What do you recommend?

Visual Novel Community Archive, 2000-2009
#1

I just learned that my fiancÈ and his friends love Bishoujo games so much that I've suddenly had barages of Bishoujo games reviews at my site

http://hentaineko.com/html_peek/peek_vgames.shtml


Unfortunately, I only have 22 titles so far and most of them are old titles like Gloria, Divi-Dead, and a few Peach Princess titles. I'm after the new releases (which I plan to pre-order as Christmas gifts to my fiancÈ).

What titles do you recommend (that aren't at my site yet - cause he's already played them) and why? I need at least 20, I think.

Thanks in advance for your input.

#2

I have to concur with Kumiko. One thing I came to appreciate more and more about games like Tokimeki Check-In! after I got more and more of the best endings is the amount of work they put into writing the stories, in spite of the short 3 day period that the programmers mapped out for Takayuki and his guests. What’s especially priceless for me is the distinctive personality the voice actresses had put in for the game. You pretty much have to ask yourself one question when you’re playing Bishoujo games like Tokimeki Check-In! Am I chasing tail, or am I chasing girls? The designers could have built in bar gauges that represented the amount of respect or adoration each girl held for you, but that would be kind of of a cop out, wouldn’t it? Do you think, in real life, girls have a ‘love gauge’ or ‘hate gauge’ sitting atop their shoulders?

I recommend getting both genders to review your games, give it multiple perspectives. I’m not especially fond of number rating systems, but at least you have content analyses that contributes toward the final score.

#3
quote:
Originally posted by Kumiko Kamiyama:
Well, a review should simply give objective content - information, not opinion. There are very few reviews out there... [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/tongue.gif[/img]

But don't you know that being completely objective is one of the hardest things to do in life? [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Heh, but even opinionated reviews are helpful as long as people explain their reasoning behind it, and the reasoning make sense. I know that's been a problem I've been running into when I'm researching whether to buy a game or not. I keep running into reviews that are simply "the game sucks, don't buy it!" or "it's totally awesome, a must have!" but they never tell you why they think that.

And reasonings really need to make sense. My co-worker has been complaining about Civ. III because they didn't include a real-time combat interface and that they put too much diplomacy in it. I mean, if that's what he was looking for, why didn't he buy Shogun instead? He was mainly complaining about the game for not being what he thought it should be, which seems odd since, as I pointed out, he has numerous choices of other games that do exactly what he wants. (Of course this is the same co-worker that bought a big 21" monitor instead of paying his rent and then claims he's the victim when he got an eviction notice. Some people are strange, question is, why do I always have to work with them? [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/tongue.gif[/img])

#4

Wow! So many recommendations!


I concur with Kumiko about the reviews part, but I also agree with ekylo that nobody can really be truly objective (which is why I call them “Opinions” on the site, especially since many of my contributors have really unusual ways of expressing themselves).

If you want true-blooded reviews, the definitive site I would definitely recommend is Ex.org, unfortunately they don’t do hentai.

btw, Kumiko, my guy friends and I don’t have the same tastes. I like RPG and action, they prefer adult Bishoujo Games which is why I think it would be the perfect gift for them and my fiancÈ.

Thanks for the titles, btw! I would most definitely try to get them. At least you were able to show different genres in the titles. Most helpful!

[This message has been edited by hentaineko (edited 11-13-2001).]

#5


Btw, bokmeow, I do accept multiple opinions for each title. Unfortunately, not many women visit my site. My contributors are mostly male

I wish there would be more female writers

#6

20 titles ?? LOL
hmm, you can try the hentai news on www.hobibox.com

#7
quote:
Originally posted by hentaineko:
(which is why I call them "Opinions" on the site, especially since many of my contributors have really unusual ways of expressing themselves).

Hey, you're not talking about me are you? [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Just kidding. It is kinda a shame that you don't get as many female writers though. I like to hear the female perspective of things. (That and I get along better with girls than guys anyways.)

