NEKOPARA Vol. 3
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for NEKOPARA Vol. 3
Nekopara Vol. 3 is a welcome addition to the series. It holds everything great about the previous entries, while giving it a plot with real character development. I enjoyed my time with the visual novel and can't wait to see the wonderful characters and story beats that Sayori brings to the series in the future.
Nekopara is like having a crepe, filled with cream and sweet fruits; you're going to be on your death bed saying "I'm so glad I didn't miss out on that in my life," but you're going to enjoy the hell out of eating it anyway.
NEKOPARA Vol.3 is a perfect example of what's wrong with the modern anime and visual novel industry. Instead of offering fanservice as an extra bonus, it uses it as the main dish, and, as a result, will only appease those who are here just for that. Of course, like all fetish objects, reviews and scores don't really matter, so the rule is simply this: In love with nekos? Pay up and have fun. The rest of you can just forget it even exists.
There are some heart-warming themes of friendship and scenes of goofy fun that might appeal to someone looking for an optimistic gaming experience, but in many ways these only make the sexual scenes even less pleasant. NEKOPARA is a franchise for a very specific type of person, unfortunately, that's just not me.
NEKOPARA Volume 3 has a way of making the characters feel like they have been known by the player far longer than may be the case, even if the previous volumes haven't been played. It should carry a content disclaimer saying it is not responsible for any food cravings players may have as a result of playing the game; all the food is portrayed in a realistic and delicious looking way. Reading the previous volumes is recommended to understanding the family dynamics, and despite the lack of options in the story, the replay value is high due to how beautiful the overall tale of striving for dreams is. Maple's story arc shows that with encouragement and support a person can reach for their dreams and bring joy to themselves and others. This uplifting game is a must have for any visual novel enthusiast's game shelf.
