HuneX Articles and News 5o5p24 Siliconera The secret level in the world of video game news. Wed, 19 Mar 2025 14:39:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://d3la0uqcqx40x5.cloudfront.net/wp-content/s/2021/04/cropped-cropped-favicon-new-270x270-1.jpg?fit=32%2C32 HuneX Articles and News 5o5p24 Siliconera 32 32 163913089 Vita Otome La storia della Arcana Famiglia 1n3s4b Rinato Heads to Switch, PC https://siliconera.cinevost.com/vita-otome-la-storia-della-arcana-famiglia-rinato-heads-to-switch-pc/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vita-otome-la-storia-della-arcana-famiglia-rinato-heads-to-switch-pc https://siliconera.cinevost.com/vita-otome-la-storia-della-arcana-famiglia-rinato-heads-to-switch-pc/#respond <![CDATA[Jenni Lada]]> Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +0000 <![CDATA[News]]> <![CDATA[Nintendo Switch]]> <![CDATA[PC]]> <![CDATA[PlayStation Vita]]> <![CDATA[PSP]]> <![CDATA[Comfort]]> <![CDATA[Dramatic Create]]> <![CDATA[Europe]]> <![CDATA[HuneX]]> <![CDATA[Japan]]> <![CDATA[La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato]]> <![CDATA[North America]]> https://siliconera.cinevost.com/?p=1085068 <![CDATA[

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Dramatic Create and HuneX announced the release date for its Switch port of one of the Comfort Arcana Famiglia otome games that originally appeared on the PSP and Vita in Japan. Arcana Famiglia: La storia della Arcana Famiglia Ancora will appear as La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato on the console on July 24, 2025. The official website noted a PC version is also on the way, but there’s no exact release window for it yet. 

The Arcana Famiglia otome games all deal with mafia stories and more battle-hardened love interests. In many cases, the heroine ends up being head of a gang or part of a “family.” That’s the case here. Your heroine is daughter of the Arcana Tarocco boss, and now that her father is stepping down he is looking for a successor. That could be her or one of his underlings. As you go through the adventure, your avatar can end up romancing Debito, Dante, Jolly, Liberta, Luca, Nova, and Pace. The story may sound familiar, as Sentai Filmworks released the anime adaptation La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia outside Japan.

Here’s the latest trailer for La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato, which does feature some English text as the full game will be available with English, Japanese, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese subtitles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVAZ94abDn4&ab_channel=dramaticcreate%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%AB

And the full list of voice actors is also available. While subtitles are available in multiple languages, only Japanese audio will be available.

  • Dante: Jurota Kosugi
  • Debito: Hiroyuki Yoshino
  • Jolly: Koji Yusa
  • Liberta: Jun Fukuyama
  • Luca: Yoichi Nakamura
  • Nova: Tsubasa Yonaga
  • Pace: Tomokazu Sugita

La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato will appear on the Switch on July 24, 2025, and a PC version of the otome game will be available as well. The title appeared on the PSP and Vita in Japan. The anime adaptation also appeared worldwide, but it doesn’t seem to be currently streaming anywhere.

The post Vita Otome La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato Heads to Switch, PC appeared first on Siliconera.

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<![CDATA[

Vita Otome La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato Heads to Switch, PC

Dramatic Create and HuneX announced the release date for its Switch port of one of the Comfort Arcana Famiglia otome games that originally appeared on the PSP and Vita in Japan. Arcana Famiglia: La storia della Arcana Famiglia Ancora will appear as La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato on the console on July 24, 2025. The official website noted a PC version is also on the way, but there’s no exact release window for it yet. 

The Arcana Famiglia otome games all deal with mafia stories and more battle-hardened love interests. In many cases, the heroine ends up being head of a gang or part of a “family.” That’s the case here. Your heroine is daughter of the Arcana Tarocco boss, and now that her father is stepping down he is looking for a successor. That could be her or one of his underlings. As you go through the adventure, your avatar can end up romancing Debito, Dante, Jolly, Liberta, Luca, Nova, and Pace. The story may sound familiar, as Sentai Filmworks released the anime adaptation La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia outside Japan.

Here’s the latest trailer for La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato, which does feature some English text as the full game will be available with English, Japanese, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese subtitles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVAZ94abDn4&ab_channel=dramaticcreate%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%AB

And the full list of voice actors is also available. While subtitles are available in multiple languages, only Japanese audio will be available.

  • Dante: Jurota Kosugi
  • Debito: Hiroyuki Yoshino
  • Jolly: Koji Yusa
  • Liberta: Jun Fukuyama
  • Luca: Yoichi Nakamura
  • Nova: Tsubasa Yonaga
  • Pace: Tomokazu Sugita

La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato will appear on the Switch on July 24, 2025, and a PC version of the otome game will be available as well. The title appeared on the PSP and Vita in Japan. The anime adaptation also appeared worldwide, but it doesn’t seem to be currently streaming anywhere.

The post Vita Otome La storia della Arcana Famiglia: Rinato Heads to Switch, PC appeared first on Siliconera.

]]>
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Review 6d26w Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Feels Like the Original Otome https://siliconera.cinevost.com/review-steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-feels-like-the-original-otome/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-feels-like-the-original-otome https://siliconera.cinevost.com/review-steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-feels-like-the-original-otome/#respond <![CDATA[Jenni Lada]]> Sun, 15 Dec 2024 17:00:00 +0000 <![CDATA[Featured]]> <![CDATA[Nintendo Switch]]> <![CDATA[PC]]> <![CDATA[Europe]]> <![CDATA[HuneX]]> <![CDATA[Japan]]> <![CDATA[MangaGamer]]> <![CDATA[North America]]> <![CDATA[Reviews]]> <![CDATA[Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam]]> https://siliconera.cinevost.com/?p=1068878 <![CDATA[

Review: Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Is Different Than the Original Otome

Fan disks for otome games are tricky things. The audience is both more limited and more picky. There are expectations that you’ll perhaps learn more things about characters you already love. You hope for opportunities to romance ones who didn’t get routes in the original. Basically, it’s building on a foundation. Which, in turn, limits who may be interested in the title. Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is a really well-done follow up in some ways, with a fascinating story, but I also can’t help but feel that it isn’t good at delivering when building on existing romances or finally romancing Sachsen. 

To begin with, Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam isn’t like fan disks for otome games like Virche Evermore -EpiC: Lycoris- or Radiant Tale: Fanfare. In both of those examples, you get additional epilogue stories set after the best endings of different character routes. There are also extra love interests, which in Radiant Tale: Fanfare’s case involved two pretty meaty stories for ing cast . With this Steam Prison follow-up, you basically get two paths, and there aren’t really individual, lengthy storylines for any love interest. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUYpeTsous0&ab_channel=MangaGamer

Cainabel Story builds off of the Grand Ending from the first game. If you’re coming to Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam without having the original otome game, then good news! There’s an option to go through a summary to find out what happened. Which I did, because I never actually went for that ending in the first game. I went for Adage and Eltcreed, then decided I was done. Because of that decision, our heroine Cyrus didn’t form the ties you’d expect with the love interests from the original game. (You can change her name, of course.) Since the events of the Grand Ending mean many of the issues present in society previously are absent, there’s no divide between people from the Heights like her or ones in the Depths. The new legislature also means people are working together and aren’t limited to who they can or can’t associate with. But since we didn’t get to meet (and romance) people then, we now get new chances to build relationships with characters like Adage, Eltcreed, Fin, Ulrik, Yune, Jevite, and Jereme. 