Actually, I was just remembering a talk I had with a friend the other night. I had told her a story about when 15 of us guys went caving. We came back to the vehicles all muddy and such, took showers, changed clothes, then realized that not one of us had brought spare underwear to change into. (Sounds like such a guy thing doesn't it?) My friend laughed and said "See, if it was a bunch of girls, spare underwear would have been one of the first things we would have thought about bringing."

Anyways, wish I could help with reviews of more modern games but I just don't have the skills to understand the Japanese versions of the games. (Which is why I wish PeaPri a long and happy life of bringing such games to English for people like me. [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] ) Hmm, I can't even think of many games you don't already have reviews for that I've played, except for maybe Graduation II, Runaway City and May Club. You know, I think I'll go through my CD's this week and figure out which games I have played, I'm starting to lose track now...

#8
quote:
Originally posted by Kumiko Kamiyama:
Yup! [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Actually, Peach Princess really does want girls to be more involved... these works are all about celebration of girls, ne? [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

Hey, I may not be a girl but I talk like one [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]. I have a vast collection of bishoujo games, including some discontinued ones [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]. So if you guys want reviews just let me know, I'm glad to let a hand [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img].

#9
quote:
Originally posted by Kumiko Kamiyama:
Just a quick addition about reviews and objectivity... [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

What Kumiko meant is that a genuine review states "what" something is, not whether or not the reviewer happens to like whatever that "something" might be. A review may conclude with the reviewer's own take on it - in fact, that's good, as long as there is information provided as to the reviewer's experience in the field plus personal preferences. Since the actual review covers the basic facts of what the content is for the work, a true review is by its nature objective - as soon as one starts saying things like "well, they did this and that and I didn't like it" it is no longer a review, but rather an opinion only, and consequently loses its value as a review (but perhaps not as a discussion of opinion, a different topic altogether.) Facts are about as objective as one can get, so a good reviewer will stick to them as much as possible, and then leave a closing statement to draw their own ultimate conclusion.


Right on! This is definitely what you will find in Ex.org ( http://www.ex.org ) That's my idol site [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

My own opinions, especially the later ones, tend to discuss the psychological aspects of some hentai titles (me being a psychologist and all) so sometimes I try to lighten up and sound less doctor-ish. Sample: http://www.hentaineko.com/html_peek/peek_anime_mujin.shtml

(btw, Kumiko, would you perhaps know the English release title of the url that I gave above? I only have the original Jap version [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/frown.gif[/img] )

Ekylo! Of course I'm not talking about you [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] You're one of the serious no-nonsense writers (which I like very much...but don't get me wrong, I love the wacky ones just as well... except my brother keeps using the letter "u" to say "you" and "2" to say "to" and I get a little dizzy trying to correct his work all the time. And he complains why I tamper with his u's and 2's...)


Serio, I would be glad to have your opinions on my site too! I'm not male but some people always mistake me for one, so I guess that makes us even [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

[This message has been edited by hentaineko (edited 11-13-2001).]

#10

Want to talk about old games to review… I even have a copy of Cobra mission and Metal and Lace battle of the Robobabes with the 18NR upate disk… Atleast things have gotten a little better with more needs to be done but only so much I can buy continued luck with your website I visit it periodically to what’s new on it.

#11
quote:
Originally posted by hentaineko:
Ekylo! Of course I'm not talking about you [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] You're one of the serious no-nonsense writers (which I like very much...but don't get me wrong, I love the wacky ones just as well... except my brother keeps using the letter "u" to say "you" and "2" to say "to" and I get a little dizzy trying to correct his work all the time. And he complains why I tamper with his u's and 2's...)

You know, you keep saying stuff like that and I'm going to start blushing all sorts of odd colors [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/redface.gif[/img], and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to explain it here at work... [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Actually, those types of typing shortcuts are one of my pet peeves. I never understood why so many people want to use them. Then again, I'm also a fast typist and I usually can type the fully worded sentence in the same amount of time.

