Heart de Roomate Quickie review

Visual Novel Community Archive, 2000-2009
#1

Wanfu here, back for another installment of Quickie review. This time it’s for the game boosom…err Heart de roomate
Yusuke(You) gets shipped out to a new school by your parents. Unfortunately your parents are either really forgetfull, just loves to make your life hell, or you just the most unluck bastard ever as they forgot to enter your application to the dorms. And the dorms are all full. Even worse just as the dorm manager finds him an apartment it burns down. So what else could go wrong well he get’s jumped kicked by a girl that’s what.

Ok enough of the intro let’s get into the game. The graphics on this game is very nice. The character designs are like private nurse which is no suprise since it’s made by the same company. All the general character types are repesented here. The quiet introvert type, the loudmout, and the lolicon just for some of you people

The music and sound is adequate. Music is very lightheared and cheerful. Although there seems to be a little bug in my machine where if from time to time if you advance the text while music is playing the music either drops or goes noticably quieter. Nothing major that would affect your enjoyment and I’m not so sure it’s just my machine acting funky like always.

The gameplay is just like most of g-collections ADVs just click on the choices. An interesting part of the game is that the story is broken down into episodes and they do an episode preview for each episode. Unfortunately there is no hint system in this game, so no cheating

Ok everyone probably is wondering about the animation. In a previous thread it was found that this game has animation. Well I’m probably halfway through the first time through and I’m pretty dissapointed in their so called animation. It’s definately Zyx animation we have here. Mostly what they consider animation is panning a larger picture and very simple loop of a couple of frames. So don’t expect to watch a anime episode here. Another annonying thing is that they don’t have the next episode previews subtitled so you just have to guess what the hell they are saying.

Well so far I’m really enjoying this game. It’s very lighthearted and funny. I love how they make the girls go SD (super deformed or Chibi) from time to time. I can’t help but feel like I’m keitaro in love hina when I play this game. Maybe it’s because Asumi’s behavior reminds me soo much of Naru from Love Hina, that I wish I could slap her. Well at least I know I’ll get to see her naked unlike Love hina

#2

Nice review. Not entirely enthused by the presence of the loli character - although she appears to be more deadpan in personality than the “play with me oniii-chan!” schtick that irritates me so - but what can you do? By the way, G-Collections has the translations for the “animated” segments on their site, and PP have them too.

I would like to get my hands on this title, but only once I finish Tsukushite 4, plough through the rest of Chain (I’ve already been playing this game for about 6 hours and half the female cast are yet to shed their clothing, eek), then tackle the shelf-dwelling Kango Voice Plus and Private Nurse.

And don’t get me started on my console games that need playing…

goes back under his rock, probably to play games

[This message has been edited by Interzone (edited 02-22-2004).]

#3

Many thanks for the review… I’ve found it helpful… Not sure if I’m going to buy this one or not though… I’ll need more time to think and more reviews/opinions to look at. I traditionally don’t do well with comedy (must be my ungodful boring and dry sense of humor hmmm) which is what it sounds like to me… We’ll see though, still early.

#4

Well the entire premise for the story leads to a comedy game. So far nothing really serious, I can’t help but keep thinking of love hina when I play this game. Especially since Yusuke is such a wimp but always tries like keitaro. and Asumi and now his onesan keeps bullying and kicking his ass like Naru.

Yeah the loli character is very deadpan doesn’t act like a loli at all in fact I think she’s one of the more mature and smart ones in that group

#5

The untranslated episode previews are definitely driving me nuts. For some reason, the volume drops slightly on my system during them which makes it even harder to understand. But usually between the images and the few words I can translate, I’m understanding some of it…

I really wish I hadn’t been so busy this weekend. I really wanted to finish at least one storyline this weekend…

#6

The next episode translations are here. Gonna print myself out a copy when I get the game.

[This message has been edited by Interzone (edited 02-23-2004).]

#7

Thanks, Interzone-san. You would have thought I’d remember to check PeaPri’s webiste wouldn’t you…

Hmm, actually, I think I did translate one or two of the previews mostly correct. I think I’ll still print it out though. I’ll probably blow a fuse if I keep trying to translate on my own…

#8

Heh I love PP’s disclaimer that everyone is over 18 Strange Ekylo your volume dropoffs is different from mine. I don’t have problems with the volume for the previews but sometime with the music. Hey could be worse I’m still in ep 9

#9

…Maybe I’m just not having a good day, but I find the game rather irritating so far. Granted, I’m only in chapter 2, but I just quit from boredom.

Odd, because I was really looking forward to the title.

#10
quote:
Originally posted by Nandemonai:
...Maybe I'm just not having a good day, but I find the game rather irritating so far. Granted, I'm only in chapter 2, but I just quit from boredom.

Odd, because I was really looking forward to the title.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. You overhyped the game. You just created Death. [img]http://www.gexus.com/seishin/skull.gif[/img] I try not to look too forward to anything ever since I saw the first Matrix movie. I notice when someone overly anticipates anything, they basically set themselves up for a disappointment. I remember when I first saw the Matrix in the theaters, I thought it was crappy, but then when it came out on video, I watched it again with very low expectations, and was somehow impressed with it. It's like magic. [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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精神 の 神

#11

Heh, I already learned to try and not go into games or movies with expectations. Usually it works better for me. And so far the game does set up like an anime, with what I felt were “filler” episodes and a somewhat long buildup to the main story.

