No.7596
Let's have a thread dedicated to visual novel discussion! Japanese or not.
Resources:
https://vndb.org No.7603
A poster from the
https://fujochan.org/ot/res/2624.html thread reminded me that I planned to check out Dies irae a long time ago, but never got to it.
No.7606
>>7604kek
Where would the rest of Paradise characters fit?
No.7607
>>7606Takara could probably figure out the culprit because of how many connections and inside info he would have, everyone else is same as Matsuda they ain’t figuring out shit.
No.7615
>>7614>how is the situation with the fan-translated/untranslated ones? Do groups even translate all-ages versions of eroge?I think it's a case-by-case deal and it depends on the translation group/the version of the VN they're translating
I was playing the fan translation for SNOW ~Plus Edition~ and there was an option to censor H scenes.
But knowing how hung up some people in the scene are about censoring, I imagine most would opt to release +18 versions only
No.7616
>>7614Do you mean Tokyo Necro specifically, or eroge/bishoujo in general? There are a LOT of all-ages eroge with English translations, but as you acknowledged, most of those are on Steam. As for fan translations of all-ages games, that is a bit more uncommon (although there are examples where you can disable the sex scenes, like with the Fate/Stay Night fan TL). In general, your best bet is to look for VNs that have an all-ages version that adds something to the original or was released on consoles (Like the Realta Nua version of Fate, Dies Irae, AIR etc). It could also help to look at the "in-game sexual content toggle" and "only avoidable sexual content" tags. While it's rare, there are some games that have the sex scenes entirely detached from the story, like with Eden*. It's a small example, but as far as I'm aware, Baldr Force only has a fan TL of the all-ages version; I don't think there's a way to read the 18+ version in English.
There are also some Bishoujo games that never had sexual content to begin with, but I don't know if that's still in the realm of what you want.
No.7617
>>7614You're reminding me of that period of time when I'd read popular mass-recommended VNs like Muv luv and G-senjou no maou for the plot and then when I reached sex scenes I just mashed Enter until they were over.
No.7618
>>7617>Muv luv Is this ride worth it? It's been in my backlog forever.
No.7619
>>7618I'd like to say yes but my situation is a little unusual because I've only completed the first two Muv-luv story arcs. At some point while I was playing Alternative my copy consistently crashed during a certain scene and I couldn't get past it. Back then I never hunted down another cracked copy and just gave up on it but at some point once it came to steam I got it on sale and it's in my library now awaiting a moment when I feel like finally completing it. I enjoyed what I played but I never reached the ending of Alternative so I can't judge it based on the whole package.
No.7621
>>7614>Tokyo necroLet me know what you think anona, I've been really interested into hat title for a while
No.7622
>>7615>>7616Thanks a lot! (I meant eroge/bishoujo in general.)
>was released on consolesDo those version ever make it to the fan translation scene? I think nobody even bothers to crack them.
>Baldr Force only has a fan TL of the all-ages versionThat's interesting. How did this happen? I know it's more of an /m/ title, so maybe that's a contributing factor.
>>7621Okay, once I find the time. I've started it, but the sleaziness is somehow off-putting - I wouldn't expect characters in a professional setting behaving like that right from the start. Plus I've learnt the female MC is a lesbian (not even bi) and doesn't have any romance with the male MC at all - that crushed me and I've somehow lost the interest to continue.
No.7625
>>7618NAYRT but I'm a huge fan of Muv-Luv, and I wanted to give my (very biased) opinion. It's one of the best VNs I've read, but your enjoyment is entirely contingent upon how tolerant you are of VN bullshit like infodumping and fanservice. Muv-Luv's appeal comes from how it takes your typical slice-of-life rom-com and then throws its characters into a war drama. Like, imagine if the Lucky Star girls got thrown into All Quiet on the Western Front, and took it 100% seriously. There are so many tropes that are either defied or used in a more grounded fashion,
there's a lore reason why the cast is 90% female, and it makes sense. You're probably familiar with the premise, but Extra has fantastic foreshadowing, and there are bits that will go over your head until you've finished the trilogy. The military, sci-fi, alternate history, and mecha parts are great. It felt like the writer had a vision for a war story, but because he worked for a company that made galge, he had to fit it under that genre. It's a strange combination, but when you see the pink-haired catgirl lying on the ground with a sniper rifle, you don't question it. The BETA are also handled in a unique manner, especially when you finally realize WHY they're invading. It's still one of my favorite reasons for aliens to come to Earth, alongside Roadside Picnic. Also, I don't want to spoil my favorite section of the game, but MLA deals with the
multiple universes in a way that makes you go, "oh shit," when you realize how bad things are. This whole trilogy is one big "oh shit" moment.
