For a bit of context, I’m going to repost most of my original comment from the weekly post on !otomegames@kbin.social, and I’ll also add to it with what I’ve gotten to since making that comment.
kbin.social comment
It feels like it fits right in with the anime and manga, although Prince Geordo is drawn a lot more attractively (in my opinion) in this game than in the anime or manga. I didn’t think I’d be interested at all in the Canon Foreigner (warning, TVTropes link) LIs, also known as the ones who aren’t in the original anime or manga, because I usually tend to dislike Canon Foreigners. But I got to meet one of them so far and I think I might like him!
I’m usually not the type asking for F/F representation in otome, although I very much welcome it. But I always thought that this game should probably have it because Catarina absolutely has female suitors in the anime and manga, who are also her best friends and fellow main characters, and I’m kind of disappointed that none of them are options. However, the game does explicitly acknowledge that her female friends are in love with her as well, so at least there’s that.
So far, I do not want to ruin this moment for you but there has been two hilarious, intentionally-on-the-nose moments of foreshadowing. Also, immediately after a character showed up who was undateable but hot, the game literally acknowledges that he’s hot and undateable, explaining that he’s married. There’s also a great CG-related moment Katarina explicitly talks about that I don’t want to ruin.
As demonstrated above, there’s the usual antics of everyone loving Katarina (game spells it as Catarina but I’ll always prefer it with a K) and her being totally oblivious, which I love for. She just had a moment where I would be screaming at most otome heroines, who are probably intended to be of average intelligence, to get a clue. But she literally acknowledges in-game that thinking is… not her strong suit. And so I’m not mad at all when this moment happened, because it’s totally in character for her to not realize that obvious thing.
I seem to be discovering a newfound interest in fictional jealousy, because I’ve really liked the moments where Katarina’s suitors get jealous and she is oblivious ^^;
Also, I think this game does a really good job of showing just how sweet of a person Katarina really is. It’s only Chapter 2 and she’s had several moments that make me think “what a nice person” lol. It’s fitting, considering that one reason why she is so beloved is because of her genuine kindness, and I appreciate it.
Last thing I can’t seem to find anywhere else to put: I’m charmed by the music.
new stuff!
I really feel teased, if you went into the game having consumed other Hamefura material but without knowing which characters are the LIs in this game, you’d probably guess the girls are LIs too, what with the switching to their POV and options that make you choose between them… Speaking of having consumed other Hamefura material, the game recaps material people who have already consumed Hamefura material would know, so those unfamiliar with the franchise won’t be left out, but it also does so in a way that’s short or entertaining enough to not annoy people like me who have consumed it.
I’ve found 6 typos so far, after completing the Normal End, Keith happy end and good end, and barely starting the Geordo route. One during a dramatic scene in Geordo’s route. Jolted me right out of it. Several of these typos are misspelling a character’s name.
The doctor character doesn’t even get a sprite but I remember him. At least on the Keith route, currently playing through Geordo’s.
Keith’s route seems to me to appeal to the fantasy of being protected.
When initially playing, the first time I saw Rozy I thought he was possibly a family member of the pirate, and finishing the Normal End made me think otherwise. Finishing Keith’s route and starting Geordo’s, I’m suspicious again.
Katarina gets scolded by Keith for being reckless when she had a gun pointed at her when she didn’t do anything reckless at all, meanwhile Keith did something reckless… not sure if intentional, an oversight, or a mistranslation of “nonchalant” for “reckless”.
Route has nice bookends with their first encounter as siblings and what happens at the end, contrasting very nicely with the events in Fortune Lover.
Kind of sad Ryle didn’t talk out the parallel/flipped situation between him and Maria, wonder if that’ll happen in another route.
I do appreciate how both using Earth Bump on Cet and refraining from using it on anyone raise Keith’s affection the same amount. You can actively do something for your rescue and aren’t punished for it. What I find weird is how both those choices lead to the exact same end to the confrontation, and the exact same scenes following it, but they change whether you get the Good End or the Happy End respectively. What!? Why? I choose to think of them as having the exact same outcome, and the difference between the two ends is just in what period they show before Keith and Katarina get married, two different parts in pretty much the same timeline.
Keith route spoilers and Season 2 anime spoilers
Right after the confrontation with Ryle, I got very reminded of Season 2 where an injured Keith finally makes a move on a very concerned-for-his-safety Katarina by kissing her before promptly falling asleep. Wonder if that resemblance was done on purpose. That episode came out September 11, 2021 according to Wikipedia and I bet the corresponding manga and light novel chapters, if it wasn’t created for the anime and/or manga (I read the manga awhile back and forgot!) were published way earlier. Meanwhile, this game came out December 23, 2021, so there was definitely room for them to intentionally make this parallel.
In Geordo’s route, I also learn something about the overarching pirate plot right off the bat that I didn’t learn in Keith’s route at all. I appreciate that effort towards not making the game repetitive for those who play different routes.
Very much enjoying Geordo’s scheming to get moments with Katarina.
