

Akaneiro no Kyoukaisen reminds me of a game Alcot Honey Comb did a long time ago called Kurenai no Tsuki. The main difference being the story here feels more rushed, chaotic, and out of balance with the setting itself. Much like Micchi I don’t expect much from the story, and thus from the game itself.

Haruoto Alice＊Gram

Company: NanaWind
Game site: 春音アリス＊グラム
Release date: June 30, 2017
Comments:
New release date after being pushed back from May. Seiryou Gakuen is a popular high-ranked school in the seaside city of Minato which prides itself on the latest facilities and student independence. Since a year ago, it has been managed concurrently by the student council and the new entrants council.

Soutarou is a second year student who is part of the ‘twilight club’ (tasogare-bu) that was formed under special circumstances and is governed by the student council. It helps with minor things like searching for lost objects and resolving troubles and worries. Even though every day is busy, they are carefree and he gets to walk to school with the student council president who he looks up to and talk with the beautiful club leader.

One day, he received a letter with no name on it:

“Will you be able to solve the repeated problems that will happen from now on?”

At the same time, a helicopter descended upon the school. The club was then besieged by various troubles: negotiations with the two school councils, a place with snow cherry blossoms, a mysterious clock tower, and a mysterious ability that could be used only by a few select people. There are many secrets called ‘alicegram’ which lie buried in the town. Will Soutarou be able to solve them all?

The cast is quite nice for this fantasy love comedy (with balloons), but it’s hard for appreciate the mysteries when they’re resolved by deus ex machina methods. Might’ve been better if they kept it more simple.

This is what the military would refer to as a “Clusterfuck”. Pretty much a complete mess of pointless nonsense. Essentially every single thing about this game can be discarded. Only the characters have any bearing on an actual story. So unless you absolutely must read one of the routes, I don’t recommend wasting your time with this game. Unless of course you happen to enjoy chaotic high school club cliches.

Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm EXTRA1

Company: sprite
Game site: 蒼の彼方のフォーリズム EXTRA1
Release date: June 30, 2017
Comments:
This is the Aokana after story for Mashiro. A senpai who she admires. The senpai who she loves. Friends with whom she could confide her worries and do her best. Just by showing a little bit of courage, she was able to obtain so many precious relationships. Mashiro thought that she has finally reached the happy end.

However, she was barely passing her classes. She lost completely in a sweets battle to Rika and Arika. On top of that, Misaki and Asuka declared that they are Masaya’s lovers!? At this rate, her dear senpai would be taken from her, she’ll have to repeat a year, and Mashiro Udon would go out of business!?

Mashiro’s mother Botan suddenly suggested that she and Masaya go on an overnight date. She declared that she’ll make a tasty bento for him and dress up nicely. With the help of the others, she trained really hard to up her feminine qualities before the date. Will they reach the true happy end!?

There are two fandiscs planned based on the results of the character poll. Mashiro took first place, while Misaki will be featured in the following game. I’ve already pre-ordered it (went with Trader’s Y-shirt tokuten). We’re reaping the rewards now, fellow Mashiro fans! Just Mashiro, all Mashiro! Look at that Mashiro ofuro tokuten! That lovely expression and perfect form! MASHIRO LOVE!! I’m waiting for you, Mashiro-chan! Fly into my arms!!

No one, by which I mean myself, cares about Mashiro.

Bishoujo Mangekyou -Tsumi to Batsu no Shoujo-

Company: ωstar
Game site: 美少女万華鏡 -罪と罰の少女-
Release date: June 30, 2017 Delayed to July 28, 2017
Comments:
This low-price title is the latest in ωstar’s Bishoujo Mangekyou series. Yuuma is on leave from school since being hospitalized due to a certain incident. He reunited with his beautiful twin sister Yuuri for the first time in a year and began to live with her, but he had a secret that he could not tell her: he is deeply in love with her. When that secret came to light, love turned to madness and he was assaulted…

Twincest is wincest.

Been awhile for these CG sets.

Ren’ai Kyoushitsu

Company: UnN/A
Game site: 恋愛教室
Release date: June 30, 2017 Delayed to August 25, 2017
Comments:
This is the debut title by UnN/A. Standing outside of the classroom, Yuuga took a deep breath and calmed his nerves. Once he summoned the courage to open the door, he was immediately surrounded by girls in the class who treated him like a rare animal. That is natural since this had been a girls-only school until last year. However, not all the students were receptive of having a boy in their class. There were three groups: those for the co-ed change, those against it, and those whose views were in between. He has yet to get used to his new life in this new classroom with new friends, but he felt that his future is full of possibilities.

A pretty standard school love comedy. The unique aspect is that the four heroines were decided by a character poll among the 16 candidates. The winners were the board chairman’s granddaughter and leader of the anti-coeducation faction Stella, naive ojou-sama Karen, mood-maker classmate Sui, and frail imouto Kazuha. The game is what you think it is.

Nothing special here. Not really good, but also not really bad. If you want to read something as close to the median of eroge possible this month, here ya go.

Micchi’s Top 3 for This Month

1. Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm EXTRA1
2. O-uchi ni Kaeru Made ga Marshmallow Desu
3. Ren’ai Kyoushitsu

Zen’s Top 3 for This Month

1. Omokage Railback
2. Golden Hour
3. O-uchi ni Kaeru Made ga Marshmallow Desu (Yes, I know. But have to validate these once in awhile.)
   

Finally, Mashiro comes home!!

Comes home to your white van?