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momobage · 7 years

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Band Yarouze Review: It’s a battle of the bands!... and I love a fish man

Band Yarouze (バンドやろうぜ！) is a Japanese card collecting rhythm game made by Aniplex and Sony Music. The goal of the game is to collect cards through gachas and events by playing various songs performed by the four main bands: BLAST, OSIRIS, Fairy4pril, and Cure2tron. Unlike the other games, the player’s character isn’t really in the story; you are more like a bystander or “god-like” being who just observes and sometimes speaks to the members. Therefore, all you do is play the songs and unlock cards, events, characters, and band stories.

I started playing Band Yarouze around March 2016 because the same friend who recommended Ensemble Stars wanted me to suffer more… I’m not even kidding. Even though I like rhythm games, I wasn’t too interested in playing this one at the time. A few characters caught my eye, but not enough to invest into the game. However right now, it is my second favourite game and brings me just as much suffering as Ensemble Stars does.

Main gameplay: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥

The gameplay for Band Yarouze is extremely simple: tap, hold, hold-slide, and swipe (left and right) notes when they slide down towards the bottom of the screen. The notes follow the beat of the song, so it’s easy once you understand the flow. Rhythm games are very popular in Japan, but each of the mechanics are slightly different. I think out of the ones I have tried, Band Yarouze is the most forgiving. For example, some other rhythm games need hold and release notes at a specific time or they won’t count. This makes it difficult to play songs with a full combo, especially if you’re on expert mode with a max note speed. However, in Band Yarouze, if you press a hold note a little longer than indicated, it won’t penalize you unless you miss the next note.

Another interesting point of the game is the event function. Almost all Japanese games have some type of event aspect. In typical games like Ensemble Stars, during the event time you play through and complete lives to gain points and rank up to collect event cards. But in Band Yarouze, you complete the song to gain points and objects (like keys, buns or chips) to either collect points, rank, or exchange items for event cards.

For example, during an event called, “Stand by Me GIGS: Nice Dream, Journey Mood,” (photo above) you try to collect points and rank up to get special cards and items such as stones and gacha tickets. You can also win steamed buns after clearing the event song and use them to play the time-limited event songs. However, in the current event, “Advent of the Quattro Virtuoso GIGS: Dante of the Purgatory,” (photo below) you go through the story challenges and play special lives. If you clear the Live, you win chips and exchange them for limited Super Rare (SR) and Rare (R) level cards. I find collecting points and ranking events easier and more fun than just exchanging items, even though it is easier and less stressful. I like that Band Yarouze changes the rules and mechanics for events because it keeps the game interesting. Even if you play the same song repeatedly, it is still challenging to collect or complete the event. I kind of wish other games would also change their event rules from time to time.

(Left: unbroken card, Right: Broken card. P.S. This is a boy, all of Cure2tron are crossdressing boys)

Unfortunately, Band Yarouze is only available via the Japanese app store and Google play store. As I mentioned in the Ensemble Stars post, you can download a separate Android Game Platform or create a Japanese iTunes account to access these games. There aren’t too many tutorials for Band Yarouze but gyrotalon from Reddit made a basic English guide to the game. This helped me understand the navigational system and how to BREAK and level up cards. You can also check out Banyaro English Tumblr and Banyaro English Twitter for translated event announcements, basic character information, and replies to questions from other Band Yarouze players.

As always, it is free to play and has in-game currency called “medals.” I didn’t use to care about the gacha in this game before since it is kind of expensive (it costs 500 medals for a ten card pull). However, one of my favourite characters got a pretty card and it all went downhill from there. So far, I’ve spent a bit more than $350 on Band Yarouze, which I’m not even surprised. Honestly, since the past few events have been featuring my favourite band or characters, I’m surprised the number isn’t much higher. I spent a lot a few weeks ago, trying to get a SR of Shin. He came home after four or five 10-character rolls… but at least he came home… unlike a certain someone [Cough Koga Cough].

Overall, Band Yarouze is really fun and addictive. Even if you aren’t good at playing music games, you can still have fun trying to beat your score. You also probably don’t need to buy medals unless you want a certain card, but the game gives you many rewards along the way. I’d recommend this game to any beginners who don’t have much experience playing rhythm games. The songs are well composed, the characters are quite unique, and the game is easy to play.

Characters: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

When I started playing Band Yarouze, there weren’t any characters that immediately caught my eye. My friend pointed out some characters that were my type and sadly, I completely agreed and my obsession began. Each band includes one vocalist, guitarist, bassist, and drummer. They each also all play a different type of rock music adapted with modern Japanese elements: BLAST is classic/aggressive rock, OSIRIS is emotional/punk rock, Fairly4pril is alternative/indie rock, and Cure2tron is electronic/pop rock. I have members I like within each band but OSIRIS is by far my absolute favourite.

Their music and appearances are cool and edgy but their lyrics and sound are still so expressive. I love all their songs! My top three are “Darkness,” “Voice,” and “Heavenly Breeze.” Although there is only one vocalist, I love each member’s voice for its unique sound and way of speaking.

(My favourite Kyo cards. He is a beautiful angel with a beautiful voice who should never feel alone.)