The biggest negative is the prequels' debatable quality. I liked Extra because it's stupid and funny, but when I hit Unlimited, I thought, "is that it?" It felt like a standard VN with a military coat of paint. Do not be fooled. Unlimited is NOT representative of Alternative. Additionally, the h-scenes are bad BAD. One in particular actively detracts from the story in a terrible way. Even with the scenes removed, it still feels like an eroge. I'll warn you that while people love MLA, the game filters for people who WILL like it. If you're the kind of person who would sit through Extra and Unlimited, you're the kind of person who would like Alternative. It's difficult to find people with good criticisms of MLA, not because it's flawless, but because the people who could've made those criticisms have better things to do than read a 950,000 word trilogy they don't enjoy.
Sorry this post is long when you asked a one-sentence question. I'm sure there's a nona on here with a negative experience to match my positive one, but Muv-Luv accomplishes something special. Muv-Luv is not my favorite VN, but if I had to pick a VN to represent the medium, it would be my choice.
No.7628
>>7625>Muv-Luv accomplishes something special. Muv-Luv is not my favorite VN, but if I had to pick a VN to represent the medium, it would be my choice.Maybe I'm talking out of my ass here but I feel like under the right circumstances it could've taken off to the extent that Fate did but for whatever reason it didn't quite get there. At least that's the impression I've gotten cause last time I heard about this franchise in the wild is when youtube recs showed me a video about a Muv-luv gacha that imploded in record time.
No.7629
>>7628>it could've taken off to the extent that Fate did but for whatever reason it didn't quite get thereI am also talking out of my ass, but I think it has to do with accessibility and target audience. While Fate is of a similar length, I think it feels less intimidating when each route of FSN is pretty decent, and you get exactly what you expected. Meanwhile, people interested in the war drama aspect of Muv-Luv have to tolerate two VNs in a completely different genre before getting to the 'good part.' Additionally, prior to Fate, TYPE-MOON had created Tsukihime and related VNs; Fate is not terribly different tonally or thematically from Tsukihime, so if you like Tsukihime, you'll like Fate. Meanwhile, although age was no stranger to darker themes, they didn't venture into "war drama
utsuge with alien invasion and extensive science and military minutiae" territory before MLA. Kiminozo and KimiIta are their most famous titles prior to Muv-Luv, in my opinion, and while Extra and Unlimited fit with these two tonally, Alternative doesn't. I once read that a lot of Extra/Unlimited fans were disappointed by Alternative when it initially released in Japan, probably because it's entirely linear and
it doesn't have a happy ending. We take Muv-Luv's premise for granted now, but it was unexpected when it released; age probably alienated some of their core audience with it. Finally, Fate got another huge boost from its good anime adaptation. It helps that FSN is not horribly difficult to adapt if you just focus on one route instead of whatever Studio Deen was trying to do. Muv-Luv is far from impossible to adapt, but it would take a lot of patience and more time than what was afforded to Fate (the UBW anime is 26 episodes and adapts 1/3 of Fate in a complete and satisfactory story, whereas a Muv-Luv anime would need to adapt the whole thing in one go or else it wouldn't make sense).
>last time I heard about this franchise in the wild is when youtube recs showed me a video about a Muv-luv gacha that imploded in record time.Don't forget about the godawful 2021-2022 anime adaptation that speedran the first 2 VNs in the series and threw uninitiated people into Alternative with absolutely no context while also alienating the VN's audience by changing the character designs, voice actors, and music into something that is objectively inferior to the VN's! Being a Muv-Luv fan is suffering.
No.7639
>>7622I forgot to mention in my previous post, but I think the Kikokugai all-ages version also got a fan TL, as well!
>Do those version ever make it to the fan translation scene?Yes! While it's kind of a moot point now that FSN has an official release, the Realta Nua version (originally for PS2 iirc) was the basis for the fan patch that let you toggle sexual content, as well as get the additional scenes from that version (Realta Nua added scenes and had some other better qualities over the original, but omitted the sex scenes since it was on console). AIR is another example; there's a Vita patch available that cuts all the adult content. I think the Killer Queen remake is also getting a fan translation, and last I saw, it's specifically the Nintendo Switch version, which doesn't have sexual content.
>That's interesting. How did this happen?I couldn't find any concrete information, but I've seen a lot of people say that the Japanese all-ages version added improvements to gameplay and voice acting to the protagonist, so I would assume it had something to do with that?
No.7737
>>7639>I think the Kikokugai all-ages version also got a fan TL, as well!
