WAIA
Unreal fucking game. From the height of seething highest anger to the most tender understanding. An absolute golden game. I went from despising and stupidly fumbling through this title to enjoying the walks, the many sights, the many enemies, the many fights, the history, and everything the game had to offer. The complete switch I made from when I started playing compared to now is really something. But I really came to appreciate and love this game from the bottom of my heart.
(More writing soon, might make a full blogpost instead.)
(More writing soon, might make a full blogpost instead.)
TBD
This review contains spoilers
This bit of writing contains general spoilers about MOON. (1997) i recommend completing the game first before reading.
MOON. (1997) is a visual novel/text heavy adventure game by TACTICS. The game was made by a group of people who would later end up forming Visual Arts/Key. Original Game releasing on the 21st of november 1997.
I decided to read this game because I had the idea that it would be a fruitful experience to read the Visual Arts/Key games in order, to see a kind of progression of sorts. This isn’t my first project by them though. But you can expect more posts about the other titles too!
I had this kind of expectation of how Key games would be given my previous experiences such as Planetarian, Clannad’s anime, Kanon’s visual novel and its adaptations. Though I must say that MOON. Really blows away what you might have expected from what Key is in particular known for. Moon. is a very dark horror/ero game that ends up expressing some very meaningful themes and ideas while also being very thrilling and crushing to read.
On a thematic level MOON. is about uncovering and pulling apart our pasts and finding ways to deal with them so through that we can find peace and move forward with our lives. To come to terms with the things we’ve done. To accept the wholes of ourselves. Most elements of the game heavily feed into these thematic ideas and can be grasped by most readers. It’s also the kind of themeing I feel particularly emotionally resonating. So I could feel myself get really close to Ikumi, Yui, Haruka, Youko’s stories. Dealing with your own past and coming to terms with the wrong things you might have done is something very powerful. But it’s not easy, not easy at all. The game ends up being a very hollistic experience with how all the elements end up colliding with eachothers.
MOON.’s setting mostly takes place in the FARGO building which is completely cut off from any light or outside interference besides new members and supplies coming in through its singular entry/exit path. This setting ends up defining the tone very well. Its a kind of claustrophibic sensation. The same grayish walls everywhere, the same grunts with the exact same outfits. It’s a really sensation deprived place. The actual map and “movement” mechanic we move through ends up evoking this same kind of dreadful, claustrophobic feeling as we click through its many similar halls. I’v seen writers say that this “movement” mechanic is something that is just used for “time padding” which I think is quite wrong. I think the option to move around is really there to provoke this deeper immersion in the atmosphere. I am willing to admit however that the system could have used some more bite. Some more things to check out. But again maybe that would clash with the sensory deprevation element. The way the break-out from this enclosed space is handled at the end is super cool too. Because of the long time we spent inside the building, with just these gay walls and the memories we inspect, the actual end of the game feels so gratifying. To finally touch that beautiful air again..
Of course the atmosphere is not just defined by its art direction and movement mechanic… its also really heavily defined by its music. MOON. Features a mixed soundtrack that ranges from pure piano instrumentals to heavy electronical mixes with a kind of mechanical sound to it. I feel like I really enjoyed the music and it’s so good in fact that I like listening to it outside of the game as well. Its groovy and its incredibly tense and mysterious.
A lot of the scenes have really high quality direction. A staple of that high quality direction has to be the day 12 bad end, where Ikumi is mind broken into forever staying a young child. Forever locked to that memory. In this scene there is a switch over to a kind of pastel, color pencil like image. A cg that kind of has the feel of those old postcard memories. Its soft tender and painful in that way. Many really memorable VA performances such as the doppel ikumi scenes by Ruru or the final fight with Youko scene by Kodama Satomi..
Just a wonderful game all around. I’d definitely call it one of my favourite visual novels. I had a stellar time.
This was originally posted here on my blog: https://unlimitedblogwork.wordpress.com/2023/06/26/scattered-thought-on-moon-1997-by-tactics/
MOON. (1997) is a visual novel/text heavy adventure game by TACTICS. The game was made by a group of people who would later end up forming Visual Arts/Key. Original Game releasing on the 21st of november 1997.
