Wolf Tails

Steam Review

A cute VN that pays homage to humble beginnings and understanding. Direct, short, nice graphics and a decent soundtrack make this a good Visual Novel from start to finish. I still can't bring myself at this time to play through the story and choose the bad endings...despite the shortness of the Visual Novel the two wolf girls grow on you quickly and you find yourself not wishing to choose the bad ending. I would recommend this to anyone interested in a simple starter Visual Novel that has few choices but would let them know upfront that they do not want to see the bad endings.

Review

Wolf Tails is at its core a simple straight forward Visual Novel with a total of 3 different endings. The endings are based on only a couple of choices which while simple actually makes this game more fun to play as it will allow you to make choices that won't affect the ending. Now at the time, I am writing this I will admit that I have played rough 4 hours and have 2 of the 3 endings. I can not bring myself to choose to get the third ending which is the 'bad' ending. I at some time will get it simply to get 100% achievement status on this game but until that time comes I will be happy where I am at.

One of the reasons why this game has become a popular game on Steam despite it being short for a visual novel and its simple playthrough is due to the character development through the VN. You instantly fall in love with both of the human-wolf girls and find yourself drawn to each one for different reasons. The different personality types of the two also weave a story all on their own. 

The story takes place in a mountain area far away from most human civilizations. The protag which you can name all on your own has made the choice to live in the mountains alone and away from civilization only going into town long enough to get supplies that he can not get on his own out in the area he lives. He lives in a small cabin and has a truck for transportation when he heads into town. You head back to your home and a winter storm blows in, as you return and start to get ready for the night you realize that the storeroom door is open and as you investigate you realize that someone or something has broken in. You make your way further into the storeroom and find a wet and frozen young half-wolf half-human girl. She was apparently trapped in the storm and made her way to your home in the hopes of staying warm. 

The young human-wolf girl is Mirari and she is very refined and talented in cooking and cleaning. She is quiet and very openminded, she has a fascination with learning about humanity and its culture. She is also hiding something from the protag but he is a loner himself decides for the most part not to push her on what that secret may be. 

Mirari is one of the love interests in the story and leads to 1 of the good endings. As time goes by she grows on the protag and divulges her secret and as she does she admits that she falls for him. Even though many in human society warn against falling in love with the half-humans that fill the world and it is considered taboo, but in the half-wolf culture while it is not encouraged it isn't looked down upon either. 

Soon after the arrival of Mirari at the cabin and the protags attempts to help her get better to head back to her pack, another wolf-girl named Fuyu shows up to take Mirari back to her pack as well. Fuyu is the sword protector of sorts to Mirari and keeps a close eye on her. Fuyu is a wild and loose cannon with the inability to express her true feelings but relies on her more wolfish nature to get through her thoughts and feelings. Despite that, she is actually a sweet-natured half-wolf girl that is shy when it comes to other matters of the heart. 

Fuyu is one of the two love interests and leads to the 2nd good ending. As time goes by you realize that Fuyu has a sorted history within the pack which leads you to understand why she is the way she is. She is young, naive, brash, and dedicated to the pack, but only for the sake of Mirari. She has a strong sense of dedication to Mirari and later to the main protag.

The game is a great starter and basic Visual Novel and really holds the reader's interest. Character development is top quality and the graphics are very nice and well done. Music is pretty good but more tracks would have been nice. While it is short it leaves room for improvement and future VN's based around it. I would love to see a Wolf Tails 2 at some point. I would recommend this to anyone. And to those that enjoy the adult content, the 18+ Patch is free for download which will show you the H-scene artwork. 

Preview of Corpse Party

Corpse Party

Corpse Party was originally created in Japan in the early '90s and gained a quick cult following in the gaming community. Created by an Indy Developer using simple RPG Maker technology the game was designed over a period of time. The game was then expanded on several years later and the cult following moved past just the nation of Japan to Europe and America. Described as a psychological horror game, the game centered around a group of High School students that are sent to another dimension due to a charm they all participate in. The dimension they enter isn't one of rainbows and unicorns but instead, it is filled with spirits both good and bad and filled with the dead bodies of those that came before them. 

The game is broken down into chapters with each chapter having multiple endings based on the choices you make and if you take time to go through certain situations or skip them. Along with these endings are also the fact you may in fact lose a character along the way. Each chapter focuses on one or more characters and has different scenarios that can play out based on who is alive, who is dead, and previous actions you performed. 

