Mizus Musings #1

Mizus Musings #1

   November 22, 2017       Mizu

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As most knows, it's sales time cause Thanksgiving, Black Friday and all that jazz being big in America but somehow infects Australia like so rabid sales bug that we all can't help but be secretly gleeful about the option of procuring games at heavily discounted prices.
I should know, I can't help but try and get one or five games for under 5 bucks.

Since I basically with a partner who enjoys video games as much as I do and I have given him free access to my games, he helped me procure the last three games.
With that piece of info, I present the next few games I shall hopefully be posting about soon.

I also have the Ultra Sun of Pokemon that will be the possible key subject of my daily game progress musings between the PC and PS4 ones. Yes, I plan to try and update daily. Basically talk about games, progress of games and random things like gaming goals or even projects backed that is gaming based.

Expect a poorly written up first impression of Material Girl which I spent four hours today questioning myself and possibly torture the other half with it. I am now resisting the urge to go back onto the PS4 and playing more Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires but for now, working on that sweet new review.

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Personal Post #8 - Why you should buy Hunie Sakura Bundle

Personal Post #8 - Why you should buy Hunie Sakura Bundle

   September 05, 2017       Mizu

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It's been a while since I did any review or what not and I will happily blame life for draining me from wanting to do this.

So today, we are going to comment mainly on the fact that if you like the Hunie or Sakura series that you can get them from humble bundle for a cheap price of USD$10 or AUD$13.

Orrrr if you are like me, you been waiting for them all to come in a bundle and realise you have four already and then palm them off to your friends as a way to torture them with bountiful breasts upon kawaii anime girls and leave them questioning on not only why you play it  but mainly on why would you do this to them and if you really care about them
I mean, look at this list and I still have yet to install and play them and complain all about it cause I can!

So why should you get this lovely bundle?
It's a lot cheaper than buying the whole lot individually and a whole lot of action in one go. I mean, did I say that you get the two Hunie items as well? Cause you get that and do questionable things cause who doesn't love to play things that make people internally or externally question you.

So, now, I shall install the Dungeon and play that for a while and maybe, who knows, I may review it for my own amusement.

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Trick and Treat Review

Trick and Treat Review

   May 22, 2017       Mizu

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Game: Trick & Treat
Played on: Steam
Console: PC
Price: $0.00 [Steam]
Genre: Free to Play, Pixel, Horror, Visual Novel

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Review: Lost Girls [Diary]

Review: Lost Girls [Diary]

   August 16, 2016       Mizu

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Game: Lost Girl's [Diary]
Played on: Steam
Console: PC
Price: $0.00 [Steam]
Genre: Free to Play, Anime, Horror, Visual Novel

Steam Synopsis:

A group of girls are having their vacation, alone. What would a group of girls do on a dark Christmas night? of course, fortunetelling! Unfortunately for them, their boyfriends are not about to leave them alone and their sudden visit ruins their plans for fortune telling, turning it into a scary story. 

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Personal Post #6

Personal Post #6

   March 14, 2016       Mizu

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So, in my infinite wisdom and despite me saying I never play anything Hatoful again, I went and procured the holiday, remastered game of Hatoful Boyfriend.

I don't know whether it was due to sheer curiousity or sheer stupidity, I got this game on sale and shortly, I will play and give a first impressions of this game. Wish me luck cause I will be needing more than luck if it's anything like the other game of the same title.

On a side note, I shall be attempting to review and write up more things, such as the endings to a certain visual novel but until then, time to play with the pigeons again.

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First Impressions: The Men of Yoshiwara: Kikuya

First Impressions: The Men of Yoshiwara: Kikuya

   March 03, 2016       Mizu

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From the realm of Visual Novels on mobile phones, this game has manage to surface from that realm and made a place on both Vita and Steam.

This game is aimed for romance lovers and the ladies.

Now lets begin the ramblings of this gamer and their first impressions.

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HuniePop the Review

HuniePop the Review

   November 26, 2015       Mizu

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Game: HuniePop

Played on: Steam

Console: PC

Price: $9.99 [X]

Genre: Indie, RPG, Dating Sim

Company: HuniePot

Notes: This game has a censored and uncensored version. I played the uncensored version but will post censored images. This game is certainly a game.

I advise people of 18 years and younger to not look at this review or game.

