December 2019 Eroge Releases

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! Did you wish for a cafe chara-ge like YuzuSoft’s Cafe Stella to Shinigami no Chou? Or maybe a dungeon management spinoff title like KarinProject’s Suzukuri Karin-chan? It isn’t all coal this year, so you should have ample games to play over the holiday break. Perhaps you’re already playing them now! (Zen will probably add his comments later when he’s free.)

Merry Belated Christmas, and Happy New Year at this point. Still I have to say aside from a few this is actually a decent month of average to better than average releases. Aside from the late post due to various reasons I’ll consider this a good month.

 

Little Sick Girls ~Kagami no Naka no Idol~

Company: Lass Pixy
Game site: Little Sick Girls ～鏡の中のアイドル～
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
This is the second title in Lass Pixy’s low-price single-heroine Little Sick Girls series. This time, Akito learned about the secret of his class’ loner and problem child Ruchie by chance. This caused her to suddenly become attached to him, becoming diagnosed as an ‘attachment type’ Little Sick Girl.

Ruchie doesn’t open to others after her parents’ early deaths, and she became an idol after being cheered up by an idol during her most painful times. After becoming an LSG, she just wants to have sex with Akito all the time. That means there’s a lot of H scenes and there’s a lot of good ones.

More Taking advantage of the mentally ill, yay. Though honestly with the average level of quality most of the writing and characters in eroge has shown the last few years I feel many of them are basically the same as the heroine this time.

MUSICUS!

Company: OVERDRIVE
Game site: MUSICUS！
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
Kei used to attend a famous high school with aspirations of one day becoming a doctor like his parents, but he stopped for a term due to certain reasons and is now studying part-time. While his journey had become more difficult, it was still possible to get back on track. However, after meeting many different types of people that he had not previously encountered and realizing that there was so much in the world that he did not know, he began to question what future he truly desired.

After receiving a prize from a city-wide competition for a short story that he wrote, he was asked by Yagihara, the president of a music production, to accompany their band on their upcoming tour and write a report about the event. The band was Kachoufuugetsu, which once performed on the big stage. Its leader Korekiyo is quite a peculiar fellow and talked at length about how music was pointless and good for nothing. Even though Kei was perplexed about Korekiyo, he was taken away by the band’s music when he heard it for the first time.

A few days later after that memorable first live, Kei found out that they were disbanding. Unable to accept the sudden news, he approached Korekiyo many times to convince him to change his mind, but no argument could sway him. Instead, Korekiyo asked him:

“How about you play rock in my place?”

This is the final title by OVERDRIVE, which was quickly crowdfunded last year. There is both an 18+ and all-ages version. The story is by Setouchi Renya, his first since Kira☆Kira over 10 years ago. The trial didn’t do much for me, but those who funded the project will no doubt play it.

Feels lacking in substance. If they wanted to go with the band type story the whole randomly throwing the protagonist in an established group just kills a lot of the fun. Without the build up of meeting and putting the band together, the growing together, followed by the drama, and then the various endings it just feels cheap.

SugarKiss!

Company: はちみつそふと (Hachimitsu Soft)
Game site: SugarKiss！
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
The smoking room at Kenji’s company is small and intimate, allowing people to talk freely regardless of position. This was where he got to know Yuki well. Soon they started seeing each other in other places as well, and eventually they began living together. This is a story about working adults who fall in love over a cigarette.

It’s not unexpected that we’ll get more stories involving working adults now that the median age of eroge players has went up. Just from the intro, I feel like the writers might be smokers themselves, lamenting the fact that they have less people to have a cigarette with. However, even though many use it to socialize with others, smoking is bad for you. Don’t do it, kids.

I am torn on this personally. I abhor smoking and smokers, and I thank god they are banned from most places now as society is becoming more civilized. There is no positive from smoking, after all. So an eroge that emphasizes it in a positive way makes me cringe. On the other hand it not being set in yet another high school with a more mature tone makes me want to play it to see if it may actually have a story worth reading.