Takara Kyo (Kobayashi Masanori) has a quiet but strong voice. His shy personality easily shows through his looks and attitude. But when he performs, it is breathtaking. Especially in “Heavenly Breeze,” Kobayashi’s vocal range and consistent control create a passionate and memorable performance. I’m sure I have cried listening to him sing; it was just so beautiful. Kyo struggles with his thoughts and problems internally but can relieve his stress through his singing. I can’t wait to hear more songs from him that are absolutely ethereal.

(My favourite Ray cards. He is a silly and stubborn dork who should always dream big.)

Ray Cephart (Hanae Natsuki) has a confident and silvery voice. His voice reflects his energetic and playful side, as well as his serious and bossy side. Ray’s overall tone is quite high but leaves a ringing that isn’t necessarily bad. Although, within OSIRIS, I like his voice the least I still find him very charming and sweet. He may act like an idiot sometimes but it’s because he is a big dreamer who wants OSIRIS to become the best band in the world.

(My favourite Makoto cards. He is a strict realist who should continue to follow what he believes is right.)

Kurusu Makoto (Uchida Yuuma) uses a lower and quiet stern voice compared to Kyo and Ray. As an active medical student, his personality is always serious and blunt which easily reflects in his voice. He has this mix of sexual attractiveness and mysteriousness in the way his sentences flow. It’s hard to describe but I’d want to hear his voice if was a tutor explaining math I don’t understand. Even though he can be cold and harsh, he still dedicates himself to practice bass and help the other members of OSIRIS realistically achieve their goals.

(My favourite Shin cards. He is a mature, fish-loving old man who should always smile and help others.)

Finally, Koganei Shin (Umehara Yuuchirou) has a low and husky voice. I’m simply in love with everything about him. His voice is so calming and reassuring, it makes me smile easily. I really wish he had a singing part since he voices Hasumi Keito from Ensemble Stars and other popular idol characters from different games. He has a beautiful singing voice! Let my drummer boy sing! [Internally weeping].

As the leader of OSIRIS, Shin’s reliable personality easily reflects in his voice but so does his silliness and extreme love for fish, especially Hachibiki Sashimi (he works at his parent’s fish shop). Though I hope he always helps cheer people up, either with his music or simply his personality. I must say out of all my favourite characters from the mobile games I’ve reviewed so far, realistically, Shin is the closest to my idea type. He is handsome, cool, friendly, reliable, strong, smart, and responsible; what’s not to like? I know he’s only a 2D character and will never really exist, but if he did, I think I would just cry forever.

Story: 3/5 ♥♥♥♡♡

The main story in Band Yarouze is about the characters’ struggles and difficulties about debuting as a band. There are sometimes choices during a character’s story, but whatever you choose does not really change the outcome. There is no additional gain if you answer “correctly” except to see the characters’ different reactions. Event stories are usually really weird. Sometimes they have impossible storylines like the band members turn into eggs on Easter, or they get transported to the Underworld on Halloween. It could never happen, even in the game’s universe, but it kind of happens anyway and fans still love it. Sadly, there are very few English translations of the story. Even Banyaro English Tumblr doesn’t have full translations of every chapter, only the prologues and some event chapters. I think the game is either not popular enough to have full translations or the game doesn’t have a large international fandom: both are likely. I’ll wait for the day someone translates them all so I can enjoy my silly boys being silly.

Overall: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

Band Yarouze is an amazingly fun, simple and addicting game for anyone to begin playing. The songs are catchy, the artwork is beautiful, the characters are unique, and the story is wild. I don’t completely regret spending money on this game. But I think would be little kinder to my wallet if OSIRIS and Shin were not involved. I would recommend this game to beginners who like great quality music and art. This would be your best option to learn how rhythm games work differently than puzzle, RPG, or other card collecting games. It can teach you to appreciate music and help you diversify in the types of games and music you may play or listen to. I think it will also make you feel like a music genius even if you’re musically challenged like me!

#band yarouze #banyaro #osiris #shin koganei #kyo takara #ray cephart #makoto kurusu #rhythm #mobage #momobage #review

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momobage · 7 years

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Momobage Interview: Questions for a games enthusiast

I still consider myself a relative beginner in the mobile game world since I haven’t explored many different genres yet. However, while the games and the developing companies are important, each gaming fandom and community make the playing experiences more enjoyable. Personally, meeting and becoming close with people can be difficult in real life. But, the people I have met and befriended because of mobile games have a strong understanding and connection for the game and its fans. So, I contacted Michelle from kurumiya on Tumblr. Michelle is 25 years old and lives in Scotland. She is a video game enthusiast and enjoys Japanese media such as games and TV shows. She also provides help and some translations for various Japanese mobile games through her Tumblr. I could tell she was such a nice and helpful person who really cared about the games she played and others in the gaming community.

Currently, what are your favourite mobile games to play? Why?

My current favourite games are Love Live, Kirameki Note and Smash Tap.

Love Live! School Idol Festival (ラブライブ！スクールアイドルフェスティバル) is a mobile game developed by KLab and Bushiroad which combines a rhythm tapping game and a card collecting game into one. It was also the very first rhythm game I played so it's just something that has always stuck with me.