As stated, this is a psychological horror game is based on the basic understandings of fear that most people have including the use of spirits that will use just about trick to get the characters to act a certain way. There is a great deal of blood, gore, murder, evil spirits, and, dead bodies among other things that lend to the creepiness of this game. It has even been posted by several that have done reviews on this game previously they do not recommend playing this game alone, at night, or in the dark.

Corpse Party being a classic game does have the drawback that its artwork and graphics are a bit outdated. But despite that, the game itself is said to be fun and exciting and has a great story to go along with it. Based on what I have seen and read of this game I do recommend some caution if you do decide to watch my review and play video. It is something that can really warp your mind...which for me there isn't much left to warp. 

I hope to see you there!

Update# 2

I hope everyone is having a good week this week! So I am excited to bring you an update of what is going to be taking place very soon. As some of my readers and followers may know I have recently upgraded my computer work station to a new look and format which allows me greater creative freedom. This includes updating software, installing a new docking station, a new dual monitor set up among other upgrades. Because of this I and the reinstalling of my audio equipment from my Podcasting days I am now able to produce, edit, and post video with music and audio. 

So what does all that mean? Well, I will be able to create for the first time in a while some nice content dealing with my reviews of games, anime, and Manga! Along with the hardware and software updates, I will be starting work on a new website that will link up with this blog allowing me more flexibility and allow me to create all the content I want. Along with this content and reviews, I am also working on a Visual Novel of my own and that I hope will be taking more shape sooner rather than later.

 So to kick all of this off and to really start making some content I will be doing a video that deals with a game that I have been interested in for a while now but really never had the chance to play until now. That game is known as 'Corpse Party' and I will start off by playing the first game brought to the PC called simply 'Corpse Party' and pending on how that goes I may move to Corpse Party: Book of Shadows. 

I will be posting a preview post soon talking about Corpse Part and what you can expect...or at least from what I have heard. I hope to see you all very soon.

LoveKami Useless Goddess

Steam Review

At the time of this review no Steam review has been given.

Review

LoveKami Useless Goddess is the latest installment of the LoveKami set of Visual Novels. This Visual Novel continues the LoveKami world by introducing a couple of new concepts as and unlike the others it only adds two new Goddesses to the list of love interests. That said don't fret there is a third love interest you can charm that isn't a Goddess but instead and human and childhood friend of the Protag.

In this Visual Novel based in the LoveKami World (check out my previous blog on LoveKami Divine State to understand this world more in-depth). In this LoveKami Visual Novel they added a new concept that plays a big role in this story. In this Visual Novel you are introduced to the term 'Aragami' which is a Goddess that does not adhere to the rules set forth by the Japanese Goddess Educational Act which was designed to help the Goddess integrate into human society. Instead they believe that as Goddess they have the right to do things their own way and how they see fit even if that means they become a problem to humans in doing so.

In this Visual Novel you play as the protag named Sho. Sho is your average college student and lives in a boarding house with his childhood friend and new 'Landlady'. On one evening while returning to his home after making a run to a local store for food he runs into the first of the Goddesses Akane. 

Akane is a Goddess who is classified as an Aragami and is currently under rehabilitation to get her powers under control to cause fewer problems with humans. She is a wildcard and lacks the ability to control her emotions which makes her an emotional rollercoaster. She is a bit lazy and tends to be selfish as far as Goddesses go. Due to her emotional state she tends to use her powers without really wanting to and that cases a great deal of problems for the town she lives in even if she doesn't really want to cause problems. She is one of the Goddesses that Sho can take an interest in.

Akane is being rehabilitated by another Goddess named Inori.

Inori is the area Earth Goddess and is charged with rehabilitating Akane as a Goddess that resides within her area of protection and control. Inori is the polar opposite of Akane in that she is quiet, reserved, and very mild-mannered and humble. She places the lives of the people in her area over her own happiness and derives her happiness from theirs. She does have a slight temper when it comes to Akane though and that can cause an issue when it gives Akane reason to cause problems. Like Akane she is one of the love interests of Sho.

Because of her ties to Akane and her rehabilitation, she and Akane are allowed to live in the same boarding house as Sho and his childhood friend and Land Lady Maika.

Maika is not a Goddess at all and instead is just human like Sho. Sho and Maika grew up together and in the boarding house that Maika now runs. It was handed down to Maika by her parents who are now retired and have moved off to live off their retirement. Maika is a homemaker and very down to earth. That said she also has a bit of a shy side that she doesn't so very much. She also hides the fact that despite growing up with Sho and being his best friend she also has a crush on him.

Maika is one of the love interests of Sho and has her own ending.

