Shira Oka: Second Chances – Visual Novel, American Style
- Categories: Games, News
- Date: Dec 18, 2010 07:27 JST
- Tags: Character Design, Doujin Soft, Eroge, Moe, USA, Video Gallery, Visual Novels
American visual novel “Shira Oka” is attracting attention amongst Japanese gamers as much for its deficiencies as its strengths.
In summary, it is an American developed visual novel patterned on a Tokimeki Memorial-style branching scenario, with mediocre artwork, no sex and an “all-star” voice cast whom the developers fail to name:
A demo and purchasing information ($25) are available on the game’s official site.
2ch is less than impressed:
It looks pretty good, for something by Americans. I thought it was Chinese at first though.
Could pass muster, if it were a Flash game.
This is DLSite level alright.
It’s a real pity there’s no sex.
The art looks about 25 years old.
Maybe it would be useful for learning English.
Looks like a 1995-level game… how nostalgic.
What’s with them following Japan… I was hoping for something more American, like massive and stuff.
It’s like a doujin-game.
I thought it would be something like this:
America is sprouting [moe-teiru].
For most observers, much apparently depends on whether the game is considered a commercial game or doujin soft.
Considering they face off against the established might of JAST, MangaGamer and DLSite.com, the developers do at least deserve praise for their boldness.
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Hoppa Hentai Vaginar Virgin Red Sentai Parody Onahole
Taimanin Yukikaze “Lowest of the Low!”
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Naruto SUN Storm 4 OP Endlessly Energetic
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Splatoon Squid Sisters Invade NicoNico Tokaigi 2016
Top 9 Anime of 2015, According to IGN
Rena Momozono’s Hot Hardcore F***ing Eloquently Titled
Rance Hikari o Motomete Battles Hard
Final Fantasy XV “Might As Well Be An FPS”
Dimension W Spreads It Open
Okasare Hero Strategically Sexy
Studio FOW Alice H-Short “Truly Mad!”
Uppers PV “All About The JKs!”
Alluring Ahri Cosplay Magically Charming
Tsukihi Araragi BDSM Ero-Cosplay by Komugi Platinum Sexy
Goddess of Twitter “Pink & Perky!”
Serene Horo Cosplay Pure Gold
Iona Ero-Cosplay by Komugi Taking on Water
Cute Kashima Cosplay Full of Elegance
Umaru Ero-Cosplay by Asami Hamsterific
Goddess of 2ch: “Pink & Soft All The Way!”
Kuroneko Cosplay by Mikehouse Full of Life
Busty Hotaru Cosplay Delightfully Delectable
Fuck this shit, when's Katawa Shoujo going to be finished?
My thoughts exactly.
Damn right!
All things considered, the art isn't *terrible* - at least they've structured their characters unlike the plague of shittily drawn "anime" characters you can find on DeviantArt.
Whilst it does remind me a lot of this type of game from about 10 - 15 years ago, I suppose the big draw will be whether the writing and story is any good. A well written narrative is what drives these games - whether they're developed by the Japanese or by Americans is really a moot point.
0:31
Noa hiiragi from MM!
you get 1 internet :)
It's like those flash games, i guess it's ok but goddamn 25 bucks?
I guess this people could try out putting this on Steam (i would cry myself to death if it happens)
Yeah it reminds me of those flash games from way back when on newgrounds.
Omoshiroi...
That last pic reminds me of Leisure Suit Larry.
どこが？
That's what I would like to know aswell.
Katawa Shoujo looks better than this honestly. But I might give the demo a try considering you don't see American-made galge too often.
Katawa Shoujo looks WAY better than this, and it's, guess what, FREE. Anyone who played act 1 demo of KS would probably agree.
"no sex"
Sounds like it's perfect for the Tokyo politician market. In fact, maybe that's their marketing plan: get everything with sex removed from Akihibara and they have a stand-out product.
@Crim
Rape end :V
Well, the art looks a bit, strange. Not to be picky asshole, but I really notice something's off with the arts.
Also school girls.
"no sex"
Damn, I wanted it till I read this line
Hey, hey, can someone lie to me and say there is sex at the end
Being an artist, my eyes started to bleed by watching that OP. I still could not unsee nor turn away, similar as to when you're watching some shock videos.
And what is a japanese game and what is an american game? Fun is fun. Why doesn't everybody just make fun games? But then, what is fun right?
How about if japanese developers make japanese games and american developers make american games...?
I know it sounds silly, but maybe it could work...
Geez. The least they could have done is make good character art. Anon is right. Katawa shoujo is leaps and bounds above this swill.
俺も。
@10:59
This isn't a milestone at all.
The milestone is when the West makes a good visual novel.