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Progress Review: Virtue's Last Reward

Progress Review: Virtue's Last Reward

   August 25, 2015       Mizu

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Previously on VLR review~~

I was starting to play the game after finding the save bug in the 3DS version.
I manage to progress more further since then and heck, even got a few more endings.
Today I will talk about my game progress and views on each character I have and even share an ending!

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Demo Review: Cafe 0 ~The Drowned Mermaid~

Demo Review: Cafe 0 ~The Drowned Mermaid~

   August 11, 2015       Mizu

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Game: Cafe 0 ~The Drowned Mermaid~

Played On: PC
Console: PC/Steam
Future Release: October 11th, 2011 [Steam]
Genre: Visual Novel

Basically

A girl's spirit with no recollection of her past finds herself in Cafe 0, a mysterious Cafe in the middle of nowhere. Served with only a glass of water by a perculiar waiter, Sui--soon, she realized, that she is about to relive the last seven days before her death.
Surrounding her are Ami, a girl who claims to be her best friend, Tooru, a boy who is rumoured to be her previous boyfriend and Shou, the school's doctor.
What are their connections to her past and how are they related to her death? Will she be in peace with her past or will she haunt the living?
It's all up to you to decide.

- Steam synopsis

Mizu's Thoughts
Cafe 0 is an interesting game from roseVeRte, at first it doesn't give you much on what's going on until much later when you find out how dark and deep the story can get. This game reminds me of the series called Amnesia where you are a girl without memories but in this case, you have seven days to put your heart together and enter the afterlife.

Sounds simple but I am guessing it is not.
You have three major characters you interact with and one character who acts as your guide and will help annoy you until your time is done. Since this is the demo, you only get to try out one day and then expected to buy the full game to find out what happens in the end. Which I will admit, is a tantilising idea, since I am now interested in the story and the characters you both play as and interact with.

Now onto my notes I made about the game, since this is my first time playing it.

I spent, more or less, an hour playing this game.
Some of the art is good but it irks me somewhat, I am guessing it is more of the eyes than the whole art itself.

The music is pretty good, quite dark which is appropriate for this game, the sounds used are nice but the one thing that irks me about this demo is when the music was a lot louder than the voices but this won't impact the full game in any way, which is a nice bonus.

Yes, since this is a visual novel game and I am prone to reviewing these a lot, it has simple mechanics where you just simple point and click and occasionally making choices, which will impact the outcome of what happens. You are given the usual choices of what to name yourself and what you can do the next day, this is usually who you interact with.

I think this game has a lot of potential to be excellent in it's story, not so much for the art or music, to be honest. I may obtain this during the next sale to review it fully.


Note: the demo only contains the Japanese voices, the full version is unvoiced for some reason.

Probability of Purchase: Very High

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Demo Review: NEKOPARA Vol.1

Demo Review: NEKOPARA Vol.1

   December 27, 2014       Mizu

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Game: NEKOPARA Vol. 1
Played On: PC
Console: PC/Steam
Future Release: December 29th, 2014 [Steam]
Genre: Visual Novel

Basically
You left home to open a bakery and in the process of moving, two cat-girls under your families care follows you there.
Basically, you are now left with a dilemma, at first, in the end, you allow them to stay and help. This is what happens.

Mizu's Thoughts
The story seems very cute and simple, you own a shop, two cute yet clingy cat-girls stay with you after much begging and that is as much as the demo offers. My thoughts are simple, I hope it keeps up this tempo, cause I think it will be such a brilliant story.

The demo itself takes about an hour to play but a lot happens, you hear about the past, see the world around them and the reason why cat-girls seem to exist.

The graphics are nice and attractive, I enjoy the look of it. Same with the music, it's nice and simple, I enjoy it a lot. I can only mention so much since it is a simple demo and show's you what you are getting into.

Probability of Purchase: Very High.

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Game Review: Hatoful Boyfriend

Game Review: Hatoful Boyfriend

   December 27, 2014       Mizu

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Game: Hatoful Boyfriend
Played on: PC
Console: PC/Steam
Price: $9.99+ [Steam]
Genre: Visual Novel
Original Post: Nyantastic Review

Basically
Welcome to St. PigeoNation's Institute for you are the very first human to enter this prestigious all bird school.
Here you will study and develop alongside of your fellow feather folks, each unique like their breeds. You will not only develop friendships and if your lucky, you may find the one true bird just for you. There is more to this tale than just going through school and developing friendships, there is a deep, dark secret in these walls, if you don't be careful, you may end up dead. Just don't let that stop you from seeking the truth!