This Visual Novel like the other two produced in the LoveKami world is done simply with only one real question and that is being of course which girl you want to end up with. This Visual Novel like the others are very direct and simple in overall design, that said I don't mean that in a negative way. I enjoy the story of this Visual Novel greatly and the graphics, and music are well done and lend themselves greatly to this Visual Novel. The only drawback I can say about this particular Visual Novel was the fact that it felt shorter than the others and the stories seemed to end very abruptly to me compared to the other two. 

All in all I do believe this Visual Novel is worth the money to get and play through and I hope to see a fourth installment of the LoveKami world at a later date. 

LoveKami Useless Goddess

Lolicon and the Great Misunderstanding

Lolicon as defined by the community at large states that it is, " is a slang word for the phrase "Lolita complex"" which denotes the interests in a younger female by a man or the interests of a young female in another young female. It is derived from the term 'Lolita' which was a word used by an Author to denote a story written about a professor that took an interest in a younger female. 

While in some cases this will refer to the interest taken into females in a prepubescent stage others will say it may simply refer to a female under the socially acceptable age for intimate relationships while every country tends to view this differently. Because of this common understanding of 'Lolicon,' there have been several nations that view it as a form of Child Pornography and have attempted to ban all forms of Lolicon from Anime, Mangas, and Light Novels in an attempt to further push back against the trend. 

Currently, to date, there is no evidence that the viewing or reading of Lolicon materials has led to or caused anyone to develop an interest in real-life habits of pedophilia and therefore all information about the subject matter is currently being debated. The United Nations has even taken up the subject matter and while they have openly condemned the concept they have no legal standing to push nations to adopt their proposed ban on the materials.

Lolicon and those like it are caught in a constant battle between 'Moralist' and 'Artists' alike due to the generalized idea that if you view or support the idea of Lolicon you are someone to be viewed with some suspicion of being a pedo or someone that would support the act of it. While I can see this from the perspective of a 'Moralist' I can also say that subjectively there is no evidence to prove any of the arguments. As someone that supports the absolute freedom of self-expression and exchange of ideas I find it to be restrictive to say that the use of 'Lolicon' breeds or creates pedos.   

Lolicon by an artist is the exploration of a social taboo on a different level and in many cases the story arch is directed in a way to nurture and foster a relationship between the main characters. In essence the main characters have a loving committing relationship and intend to be with one another only and therefore creating a love story that transcends the modern moralist view of love. Also the use of Lolicon as a medium in art and media isn't new and has only within the past decade been viewed with such disdain: while this is due to current 'moralist' or because society is starting to view censorship with a more positive note is not clear. 

 

I think that even someone like myself that doesn't prescribe to the standard idealism of 'Moralism' agrees that the forced sexual activity of an adult or person in power upon a minor without consent or for other purposes in real life is not acceptable and should warrant arrest and incarceration. That said, the mentioned material of Lolicon which is art and or writings that pertain to the idea of a committed, loving, nurturing, sustainable, consensual relationship between two people of different ages should not fall under the same scope. The fact is that stories harm no one in real life and the fact that people make it sound like it does only makes things worse. 

While this subject matter isn't one that can be settled easily, it is one that deserves a closer look. People that apply this concept to their art and writings are not inherently doing anything wrong but exploring a new route of thinking, even that said though it is really not all that new. The point I want to make is that despite one's personal moral convictions the idea that 'Lolicon' is seen as some sort of illegal practice only is short-sighted and narrow-minded. I actually hope to see this ban lifted at some point to see the freedom of creativity come back to the world.  

LoveKami Healing Harem

Steam Review

At the time of this review I have not submitted a Steam review on this game.

Review

LoveKami Healing Harem is a continued play on the original LoveKami (Divine Stage) which follows the idea that an event led to Goddess falling from the Divine Realm to earth to live among humanity. It is rumored to be brought around by the fact that humanity had reached a point where they no longer believed in many of the former diety's. Because of the lack of religious belief the Goddess descended in an attempt to bring back faith to humanity by being Goddess that are able to be seen. 

In this version of LoveKami you play the protag named Akira who is the son of a shrine priest. Because of that he takes care of the local shrine of his district and watches over the Goddess of that shrine. This game adds a new set of ideas to the LoveKami universe by adding a concept of 'Evil Goddess's' in the sense that a Goddess can become corrupt and turn into a Tatarigami. They also add the idea that some goddesses are not favorable in the sense that one of the three love interests to the protag is classified as the 'Goddess of Misfortune'.

The story of this particular Visual Novel revolves around the life of Akira as he helps the newly arrived Goddess who is a Tatarigami help control her power and the very funny happenings that occur while doing this.  

