(For clarification: I have played Amnesia on both PC and PS Vita, but there's no real difference between versions so there's no need to make differing logs.)
Amnesia was my first otome and (somehow) one of my first games in general, and it's remained my favourite of the genre the whole way. I have some nostalgia for the game for sure, but I am predominantly basing this review off a 2021 replay where I wanted to judge the story on its own merits and not just my hazy memories of it. Amnesia absolutely excels at its darker theming (that of trust, broken relationships, hidden desires and dedication), and the characters are a huge part of this - often why Amnesia is regarded as "problematic/sexist" in my opinion. I definitely respect that some won't find any fun from this game due to the subject matter running contrary to most otome, but I personally adore it for this, especially with how it's executed!
I feel aside from this theming with the characters, Amnesia's strongest point is atmosphere, combining paranormal and thriller aspects with a minimal, gothic aesthetic - all fitting into a Tokyo suburb unexpectedly well. The soundtrack is perfect for every scene, and despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Amnesia's artist, the colour palettes are still worth discussing as on-point for this tone. Everything comes together for a clean, consistent experience that left me hooked the whole way even on a second playthrough.
As for the characters (the core of Amnesia), I can safely say I've cried at all of them and Ukyo specifically may be one of my favourite characters ever. The mains all have troubles that run deep throughout their routes and lay waste to their relationships, romantic and platonic, and each route explores how - or if - those relationships can be repaired, and I found this theming to be incredibly unique, especially with the paranormal aspect adding another layer to these troubles as well. I even find the certain... controversial love interest really interesting and often misread (even by his fans), I can't think of a route I didn't love - and this comes from someone who used to hate said controversial love interest before my replay! The side characters are also worth a mention as they're just really fun, and I adore both Orion and the heroine too as the main leads.
I also wanna make a shout here real quick for how Amnesia handles the multiple-worlds plot, I think it's awesome (though that's all I can say without spoiling). Pretty much Amnesia probably isn't the best as a gateway otome (even as someone who had it as that) or for people who just prefer more chilled, sweet romance-focused stories, but it is brilliant for what it does and it remains as one of my favourite games in general.
Amnesia was my first otome and (somehow) one of my first games in general, and it's remained my favourite of the genre the whole way. I have some nostalgia for the game for sure, but I am predominantly basing this review off a 2021 replay where I wanted to judge the story on its own merits and not just my hazy memories of it. Amnesia absolutely excels at its darker theming (that of trust, broken relationships, hidden desires and dedication), and the characters are a huge part of this - often why Amnesia is regarded as "problematic/sexist" in my opinion. I definitely respect that some won't find any fun from this game due to the subject matter running contrary to most otome, but I personally adore it for this, especially with how it's executed!
I feel aside from this theming with the characters, Amnesia's strongest point is atmosphere, combining paranormal and thriller aspects with a minimal, gothic aesthetic - all fitting into a Tokyo suburb unexpectedly well. The soundtrack is perfect for every scene, and despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Amnesia's artist, the colour palettes are still worth discussing as on-point for this tone. Everything comes together for a clean, consistent experience that left me hooked the whole way even on a second playthrough.
As for the characters (the core of Amnesia), I can safely say I've cried at all of them and Ukyo specifically may be one of my favourite characters ever. The mains all have troubles that run deep throughout their routes and lay waste to their relationships, romantic and platonic, and each route explores how - or if - those relationships can be repaired, and I found this theming to be incredibly unique, especially with the paranormal aspect adding another layer to these troubles as well. I even find the certain... controversial love interest really interesting and often misread (even by his fans), I can't think of a route I didn't love - and this comes from someone who used to hate said controversial love interest before my replay! The side characters are also worth a mention as they're just really fun, and I adore both Orion and the heroine too as the main leads.
I also wanna make a shout here real quick for how Amnesia handles the multiple-worlds plot, I think it's awesome (though that's all I can say without spoiling). Pretty much Amnesia probably isn't the best as a gateway otome (even as someone who had it as that) or for people who just prefer more chilled, sweet romance-focused stories, but it is brilliant for what it does and it remains as one of my favourite games in general.
Jogaria todas as rotas se a P*RRA do jogo na steam não estivesse com as conquistas bugadas, mas fora isso, tem seu charme e os personagens são carismáticos (e não, não joguei a rota do meio-irmão).
You either love this game, or you hate it. It's polarizing.
Regardless, I think we can all agree that Kent is best boy.
Regardless, I think we can all agree that Kent is best boy.