Boyfriend (Beta) Kirameki Note (ボーイフレンド (仮) きらめきノート) is a mobile game published by Ameba Games and has become one of my favourite rhythm games that I've tried playing so far. Even though I knew nothing about the characters when I first began, the game was very easy to get into and events aren't too challenging for a free player.

My Hero Academia: Smash Tap (僕のヒーローアカデミアスマッシュタップ) is a mobile game developed by Bandai Namco. It’s a new game that I'm currently going through the "I love this game!" phase. Although it’s a simple tap to attack game and needs a bit of patience to play, it’s something that everyone can play for free without needing to pay for in-game purchases.

When and why did you start playing mobile games?

I started playing mobiles games about 3 years ago since they're easily accessible and many of them are free. It’s beneficial since you don’t lose any money if you end up not enjoying the game or get bored of it. I also usually play games that align with my interests, which is why I really like Smash Tap and another game called Fairy Tail Goku Mahou Ranbu (フェアリーテイル極・魔法乱舞) since they are based off the original anime and manga.

What is your favourite part about mobile games? Story, characters, mechanics, etc.

The mechanics of a game definitely makes a game hit or miss for me since it is essentially what will keep me hooked on a game. My other favourite thing about mobile games is the luck element many of them have like gachas. [I commented, “YOU LIKE GACHAS?! You must have really good luck!” since my experience with them is usually bad]. The reasons I love gachas so much is because I kind of like the gambling element to it. You're using all your saved up in-game currency for new characters or items so it’s really exciting to see what you're going to get! Although there is no guarantee of winning something favourable, there is always hope in the next try. It's the same feeling when you say "One more time!" while playing a UFO catchers’/claw cranes and such.

Do you feel a stronger connection between you and some characters that you may not normally feel in other games you have played?

Not particularly. I don't think mobile games are as immersive as perhaps console or pc games because they are often limited in what you can do. Often the amount of time you can play for in one sitting is only fifteen to thirty minutes before you run out of stamina.

How do you react to criticism? Usually there are negative comments online on how a game functions or is not being fair, etc.

I don't really pay attention to criticisms or reviews of mobile games. As a more mature player, as long as I find it fun for myself then that's good enough. I also don't see mobile games as a long term commitment either. If something isn't functioning right or the game is failing to make improvements then it's too easy to just delete it and find something else. Eventually you forget about it and move on. In that way I think mobile games are very disposable.

Are there any games you stopped playing? If so why?

There's too many games for me to really mention that I've stopped playing, but some games I have stopped playing recently were A3!, Band Yarouze, and BanG Dream! The main reason I often stop playing a game is because as a free player you often reach a cap that you can't really surpass without paying money. For some other games, the game starts to focus on multiplayer functions too much, which again, relies more on how much money you spend on the game rather than your own persistence.

If a game doesn’t already have one, would you want to see developers create an animated series, real life mini drama, or character sung songs?

I think it really depends on the franchise and type of game, but I think there is definitely the option to branch out into different medias such as character songs and animated series for some games. Voiced characters and a good storyline are definitely needed beforehand though.

Since smartphones are so important in our everyday life, do you think that creates even more potential for mobile games, or does it defeat their purpose since it is so common?

With smartphones being almost a necessity these days and internet becoming more accessible, I think it definitely leaves room for improvement in the mobile gaming industry since it allows for more competition; which is good in terms of gaming quality. It's also a good industry for new developers, aspiring writers and artists etc. and allows for growth and new ideas which can only lead to newer and better games.

With the development of virtual reality, do you think future mobile games will try to incorporate it? Do you think it’ll be successful?

I think there is definitely a market for VR mobile games, but it will still take some time to produce something considered "good". I think as technology continues to improve, it will eventually be successful. But for now, I think we're still quite far away from making a "good" VR mobile game.

What kind of mobile games do you wish to see next? Are there any mobile games you anticipate for? Whether in the making or already released.

I personally hope to see some more RPG open world type of mobile games as I still haven't found one with the kind of feature I'd like to see or with a decent game progression rate. As for games that I'm anticipating, I'm highly excited for the B-Project: Muteki*Dangerous (B-PROJECT～無敵＊デンジャラス～) game (photo below).

If you could create any mobile game, no limitations, what kind of game would it be?

For me I would like to create a dungeon crawling/quest RPG sort of game with lots of character customisation like MapleStory, World of Warcraft and other MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). With customisation, it would make mobile games, especially dating/visual novel ones, even more emotional and personal. These types of games also have no limit on how long you can play you can play for hours at a time rather than perhaps 30 minutes.

If you could recommend one game to other beginner mobile game players, which one would it

I would recommend that people play Love Live as it's a popular game with a large community in both Japanese and English. So, there are multiple beginner tutorials, walkthroughs and other people to ask questions and talk to about the game.

As mentioned in the beginning, the gaming community is very helpful, especially for mobile game beginners. By conducting this interview, I understand how Michelle and I’s gaming experiences may be different based on the games we played. However, we can still bond over similar aspects in games or fan over characters we like with ease. These kinds of relationships with other players are what make mobile games so fun and special. A big thank you to Michelle for being so nice and doing the interview!