I decided to read this game because I had the idea that it would be a fruitful experience to read the Visual Arts/Key games in order, to see a kind of progression of sorts. This isn’t my first project by them though. But you can expect more posts about the other titles too!
I had this kind of expectation of how Key games would be given my previous experiences such as Planetarian, Clannad’s anime, Kanon’s visual novel and its adaptations. Though I must say that MOON. Really blows away what you might have expected from what Key is in particular known for. Moon. is a very dark horror/ero game that ends up expressing some very meaningful themes and ideas while also being very thrilling and crushing to read.
On a thematic level MOON. is about uncovering and pulling apart our pasts and finding ways to deal with them so through that we can find peace and move forward with our lives. To come to terms with the things we’ve done. To accept the wholes of ourselves. Most elements of the game heavily feed into these thematic ideas and can be grasped by most readers. It’s also the kind of themeing I feel particularly emotionally resonating. So I could feel myself get really close to Ikumi, Yui, Haruka, Youko’s stories. Dealing with your own past and coming to terms with the wrong things you might have done is something very powerful. But it’s not easy, not easy at all. The game ends up being a very hollistic experience with how all the elements end up colliding with eachothers.
MOON.’s setting mostly takes place in the FARGO building which is completely cut off from any light or outside interference besides new members and supplies coming in through its singular entry/exit path. This setting ends up defining the tone very well. Its a kind of claustrophibic sensation. The same grayish walls everywhere, the same grunts with the exact same outfits. It’s a really sensation deprived place. The actual map and “movement” mechanic we move through ends up evoking this same kind of dreadful, claustrophobic feeling as we click through its many similar halls. I’v seen writers say that this “movement” mechanic is something that is just used for “time padding” which I think is quite wrong. I think the option to move around is really there to provoke this deeper immersion in the atmosphere. I am willing to admit however that the system could have used some more bite. Some more things to check out. But again maybe that would clash with the sensory deprevation element. The way the break-out from this enclosed space is handled at the end is super cool too. Because of the long time we spent inside the building, with just these gay walls and the memories we inspect, the actual end of the game feels so gratifying. To finally touch that beautiful air again..
Of course the atmosphere is not just defined by its art direction and movement mechanic… its also really heavily defined by its music. MOON. Features a mixed soundtrack that ranges from pure piano instrumentals to heavy electronical mixes with a kind of mechanical sound to it. I feel like I really enjoyed the music and it’s so good in fact that I like listening to it outside of the game as well. Its groovy and its incredibly tense and mysterious.
A lot of the scenes have really high quality direction. A staple of that high quality direction has to be the day 12 bad end, where Ikumi is mind broken into forever staying a young child. Forever locked to that memory. In this scene there is a switch over to a kind of pastel, color pencil like image. A cg that kind of has the feel of those old postcard memories. Its soft tender and painful in that way. Many really memorable VA performances such as the doppel ikumi scenes by Ruru or the final fight with Youko scene by Kodama Satomi..
Just a wonderful game all around. I’d definitely call it one of my favourite visual novels. I had a stellar time.
This was originally posted here on my blog: https://unlimitedblogwork.wordpress.com/2023/06/26/scattered-thought-on-moon-1997-by-tactics/
2013
No, in tears by how terrible this game was, never again.
2007
This review contains spoilers
Some thoughts (i will keep adding to this as time passes and edit it until it feels complete.)
No More Heroes 1 was a really fresh, fun game and gave me a lot of food for thoughts regarding the world we live in. It is a very mixed and dense little package of a game. What I mean is regarding the world we live in, NMH feels like it commentates on games but it specifically also feels like it is critiquing or making fun of "system" and being bound by "system" wether that system is violence or money. Critiquing the construction of a system is something suda51 has done before but the way he does it here is quite something. It is all over the game critiquing the systems and the structures. Bottom line it is kind of a fight to capitalism and the improvement based society. Everything has to be a next step in the ladder, everything has to be more and more. another grind another few more hours of work to death. Travis is somebody who falls into this trap through Sylvia the girl who manages the UAA and all of his fights because he has a sexual desire for her. (Sex, violence, power, wealth are all correlated in ways in NMH but i need to think about it more)
When we talk of the end of the game it is kind of like the ultimate finger up the ass, it is ripping away satisfaction of the player in a glorious way but it is also showing the empty journey of the system climb and how for whatever you climbed it the hole inside of you as you live in some damp motel did not grow any bigger nor any smaller. It was a complete empty journey. After that we have the beautiful fight between Travis and Henry in which they talk about escaping too paradise, this is directly referencing back to death, the only way to escape all of it, the wealth, the murder, the desire, the senseless cycle they all live in is by death. There is an illusion of free choice from the system but there is no true freedom. No More Heroes 1 talks about the horrors of "system" and the loss of freedom, the continuation of cycle violence and a world that constrains you to its systems and can only live through the systems.
