Recent reviews by m0lnarr

Fun at first, then it becomes incredibly repetitive and tedious, even for a roguelike.

great game I suck at it though

Symphonic Rain is a story you need to fight for.

I mean it. It is a tale demanding of your patience, but once you give it, you do get back a gratifying and worthwhile conclusion.
I felt a little conflicted when I finished it because, while it's pretty consistent throughout the ride, it does take a long time (and some questionable moments) to get into the really interesting stuff.

What it does best is the atmosphere. It really knows how to pull you into the city of Piova, the remote city in Italy where rain never stops falling. The music themes and setting fit well with the entire ambiance of Symphonic Rain, and the grounded characters are placed perfectly in the narrative.

We're dealing with a visual novel from 2004 here, so technical limitations are to be expected. While the OST is not all that varied and there aren't many CGs or backgrounds, the entire game is very charming the way it is.

With the right mindset, Symphonic Rain can be enjoyed by everyone, and I can easily recommend it.

In the end, Eden* managed to surprise me more than I'd imagined it would. I now feel a little stupid for being overly critical of it in the first hours of the story, and that's because it's the calmest life and death drama.

The world is ending, and people are leaving it and heading to space, but that's okay, because through what seems to look like the end of a planet, hope can be seen, and life on a new planet might just be born all because of the desire for survival.

Eden really managed to make the end of the world look hopeful, it made death feel serene. That ominous red star in the sky, that omen of death? It looks quite beautiful if you look at it a little closer. Take away everything bad from it and you'd be quite happy to see it in the sky, it's quite unique.

How can a sinful soldier, one who forgot everything in order to never look back at his wrongdoings, be saved? How can a caged bird experience the beauty this planet has to offer knowing it will all end soon? This series of events, tranquil and soothing, accompanied by charming characters, lovely music, and art, managed to dulcify all feelings of sadness, of uncertainty.

I was not expecting to be this moved by this short story, but I'm glad I was. As a person that tends to look in the past more than I'd like to, and feeling bad about it, the themes covered in Eden* made me understand myself a little more. It's okay to look in the past. You might see something beautiful there, maybe it's a memory you would forget otherwise, you might remember a person you've not seen in ages, so what's bad with looking in the past every now and then?

People might forget stories after two or three years, but maybe if reading this has changed my perspective, even only a little, then it was time well spent.

For those of you [vndb.org] that already wrote a review for SeaBed, I almost don't feel like I'm capable enough of doing it justice as you did. Such unorthodox work is worth experiencing by everyone in their own way, at their own pace.

A friend of mine called it a passion project, and a passion project it is. A very subtle, hypnotic piece, its tempo, Adagio. It took me a long time to finish it because I was almost forced to take a step back, breathe in, slowly exhale, and read it at its own pace. I could not fight it, nor rush through it, since the pace is an absolute constant.

There is nothing quite like this is the vn medium, and candidly, also in literature. Its narration to dialogue ratio is rather high, making everything any characters say have importance and meaning. SeaBed is full of these long existential dialogues, and I would argue that they are the best part of the story in some ways.

It is, by all means, a sound novel and it makes use of that concept very well, and it results in the story being very atmospheric at all times. That, combined with the photographic backgrounds and the gorgeous bgm makes it for a memorable time. That OST is filled to the brim with songs I can't possibly do justice with words alone; every single one out of those 63(!!) songs is perfect in its own way and works perfectly for each scene it accompanies.

The main part of a visual novel though, and for all literature too, the writing: This reads nothing like anything I've read so far, especially among vns. I must give credit for the fantastic translation; most vns are translated well, but SeaBed highlights it with its way of narration and storytelling - every minute detail is described beautifully, painting a most vivid image in the readers' mind.

The characters are just like everything else about SeaBed, grounded. Now that I think of it, there is not a single scene when they are not calm, or deliberately taking their time with everything, which is technically SeaBed's signature style, and it wouldn't work any other way.

A mystery novel told like no other, even major twists are told in such a way that the reader is able to put everything together by the time it arrives. And that non-linear storytelling is what it is all about - putting small fragments and pieces together to form a clear narrative.

SeaBed is at its best when it's just vague enough that the player needs to stop and think about everything they read thus far in order to make sense of what is happening, and those moments happen a lot. I kept a small notebook where I jotted thoughts of mine when I felt like I needed to and looking back on them, some I got right, and some I got oh so horribly wrong, and that's the beauty of SeaBed.

I can't recommend this enough for people looking for something like this. It might not be for everyone, and it's a slow-burner, but that's how it supposed to be, so please enjoy it the way it is intended to.

The most grandiose way to end a series. Over a hundred and fifty hours spent alongside some of the most well-written characters, each one more charming than the other. With the stakes at an all-time high, there is nothing they won't sacrifice for the greater good. A story about sacrifice, and one done well.

Taking the risk of making an entire 50hr game just the stepping stool of this one was well worth it; Mask of Truth pays off with the greatest of endings. From the vast wallpaper-worthy CGs, the heavenly score, phenomenal voice acting and casting, and writing, Utawarerumono is, from start to finish, an unforgettable ride.

Not a single moment is wasted, and for the first time in my life, I wish there was. I could go on another 300 hours of nothing but seeing them interact and bounce off each other like in the slice-of-life parts of the story. I hate not being able to express how good of a series Utawarerumono is, but perhaps I don't even need to, because it speaks for itself in so many ways.

I will deeply miss all the characters and the unique, colorful world of Utawarerumono, but I will never forget it and everything it has to offer.

The cruelty of war. There are no winners, nor losers in war; there is no right, nor wrong, just opposing ideals.

