Katawa Shoujo - It's out! (Seriously!)

[ZeronHitaro]

Well, 'smoothly' in Emi's case anyway. I can't speak for any of the others for...obvious reasons. XD But I assume that if the writers are at least on par with Emi's writer's talent then the other acts are just as smooth too.
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Honestly I didn't even know it was an eroge. ^^; I thought datings sims were just...well...dating. >///>; (Yeah I know there were 18+ scenes but I had assumed the H-filter would disable 'all' of them.) Yeah I know, I've never been the one in the party with the highest Wisdom score. :-P No need to apologize. XD It's just who I am; I'm typically more bemused by it and 'normal' people anyway. I only get defensive/riled if it's blatantly shoved in my face, especially ala ambush.

[TiamatNM]

I played Act 1 a long time ago and liked it.  I might download this not sure.  I was kinda annoyed when I read they were gonna do some kinda subscription thing to get full functionality (like being able to save anytime you want).  Did they actually go through with any of that?  Or do you just download it and get everything?

edit:  whatever I'll find out one way or another lol.  *begins download*
edit2:  looks like they didn't do it, I can save anywhere.  guess people told them it was a stupid idea and they gave up.  no one wants save checkpoints in a game like this

[Annubis]

LOL
All those horrible things you heard were posted on April 1st.
I'll let you ponder how many of them are in the actual game ;)

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I just learned from the game that at least Hisao, Lilly and Hanako are 18. So it's not technically underaged sex (I know, I know, they don't look 18... Japan's Japan)
I would assume the same for Shizuka, Misha and Kenji being in the same grade.

[TiamatNM]

wow.  I was barely keeping up with the news on it at all and I just so happened to look on April 1st?  too good

[Annubis]

Over the weekend, I managed to finish the Hanako and Lilly path.

I thought the Hanako path was good, but I must say that I was surprised by the Lilly path. It is incredible.
While it's a lot more linear, it is also a lot longer, deeper and engaging.
I find the stories are possibly as good as they can be given that this is a very strict setting (compared to some better visual novels who could take more liberties given their more fantastic/sci-fi nature).
I'll probably try the Shizune path next.

The writing is also very good and the whole subject matter (disability) is very carefully handled.
I was worried about the sex in the game, but after seeing how it was handled in the Hanako path, I simply have to tip my hat to the team.
Interestingly, in the 2 paths I've played, the game reminds you to use protection. I think it's nice to add that in the game.

As said before, the music is very good (just listen to something like "Cold Iron", it's incredible). I'll be downloading the OST for sure when they release it.

[ZeronHitaro]

Well since you've played through all the way Annubis I think I'll inquire-

Post-sex scene (I'm assuming it only happens once per path, clarify if I'm wrong); approximately how long does the topless character model hang around (and is this the once per path too?), about how long does it hang around, and is there anything really important in the dialog during that period and/or are there any dialog choices that have to be made then?

Despite the insanity of it I'm considering re-trying the game if I can just click-skip after the censor hamster warning flashes up and not miss anything super plot important. So long as I can just flip the lid of the screen closed and click past the offending scene I'd be able to finish the story.

It's actually frustrating that the writers did so damn well with their job that this is actually one of the few stories that emotionally pains me to leave un-finished. >.<

[Annubis]

I'll have to  split it per path.

Hanako

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There is only one scene and it really isn't much about sex, while they do end up having it. I imagine the scene gets cut even shorter with the option clicked and it should only become a scene with nudity that's more about acceptance of her burns.
Lilly

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Different story here sadly. I think there's 3 scene where she is nude and 1 more where it is 'implied' they had sex. I don't know how many would remain with the option clicked. In this path, they are having sex because they are in love and horny teenagers (them hormones). If you were to skip those, you wouldn't miss much other than the usual "having sex is really dangerous for his heart".
EDIT: Incremented Lilly by 1 since I remembered one I forgot.