It’s a very well written and executed story! We’re getting to see people interact in different ways, which I appreciated. There’s also a focus on the investigation around Cainabel, the new area discovered after going through the Depths. I still enjoy Cyrus as a heroine, and the bachelors are interesting candidates for love. The art is also still quite fantastic, and I love the design direction for characters and how this really feels like a steampunk type of period piece. 

Image via HuneX and Manga Gamer

The downside is, Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam doesn’t feel as much like an otome game as the original. This isn’t completely unexpected. I had an idea this would happen going in, as Steam Prison was more about the story about the divide between the Heights and Depths, dealing with government and authority figures I don’t agree with, and getting to see different sides of the world’s society depending on who you had Cyrus pursue. In this fan disk, this is basically a single storyline with events for the love interest you like occasionally coming up at certain points. Said moments might not feel completely romantic. So it’s an expected sort of progression and approach, but I will it being a bit disappointed that there wasn’t the same weight and variety with separate routes and branching storylines based on who you choose to love.

The other main draw for Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is the new Sachsen route in A New Theory. I loved Sachsen in the original otome game. I wanted to date him. Unlike the other mode, this one follows the story from the first entry, but adjusts it so Sachsen is an option after Cyrus finds herself living in the depths. In some ways, it is exactly what I wanted! I appreciated the art and the characterization still remains great. However, it is shorter than those routes for love interests in that installment, while also feeling a bit rushed. The pacing is off, which affected my enjoyment of it and made me feel like I wasn’t getting to know him as well as I did other characters like Eltcreed. 

Oh, there’s also Petit Prison. It’s a minigame with the characters. You basically look at scenes and need to find what is different. It is fine, but I didn’t feel an urge to play it more than once.

The thing about Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is that going into it, you probably know this otome fan disk is going to be a lot like the original game. That means the romance won’t be a major focus, and a narrative getting into world building and perhaps making a difference in some ways will. The characterizations are on point, and it is fun to see familiar faces again. I just wish there had been more romance to it, with more fleshed out routes for characters, especially Sachsen since this is his moment.

Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is available for the Nintendo Switch and PC

The post Review: Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Feels Like the Original Otome appeared first on Siliconera.

]]>
<![CDATA[

Review: Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Is Different Than the Original Otome

Fan disks for otome games are tricky things. The audience is both more limited and more picky. There are expectations that you’ll perhaps learn more things about characters you already love. You hope for opportunities to romance ones who didn’t get routes in the original. Basically, it’s building on a foundation. Which, in turn, limits who may be interested in the title. Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is a really well-done follow up in some ways, with a fascinating story, but I also can’t help but feel that it isn’t good at delivering when building on existing romances or finally romancing Sachsen. 

To begin with, Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam isn’t like fan disks for otome games like Virche Evermore -EpiC: Lycoris- or Radiant Tale: Fanfare. In both of those examples, you get additional epilogue stories set after the best endings of different character routes. There are also extra love interests, which in Radiant Tale: Fanfare’s case involved two pretty meaty stories for ing cast . With this Steam Prison follow-up, you basically get two paths, and there aren’t really individual, lengthy storylines for any love interest. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUYpeTsous0&ab_channel=MangaGamer

Cainabel Story builds off of the Grand Ending from the first game. If you’re coming to Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam without having the original otome game, then good news! There’s an option to go through a summary to find out what happened. Which I did, because I never actually went for that ending in the first game. I went for Adage and Eltcreed, then decided I was done. Because of that decision, our heroine Cyrus didn’t form the ties you’d expect with the love interests from the original game. (You can change her name, of course.) Since the events of the Grand Ending mean many of the issues present in society previously are absent, there’s no divide between people from the Heights like her or ones in the Depths. The new legislature also means people are working together and aren’t limited to who they can or can’t associate with. But since we didn’t get to meet (and romance) people then, we now get new chances to build relationships with characters like Adage, Eltcreed, Fin, Ulrik, Yune, Jevite, and Jereme. 

It’s a very well written and executed story! We’re getting to see people interact in different ways, which I appreciated. There’s also a focus on the investigation around Cainabel, the new area discovered after going through the Depths. I still enjoy Cyrus as a heroine, and the bachelors are interesting candidates for love. The art is also still quite fantastic, and I love the design direction for characters and how this really feels like a steampunk type of period piece. 

Image via HuneX and Manga Gamer

The downside is, Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam doesn’t feel as much like an otome game as the original. This isn’t completely unexpected. I had an idea this would happen going in, as Steam Prison was more about the story about the divide between the Heights and Depths, dealing with government and authority figures I don’t agree with, and getting to see different sides of the world’s society depending on who you had Cyrus pursue. In this fan disk, this is basically a single storyline with events for the love interest you like occasionally coming up at certain points. Said moments might not feel completely romantic. So it’s an expected sort of progression and approach, but I will it being a bit disappointed that there wasn’t the same weight and variety with separate routes and branching storylines based on who you choose to love.

The other main draw for Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is the new Sachsen route in A New Theory. I loved Sachsen in the original otome game. I wanted to date him. Unlike the other mode, this one follows the story from the first entry, but adjusts it so Sachsen is an option after Cyrus finds herself living in the depths. In some ways, it is exactly what I wanted! I appreciated the art and the characterization still remains great. However, it is shorter than those routes for love interests in that installment, while also feeling a bit rushed. The pacing is off, which affected my enjoyment of it and made me feel like I wasn’t getting to know him as well as I did other characters like Eltcreed. 

Oh, there’s also Petit Prison. It’s a minigame with the characters. You basically look at scenes and need to find what is different. It is fine, but I didn’t feel an urge to play it more than once.

The thing about Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is that going into it, you probably know this otome fan disk is going to be a lot like the original game. That means the romance won’t be a major focus, and a narrative getting into world building and perhaps making a difference in some ways will. The characterizations are on point, and it is fun to see familiar faces again. I just wish there had been more romance to it, with more fleshed out routes for characters, especially Sachsen since this is his moment.

Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is available for the Nintendo Switch and PC

The post Review: Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Feels Like the Original Otome appeared first on Siliconera.