VenusBlood -FRONTIER- International

Company: dualtail
Game site: VenusBlood -FRONTIER- International
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
This is a crowdfunded localization of dualtail’s VenusBlood -FRONTIER, in both Japanese and English (partnered with JAST USA), with new characters, outfits and scenes. There’s even an English OP and ED. It’s a pretty popular series, especially if you’re into RPGs and mindbreak/corruption, so I’m sure there’ll be many takers on this.

English version of already existing game.

Gameplay trailer (EN)

Animal☆Panic

Company: QUINCE SOFT
Game site: あにまる☆ぱにっく
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
There is a ‘Wishing Crystal’ in the fairy world which can grant any wish. The fairy Nyaron stole it for himself, but he carelessly broke it and the fragments scattered to the human world. The Fairy King summoned Nono to head there to recover the fragments.

One day, Masato and his imouto Yuna picked up a strange jewel and was attacked by Nyoron, who tried to steal the shard from them. Nono rushed to their aid, and after Yuna transformed as instructed by Nono, they were able to fight him off and seal the fragment. Afterwards, Nono asked for their help in capturing Nyoron and gathering the remaining pieces, and Masato decided to lend a hand to Yuna, who had readily agreed.

They began the search with his classmate Shiori and Yuna’s friend Hinata, but Nyoron and his new allies stood in their way. Who will gain control of the Wishing Crystal?

Art by CANVAS+GARDEN artists Miyasaka Miyu and Miyasaka Nayu? Kemonomimi transformations and a story reminiscent of Cardcaptor Sakura? An adorable imouto Yuna that you must protect? Yes, YES, YESSSSSSSSSS!!!

This is a Micchi game if ever there was one. I don’t think im even qualified to evaluate something like this…

Aikotoba

Company: あざらしそふと＋1 (Azarashi Soft+1)
Game site: アイコトバ
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
“Aikotoba” is a very popular matchmaking app where you can find your soulmate just by filling out a short questionnaire. With a stable job as an office worker, Takumi was introduced to this app by a friend. He was matched with a girl named ‘Yozora’ with a 99% compatibility rating, and he indeed fell in love with her.

At that time, he was to travel to Sendai for work, so he decided to meet ‘Yozora’ in person. He waited for her to appear by the gates at Sendai Station with both excitement and apprehension. However, when ‘Yozora’ appeared, she was shocked and her eyes welled up with tears immediately upon seeing him.

“Onii…chan…?”

It was the voice of his imouto Uzuki, who he had not seen in seven years.

Of course, your imouto is most compatible for you. I don’t need no app to tell me that! Come to me, Uzuki-chan! Hau~ omochikaeri~!

Strangely enough, even for myself I can’t really think of much bad to say here. Normally I would want to mock it just because of the little sister, but I find myself at a complete loss on what would be so bad here. For what it is, there is nothing to complain about, sure this is no masterpiece that much is obvious, but for a single heroine eroge based around a little sister gimmick I can only endorse this one. If only because they put enough effort into the setting and initial “Encounter” that there is room for conflict and character growth building off both sides of their relationship. Never thought the day would come when I would approve of such a game, either I’ve gone soft, become too jaded that my bar has dropped low enough, or it actually is an example of a stable well done if not spectacular game. You be the judge I guess.

Shiny Sisters ~Josou Shujinkou Idol Project~

Company: ensemble
Game site: シャイニー・シスターズ ～女装主人公アイドルプロジェクト～
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
This is an all-ages game featuring the protagonists from past ensemble games. The cross-dressing protagonists met each other at an informal social gathering attended by the ojou-sama schools. While not knowing that they are all guys, they felt a strange affinity with each other. This development was amusing to Yuuki’s master Ran, so she plotted to make them into an idol group and have them perform at an upcoming event in town. After some initial confusion about the sudden idea, they all ended up agreeing due to varying reasons. Will they be able to become idols while keeping their true gender a secret!?

Let me iterate that this is an all-ages title. I believe ensemble is the one who can pull this off.

I only have one question here. Will they make an 18+ version?