#interview #momobage #momobage talks #momobage interviews #kurumiya #Thanks again for the interview!#video games #mobile games #gaming #japanese games

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momobage · 7 years

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Ensemble Stars Review: Pretty idols, pretty cards. There’s no going back.

Ensemble Stars (あんさんぶるスターズ!) is a Japanese card collecting mobile game made by Happy Elements. The goal of the game is very simple: collect the cards of your favourite characters through events and gachas. As the only producer student at Yumenosaki Private Academy, you try to complete lessons by choosing the right responses and unlock stories that reveal the humorous and dramatic relationships between each idol unit and members.

I started playing Ensemble Stars in late December 2016 because a friend recommended it to me. I didn’t know much about the game except two characters’ names (Adonis and Izumi). It was an idol game with no rhythm game aspect, and they did a crossover with Yume100 (which I played). Other than that, I was going in blindly; I didn’t even know how to play properly. But right now, I can confidently say that this game really changed my life. I’m not sure if it is for the better… but it greatly increased my addiction for mobile games.

Main gameplay: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

The gameplay for Ensemble Stars is simple, straightforward, and very addictive. Although it is only available in Japanese, it is quite easy to navigate through when you get the hang of it. You train the characters by tapping on the coloured squares to collect gems, which increase their skills: Dance (red), Vocals (blue), and Performance (yellow). Each lesson and event have different missions you need to complete. For example, you may need to get ‘High Luck’ throughout the lesson, collect a hundred of each coloured gem, or get a double ‘Fever’. After you accomplish each mission and unlock each story, you win a diamond.

As I mentioned before, you must choose responses to complete lessons and events. None of the answers are right or wrong, they just trigger a different reaction from the character (image above). So, if Adonis says, “So transfer student and the others in the middle of training... I am too. I like music. I find singing very fun. What about transfer student?” You can either reply or “singing by myself is…” or “I like music too.” Depending on which you choose, the Adonis will either respond positively and raise your ‘fever’ or give you a small red gem. Or he will respond negatively and lower your luck. The outcome is random, which can be frustrating but the challenge makes it fun. I usually pick randomly since I can’t read Japanese very well, but I still feel accomplished when I get a 100% complete. Although, these responses aren’t critical in unlocking the stories, they are important when completing lesson missions and collecting gems. With the gems, you can complete the idol road to bloom characters to make them stronger, and collect special outfits and background images (image below).

Sadly, Ensemble Stars is only available via the Japanese app store and Google play store. However, if you are really dedicated, there are many tutorials on signing up for a Japanese iTunes account or downloading a separate Android Game Platform that provides easy access to many popular Asian games. I would recommend looking at Ensemble Stars! Wiki since they also provide other tutorials for beginners and offer basic information about each character, idol unit, and event/gacha details and translations. Enstars Tumblr is also a great place to find helpful tutorials, beautiful fan art, and information on events, updates, and notifications. I use to really struggle with completing the beginner lessons since I couldn’t read what the missions were or where to press to get a reward. So, these tutorials and other people in the Ensemble Stars community really helped me feel welcome and understand the best and most effective way to play and have fun.

However, once I started understanding how to play, I became obsessed. It’s no surprise that the game is free to play and has in-game currency. By now, it’s also not surprising that I have no self-control and spent even more money on Ensemble Stars than I did on Yume100 and Mystic Messenger… combined. I’ve spent a little over $1,300 on in-game purchases and official merchandise and visual books… trust me, I am not proud. Most of my money went to gachas, which I explained before are randomized, lottery-like functions that are in most Japanese mobile games.

(This card ruined my life…I’ll never forgive you Koga…just kidding I still love you)

Most recently, the five star gacha card was Koga (my favourite character) and I tried so hard to get him (above image). I just kept buying more and more diamonds until I could at least get one copy of him… but sadly he didn’t show up at all. I think I spent $300 on that one gacha alone. I pulled a ten character gacha fifteen times and still he didn’t show up! Now, I feel forever haunted by that card and that I will never get it. But, for now, I really hope that next time it doesn’t happen again.

Overall, the gameplay for Ensemble Stars is quite simple and straightforward. Other aspects of the game include special events and gachas, revival events, and Lives. Luckily, there are plenty of tutorials and helpful people in the community on Twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit that can explain those in detail and give fantastic advice. I think the only bad thing about this game is the special events and gachas because they can be difficult, especially if your cards aren’t high ranking or strong enough. However, that doesn’t make the game less fun, just a bit frustrating and nerve wracking. I don’t regret any purchases I made… yet. I just really hope my luck is better in future events and gachas.

Characters: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥

There are a total of thirty-nine male characters in Ensemble Stars, including teachers, who each have unique personalities and qualities that make them loveable and relatable. As I began playing and getting to know the characters more, I started to feel emotionally attached to some of them based on their appearance and profiles alone. Like Shinobu (the right photo above), he is like a little brother who cries a lot but works hard to become a hero and a ninja. He is quite silly and weird but I think he is extremely precious because of his innocence and smile. At first, I didn’t like some of the characters because I thought they were annoying or not my cup-of-tea. But after getting to know them, I realized that they were quite cute and just a bit eccentric. I can’t hate any of the characters, they’re all so sweet.

