I've been a fan of Type Moon's works for a while, so it was only natural I'd be heavily interested in this one as well. Mahoyo, as the game is usually called, is somewhat more recent compared to the likes of Fate Stay Night or Tsukihime, but as a prequel of sorts, it feels like a really good point of introduction to Kinoko Nasu's universe.
I think Type Moon's stories are really unique in certain ways, and Mahoyo is no exception. The world and the lore behind a lot of the magic phenomena in it are really rich, with a lot of details of their inner workings, and yet not enough revealed, so they're always mystifying. It's a great introduction to the world of the mages and their values, without being obtuse. Furthermore, these visual novels have a focus on slice of life, which definitely contrasts in interesting ways to the fantasy elements. The tendency to be really detailed isn't exclusive to one of the two aspects, and I feel it really improves the material a lot. Probably what benefits the most from that is the fights though. While, as a kinetic novel, Mahoyo is pretty straightforward, I think they've done a really good job with the presentation, and the result is really way more exciting to read than it has any right to be. The fights are exceptional and probably the highlight for me, and not only because of the writing. The visuals and the limited animation really enhance them, you can really feel the action of the moment or the impact of the magic attacks, as surprising as that sounds. Of course, the music and the SFX, also play a vital role in all of that.
As far as the cast goes, I wasn't sure if I'd like the main trio at first, but I think by the end of the story, I grew fond of everyone. Soujyuro's and Alice's interactions are still some of the best parts of the story, and Aoko also has some surprisingly honest moments regarding her personal circumstances. And while these three are the core of everything, a lot of the side characters or villains are quite fun as well. If anything, I'm a bit sad that some of them don't have more screentime, I wanted more of Ritsuka.
Lastly, something worth mentioning is that it's a big milestone of a release, as a Type Moon work that got an official English localization, but sadly, it could have been a lot better. While I'd say the overall result is far from bad, there are a lot of spelling mistakes, editing issues and syntax errors, that can really be distracting while reading. Also, they choose to romanize some of the names in unusual ways. It's a shame because the game feels quite high quality, with the attention to the menus, or the UI, but then you'll notice those issues in the Engish text and feel that it's a rushed game.
Overall, I had a fantastic time with Mahoyo and loved its world and its characters a lot. I really hope it will be successful enough that more Type Moon works will be brought over to the west, as these games really have such a unique appeal.
I think Type Moon's stories are really unique in certain ways, and Mahoyo is no exception. The world and the lore behind a lot of the magic phenomena in it are really rich, with a lot of details of their inner workings, and yet not enough revealed, so they're always mystifying. It's a great introduction to the world of the mages and their values, without being obtuse. Furthermore, these visual novels have a focus on slice of life, which definitely contrasts in interesting ways to the fantasy elements. The tendency to be really detailed isn't exclusive to one of the two aspects, and I feel it really improves the material a lot. Probably what benefits the most from that is the fights though. While, as a kinetic novel, Mahoyo is pretty straightforward, I think they've done a really good job with the presentation, and the result is really way more exciting to read than it has any right to be. The fights are exceptional and probably the highlight for me, and not only because of the writing. The visuals and the limited animation really enhance them, you can really feel the action of the moment or the impact of the magic attacks, as surprising as that sounds. Of course, the music and the SFX, also play a vital role in all of that.
As far as the cast goes, I wasn't sure if I'd like the main trio at first, but I think by the end of the story, I grew fond of everyone. Soujyuro's and Alice's interactions are still some of the best parts of the story, and Aoko also has some surprisingly honest moments regarding her personal circumstances. And while these three are the core of everything, a lot of the side characters or villains are quite fun as well. If anything, I'm a bit sad that some of them don't have more screentime, I wanted more of Ritsuka.
Lastly, something worth mentioning is that it's a big milestone of a release, as a Type Moon work that got an official English localization, but sadly, it could have been a lot better. While I'd say the overall result is far from bad, there are a lot of spelling mistakes, editing issues and syntax errors, that can really be distracting while reading. Also, they choose to romanize some of the names in unusual ways. It's a shame because the game feels quite high quality, with the attention to the menus, or the UI, but then you'll notice those issues in the Engish text and feel that it's a rushed game.
Overall, I had a fantastic time with Mahoyo and loved its world and its characters a lot. I really hope it will be successful enough that more Type Moon works will be brought over to the west, as these games really have such a unique appeal.