Question: Game Genres

Visual Novel Community Archive, 2000-2009
#1

Question…

I was browsing through Himeya Soft’s Japanese Game selections (even though I don’t speak/read Japanese, I still like to see what is out there in the B-game market in Japan, especially by companies that already have some games translated here)… and I was just wondering if anyone could help me in understanding what all the Genre’s mean…

for example, I’m pretty sure SIM stands for Simulator or Simulation and ADV stands for Adventures, BUT I’m not 100 percent positive.

What I’m more curious about is what is the difference between a Pure Love ADV, A Healing ADV and a Love ADV? Could someone please take the time to explain the different genres…

Many Thanks in Advance as always…

#2
quote:
Originally posted by ScorpioMysterica:
Question.......

I was browsing through Himeya Soft's Japanese Game selections (even though I don't speak/read Japanese, I still like to see what is out there in the B-game market in Japan, especially by companies that already have some games translated here).... and I was just wondering if anyone could help me in understanding what all the Genre's mean....

for example, I'm pretty sure SIM stands for Simulator or Simulation and ADV stands for Adventures, BUT I'm not 100 percent positive.

What I'm more curious about is what is the difference between a Pure Love ADV, A Healing ADV and a Love ADV? Could someone please take the time to explain the different genres............

Many Thanks in Advance as always...


Pure Love ADVs are Sailor Moon or Tenchi-Muyo, Love ADV is like a Sakura-Tushin, and Healing ADV is the when you play the game it feel like relax....(It is hard to explain) Maybe someone will explain better...
#3
quote:
Originally posted by Computermania:
Pure Love ADVs are Sailor Moon or Tenchi-Muyo

I am sorry, but I can't think of any similarities between the two titles at all. Of course it doesn't help that I've never seen any SM.

#4
quote:
Originally posted by ScorpioMysterica:
Question.......

What I'm more curious about is what is the difference between a Pure Love ADV, A Healing ADV and a Love ADV? Could someone please take the time to explain the different genres............

It's hard to define pure love, but I wll give you a couple of charateristics commonly observed in pure love games.

1)Virgins
2)High school girls, i.e. ~16yrs old
3)Usually school setting
4)Nothing kinky, just plain romance + sex
5)Heavy emphasis on the romance part
6)Childhood friend is probably the female lead
7)Cutsy art style
8)Giant sized eyes even for anime standards.
9)Girls are potrayed as angels rather than whores.

[This message has been edited by NeMiSiS (edited 07-18-2004).]

#5

Thank you NeMiSiS and Computermania, that certainly has started to give me an idea. From the sounds of it, Pure Love games would be something that I would enjoy… as would Healing games … although it’s still a bit cloudy, and if others could give more clarification so much the better, I have a better framework in my mind now.

I assume “Insult” games are what the majority here call dark games (I.E., rape, etc.)…

Sorry to be so pesky, again just trying to organize in my own mind.

#6
quote:
Originally posted by ScorpioMysterica:
I assume "Insult" games are what the majority here call dark games (I.E., rape, etc.)..... [/B]

Yeah, it's often those kind of games we're talking aobut when we're talking about dark games. But they're also called kichiku games, so you can call them that if you want to be specific (since a game can have a "dark" story but not have anything to do with rape, SM, BDSM, etc...).

#7

Possible minor spoilers

Would Crescendo qualify though? There are at least three girl’s whose characters might not fit all of those requirements given who is involved. Off the top of my head I can think of two that are over 16 and one that is clearly not a virgin. So where does it fall?

Does it fall here since majority does fit that description? Yet then there are the three women/girls which cleary do not fit that and perhaps four given the “hidden ending” and the slight question about that girl’s “essence” for lack of a better description.

So since at least on the surface it all seems to fit and in truth much of the list does fit the interactions of the two characters, does fit is it in that category or not? This seems to be harder then it should be or perhaps is to slot some of the games such as Crescendo.

[This message has been edited by SCDawg (edited 07-19-2004).]

