NOTE: this review will be based on the 18 plus re translation especially since I took apart in QC / testing the project.
I'd been really excited for this VN ever since I heard the concept and that it would get a real full translation. I ended up liking it even more than I expected to. Right now it's my top 3 visual novels of all time.
Despite my reputation as "H-scene guy", what you may not know about me is that I'm a HUGE sucker for super feel-good fun inspiring slice of life stories. That's why stuff like MajiKoi is my favorite VN, Aria the Origination and My Love Story are two of my favorite anime ever, etc. This visual novel definitely filled that gap I've been waiting for in a visual novel again for a long time (the only other one that has really done that was Hoshizora no Memoria which I also like a lot)
Despite it being an obvious feel-good story where everything will be alright in the end and cheesiness and blablabla I think what makes the VN even better is how real and relatable all the characters are (even the quirkier ones like Amane). In addition, it's not like everything is always convenient, there are definite struggles, both in what needs to be learned and just stuff about their personalities that I enjoyed seeing being developed.
Obviously one of the appeals is the main heroine being disabled and on a wheelchair. I'm kinda glad they didn't get too melodramatic with this, kinda similar to show Katawa Shoujo didn't get melodramatic with the disabilities themselves. It was cool to see how it was worked around and even utilized in interesting enough ways in the story.
It was nice to see a more futuristic-looking school for once. And of course, I learned a lot more about gliders than I would've in my entire lifetime if I didn't read this VN and they were pretty interesting. All the stuff seemed pretty well-researched and stuff.
One of the absolute best things I don't think many people should (hopefully) complain about is the overall presentation of the VN. The graphics are amazing, easily some of the most detailed and bright in the medium and really fits the setting and whatnot. I think the occasional use of 3D CG movies are nice. The backgrounds are super detailed, the CGs looks nice and the sprites are well-done. The voice acting (from what I can tell) are good. The music is overall solid, albeit maybe a bunch being just remixes of the main/ED themes. There's a few themes I REALLY like though, they usually play towards the end of the route or IN the end. The rest are fitting and nice enough.
I legitimately liked just abut all the characters in the game, minus the one that was purposefully written to be unlikable even that one had a reason to be. There's a good variety of personality and development among a lot of them, though more good supporting male characters would've been nice. Yeah this is a harem romance moe charage and blablabla but if MajiKoi can at least try to have cool male supporting characters I dont see why others can't...
While I didn't mind since it meant more good content, keep in mind this VN is pretty dang long. Currently on vndb, the voting average is about 45 hours to read all routes which sounds about right.
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Sweet Love review
If you haven't heard of it they're basically REALLY short epilogues of the 4 main routes (the twins share the same route) along with H-scenes.
They were nice and feel good and kinda relate to the main route but they felt like setup to Flight Diary. The H-scenes themselves were fine, clearly more for cosplay fanservice.
This patch is NOT really required reading but since I really like the original and eat up any kind of fandisc-ish slice of life stuff for VNs I like, I liked this well enough.
I'd been really excited for this VN ever since I heard the concept and that it would get a real full translation. I ended up liking it even more than I expected to. Right now it's my top 3 visual novels of all time.
Despite my reputation as "H-scene guy", what you may not know about me is that I'm a HUGE sucker for super feel-good fun inspiring slice of life stories. That's why stuff like MajiKoi is my favorite VN, Aria the Origination and My Love Story are two of my favorite anime ever, etc. This visual novel definitely filled that gap I've been waiting for in a visual novel again for a long time (the only other one that has really done that was Hoshizora no Memoria which I also like a lot)
Despite it being an obvious feel-good story where everything will be alright in the end and cheesiness and blablabla I think what makes the VN even better is how real and relatable all the characters are (even the quirkier ones like Amane). In addition, it's not like everything is always convenient, there are definite struggles, both in what needs to be learned and just stuff about their personalities that I enjoyed seeing being developed.
Obviously one of the appeals is the main heroine being disabled and on a wheelchair. I'm kinda glad they didn't get too melodramatic with this, kinda similar to show Katawa Shoujo didn't get melodramatic with the disabilities themselves. It was cool to see how it was worked around and even utilized in interesting enough ways in the story.
It was nice to see a more futuristic-looking school for once. And of course, I learned a lot more about gliders than I would've in my entire lifetime if I didn't read this VN and they were pretty interesting. All the stuff seemed pretty well-researched and stuff.
One of the absolute best things I don't think many people should (hopefully) complain about is the overall presentation of the VN. The graphics are amazing, easily some of the most detailed and bright in the medium and really fits the setting and whatnot. I think the occasional use of 3D CG movies are nice. The backgrounds are super detailed, the CGs looks nice and the sprites are well-done. The voice acting (from what I can tell) are good. The music is overall solid, albeit maybe a bunch being just remixes of the main/ED themes. There's a few themes I REALLY like though, they usually play towards the end of the route or IN the end. The rest are fitting and nice enough.
I legitimately liked just abut all the characters in the game, minus the one that was purposefully written to be unlikable even that one had a reason to be. There's a good variety of personality and development among a lot of them, though more good supporting male characters would've been nice. Yeah this is a harem romance moe charage and blablabla but if MajiKoi can at least try to have cool male supporting characters I dont see why others can't...
While I didn't mind since it meant more good content, keep in mind this VN is pretty dang long. Currently on vndb, the voting average is about 45 hours to read all routes which sounds about right.
------
Sweet Love review
If you haven't heard of it they're basically REALLY short epilogues of the 4 main routes (the twins share the same route) along with H-scenes.
They were nice and feel good and kinda relate to the main route but they felt like setup to Flight Diary. The H-scenes themselves were fine, clearly more for cosplay fanservice.
This patch is NOT really required reading but since I really like the original and eat up any kind of fandisc-ish slice of life stuff for VNs I like, I liked this well enough.