終わりなき夏 永遠なる音律
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So thanks to Shapeshifter and its cinematic presentation, I got curious about phi-age’s other titles and decided to check this one out, Owarinaki Natsu. Featuring a music club, lovely ladies, a melodramatic lead and a story that’s full of drama and tons of emphasis on music!
To those who’ve played Yuzusoft’s Braban before, think of Owarinaki Natsu as something similar, but only with more emphasis on the drama. Instead of a band competition like in Braban, Owarinaki Natsu is about high school students in a music club, trying to manage the best they can in the face of various trials. I’d say events, but man, every event that occurred just seemed to pit the characters against one obstacle after another, so trials fit better. Past trauma, the uncertainties that come with growing up, relationships, and the like.
I came into this one with curiosity, mostly because of the way phi-age presented Shapeshifter, without holding expectations for anything else but the presentation of the game. The moment Mio appeared on screen? I nearly died from a sudden, unexpected moegasm attack.
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The storytelling is, in my opinion, greatly improved through the way phi-age presents it. The cinematic presentation is a great differentiation factor for phi-age’s titles among other eroges, and it also adds a more dynamic feel to the characters when you see them moving around, talking and reacting with various expressions among other things. That’s one of the noteworthy things Owarinaki Natsu has going for it.
The second one would be the story, if you’re into drama and all that jazz. Personally I found it to be too full of contrived coincidences to the point that it stretched my suspension of disbelief way past its elasticity, but hey what the heck. I can’t really say a lot of bad things about it because, despite that, I ended up sticking to it like glue over the past two days, finishing the Ai route just this mid-morning. I like how the story drops you certain events and leave you wondering about them, only to pick it up and clarify everything later on. Makes for some suspense!
Plus, if you know about the connection between Owarinaki Natsu and Muv-Luv Alt…
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Interesting storytelling and plot aside, this game’s got a ton of gorgeous ladies, and I mean GORGEOUS ladies. From Mio, to Ai, Lise, and Karen not including Kanon because she scares the living fuck out of me, all of them are mouth-wateringly DELISHUZ. You’ve got the imouto-like osananajimi, the tsundere rival, the always cheerful foreigner and the helpful kouhai, all of whom tempt my loins with great fervor as a certain pervert put it!
Anyways, that’s it for a brief rundown on Owarinaki Natsu! Time to go back to the game and complete Lise’s and Karen’s routes before going down Mio’s! REMEMBER, THE BEST WAY TO RETURN A NICE OSANANAJIMI’S INVESTMENT IS BY MAKING HER WISHES COME TRUE BY FUCKING HER BRAINS OUT!
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If you guys want an accurate review on Owarinaki Natsu, try relentlessflame’s!
Themocracy
I think the best things about this game are the music (absolutely amazing, especially for an eroge — where’s the OST?!), the atmosphere (the feeling of nostalgia/melancholy is extremely well-conveyed), and the presentation. Put the three together, plus the very attractive character designs, and I found it to be an extremely note-worthy title. But I think that people’s appreciation for the story seems to depend on if they can get into the “mood” of the game; on the one hand, as you say, there are a lot of contrivances, but on the whole I think the story and “feeling” the author was going for are well-conveyed, especially when you see how it ties into the true ending you alluded to. Overall, it seems to be one of those “love or hate” sort of titles for people; I loved it, personally.
(BTW, for the tag… “Towanaru Shirabe”.)
Oh, I got into the mood of this one fairly quick; otherwise I wouldn’t have been hooked on it for two days STRAIGHT. I rate this one very highly, just that I’d rather complete all the routes before I come out with a final say on this one. I just mentioned the “coincidences” as something that might turn off some people – it bothered me a bit as they were all too convenient, but as I neared the end I just didn’t care for anything else but seeing what happens next.
I would say, however, that this one’s fairly melancholic, and yet so wonderful at the same time.
As for the tag…I blame Kresnik.
Also, I liked your take on the game, so don’t be surprised seeing a link to your review up there now!
Haha – well, thanks, although I won’t really claim “accuracy”. Just sort of the thoughts that came to mind after playing it. Ultimately I understand why it doesn’t work for some, but I was quite entranced. One of the best games I played in 2009, I think. :)
This sounds pleasant. Music club settings are always nice, and the art looks great. It makes me wish more fan translators worked on above-average galge instead of honing in on everything sci-fi/horror.
Isn’t it a shame? D:
Who is this pervert you speak of? I am a healthy, pure individual. My mind is squeaky-clean and untainted like fresh fallen snow.
DAYUM, I have to saddle back unto this game for all them delishuz bishoujos! MY LOINS MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE!Uh-huh, I’m sure it is. I have no questions nor qualms about the purity of your untainted mind.
Hands off my Liselotte and Ai though!
you claim I CONQUER even if i post ohh so late
I really loved the cinematics and feel of the game. Never really got into it since I was stuck in
a dream worldNatsunagi, but Zen was complaining about the nonstop coincidences on Mio’s route. Speaking of Mio, she is SO cute! *plays catch with Mio*@ETERNAL: Unfortunately most fan translators living in North America have similar tastes. And those people who can’t read Japanese end up playing those that do end up getting translated and end up not playing other types.
Ah, yes, playing catch with Mio is a daily necessity. *tosses Mio back to Micchi*
Playing it atm, really like it! The cinematic feeling is wonderful! And Mio is mine!
…Kanon is indeed scary, though.
Yep, the cinematic presentation is just wonderful. It’s one of the charms and appeal of Owarinaki Natsu, I’d say (and Shapeshifter as well, maybe even Pikopiko but I haven’t played it yet).
HA, I TOLD YOU GUYS KANON WAS SCARY!
hemi you mislead me D:
karen does NOT haev any traces of stalkerism or yandere (still delishuz tho)
btw kanon scares me too ;_;
p.s you almost killed there with the little spam at the last part
nice ambush :|
Yeah I meant Kanon, not Karen. WHOOPSIES!