Recent reviews by Aeroth

So I've finally finished this game and want to give a review and a bit of an outlet about my experience.
This is my first review, so please don't be harsh in judgement.

• Overall Ratings
  
• Synopsis
  
• Be Prepared
  
• Characters
  
• Routes
  
• Advice
  
• Final Verdict (Objectively + Subjectively)

The ratings are at least slightly biased and not true for the full game (I'll explain it to it further down):

Story: 4.5 / 5
Characters: 4.5 / 5
Art: mostly 5 / 5 besides some CGs
Sound: 4.5


Overall I can that the story and it's characters feel unique and fresh for the most part.
You start in the Common Route where you play as Setsuna and wake up without memories. The only thing you remember are the names 'Rinne' and 'Setsuna' as well as the feeling that there's someone you need to save.



If you're someone who can connect with stories and characters like me than you should be warned that this game is quite heartwrenching. The reason being that there are a some scientific topics like time travel and Cold Sleep and it also often made you think about your own ethics and morales.
As an example there was a part at which I kept playing for 9 hours without properly or taking a break just because I needed to see how the situation(s) resolved.


Setsuna: He mostly acted on the spur always kept assuming things and chaining his opinions/believes constantly. While I would describe him as a someone with good intentions he often makes mistakes and selfish decisions. I found myself disagreeing with him quite often.

Rinne: Rinne is described as gloomy and hard to please at one point, which she also admits being mostly true but she also has a bright and cheerful side. She can also be really childish and needy at times.
As for my opnion on her: Honestly she's the only reason I played this VN and wanting to see her happy is what kept me playing on. So she's by far best girl for me even for waifu's in general.


Karen: Karen was kind of a tsundere but was still original enough to not think of her as a template. She can't handle dirtier jokes and the is more serious about her future than she lets onto. I didn't have any special feelings for Karen but she was my 2nd favorite girl if I had to chose one.

Sara: Sara believes in time travler and other 'ficitonal' stuff and she loves corb more than anything. Besides that she clearly is still acting like child but can also be dead serious at times. I don't have much of a personal opinion of her.


only in 22016
Rinné O'hara : She's pretty much a child version of Rinne with some differences in personality. While as was ok with her at first and didn't like the influence she had on Setsuna because I prefer Rinne(1999) over her but I still need to except her role to some extent.

Karen Kurtz: She's the leader of the homeless kids and is giving 'service' for money. As with Rinne she resembles her 1999 counterpart alot. I didn't like her advances on Setsuna but otherwise she was alright.

Sarah : She's kind and wants to help everyone just as the Sara in 1999. My opinion on her is pretty much the same as on Karen Kurtz.


Island Route(s):

Summer Route: The shared starting route starts out as slice of life and having some small drama in the later portion but it's still just pretty easygoing and enjoyable.

Sara Route: In Sara's Route you assume that you come from the future and you start spending more time with Sara. You try to find out what happenend in to the Garando family in the past and the topics of time travel and other scientifc topics play a part in it. Overall from an objective viewpoint I found it pretty good, at least not bad.

Karen Route: In Karen's Route you assume to be from the present and is the most grounded one of all routes. The overarching topic is Karen's wish to leave the Island and it dosen't involve any scientific topics like time travel.Overall I quite liked the atomsphere of the route since it was relatively light on the heart without any complicated topics.

Rinne Route: Now Rinne's Route unlocks after playing Karen's and Sara's Route. This one was the one where I did the 9-hour session because it was just one thing after another (good and bad things) and I was quite shocked at some poins.
In this Route you discover Rinne's past trough which Setsuna's and Rinne's (as well as my) feelings and believes kept changing multiple times and made my heart running most of the time (for good and bad reasons).
In the end it was still worth it though.

From here on you shouldn't read the spoiler-parts if you want to go fully blind though I want to give everyone some important advice at the end, so please scroll down and check the non-spoiler note if you want to have the best experience.


Never Island:

Never Island pretty much covers how Setsuna went into future to go back in time to save Rinne.
You'll be found by a girl named Rinné O'hara and you start living with her in humanity's last frontier the ISLAND.
There some other familiar faces and parrellels to the past, espcially Rinné's personality. There's also a lot of struggle with Setsuna's feelings.
So IMO the story of this route was pretty good, it was a definitely darker than the Summer Route. Personally I did struggle through the route because of Setsuna's swaying feelings and the route's lenght since I just wanted to get back to the past and meet Rinne again.

Midsummer Route: Now this one was by my favourite route (Rinne's Route being 2nd and the rest somewhere below) It starts in Summer again just like the original Summer Route but when you meet Rinne you get another choice with leads you to the Rinne's real route. The Route is pretty short compared to the rest but the things that are in it are very good. It pretty much covers Setsuna keeping his memories from his past 'loops' and making everyone happy (besides that he only loves Rinne).

True End: So first of all I'm sorry for saying I finished the game because I didn't play the True End until the End. Just starting it was enough to ruin the great happniess I felt when playing through Rinne's wedding. Because of that I decided that not to play until the end, it would only hurt me and I prioritize Rinne's happiness over the full (canon) story. I did however briefly looked up what it was about: It supposedly explains that there's no time travel just cold sleep + reincarnation and Setsuna goes back into the loop.

Now for the aforementioned advice wait until you reach the the Chapter: "Time Traveler's Tale" before you read the next spoiler section. I'll will have to slightly spoil something but if your one of the people the advice is for (the ones I mention in the first line of the spoiler section) it will be worth it


This advice for those who really like Ohara Rinne (the one in 1999).

In the Time Travler's Tale Chapter there are 5 choice when you are at the beach with Rinne
if you chose 2nd-3rd-2nd-3rd-2nd you unlock a second choice later on.
When your with Kuon on the beach and you've unlocked the second choice:
Choose the one with: 'Rinne', if you choose 'Rinné' you'll regret it just like I did.
The curiosity of another ending isn't worth it if you happy seeing Rinne's ending.
So for your own sake do as I say. But in the end it's up to you. I just don't want anyone who cares for Rinne to repeat my mistake.

[Final Verdict]
Objective: Great+Emotional Story/Characters with great lenghts can only recommend it.
Subjective: If your intersted in Rinne just wach the prologue first and then decided it was definiely worth it for me.


9.5/10 (because of that one ending mentioned in the spoiler section)