Operation Backlog Completion 2025

Muv-Luv photonmelodies Releases July 30

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Jul 032020
 

When the translation of Muv-Luv was successfully crowdfunded, the campaign also met its goals to translate two side story collections.

The first, Muv-Luv photonflowers*, was released last year. Now, the second collection finally has a release date. Muv-Luv photonmelodies will be out on July 30 for $29.99.

This collection contains three stories:

  • Altered Fable: A Shimmering Shard of Spacetime – an epilogue story set after the events of Muv-Luv Alternative
  • Adoration – a story set in Europe, following a Japanese cadet who visits England to join a TSF battalion
  • Resurrection – a story set ahead of Muv-Luv Alternative, following a spy

Although the Steam page isn’t up yet, a short teaser trailer has been released.

Kickstarter backers received photonflowers* ahead of the public release, but I don’t know if the same will happen for photonmelodies. Either way, I’ve heard a lot of praise for this collection, so I’m excited that we don’t have much longer to wait!

That should be the last of the content included in the Kickstarter. There are still some Muv-Luv spin-offs we don’t have available in English (there was a Steam Greenlight page for Schwarzesmarken, but it’s been four years since they said anything about it) and of course the new sequel and spin-offs coming soon. I’ll be looking forward to them as well.

If you’re a Muv-Luv fan, are you looking forward to photonmelodies?

Muv-Luv photonflowers* is an Enjoyable Collection

 Reviews, Video games  No Responses »  Tagged with: , , ,
May 172019
 

Muv-Luv photonflowers title screenThe Kickstarter campaign for the localization of Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative also included a couple collections of side stories.

The first of these is Muv-Luv photonflowers*, which became available for Kickstarter backers in March.

Just like the main Muv-Luv series is split across two universes, the short stories here are also divided, with some stories from the Extra universe and others from the Alternative universe.

The Extra stories feature an extended epilogue following the Sumika ending, as well as six short stories (roughly 15 minutes each) set before Extra, from the points of view of each of the five main heroines. There are six stories because Meiya’s story is told in two parts.

Alternative’s stories are two prequels featuring characters from Alternative, along with three short stories giving additional perspectives on the war.

As you might expect if you’ve read the Muv-Luv visual novels, the Extra stories are cute and funny, while the Alternative stories are bleaker but also more interesting.

It took me about 9 hours to go through all of Muv-Luv photonflowers*, and it was definitely worth it. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative and wants more from their universes. (If you haven’t read them, though, you shouldn’t start with this. You can find my review of Muv-Luv Extra and Unlimited here and my review of Alternative here.)

I especially enjoyed the Sumika epilogue from the Extra half and the Alternative prequel about Marimo. It disappointed me a little bit that there wasn’t an epilogue following Meiya’s ending, but the two-part story about Meiya was probably the best of the other Extra stories.

I don’t know when Muv-Luv photonflowers* will be released to the public, but it shouldn’t be much longer. If you’re a Muv-Luv fan, keep an eye out for it.

Muv-Luv Is Back on Steam!

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Feb 282018
 

Last month, we discussed the disappearance of the Muv-Luv visual novels from Steam, an unexpected consequence of the transfer from Degica to Ixtl.

Now they’re back!

Muv-Luv (Extra and Unlimited) and Muv-Luv Alternative now have new Steam pages, thanks to the help of Sekai Project.

Muv-Luv is now being sold at a lower price, and both are on sale for 30% off until March 15. Muv-Luv Alternative has also been updated with improved scripts, most likely the changes that were never implemented in the previous versions.

So, what if you already had them before the change and you want to switch to the new versions?

According to the official announcement, backers (like me) will be able to get new keys from BackerKit. Valve and Ixtl are working on a solution for users who bought the old versions from Steam.

This has certainly been a strange situation, but at least the Muv-Luv visual novels are available again! If you’re curious about the Muv-Luv series, I reviewed Muv-Luv Extra and Unlimited here and Muv-Luv Alternative here.

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