]]>
https://siliconera.cinevost.com/review-steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-feels-like-the-original-otome/feed/ 0 1068878
Review 6d26w Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon’s Worth the Wait https://siliconera.cinevost.com/review-tsukihime-a-piece-of-blue-glass-moons-worth-the-wait/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-tsukihime-a-piece-of-blue-glass-moons-worth-the-wait https://siliconera.cinevost.com/review-tsukihime-a-piece-of-blue-glass-moons-worth-the-wait/#respond <![CDATA[Stephanie Liu]]> Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:01:00 +0000 <![CDATA[Featured]]> <![CDATA[Nintendo Switch]]> <![CDATA[PlayStation 4]]> <![CDATA[Aniplex]]> <![CDATA[Asia]]> <![CDATA[Europe]]> <![CDATA[HuneX]]> <![CDATA[Japan]]> <![CDATA[North America]]> <![CDATA[Reviews]]> <![CDATA[Tsukihime Remake]]> <![CDATA[Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon]]> <![CDATA[Type Moon]]> https://siliconera.cinevost.com/?p=1038741 <![CDATA[

tsukihime remake review header

Reading through Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon, with its colorful cast of characters and intriguing story, serves as an unforgettable experience for veterans and newcomers to Type-Moon games. Though it does not tell the complete story of Tsukihime, due to missing the Far Side routes that focus a lot more on the Tohno mansion, it still provides a hefty amount of action and romance to bite into.

tsukihime remake opening
Image via ufotable, Type-Moon

The plot of Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon follows Shiki Tohno, whose family disowned him seven years prior to the main story after suffering through a near-fatal accident. Among the aftereffects is his ability to see “lines” that exist in the world and even on people. Cutting through these lines, even with something as dull as a plastic knife, can cause them to break apart. Thankfully, young Shiki received a pair of glasses that prevented him from seeing the lines in his day-to-day life. Since then, he managed to live as an ordinary student. That is, until his family called him back to the Tohno mansion following the death of his father.

However, a chance encounter with a mysterious woman—Arcueid—on the street pulls Shiki into the supernatural conflicts that are occurring in his city, yet outside of the perception of ordinary people. For example, the serial killer murdering hapless women and draining their blood every night is actually a vampire,. Meanwhile, another vampire is in pursuit of them. People he thought were normal civilians—including himself—have a hidden connection to these magical beings and wars. It’s everything that you might expect from this genre of urban fantasy, though with a horror bent to it.

For reference, I did not play the original game myself. I watched my friend play through Tsukihime as a kid, though the language barrier prevented me from understanding it. I knew the general gist of it after getting into Type-Moon thanks to online translations, as well as the anime. So because of that, I couldn’t tell which parts of the story were from the original and which were new additions. I could tell that scenes with the new characters were new (of course), as were references to more modern technology or media that didn’t exist back in 2000. Personally, I didn’t find the addition of the new characters to be very jarring. They fit into the overall lore and story very well. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d be under the impression they've always existed in Tsukihime.

tsukihime remake a piece of blue glass moon ciel
Screenshot by Siliconera

I personally really liked the story in Tsukihime! It feels like a good look at the Nasuverse as a whole, especially compared to more contained stories like Witch on the Holy Night. The chemistry between the characters was really nice, though I enjoyed Ciel’s route more than Arcueid’s. I was hard-pressed to really dislike characters, but I found Arach the least tolerable. Her voice actress (Mamiko Noto) did a great job portraying her. But the combination of her character design, her way of talking, and her word choices were pretty vile. Speaking of Arach, her design really drew my attention to the way that some of the female characters’ breasts are drawn. Their apparent lack of a bra at times was distracting and not in a good way. I’m sure it’s meant to titillate male players, but as someone with breasts, I kept thinking, “They don’t work like that!”

As for the gameplay, it's a visual novel with several routes and endings. At times, you'll need to choose between several options. You can check back at any time in the flowchart what you chose at certain scenes. Some scenes have prerequisites. For example, you need to make Mio scold you when you're with Ciel on the train to unlock another event later. Some endings might lead you to a dead end, in which case a humorous section with Miss Ciel and Neco-Arc will help you figure out what you needed to do instead. Of course, you could also be like me and kill Shiki on purpose in order to see more of this comedy duo. It added a level of replayability that I appreciated, since it was fun to explore and look for the different possibitilies and conversations.

oshiete miss ciel tsukihime remake a piece of blue glass moon
Screenshot by Siliconera

In my review for Witch on the Holy Night, I noted that while the game’s presentation and story were fantastic, the localization felt rushed. That issue does not persist in Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon. There are barely any typos or unnatural phrasing, barring ones that people would expect from Nasu’s writing. It definitely felt like the localization team gave the translators and editors more time to perfect the translation, and the end result was worth it. Even without the kinetic format of the visual novel, it was easy to lose myself in the snappy conversations, poetic descriptions, and heart-pounding action.

This isn’t anything to do with the localization team, as I believe that the Japanese version did the same thing, but something to watch out for is in the prologue. To convey the confusion and trauma of the scene, the voice over and the text that appears on screen don’t match up. I think this is on purpose in order to show how jumbled the character’s thoughts are. However, there aren’t any translations that appear for the voice-over. Unfortunately, no one has posted a Let’s Play of the remake version of Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon and I can’t go back to check the prologue even after starting a new game. So I can’t double check what the text on screen was in Japanese.

tsukihime remake a piece of blue glass moon text
Screenshot by Siliconera

The one thing that I think Witch on the Holy Night did better is accessibility. Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon was not an easy read at times. In comparing my screenshots with Witch on the Holy Night, the backgrounds and characters felt more transparent. So when the text appeared over the artwork, it was legible without much strain. In docked mode, sometimes the text would meld into the backgrounds or characters. It's much better in handheld mode. Either they need to make the screen between the text and the artwork more opaque, or they need to raise the transparency on the artwork when there’s text above it. Hopefully this is an issue unique to the Switch; it would be dreadful if PS4 players have to just deal with it on a bigger screen.

Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon is a great entry game for new Type-Moon fans and a fantastic remake for old ones. Though players can dive right in without A Witch on the Holy Night, I do recommend playing that one first if you haven’t! It helps to further your understanding of the story and world. The explanations and narration from Shiki’s point of view make it a really easy story to digest, as new fans of Nasu’s works might feel daunted by how complex the in-universe systems can be. The magic of Nasuverse is on full display in this beautiful remake, and it’s my new recommendation for those who want an action-packed visual novel.

Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon will come out for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch on June 27, 2024.

The post Review: Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon’s Worth the Wait appeared first on Siliconera.

]]>
<![CDATA[

tsukihime remake review header

Reading through Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon, with its colorful cast of characters and intriguing story, serves as an unforgettable experience for veterans and newcomers to Type-Moon games. Though it does not tell the complete story of Tsukihime, due to missing the Far Side routes that focus a lot more on the Tohno mansion, it still provides a hefty amount of action and romance to bite into.

tsukihime remake opening
Image via ufotable, Type-Moon

The plot of Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon follows Shiki Tohno, whose family disowned him seven years prior to the main story after suffering through a near-fatal accident. Among the aftereffects is his ability to see “lines” that exist in the world and even on people. Cutting through these lines, even with something as dull as a plastic knife, can cause them to break apart. Thankfully, young Shiki received a pair of glasses that prevented him from seeing the lines in his day-to-day life. Since then, he managed to live as an ordinary student. That is, until his family called him back to the Tohno mansion following the death of his father.

However, a chance encounter with a mysterious woman—Arcueid—on the street pulls Shiki into the supernatural conflicts that are occurring in his city, yet outside of the perception of ordinary people. For example, the serial killer murdering hapless women and draining their blood every night is actually a vampire,. Meanwhile, another vampire is in pursuit of them. People he thought were normal civilians—including himself—have a hidden connection to these magical beings and wars. It’s everything that you might expect from this genre of urban fantasy, though with a horror bent to it.

