A tale of desire, damage, and discovery of what was lost and what was gained. 🩸
Spoiler for Route Names/Leads
Slow Damage is a ride filled with many moments of dread, of sensuality, and of ecstasy. Shinkoumi is an interesting setting with many unusual residents that makes the place feel like home when reading. During the nighttime, its mystifying and dreary atmosphere really shines through as you speak to its residents and explore through the emptiest and busiest sectors.
Towa's a fantastic protagonist with fun dialogue and dynamics with the other characters, and he perfectly enthralls you into the setting. Each main mystery in the chapters range from alright to thrilling but seeing how Towa and his muses, for his art, interact is always absorbing. I really love how everything is built up and structured regarding Towa's mystery, like going from Taku's and Rei's routes (nice BL with some hints and pieces about Towa's life) to unlocking Madarame's route (a focus on a bit of Towa's past and the prevalent figure within it). Everything comes together to not only form an enchanting read filled with crazy homosexuals, but a journey of a damaged and scarred protagonist.
This was also a very personal read for me, which was quite unexpected honestly. Descending into the world of Shinkoumi and Towa's life, I ended up resonating with this game way more than I had ever imagined. Towa and the true route, in particular, are crafted wonderfully, drawing out feelings of pain and disgust but also delivering soothing and beautiful scenes that are absolutely satisfying to witness. Towa's trauma and his buried memories is handled well and watching him get through everything and realize the parts of himself was just extremely compelling. Everything between him and Fujieda made me feel connected to them. Those last couple of hours of the game were extraordinarily written and quite tear-jerking.
The other routes are pretty nice as well. Aside from the true route, Rei's route is probably my favorite. His struggle is relatable, and his dynamic with Towa is sweet. Madarame's route doesn't pull any punches and could hurt to read at certain points. It does a good job of showing a different side of Towa, and that Madarame is an ideal yet very unhealthy partner for him. Taku's route is solid, but weaker than the aforementioned due to his character moments and roles he plays in being more interesting in other routes.
I can't say I'd recommend Slow Damage, definitely depends on the person. If you're a fan of what I've described in my review, I'd say go for it. Though I would look into the content warnings first. P.S: This is the first N+C visual novel I've gotten through, very excited to read more.
Other aspects of the game I loved ♥:
The soundtrack is so damn great. It perfectly sets the tone right and is memorable. The tracks for each ending are quite good too, great choices for each character. Also, listening to After All gets me really emotional.
Yamada Uiro's artwork is phenomenal, and I love all the colors and character designs.
I really like the side cast. The Takasato members, Rei's queer friend group, and a couple others were very enjoyable to interact with.
Spoiler for Route Names/Leads
Slow Damage is a ride filled with many moments of dread, of sensuality, and of ecstasy. Shinkoumi is an interesting setting with many unusual residents that makes the place feel like home when reading. During the nighttime, its mystifying and dreary atmosphere really shines through as you speak to its residents and explore through the emptiest and busiest sectors.
Towa's a fantastic protagonist with fun dialogue and dynamics with the other characters, and he perfectly enthralls you into the setting. Each main mystery in the chapters range from alright to thrilling but seeing how Towa and his muses, for his art, interact is always absorbing. I really love how everything is built up and structured regarding Towa's mystery, like going from Taku's and Rei's routes (nice BL with some hints and pieces about Towa's life) to unlocking Madarame's route (a focus on a bit of Towa's past and the prevalent figure within it). Everything comes together to not only form an enchanting read filled with crazy homosexuals, but a journey of a damaged and scarred protagonist.
This was also a very personal read for me, which was quite unexpected honestly. Descending into the world of Shinkoumi and Towa's life, I ended up resonating with this game way more than I had ever imagined. Towa and the true route, in particular, are crafted wonderfully, drawing out feelings of pain and disgust but also delivering soothing and beautiful scenes that are absolutely satisfying to witness. Towa's trauma and his buried memories is handled well and watching him get through everything and realize the parts of himself was just extremely compelling. Everything between him and Fujieda made me feel connected to them. Those last couple of hours of the game were extraordinarily written and quite tear-jerking.
The other routes are pretty nice as well. Aside from the true route, Rei's route is probably my favorite. His struggle is relatable, and his dynamic with Towa is sweet. Madarame's route doesn't pull any punches and could hurt to read at certain points. It does a good job of showing a different side of Towa, and that Madarame is an ideal yet very unhealthy partner for him. Taku's route is solid, but weaker than the aforementioned due to his character moments and roles he plays in being more interesting in other routes.
I can't say I'd recommend Slow Damage, definitely depends on the person. If you're a fan of what I've described in my review, I'd say go for it. Though I would look into the content warnings first. P.S: This is the first N+C visual novel I've gotten through, very excited to read more.
Other aspects of the game I loved ♥:
The soundtrack is so damn great. It perfectly sets the tone right and is memorable. The tracks for each ending are quite good too, great choices for each character. Also, listening to After All gets me really emotional.
Yamada Uiro's artwork is phenomenal, and I love all the colors and character designs.
I really like the side cast. The Takasato members, Rei's queer friend group, and a couple others were very enjoyable to interact with.