Deardrops Review

5 years ago, Suganuma Shoichi was given the opportunity of a lifetime; To join a world renowned orchestra in Germany as one of their violinists. Having learned and studied the violin since a young age, Shoichi jumped at the chance to climb up in the world of Classical music and reach new heights. During his stay in the orchestra, Shoichi became an idol to the Japanese and was frequently called a noble and the 'Violin Prince' of Classical. However, years later, an unknown scandal caused Shoichi to fall from grace and forced him to give up the limelight, classical music, and the violin that he had spent his entire life devoted to. Having had everything he had ever known torn from him, Shoichi returned to Japan and his hometown and began to live and work at a live house named 696, where amatuer rock bands frequemtly play.

While working at the live house, Shoichi meets a rude and arrogant regular by the name of Gonda Eiji. Unbeknownst to Shoichi, Eiji's arrogant ways pull him into a series of events that thrust him back into the world of music. It is at this small live house where Shoichi is introduced to the world of rock and his life of emptiness begins to change through events involving strange friendships, rock, and a band involving the unlikeliest of members. Can DEARDROPS make it, or will it fall apart at the hands of its fickle and volatile band members?

Sweet Fuse ~At Your Side~ Review

18 year old Saki Inafune is excited to be attending the opening of her uncle's, legendary game developer Keiji Inafune, new theme park, the Gameatorium, where everything is video game themed. As she settles down at the opening ceremony listening to her uncle's opening speech, he is suddenly interrupted by a strange voice and the image of a pig taking over all the screens over the park. 

Calling himself Count Hogstein, the pig begins a speech of his own, claiming that he will be taking over control of the park with the plans to destroy it. During Count Hogsteins speech, several people in "piglet" costumes ascend to the podium, tying up all of the park management. Inafune, along with several others in the crowd, believe that it is some sort of ruse or show until Hogstein blows up the ferris wheel, demonstrating that Hogstein's plans are very, very real. 

The Count then explains to the panicking crowd that he will select seven people out of the crowd to venture in the park to play a "Game" where the contestants will go through trials in each of the attractions in the park, one attraction a day for seven days, with their lives and the lives of his hostages, the parks management, on the line. Inafune, worried for her uncle, proceeds to volunteer to be one of the seven contestants in hopes of saving her uncle. Thus, Inafune is inexplicably thrown into a game of life or death with six strangers.

Note: Screenshots were taken in 2x resolution in an emulator, so the "actual" images are somewhat blurry, but its not that bad.  Thumbnails are just slightly smaller than native resolution. I just have an odd peeve with small resolutions and I couldn't bring myself to snapshot such...small images.

Castle Fantasia 2 ~Sacred War~ Renewal

On the continent of Synapus, a 200 year long war has been waged between two factions, those in power, the Injellans, and those trying to break from the system, the Rushierans. Our story follows Hewie, a newcomer fighting for the Injella empire and church. After a training battle with his friend and mentor Ducis, Hewie is called to the High Priests chambers along with several of his fellow comrades and friends. The High Priest tells them that it is time for the war and suffering to end, and for them to end the rebellion and destroy the "evil" Rushierans. His intention is to create a new army composed of seven "Holy Knight Corps" that will be the core of their force and handpicked by him personally.  Hewie is given the title of Seventh Holy Knight and two subordinates and Hewie, rather un-enthusiastically, accepts. Shortly after, the Holy Knights Corps are instructed to take back the Rusherian fortress of Borborade, which is key to breaking into Rushieran territory and ending the war. 

Castle Fantasia 2 Renewal is a remake/upgraded version of Castle Fantasia 2. In Renewal, most game CG's were redone/redrawn in a higher resolution, 800x600 (The rest scrapped), voice acting for all characters and text was put in, one omake ending was removed, and additional endings were added along with an extended common route for these endings.  The original had only voiced h-scenes, 640x480 256 color resolution, and a yaoi omake ending, but it did have more CGs than Renewal.

Dengeki Stryker Review

Young Yuuki Yamato dreams of becoming a hero someday to protect the ones he loves. Modeling himself after his favorite superhero, Stryker Zero from the manga Dengeki Stryker, Yamato tries his hardest to protect his best friend Hongou Haruna from constant bullying. After yet another failed attempt at saving Haruna from bullies, she tells Yamato that she is moving away. Shortly after, an old man by the name "Memory Collector" appears before Yamato and offers to grant one wish for Yamato in exchange for a memory. Yamato tells the Memory Collector that he wishes to become his favorite superhero from Dengeki Stryker; Stryker Zero. The Memory Collector grants Yamato's wish, taking away a portion of his memories as payment. Years later, Yamato moves to the city to attend school, where he meets Haruna once again.  At the same time, cyborgs from a place called the Balbora Empire appear and attack the city.

Dandelion ~Wishes Brought To You~ Review

Heejung Kim seems like an ordinary 21 year old college student; She attends classes, is part of a school club and cram school, and works on the side, but Heejung's ordinary seeming life is merely a mask hiding a sad past, an empty present, and an unknown future. While going through the daily grind of her senior year in college, Heejung wakes up one morning to find five animals, two cats and three rabbits, in a basket next to her bed. Unaware of how these animals came to appear in her apartment, these animals are more than they appear to be and change Heejung's life drastically and threaten to make Heejung confront the demons from her past and the sadness she hides from the rest of the world. Unbeknown to Heejung, she has caught the eye and attention of a certain powerful Wizard...

Let the Game begin.