For reference, I did not play the original game myself. I watched my friend play through Tsukihime as a kid, though the language barrier prevented me from understanding it. I knew the general gist of it after getting into Type-Moon thanks to online translations, as well as the anime. So because of that, I couldn’t tell which parts of the story were from the original and which were new additions. I could tell that scenes with the new characters were new (of course), as were references to more modern technology or media that didn’t exist back in 2000. Personally, I didn’t find the addition of the new characters to be very jarring. They fit into the overall lore and story very well. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d be under the impression they've always existed in Tsukihime.

tsukihime remake a piece of blue glass moon ciel
Screenshot by Siliconera

I personally really liked the story in Tsukihime! It feels like a good look at the Nasuverse as a whole, especially compared to more contained stories like Witch on the Holy Night. The chemistry between the characters was really nice, though I enjoyed Ciel’s route more than Arcueid’s. I was hard-pressed to really dislike characters, but I found Arach the least tolerable. Her voice actress (Mamiko Noto) did a great job portraying her. But the combination of her character design, her way of talking, and her word choices were pretty vile. Speaking of Arach, her design really drew my attention to the way that some of the female characters’ breasts are drawn. Their apparent lack of a bra at times was distracting and not in a good way. I’m sure it’s meant to titillate male players, but as someone with breasts, I kept thinking, “They don’t work like that!”

As for the gameplay, it's a visual novel with several routes and endings. At times, you'll need to choose between several options. You can check back at any time in the flowchart what you chose at certain scenes. Some scenes have prerequisites. For example, you need to make Mio scold you when you're with Ciel on the train to unlock another event later. Some endings might lead you to a dead end, in which case a humorous section with Miss Ciel and Neco-Arc will help you figure out what you needed to do instead. Of course, you could also be like me and kill Shiki on purpose in order to see more of this comedy duo. It added a level of replayability that I appreciated, since it was fun to explore and look for the different possibitilies and conversations.

oshiete miss ciel tsukihime remake a piece of blue glass moon
Screenshot by Siliconera

In my review for Witch on the Holy Night, I noted that while the game’s presentation and story were fantastic, the localization felt rushed. That issue does not persist in Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon. There are barely any typos or unnatural phrasing, barring ones that people would expect from Nasu’s writing. It definitely felt like the localization team gave the translators and editors more time to perfect the translation, and the end result was worth it. Even without the kinetic format of the visual novel, it was easy to lose myself in the snappy conversations, poetic descriptions, and heart-pounding action.

This isn’t anything to do with the localization team, as I believe that the Japanese version did the same thing, but something to watch out for is in the prologue. To convey the confusion and trauma of the scene, the voice over and the text that appears on screen don’t match up. I think this is on purpose in order to show how jumbled the character’s thoughts are. However, there aren’t any translations that appear for the voice-over. Unfortunately, no one has posted a Let’s Play of the remake version of Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon and I can’t go back to check the prologue even after starting a new game. So I can’t double check what the text on screen was in Japanese.

tsukihime remake a piece of blue glass moon text
Screenshot by Siliconera

The one thing that I think Witch on the Holy Night did better is accessibility. Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon was not an easy read at times. In comparing my screenshots with Witch on the Holy Night, the backgrounds and characters felt more transparent. So when the text appeared over the artwork, it was legible without much strain. In docked mode, sometimes the text would meld into the backgrounds or characters. It's much better in handheld mode. Either they need to make the screen between the text and the artwork more opaque, or they need to raise the transparency on the artwork when there’s text above it. Hopefully this is an issue unique to the Switch; it would be dreadful if PS4 players have to just deal with it on a bigger screen.

Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon is a great entry game for new Type-Moon fans and a fantastic remake for old ones. Though players can dive right in without A Witch on the Holy Night, I do recommend playing that one first if you haven’t! It helps to further your understanding of the story and world. The explanations and narration from Shiki’s point of view make it a really easy story to digest, as new fans of Nasu’s works might feel daunted by how complex the in-universe systems can be. The magic of Nasuverse is on full display in this beautiful remake, and it’s my new recommendation for those who want an action-packed visual novel.

Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon will come out for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch on June 27, 2024.

The post Review: Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon’s Worth the Wait appeared first on Siliconera.

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New MangaGamer Otome Game Is Steam Prison b4v3q Beyond the Steam Fan Disk https://siliconera.cinevost.com/new-mangagamer-otome-game-is-steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-fan-disk/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-mangagamer-otome-game-is-steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-fan-disk https://siliconera.cinevost.com/new-mangagamer-otome-game-is-steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-fan-disk/#respond <![CDATA[Jenni Lada]]> Sat, 18 May 2024 01:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[News]]> <![CDATA[Nintendo Switch]]> <![CDATA[PC]]> <![CDATA[Europe]]> <![CDATA[HuneX]]> <![CDATA[Japan]]> <![CDATA[MangaGamer]]> <![CDATA[North America]]> <![CDATA[Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam]]> https://siliconera.cinevost.com/?p=1029949 <![CDATA[

New MangaGamer Otome Game Is Steam Prison_ Beyond the Steam Fan Disk

MangaGamer announced that it picked up another otome game at Anime Central 2024, and this time it is the fan disk Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam. It is expected to release in 2024, and it will come to the Switch and PC.

We already knew the next entry in the series was on the way. HuneX revealed it back in December 2023. It also confirmed a 2024 launch window, but didn’t mention any additional details. No platforms were confirmed either The Anime Central reveal confirmed it will release simultaneously worldwide in Japanese and English. 

More details about the game came up. In addition to epilogues between Cyrus and existing characters, there will be new love interests. The three additional bachelors will be found in the Cainabel Story and A New Theory storylines.

MangaGamer previously acted as the publisher for the PC version of the original Steam Prison visual novel. However, HuneX self-published the Nintendo Switch version on the eShop

MangaGamer and HuneX will release Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam on the Switch and PC in 2024, and the original otome game is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide. Steam Prison is also on the PlayStation Vita in Japan.

The post New MangaGamer Otome Game Is Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Fan Disk appeared first on Siliconera.

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<![CDATA[

New MangaGamer Otome Game Is Steam Prison_ Beyond the Steam Fan Disk

MangaGamer announced that it picked up another otome game at Anime Central 2024, and this time it is the fan disk Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam. It is expected to release in 2024, and it will come to the Switch and PC.

We already knew the next entry in the series was on the way. HuneX revealed it back in December 2023. It also confirmed a 2024 launch window, but didn’t mention any additional details. No platforms were confirmed either The Anime Central reveal confirmed it will release simultaneously worldwide in Japanese and English. 

More details about the game came up. In addition to epilogues between Cyrus and existing characters, there will be new love interests. The three additional bachelors will be found in the Cainabel Story and A New Theory storylines.

MangaGamer previously acted as the publisher for the PC version of the original Steam Prison visual novel. However, HuneX self-published the Nintendo Switch version on the eShop

MangaGamer and HuneX will release Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam on the Switch and PC in 2024, and the original otome game is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide. Steam Prison is also on the PlayStation Vita in Japan.