Yukari is a Goddess that has become a Tatarigami due to some tragic circumstances that have manifested into a deep-rooted issue that she is unable to come to terms with. Because of this she has been on the move and has recently found her way to the shrine that our protag manages for his parents while they are away. She is very affectionate and very open about her feelings and intentions. She is a powerhouse and succumbs to her emotions easily which can trigger her Tatarigami powers. She is a very jealous person and lets others know this on a regular basis.

As one of the three primary goddesses, she is one of the love interests that Akira has. She is a wild one and puts Akira in a lot of unusual places but one he is able to handle quite well in all regards. She also refers to herself as 'Akira's Wife'. 

Kaede is the shrine and town patron Goddess. She was also once a Tatarigami that thanks to Akira found her way back to becoming a Goddess. However an incident that happened between her and Akira led to a long time where they didn't really communicate much between one another. As the patron Goddess of the town she is well known and loved by all. She is a quiet and reserved girl that is mature in nature and puts off a very motherly aura. 

She is also one of the three Goddess that is a love interest to the main protag Akira. They have a past with one another and that drives her story arch. Despite her demeanor and composure she is like any other girl in the fact she combats her own emotions on a regular bases and tends to be flustered easier than one would think. She refers to herself as 'The Better Half' to Akira.

 

Shion is a Goddess of Misfortune, which causes her trouble. Despite her energetic personality and desire to help others she can not escape the fact that in the end she is a Goddess of Misfortune and that alone makes it hard for her to find a place to stay and remain. She is a lively and energetic girl with a very fast-paced lifestyle. She is a gamer girl as well as your basic nerd. She enjoys manga's, anime, games, and lounging about. She also enjoys making money which is something they lightly touch on. Despite this, she at no point has turned into a Tatarigami. She came to the town not long after the patron Goddess Kaede showed up and has been taken in by Kaede almost like a little sister. 

She is one of the three Goddess that is a love interest of the protag. Unlike the others however, her idea of the main character isn't the same. She says that as a Goddess of Misfortune she knows that love isn't something she can truly understand or experience but she still has feelings for the protag Akira. Her story arch is developed around her hopes of finding a place to stay where the people don't mind the fact she is a Goddess of Misfortune. She refers to herself as 'The Mistress' to Akira.

LoveKami Healing Harem is a basic Visual Novel with no real choices until it reaches the pivot point just prior to a festival being held at the Shrine. The only choice to be made is which Goddess will you spend your time with. As the title, of course, indicates however eventually you will become married to all three Goddesses which creates the Harem. For a Visual Novel it is straight forward and simple, but despite that I find the story, artwork, and music to be well done and nice. As with the other LoveKami game I have played, this is a very well done introduction to Visual Novel piece that I think that anyone that is interested in getting into Visual Novels would enjoy.

LoveKami Healing Harem

LoveKami Divine Stage

LoveKami Divinity Stage

Steam Review

Nice fun little game that isn't overly long and has a nice balance between the three main characters. I wish the stories were a bit more in-depth and wish there were some After Stroy endings that showed an extended cut of what their lives would be like further down the line. Despite this however the game is a nice change of pace and I did enjoy it. 

Review

LoveKami Divinity Stage is the first of 3 different LoveKami Visual Novels that depict the relationship of the Protagonist (who I currently believe would be different in each VN) and 3 different love interests that just so happen to be Goddess. The story of this VN is based on the concept that in the modern age an event led to the descending of many different forms of Goddess to the world. The Goddess unknowing of the world of humans transitioned into the role of learning of humanity and becoming a part of their society despite their powers.

The Goddess now act much the same way as humans and draw their power from the people they interact with directly meaning the more people that place their hearts and feelings towards them the more power they obtain. Because of this many Goddesses seek to enter the Entertainment business where they can be admired by thousands even millions of people giving them power. The biggest of these industries is the role of Idols such as Music Idols. 

In this particular story the top Music Idol group is known as L7 which holds 7 of the most well-known Goddesses including one of the goddesses that the Protagonist knows well Sara.

Sara is the front line member of L7 and the lead vocalist. She is quiet and reserved but a bit childish in some instances. She is a Goddess that is looked up to by the greater majority of the others as she holds a great deal of power from her position within the L7 Idol Group. 

During the Story it becomes more obvious that she has a thing for the protag, but despite her feelings she has a hard time understanding exactly how she feels. Later in the dialogue and story she begins to ask questions such as, 'what is love?' as this concept isn't something the Gods see in the same light as humans. Sara's story is a bit more drawn out than the other two but her story is unique in the fact it is one of discovery for her own feelings and understanding of the new world they are in.