Thanks! I'll check this out.
No.7747
>>7746I've tried a bunch of things but nothing seems to be working thus far…someone else said they've been having this issue so I was wondering if anyone else in this thread has?
Also if anyone has a torrent link of the VN kek.
No.7749
>>7747Who the hell administers your computer?
No.7751
I didn't even realize Fate Stay/Night got an official translation recently, I might buy it on Steam because it's on sale, even if it's not a huge difference in price. I only read the beginning of the very first manga when I was in middle school and then saw a lot of spoilers online, it was soon after the first season ended, so I know what to expect from the story but I heard not all the routes have been adapted yet.
I'm considering buying several BL VNs right now thanks to sales so I can play them little by little on my laptop while it still works. I've been spending the last months doomscrolling on my laptop after work instead of doing more interesting things, so I might as well do it.
No.7752
>>7751It surprised me back when it was announced cause I figured it would've been deemed not worth it. There's a translation patch for both the 18+ version and realta nua pc version that have been out forever so you'd think most people who cared would've played it already.
No.7753
>>7752I assume the franchise makes so much money all over the world with its adaptation that the original VN will be bought by people who have just heard about it a lot in passing and are curious, but not curious enough to go through the "hassle" of illegally downloading the VN and a translation patch. I just bought it because I'm exactly like that, but I won't start it now. I also bought Hashihime of the old book town, it interests me more for now. I'm trying to finish a video game before starting it though.
No.7755
>>7749Me
>>7750Thanks nonnie!
No.7757
>>7596Reading and discussing Umineko as it was released part after part was such a fucking ride. One of the most intense fan experiences I had. I genuinely loved the partial releases because they gave so much fuel for discussions and speculation while simultaneously hyping us up for the next part. Good times.
I can't imagine the series to be that fun if you read it all at once. The waiting time and the million fan theories were part of the fun.
And the music. The fucking music. My absolute favorite VN OST by a mile and I wasn't even into electro and dubsteb before this.
Also, while it doesn't have much actual gay fuel I just loved Battler and that man was so hot and funny when was fighting (and even while he was getting abused), I love that guy. Sadly a series that is absolutely unadaptable. The red text and looong but great logic-based debates alone only work in a text-based medium. Cut half of the dialogue and it's just generic arguments.
No.7772
>>7758>HanachirasuI guess there is no censored version of this one, even on Steam?
No.7893
Nonas, now that the year has ended, what was the best VN you read in 2024? Is there anything you're looking forward to in 2025?
No.7894
>>7893Released on 2024? None because I'm, sadly, an EOP. I started Hatsuyuki Sakura and Tenshi no Inai 12gatsu, which got english translations last year tho…
Read on 2024? Lkyt if we're talking about vns I finished reading and Lamento if unfinished. I started too many vns for my daily routine/schedule so I only got to finish 3, all of them BLVNs. What about you, any recommendation?
>Is there anything you're looking forward to in 2025?Finishing my backlog of winter-y vns I started since November, trying to continue and finish Summer Pockets before the anime airs.
No.7916
>>7894>Tenshi no Inai 12gatsu How is it? It’s by the people who made White Album 2, so it looks incredibly promising. I’m hoping it has a somewhat somber tone, but it’s hard to get a read on what it’s like.
>What about you, any recommendation? Tokyo Onmyouji was hands-down the best BL game I read this year. If you haven’t read it already, I’d highly recommend it! It was so nice to have a VN where all the routes felt unique instead of rehashing the same thing with a different LI each time. The protagonist is so likable; he’s a character in his own right, which is one of the things I love about BL games compared to a lot of other VNs.
As for non-BL games, I read the Tsui no Sora remake, and it was fun! While it wasn’t nearly as good as Subahibi, I’m glad I got to revisit a story I love so dearly in a different form. It was sort of nostalgic, even if it doesn’t hold a candle to Subahibi. If you haven’t read Subahibi, though, I’d highly recommend reading that instead. I also finished Swan Song this year. It’s not for everyone, as it’s a bleak story, but it’s going to stick with me for a very long time. It has an interesting setting, presentation, and atmosphere, even if I firmly believe the “true ending” shouldn’t exist. Oddly enough, I think it’s similar tonally to Lkyt, so you may enjoy it.
I also started Mamiya: Doomsday Dreams this year, but I have mixed feelings so far. I have not finished it yet. I read the prequel a very long time ago, so I’ve had to backtrack and review parts of the first in case what I’ve forgotten impedes my enjoyment. I’m hoping to complete it soon, as it’s the only VN I’m currently reading, and I don’t want to start another one until I’m done with it.