The post New MangaGamer Otome Game Is Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Fan Disk appeared first on Siliconera.

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Of the Red 55y1b the Light, and the Ayakashi Is a Flawed Beauty https://siliconera.cinevost.com/of-the-red-the-light-and-the-ayakashi-is-a-flawed-beauty/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=of-the-red-the-light-and-the-ayakashi-is-a-flawed-beauty https://siliconera.cinevost.com/of-the-red-the-light-and-the-ayakashi-is-a-flawed-beauty/#respond <![CDATA[Jenni Lada]]> Sat, 16 Mar 2024 19:00:00 +0000 <![CDATA[Featured]]> <![CDATA[Nintendo Switch]]> <![CDATA[PC]]> <![CDATA[Dramatic Create]]> <![CDATA[Europe]]> <![CDATA[HuneX]]> <![CDATA[Japan]]> <![CDATA[North America]]> <![CDATA[Of the Red the Light and the Ayakashi]]> <![CDATA[Playtests]]> https://siliconera.cinevost.com/?p=1018477 <![CDATA[

Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi Is a Flawed Beauty

Sometimes, I’ll go into a game incredibly excited about the experience and will find myself adoring elements of it, even if it’s incredibly broken. Like there can be so much potential there. It makes me want to let people know about it, as well as warn about the issues, but in a way that doesn’t put someone entirely off exploring it. HaccaWorks, HuneX and Dramatic Create’s visual novel Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi is the ideal example. It’s captivating, but boy is the official English release a mess. 

While Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi, also known as AkaAka, is relatively well-known in Japan, it isn’t as prominent in other regions. Yen Press picked up the manga adaptation years ago, but the original PC and PSP games remained trapped in Japan. It’s only because of HuneX and Dramatic Create that it is out now on the Switch and PC worldwide. It’s a fact I want to note I appreciate going in, since this over 10 year old game is something special, even though people who hop into it right after launch will experience issues. 

Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi begins with the sense that something isn’t quite right. A young man, who we will come to know is named Yue, is met by someone in a fox mask. It’s a fleeting moment, before we see he’s heading down to a town for the first time accompanied by a talking black fox yokai named Kurogitsune. There’s a festival, and they’re sneaking away together to attend even though Yue’s exclusively lived at a shrine to a goddess named Mikoto his whole life and never given forbidden to leave. They’re on the precipice of leaving what might be considered “normal” and “safe” for Yue and engaging in acts that will change his life forever.

It’s an ominous moment, exemplified by art creating an incredible atmosphere. And, while the translation and localization ranges from adequate to bad, there are some lines that still really hit hard. It pushes the otherworldly and mysterious nature of everything. For example, in the opening moments when Yue and Kurogitsune are heading down from the shrine to the festival to enjoy the festivities and get something to eat, Yue says, “…It’s almost time for our meal.”

This is foreshadowing, as much of the early hours finds the shrine residents who know much more than Yue, goddess Mikoto and Master Sato, referencing an “meal” for Yue and if it is the right time for him to take part. Clearly, it is some sort of ritual. However, the fact that he’s clearly an outsider compared to the yokai at the shrine, and he’s being tasked with befriending human young men named Togo Tsubaki and Akiyoshi Tochika immediately sets the reader on edge. Why? What is the meal? Why these two young men? Who is Yue? What is going on?

It’s also helped by the fact that the town itself seems awry and wrong. The shrine seems far more normal, welcoming, and homey, compared to the way things seem off. All humans are depicted as fox-like shadows, to set them apart as others. The color schemes, such as the purple skies, suggest something could be off here. Couple that with the strange encounters and rumors, and clearly there are many mysteries that a patient reader could uncover. 

Plus, the bonds between Yue, Kurogitsune, Tsubaki, and Tochika genuinely are fun to watch develop. Yue and Kurogitsune are immediately such a great pair, with their natures being so different. However, even so, there is clear affection between them, with one of the first choices a player can make being to make Yue stand up and protect Kurogitsune after the fox yokai was willing to sacrifice himself and take a punishment entirely to protect him. But Tsubaki and Tochika are also interesting in their own rights, and I loved watching these bonds develop among all of them. (Note that for those curious, there is no romance here.)

But now that I have raved about some elements of Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi, I do have to issue that warning. As I mentioned earlier, the localization isn’t great! Even at parts where the idea is conveyed properly, it can be awkwardly phrased. The formatting means phrases are arranged oddly in the text boxes. But the greatest failing of all is that there are some parts of the English version of the game that just… aren’t translated. You can be reading along and suddenly only see Japanese text instead. 

Here’s an example. 

https://twitter.com/JMariye/status/1768372682146607383

Considering the game is being sold for $59.99 on Steam and $50.13 on the eShop, it’s clearly an issue.

So Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi is a game that leaves me feeling split. It’s a well-told, fascinating story with interesting characters and incredible art. I love that HuneX and Dramatic Create took the chance on the HaccaWorks title so we can play it worldwide. I just wish the execution was better so people could appreciate it. Perhaps in a few patches, we’ll see the situation surrounding it improve. Even if the localization doesn’t, perhaps it will have English throughout and not sudden spots where it is suddenly in Japanese again. If so, it could be a value piece of visual novel history for folks who enjoy the genre.

Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide. It is on the PC and PSP in Japan. All volumes of the manga appeared outside Japan via Yen Press.

The post Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi Is a Flawed Beauty appeared first on Siliconera.

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<![CDATA[

Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi Is a Flawed Beauty

Sometimes, I’ll go into a game incredibly excited about the experience and will find myself adoring elements of it, even if it’s incredibly broken. Like there can be so much potential there. It makes me want to let people know about it, as well as warn about the issues, but in a way that doesn’t put someone entirely off exploring it. HaccaWorks, HuneX and Dramatic Create’s visual novel Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi is the ideal example. It’s captivating, but boy is the official English release a mess. 

While Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi, also known as AkaAka, is relatively well-known in Japan, it isn’t as prominent in other regions. Yen Press picked up the manga adaptation years ago, but the original PC and PSP games remained trapped in Japan. It’s only because of HuneX and Dramatic Create that it is out now on the Switch and PC worldwide. It’s a fact I want to note I appreciate going in, since this over 10 year old game is something special, even though people who hop into it right after launch will experience issues. 

Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi begins with the sense that something isn’t quite right. A young man, who we will come to know is named Yue, is met by someone in a fox mask. It’s a fleeting moment, before we see he’s heading down to a town for the first time accompanied by a talking black fox yokai named Kurogitsune. There’s a festival, and they’re sneaking away together to attend even though Yue’s exclusively lived at a shrine to a goddess named Mikoto his whole life and never given forbidden to leave. They’re on the precipice of leaving what might be considered “normal” and “safe” for Yue and engaging in acts that will change his life forever.

It’s an ominous moment, exemplified by art creating an incredible atmosphere. And, while the translation and localization ranges from adequate to bad, there are some lines that still really hit hard. It pushes the otherworldly and mysterious nature of everything. For example, in the opening moments when Yue and Kurogitsune are heading down from the shrine to the festival to enjoy the festivities and get something to eat, Yue says, “…It’s almost time for our meal.”