The story revolves around the idea that L7 is looking for a new member for the Group and they are holding a contest to see who will be the newest Goddess to join their ranks. This is where you will meet the other 2 love interests as they are performing to get votes to enter the final round of the competition which is sat up almost like America's Got Talent in some respects with the top 10 at the end of the first round moving on to the final round which is a live event.

 

Kagura is a hostess at a Goddess ran cafe. She is also a Goddess that is the embodiment of unrestrained urges and emotion. She is impulsive, reactive, and has limitless energy for teasing, pranks, and jokes. She also has a tendency to get carried away when inciting a crowd while dancing and singing which leads to some very embarrassing moments. The Protag meets her at the cafe when he decides to stop by and check the place out and get some food. He ends up helping her somewhat in the process and they quickly become friends. She also decides to drop by his house 'even though she didn't know that was what it was' as the Protag's parents are seamstresses that have the ability to make clothing for Goddesses that are able to react to their powers. 

If you choose her route there are some ups and downs in the growing relationship and the story for Kagura while short is a nice change of pace and focuses on the ups and downs of a relationship shadowed by stardom.

During this time you meet Kagura you also meet another Goddess and the two of they decide to join forces to help push each other into the top 10 where they will then be able to go head to head against one another and show who is better. The two Goddesses end up choosing the name of LoveKami as their name.

Shuri's the second Goddess of LoveKami and while Kagura is a dancer at heart Shuri's the stronger of the two in vocals. Her singing is top-notch and filled with inspiration. Whereas Kagura holds stage presences and is a natural performer, Shuri has a voice that can captivate people both heart and mind. Shuri is the polar opposite of Kagura and is reserved, serious, and stubborn. She is also a bit prudish and tends to see Kagura's more playful nature to be a hindrance. Despite that she is very committed to her rise to power as a member of L7 of which her sister is a part of. 

Shuri as a love interest is a rollercoaster ride of emotions as he realizes that for her dreams to come true she can't just rely on herself but instead she needs to rely on others that strive to push her to reach further in her dreams and pursuit. To that end the Protag becomes the pinnacle of this thought and they become a couple (if you choose this path of course). 

Shuri's ending however left me feeling a bit down. While I get the concept they were going with for it, it ended on what I felt was less than satisfactory note and that says a lot in the sense that I normally don't downplay an ending to a Visual Novel. While I see what they were going for its abruptness does leave a bit to be desired. 

All in all this Visual Novel while having some very...exposed skin and some adult situations that dealt with some sexual content there were no H-Scenes and there wasn't much in the way of anything that pushed the realms of Adult Content. I cover mostly that subject matter so this may seem a bit lackluster than my other posts but at the same time I felt that this Visual Novel had other traits that made me want to do a review on it. The music, graphics, and overall content are all very well done and with 2 more LoveKami's for me to play I am hoping to do a full review of each. 

I would recommend this to anyone as an introduction level VN that allows you to experience a VN in a pure form. The choices are limited and it is pretty direct as to how you will choose what love interest you want to be with. For the price, it is worth it. 

LoveKami Divine Stage

Making Lovers

Making Lovers is a VN with a unique perspective in relation to other VN's that I have been doing reviews on. I hesitated on giving this the tag of 'Adult Game' and '18+' because the game itself has no H-Scene's in it nor does it really have much in the way of nudity. However, it does have sexual situations, language, and does a good job of letting you know the main protag and the girl of their choice has performed the deed. So because of that, I feel that it is only right to give those tags to it.

Making Lovers takes a new perspective in the fact that as most VN's that focus on love and relationships, and tend to spend the majority of their time on the story that leads up to the big reveal that the protag has fallen for a certain character. Then the VN usually gives only snippets of what happens after said protag and character start dating leaving that part up to the imagination. 

Making Lovers does not really do that and instead, the beginning is the set up for your protag (as you can change the name of the protag in the game) to choose one of five different female characters to hook up with. Once you determine the path you wish to go down with the character you wish to be with the rest of the VN is the story of what happens after dating begins and in essence, makes the title perfect for this VN. It is not about so much the lead-up but truly becoming lovers or 'Making Lovers' and the trials and tribulations that take place during the dating phase of the relationship.

As I said earlier there are five different characters that you can become lovers with, each have their own personality, unique traits, temperaments, ideologies, ambitions, and so on. The character you choose also, in turn, determines some of the traits of the protag. I could rant how I don't much care for that as I think a protag should be established in his own right but I digress.