I'v seen people mention that the No More Heroes title comes from a song, I also wanted to add that I believe it is in direct correlation and context to other videogames where the protagonist usually is the hero (especially quite some hack and slash titles had this motive) but in fact in No More heroes there is no hero, not even the protagonist.
No More Heroes 1 was a really fresh, fun game and gave me a lot of food for thoughts regarding the world we live in. It is a very mixed and dense little package of a game. What I mean is regarding the world we live in, NMH feels like it commentates on games but it specifically also feels like it is critiquing or making fun of "system" and being bound by "system" wether that system is violence or money. Critiquing the construction of a system is something suda51 has done before but the way he does it here is quite something. It is all over the game critiquing the systems and the structures. Bottom line it is kind of a fight to capitalism and the improvement based society. Everything has to be a next step in the ladder, everything has to be more and more. another grind another few more hours of work to death. Travis is somebody who falls into this trap through Sylvia the girl who manages the UAA and all of his fights because he has a sexual desire for her. (Sex, violence, power, wealth are all correlated in ways in NMH but i need to think about it more)
When we talk of the end of the game it is kind of like the ultimate finger up the ass, it is ripping away satisfaction of the player in a glorious way but it is also showing the empty journey of the system climb and how for whatever you climbed it the hole inside of you as you live in some damp motel did not grow any bigger nor any smaller. It was a complete empty journey. After that we have the beautiful fight between Travis and Henry in which they talk about escaping too paradise, this is directly referencing back to death, the only way to escape all of it, the wealth, the murder, the desire, the senseless cycle they all live in is by death. There is an illusion of free choice from the system but there is no true freedom. No More Heroes 1 talks about the horrors of "system" and the loss of freedom, the continuation of cycle violence and a world that constrains you to its systems and can only live through the systems.
I'v seen people mention that the No More Heroes title comes from a song, I also wanted to add that I believe it is in direct correlation and context to other videogames where the protagonist usually is the hero (especially quite some hack and slash titles had this motive) but in fact in No More heroes there is no hero, not even the protagonist.
1997
Note: I will keep adding and removing stuff to this until i feel satisfied, it is merely a place for me to dump thoughts into.
extra note: my japanese is only good to an extent so if i misunderstood anything i add into this just let me know
Even though Moonlight Syndrome is an incredible mess of a game, and is really hard to put together narratively because of missing details in the story being cut out. It is also absolutely a thrilling playthrough. Especially if your a fan of Suda51's work.
You can really see that out of this most of if not all KTP games can find their origin in so many ways. Through the rubble the rest of it is birthed and its really fascinating to me.
Its also just a really sick psychological adventure game and the way the storyline shifts in comparison to the original twilight games was really good too. I felt super engaged throughout because of the particular structure and energy the title carries. Like the aspect of having part-only audio, part-only text, ends up making the game feel even more immersive. I was always at the edge of my seat during the game.
The chapter of the "jumpers" was probably my favourite in the whole game as well as the epilogue itself. Even if iv seen in interviews that Suda51 thinks the writing was too rough in these sections I still find it super interesting and emotionally engaging.
And again this game has rough patches but its still such an awesome psychological horror, transition from pure spiritual stories to a kind of psychological collapse with layering. Super good.
extra note: my japanese is only good to an extent so if i misunderstood anything i add into this just let me know
Even though Moonlight Syndrome is an incredible mess of a game, and is really hard to put together narratively because of missing details in the story being cut out. It is also absolutely a thrilling playthrough. Especially if your a fan of Suda51's work.
You can really see that out of this most of if not all KTP games can find their origin in so many ways. Through the rubble the rest of it is birthed and its really fascinating to me.