The sequel to Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen does everything its predecessor did just as well. Expanding this large world to an even bigger scale, where all characters fit perfectly.

Bonds strengthened over time, memories of trifling everyday matters and good times - this is all the characters hoped for, so how dare anyone take that from them? They will not falter to this so-called fate.

These fifty hours of meeting new people, being greeted by familiar faces, caring for one another, almost felt too short. Perhaps it's just me, but I wanted even more from this story. Acting as a stepping stool for the last title of the series, it set an amazing narrative to be continued.

I can't praise this one enough, but the only thing I will not forget myself for not mentioning is the voice acting, especially Haku's. I have never in my life heard such great voice acting, and all that is Fujiwara Keiji's work, who unfortunately passed away last year, may he rest easy. His work will live on forever.

So, just experience the unique work Utawarerumono is. Every second of it is worth it.

This quote defines the entirety of the story perfectly. As time perpetually moves, people, surroundings, and everything else change. Time waits for no one. Tomorrow comes as surely as today came after yesterday, and so will the next day. Still, one thing will stand proud in from of time and laugh in its face: memories. Memories of good and bad days, of important and trivial matters, of laughter and sadness. Memories define who we are as people and keep us going forward, no matter what the situation may be.

ATRI can only be described by a single word: beautiful. Everything about it is so alluring and graceful. It has the most divine scenery I have ever seen in a visual novel. The backgrounds are amazing, and they match perfectly with the tone and pace of the story. The musical score fits perfectly - Matsumoto Fuminori, the man who did the soundtracks for titles like Subahibi, Grisaia PT, and Yukimel doesn't disappoint. The characters are all charming, and their growth and changes are pivotal to a story like this, that is all about the characters.

With no real sense of urgency and a slow and steady pace, ATRI is a coming-of-age drama that takes place on a fictional island near future Japan in a post-apocalyptic earth, where almost everything has been slowly enveloped by the ocean. 44 days of beautiful times that make for a genuinely beautiful story.

ATRI is a story worth reading, so please enjoy your time alongside the robot with a heart and the boy who loves her.

A movie disguised as a game, not that I mind it that much. People seem to dislike the art but I genuinely found it good, besides a few of the expressions.

The issue I have with this title is that it lost the essence of the previous titles, and that is: interactivity. All you can do in this one is watch cutscenes, make a few choices you are forced to and play the escape room puzzles. A story told in a non-linear manner, yet not in the best way. Also, since 999 the voice acting has gotten worse and worse. Even Junpei whom I was so impressed with in the first game let me down.

The premise of the story is interesting, the music is great, the escape rooms are just as good as they always are, so if you care about all of these things and like the Zero Escape franchise it wouldn't hurt to finish it. While I feel like they went downhill after the first title some might disagree.

All-in-all, not a bad title, yet I feel like you should play it only if you really care to find out about the ending. I will still recommend it for the work Spike Chunsoft put into this really vast and complex storyline. If you got time to kill, maybe this one's not that bad of an idea.

Utawarerumono is an amazing story that cannot be described in few words. Its world-building is second to none, easily compared to the greats like Higurashi or Umineko.

The story of an amnesiac woken up in a weird world, in the backwoods of a village near the mountains with heavy injuries, no memory, and a mask he cannot remove. After being nursed back to health, he starts to view the village as his new home. But when an oppressive ruler threatens the peaceful life of the village and his newfound friends and family, they find themselves hurtled towards war, chaos, and a destiny far greater than any of them imagined.

All characters are genuinely beautiful - they are all unique, colorful, and work perfectly in the story. There is not a single moment where an interaction doesn't add to the story or development of the characters. The highs are really high, and there are really no lows. In the laid-back moments found in the SoL scenes the comedy shines - I found myself laughing out loud way too many times to count now; from subtle jokes to over-the-top comedic scenarios, there is not a single moment to make you feel bored. Everybody complements each other perfectly and they work great as an ensemble.

When there is no comedy, there is always the progress of the story. I found it astonishing the way that they always hit the nail on the head when it comes to pulling at the reader's heartstrings. The way the characters change for the better is nothing short of beautiful; whether you will be happy, sad, inspired, motivated or hopeful, Utawarerumono manages to make those feelings come naturally with the help of the amazing writing, characters, and plot.

It was my first visual novel containing turn-based gameplay elements, and I must admit that I never knew I would enjoy them so much. Speaking from a novices' point of view, the battles are smartly arranged, perpetually changing, and bringing something new to the fights to keep you thinking. They are the perfect amount of hard - while the victory is dependent on thinking, you won't be taken out of the experience for gameplay matters like levels that are way too hard or grind needed for you to pass. Although not needed, it is definitely fun coming back to previous fights to improve your stats and see how much you and your team grew over the course of the story.

Going from a grounded story, to a fantasy-filled ride with some of the most interesting ideas, the second half of the story starts at a slow pace. Hours full of events of now characters you know most things about - fun times that you wish would never end. The lack of urgency now creates this sense of comfort and ease for the reader, who has yet to find out what will happen next. Once the calm before the storm ends, the story picks up in pace quite a lot. The last quarter of the game truthfully has some of the best plot twists I have seen in a while. I could keep praising this game on and on for all its amazing qualities, but the thing that hit me the hardest was the ending/epilogue. In my life, there were few moments where I cried like this, and this one is one of them.

I could genuinely talk about this game for ages, but I will end this review by saying that Utawarerumono is a story that must be experienced by everybody. There is so much love put into this story and characters that it's impossible for you to have a bad time. As the first installment of the trilogy, Prelude to the Fallen is a great title and an amazing setter for the next two parts of the story.