The five girls are Ako the younger sister of the protag, Karen the former college classmate of the protag, Reina a model that the protag meets after an accident he's involved in, Saki the older working woman that he meets by chance alone, and Mashiro a restaurant employee you help after handling a situation for her.  

I won't go into a great deal of overview of each character because as I stated each has its own unique individualism that honestly is refreshing for these types of games and while some of the characters are somewhat cliche of what you expect these types of women to be they do offer some new perspectives that are refreshing.

There are not many choices to be made sadly and the endings are pretty much decided the moment that you figure out what woman it is that you wish to be with which is a bit sad but at the same time the VN focuses well on telling the story of the protag and the chosen girl. Now one of the girls I am sure you have the most question of is Ako which is the younger sister of the protag. 

So let me go ahead and make it clear...she is not related to him by blood, instead you find out if you choose her route how he came to live with her and her family. While I have played all the routes and like this route in the story the ending was lackluster in my opinion and honestly is my only real complaint about this game. While the other endings for the other girls all seemed pretty well thought out and written, the younger sisters ending Ako felt more of an afterthought and that was kind of depressing.

This game has some pretty good graphics and uses a pretty good 'Sprite' System that helps the graphic content shine through and seem pristine. The music is also very well done and lays itself well to the game, however, my only complaint is that they do have several tracks that while fun is overused and one track that seems to pop up in both the right and wrong places. 

All in all this game was a lot of fun to play and the stories that are developed really strike a chord with anyone that enjoys this type of VN like I do. The new perspective and incite is nice and the fact that it follows different futures with each girl after determining they were never leaving one another is a nice new approach. Also, there is a lot of comedy in it as well that I found helped lighten the mood and really develop the protag and characters even more so. It is a nice balance of comedy, romance and in some thoughts...drama a little. 

For the price of this game, it was worth it, this game is still somewhat new on Steam and in the US Market place so I am sure there will be more developments coming including the H-Scene's that I have seen for the Japanese version. So I expect that to be an update at some point which will then make this game match the 18 and older rating that I have on it.

Sabbat of the Witch

Steam Review

At the time of this review, I have not submitted a Steam Review at this time but I do plan on doing so at some point soon.

Game Review

Sabbat of the Witch was a game I bought on a whim after seeing several fellow curators I follow giving it good remarks and saying it was a must-have Visual Novel. So I decided after some debate to go ahead and dive into this Visual Novel. What ultimately lead me to my decision of buying this VN was the fact it had something I always enjoy in any VN...multiple endings. To me a VN that has multiple endings that allow you 'the player' to make choices that ultimately decide the fate of the character you are playing is something that I always enjoy. Many VN's have this to make the money they ask for worth it to players and I can say after spending 60 hours of game time between the main story and the After Story of each female character you can end up with I can say with 100% guarantee that this VN is worth every penny. The graphics are well done, the music is nice and with multiple sound bites and clips, it makes it even better. The voice-over is great with the exception, of course, it is all in Japanese. This actually didn't bother me as much as it normally would. I don't view VN's with the same disdain as I do watching Subtitled Anime (that's right I'm a Dubb watch...what you going to do about it?)

Sabbat of the Witch centers around the main protagonist (the character you play) named Shuuji who is a 2nd-year high school student. He lives with his father as his mother passed away when he was still really young. His father works a lot of hours and is hardly home so Shuuji spends his time at school or taking care of the family home while his father is at work. All this seems pretty basic stuff, and now enters the tidbits of information. Shuuji at a young age found himself with an extraordinary power that allowed him to experience the emotions of others with extreme effects. For instance, the term, 'staring daggers' for Shuuji means he can actually feel needle pricks or intense pain if someone is looking at him with extreme disdain in their emotional state. He can also taste certain flavors when people are lying or pick up on other emotions. Because of this, he became a social outcast and since a young age has always been a loner. He does have two people that he could call his friends as they are one of the only two that really go out of their way to speak with him, that is until the girl later named Nene arrives in his life.

During a job he was doing for a fellow classmate he has the chance to become acquainted with Nene in a very...unique way. After that, he learns of a whole new world that lays beneath the one he knows. 