Its also just a really sick psychological adventure game and the way the storyline shifts in comparison to the original twilight games was really good too. I felt super engaged throughout because of the particular structure and energy the title carries. Like the aspect of having part-only audio, part-only text, ends up making the game feel even more immersive. I was always at the edge of my seat during the game.
The chapter of the "jumpers" was probably my favourite in the whole game as well as the epilogue itself. Even if iv seen in interviews that Suda51 thinks the writing was too rough in these sections I still find it super interesting and emotionally engaging.
And again this game has rough patches but its still such an awesome psychological horror, transition from pure spiritual stories to a kind of psychological collapse with layering. Super good.
2019
Played Catherine Classic! I guess you could say it really is a classic.. Catherine Classic is a modern release of the 2011 title "Catherine" By Atlus.
I really enjoyed this video game. I feel it's because it has such a strong identity and core it holds itself to. The core of the story is in relationships and trials, choices, and growing up. It's the particular way that Catherine expresses these themes
that makes it such a fun experience. It has a visual style that feels uniquely distinct. A kind of hot pink, black, and white for its UI and official art. This feels to me in contrast to its gray, brownish, muted in tone colorwork in the nightmares. The
contrast works wonderfully. Its morality system is quite interesting too leaving us with 3 endings each playing into that system. Whether you go with freedom, order, or an in-between choice all depends on your communication with all the characters and important questions in the confessional booth before going into the next level.
The game sees its protagonist, Vincent, go through these nightmares as a trail, a trail to see what the hell he's going to do with his future. Because the time is now that he makes
an important choice, it's a turning point. I think the way the nightmares/the climbing is a really cool way to fuse the gameplay and story elements together in a cohesive way. I like that the sheep we talk to in the nightmare sections later are able to be talked to again in their actual human form. Because of that, it ends up never feeling separated from each other. The game is really well put together in ways like this. Also switching between gameplay, interaction adventure game-styled events, 3d model animation cutscenes, 2d animated cutscenes makes the game all the more dynamic.
Even other elements such as the arcade game can be explained as being prepared for further nightmare-level beating. It feels that elements such as the sheep having real-life counterparts to talk to ends up making you try all kinds of options and availabilities in front of you, because you have been provoked to do so, to play, to try and to indulge. It's so good in awakening the players curiosity, mine especially.
Other games will also have choices, but I think because of the particular matter in which Catherine provokes you through its construction that you are able to follow through so heavily and in such a natural way. Well, I sure did anyway. I really felt like fiddling with all of it, reading through as much available dialogue as i could each night.
Catherine also has a really amazing soundtrack, which will have you at the edge of your seat as you solve these climbing puzzles. Classical remixes really never fall out of style.
I'm grateful that the game never felt the need to be too indulgent with its side characters or friends of Vincent. I think we might have lost the focus of this bullet of a game if we would get even more dialogue to bite on from them. The game finds a perfect balance between making the characters interesting with the amount of spotlight they get in the game itself.
The two main female characters, Catherine and Katherine are really lovely too. Being complete opposites of
each other and representing either side of the morality system. For who I love the most well.. ;)
Anyway, the game is absolutely full sassiness and you should totally play it. I really like it when a work goes about difficult themes like this in a completely unique way.
Good game! That's all I had to say. Might edit later.
I really enjoyed this video game. I feel it's because it has such a strong identity and core it holds itself to. The core of the story is in relationships and trials, choices, and growing up. It's the particular way that Catherine expresses these themes
that makes it such a fun experience. It has a visual style that feels uniquely distinct. A kind of hot pink, black, and white for its UI and official art. This feels to me in contrast to its gray, brownish, muted in tone colorwork in the nightmares. The
contrast works wonderfully. Its morality system is quite interesting too leaving us with 3 endings each playing into that system. Whether you go with freedom, order, or an in-between choice all depends on your communication with all the characters and important questions in the confessional booth before going into the next level.
The game sees its protagonist, Vincent, go through these nightmares as a trail, a trail to see what the hell he's going to do with his future. Because the time is now that he makes
an important choice, it's a turning point. I think the way the nightmares/the climbing is a really cool way to fuse the gameplay and story elements together in a cohesive way. I like that the sheep we talk to in the nightmare sections later are able to be talked to again in their actual human form. Because of that, it ends up never feeling separated from each other. The game is really well put together in ways like this. Also switching between gameplay, interaction adventure game-styled events, 3d model animation cutscenes, 2d animated cutscenes makes the game all the more dynamic.
