Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds
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Critic Reviews for Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds
Being my first otome visual novel, Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds has made me a fan of the Hakuoki series. The game handles the large cast of characters wonderfully and allows the story of the Shinsengumi to shine through. For new visual novel fans this is the definitive way to start the Hakuoki series and date the guys that older fans had to wait years for.
If you've got money to spend, and don't mind waiting for any sort of conclusion, then Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is the best way to experience the first half of Idea Factory's visual novel. The new scenes help to flesh out the existing stories, and the additional characters help make a familiar story feel new again. It's a shame that all the hard work gets marred by splitting the story into two games, but it's still a very enjoyable read.
Fans of the otome genre will find a lot to like within Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds. It offers a rich storyline as well as presenting likeable characters within its well-built world. With personalities based on real-life historical figures, the game offers a charming, albeit brief look at an interesting area of Japanese history, as well as the chance to romance some grade-A anime boys.
As a young girl named Chizuru, we try to conquer hearts of samurai from Shinsengumi in former Kyoto. The title is intended for the female part of gamers, but the atmosphere of the shogunate Japan should attract the fans of the visual novel genre regardless of gender.
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For visual novel fans, or anyone who gets excited about Vita releases, Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is worth checking out. It's not perfect - the story is slow to start and the writing can be a bit cheesy at times. However, its visuals are beautiful, the story is fun, and the Japanese history lesson is a bonus.
If a digital choose your own adventure book with epic audio and gorgeous art is your cup of tea, then this historical/supernatural drama will be right up your alley.
Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is a romp through time that both feels great and plays great, and at the end of the day, how many people can say that they've romanced someone who played a decisive part in Japanese history?
