Steam had its summer sale not long ago, and I picked up a few visual novels to try. Each is available for both Mac and PC. Magical Diary: Horse Hall Magical Diary: Horse Hall is a very “meh” sort of visual novel. Bland backgrounds, forgettable music, and somewhat ugly character sprites do nothing to salvage… Read More A Trio of Visual Novel Reviews
Crystalline, a visual novel available on Steam, is a fun isekai / romance / adventure story. Crystalline is the first visual novel I’ve ever tried, so I have nothing with which to compare it, but I found it charming. From what I can tell, it is typical of the visual novel genre, straddling the intersection… Read More Crystalline: A Visual Novel Review
Today’s post is from a former staff member, Kaze, who you’ll remember playing a vital role on Beneath the Tangles for a number of years. We’re blessed to have him still drop by from time to time, while also contributing to his own blog, Nanaca Sakura. I once explained how Madoka was the gateway anime… Read More SCA-DI and the Question of God
Aiyoku no Eustia is a fantastic visual novel (I initially thought it was only “great” but the more I thought about this post, the more I liked what it did) that still has yet to receive an English translation (a partial patch is available). While most people praise it for things like world-building and a… Read More Aiyoku no Eustia and the Threat of Blind Faith
When I think of Christmas in otaku media, MuvLuv is one of the first stories that comes to mind. In previous years here at Beneath the Tangles, however, I was told we must write about anime. No longer am I bound by such a rule! MuvLuv, specifically MuvLuv Alternative is one of the most popular… Read More 12 Days of Otaku Christmas, Day 10: MuvLuv Alternative
Hatoful Boyfriend is quite possibly my favorite visual novel, not that I’ve played/read enough for that statement to mean much. At first, it appears to be a dating sim featuring pigeon love interests, but it’s both a lot more ridiculous and a lot deeper than that. And darker. And bloodier. And sweeter. And… well, you… Read More 12 Days of Otaku Christmas, Day 2: Hatoful Boyfriend
Major spoilers for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney below! Two silhouettes stand in a boat floating on a foggy lake. One of them pulls a gun on the other. “Merry Christmas,” he says, and squeezes the trigger. Appropriately enough, the final case in Capcom’s original Ace Attorney video game opens the same way it ends—with a… Read More 12 Days of Otaku Christmas, Day 1: Ace Attorney
Every few months, we like to take a couple weeks to play some interactive games. This time around, JP (Japesland), Kaze, Jack (R86), and Casey (CutsceneAddict) play a game of JP’s own creation called “Kantoku-san.” What if you were the kantoku of all anime studios in Japan? Listen in and post your own opinions in the comments below! As always,… Read More TangleCast 32: Game – Kantoku-san 1/2
According to my admittedly rather fallible memory, few anime in the last few years have frustrated me as much as Girlish Number, but I can’t help but feel that this is a good sense of frustration. I’m not angry because the anime is terrible, or even because I wish the characters were written differently, but… Read More Letters from the Editor: I’m Part of the Problem
Key’s newest story has finally been released after multiple delays. Harmonia is a kinetic novel, much like Planetarian, and got an English release even before the Japanese release. While the music and art were a wonderful immersion into the story, the actual writing itself was subpar. I do appreciate many of the themes and ideas… Read More Harmonia and Outdated Religion