Juliana Paiva Zapparoli

“Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk DX is an RPG that bets on tenderness, affection and an extremely introspectiv approach. Its subtle narrative allied with an expressive cast makes a compelling experience while alchemy, though challenging, opens an entire universe of possibilities to those who wish to dive into its complexities. On the other hand, the game doesn't hold our hand: vague tutorials, unclear objectives and confusing navigation can be tiresome and get in the way of the time-limited adventure. Even so, Ayesha has soul, a element that, in a game about rediscoving connections and embracing little moments, is worth a lot.”

“All in Abyss: Judge the Fake delivers an original concept by mixing poker, bluffing and psychological tension in a visual novel structure. The combat system is enticing, the main character design is great and the heavy atmosphere is well constructed, but rhythm issues, visual and sound repetition, and the excessive grinding in some chapters end up negatively impacting the experience.”

“Your House is an interactive text adventure that manages to mix intelligent puzzles to a narrative that stays engaging from start to finish. Even with a relatively short duration — approximately 10 hours (or even less if you don't get stuck in some puzzles like I did) —, there's plenty for those who like an excellent mystery story in which nothing is what it seems — not even your own house, that is, if it really is yours.”

“[...]the story in Ever 17 - The Out of Infinity still works — we can experience the mystery and emotional weight that permeates the attempts to escape a lethal sinking. However, for those, like me, who have had any contact with the original Ever17, there's a feeling that something essential has been dilluted. The remake definitely is an interesting experience but inevitably inferior to the classic that came before. It leaves only hope that Mages and Spike Chunsoft work together to bring the original version of one of the best sci-fi visual novels ever created.”

“Overall, NEEDY STREAMER OVERLOAD: Typing of The Net suffers an identity crisis. The spin-off does try to capture the original essence while introducing new gameplay elements, but fails in balancing out those two sides. As a result, we get a game that doesn't manage to please NEED STREAMER OVERLOAD fans nor typing games enthusiasts. The concept had the chance to exude charisma and potential, but, thanks to an extremely poor execution, this title doesn't hold water as a standalone experience.”

“NEEDY STREAMER OVERLOAD invites us to reflect about the pressure and the trappings of the digital world. The story doesn't romantize or oversimplify Ame's experiences but presents them in an honest and raw fashion. For some people, this may be cathartic; for others, unsettling — but, more than anything, it's a reminder that searching for online validation may have a high toll on our mental health.”

“The Restless Sheep & The Lone Wolf -A Tale of Cutthroat Lovers- brings a plot of violence, action and romance in an intriguing criminal underworld ambiance in Kabukicho. The story, despite its issues in character development, offers an immersive experience with Kurashiki's shady, detailed worldbuilding standing out, and a very good portrayal of it with vibrant colors and the excellent character design. However, the game experience is hindered by questionable choices in the sex scenes. If you manage to ignore these excesses, you'll find an intriguing story and a twisted romance and, for those with the guts and the disposition to face the visual novel's negative aspects, it may offer an experience that is at the very least curious.”

“If you like bittersweet romance that could be enjoyed in a few hours, you've just found your next read.”

“Thanks to the excellent audiovisual presentation, the lasting impression is that we are watching a beautiful animation created with care. It's true that Keisuke and Haruka could have had more screentime, not just leaving the story to be carried by Chika, but the final result is positive.”

“Taking into account its concept, it's evident that Devil Reversi was planned to be played on the PvP mode, with all the unpredictability of its mechanics and the urgence to play within the time limit. It's not a bad game or one that lacks innovation, but playing it alone ends up becoming tiresome and dull quickly. If only its story mode had a story to tell, my impression could have been different. The way it is, I can only hope that more people end up interested in Devil Reversi and hype up the online PvP.”

“SINce Memories: Off the Starry Sky stands as the first coming of the Memories Off franchise to the west, but, unfortunately, it leaves something to be desired in a crucial aspect: the English localization, which severely compromises the enjoyment and understanding of the story. Maybe it's not the best way to promote this brand-new content on this side of the globe, but the product is a great recommendation for those who love a more mundane, believable and down-to-earth narrative.”