Mizu's Thoughts
Out of curiosity, I pre-ordered this game and I certainly got my coins worth after playing this, it was far from what I first expected. On a serious note; I first saw this game as a silly little romance between birds and humans and didn't give it much of a thought. In the end, my thoughts changed drastically, to the extent that I can't see it as a dumb little romance but something darker and seductive, it kept you playing till the end.

So when you play this game, keep this in mind, it's not what it seems and need to be treated as such.
This game is enticing, the story, at first, seems light and adorable. You develop as a character and form bonds that last a lifetime but this is just a cover for the true story.
It is dark and disturbing but it is something that cannot be overlooked, it will keep you hooked till the end. In the end, everything comes together and leaves you reeling.

Now the mechanics are simple and is no different from any other game of this genre, like I keep mentioning. Each story is short but hold hints of the deeper truth and has many endings for the players to find and the way to see the truth of this story.
The graphics are sweet and simple, there is also the option of having the birds having a human avatar, so it doesn't seem a bit unsettling, thinking you are hooking up with a bird (which you are anyway).

The flaw that I picked up was if you rush ahead and skip dialogue, you may miss some important parts of the story.
Another thing, is the game is very odd and not like most games of this genre, since some choices can help you end the game very quickly and painfully or it could lead you far into the game and lead you don't paths you never expected in the first place.

Pros: It's not like the average Visual Novel and the story is addictive, though it unsettled me.
Cons: Skipping ahead can make you overlook useful information.

Final Say
It is worth getting due to story and the fact it could be done quickly or as long as you like. Probably worthwhile if you get it on sale.

Score: 4.25 out of 5

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Game Review: Always Remember Me

Game Review: Always Remember Me

   December 23, 2014       Mizu

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Game: Always Remember Me
Played on: PC
Console: PC/Steam
Price: $17.99 [Steam]
Genre: Visual Novel
Original Post: Nyantastic Reviews

Basically
You are Amy.
You were caught up in an accident with your boyfriend, which ended with you with few injuries but your boyfriend now has amnesia and has no recollection of the last few years, yes, this means your relationship has now been forgotten.
So now, this game gives you a choice, work to help him remember you or find new romance with three other worthy candidates. In order to earn the romance, you work on stats associated with them in order to earn all the achievements. So, pursuit new romance or rekindle the old, is left up to you.

Mizu's Thoughts
I enjoy Visual Novels, as one can see by the last few reviews, but this one fell a tad short of what I hoped.

The game was short, sweet but felt a little under developed and a tad rushed. The game was easy to figure out and accomplish and left me feeling a bit empty, which is sad. If one wants a quick Visual Novel, then this is the game for you.

The graphics are nice and simple but generally annoys me but the cut-scenes or what is close to it, was nicely done and done rather well. Though, after a while, it all looks the same, to me anyway.
The sound suits the game and so did the music but after a while, I have somewhat forgotten it.

The game has a nice story, especially when you namely focus on one character at a time, but sadly, this alone does not help the replay value. Don't get me wrong, the story is rather tasteful but there is only so much you can do and then it loses it's appeal. I am sure you will feel happier if you acquire the game on a special rather than full price.

Pros: The story is fairly good and intriguing.
Cons: The lack of replay value, it's not very memorable and best to procure during sales for a quick play.

Final Say
There is not much I can say.
It's a good game but nothing about it is worth raving about.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

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Game Review: Analogue: A Hate Story

Game Review: Analogue: A Hate Story

   December 22, 2014       Mizu

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Game: Analogue: A Hate Story
Played On: PC
Console: PC/Steam
Price: $9.99+ [Steam]
Genre: Visual Novel
Original Post: Nyantastic Review

Basically
You are sent to a ship that has been abandoned and floating around in space for a very long time, well, hundreds of years. It was said to be the first colony ship which Earth has lost contact to, so they sent you to go investigate why they lost contact and what happened to all the inhabitants of that ship.
So you get to investigate the ship by reading all the logs and read through all the tales of the inhabitants.
You start off on the overview screen where you use command prompt to access the data on the computer, you navigate through the system to find the truth. You have some help with the PC AI, she will help you go through all the logs and eventually find another AI, it is through them, you find the truth.

