Operation Backlog Completion 2025
Feb 202023
 

Two years ago (almost to the day), we discussed the otome visual novel Amnesia: Memories.

Now we’re going to talk about its first fandisc, Amnesia Later, released for the first time in English last year as part of the two-game collection Amnesia Later x Crowd.

(Once again, if you’re unfamiliar with the concept of a fandisc, think of it as a game-length epilogue or a sequel focused on the characters enjoying their happy ending.)

I had a lot to criticize about Amnesia: Memories, but when Later x Crowd was announced for localization, I said I’d pick it up for the two love interests I actually liked as well as for the side story featuring Waka.

And, now that I’ve played Amnesia Later… yes, my reasons for getting it remain intact.

Amnesia Later features a short story that lets you spend time with any of the game’s major characters, which unlocks their related content. The core of this fandisc are the after stories, one for each of the five love interests.

I adored the after stories for Kent and Ukyo, my two favorites. They were enjoyable enough that I’m happy with my purchase just for them. Of the other three, I found Ikki’s story to be sweet, but unfortunately Amnesia Later did nothing to make Toma and Shin rise in my estimation at all.

So if you enjoyed the love interests in the main game, you’ll probably like their after stories here.

You also unlock three girls’ night scenarios with the protagonist’s friends, although these are actually just a way to unlock the profile information for the guys. They have some funny moments, though.

Then there’s Waka’s World, one of the main draws for me. Waka is a side character in the game whom I liked more than Ikki, Toma, and Shin all put together. His personality is different in each of the worlds, and Waka’s World is a collection of four short scenarios to let you get to know each version of Waka. Every one of them is pure gold.

I need a Waka game now. I would gladly take each of those four scenarios expanded into a full route. I am begging for a Waka fandisc, Otomate!

Finally, you unlock one final route after completing everything else, featuring Orion, which wraps up the story in a really sweet way.

And what makes everything even better is that since the protagonist has her memories back, she’s no longer a silent protagonist like in the original game, but talks to other characters and has internal thoughts. She feels like a real character here, which is a vast improvement for me.

Even though I had to power through some of the routes because I didn’t care about the love interests, Amnesia Later was worth it for the characters I do like. It was sweet, funny, and a pleasant follow-up to the original game that made me appreciate it a bit more. Amnesia Later is only one of the two fandiscs included in Amnesia Later x Crowd, so we’ll see how things go in the second one in the future.

Feb 172023
 

We’ve got another indie visual novel to talk about today, this time a Christmas-themed otome called Wrapped With a Kiss.

You play Noel, a young woman who loses her job and finds herself with no choice but to move out of the city and into the small town where her sister lives.

There, she begins to settle into a new life with her sister, her niece, and the charming local carpenter as everyone prepares for Christmas.

The premise is about as classic as they get, but it’s a heartfelt story that explores these characters in a way that feels sincere and meaningful. The holiday setting adds additional charm and makes it a warm, cozy romance.

(Christmas is even more central to this story than it was in Wintertide Miracles, so I almost wish I’d read it in December instead.)

It takes only a couple of hours to finish, but despite its story length, it doesn’t feel rushed. Instead, the progression felt natural and believable. It has partial voice acting, although I found it distracting enough to have only occasional lines voiced that I turned off the voices.

Wrapped With a Kiss is a short, sweet Christmas story about family, romance, and finding what’s important in life. It might not be groundbreaking, but it’s the sort of feelgood visual novel that will leave you feeling happier afterwards.

Feb 152023
 

Today I’d like to talk about a short visual novel called *deep breath* I’m a love interest in my childhood friend’s reverse harem!!!

Now, despite how the store page describes it, this is not an otome in any way, shape, or form.

When the description says it’s “a not-so-generic otome game” and “a spin on your average otome game,” what it really means is that it’s written with the idea that you are playing from the perspective of a love interest in an otome game while your friend is the main character.

You are Geum, a teenage boy whose best friend Emily is supposed to be an otome game protagonist, with two other guys she could become interested in. However, you don’t think they really love her, so you decide to either win Emily’s heart first or make the two guys fall for you instead.

In other words, you play a male protagonist with one female and two male love interests.

I’d go a step further and say I’m a love interest in my childhood friend’s reverse harem!!! is stronger without its meta elements. Jokes about Emily’s nickname being MC or Geum noticing she seems to be looking at invisible choices in the air are good for a smile, but this visual novel is at its best when it focusing on the routes themselves.

The routes are split, so early on you decide if you want to try to win over Emily or the guys. Choices that favor any of the three characters still show up regardless of which path you pick, so I’m not sure why it’s split at the beginning. Once you do Emily’s route and at least one guy’s route on the same save file, you’ll also unlock a polyamory route (although it’s more like a harem).

No matter which route you’re on, you get a variety of cute scenes as you pursue your love interest of choice. While simple, the stories are sweet and heartfelt, and it has quite a bit of variability in the outcomes.

That’s part of why I feel it would be stronger if it didn’t try to play into the idea that Emily is an otome game protagonist. The actual routes here are sweet and humorous enough on their own without breaking the fourth wall, and the premise works fine on its own.

I’m a love interest in my childhood friend’s reverse harem!!! is very short and will probably only take you a couple of hours to beat, but it’s a sweet visual novel with more heartfelt romance than I expected.