No.7931
>>7916I was pretty surprised at how interesting the Yasuko route was and because of that it probably ended up being my favorite, she's a really interesting albeit fucked up character and her ending gave me the feels…
I'd keep at it with Mamiya, most of the good shit is later in it and when it hits hard holy shit does it hit hard, definitely one of my favorite VNs.
Just starting Tokyo Onmyoji myself so I'm excited to read it!
No.8071
>>8070Probably because few people in Japan have a PC. Even so, they would get much more overseas sales with a PC port.
No.8092
>>8070Porting is much more expensive than just localizing a game, I'm a dev with a game that's been waiting for console approval for almost a year because the storefronts keep being retarded about stuff we need to change…
No.8095
>>8092Why? I remember playing Pokemon games on an PC emulator - if even people who do piracy-related stuff for free can manage, so can professionals who get paid for it.
https://www.emulator-zone.com No.8097
>>8095NTA but getting something up and running via emulation is not the same thing as going through all the proper channels of a company and storefront
No.8116
>>8097Just sell the game in your own store. Plenty of VNs never make it to Steam or GOG anyway (because of content restrictions) - Slow Damage for one.
No.8516
>>8326She needs to ditch the pov stuff and do an actual bl project, I like her characters and I enjoy the psychological aspects but it never goes as hard as I'd want it to.
No.8565
>>8326Have you played the price of flesh? It had a secret Ren route
No.8566
>>8565Haven't even heard of this game is it basically the same as BTD? Ren looks very devious in the images.
No.8583
>>8566>>8565Yeah it's the same sort of thing as btd, there's some implied bl with some side characters in one route which was kinda cute but alas the pov stuff always takes the focus, the writing is fully gender neutral as well and it's a fun enough ride but as I'm not the target audience it never really gripped me, I ended up really liking the route with the office lady the most funnily enough
And yeah the updated release has a Ren route but they ruined his shota appeal and made him a creepy man with an anime fetish (which to be fair was already part of his characterization)
No.8902
>>8898>How was this?I loved it
No.8942
>>8940Chaos;Head is pretty solid, and has a similar vibe to Steins;Gate. In the original version (I don't know about the NOAH version because I haven't tried that), he even has figures from other VN series like Fate, Tsukihime, and Da Capo. The whole VN is about him being a shut-in otaku with paranoid delusions
until the homicides start.Subahibi probably also applies, but mainly in specific parts. There's a protagonist who's similar to the Chaos;Head protagonist, but even more insane. There are also a bunch of anime references that kind of bleed through into every aspect of the story. For example, two characters are basically just Kagami and Tsukasa from Lucky Star,
except this is actually a plot element and isn't just a funny reference. It's not as obvious as the Science Adventure Series, but I think it counts.
No.8943
>>8940Chaos;Head is a great suggestion, especially if you already like Steins;Gate. I'd also suggest the other Nitroplus titles like Robotics;Notes. Excluding that series CROSS†CHANNEL is underrated and has a protag boarding on chuuni like Okabe
No.8953
Has anyone here played Laughter Land using textractor? Last time I tried I was having issues and wasn’t sure if it was user error or software issues. I just wanna know before I try again.
No.9169
>>9115Reporting back to say this game is fun! It's basically Oregon Trail world-wide edition, and yes you can confess your undying love to your master while freezing to death in Antarctica. Not sure I'd rec it as a BL but it is good, done a few successful runs and I'm sure I'll play more later but for now it was a pleasant little surprise.
No.9225
>>9224There's a non-zero chance the creator of the image hasn't played any of the VNs present. They are right that BL games have infinitely more interesting stories though.
No.9226
>>9225I assume they've played something due to the screwdriver meme
I kinda assumed the sleeping pills was also a reference to a yurige but I've never played one so I have no idea there (maybe it's the idea that yuri is so calming and moe/boring that it puts you to sleep).
No.9227
>>9224I wish yurige were cool like yaoige but yurifans would probably shit their pants over anything non-wholesome let alone rape or screwdrivers or amputation or any of the cool stuff in chiral games
No.9228
>>9227ehh I sort of get it, darker plots like rape or amputation would attract moid gurofags like flies to shit and they are the lowest of the low moids to pander work to. I know it sucks to compromise an interesting story because of the moid boogeyman but it just feels different to afflict extreme pain onto a woman rather than a moid even if its fictional
No.9229
>>9224This has to be a troll. Putting Katahane, Flowers, and Subahibi in the same category as Hanahira and Lilium x Triangle is comical.