Mizu's Thoughts
After getting this game when it basically came out but at the time, I got very impatient and left it to rot in my account. It took me nearly a year to brush the dust off and sit down to try it again, I regret leaving it and failing to see what a great game it is.

The story is constructed purely of the logs on the computer system of the missing ship. You see the life and drama that occurred on the ship and they were not simple problems either, they were very intense and gripping.
Adultery, Incest, Life, Death, Sexuality, Childbearing, Traditions, Murder...
At first, it is confusing on what is happening but once it all comes together you realise you have developed feelings for the characters and even pity for the main character, the one called the Pale Bride and what happens to her in the cycle of the ship's demise.

As for the graphics, it is simple like the game but nicely done. The navigation is simple and can be an utter pain in the ass but after a while, one gets use to it. Then again, I enjoyed the simplicity of the game and what it offered, but simple it is not. Besides the intense story, the most other intense part was the timed section, other than that, you mainly read logs and talk to the AI's who help guide you towards the truth.

The music, like the game, is simple but very nice, it keeps one entertained while scourging through a multitude of logs. The nice part is also, you can buy the soundtrack for a good price or bundle it with the main game and if you like, get the second game of the series, which is a nice deal.

Pros: The art, music and story is engaging and simulating to all players. It can keep one on he game for a long time.
Cons: Some of the files are difficult to get unless you find the clues and it can be a bit too long and some parts, like the core deactivation, can be convoluted and tricky.

Final Say
The story is fascinating and I highly recommend this to everyone, especially those who loves a good Visual Novel with a deep, engaging story.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

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Game Review: Pyrite Heart

Game Review: Pyrite Heart

   December 21, 2014       Mizu

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Name: Pyrite Heart
Played on: PC
Price: $4.99 [Steam]
Genre: Visual Novel
Original Post: Nyantastic Review

Basically
You are the never defeated Princess Ahri, only when it comes to knowledge and skill, otherwise you seem to be lacking in other areas.
Since you can't help but step up to every challenge, when your brother proposes that you couldn't last a week as a normal person, you set your mind to prove that you can and will surpass all expectations.
Little did you know that this is a challenge that will do more than change your life but change the world as you see it.

Mizu's thoughts
It's a typical otome, visual novel style game of having both romantic interests and choices that will lead to one of the few endings this game offers. Like most games, this one has the flaw of being both short and a pain to progress past the two bland endings one can so easily obtain during initial play-through, since this review is just initial contact with it. Since then, the game had extra additions, such as trading cards.

The story is simple, you are a Princess, since you only lived the noble life, you don't think highly of just an average lifestyle, let alone the people. So as a challenge from your brother, you take it upon yourself to live as a normal person and without help from anyone. In the process (and being vague about actual content), you will be knocked down a few pegs and faced with challenges that changes Arhi's prospective and develops into a more understanding individual.

Ahri starts off as a typical spoilt little rich kid, though her progress as a character seems rushed in the story, you see her develop into a more open-minded and considerate young woman.
In regards to other characters, it is very limited and the same applies to the story and development of those characters, mainly the two love interests, Kenta the servant and Ryuu the popular guy. They are the two interactions while the other characters seen is her brother, otherwise, just various dialogues from no faced students and references to others. Which is a pity, since this game has so much potential.

As per visual novel mechanics and as they progress with simple clicks and the use of a mouse-wheel to see skipped dialogue. It is no different from any other game of it's genre. Then again, first play had limited choices to begin with and little to do within the game.
Now, the music is simple and pleasurable, which is a key factor in this games genre but the tune is so common that one can simply hear the same thing in other games of it's kind but it is expected but I won't judge.

Now, my favourite part, the graphics. It is very nicely done and one of the key factors to why I considered playing this game at all. It is pleasant and very well done. This section is only praises at the detail of the backgrounds and how it looks so nicely but not over-bearing to the extent you lose the characters amongst it. I like playing a game with nice visuals.

Pros: The visuals. The potential of this game. The bonus of the body pillow design.
Cons: Short and convoluted storyline. Replay value is limited. Great potential gone to waste.

Final Say
I reckon this is a great buy but it is a quick play/visual novel fix. Maybe best to procure during sales.

Score: 2.6 out of 5

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