Highway Blossoms

I miss my Trad Based Aryan Visual Novel Waifu, Marina.

I've read my share of visual novels over the past couple decades, probably around 25-30 of them. Some good, some alright, a few not great. I'm ashamed to say that I usually don't expect much from "Western" titles because there's just something about Japanese writing that really does it for me, emotionally speaking, that Western writers have a hard time matching. I'm also generally not a fan of English voice-overs. But that just made Highway Blossoms a sweet surprise! This is definitely the best visual novel I've read in the past few years, and probably ranks in my top five overall. I guess it helps that Highway Blossoms scratches a lot of my itches: I've always been plagued by acute wanderlust so I have a thing for "road trip" stories, as well as good music -- and Highway Blossoms has both! The treasure-hunting plot is fun and kind of nostalgic, although the sweet romance between the main characters is what really got me hooked. The artwork is really well-done IMO; a few scenes literally took my breath away, they were so beautiful. I've lived in Utah for most of my life and yet somehow never managed to visit the gorgeous parks to the south -- a regret that this game really makes m…

Compared to some of my previous reviews this one is going to be a lot shorter. Not because the game is bad, I recommend it, but because it's a very different game to those. This is a review for the base game alone, and not the DLC content of Next Exit (of which I have not played). [b]Please be aware that there will be spoilers beyond this point.[/b] The art direction is very good, especially the background (though I do still mostly like the character designs). A few specific scenes definitely stand out, and those are nearly always the most impactful scenes (normally a kiss frankly). This is definitely a good usage of resources, as the art is all good but particularly focusing on those moments gives them an extra boost than just the emotional factor. The main character, Amber Golley, is a pretty typical lesbian character. A bit of a tomboy, a little standoffish and cynical, she has a soft spot for a pretty girl (in this case Marina). She's very weighed down by the grief she has for her recently deceased grandfather. This sets up an interesting dynamic of keeping a lot of feelings to herself, even away from her soon to be partner, and then having them explode out of her without no…

A yuri about road trips and treasure hunting in the American Southwest? Sign me up! What Initially drew me in to the VN were the characters, especially Amber and Marina. They complement each other very well, with Amber being more cynical and "realistic" and Marina being more bubbly and preppy. Right when they first met, the way they had these back and forth banters were really funny that I was glad I wasn't drinking water while playing. For a large part of the beginning to middle, they always had something funny to say that just blindsided me. The other interactions that were more real and romantic were great as well. It just made me invested in their relationship all the more, which is why I really felt it deep down in my core when the tensions are high and emotions reached a boiling point. That last few parts of the VN really did hit me in the feels as I can honestly see this kind of conflict happening in real life. It definitely felt real. Other characters like Mariah, Joseph, and Tess were great additions as well. They (mostly Mariah) always bring a lot of chaos whenever they show up and it makes their interactions with Amber and Marina extremely entertaining. Couldn't ge…

not the most original story, but the characters are memorable and well written, the art and music are gorgeous, and the setting is a delight

Really cute. The treasure hunt isn't as exciting as the main duo's relationship but it's still a fun way to get them closer together. Was surprised about how much I cared about them by the end and the quality of the voice acting being very solid all around. Some sprites in the DLC and cgs in the base game felt inconsistent with the style of the rest of the game, otherwise a great experience that can be finished in under a day but doesn't suffer from it.