Games for Adults Halloween: Cartagra ~Affliction of the Soul~

Cartagra ~Affliction of the Soul~ Review

                Didn’t think that was all the Innocent Grey coverage we’d have this month, did you? Seeing as I’d covered the demo for last year’s Halloween, it’s only natural that I’d be presenting a review of the full game. Not only are we looking at the beginning of what would be the murder mystery series Innocent Grey is known for, but Cartagra is also the company’s debut title when it was released in Japan on April 28, 2005 and on December 15 of that same year was ported to the Playstation 2 (how that happened I have no idea). Nearly ten years later, Cartagra ~Affliction of the Soul~ got an English release from Mangagamer right smack dab on Halloween of 2014. The only question is was this a treat? The short answer is yes, the longer is yes, but…

Pros: Overall good murder mystery story, cast of characters are mostly memorable, great artwork, excellent combination of music, writing and imagery to establish atmosphere.

Cons: Is overshadowed by its sequel, a couple characters could have used more presence in the story, unwinnable heroines.

WTF?!: As someone who always gets that soup whenever I go out for sushi, I find Toji 100% correct.

                Set a few years before Kara no Shoujo, Cartagra has you playing primarily from the perspective of Shugo Takashiro, an ex-cop turned freelance detective who ends up taking a case at the request of his former boss. He is to find a missing girl named Yura Kozuki at the request of her twin sister, Kazuna. Coincidence or not unbeknownst to Kazuna, Shugo and Yura had been involved in an intimate relationship before the former was sent off to fight in what would later be known as World War 2. Meanwhile a series of gruesome killings have been occurring and further events begin dragging Shugo into that investigation as well…

                Before we get to the main review I have to say I have an odd little history with this game. Its release was during my early college years, when I was just starting to take a look at non translated eroge and with considerably less Japanese literacy than I do now. I ended up trying it out as part my plan to get to know the language better through exposure. The end result was I finished the first two chapters, but circumstances ended up with the game on my backburner, but through that I still became a fan of the company since I liked how their games looked and their stories sounded right up my alley. So when the MG announced an English release I was more than happy to finish what I’d started all those years ago. Now that I have I can say I liked it, but I would have liked it a lot more if I’d finished it back then instead of now.

                Let’s talk about the positives first; overall this is a good murder mystery story. From the start you’re pulled in by the mysteries presented to you at the start: from the strange and unsettling opening scene that generates quite a few questions in your head as you read more of the story, to the murders as Shugo starts as an observer only to gradually be pulled in, to the missing person’s case he takes that seems to be in the background but over time becomes more significant to the plot. The introductions are enough to make you curious, and the story’s cast of characters (click here for profiles)care written well enough to help move things along. 

                What I mean by that is that the majority of the characters in this are all at least written well enough that you’ll remember theme for their personalities. From Kazuna’s cheerful and silly personality that hides a strong determination, to twisted sister Nana, to the flirtatious Rin, readers are in for a good number of characters to like…and for whose fates you may very well end up dreading over when the murders start happening closer to home for Shugo. I can also assure you that just like its sequel, Cartagra is not going to pull any punches, so enjoy that feeling of dread as you wonder which characters you like will make it out alive.

                At this point I’d be discussing routes, but to be honest there are really only two routes in the game: Hatsune’s and Kazuna’s. I know if you look at a walkthrough you might think there’s more, but those are just bad end paths. That isn’t to say that you should skip them (though you can) as not only do you get some interesting story bits and hints at stuff that will be important later, but you also get some pretty well written horror scenes that range from gruesome to psychological, all of which make for very fitting reading material for this time of year. That isn’t to say the two aforementioned routes are any less significant as stories, they’re both fairly good though there sadly isn’t much of a comparison between the two routes as Kazuna’s wins out easily since her route is the longest, her true ending solves all the mysteries the story has to offer and subsequently is the most satisfying conclusion. Heck, you almost feel sorry for poor Hatsune as her route flat out tells you it isn’t canon.