For a bit of context, I’m going to repost most of my original comment from the weekly post on !otomegames@kbin.social, and I’ll also add to it with what I’ve gotten to since making that comment.
kbin.social comment
It feels like it fits right in with the anime and manga, although Prince Geordo is drawn a lot more attractively (in my opinion) in this game than in the anime or manga. I didn’t think I’d be interested at all in the Canon Foreigner (warning, TVTropes link) LIs, also known as the ones who aren’t in the original anime or manga, because I usually tend to dislike Canon Foreigners. But I got to meet one of them so far and I think I might like him!
I’m usually not the type asking for F/F representation in otome, although I very much welcome it. But I always thought that this game should probably have it because Catarina absolutely has female suitors in the anime and manga, who are also her best friends and fellow main characters, and I’m kind of disappointed that none of them are options. However, the game does explicitly acknowledge that her female friends are in love with her as well, so at least there’s that.
So far, I do not want to ruin this moment for you but there has been two hilarious, intentionally-on-the-nose moments of foreshadowing. Also, immediately after a character showed up who was undateable but hot, the game literally acknowledges that he’s hot and undateable, explaining that he’s married. There’s also a great CG-related moment Katarina explicitly talks about that I don’t want to ruin.
As demonstrated above, there’s the usual antics of everyone loving Katarina (game spells it as Catarina but I’ll always prefer it with a K) and her being totally oblivious, which I love for. She just had a moment where I would be screaming at most otome heroines, who are probably intended to be of average intelligence, to get a clue. But she literally acknowledges in-game that thinking is… not her strong suit. And so I’m not mad at all when this moment happened, because it’s totally in character for her to not realize that obvious thing.
I seem to be discovering a newfound interest in fictional jealousy, because I’ve really liked the moments where Katarina’s suitors get jealous and she is oblivious ^^;
Also, I think this game does a really good job of showing just how sweet of a person Katarina really is. It’s only Chapter 2 and she’s had several moments that make me think “what a nice person” lol. It’s fitting, considering that one reason why she is so beloved is because of her genuine kindness, and I appreciate it.
Last thing I can’t seem to find anywhere else to put: I’m charmed by the music.
new stuff!
I really feel teased, if you went into the game having consumed other Hamefura material but without knowing which characters are the LIs in this game, you’d probably guess the girls are LIs too, what with the switching to their POV and options that make you choose between them… Speaking of having consumed other Hamefura material, the game recaps material people who have already consumed Hamefura material would know, so those unfamiliar with the franchise won’t be left out, but it also does so in a way that’s short or entertaining enough to not annoy people like me who have consumed it.
I’ve found 6 typos so far, after completing the Normal End, Keith happy end and good end, and barely starting the Geordo route. One during a dramatic scene in Geordo’s route. Jolted me right out of it. Several of these typos are misspelling a character’s name.
The doctor character doesn’t even get a sprite but I remember him. At least on the Keith route, currently playing through Geordo’s.
Keith’s route seems to me to appeal to the fantasy of being protected.
When initially playing, the first time I saw Rozy I thought he was possibly a family member of the pirate, and finishing the Normal End made me think otherwise. Finishing Keith’s route and starting Geordo’s, I’m suspicious again.
Continuing in a reply to this comment!
Keith route spoilers
Katarina gets scolded by Keith for being reckless when she had a gun pointed at her when she didn’t do anything reckless at all, meanwhile Keith did something reckless… not sure if intentional, an oversight, or a mistranslation of “nonchalant” for “reckless”.
Route has nice bookends with their first encounter as siblings and what happens at the end, contrasting very nicely with the events in Fortune Lover.
Kind of sad Ryle didn’t talk out the parallel/flipped situation between him and Maria, wonder if that’ll happen in another route.
I do appreciate how both using Earth Bump on Cet and refraining from using it on anyone raise Keith’s affection the same amount. You can actively do something for your rescue and aren’t punished for it. What I find weird is how both those choices lead to the exact same end to the confrontation, and the exact same scenes following it, but they change whether you get the Good End or the Happy End respectively. What!? Why? I choose to think of them as having the exact same outcome, and the difference between the two ends is just in what period they show before Keith and Katarina get married, two different parts in pretty much the same timeline.
Keith route spoilers and Season 2 anime spoilers
Right after the confrontation with Ryle, I got very reminded of Season 2 where an injured Keith finally makes a move on a very concerned-for-his-safety Katarina by kissing her before promptly falling asleep. Wonder if that resemblance was done on purpose. That episode came out September 11, 2021 according to Wikipedia and I bet the corresponding manga and light novel chapters, if it wasn’t created for the anime and/or manga (I read the manga awhile back and forgot!) were published way earlier. Meanwhile, this game came out December 23, 2021, so there was definitely room for them to intentionally make this parallel.
In Geordo’s route, I also learn something about the overarching pirate plot right off the bat that I didn’t learn in Keith’s route at all. I appreciate that effort towards not making the game repetitive for those who play different routes.
Very much enjoying Geordo’s scheming to get moments with Katarina.