This is foreshadowing, as much of the early hours finds the shrine residents who know much more than Yue, goddess Mikoto and Master Sato, referencing an “meal” for Yue and if it is the right time for him to take part. Clearly, it is some sort of ritual. However, the fact that he’s clearly an outsider compared to the yokai at the shrine, and he’s being tasked with befriending human young men named Togo Tsubaki and Akiyoshi Tochika immediately sets the reader on edge. Why? What is the meal? Why these two young men? Who is Yue? What is going on?

It’s also helped by the fact that the town itself seems awry and wrong. The shrine seems far more normal, welcoming, and homey, compared to the way things seem off. All humans are depicted as fox-like shadows, to set them apart as others. The color schemes, such as the purple skies, suggest something could be off here. Couple that with the strange encounters and rumors, and clearly there are many mysteries that a patient reader could uncover. 

Plus, the bonds between Yue, Kurogitsune, Tsubaki, and Tochika genuinely are fun to watch develop. Yue and Kurogitsune are immediately such a great pair, with their natures being so different. However, even so, there is clear affection between them, with one of the first choices a player can make being to make Yue stand up and protect Kurogitsune after the fox yokai was willing to sacrifice himself and take a punishment entirely to protect him. But Tsubaki and Tochika are also interesting in their own rights, and I loved watching these bonds develop among all of them. (Note that for those curious, there is no romance here.)

But now that I have raved about some elements of Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi, I do have to issue that warning. As I mentioned earlier, the localization isn’t great! Even at parts where the idea is conveyed properly, it can be awkwardly phrased. The formatting means phrases are arranged oddly in the text boxes. But the greatest failing of all is that there are some parts of the English version of the game that just… aren’t translated. You can be reading along and suddenly only see Japanese text instead. 

Here’s an example. 

https://twitter.com/JMariye/status/1768372682146607383

Considering the game is being sold for $59.99 on Steam and $50.13 on the eShop, it’s clearly an issue.

So Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi is a game that leaves me feeling split. It’s a well-told, fascinating story with interesting characters and incredible art. I love that HuneX and Dramatic Create took the chance on the HaccaWorks title so we can play it worldwide. I just wish the execution was better so people could appreciate it. Perhaps in a few patches, we’ll see the situation surrounding it improve. Even if the localization doesn’t, perhaps it will have English throughout and not sudden spots where it is suddenly in Japanese again. If so, it could be a value piece of visual novel history for folks who enjoy the genre.

Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide. It is on the PC and PSP in Japan. All volumes of the manga appeared outside Japan via Yen Press.

The post Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi Is a Flawed Beauty appeared first on Siliconera.

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Steam Prison 2g6z29 Beyond the Steam Otome Game Fan Disk in Development https://siliconera.cinevost.com/steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-otome-game-fan-disk-in-development/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-otome-game-fan-disk-in-development https://siliconera.cinevost.com/steam-prison-beyond-the-steam-otome-game-fan-disk-in-development/#respond <![CDATA[Jenni Lada]]> Fri, 15 Dec 2023 19:30:00 +0000 <![CDATA[News]]> <![CDATA[PC]]> <![CDATA[Europe]]> <![CDATA[HuneX]]> <![CDATA[Japan]]> <![CDATA[North America]]> <![CDATA[Steam Prison]]> <![CDATA[Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam]]> https://siliconera.cinevost.com/?p=1002748 <![CDATA[

Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Otome Game Fan Disk in Development

HuneX announced a follow up to the otome game Steam Prison, called Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam, is in development. No platforms were mentioned, but it appeared on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide in 2024.

The reveal included a look at the new design for Cyrus Tistella, the game’s heroine. It takes place after the events and will allow people to see what happened further between her and Adage, Eltcreed, Fin, Ines, Ulrik, and Yune and the game’s world. The announcement did confirm that it follows the “best” canon ending from the original game.

Here’s the reveal. It reminds people that the original Steam Prison otome game debuted on PCs in 2016 in Japan. MangaGamer handled the PC worldwide release in 2019. A Vita version launched in Japan in 2017. However, it wasn’t until 2021 that the game appeared on the Nintendo Switch eShop worldwide.

https://twitter.com/HuneX_info_EN/status/1735676336415379650

For those unfamiliar, the game is set in a world where there is an upper and lower part of the city, with certain people condemned to harsher lives in the Depths while others live in the Heights. Cyrus grew up in the Heights in a pampered life with servants, and she’s a police officer. However, after being framed for murder, she’s sentenced to life in the depths. This leads to more revelations about the world and what happened, as well as a chance to find love with one of the men she meets.

Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is in development. Steam Prison is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC, as well as the Vita in Japan.

The post Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Otome Game Fan Disk in Development appeared first on Siliconera.

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Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Otome Game Fan Disk in Development

HuneX announced a follow up to the otome game Steam Prison, called Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam, is in development. No platforms were mentioned, but it appeared on the Nintendo Switch and PC worldwide in 2024.

The reveal included a look at the new design for Cyrus Tistella, the game’s heroine. It takes place after the events and will allow people to see what happened further between her and Adage, Eltcreed, Fin, Ines, Ulrik, and Yune and the game’s world. The announcement did confirm that it follows the “best” canon ending from the original game.

Here’s the reveal. It reminds people that the original Steam Prison otome game debuted on PCs in 2016 in Japan. MangaGamer handled the PC worldwide release in 2019. A Vita version launched in Japan in 2017. However, it wasn’t until 2021 that the game appeared on the Nintendo Switch eShop worldwide.

https://twitter.com/HuneX_info_EN/status/1735676336415379650

For those unfamiliar, the game is set in a world where there is an upper and lower part of the city, with certain people condemned to harsher lives in the Depths while others live in the Heights. Cyrus grew up in the Heights in a pampered life with servants, and she’s a police officer. However, after being framed for murder, she’s sentenced to life in the depths. This leads to more revelations about the world and what happened, as well as a chance to find love with one of the men she meets.

Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam is in development. Steam Prison is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC, as well as the Vita in Japan.

The post Steam Prison: Beyond the Steam Otome Game Fan Disk in Development appeared first on Siliconera.

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Switch Otome Game Hana Awase New Moon Also Features Hanafuda 103g6a https://siliconera.cinevost.com/switch-otome-game-hana-awase-new-moon-also-features-hanafuda/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=switch-otome-game-hana-awase-new-moon-also-features-hanafuda https://siliconera.cinevost.com/switch-otome-game-hana-awase-new-moon-also-features-hanafuda/#respond <![CDATA[Jenni Lada]]> Fri, 02 Jun 2023 23:00:56 +0000 <![CDATA[News]]> <![CDATA[Nintendo Switch]]> <![CDATA[Dramatic Create]]> <![CDATA[Europe]]> <![CDATA[Hana Awase New Moon]]> <![CDATA[HuneX]]> <![CDATA[Japan]]> <![CDATA[North America]]> https://siliconera.cinevost.com/?p=966331 <![CDATA[

Switch Otome Game Hana Awase New Moon Also Features Hanafuda

HuneX announced its next Switch otome game to appear in English will be Hana Awase New Moon. This entry is unique, as it originally appeared as four games in Japan. In addition to the visual novel elements, it also features Hanafuda card games.