#8

Well, it sorta sounds like it would be in my opinion, but I do know it’s not listed as one at himeya soft… just a plain old ADV according to them. lol

Maybe it’s a matter of perception though? hmmm

#9

See I’m torn I think it could easily be a “pure love game” because romance is the main theme, there is not sex that leads to love, there is love that leads to sex, so that seems to be a pure love game as I think of one.

Yet if they strictly go by the definition, and I am not sure how strictly those applying these definitions go by it, then Crescendo does seem to have characters that are outside that list. So the question is how hard are the definitions adhered to when applying them in categories?

I guess it is a matter of perception.

[This message has been edited by SCDawg (edited 07-19-2004).]

#10

Cresendo should qualify as Pure love as the majority of the girls fit that description. Personally I think all these categories is just a way for game companies to try and make their games stand out as something new and revolutionary.

#11

I would agree with you, that the categories are just a way to make the game stand out, except D. O. (or H.S.) lists Crescendo as an ADV and two of their other games as Pure Love Games… Which, at least to me, makes me think that there has to be at least something to the “categories”… of course what do I know?

I suppose you are going to have a lot of cross overs… I guess I was just curious as to what the Japanese definition of the categories or what causes something to be listed in a certain category.

#12

There’s a dart board with the categories listed on it, and they throw this dart, you see…

#13

ahhh… thank you very much Wolfson-san , you’ve just enlightened me!
I wonder if that dart board is how they select release dates too? hmmm ::grin::

#14

I believe that’s actually accomplished with one of those “Magic 8-balls”…

“Is the end of the month a good time to release the game?” Shake, shake [Answer vague, ask again later] “Darn.”

[This message has been edited by Wolfson (edited 07-19-2004).]

#15

Me thinks pure love is more than just game charateristics I listed. It’s also about how a relationship is potrayed. Pure love games tend to depict romance as something, well, pure i.e. everything wonderful and nothing bad.

Crescendo on the other hand is a bittersweet story that tends to present relationships in a perspective closer to reality. I would say it’s more of a love story than a pure love one. Just my $0.02 though.

#16

Because they tend to protray love closer to reality then the almost “lightening strike” wow it’s love and the game continues?

So are there any games where love just strikes like that, trying to remember but coming up blank.

#17

I think maybe CRESCENDO is not a Ren’ai (Pure Love) game, but it’s a Jun’ai (True Love) game, where you try to find your “true love” with many dramatic momments.

#18

Okay what is the difference now between True Love and Pure Love?

True Love is mostly a search for the “one”, while Pure Love just sort of happens one day? Sort of like the childhood friend that has always loved the main character since he did something to help her in childhood and suddenly cannot hold it back and confesses her love to him?

Yet can’t the childhood friend character that has always loved the main character also be in a True Love game with dramatic moments leading to her rejection or acceptance?

So is that right or not as you were mentioning it?

[This message has been edited by SCDawg (edited 07-20-2004).]

#19
quote:
Originally posted by SCDawg:
Okay what is the difference now between True Love and Pure Love?

True Love is mostly a search for the "one", while Pure Love just sort of happens one day? Sort of like the childhood friend that has always loved the main character since he did something to help her in childhood and suddenly cannot hold it back and confesses her love to him?

Yet can't the childhood friend character that has always loved the main character also be in a True Love game with dramatic moments leading to her rejection or acceptance?

I think when we talk "Pure Love" game, you find many girls, but just ONE will fall in love with you and have a romantic relationship with you. You will make love with this ONE AND ONLY girl.
When we talk "True Love" game, you find many girls and one or more of them will fall in love with you, maybe even make love with you, but just ONE of them is your true love. You will discover who is at the ending.
I believe that's the difference between Renai and Junai.

#20

Then what is an example of Pure Love?

I can think of a few games where many girls fall in love with you or are in love with you even if you don’t always know that until you take their path, i.e. Crescendo, Tokimeki Check In!, Kango Shicyauzo 1/2 etc. but you only only truly fall in love with one of them and only make love to her. Yet none come to mind where there is only one girl that falls in love with you.

[This message has been edited by SCDawg (edited 07-20-2004).]