Cafe Stella to Shinigami no Chou

Company: ゆずソフト (YuzuSoft)
Game site: 喫茶ステラと死神の蝶
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
Kousei is an ordinary student who one day died in an accident. However, something unexpected happened: he found himself waking up the day of the accident. It was not a prophetic dream nor déjà vu, as the day unfolded once more exactly the same way. He visited the site of his death and the accident while dreading the outcome. At the moment of the accident, he met a shinigami and a talking cat, who told him that he still can’t escape death yet. In order to change his fate, he will have to help open a cafe to save those who are losing their will to live.

YuzuSoft doesn’t disappoint when you want a chara-ge. This will definitely be on my list.

Every release leaves me a little more disappointed with Yuzusoft. Essentially all their games are the same, sort of like Ensemble just with more effort put into them. The problem lies in the direction of said effort, leading their games to be rather tedious and boring after you get past a certain point. The routes and overall stories tend to be less interesting and this also reflects poorly on their characters. What makes each worse is how they feel as though they are forcing themselves to write about various supernatural gimmicks on top of a standard high school romance story. This leads to the routes feeling drawn out with excessive bits that are hard to care about. From this perspective Noble Works was one of their better games, along with Tenshin Ranman despite that one having supernatural themes. In the case of Tenshin they wrapped things up quickly and nicely without too much filler which made it all work. Since then they have constantly pushed themes that just detract from the stories and characters.

In this particular case is there much purpose to the whole Shinigami bit? Could just have the protagonist work at and or own a cafe where he interacts and slowly develops with various heroines. Even more so since it all comes out of nowhere in an abrupt and random manner. What further harms the story here are the singular nature of the heroines, if you call losing the will to live in general depression then they are falling into variations on a single theme. To again draw a comparison to Ensemble where they are focusing on trapping ojou-sama heroines, yet again a single theme, but not one related to the heroine themselves. One is simple environment the other all sharing a single illness or personality trait whatever you want to call it in the case of a depressed heroine.

I suppose my summary would be, Yuzusoft puts too much time and I can only suppose effort along with it in the wrong things to make their games better. Which is saddening as they generally do have decent characters, sadly most are overshadowed by the problems with their writing.

Jibaku Kanojo ~Kanojo wa Kakurete Mimodaeru~

Company: Hending
Game site: 自爆カノジョ ～彼女は隠れて身悶える～
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:

“How much do you love me?”

It’s been a week since Kazuya started going out with his first love and classmate Asa. It was the first time he had dated someone, so even such a simple question left him at a loss for words and blushing profusely. She would come up close to him suddenly and stare at him, knowing very well that he would feel embarrassed. He felt like she was doing it just to get a strange reaction out of him, but it was because she thought he was cute when he was flustered. She wanted to see more of it, while he was determined to do the same to her in return.

Just a simple nukige with multiple viewpoints.

N-n-n-n-nuuukige.

Suzukuri Karin-chan

Company: KarinProject
Game site: 巣作りカリンちゃん
Release date: December 20, 2019
Comments:
Kazuto is an ordinary adventurer who was considering quitting since his friends had left and his job prospects seemed bleak. That was when the Gyungyuska Company reached out to him. Directed by a girl named Fuu, he came in contact with the ‘labyrinth’ and the ‘Demon queen’. But why did an adventurer like him meet and be tasked with her revival? Who exactly is the ‘Demon queen Karin’? One thing led to another and he ended up as the manager of the labyrinth.

This is a joint project between BaseSon and SofthouseChara: a SLG featuring some of the more prominent Gi and Go heroines. It’s definitely an upgrade from the rock paper scissors ‘tactical’ mini-game of past Koihime games, and is a refreshing change from the others, offering something different for players. Will there be something new for the Shoku heroines?

Spinoff of the only thing Baseson can do even slightly well.

Micchi’s Top 4 for This Month

1. Aikotoba
2. Cafe Stella to Shinigami no Chou
3. Animal☆Panic
4. Suzukuri Karin-chan

Zen’s Top 3 for This Month

1. SugarKiss!
2. Aikotoba
3. Cafe Stella to Shinigami no Chou

See you again next year!

See you again, in a few days. *coughs*