Nene is a fellow 2nd-year student and the only active member of the Occult Club. She uses tarot cards to read the fortunes of those that come to the club room and also helps others with their problems. She is quiet, reserved, self-conscience and as you will find out later she is also a bit of a scatterbrain and lacks some basic commonsense. Nene is one of the girls you can end up with at the end of the game and being the primary female character she has a pretty extensive part within the game. So much so that at the end of the playthrough if you get her ending you will be sent back to the Start screen where you will then have to hit 'Restart' (NOTE: She is the only character this function works with as it is part of her storyline). You will then play through a second playthrough where things have changed. I will not give up the overall story of hers but I will, however, give you a brief overview. 

Nene is a 'Witch' in the sense that she has a contract with a powerful magical being called an 'Alp'. In a nutshell, an Alp is an animal that has reached a point where they have obtained magic and seek to become human. To do this they reach a point where they will need to obtain magic. The Alps can not gain magic on their own easily so they rely on 'Witches' to do this for them by making a contract with them. A contract is an agreement between the Alp and Witch and this contract follows a basic ruleset. The Alp will provide the Witch with one wish in return the Witch gathers "heart fragments" from other humans that when they obtain enough the Witche's wish is granted and the Alp gains the fragments that are then changed into magic and they are then absorbed into the Alp. At some point, an Alp will obtain the ability and understanding to use the magic they have acquired to be born again as a human. Sounds pretty good right? But there is as with all contracts a small tidbit that makes it a bit rough. Witch's that sign a contract to obtain their wish are also placed under a payment system of sorts. It is something that is totally random and can be just about anything. In Nene's case, the payment for her powers and her wish is 'Arousal'. That's right our innocent little Nene has to pay a price of suddenly and out of nowhere become aroused to the point she must...take cares of herself, not bad if your home but when out in public...different story I'm sure.

Nene's Afterstory takes place after the 'Restart' timeline. It is based on Shuuji and her falling in love and their continued efforts to make a relationship work even with all the differences of things that have happened. Shuuji spends his time continuing to help with the Occult Club and help the others in the club that joined during the progression of the VN. Shuuji also seeks the approval of Nene's father to marry her once they have graduated high school. This leads to some rather funny encounters between Shuuji and Nene's father. All in all, I would say that I am satisfied with this Afterstory. It also has several "H Scenes" as they call them if you download the free DLC that allows you to view the "adult-oriented 18+" content...which I highly recommend.

Meguru is a 1st-year student that joins the Occult Club after coming in to be helped by then the only two members of the Occult Club Nene and Shuuji. While helping her out Shuuji finds out she plays a handheld game that he also plays and they actually bump into one another while gaming secretly at school. At that time they were not aware it was the other person playing and they made a team together to gather materials. The game system they play while the name is changed for Copyright reasons is basically this VN's version of a Nintendo 3DS and the game MonHon is based on the game of Monster Hunters. Meguru is young, vibrant, loud, and a bit obnoxious when in public but she is at her core a smart geeky girl that enjoys games, mangas, and anime. She is also one of the girls that you can end up with. Meguru isn't a witch and her story arch is more based on the idea that she has a secret that ultimately leads to her falling in love with Shuuji. Shuuji takes a more proactive approach in this story arch to help Meguru which is unique to his character type.

Meguru's Afterstory takes place not long after Shuuji helps her with her secret problem and establishes to her that he loves her and wishes to be with her. This after story arch is kind of short in my opinion and leaves a lot of room for expansion but at the same time, I can see why they did this as there is a natural age gap between Shuuji a 2nd-year student and Meguru a 1st-year student. The Afterstory leaves off pretty much with the idea that after high school they will seek to get married, which is a pretty standard theme with most of the girls in this VN. 

 

Touko is a 3rd-year student and for a time in the VN, she is the Student Council President. She later leaves the post of Student Council President because she is about to graduate and the next set of elections see that she would be replaced. She had made a promise to the Occult Club that as long as they got at least three members she would allow them to maintain their club room which is standard rules for the school. Due to a small oversight on her part however, the Occult Club finds themselves in a position where they may lose their clubroom. Touko and the new Student Council President develop a plan to help ensure that they get to keep their room and this leads to her joining the Occult Club. Touko is a unique character that you can end up with. She seems quiet and well mannered, smart, and very perceptive but she lakes any basic sense of emotion. She is also a bit of a dirty-minded girl able to turn something simple into a dirty joke...and she loves putting this attention towards Shuuji who she finds to be too honest and pure-hearted for his own good. 

In Touko's storyline, you find out that her lack of emotions is caused by a secret that she herself doesn't fully understand. Shuuji can romance her of course and this will lead you to find out what her secret is as well as the depths of love between her and Shuuji. I can say of the story love story arch's this one is one of the more deep and emotional story's you will find in this VN. It will pull at your heartstrings quite a bit and it will place Shuuji in a pretty good light as the pure-hearted guy that he is.