There are tons of US-made visual novels. They're all doujin because there's no real market for them here. I have Sprung which is basically a commercial one, but I don't think it's American, it might be Canadian or French. It's... actually not that bad, considering.
I think you really can't have an "expansive" VN, the medium just doesn't allow for that. Maybe Western ones will have more adventure game elements or a mission based structure or have all the characters be hipsters.
You want an American made visual novel? I'll give you an American made visual novel.
Motherfucking Planescape: Torment, Baldur's Gate, and Fallout. Those are visual novels American style during the golden years of gaming. And they are American Visual Novels because there's fighting involved ^^ If you get that, cool, if not, no loss ^^
A hipster VN?
I say that VNs are already hipster-like in america, but I daresay that I'll give it a try if someone does it
tali's so cute ><
Hey, America does have a visual novel dating sim series that's pretty mainstream to boot. How could you forget Mass Effect with its moeblob Tali?
@11:41
I'd like to say yes, but a lot of people would probably say no.
What about Monkey Island?
ehh... Need a little more work there, America. Although it's not a bad start...
ゆっち
Does Full Throttle counts as such? ^^
This is a milestone in history. Not because it was a good game, but because America just produced one of it's first visual novels.
Think about it, if they're like this today, and Japan was like this in the 90's, in 2020 Americans will be just like the Japanese are today, let's just hope the Yanks dont start banning everything too.
@Kyon I don't imagine U.S. being exactly like Japan with visual novels booming or an Akihabara stationed in New York anytime soon with all the superhero movies coming out. There are too many cultural differences between the two.
Imagine yourself playing Clannad, one of Japan's best selling visual novels, in America. It would easily be perceived as being a "too girly", "a girl's game" Why? Because we associate "cuteness" with "femininity" and if you're a guy into the genre(especially the oftenly criticized "moe" genre) tough luck because you'd be encouraged to play games like "Call of Duty Black oops" or "Halo 3" instead of "Little Busters", "Da Capo", or Koihime Musou.
Similarity, if you were Japanese and you were playing something along the lines of "God of War" or Grand Theft Auto" series, the game would be deemed as "barbaric" or "you're trying to be a yankee".(Yes I know because I had a friend living a Japan for two years and he knows how its like).
Of course we, Sankaku residents, all know that both Eastern and Western games are great to play, but unfortunately we are in the minority. :/
Well, I could not agree more.
I just hope the time will come, and we became majority.
Japan's animation never looked this bad. And the date would be 2030... and shit's banned here already.
well, you gotta admit, higurashi no naku koro nis art (the original visula novel) was pretty much horrifieng. it was just so bad thta words can only describe that character sprites as particularly ugly dwarf girls. good thing there is a patch that exchanges them with the sprites and graphics from the remake, negating the risk of eye cancer
Higurashi, Umineko?
"...never looked this bad..."
Two words for you: "Gundoh Musashi"
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/8697/musashiwtfxa0.gif
Let us all now forget that series ever existed.
@Sandalphon Groundbreaking animation from only 2006. KyoAni's got nothing on it.
Being 10 years behind today means we'll be behind tomorrow.
We aren't ten years behind. We just have all the wrong people making the games. The sankaku users could probably make an accurate up to date doujin.
That's exactly why we're ten years behind, because all the right people know it won't work.
now after weeding out the people who can actually draw on par with artist on pixiv is highly unlikely.
Well I mean, Sake Visual makes visual novels that are kind of almost kind of getting there. Oh, who am I kidding?
Yes, the backgrounds do somewhat resemble those 90s adventures - but then that style made many games what they were. Is it appropriate for this game / novel? I don't know, that would depend on the story I guess. At least it isn't just shopped photos, they deserve a plus for that. And the character designs are cute, if somewhat standard.
The song however is rather... devoid of all the little climaxes that make a good song? I just can't like it. The animation is sloppy, but I've seen *much* worse in Japanese VN's, and in all likelihood most art will be (semi-)static sprites on background.
It looks good in its own, pretty classic and hmm, kind of Doujin Game, but it comes out from America rite ? ( where it's pretty scarce to have a galgame )
They were probably parodying shit like imvu.
In case it wasn't clear, the last picture in the quote isn't from the game.
Oh yeah, that was this other shitty game for the PSP. I can't remember the name of it. I considered buying it for like 5 minutes because It seemed like a western attempt at a VN, but it's soo hackneyed.
This topic reminds me earlier of Katawa Shoujo. Which is better in any way possible. I don't even care about having voices in it or not. NOT is actually preferred when it's originally English...
a new challenger has appeared!
You mean the last pic in the 2chan posts? That is Leisure Suit Larry (My brother had that was a funny game). This game however does not peek my interests >.>