Like any mobile game, I am immediately drawn to the artwork and characters. The artwork for Ensemble Stars is really cute but still shows a lot of details. The style is clean and simple but still very pretty. Since the cards are ranked by number of stars, the four-star and five-star cards have the most detail especially after blooming. You can tell the difference even in terms of how dynamic the poses are and accessories they’re wearing (photos below).

(Left: Unbloomed card, Right: Bloomed card)

Besides the design, I love the characters’ unique personalities and voices. Each voice actor brings a unique sound that matches the character’s personality and is easily recognizable. Many of the voice actors are famous in other mobile games or animes such as Eguchi Takuya (Hibiki Wataru), Kaji Yuki (Isara Mao), and Hosoya Yoshimasa (Hokuto Hidaka). As for my favourites, most of them have deeper voices that are smooth and comforting or have medium/higher voices that are more bubbly and happy. Kakihara Tetsuya (Akehoshi Subaru), Oosuka Jun (Kagehira Mika), and Nitta Anjyu (Sengoku Shinobu) have cute and energetic voices. The characters are also usually very cheerful and want to get along with everyone. Within the fandom, it is popular to call certain characters your “son” because you feel like a proud mom watching them grow up. It’s quite odd but that’s generally how I feel with these characters. When I listen to these voices, I feel more encouraged to smile and not worry about troublesome things in my life.

In contrast, Hatano Wataru (Otogari Adonis) and Kamio Shinichiro (Kiryu Kuro) have lower romantic voices. I feel warm and comforted listening to their calm and husky voices. If I was scared or stressed, I think their voices would reassure me that things were going to be okay. Similarly, Ono Yuki (Oogami Koga) and Hosogai Kei (Hakaze Kaoru) can have relatively low soothing voices when they speak seriously. But due to their personalities Koga usually speaks with a very rough and informal tone, while Kaoru speaks with a flirtatious and mischievous tone. I like these voices because of the range the voice actors have. Although, I really like when Koga speaks like a delinquent, his voice changes to a shyer voice when he’s embarrassed. While Kaoru is the opposite. His voice is normally light and silvery, but when he speaks slowly in a lower romantic tone it makes me feel a bit embarrassed.

Although Ensemble Stars doesn’t have a lot of fully voiced story chapters in the game, they do have character voice clips and idol unit songs. The unit songs are very well produced and catchy. Each suit the style of music that each idol group represents: punk rock, traditional Japanese, cute pop, etc. My favourite songs are: Knight’s “Fight for Judge” and “Silent Oath”, UNDEAD’s “DESTRUCTION ROAD” and “Melody in the Dark”, and Akatsuki’s “百花繚乱、紅月夜 (Wild Blooming Flowers, Crimson Coloured Moon’s Night)” and “花燈の恋文 (Love Letter of the Brilliance of Cherry Blossoms).” I like listening to these songs when I do design work to keep me motivated and awake.

Story: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

The overall story for Ensemble Stars is quite complicated and dramatic. As the player, you are a transfer student so you do not know much about the history and rivalry with each idol unit and members. The game heavily relies on the story and continues to build it through events and gachas. Usually, relationships between characters, backstories, or explanations slowly reveal themselves in event and gacha stories. For example, recently a new character named Madara entered the game. Since he is new and the only solo idol, his event explained his past relationship with some of the members of Ryuuseitai. Although the event didn’t explain too much about the other characters’ backstories like fans were hoping for, it did reveal some facts that we could debate and speculate about within the fandom. As I mentioned before, the Ensemble Stars! Wiki provides all the translations of the main, sub story, and past events and gachas. I haven’t read all the translations yet since there are quite a lot, but I’m sure when I do, I will create an even stronger emotional connection towards the characters I love.

Overall: 4.33/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

Ensemble Stars is an easy, fun, and addicting game that has easily become my newest obsession. The artwork is amazing, the characters are interesting and the storyline is worth reading. Although, it can be difficult to collect gems and cards since it is all based on luck and how often you play, I would still recommend it to beginners if they want a challenge and are determined enough to get their favourite character’s cards. Again, I don’t regret starting this game or throwing my money at it because it is an experience and an adventure I’m willing to make sacrifices for. I’ve created such a strong emotional connection with the characters that I wouldn’t want to just stop and throw it away.

#ensemble stars #enstars #ansuta #mobage #momobage #koga oogami #oogami koga #undead #fine #trickstar #switch #ryuuseitai #akatsuki #knights #valkyrie #2wink #rabits #mam #review #this game is death

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momobage · 7 years

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Yume100 Review: So Many Princes!

Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100-nin no Oujisama (夢王国と眠れる100人の王子様 or The Kingdom of Dreams and 100 Sleeping Princes) is a Japanese puzzle and visual novel mobile game made by GCREST. The goal of the game is for the player, as the princess, to protect the dream world by defeating monsters called yumekui (ユメクイ or dream eaters). With every adventure and story unlocked, the sleeping prince awakens and slowly remembers the lost dreams.

After finding it by accident through a smaller Japanese mobile game, I began playing Yume100 around the beginning of May 2016. I didn’t know anything about it except that the artwork was very pretty, the game mechanics were similar to Bejewelled, and you practically date 2D anime characters. Also, since I was using an iPhone, it was difficult to find a free Japanese game without dubbing or translations. So, I had to try it right away! From that moment on, my life changed dramatically… just kidding! But it was the catalyst of my mobile game obsession.