In Hana Awase New Moon, people follow Mikoto as she gets acquainted with young men attending the Kasen National Academy. They’re the best players of the game and able to use special powers while playing. The Switch release includes a new Karabeni/Utsuku Volume story starring the two characters and Mikoto. It also includes English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese subtitle options in addition to Japanese.

There’s also an initial trailer for this Switch otome game. However, rather than showing off how the Hanafuda elements will work, it mainly focuses on showing the love interests Himeutsugi, Iroha, Karakurenai, Mizuchi, and Utsutsu while the theme song “Wheel of Fortune” plays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4E55jACoG4&ab_channel=dramaticcreate%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%AB

A few screenshots are available that show how both the visual novel and Hanafuda elements work in-game.

HuneX has gotten in the habit of making its Switch otome games more widely available. For example, it recently released Crimson Flower That Divides: Lunar Coupling worldwide in 2023.

Hana Awase New Moon will come to the Nintendo Switch on October 26, 2023. The games in this release also appeared on the PC in Japan.

The post Switch Otome Game Hana Awase New Moon Also Features Hanafuda appeared first on Siliconera.

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<![CDATA[

Switch Otome Game Hana Awase New Moon Also Features Hanafuda

HuneX announced its next Switch otome game to appear in English will be Hana Awase New Moon. This entry is unique, as it originally appeared as four games in Japan. In addition to the visual novel elements, it also features Hanafuda card games. In Hana Awase New Moon, people follow Mikoto as she gets acquainted with young men attending the Kasen National Academy. They’re the best players of the game and able to use special powers while playing. The Switch release includes a new Karabeni/Utsuku Volume story starring the two characters and Mikoto. It also includes English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese subtitle options in addition to Japanese. There’s also an initial trailer for this Switch otome game. However, rather than showing off how the Hanafuda elements will work, it mainly focuses on showing the love interests Himeutsugi, Iroha, Karakurenai, Mizuchi, and Utsutsu while the theme song “Wheel of Fortune” plays. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4E55jACoG4&ab_channel=dramaticcreate%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%AB A few screenshots are available that show how both the visual novel and Hanafuda elements work in-game. HuneX has gotten in the habit of making its Switch otome games more widely available. For example, it recently released Crimson Flower That Divides: Lunar Coupling worldwide in 2023. Hana Awase New Moon will come to the Nintendo Switch on October 26, 2023. The games in this release also appeared on the PC in Japan.

The post Switch Otome Game Hana Awase New Moon Also Features Hanafuda appeared first on Siliconera.

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Review 6d26w Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling https://siliconera.cinevost.com/review-love-is-traumatic-in-the-crimson-flower-that-divides-lunar-coupling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-love-is-traumatic-in-the-crimson-flower-that-divides-lunar-coupling https://siliconera.cinevost.com/review-love-is-traumatic-in-the-crimson-flower-that-divides-lunar-coupling/#respond <![CDATA[Jenni Lada]]> Thu, 23 Feb 2023 20:00:58 +0000 <![CDATA[Featured]]> <![CDATA[Nintendo Switch]]> <![CDATA[Dramatic Create]]> <![CDATA[Europe]]> <![CDATA[HuneX]]> <![CDATA[Japan]]> <![CDATA[North America]]> <![CDATA[Operetta Due]]> <![CDATA[Reviews]]> <![CDATA[The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling]]> https://siliconera.cinevost.com/?p=952414 <![CDATA[

Review: Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling

There’s a line in a Taylor Swift song that goes, “Boys only want love if it’s torture.” Well, given the nature of some otome games, it seems a concept that could be true of anyone. Certainly, it would apply to people who would pick up The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling. This Switch otome game is the first port of a mature title that appeared on platforms like the PC, PSP, and Vita in Japan. Granted, this release cuts out the “adult” imagery, but keeps the mature connotations and sexual overtones.

As you’d expect from a dystopian romance filled with constant mental and physical trauma, The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling gets dark! People who’ve experienced sexual or physical assault would very likely be triggered by many of the situations in its routes! However, while it is constantly assailing the player with the prospect of terrifying situations, there’s are some redeemable elements. Localization issues aside, I found myself caught up in the stories it told, loving its strong, incredible heroine, and genuinely feeling for a few of the men and women I’d meet over the course of the game.

The Crimson Flower That Divides: Lunar Coupling

While The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling is a romantic visual novel, it often gets quite political as well. Set in a besieged by a plague known as The Rot, most women catch, then die, from the disease. Few survive. Those who manage to avoid it are fought over by nations, in the hopes of actually managing to continue to survive. After the heroine Naala’s father died, her mother was taken by men from the country of Nasla. Naala, the only known woman to survive the affliction, was hidden away and saved. The Rus royal family took her in, and she was raised knowing she’d be the wife of its king, Auri.

Naala grew up molded by this experience. She’s fought alongside the men of Rus, becoming as strong an archer and swordswoman as them. So when Nasla attacks the Rus royal city and she realizes her two dear friends Shalanna and Shalu are in the district under assault, she leaves the security of the palace to fight for them. And, to be fair, she does beat back the Naslan soldiers! She seems to buys them time to escape! However, she’s caught in the process. So her and the captured women, as well as her friends, find themselves in the Nasla capital. There, they find it is a country with so few women they need to raid other villages, but have adopted a mentality that “Women Choose Their Husbands.” Naala now must adjust to life there, see if she can find freedom and happy endings for the Rus women, and perhaps find a love of her own.

Review: Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling

In of gameplay, The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling is a very straightforward visual novel and Switch otome. As you go through the story, you’ll occasionally get the chance to choose responses that shape the course of the story. There’s no menu option to see how high a relationship is with one of the bachelors. However, you can turn on an indicator to get a visual signal showing when a response favors a certain character. The story primarily focuses on Naala and is seen from her perspective. However, there are some chapters in which love interests take the lead to show their point of view. Given the antagonistic nature of some, like Suren and Nohl, this is to their benefit and show that they may not be exactly who you expect. (Conversely, it also shows that what another love interest is saying and presenting might not be as accurate.)

You also have an array of love interests. Unfortunately, there's some gatekeeping. Certain routes are locked behind others. So say you want to romance Nalan. Well, you'll also always first have to get onto Suren's route, which gets dark. It's unfortunate, as it forces a player to go through circumstances they might want to avoid or interact with characters they don't care about.

Review: Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling

It’s generally sound and effective. However, translation issues abound. I happened across incorrect spellings. There’s some awkward phrasing at times. However, the biggest problem is when the came can’t decide whether one character’s name is “Nalan” or “Naran.” I also happened upon a bug a few times which resulting in the background image being “off” by almost an inch, leaving a black gap on the right side of the screen. (Reloading an old save fixed that.)

So, about those triggering topics! The next paragraph will go over the dark underbelly of The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling, so avoid it if you are sensitive to these issues and skip to the image after it. This will also involve some spoilers regarding the kinds of content you’ll read about or see.