Even other elements such as the arcade game can be explained as being prepared for further nightmare-level beating. It feels that elements such as the sheep having real-life counterparts to talk to ends up making you try all kinds of options and availabilities in front of you, because you have been provoked to do so, to play, to try and to indulge. It's so good in awakening the players curiosity, mine especially.
Other games will also have choices, but I think because of the particular matter in which Catherine provokes you through its construction that you are able to follow through so heavily and in such a natural way. Well, I sure did anyway. I really felt like fiddling with all of it, reading through as much available dialogue as i could each night.
Catherine also has a really amazing soundtrack, which will have you at the edge of your seat as you solve these climbing puzzles. Classical remixes really never fall out of style.
I'm grateful that the game never felt the need to be too indulgent with its side characters or friends of Vincent. I think we might have lost the focus of this bullet of a game if we would get even more dialogue to bite on from them. The game finds a perfect balance between making the characters interesting with the amount of spotlight they get in the game itself.
The two main female characters, Catherine and Katherine are really lovely too. Being complete opposites of
each other and representing either side of the morality system. For who I love the most well.. ;)
Anyway, the game is absolutely full sassiness and you should totally play it. I really like it when a work goes about difficult themes like this in a completely unique way.
Good game! That's all I had to say. Might edit later.
1971
Retiring it until I can play it on an actual machine one day instead of through a windows version. Seriously LOOK AT THAT THING! They are so colorful and the shape feels so futuristic. The feedback from the rocket thrusters make the game feel a little bit dynamic even if the enemies itself are pretty stale...
That was very fun! I really liked the Somniums themselves the most because of the way they were designed. The Somniums also perfectly display the two halves of AI: The Somnium files which is Crime drama mixing light-hearted humor. The Psychological sense and strange design vibe in these somniums also go super hard.
The split between the more light-hearted comedy and full-on human drama might turn some people off. I thought this double-edged nature made the game more interesting and unique.
The route structure is used nicely too. Slowly uncovering different facets of the story through the use of these split-up routes made it even more enjoyable for when things came together.
Curious as to what the sequel is going to be like.
Don't have much else to say, i had a good time. Aiba <3
The split between the more light-hearted comedy and full-on human drama might turn some people off. I thought this double-edged nature made the game more interesting and unique.
The route structure is used nicely too. Slowly uncovering different facets of the story through the use of these split-up routes made it even more enjoyable for when things came together.
Curious as to what the sequel is going to be like.
Don't have much else to say, i had a good time. Aiba <3
2021
This review contains spoilers
The music in this remaster is so absolutely mythical and beautiful... I will say, as many others have already noted that the end boss of the game is ridiculous in this port of FF and you might just want to go out of your way to emulate an older version instead. Because the way it ends up screwing with the near-seamless upward gameplay progression of the game REALLY takes you out of it. I'v never minded grinding in a game before I actually think its pretty relaxing. In this case however I couldn't stand it cause it felt weirdly placed with the rest of the game. There is not a singular other time throughout where there is a sudden need to gain levels. It ends up contrasting in a way that pulled me out of the immersion. The end boss (Chaos) being completely RNG in this version of the game ends up stifling the enjoyment of a cool final boss a lot too. The game could also really use some general balancing on both money and XP because its a bit silly to be able to max out on money that easily...
Still its a really fun title..Its adventurous and heroic in the original way. Cast off the veil of darkness and bring the world into light! ill say the NPC are a bit one note but its able to feel so incredibly vast with all its different locations and creatures..
Still its a really fun title..Its adventurous and heroic in the original way. Cast off the veil of darkness and bring the world into light! ill say the NPC are a bit one note but its able to feel so incredibly vast with all its different locations and creatures..
1981
Very fun game im just shit at it
2019
Mythical and tender, like the stars that hover above the campfire with friends.
