Sakura Swim Club

Sakura Swim Club

Sakura Swim Club is another fan service packed visual novel by Winged Cloud. The protagonist is an unmotivated high school student named Kaede who joins the swim club where he is drawn into the lives of Hiromi and Mieko. The two girls are the only remaining members of the club and while trying to whip Kaede into shape they begin to develop feelings for him too. There’s nothing new or surprising here, but Winged Cloud fans will enjoy the game, especially with the adult patch which adds a few sex scenes.

Gameplay: The game gives the illusion of choice, but the experience is actually very linear.

Graphics: The art is the highlight of the game.

Sound: Decent sound effects, but the music is very forgettable

Sakura Beach

Sakura Beach

Sakura Beach is a typical fan service focused visual novel with a generic storyline, implausible situations, and rather generic characters. Watching childhood friends Ayumi and Momoko practically throw themselves at the completely oblivious Seiji can be amusing, but overall there isn’t a lot here that players will remember after completing the game.

Gameplay: Six choices that lead to one of three different endings.

Graphics: Vibrant backgrounds and character sprites are decent.

Sound: Rather generic

Aozora Meikyuu

Aozora Meikyuu

Aozora Meikyuu is a short and simple visual novel featuring a protagonist named Aoi who has given up on women. His plans to resign himself to a life of eroge games instead of actual relationships are shattered when a naked girl named Sora falls out of the sky and lands on top of him. After Sora forces herself into his house and life, Aoi has to choose whether to embrace this change or fight it every step of the way. It’s an interesting if a little cliched, premise for a visual novel but the game is just too short and mundane to make it very memorable.

Gameplay: Timed choices make things a little more interesting, but the story itself is rather humdrum.

Graphics: Decent, but somewhat lacking in good CGs.

Sound: No voice acting, but the soundtrack isn’t too bad

Pyrite Heart

Pyrite Heart

Pyrite Heart is an Otome visual novel that looks great, but the story is very short and lacking in depth. The heroine is also a spoiled rich princess, which might not be that appealing for players who are not fans of tsundere characters. It’s not a bad game, but there are far better titles in the genre.

Gameplay: Short and the story is not that interesting.

Graphics: The artwork is very good.

Sound: No voice acting, but the music is decent

Time Tenshi (2015)

Time Tenshi (2015)

Time Tenshi is a short and simple visual novel featuring time travel. Unfortunately, the whole time-traveling aspect of the game is simply a convenient excuse for the ecchi effects it has on the women make use of the technology. This would have been fine for a nukige title, but for all its fetish content Time Tenshi is a very tame game with no sex or nudity. Unfortunately, this middle of the road approach means it is unlikely to really appeal to anyone especially with so many other options available.

Gameplay: Very short and only features one meaningful choice right at the end.

Graphics: The visuals have a very low budget look to them.

Sound: No voice acting and the music isn’t very memorable or catchy

Sweet Galaxy Adventure!

Sweet Galaxy Adventure!

Sweet Galaxy Adventure! is a visual novel with an interesting premise and beautiful character designs, but it is let down by a poor translation and story that goes nowhere. The game can also be completed in less than an hour and plays like an adult title with all the adult content removed. All of this makes it hard to recommend Sweet Galaxy Adventure! to anyone except the most ardent fans of the genre.

Gameplay: Short and ultimately pointless.

Graphics: The character sprites and CGs look rather good.

Sound: The music is bland the game lacks any type of voice acting

Koropokkur in Love ~A Little Fairy’s Tale~

Koropokkur in Love ~A Little Fairy’s Tale~

Koropokkur in Love ~A Little Fairy’s Tale~ is a serviceable kinetic novel featuring a fairy with dreams of becoming human, but the story is just a little too generic for our liking. The game has its moments, but there is nothing here that hasn’t already been done much better before. It is enjoyable enough while it lasts, but unlikely to be something players will give much thought after completing it.

Gameplay: The story is cute but short and generic.

Graphics: Fans of Hinoue Itaru will love the art style, but others might find it dated.

Sound: No voice acting, but the music is decent enough

9-nine-:Episode 3

9-nine-:Episode 3

9-Nine: Episode 3 continues to build on the events of the previous two games and once again features a combination of action, drama, comedy, and romance. Haruka Kosaka is the love interest for this episode and her story is every bit as intriguing as the previous heroines. Episode 3 also features some of the most dramatic and startling revelations so far in the series and should keep fans hooked right to the end.

Gameplay: Episode 3 is very much a kinetic novel, but still interesting.

Graphics: The art style and animations are still top-notch.

Sound: Features a great soundtrack and great voice acting

Mokoko

Mokoko

Mokoko is a fun Qix inspired title that fuses addictive gameplay with some lewd visuals. It shares a lot of similarities with the Gals Panic series by Kaneko, but adds enough wacky elements of its own so that it doesn’t just feel like a cheap clone. The free nudity patch is completely optional, but even without it, Mokoko is not exactly a family-friendly game. Nevertheless, it’s a fun game and definitely offers a lot of value for money.

Gameplay: It uses the tried and tested Qix formula, so you know it’s addictive and fun.

Graphics: Nothing spectacular, but the art is decent overall.

Sound: The soundtrack is decent and the voice acting is pretty good

Seven Days

Seven Days

Seven Days is a visual novel that starts like something straight out of a horror movie as the protagonist, Kanzaki Shuuichi, receives a cursed Blu-ray disc from a friend. However, thanks to the exorcism skills of his childhood friend, Shuuichi is saved from the evil spirit trying to possess him after watching the disc. This leads to the unexpected development of the female ghost gaining a physical human form and revealing that six other girls are trapped inside her. Shuuichi ends up with his hands full as he attempts to make the last days of these spirits as pleasant as possible, but it’s impossible for him not to grow attached to them along the way. Seven Days is a captivating and well-written visual novel that will stay with you even after the credits roll.

Gameplay: The story is well-written, and there are enough choices for multiple playthroughs.

Graphics: Everything from the character sprites to the backgrounds looks great.

Sound: Full Japanese voice acting for all the girls, and the soundtrack is pretty neat, too