Main gameplay: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

The gameplay for Yume100 is simple, fun and very addictive. It is one of the best puzzle games I have ever played. While the game is completely in Japanese (also available in Chinese and Thai), it is pretty easy to move around once you understand what does what. There are a few downsides such as it takes a very long time to level up, getting the princes you want is very rare, and leveling up princes can be tedious as well. However, there are tons of events and other missions that usually offer princes or items by gaining points or treasure boxes.

I looked up many tutorials explaining how to play the game better, how to build good teams, what each button says, and how to awaken each prince’s optimal skills. Ayu from Kiokunoaria has an excellent and very detailed guide that helped me tremendously, especially in the beginning stages. When I first started playing, I made so many mistakes and wasted a lot of money… seriously a lot, especially for a college student. In the game there is a feature called Gacha (ガシャ) which is based off capsule machines often seen in arcades and store fronts. The purpose of this feature is to use gems to win a single or group of ten randomly selected princes. The chances of winning the prince you want is very little, ranging from less than one to three percent. So, I continuously tried to win my desired characters, not caring how much money I spent in the process. However, in the three months I played intensely, I spent about $500… maybe even more. Another terrible mistake I made was when I got a new prince but accidentally used him to level up another prince because I forgot to lock him. So he got deleted and the only way I could get him back would be in another gacha. I was quite upset since I was a beginner but thankfully it was not my favourite character or anything.

Overall, the gameplay of Yume100 is extremely enjoyable. Compared to typical Western mobile games, Japanese games like Yume100 are complex and full of so much fun, while still being completely free! (Unless of course you make in-app purchases like me…) But as a first real mobile game, it was absolutely wonderful.

Characters: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥

As the name states, there are (over) 100 different prince characters, all with unique designs, stories, and voice actors. For each character in the game, there are two routes, Sun and Moon, that changes their base outfits, their personality, and increases their cap level and skills. For example, Vim (ヴィム), who was my initial character choice when I starting the game, is a prince from the Country of Beastmen. If you collect all the necessary items to transform into his Sun route, he changes to a more princely attire. In his Moon route, he changes to his Beastmen/Werewolf form. At the end of each story route, there is an illustrated CG that captures a special moment between you and the prince. Usually it is the prince confessing his undying love for you, very directly. This can be either very sweet and heartwarming, or a bit more risqué (see below most right photo). But it really depends on the character.

Personally, as an artist, I simply love all the detail they put into each character’s design. It is just so amazing to find a mobile game that incorporates that much detail and precision, especially for something that appears on a such a small screen. In the gameplay, characters change to small and cute versions to show the attack moves more easily. These are also extremely adorable and detailed! During events, some princes get different outfits for holiday events like Halloween, Christmas, New Years, etc. But new events can also introduce new characters that have a theme like circus, fairy tale, or demons. These new illustrations and outfits are just as detailed as the original ones.

Besides the design, I absolutely love the different voices for each prince. Although the story is not entirely voiced, there are multiple lines during the gameplay or after completing the Sun or Moon route where voices are more apparent. Each voice actor brings a unique sound that matches the character’s personality. Some very popular actors can voice up to two different characters. My favourites include: Eguchi Takuya (Vim and Kaminari), Junichi Suwabe (Douglas), Suzuki Tatsuhisa (Julius and Vairy), Kaji Yuki (Hearts), Kakihara Tetsuya (Marchia), Ono Daisuke (Apollo), and Miyano Mamoru (Kaiji and Sefir).

I first started to like these particular voice actors because they voiced characters I loved from different Japanese animations. Eguchi Takuya (Kaminari), Junichi Suwabe and Ono Daisuke all have very low romantic husky voices, replicating a tall, dark, and handsome vibe. Their voices are very warm and comforting; it feels like they will protect me from any danger. Likewise, Miyano Mamoru (Kaiji and Sefir) and Suzuki Tatsuhisa (Julius) also have relatively low voices but are quite soft-spoken. They bring a more calm and reserved atmosphere that shows how serious the character is. I like listening to these voices when I need to hear a quiet, sincere voice.

In contrast, Kaji Yuki and Kakihara Tetsuya generally voice cute and energetic characters. When I hear their voices, it feels like a happy, bubbly best friend who always buys you ice cream and tries to cheer you up! It is very encouraging and usually puts a smile on my face. Meanwhile, Eguchi Takuya’s Vim and Suzuki Tatsuhisa’s Vairy sound very similar since they are both from the Country of Beastmen. Unlike their voices from Kaminari and Julius, these voices are friendly and silvery; hearing their clear and confident voices are always pleasant. Besides character design, their voices are the most important selling point for this game.