                All that said, while this is a good game, one can tell this was IG’s first work since there are some writing flaws, some of them more apparent if you’ve played any of their later titles, which is very likely considering Kara no Shojo came out in English first. Honestly, comparing Cartagra to its sequel is pretty unfair seeing as it’s longer and has better production, but you may find yourself doing that no matter how much you try not to if you have played KnS first. A good example would be in comparing Reiji and Shugo the latter just comes off as a more effective investigator while Shugo only comes off as just passable in that category. Basically if this were Detective Conan, Reiji would be one of recurring investigators while Shugo would be one of the characters Conan/Shinichi would knock out and solve the murder as.

                To be fair though, there are also writing flaws that stand on their own and would be apparent even without KnS being in the equation. For instance the first half of the game is the more consistently strong part of the game’s story while right after that the plot kind of slows down so it can set  things up for the final act. While it makes sense to create a more calmer setting for that, in this case it feels a little messy in how the writing is trying to project that so the characters have some time to breathe after the previous events but at the same time you can tell it’s also kind of rushing to introduce new plot elements for the aforementioned setup. This leads us to the remaining flaws which can generally be attributed to Cartagra’s length as it is on the short side compared to some games of its genre, especially if you only play the good end paths (which again, I don’t recommend doing). This results in a couple cases where it feels like some of the characters could have used more writing to them. Perhaps the best example would be in sub-heroine (and Cecilia Alcott look-alike) Takako, who is given an interesting backstory connection with Shugo and there are hints at what could have been an interesting character. The problem is her presence in the story is minimal to the point where she’s almost more a plot device than a character. We also have the ever present cases of unwinnable heroines with the aforementioned Takako aside we also have Rin, Ujaku and even Toji who all have very good character moments and chemistry with Shugo.  

                In the area of presentation, this is where Cartagra shines just as well as its fellow Innocent Grey games. While the artwork isn’t as good as later games like Kara no Shojo, there is still quite a bit of appeal to the slightly more anime-ish look to the more animated characters like Kazuna that strangely mix well with the beginnings of the more realistic look that the artist would eventually make her main style of character drawing. Still if there are aspects of Miki-san’s artwork that are comparable to the later games the first of them would be the fine detail of the background CG which help to give the setting of the game a realistic feel, like this would be a place you could expect to see in post-World War 2 Japan. The second would be the artwork done for the murders that are in some ways more graphic than in KnS, especially thanks to the writing that supports it. About the only nitpick I could give for this is that they do recycle the background CG at one point when the story has Shugo stay somewhere else, obviously to save some money, but considering how well done everything else is it's easy to let slide.

                Of course the art isn’t all the game excels at, the sound department is perhaps one of the key aspects of what makes Cartagra good. First off the voice acting is phenomenal from how well Kazuna’s voice actress captures that upbeat aspect of the character but can also switch to serious in the right moments to the star power we get from Joji Nakata as Inspector Arishima, who makes up for having a low amount of appearances until the end of the game wherein he then turns in an awesome performance that reminds us why we hold him in so high a regard as a voice actor be it in anime or games. Also concerning the vocals (and leading into the next bit), the opening movie is well made thanks to how well the imagery chosen for it is integrated with the song. Last and certainly not least would be the music where not only are the tunes really good, but they are an integral part of establishing atmosphere which is what really makes many key scenes in the story so effective. Those feelings of suspense when the killer is being tracked or the somber feeling all around as the cast mourns the deaths of the victims, the music and writing work together in a harmonious fashion to convey them and it’s even better when the imagery and voice acting join the fray. It’s moments like those which make Cartagra worth experiencing despite its flaws.

                As for the ero scenes, they’re mostly really good being very well drawn and acted. A real shame some of the voice actresses aren’t in very many eroge outside of Innocent Grey.