2015
It is actually not hard to describe what Hylics is but it is hard to describe what it is exactly. Only interpretation of the facets of the game. To me Hylics was all about changing shapes. Morphing. Twisting, Distorting, Changing. The whole game feels like a post-world. Humans don't exist anymore only the objects and that which is human-esque but is not human. Hylics creates a kind of melancholic and solitude with its world and art and music. You have little sparks with the other characters of the game but it all feels a little estranged. By design. The gameplay is pretty average at best for an RPG but I think it's actually alright because I believe the main part of this game was its exploration facet rather than its fighting mechanics. The fights in themselves are set pieces too to be viewed and played with. Though I can't help but wonder if it would have been fun to be able to interract in the fights to a deeper extent rather than what is provided in the game. Maybe a kind of morphing mechanic where you use your mouse to fuse different parts of clay to create a spell or something. The whole world is a-move, twisting and turning. Little creatures explode when you touch them, some share esoteric words. The feeling of being there is so excellent in this sense that I still feel really positive over the fighting.
Feels like the weakest Makura work.
Even if i liked parts of it...
Even if i liked parts of it...
1980
Played one of the PC ports of the 1980's PAC-MAN. This isn't the first. nor the last time I'll be seeing it. That's for sure. Some unsorted thoughts...
It's PAC-MAN! It feels so distinct and interesting even quite some years later. Sure after it we'll see many games like it, many that try to copy or improve on how it feels...but nothing is quite like that original.
Having originally played a flash version of the title waaay back it's interesting to return to the game now many years later. Some things I notice now: The loud grainy sounds of the pacman such as that of eating the little dot and the 'sirens' were probably made that way to break through the walls of sound reverberating within an arcade setting. Even the music has that kind of high toned nature.
I also think the reason the game ends up working so well is that it is an amalgamation of great signals and indicators. The sirens are a great way to signify danger and pressure, it turns pacman into a kind of Cops and Robbers game. But of course it isn't exactly that. I mean PAC-MAN is eating after all. So this is the first contrast between elements, the loud sirens as though the ghosts were cops (they are not) the eating of pacman as though he were collecting gold to steal on the street (level/stage) (he is not stealing, merely eating) These contrasts are what makes the game so distinct feeling. There are a lot of signals we get from the machine and these signals are each clashing with eachother to create a unique experience.
There's also something neon to Pac-Man. It's loud primary colors in a mostly blacked out screen with blue borders give out this distinct look.
While the main core of the game is to 'capture point' and 'don't get caught' with the way it builds interesting signals around this point, distinct antagonists who go after you, each their own personality, it stands out among the rest and can still be enjoyed today. Sure you might not feel the will to put multiple hours in it but i'd imagine nobody in the arcade was constantly putting hours into the game.
I'm glad to own a digital version so I can open it up every so often, but a few 'coins' in and give it a go :)
It's PAC-MAN! It feels so distinct and interesting even quite some years later. Sure after it we'll see many games like it, many that try to copy or improve on how it feels...but nothing is quite like that original.
Having originally played a flash version of the title waaay back it's interesting to return to the game now many years later. Some things I notice now: The loud grainy sounds of the pacman such as that of eating the little dot and the 'sirens' were probably made that way to break through the walls of sound reverberating within an arcade setting. Even the music has that kind of high toned nature.
I also think the reason the game ends up working so well is that it is an amalgamation of great signals and indicators. The sirens are a great way to signify danger and pressure, it turns pacman into a kind of Cops and Robbers game. But of course it isn't exactly that. I mean PAC-MAN is eating after all. So this is the first contrast between elements, the loud sirens as though the ghosts were cops (they are not) the eating of pacman as though he were collecting gold to steal on the street (level/stage) (he is not stealing, merely eating) These contrasts are what makes the game so distinct feeling. There are a lot of signals we get from the machine and these signals are each clashing with eachother to create a unique experience.
There's also something neon to Pac-Man. It's loud primary colors in a mostly blacked out screen with blue borders give out this distinct look.
While the main core of the game is to 'capture point' and 'don't get caught' with the way it builds interesting signals around this point, distinct antagonists who go after you, each their own personality, it stands out among the rest and can still be enjoyed today. Sure you might not feel the will to put multiple hours in it but i'd imagine nobody in the arcade was constantly putting hours into the game.
I'm glad to own a digital version so I can open it up every so often, but a few 'coins' in and give it a go :)
Abandoned again..all on his own..
What were the climbs worth..?
Even to struggle as humans yet still..
What were the climbs worth..?
Even to struggle as humans yet still..