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visual novels

if my heart had wings (M/F, 18+*)

• overall: A. enjoyment: B. if my heart had wings is a gorgeous and beautifully written VN about a group of teens/young adults coping with loss and growing up as they build a plane together in hopes of riding the morning glory. its a lovely story with (mostly) stellar characters and beautiful art and sound design. ...it doesnt, however, seem much like a dating sim. the game is incredibly long, with barely any choices. these formatting decisions put it firmly in "barely a game at all" territory. and despite the near-perfect scores in every other area, the sheer length and focus on tech talk makes it a bit hard to recommend to anyone who doesnt just really love planes. Full Review

the wilting amaranth (F/F, 18+)

• overall: A-. enjoyment: S. wilting amaranth is a relatively short VN about a girl who finds herself trapped in a witches tower, along with a roguish prisoner. its cute, fun, and has some surprisingly deep moments tucked in, though at its core its still fairly simple. its definitely worth a play. Full Review

i promise! (M/M, free)

• overall: B. enjoyment: B. i promise! is a furry VN about a boy going on a ski trip with his classmates, meeting a ghost, and also discovering hes maybe not so straight. its a very enjoyable experience, though i got the sense it's part of a series i've only just stumbled into. there were references to characters and plots i didn't know about. it's cute, though, and definitely gets my recommendation. Full Review

dorakone (F/F, free)

• overall: B. enjoyment: B. dorakone is an extremely short but very sweet VN about a girl meeting new friends who play the same mobile game as her and getting closer to them while preparing for a tournament. its a straightforward and cute game with great art, sweet romance, and a surprising amount of variability for its length. its also completely free! its definitely worth a play, and you could probably get all the endings in a couple hours. Full review

songs and flowers (F/M, free)

• overall: B-. enjoyment: B-. songs and flowers is a simple VN with an unusual protagonist. jazz has made it her goal to be just like the "information characters" in dating sims, the non-dateable friend who tells you all the secret scoops. but as silly as this concept is her reasons, and the stories around her, are shockingly deep and poignant. the writing in this game is fantastic -- though it has a bit of a slow start. the art is very visibly amateur, but it's clear that a lot of heart was put into this game and i think it's worth a play. Full Review

blooming nightshade (F/F, free)

• overall: D-. enjoyment: D-. enjoyment: . blooming nightshade is a short and simple VN in which a high school girl who wants a girlfriend hangs out with some girls until she gets one. thats really it. in a game like this, youre really relying entirely on two things: art, and characters. this game does not excel in either. while initially i would have said it was worth a run through just to check it out, a massive format update has removed anything enjoyable the game could have had and condensed it into something very consise, and very underwhelming. theres no story here. dont bother. Full Review