In Conclusion:

                Cartagra ~Affliction of the Soul~ is an overall very good murder mystery eroge with a good cast of characters, all of them well acted, and a plot good enough that while you may figure out some of the twists you will be wondering how the story will get to that point. It does have the problem of not comparing well with its sequel, Kara no Shojo, along with a couple more noticeable writing problems but if you can look past all that you’re guaranteed a memorable and enjoyable tale of murder and suspense that makes for a very good read for this Halloween. If you haven’t played Kara no Shojo yet, then this will make for an excellent start to the murder mystery series Innocent Grey has built.

Final Score: 7/10 Great

Author Recommendation: Buy it Now.

                As for the anime, I can say the first episode is alright and makes for a good adaptation of this game’s demo. The second episode however feels rushed and you notice a decline in animation quality from the first. Obviously a sign that no one was interested in making a new episode, as was the case, which I admit is a little disappointing. Considering Cartagra’s shortness, it could conceivably be adapted into a four episode OVA with the proper writing and direction.

Halloween Demo Impression: Kara no Shojo 2 Trial Edition

Kara no Shojo 2 Trial Edition Demo Impression

                Another year and another Halloween is upon us and so is another look at the demo for an upcoming Innocent Grey game, originally released in Japan on November 11, 2012 and made available in English by Mangagamer July 31, 2015. This year though, we’re looking at something a little special for unlike most demos which are small portions of the beginning of the game this little treat is completely original content not featured in the main game. It’s essentially a prologue set a few days before the game it precedes, meant to give players a taste of what new mysteries to expect, who’ll be returning from the first game and how the clue finding and deduction works. Though please rest assured that while this may be a short story, it’s no less interesting or bloody than its predecessors…

Pros: Story does a good job getting you interested in the main game to come, it’s good to see returning characters, Reiji now has a voice, very atmospheric music, artwork is even better than in the last game.

Cons: Like I said in my last demo impression: The demo ends, gory details (literally) are not for the faint of heart and stomach.

WTF?!: The biggest mystery of all is why Toji fears the takoyaki.

                Set two years after the events of Kara no Shojo, our initial POV focuses on one Tomoyuki Masaki, a man undergoing psychological treatment at the Kuchiki Hospital. It seems to be going well, with Tomoyuki seeming to have developed a good routine through his visits and routine taking of medicine. Until it’s all undone by a grisly murder that inevitably brings returning protagonist Reiji Tokisaka in to investigate the case…

                Yeah, I admit that’s not the best summary since I kind of neglected to mention something about curses and such, but I like to leave at least a little bit for readers to find out for themselves. In any case this demo’s story is designed to be a big teaser for the coming Kara no Shojo 2 and it succeeds at it by telling an interesting short story. For example, while there isn’t enough story material for you to become endeared to our initial POV character, there is enough to get you interested in his fate, especially considering some questions about him introduced as his life takes a turn for the worse. Of course the main hooks in this demo are the mysteries introduced from the new string of bizarre murders to the one hanging mystery from the first game.

                Moving onto the technical aspect of the game, the investigation system and notebook that updates with the clues you find and scenes you see return from the first game. It looks to work just as well as it did then and as could be seen earlier there’s even a bit of humor to some of the clues. While there isn’t any opportunity to move around, the game’s website (warning site does contain NSFW images) does indicate you’ll be able to check out different locations and from there get clues and/or updates to your notebook like in the previous game. Take a look here for a more detailed look.

                In the area of presentation KnS2’s demo shows that Innocent Grey hasn’t lost its touch on any front and has in fact gotten better. This can be seen first in the art department where the character artwork has received a noticeable upgrade but the characters are still very recognizable and any noticeable changes to the design can easily pass as the characters aging slightly since the first game. The background CGs are as well detailed as ever, and there’s one more aspect of the art done well, but we’ll be getting to that later. In the sound department this demo really shines in demonstrating how we can expect a game with the right music to create the perfect atmosphere for each scene and also a game with great acting. All the voice actors turn in good performances, but the real treat is the reveal of the voice actor for Reiji (who had no voice in the first game) being none other than Junichi Suwabe, a voice actor almost all of you will recognize as one of the chief characters of the famous visual novel adapted into so many anime Archer and for a more obscure but no less awesome example, Kuki from Ayakashibito.

