straightforwardly

► So, never did get around to writing a second entry yesterday. But that’s alright, because I can do it now. First, a link to the end-of-the-year writing meme I always do: 2016: Writing Year In Review.

► Second: A quick update on my Mystic Messenger playthrough. It’s Day Five now, and SUCCESS. I got onto Zen’s route! I didn’t end up running into a bad ending after all! I was a bit worried about that, since I was also getting a lot of hearts from Jaehee and Yoosung… I actually wasn’t sure if I had enough of a majority with any of them to get on a route at all, tbh. But I did, and it was the one I wanted to do first, so I’m happy. ♥

( briefly cut for possible spoilers, though I personally don't think it's anything too important )

► Finally: The Fandom Snowflake Challenge! I missed Day One, and while I know that I can still go back and do it, I think that I’m just going to let it pass by. Instead, I’m going to focus on Day Two.
( cut for those who’d rather skip it )

The Kickstarter


I've been meaning to make this post for a while, but it wasn't until the above Kickstarter came into being that I was motivated to actually get around and do this. Basically, I want to talk about Zeiva, mainly because while I think it's clear that I love their games, I'm not quite as explicit about why I love their games. After all, I play quite a few visual novels and otome games, both indie and commercial.^[1] Why do these games stand out for me?

I definitely have a few ulterior motives, and I'm going to be upfront about them. First, and most importantly, I love both X-Note and Area-X to bits and pieces, and would adore it if those games could have even a small fandom to spring up around them. Second, while the above game (Voices from the Sea) has been 100% funded, I would really love it to be able to hit its stretch goals, especially the ones at the $3500 and $4000 mark, since they look incredibly promising. Finally, I just really adore this developer, and really want them to have the recognition and support I think they deserve.

So, with that said, I'm going to return to the main point of this post— why is it, exactly, that I love the games this developer makes so much?

The first thing that comes to mind is characters. Every single character in their games is a well-developed, fully fleshed-out person, including their main characters. Many otome games^[2] have the unfortunate tendency to make their heroines either blank slates or all exactly alike, but not so with Zeiva. Essi from X-Note could never be mistaken for Elcia from Area-X, even if you disregard their differing appearances.

The same is true for the rest of the cast. Both Oure from X-Note and Yuras from Area-X may appear to be the typical "shota" type, but not only are they completely different from one another as characters, they are also in no way confined by the expectations of what a "shota" character should be. With some characters, I have a difficult time figuring out which "type" they can even be loosely categorized as. To this day, Anon from X-Note remains one of the most fascinatingly complex characters I have ever had to fortune to come across.

Nor does Zeiva slack on story. In every Zeiva game I've played, the plots are complex without being convoluted and utterly engaging. Once you start one of their games, it is incredibly difficult to set them back down before you've unlocked every single ending, merely for the sake of understanding every detail of the plot.^[3] I will admit that X-Note is a bit weaker in this regard, mainly because of pacing issues in the beginning of the game,^[4] but by the time you reach Area-X the flaws from X-Note have been more than corrected. The story in Zeiva's games never settles for the obvious or the cliché; so many times I have had my mind blown by various plot elements. Train of Afterlife^[5] in particular stands out as a game which most definitely surprised me with the direction it took.

Furthermore, unlike many games in the same genres, the games made by Zeiva aren't ridiculously easy. When playing through visual novels or otome games, it's often incredibly obvious which of the options you are given is the "correct" one. I generally have to go out of my way to get the "bad" endings. Not so with Zeiva— I don't think I have ever reached the "good" ending for a route on my first try. This actually goes back to the complexity of Zeiva's characters. These characters are their own individuals, and what may be the correct thing to say to one person, may not be the right thing to say to the other. You actually have to understand the character^[6] if you want to reach the "good" ending with them.

Finally, on a much more shallow note, the artwork is always absolutely gorgeous.

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[1] this is a complete digression, but Hakuoki. Oh, be still my poor heart.

[2] I'm going to take a moment to mention that not all of Zeiva's games are otome games. Train of Afterlife, for example, is specifically a visual novel, without any otome elements.

[3] I should know. There are so many late nights in my past that can be directly related to the release of a Zeiva game.

[4] That being said, I will forever love X-Note, despite the pacing issues in the beginning. Once it catches its stride, it is absolutely fantastic. Plus, it introduced Anon, who will forever hold my heart.

[5] I don't talk about Train of Afterlife much because I don't fangirl over it the same way I do over X-Note and Area-X, but it is still an incredibly solid game, and the story is arguably better handled than the story was in X-Note.

[6] ...or follow a handy walkthrough.