TW: war crimes
The Invisible Guardian tries to sympathize with both the Chinese and Japanese side of WW2 in a way that makes both sides look foolish. and, perhaps, that is the point. Yet, it's important for a game this overtly political tio take a side. As a Japanese person, I went into this expecting a searing (and deserved) critique of Japanese atrocities during WW2, or a polemic introspection at China's own actions during wartime...and left with none of those. It's a take-four jumble bag of half-baked ideas, interesting characters ruined by nonsensical development and poor execution, and a FMV visual novel format that feels simultaneously antiquated and too modern. With unstable, purple prose excessive yet lilliputian, and a plot that seems to be unsure of itself at all times, The Invisible Guardian limpers its way to its disastrously-written finish line worse off than it started, and it didn't start well.
There are far better games about the Sino-Japanese war with actually believable characters, a well-written plotline with emotional depth, and an aura of maturity that actually gives gravity to the sensitive nature of the topics covered, all with one-tenth of the attention this game got in the Asia region upon release. From both Chinese developers and Japanese developers. Covering a topic as raw and sensitive, even to this day, as the Sino-Japanese War requires extensive gracefulness and creative clarity, and there was dialogue and conversations to be had about many of the themes touched upon in this game, especially when it came to the idea of Japanese forgiveness and whether that is even possible, as well as the commonalities between the two sides and the lack of humanity both sides displayed towards each other, something that is rarely touched upon in video games covering this topic. Yet, on account of the xianxia-levels of writing on display here, any dialogue to be had here is completely and perfectly eradicated.
Oh yeah, did I mention this was supposed to be some grand spy thriller about some quadruple agent? Yet, like all other facets of this game, the spy thriller part is completely butchered by the loose and unclarified writing on display. Zero mystique, zero intensity, zero "thrill" in the thriller part. The idea of multiple factions: the communists, nationalists, seperatists, the Japanese, etc. all vying for power and you having the ability to betray all of them is certainly interesting, if not wholly original. Unfortunately it is just an idea, and a good idea is nothing without good interpretation, imagination, and elaboration. This game fails on all of those fronts to the fullest extent a game can fail, and it is honestly baffling how a game like this can be so well-recieved in China, Japan, and even by the few Western game journalists who have played it.
This game will likely never be translated or ported out of China and Japan, and that is a marvelous thing. Because, to be honest, it should have never been written in Chinese and translated to Japanese in the first place. It is, without mincing words, a full affront to the senses, simultaneously offensive to the practicum of art as it is to the Chinese -- or, for that matter, the human -- sense of morality. Perhaps I am missing something crucial, in fact, probably I am missing something crucial. But, unless I eventually replay it and change my mind, this game in my books is an absolute failure and a shame to the smaller, far-better Chinese indie games it stole the spotlight from, the time of the players who play this, and most importantly, the memories of the victims of that disasturous and brutal war.
Instead of giving attention to this, there's plenty of brilliantly-written Chinese visual novels that deserve all the attention in the world. The Chinese visual novel scene is highly imaginative and bursting with talent; unfortunately, it's hidden behind filth like this.
Overall Rating: 0.5/5 (Stay Away At All Costs)
The Invisible Guardian tries to sympathize with both the Chinese and Japanese side of WW2 in a way that makes both sides look foolish. and, perhaps, that is the point. Yet, it's important for a game this overtly political tio take a side. As a Japanese person, I went into this expecting a searing (and deserved) critique of Japanese atrocities during WW2, or a polemic introspection at China's own actions during wartime...and left with none of those. It's a take-four jumble bag of half-baked ideas, interesting characters ruined by nonsensical development and poor execution, and a FMV visual novel format that feels simultaneously antiquated and too modern. With unstable, purple prose excessive yet lilliputian, and a plot that seems to be unsure of itself at all times, The Invisible Guardian limpers its way to its disastrously-written finish line worse off than it started, and it didn't start well.
There are far better games about the Sino-Japanese war with actually believable characters, a well-written plotline with emotional depth, and an aura of maturity that actually gives gravity to the sensitive nature of the topics covered, all with one-tenth of the attention this game got in the Asia region upon release. From both Chinese developers and Japanese developers. Covering a topic as raw and sensitive, even to this day, as the Sino-Japanese War requires extensive gracefulness and creative clarity, and there was dialogue and conversations to be had about many of the themes touched upon in this game, especially when it came to the idea of Japanese forgiveness and whether that is even possible, as well as the commonalities between the two sides and the lack of humanity both sides displayed towards each other, something that is rarely touched upon in video games covering this topic. Yet, on account of the xianxia-levels of writing on display here, any dialogue to be had here is completely and perfectly eradicated.
Oh yeah, did I mention this was supposed to be some grand spy thriller about some quadruple agent? Yet, like all other facets of this game, the spy thriller part is completely butchered by the loose and unclarified writing on display. Zero mystique, zero intensity, zero "thrill" in the thriller part. The idea of multiple factions: the communists, nationalists, seperatists, the Japanese, etc. all vying for power and you having the ability to betray all of them is certainly interesting, if not wholly original. Unfortunately it is just an idea, and a good idea is nothing without good interpretation, imagination, and elaboration. This game fails on all of those fronts to the fullest extent a game can fail, and it is honestly baffling how a game like this can be so well-recieved in China, Japan, and even by the few Western game journalists who have played it.
This game will likely never be translated or ported out of China and Japan, and that is a marvelous thing. Because, to be honest, it should have never been written in Chinese and translated to Japanese in the first place. It is, without mincing words, a full affront to the senses, simultaneously offensive to the practicum of art as it is to the Chinese -- or, for that matter, the human -- sense of morality. Perhaps I am missing something crucial, in fact, probably I am missing something crucial. But, unless I eventually replay it and change my mind, this game in my books is an absolute failure and a shame to the smaller, far-better Chinese indie games it stole the spotlight from, the time of the players who play this, and most importantly, the memories of the victims of that disasturous and brutal war.
Instead of giving attention to this, there's plenty of brilliantly-written Chinese visual novels that deserve all the attention in the world. The Chinese visual novel scene is highly imaginative and bursting with talent; unfortunately, it's hidden behind filth like this.
Overall Rating: 0.5/5 (Stay Away At All Costs)