Hatsuyuki Sakura

Fantastic short VN This VN is Nakige, so be ready to get tearful story. The story will start simple, but not dragged too much. Once you feel something wrong you will start realizing where this VN will bring you and what kind story their gonna offer. The most biggest plus point for me is the heroines. All of them is likeable. Even for my least cared heroine, I got their story is interesting and enjoyable. The fact there are no long SoL scene, that makes this VN feel full of something, yet feel rush. But, for me it the perfect, and not feel dragged too much with crap of boring daily life that basically feel nothing.

What does it cost to actually be among the living, instead of the dead? A beautiful love story drenched in grief, set in the winter who tries to become spring. This is a slow-burn emotional roller-coaster that will make you cry and leave you with a lingering sadness. I picked Hatsuyuki Sakura because it's often considered the magnum opus of Yuu Niijima, the scenario writer, and now I see why. He is so good at writing unhealthy obsession, and the story really hurts. The music also amplifies the atmosphere perfectly. Now I have to go find the soundtrack CD to fill my house with some spirit incense... Almost everyone in the main cast is delightfully quirky and borderline broken. Yet somehow, the chemistry with them works pretty well. Maybe even better than many other gal-games I've played. The relationships between different heroines and their contribution to the main cause also make them feel like real people outside their own routes. The protagonist has a strong personality; definitely not the self-insert type of protagonist. He is rude, threatening, and pushes people away, and the narrative stays very close to his POV with a lot of internal monologues. It will make sense later on…

i WOULD advocate that this was peak IF NOT FOR the art style and incorporating the dumbass kid into the game. first and foremost, this games artstyle is so off putting imo. compared to kinkoi (golden child,) this is honestly a downgrade. they just look.. no. just no. i bring this up since the art style is seriously downplaying this gem of a vn if you're like me and find it offputting. compared to most other vns, this story is actually good. every route (excluding bunni, since i'm a hater, and the OBVIOUS BAIT) is good and fleshed out. ok, i know i mentioned it in brackets but why the HELL does the kid have a route?! like its not just looks that pmo, its the way she acts too- why does she need this? the mc is actually written good. there is a patch for this game. i, personally, disagree with all who say patches are necessary for enjoying a vn. i KNOW there are scenes where some ♥♥♥♥ happens- its implied. you can deadass skip over her whole route if you want to read this. the mc is really funny. i enjoyed his presence unlike most BLANK SLATE of a mcs there are out there. he's actually reliable and powerful too. i hate that i have to state this, but he's actually useful. why isn…

The ending was actually quite good, but it was hard to let go of. Even so, the author's depiction of the female protagonist's desire to create unforgettable memories for the male protagonist within the limited time available, during this brief winter, and the fact that the living can dream of the dead, and the dead can sometimes dream of the living, evoked strong emotions in me.

The best localized SAGA*PLANETS visual novel by far. It is a gripping mix of romance, mystery, and horror, in that order. Even if it doesn't all thematically connect very well by the end of it, the message is still strong and charming I and this is by far the studio's most competent work to date. While this would have worked much better without the H scenes and plot lines, at least the romances aren't marred by a bunch of random threesomes, and other routes don't just outright spoil the intrigue of other ones. The foreshadowing here is all done very well, leaving enough for you to piece the story together, but not enough to where it feels like they throw it all in your face. Unlike many other visual novels, if there was a fandisc for this game, I genuinely would want to play it. I feel like the secondary heroine really didn't get enough resolution and deserved a more definitive ending. It's still marred by a bunch of really weirdly convenient things, a few random plot threads not being totally resolved or at least not resolving very well, and a bit more. For me, it felt like Chaos;Head, Wonderful Everyday, and Umineko all merged into a YuzuSoft VN with actual stakes for once. It's…

Yet another example of why Saga Planets might be my favourite visual novel company. A well-paced intriguing supernatural game with the "moe" dial turned all the way up to 100. The main character doesn't feel one-dimensional and flat (something which quite a few visual novels suffer from), each heroine is unique and equally loveable, the routes are compelling and fun to read, and the supporting cast of characters add to the story with their presence, rather than detracting from it or being unneccessary story filler. If you like games such as Kinkoi: Golden Loveriche, Clannad, Marshmallow All The Way Home and Amazing Grace: What Color Is Your Attribute? You'll love Hatsuyuki Sakura.