[ZeronHitaro]

I might risk it later then. Sounds like anything that comes up does so only after the image blocker kicks in (from what I gather I think the censor blocks the actual moment of copulation, so there really 'shouldn't' be anything before that). So I should be able to avoid it (with luck). Thanks for the info. XD Here's hoping I can now enjoy the game without my brain short-circuiting.

[Chronix112]

Zeron Hitaro, I have read Shizune and Rin's path and there are two things that you might have problems with.

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After Shizune's second love scene there is a brief time of where you see Shizune's standing sprite nude, this is not skipped by disabling adult content.  You can skip all nudity on Rins path but there is a scene where Hisoa visits her, and she is in her underwear.
Shizune and Rin's path compliment each other because they are polar opposites in tone and how the protagonist's personality ends up. Rin's path turned out way more serious then I had originally thought it would.

[Maxximum]

After all the praise it got here, I thought about giving this a shake, even though I'm not really a visual novel fan. I thought to myself "ah what the heck, its free, so why not", then I saw the website (or rather the error message) and the "why not" materialised fairly quickly, because I realised that this essentially looks like a cripple fetish H-game... Now, to each his own I suppose, but that kind of stuff doesn't really float my boat.

[Annubis]

I see a lot of people refusing to play this game for that reason without even giving the game a chance.
While you're entitled to your opinion, I think it's a shame if you avoid this game without even playing it.
Also, the game does an admirable job at making you like the characters and seeing them beyond their disabilities. (or at least the 2 paths I've done)

Bluntly put, If you can masturbate to the Hanako H-scene portraying it only as crippled fapping material, you have no soul.

[Chronix112]

I see a lot of people refusing to play this game for that reason without even giving the game a chance.
While you're entitled to your opinion, I think it's a shame if you avoid this game without even playing it.
Also, the game does an admirable job at making you like the characters and seeing them beyond their disabilities. (or at least the 2 paths I've done)

Bluntly put, If you can masturbate to the Hanako H-scene portraying it only as crippled fapping material, you have no soul.

Well, It is a topic that can easily squick people out, but they really did do a good job handling it.

[Maxximum]

I don't know, hitting the error message of an armless anime chick with the caption "I have no arms to hug you with" or something along those lines, seemed both insensitive and creepy to me. I took it as an indication of things to come.

[Chronix112]

I don't know, hitting the error message of an armless anime chick with the caption "I have no arms to hug you with" or something along those lines, seemed both insensitive and creepy to me. I took it as an indication of things to come.

That is Rin's odd sense of humor. She does not think, nor act like normal people . She is text book example of an wildly eccentric character, and it is a major issue that is dealt with during her route.

[ZeronHitaro]

Zeron Hitaro, I have read Shizune and Rin's path and there are two things that you might have problems with.

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After Shizune's second love scene there is a brief time of where you see Shizune's standing sprite nude, this is not skipped by disabling adult content.  You can skip all nudity on Rins path but there is a scene where Hisoa visits her, and she is in her underwear.
Shizune and Rin's path compliment each other because they are polar opposites in tone and how the protagonist's personality ends up. Rin's path turned out way more serious then I had originally thought it would.

Yeah, I'm aware of the sprite thing. That's what 'ambushed' me on Emi's path and prompted my initial negative reaction. Pretty much my plan of action is anytime the H-scene pops up, the filter provides a non-sequitor image while the screen flashes pink for a few seconds. That's more than enough time to lower the lid and just click through the dialog without looking at all until the 'loading screen' music starts playing.

Underwear doesn't bother me too much, it's mildly bothersome but I've learned to mostly ignore it; can't really play or watch anything Japanese without that cropping up in one way or another these days. Thanks for the head's up though.
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@Maxximum: I can also re-enforce that said message is definitely in full character for Rin and hardly insensitive. However I can see how it would appear that way without context. Just download the game and play the first act; it's pretty much 'safe' sans a Kanji scene where you'll want to skip over the pointless dialog unless you like reading with a leaf-thong right in your face. The other moment of fanservice only occurs once with Shizune and is, by all modern standards, tame and quite ignorable. The first act should be enough to put any fears of insensitivity to rest.