Hmm, strange that you mention "U's" and "2's". I just received my copy of U2's "The Best of 1980-1990" and I'm listening to it now. Very strange...

Um, back to the subject at hand. We really do need to fill in some reviews for older games, especially those still readily available from places like J-List and such. I know when I got into bishoujo gaming, I had a tough time finding ones in English and eventually would get frustrated by the Japanese language ones. (Well, technically by my lack of skill in Japanese, but you get the picture.) Even though they're older, getting people informed about them would increase intreset in the genre right?

#12

Sometimes it’s good to show all the options out there. And the fact that they’re cheaper do make them an interesting choice for maybe a beginner. Plus you can always compare them against the PeaPri items and go “see how much games have improved since then?”

Maybe I’ll get around to covering Graduation II, but I havn’t played it for a few weeks so I don’t have the specifics in my head right now. I remember the five girls and that the voice of the “immature” one was close to “annoying perkiness”, but that’s about it right now. Can’t do a review just with that.

#13
quote:
Originally posted by KimbaWLion:
Want to talk about old games to review... I even have a copy of Cobra mission and Metal and Lace battle of the Robobabes with the 18NR upate disk... Atleast things have gotten a little better with [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img] more needs to be done but only so much I can buy continued luck with your website [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/smile.gif[/img] I visit it periodically to what's new on it.


OMG! Metal and Lace is my absolute favorite--err make that second favorite since Dragon Knight III is my absolute favorite! (but it's not a bishoujo game and my fiancÈ would not even touch it unless it's a bishoujo game [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] )

I update once a week (usually either Saturday or Sunday) because I have work during the weekdays.

How is Cobra Mission? I still have an old diskette here at home and I haven't even begun to touch it.

Kumiko, it's unfortunate that EX didn't reply. Maybe they got too popular now? I remember talking to the webmaster (when he was a frequent visitor of one of my sites) back when he wasn't too popular. Well, they don't know what they're missing when they didn't reply to you.

Anyhoo, I gotta go get Graduation II. Hopefully it gets shipped here fast!

[This message has been edited by hentaineko (edited 11-15-2001).]

#14
quote:
Originally posted by hentaineko:

OMG! Metal and Lace is my absolute favorite--err make that second favorite since Dragon Knight III is my absolute favorite! (but it's not a bishoujo game and my fiance$B!&e(Bwould not even touch it unless it's a bishoujo game [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] )

I update once a week (usually either Saturday or Sunday) because I have work during the weekdays.

How is Cobra Mission? I still have an old diskette here at home and I haven't even begun to touch it.

Kumiko, it's unfortunate that EX didn't reply. Maybe they got too popular now? I remember talking to the webmaster (when he was a frequent visitor of one of my sites) back when he wasn't too popular. Well, they don't know what they're missing when they didn't reply to you.

Anyhoo, I gotta go get Graduation II. Hopefully it gets shipped here fast!

[This message has been edited by hentaineko (edited 11-15-2001).]

Man, you guys are lucky! I've got Metal & Lace, Dragon Knight III (Holy Robotech rewrite, Batman!), and Power Dolls, but never had the opportunity to play / obtain Cobra Mission.

#15

I thought Cobra Mission is interesting for an older game. (Although it took me awhile to get it to run correctly.) I mean, the graphics are older DOS stuff but not totally bad. The interactions with the various girls are interesting but took me awhile to figure out what the heck I was doing. (And the ‘point and pray’ approach can be annoying at times.) The most annoying part I think is that the fighting gets really old and repetitive after awhile. If anything, it really has me appreciative of how games have improved over the years.

#16

Because he said it's an RPG and he doesn't like RPGs. He hates battle systems and the like. He prefers the story-telling mode that most bishoujo games have.

Metal and Lace is also something he doesn't like to play because he doesn't like the hard controls of the fighting system.

I enjoyed both games though.

btw, Kumiko I have another question. Is emulation a form of piracy?

#17