                Seeing as there a no ero scenes in this demo, our final focus will instead be on the scenes that all the aspects of the demo’s presentation work in harmony to execute and what makes this game a worthy introduction to this year’s month of Halloween: the kills. What makes these so special is how well it handles the concept of “less is more” and uses it to make each of the scenes have an impact. The visuals, while indeed bloody, aren’t as graphic when compared to other games and instead chooses to show just enough of the gore so you’ll know what you’re seeing but not enough to go over the top. This limit though is hard to notice when the writing describes every grisly detail of the murder that your imagination more than fills in the visual gaps. The sound pulls double duty here, but not in the way you might expect. These kills have very little voice acting; no real screams or vocal indications of pain or fear. Instead the sound first accentuates the scenes with its sound effects: every cut, stab, slash and every mangling action is so well conveyed by their respective sounds you may very well find yourself flinching slightly at each action as the sound almost makes you feel it even when the victim has long since passed and the gruesome deed has yet to end. The sound’s second contribution comes from the suspenseful music playing which in some ways makes you feel the killer’s rush as each stage of the crime is carried out.

In Conclusion:

                Kara no Shojo 2 Trial Edition is an excellent little teaser for what looks to be an enjoyable murder mystery game on the horizon. It’s written well, looks really good, and sounds great. All of this is presented best in its murder scenes. While it introduces many new mysteries to look forward to it also pays just the right amount of service to that one hanging thread from the prequel and hopefully we’ll finally get closure in that come its release on October 30. This demo is well worth checking out on those fronts plus the fact that its story isn’t in the main game, but it’s also worth it because it has one thing in common with most of the Halloween treats we journey through that beloved holiday night for: it’s free and can be downloaded here.

Final Score: 8/10 Awesome

Author Recommendation: Buy Download it Now!! 

Games for Adults: Osananajimi wa Daitouryou: My Girlfriend is the President Fan Disc

Osananajimi wa Daitouryou: My Girlfriend is the President Fan Disc Review

                Well seeing as Obama’s term will be ending soon I figure I might as well get to this fandisc while the parody is still relevant. So without further delay let’s take a look at Osananajimi wa Daitouryou: My Girlfriend is the President Fan Disc, originally released in Japan by Alcot on August 13, 2010 in a special edition for Comiket followed by a regular edition on October 29 of that same year and released in English by JAST Densetsu on July 4, 2014. How does this revisit of the Osadai setting turn out? Decent, but…

Pros: The returning characters are all great to see again, Remi is given good character writing, Irina’s story finally let’s itself focus on being funny.

Cons: No after stories for Yukino or Ran, Kuon and the panda are absent, the social commentary in Irina’s story is not subtle, text spacing issues and typos galore.

WTF?!: Very much to the point Qoo.

                The Osadai fan disc is made up of two after stories: one for Irina and one for Ell. Now I know that might sound like a possible deal breaker, especially if you really like Yukino’s route and found Irina’s route disappointing, but I can assure you that despite how disappointing that sounds (and is) this game is very much worth a look since overall both stories make for a good read. This is mainly because the returning characters are all as enjoyable as they were in the original game (some more so than before). Of course seeing as there’s only two stories I’ll just give my preferences here: Ell’s story is the better of the two. Also since there’s no common route let’s get to why.