Story: 3/5 ♥♥♥♡♡

The overall story for Yume100 is pretty cliché: a normal girl becomes the lost princess of the dream world and has to save it from monsters. Stories for individual characters are quite short and fast paced, since each character only gets about five to six initial chapters, then another five to seven chapters after awakening their route. Although this seems like a lot of content, it doesn’t reveal too much about each prince’s backstory. But, since there are so many characters, it’s not surprising that GCREST limits the content. Honestly to me it does not matter too much. As I said, the game is entirely in Japanese and I am not that good. So, I have a hard time reading the context of the story anyways. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find English translations of the game or character storylines. This is probably because it would take a very long time to get all the characters and translate that much text. However, Eisha Vakohler on Youtube has over 180 videos with English translations of different event chapters and various other interactions with some of the characters. Although it is not up to date and possibly inactive, it helped me gain a general idea of what is happening and how the characters personalities are. But the fun is in the actual gameplay and the princes you can meet and collect.

Overall: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

As mentioned in the beginning, this game increased my desire to play mobile games and slowly built up the obsession I have today. Yume100 is definitely a game worth playing; the amount of gameplay, detail in character art and interesting storylines make this mobile game well worth your time. Plus, it’s free! Although it can be difficult to collect items like gems, shards, and training dogs (yes, dogs), it offers a lot of unique components that most mobile games, let alone video games in general, may not include. Therefore, I encourage other beginners to try it out (even if it is just for a week). I think in my three months of playing intensely, I gained a lot of understanding for how these kinds of Japanese mobile games work. While I may not play it often now, it was still a wonderful first experience and still has a strong place in my heart.

P.S. Yume100 recently released a short anime series based on this game. You can watch the episodes on YouTube or through the game itself.

#yume100 #yume oukoku to nemureru 100 nin no ouji sama #mobage #momobage #review #vim #douglas #julius #hercules #frost #eguchi takuya #suwabe junichi #suzuki tatsuhisa #kaji yuki #kakihara tetsuya #ono daisuke #miyano mamoru #seiyuu

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momobage · 7 years

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Fire Emblem Heroes Review: Did you ever know that you’re my hero?

Fire Emblem Heroes (ファイアーエムブレムヒーローズ) is a Japanese tactical role-playing game (RPG) developed by Nintendo. The goal of the game is to gather heroes through summons (gachas) and strategically battle against computerized opponents and players from around the world. With a four-person team, the player makes decisions based on characters’ skill level, weapon type, and positioning. As you defeat opponents, you gain items, unlock story chapters and event paralogues, and uncover the reason for the war between the Kingdom of Askr and the Emblian Empire.

I absolutely love the Fire Emblem Series. I use to watch my older siblings and cousins use Roy and Marth when playing Super Smash Bros. Melee on GameCube. I had also already played Fire Emblem: Awakening, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, and Fire Emblem: Conquest. So, unlike other mobile games, I was excitingly anticipating the release.

P.S. My Brother just bought me the Official Artbook for Fire Emblem: Awakening! It’s so pretty and the process work is amazing!

Main gameplay: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

The main gameplay for Fire Emblem Heroes is easy and addictive. You form teams from characters won from the summons and battle against computerized opponents or other players in the “Arena.” If you win, you can receive items that help increase skills and maximize a character’s potential power. Since this was one of Nintendo’s first mobile games, there was a large amount of hype from fans and other gamers. I was one of them! Unlike most mobile games, it is available in a wide range of languages such as English, French, and Spanish; however, the language voicing for characters is only in English or Japanese. This makes it very easy for players from around the world to play without struggling against language barriers or trying to find tutorials. At first, I played in Japanese because some of my favourite voice actors were in the game, like Miyano Mamoru, Kaji Yuki, and Junichi Suwabe. However, I started struggling trying to read the missions and stories, so I switched to English. The English voice dubbing isn’t my preference but it could be a lot worse; at least the dubbed voices suit the characters.

The game is very straightforward and well-developed. Although it incorporates many heroes from various Fire Emblem games, it isn’t necessary to play any of the previous games to understand the stories or the characters. It does help having experience playing the other games, since the system is similar. But even for beginners, navigating through is a piece of cake! However, if you want to know basic info, need help, or want to chat with other players, I would recommend looking through the Fire Emblem Heroes Wiki and the Fire Emblem Heroes Reddit. Or you can watch Pheonixmaster1 on YouTube who does Arena duels, tries new summons, and reviews new characters.

This game is free to play, but uses an in-game currency called Orbs. During the first few months after the initial release, Nintendo gave out many free daily orbs as a celebration gift. You can easily obtain orbs by completing stories, paralogues, and missions. Obtaining free orbs can be a bit difficult once you’ve finished everything though, but new chapters, special maps, and missions release every month or so. However, a common annoyance in mobile games are gachas and having no luck. Although the percentage rates for a five-star character are higher than other games, the chances of winning one are quite slim. Especially since you only get a maximum of five characters, when other games have a maximum of ten. Thus, some hardcore players buy hundreds of orbs trying to summon their favourite characters, but either end up with none or only one copy. Surprisingly, I have only spent a total of $35, a new low record! I’m honestly not sure why I’ve spent so little, even though I have no self-control for other mobile games. But I guess this means I’m getting better with spending! … Just kidding, I think I’m getting worse due to another game I play, but more information on that next time.