“Simple at its surface, complex in execution, Refind Self: The Personality Test Game is an experience that manages to explain how our decisions in many situations mold us as people. It's not a 100% accurate personality test, obviously, but it definitely helps clear many doubts we have about ourselves.”

“Betting on themes that go beyond traditional romance, 9 R.I.P. is yet another excellent pick for visual novel fans, especially for people who enjoy the otome demography. Even with a slightly more mature approach compared to other Otomate titles I've reviewed, the game is an invite to a narrative in which the supernatural and human emotions intertwine in an exceptionally well-made manner and without leaving loose ends.”

“Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU doesn't substitute a real training routine, especially not boxing, but trying to follow the moves and rhythm precisely helps us work up a sweat no doubt. There are some issues that can't be ignored for sure, and maybe the main games in the Fitness Boxing series (especially the second) are more complete than this Vocaloid crossover when it comes to exercising sessions and instructor customization. However, for those who prefer [to work out in] the comfort of their home and having virtual avatars during exercises, for whatever reason, this is a good pick to keep the body moving even if your routine doesn't allow for frequent gym visits.”

“Beyond romance, Lilja and Natsuka Painting Lies discusses empowerment and breaking stereotypes. The chapters also explore how difficulties and traumas we've faced affect and shape our lives; in this sense, it's impossible not to praise the visual novel for putting empathy as the main agent in transformation and personal growth. In sum, the relationship between Lilja and Natsuka exemplify how different perspectives and approaches contribute to something bigger when there's comradery and cooperation between people. Though some fights may be individual, that doesn't mean we need to refuse the help others offer [to us].”

“The Star Named EOS, and its unusual approach, introspective narrative and stunning audiovisual presentation, is an excellent choice for people who prefer short games to relax and think. The Switch version trips up on a few details and the experience can be severely compromised by the lack of hints for the puzzles but, as they say, "it's not the destination but the journey."”

“Moonless Moon is more of an immersive and introspective experience than a game, though there are some gameplay elements for us to intervene with during the reading. Sometimes I felt that it lacked a little more "dare" to develop the themes more or to make it so the riddles could have made the story less linear but we can't take away the merit of the excellent narrative in ANMC's debut title. Overall, this is a visual novel where the biggest appeal is its audiovisual, especially the ambiance and the immersion the excellent soundtrack offers. The only thing left is to know if Yomichi's trips to different worlds will have the same impact for you than it did for me”

“Mixing up daily life, folklore and supernatural themes (and some more miserable ones due to the characters backgrounds), Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch delivers a narrative that manages to pique our curiosity. Even with some conveniences in the plot, the story as a whole is well developed, and much of it comes from the characters that are part of it. The audiovisual limitations, as well as a lack of polish to the English text localization, may displease some people but, sincerely, those who do not give a chance to this incredible story will be missing out because of an erroneous judgment.”

“In addition to being an excellent and immersive narrative adventure, Minds Beneath Us is a title that makes us think and challenges our own concepts of morality with every choice we make. Its concept of a dystopian future controlled by machines and artificial intelligence doesn't seem so far from our reality — could it be that, in a few decades, the world will be like the fictional Wanpei depicted in the game? But, more than presenting a hypothetical scenario about the future of humanity, the plot brings us very current and pertinent questions and thoughts. Honestly speaking, it's hard to put into words the emotional weight I felt while playing this title; perhaps this isn't the conclusion you expected for a review, but Minds Beneath Us is the famous “seeing is believing”.”

“Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune offers solid action with RPG elements in a beautiful and captivating metroidvania with a narrative that is expanded as we progress through the campaign. Although the game’s humor is a bit offensive at times, especially for female audiences, the plot is intriguing enough to keep us going until the end. Unfortunately, although the combat is the highlight of this adventure, the characters’ combos are difficult to execute, and the boss battles are drawn out enough to come close to boring. Beyond this, we have a basically linear exploration, which, more than anything, makes backtracking difficult with the few save and teleport points. On the other hand, the lack of boldness as a metroidvania makes Frontier Hunter a good choice for people who are not very experienced with the genre, offering plenty of content to keep them entertained for hours.”