Aside from the obvious language barrier, Bokunatsu really is a must play for any fan of life simulators. There's some jank to be found, particularly in its bug catching and fishing minigames, and the game isn't flooding with content like others in the genre, but its relative simplicity works so well to its advantage. You're never going to find a million different things to do everyday like in an Animal Crossing game, but there's always at least something new to find, and its those moments, witnessing Boku's discoveries and reporting on them in his nightly journal that make everything here feel so special.
Besides, what defined Bokunatsu for me, more than anything, was its characters. It's why I can't really recommend this game at all to anyone without at least beginner-level Japanese reading; you'd miss out on so much of the best content by not understanding the dialogue. Every character is really easy to like, but the Sorano family in particular really resonated with me. Maybe its just because the family feels far more human than most video game characters, but I found it really easy to get emotional during certain moments (the scene between Boku and his aunt when the former gets sick was particularly excellent). Despite its fun and cartoony art style, Boku is more bittersweet than anything, and it honestly did hurt a little seeing the credits roll.
Nostalgia is Boku no Natsuyasumi's most prevalent theme, and a major point of discussion regarding the game. The scenario presented in Boku isn't something I related to at all initially, but I honestly think there's at least something that anyone who has experienced summer vacation can relate to, whether it's catching the biggest fish in the lake, screwing around with the neighborhood delinquents, or even just witnessing a rainbow after a summer shower. For me, it was those increasingly common moments of Boku and his older cousin sitting and talking under the night sky. Even if I forget everything else about this game, that's an image that's going to stay with me, because it hit so close to home.
Fantastic game. The love for it is well deserved, and it's an easy recommend for anyone with a decent understanding of Japanese. Playthroughs are rather short at around 12 hours long, and the game is really easy to pick up for a bit, then set down for a few months without forgetting anything (my own playthrough took roughly six months). It was also refreshing to play something where 100% completion didn't even feel like an option; a game where it was actively okay to miss out on major points of content. It makes Boku no Natsuyasumi not only a fantastic playthrough, but something worth coming back to.
Besides, what defined Bokunatsu for me, more than anything, was its characters. It's why I can't really recommend this game at all to anyone without at least beginner-level Japanese reading; you'd miss out on so much of the best content by not understanding the dialogue. Every character is really easy to like, but the Sorano family in particular really resonated with me. Maybe its just because the family feels far more human than most video game characters, but I found it really easy to get emotional during certain moments (the scene between Boku and his aunt when the former gets sick was particularly excellent). Despite its fun and cartoony art style, Boku is more bittersweet than anything, and it honestly did hurt a little seeing the credits roll.
Nostalgia is Boku no Natsuyasumi's most prevalent theme, and a major point of discussion regarding the game. The scenario presented in Boku isn't something I related to at all initially, but I honestly think there's at least something that anyone who has experienced summer vacation can relate to, whether it's catching the biggest fish in the lake, screwing around with the neighborhood delinquents, or even just witnessing a rainbow after a summer shower. For me, it was those increasingly common moments of Boku and his older cousin sitting and talking under the night sky. Even if I forget everything else about this game, that's an image that's going to stay with me, because it hit so close to home.
Fantastic game. The love for it is well deserved, and it's an easy recommend for anyone with a decent understanding of Japanese. Playthroughs are rather short at around 12 hours long, and the game is really easy to pick up for a bit, then set down for a few months without forgetting anything (my own playthrough took roughly six months). It was also refreshing to play something where 100% completion didn't even feel like an option; a game where it was actively okay to miss out on major points of content. It makes Boku no Natsuyasumi not only a fantastic playthrough, but something worth coming back to.