Suren

Naala, her friends, and even some of her love interests go through hell. There’s kidnapping, nonconsensual marital sex, near sexual assault, references to self harm, suicide, murder, and abuse. There are heartbreaking endings. There are good people here. Not every love interest is out to do Naala harm. You’ll likely get attached to people. You’ll see them broken. Suren’s route can be particularly triggering. Also, while there were moments I did ittedly enjoy in it, The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling can tend to quickly excuse or brush over behaviors by quickly offering a “sweet” moment or no showing how an actual relationship can suddenly develop after such trauma or attempting to excuse behavior. This is absolutely a case in which some routes are better than others, and getting one can mean being forced to see and deal with these traumatic and terrible incidents because that character’s tale branches off of Nohl’s, Suren’s, or Touya’s. It feels very dated, given the original game appeared in 2012, and that’s to its detriment.

Auri

However, I will say that Naala is a fantastic heroine. She’s a strong woman who cares deeply about her friends. She’s taken to heart the fact that she’s become a leader. She won’t abandon the Rus women in Nasla. Regardless of which route you follow, she maintains this considerate attitude that sees her trying to put others first when she can. When one of the Rus women is sick, she stays with her even if it puts her in danger, and forceably asserts it isn’t The Rot to keep her safe. When her friends repeatedly end up in danger, she gives up her own safety to protect them. She realizes how to deal with people. She sees when someone is lying to her. In a game where many of the love interests could be bland or downright problematic monsters, she’s a standout star who deserves better.

The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling is the equivalent of the tawdry romance novel you pick on sale or at a second-hand store. You probably won’t proudly it you enjoy it or read it in public. Instead, it becomes your problematic secret you’ll sneak off to play. You’ll find a favorite character or characters and savor certain segments. Just know going in that this is absolutely a “mature” story with triggering themes.

The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling is available for the Nintendo Switch.

The post Review: Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling appeared first on Siliconera.

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Review: Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling

There’s a line in a Taylor Swift song that goes, “Boys only want love if it’s torture.” Well, given the nature of some otome games, it seems a concept that could be true of anyone. Certainly, it would apply to people who would pick up The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling. This Switch otome game is the first port of a mature title that appeared on platforms like the PC, PSP, and Vita in Japan. Granted, this release cuts out the “adult” imagery, but keeps the mature connotations and sexual overtones. As you’d expect from a dystopian romance filled with constant mental and physical trauma, The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling gets dark! People who’ve experienced sexual or physical assault would very likely be triggered by many of the situations in its routes! However, while it is constantly assailing the player with the prospect of terrifying situations, there’s are some redeemable elements. Localization issues aside, I found myself caught up in the stories it told, loving its strong, incredible heroine, and genuinely feeling for a few of the men and women I’d meet over the course of the game. The Crimson Flower That Divides: Lunar Coupling While The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling is a romantic visual novel, it often gets quite political as well. Set in a besieged by a plague known as The Rot, most women catch, then die, from the disease. Few survive. Those who manage to avoid it are fought over by nations, in the hopes of actually managing to continue to survive. After the heroine Naala’s father died, her mother was taken by men from the country of Nasla. Naala, the only known woman to survive the affliction, was hidden away and saved. The Rus royal family took her in, and she was raised knowing she’d be the wife of its king, Auri. Naala grew up molded by this experience. She’s fought alongside the men of Rus, becoming as strong an archer and swordswoman as them. So when Nasla attacks the Rus royal city and she realizes her two dear friends Shalanna and Shalu are in the district under assault, she leaves the security of the palace to fight for them. And, to be fair, she does beat back the Naslan soldiers! She seems to buys them time to escape! However, she’s caught in the process. So her and the captured women, as well as her friends, find themselves in the Nasla capital. There, they find it is a country with so few women they need to raid other villages, but have adopted a mentality that “Women Choose Their Husbands.” Naala now must adjust to life there, see if she can find freedom and happy endings for the Rus women, and perhaps find a love of her own. Review: Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling In of gameplay, The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling is a very straightforward visual novel and Switch otome. As you go through the story, you’ll occasionally get the chance to choose responses that shape the course of the story. There’s no menu option to see how high a relationship is with one of the bachelors. However, you can turn on an indicator to get a visual signal showing when a response favors a certain character. The story primarily focuses on Naala and is seen from her perspective. However, there are some chapters in which love interests take the lead to show their point of view. Given the antagonistic nature of some, like Suren and Nohl, this is to their benefit and show that they may not be exactly who you expect. (Conversely, it also shows that what another love interest is saying and presenting might not be as accurate.) You also have an array of love interests. Unfortunately, there's some gatekeeping. Certain routes are locked behind others. So say you want to romance Nalan. Well, you'll also always first have to get onto Suren's route, which gets dark. It's unfortunate, as it forces a player to go through circumstances they might want to avoid or interact with characters they don't care about. Review: Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling It’s generally sound and effective. However, translation issues abound. I happened across incorrect spellings. There’s some awkward phrasing at times. However, the biggest problem is when the came can’t decide whether one character’s name is “Nalan” or “Naran.” I also happened upon a bug a few times which resulting in the background image being “off” by almost an inch, leaving a black gap on the right side of the screen. (Reloading an old save fixed that.) So, about those triggering topics! The next paragraph will go over the dark underbelly of The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling, so avoid it if you are sensitive to these issues and skip to the image after it. This will also involve some spoilers regarding the kinds of content you’ll read about or see. Suren Naala, her friends, and even some of her love interests go through hell. There’s kidnapping, nonconsensual marital sex, near sexual assault, references to self harm, suicide, murder, and abuse. There are heartbreaking endings. There are good people here. Not every love interest is out to do Naala harm. You’ll likely get attached to people. You’ll see them broken. Suren’s route can be particularly triggering. Also, while there were moments I did ittedly enjoy in it, The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling can tend to quickly excuse or brush over behaviors by quickly offering a “sweet” moment or no showing how an actual relationship can suddenly develop after such trauma or attempting to excuse behavior. This is absolutely a case in which some routes are better than others, and getting one can mean being forced to see and deal with these traumatic and terrible incidents because that character’s tale branches off of Nohl’s, Suren’s, or Touya’s. It feels very dated, given the original game appeared in 2012, and that’s to its detriment. Auri However, I will say that Naala is a fantastic heroine. She’s a strong woman who cares deeply about her friends. She’s taken to heart the fact that she’s become a leader. She won’t abandon the Rus women in Nasla. Regardless of which route you follow, she maintains this considerate attitude that sees her trying to put others first when she can. When one of the Rus women is sick, she stays with her even if it puts her in danger, and forceably asserts it isn’t The Rot to keep her safe. When her friends repeatedly end up in danger, she gives up her own safety to protect them. She realizes how to deal with people. She sees when someone is lying to her. In a game where many of the love interests could be bland or downright problematic monsters, she’s a standout star who deserves better. The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling is the equivalent of the tawdry romance novel you pick on sale or at a second-hand store. You probably won’t proudly it you enjoy it or read it in public. Instead, it becomes your problematic secret you’ll sneak off to play. You’ll find a favorite character or characters and savor certain segments. Just know going in that this is absolutely a “mature” story with triggering themes. The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling is available for the Nintendo Switch.

The post Review: Love is Traumatic in The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling appeared first on Siliconera.

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