Thomas Knight's Reviews
I would recommend Hello, Goodbye to visual novel fans who enjoy games with a character-driven story, a good amount of comedy keeping things light, but a serious plot in the background. I can't say that it's one of the best visual novels around and the plot didn't feel clear at times, but I certainly enjoyed reading through it and I liked the characters.
I did enjoy Vacation Simulator, but I will note that it is fairly expensive for the amount of time some people may get out of it. If this will be your go-to game for the kids and introducing people to VR, it’s a good investment. If you just want to play it through once yourself, it could be an idea to wait for a sale. It does feel like a pity to say that because of the quality of the game, but you can see most content within two hours.
I’d certainly recommend the game to any visual novel fans who enjoy comedy with a plot. While visual novels are a niche, people interested in virtual reality who enjoy anime might consider trying this out too, even if not usually a fan of visual novels.
A well-written visual novel about an unlikely and forbidden friendship. Well worth the read and budget-friendly.
This feels very much like a classic JRPG, with some extra features to bring it into the new age of gaming. This style of JRPG does require a lot of patience however, which is why I expect the turbo mode feature will be very appreciated by new and old fans alike. In the end though, it's the great story which kept me playing this game.
Under One Wing has an interesting story, but the cast of characters is what makes the story worth reading. Having some of the best battle scenes in visual novels help too, as these typically are not done well in this medium.
Overall, this is an incredibly fun hack’n’slash game. Perhaps it could do more with the Fate brand, expanding on the story and character development, but that is not the draw of this game. The combat is the obvious star of the show, supported by the characters and the systems to develop their skills and powers. I believe that fans of the Fate series will enjoy this particularly as they will have more background knowledge and be happy to see more of the characters. That said, anyone who enjoys musou-style games will likely not regret buying this game.
Toejam and Earl: Back in the Groove is very well put together and really just a more modern and expanded spin of the first installment of the series. It may not appeal to everyone with its weird 90s cartoon humor and there may be a few minor issues to iron out, but it’s a huge amount of fun to play with friends, just for the sheer chaos it brings with all the variables involved.
Gal*Gun 2 is a very well put together game, in my opinion. It’s certainly not one for everybody due to the lewd tone of the game, but the gameplay is incredibly fun and it is paired with a fun story, great characters and high production values. It’s not the cheapest game in the world but it will keep you busy for a good 20 hours or so if you try to complete it or at least six if you rush through once. I personally thought the cost was worth it and it became even better when playing with the optional VR DLC.
I did enjoy this game and I would recommend trying it to anyone whom this type of comedic game appeals to. I will say that not everyone enjoys this style of game, but it is definitely one of the better examples of the type. The cast of characters brings a lot of fun to the series and the absurdity of it will make most players laugh. The only other caveat I would include is that if you have already played Neptunia VII, I would wait for one of Idea Factory’s frequent sales as there isn’t too much different about it.
Generally, I think that Jump Force is a reasonably good fighting game, with a terrible story and too high price. I do feel like fans of the anime involved will appreciate the game much more than others. A lot of care has been taken to transfer the characters from anime format into the game and keep them as they are meant to be. It is also quite fun to see characters from different series talking to each other which you can only really experience in a crossover event.
Unfortunately, I don’t really recommend Gungrave VR. Perhaps if you happen to be a die-hard fan of the series, but even then I’d think carefully before spending $30 on a two hour game, with such low quality. This game really does not feel like it was designed for VR.
Wandersong is a unique game in how it uses singing as a mechanic and wonderful in how bright and colorful it is. It has great humor and is well worth picking up.
In the end, this is a fairly short and simple visual novel with some comedy. If you have an interest in Japan and visiting it, it should be an interesting read. To me, the interactions with characters were better than the story and I was very impressed by the use of animation.
I would personally recommend Newton and the Apple Tree to visual novel fans who enjoy games with a focus on story, but don’t mind the odd lewd joke or more depending on their version. I personally felt like it overdid it at times, but not to an extreme. The cast of characters is quite interesting, as is the story. It has wonderful art too.