                Of the two after stories Ell’s is the one with the writing that best takes advantage of the story it continues from. We see some progression in Ell and Junichiro’s relationship, a plot point from the original story is addressed in a surprisingly moving way, Qoo and Remi make for a hilarious comedy duo and speaking of which this story manages to accomplish something I thought impossible from playing Osadai: make Remi a likable character. I’ll give you a minute to let that surprise sink in a bit before continuing…

                I swear I am not kidding you, the writer for this manages to give Remi a good arc and make her a really likable character all throughout the story. Aside from the aforementioned comedy scenes with Qoo, we also get some very good scenes between her and Junichiro plus ones of her trying to connect with her sister Ell. In many ways this feels like a well written apology for how annoying she was in the main game, especially in how all the scenes end up culminating into one brief scene that manages to cement her character development from the positive relationships she’s formed to her desire to do good not only to make up for past transgressions but because it’s the right thing to do. 

                As for any flaws this story may have, there is one nitpick on my part. Basically there is a minor plot point where at several points Junichiro does ponder his future with Ell, but there really isn’t any payoff to it. It’s basically written off on a positive note at the end. It’s overall not a major flaw since it does fit thematically with the game, but it’s still enough to make you wish this could have been a little better addressed.

                Moving on to Irina’s story, while this is the weaker of the two there’s still a lot to like about it. First and foremost, this story excels in comedy, something the original route really needed more of. As can be seen above there’s anime reference based humor abound and some really good character comedy too. It’s actually really refreshing to see interactions between Irina and Junichiro that are not only funny but actually reflect the chemistry that existed between them in the previous game and best of all do not devolve into awkward/forced drama. Kind of ironic that the comparatively short after story has more laughs than the original game’s longer route.

                Still the main factor that brings this story down is later on when it tries to do social commentary. The problem isn’t that it’s out of place as it involves Yukino and in the original her route did feature some; the main theme of it being the importance of having at least an awareness of the political state of one’s own country and what could be done to fix any problems there may be. The thing is in Osadai that social commentary was subtle, so well wrapped up in the story’s screw ball comedy that one could very easily miss or ignore it if not interested. In Irina’s story there is no subtlety to it, as every scene involving social commentary has it essentially beaten over your head to make sure you get it. Presenting it this way only serves to make the commentary feel out of place at best and annoyingly/boringly preachy at worst, the latter of which you do not want in a comedy.

                As for flaws that both stories share, aside from the lack of after stories for Ran and Yukino (seriously, in the latter case there’s plenty of comedic story potential considering how that route ended), there’s also the lack of Kuon and a certain talking panda from the returning cast even though they do appear in the trailer. There is a reasonable explanation for Kuon’s absence given though strangely the latter is only given an almost offhand explanation. My guess is their voice actors were unavailable due to scheduling but the characters’ absences are felt all the same. Still, there is one glaring shared flaw that cannot be ignored, a flaw that could have very easily been fixed by proofreading…

                Yes, as can be seen this game has a typos the likes of which I haven’t seen since proofreading papers typed on a broken keyboard and text spacing errors comparable to an unpatched Kansen 5. There’s also instances where Japanese text shows up in the text boxes. Fortunately these are all for simple things like sighs, but all in all these are indications of the importance of proofreading a game’s translation. There does exist a patch but it only fixes some of these issues.

                In the area of presentation, the Osadai FD does about as well as the main game in terms of music and voice acting. In the art department it’s almost the same though there are some CG that look a little less polished than others.

                As for the ero scenes, they’re good though Irina’s story has the better ones when compared to Ell’s.

In Conclusion:

                Osananajimi wa Daitouryou: My Girlfriend is the President Fan Disc is an overall decent follow up to Osadai. The stories that it has to tell are good, especially Ell’s, and you get to enjoy reuniting with most of the cast. While I admit it is disappointing that Yukino and Ran don’t have after stories and there is a bit of a void with Kuon and the panda’s absence, and you'll have to deal with typos popping up, for the low price that it’s available for (less than twenty bucks) it’s well worth picking up if you enjoyed the first game. Still, I think there is one thing that we can all agree on as a plus for this fan disc…the main villain of the first game does not come back (except for when we briefly see him in the trailer).

Final Score: 6/10 Above Average

Author Recommendation: Buy it Now.