 

Touko's Afterstory is one of the more advanced stories in the timeline of the Afterstory arch's. Touko being a third-year graduate before Shuuji and starts to work. Shuuji and her relationship continue on and after he graduates from high school he enters the workforce and begins to work long hours to save up money for their wedding. Touko and Shuuji discuss getting married, buying a home of their own, and starting a family together. The Afterstory gives you a sense of completion under Touko's arch I think mainly because it follows the characters after high school to the point that they are moving in together and going to start a family. While she wasn't my favorite character the story and after story, I feel was one of the best of the VN.

Tsumugi is a 2nd-year student in the same class as Shuuji and Nene, she also later becomes a member of the Occult Club after getting help from them. She is also later to be found out to be a Witch herself and has her own Alp and Contract that she is attempting to fulfill. The alps like most animals are territorial and the many Alps tend to view areas in which their Witch's live and collect heart fragments in their areas. When Tsumugi moves into town with her parents and enters the school she is effectively entering another Alp and Witch's territory, despite that Nene and her Alp understands that sometimes a Witch doesn't have a choice as to where they are living or going. She is kind, gentle, reserved, and despite her looks, she's a girly girl to the fullest. Her personality and her Alps are completely different and lead to conflict at times. As one of the girls you can romance and obtain an ending with her story is unique as it introduces a few new ideas that I think were well done for her plotline. This plotline is nice and is a little more in length than some but it is well done.

Tsumugi's Afterstory is nice as well though it is a bit overdone with the fact that it takes place under the same pretense as a couple of the others. It also has Shuuji meeting the parents and even grandparent of Tsumugi with the discussion of marriage after high school being a possibility. There are some differences however when it comes to Tsumugi as she eventually does finish her contract with her Alp and her Alp decides it is time for her to move on and find another Witch. This story arch isn't long really but still sets a nice pace for an after story. 

Wakana is in the same class as Shuuji and is one of the only two people he could ever really call his friend until he joined the girls of the Occult Club. She is a childhood friend that doesn't remember the exact reason why he had become an outcast but she was one of the ones that reached out to him even as a child to be his friend despite his status. She ended up having to move away for a time but found herself going to the same high school as him. They reconnected and things progressed from there until they become lovers and boyfriend and girlfriend, at least if you choose this arch. Now this arch is different in the fact that it is not opened as a choice during the first playthrough. Meaning you have to play through the game once completely before her romance options become open, I am not sure why that is unless it was added at the end of development based on feedback from players but either way it is one I am glad they added.

Wakana is your stereotypical childhood friend character and has a wild sense of humor, is dedicated to Shuuji, and has a bit of a 'small girl' complex. Her story arch and after story arch's are both really short compared to the other girls you can romance. I again think this was a rush job to add her in as one of the ones you could get to romance with and despite that I still found her story a bit more refreshing as it dealt more with the companionship aspect and how friendships can lead to much more.

Wakana's After Story is short, almost too short personally. But it tailors itself well to the idea of friendship turns into romance. It does away with the idea of getting married after school at least it doesn't speak about it and instead focuses on the years of school where they are dating. Though it doesn't go further than the current year they are in I had hoped they would have added more to this after story as to what...I'll leave that to your imagination.

In final thought, this game is one of the best VN's I have played in a long time, and the company that has produced this has several others that I plan on playing soon to see if they keep up the pace with their VN's. This game has a great base set and honestly, I would love to see an Anime based on this VN though I now that is probably not going to happen. The characters are nice, the story overall is unique and with the different paths, you can choose it makes replaying the game something you should do until you obtain all the endings and complete all the after stories. 

There is, of course, one ending that doesn't involve any of the girls and it is simply called, "Forever Alone" and has no special After story but is classified as an achievement so still try and get that if you can. As I said at the start I have 60 hours into this game and I have unlocked all the Achievements for this game which is something that I hardly ever do. Normally this game is around $25 and is worth every penny of it. I think at some point I would like to see maybe a standalone or DLC style content that would allow you to see what happened after the after story...though I doubt we will see that. The 'H Scenes' are not required but I feel like it goes hand in hand with the story and delivers a more unique perspective that lends itself to this VN's overall content.

One thing I also noticed is that depending on which girl you were going for, Shuuji's attitude and overall personality traits changed as well which I think lends well to the story crafting of this VN. At the end of the day, there is so much that can be done when a VN stops but I feel satisfied with how this VN ended and there is always room to add more to it later if they decided they wanted to.