I’m surprised at you wanfu2k1-san. Only episode 9? I thought you’d be way ahead of me…

Actually, I almost picked a good place to rest, since episode 14 starts the “second half” of the game. Finished Asumi and got Namiki and Ms. Yagami’s “extra” episode routes. There’s still one more extra, not sure if I just didn’t get the correct flags or if it’s only available after you get all three storylines. We’ll have to see.

#12

Is there an extra for the ‘transfer girl’ I am suddenly blanking on her name. Is there an extra route for her that anyone has found?

#13

Hikaru I believe. Havn’t found it yet if it does exist. (Though I did purposely go back to get her sex scene later on.) I’m hoping that last extra route will deal with her and if it does I would sort of guess it would probably be after you get the three main storylines, since you probably get bits and pieces of her story from each. But that’s just my guess. Hopefully I’ll finish Tomoe and Marumu by the end of the week and find out for sure.

#14
quote:
Originally posted by woodelf:
So how does it take to play a chapter?
Now do they a OVA out for the game yet?

*blink* Eh? I think you're missing a few words in your sentences... [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

The episodes vary in length. Some are shorter than others. Plus the fact that this thing was done to emulate an anime series, a part of my brain keeps trying to tell me I spent 25 or so minutes per episode, and I know that isn't right. Er, I think it took me maybe 4 or 5 hours real time to play through Asumi's storyline and also look at Namiki's and Ms. Yagami's routes. (Sort of skimmed through their routes.) Probably would take less time if you don't sit, listen and try to translate the episode previews on your own like I did during the first half of the game... [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

#15
quote:
Originally posted by ekylo:
Hikaru I believe. Havn't found it yet if it does exist. (Though I did purposely go back to get her sex scene later on.) I'm hoping that last extra route will deal with her and if it does I would sort of guess it would probably be after you get the three main storylines, since you probably get bits and pieces of her story from each. But that's just my guess. Hopefully I'll finish Tomoe and Marumu by the end of the week and find out for sure.

I thought her name was namiki or something like that, we're talking about yusuke's onesan right or is there another transfer student? Hey can't help it, I'm spreading my time between this game, star fox adventures, crimson skies, anime and manga. Only got so much time here [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/tongue.gif[/img]

#16

There’s another transfer student in the second half of the game. There’s even a new opening in episode 14 which includes her in it. Namiki is Yusuke’s cousin though he calls her “sis”. Her route goes a little more into that whole thing.

I sort of know what you mean. CRC also arrived on Saturday. That’s probably why I’m rushing Heart de Roommate so much, I want to complete it and then start rampaing through CRC…

#17

Yeah it was Hikaru that I was thinking of, thanks, okay, yeah I have complete Tomoe route and wondered at that point since the translated episode previews call Hikaru a ‘rival’ of the various individual roommates, but so far she seems a minor one in many ways. So wondered then if she had her own route where she was a more major rival, if I am saying that clearly.

[This message has been edited by SCDawg (edited 02-24-2004).]

#18
quote:
Originally posted by Seishin:
Tsk, tsk, tsk. You overhyped the game. You just created Death. [img]http://www.gexus.com/seishin/skull.gif[/img] I try not to look too forward to anything ever since I saw the first Matrix movie. I notice when someone overly anticipates anything, they basically set themselves up for a disappointment. I remember when I first saw the Matrix in the theaters, I thought it was crappy, but then when it came out on video, I watched it again with very low expectations, and was somehow impressed with it. It's like magic. [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

The description sounded cute and funny, and in fact the game IS rather cute and funny.

I played another 2 chapters today, and I must say - the game IS better than I thought at first, now that I'm further in. I really WAS tired yesterday. (Well, that, and I blame Scrapped Princess infecting my brain to the point I'm pretty sure I dreamed about it the night before. I'm missing episode 22 > [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/frown.gif[/img] so I can't watch the end. ScraPri is TOTALLY different and the effect would be something like playing Kana and then immediately jumping into Heart de.)

However, I have two problems with this game, one of which is exactly what you're talking about (i.e. my fault) and one of which is an issue with the game itself.

The second point is a minor spoiler, but this is a review thread anyhow. Don't yell at me for spoiling a game in the thread specifically for discussing it - I'd have to come over there, and finding out people's physical locations is just such a waste of time...

* This game is not Private Nurse. I really like Private Nurse, and since Heart de Roommate is by the same company I had assumed they would be very similar. This is of course [edit: a fallacy] and is entirely inflated expectations.

However.

* I dislike Arumi. And since the other two don't talk all that much, she gets most of the dialog. She's just mean. Much of my initial negative reaction was due to her abuse of the main character; the main reason I even continued was that I remembered "wait, the main character is blackmailing her...I think I'd be pissed at him too". But she still grates on me with how completely self-absorbed she is.

However, I am just now getting to the start of episode 5. Perhaps the development I liked from Private Nurse comes in later; it IS very close to the beginning.

Anyway, I have got somewhat less than miles to go before I sleep, so now I sleep.

[This message has been edited by Nandemonai (edited 02-24-2004).]

[This message has been edited by Nandemonai (edited 02-24-2004).]

#19

Oi, nandemonai, is it just me, or didn’t your post about you looking really forward to the title, have more stuff written after that? Because I remember cutting stuff out of the quote when I was quoting you. I remember cutting out like an entire paragraph or something. And if you edited it, wouldn’t it have said that the message had been edited?

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精神 の 神

#20

I am disappointed that Hikaru is as minor a character as she is. She even shows up prominently in the music video/trailer after the halfway mark.

Those three blank lines of scenes in the album? Cleared 'em. No Hikaru.

I just don’t get it…
(Reserved, long silver-haired maidens are right up my alley. )