Operation Backlog Completion 2025
Jul 292024
 

It’s been over 3 years since we talked about Katawa Shoujo, a romance visual novel that was many people’s first introduction to the genre.

I praised Katawa Shoujo for its heartfelt storytelling, not to mention the fact that it’s a decently long visual novel available for free.

Well, it’s soon to be easier than ever for new players to try it, because it was announced that Katawa Shoujo is coming to both Steam and itch.io on August 16.

This is not a remaster or enhanced version, but the same game that’s been available all this time – and yes, it’s still going to be free. This just provides players with more options for how to get it.

The one change is that the Steam version has the 18+ content removed in order to get it onto Steam. If you want to get it from Steam but have those scenes intact, there is a patch available from the itch.io page to restore the adult content to the Steam version. An FAQ answers the most common questions about the new release.

(For the record, I feel the 18+ scenes add to the characterization at times, but it would still be a great visual novel without them.)

Katawa Shoujo might not have huge, world-changing stakes, but it’s a heartfelt romance visual novel that I enjoyed a lot, and I’m happy to see it getting more attention. If you’ve been wanting to play it but prefer to get it from an established storefront, you’ll get your wish on August 16!

Feb 092024
 

Steins;Gate is not only one of the first true visual novels I’ve ever played, but also one of my all-time favorites. I absolutely loved it.

Despite that, I never got around to playing Steins;Gate: My Darling’s Embrace, a lighthearted spin-off/fandisc with more of a romantic comedy approach.

So what better time than now, during Celebrating All Things Romantic?

If you’re at all familiar with Steins;Gate, you know that the basic premise kicks off when the main character Okabe and his friends learn they can send emails into the past (which they then refer to as D-Mails) and change the timeline through these messages. My Darling’s Embrace begins with Okabe finding himself at the other end of a D-Mail change where they’ve begun to develop new gadgets to sell… although he sent so many D-Mails that he doesn’t quite know what one caused this.

Things quickly spiral out of control when he and Kurisu end up stuck wearing a new gadget that shocks them whenever they argue. They prepare to send a D-Mail into the past to change it… and your choice there determines which route you end up on.

There are six routes, and each takes the story in a different direction focused on one of the characters. A couple of the routes (mainly Suzuha’s) hint at romance more than showing it, but most have the growing relationship as a core part of the route. They’re all sweet and funny, an entertaining look at how Okabe’s relationships could develop under other circumstances.

I especially enjoyed Moeka’s route, which was so wholesome and nice to see.

Click for Steins;Gate spoilers
And unlike in the main game, Luka is still a guy for his route this time.

Above everything else, My Darling’s Embrace reminded me of how much I love the Steins;Gate story and its characters. While the main story might become an intense thriller, and that’s still one of its biggest draws, it was nice to relax and read some lighthearted rom-com antics with this cast.

So if you’re a fan of Steins;Gate and want to some more romance-focused routes with its characters, check out Steins;Gate: My Darling’s Embrace!

Feb 052024
 

Its been over two years since we discussed 9-nine-, the thriller romance visual novel about a group of teenagers who awaken to special powers.

In the time since then, a fifth episode was released that contains after stories for the main game’s routes, which makes it a perfect choice for our romance celebration.

9-nine: New Episode begins by wrapping up the one branch that was left unresolved in the original, with a satisfactory conclusion, and then an after story is unlocked for each heroine.

Don’t expect these to be fandisc-length stories or have the same high stakes as the full game; rather, they are short epilogues that have a little plot resolution but mainly focus on telling a cute story between the protagonist and that route’s heroine.

They’re sweet, funny, and a pleasant way to follow up 9-nine- if you want to see the characters in a more peaceful situation.

While each after story is quite short and the whole thing only lasts a few hours, I was pleasantly surprised that they don’t all follow the same formula. Although they have the same starting structure (immediate aftermath of the route, followed by a short timeskip), they develop differently from there.

To be honest, you could get by just fine reading the original visual novel without ever seeing these epilogues, but if you enjoyed 9-nine- and want more of the romance side of things, 9-nine-: New Episode is enjoyable enough.