Overall, the gameplay is fun and simple for anyone to enjoy. It isn’t necessary to play the previous games or to spend money if you use your orbs wisely. I recommend checking the summon rates daily if you really want a new or a favourite character because the rates can increase a little bit before the summon ends. I think there will always be frustrating times, like losing a battle or not getting a five-star character, but I really enjoy playing

Fire Emblem Heroes

for its easy gameplay, beautiful character art, and nostalgic feeling.

Characters: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

There are a variety of characters from different series within Fire Emblem Heroes. The entire concept of the game is to be able to summon heroes of different worlds to fight against the Emblian Empire. The game will feature more characters later, but, for now, characters including Olivia, Ike, and Lukas (above photos) are popular fan-favourites. Many other popular characters are from Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, and Fire Emblem: Archanea Series.

A unique feature about Fire Emblem Heroes is that a different artist draws each character. This doesn’t happen often in games since they usually want the characters to look consistent and harmonious. But to emphasize the collecting of multiple heroes across multiple games, they show it through the variety of art styles: from painted styles to watercolour and cel-shading to comic book. However, a part of me wishes the drawing style was more uniform. I understand that a cute anime style wouldn’t work aesthetically for every character, but if the style were more consistent, I feel like it would help me get to know all the characters equally, rather than just liking the ones drawn in a cuter or prettier style. Still, perhaps it’s better the way it is. Plus, if there is an artist I end up liking a lot, I can find their name and become a fan.

Compared to other mobile games, it is difficult to like every character, since many of them are from different series. Although it is nice to include old heroes, especially to appeal to the younger generations, I usually do not know enough about the characters to decide if I like them or not. Until I play the other games, I can only judge based on their appearance, voice and statistics, which feels a bit shallow. But, within the Fire Emblem games I have played, I will always have a special place in my heart for Stahl and Takumi.

(Left: Official Stahl Artwork, Right: FE: Awakening in-game sprite)

Stahl is a kind and gentle cavalier with a big heart. He is scatterbrained and forever hungry, but he will always support his friends, even to the point of sacrificing himself. When I first saw Stahl in Fire Emblem: Awakening, I immediately thought, “I’m going to marry him.” which is possible. Nintendo introduced a support feature which allows players to marry a character (of the opposite gender) to form a better relationship. After any of the female characters marry, a new prologue appears where you can recruit the character’s child. Regardless of the player’s gender, after marriage, there will be a prologue to recruit your child, Morgan. This support feature can also be used to bond with other members in your team and boost your skills during battles. Sadly, I wasn’t aware that you could automatically marry Chrom if you had a good relationship by a certain chapter. So, I had to play the game through again before I could marry Stahl. In Fire Emblem Heroes, he has that same calm and attentive personality that I love so much. I do have him as a four-star character, but I don’t use him that much. I think training a character here is quite different compared to the other Fire Emblem games so I get lazy and lose interest.

(Left: Official Takumi Artwork, Right: FEF: Birthright in-game sprite)

Takumi is the third sibling of the Hoshido family from Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright. He feels constantly overshadowed by his talented older siblings and always trains himself to become stronger and useful. His personality is quite different from Stahl’s, as he is more cautious, serious and a bit arrogant. But he loves and respects his family, friends, and other fellow allies. The first time I saw Takumi I loved his serious and stubborn personality. I think the difference between Stahl and Takumi is that Takumi is the type of character you don’t start loving until you get to know him. When I heard his story about how he wants to improve himself, to get stronger to protect his family and not feel useless and depressed, it really made me feel connected to him. I could relate because of my own troubles and worries. In Fire Emblem Heroes, Takumi is one of the strongest and rarest character available. He still has the same personality, but since the game is meant to be a short glimpse at the characters, I don’t feel that emotionally connected with him here. I think this lost deep connection makes you only see what characters look like and what they can do.

Story: 2/5 ♥♥♡♡♡

The overall story for Fire Emblem Heroes is interesting but not good as their previous games. Since this is the first mobile game for the Fire Emblem series, how they set up the game makes the story quite short. Each chapter only has a brief visual element and then goes into the gameplay. Compared to the previous games which had about twenty-five story chapters that helped build the plot and drama, this one seems kind of boring and simple. I wish they could implement the support function they used in Awakening and Fates because it would help players build relationships with characters they are unfamiliar with. However, I understand that since the characters are from a variety of games, they could never properly or realistically interact. The lack of story doesn’t discourage me from playing the game, but it makes me feel like there should be a better plot keep it exciting.

Overall: 3.33/5 ♥♥♥♡♡

Fire Emblem Heroes is a fun and straightforward game that anyone can play. The graphics and illustrations are wonderful. I really respect all the artists and developers who worked on this project. Although the story is not as interesting as it could be, I think there is still potential to continue developing it into something more complex and praise-worthy. However, for any beginner who wants to play a simple RPG, I’d recommend this game as a good introduction. If you end up loving it, you can start playing the other Fire Emblem games. Since I’m invested in the series, I do also feel a bit more hypercritical of this game compared to others. But regardless, I can’t wait to see which character Nintendo will introduce in the future.

#fire emblem #fire emblem heroes #fe heroes #feh #fe mobile #mobage #momobage #rpg #fire embem awakening #fire emblem if #fire emblem fates #review

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momobage · 7 years

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Mystic Messenger Review: 2D phone calls

Mystic Messenger (수상한 메신저) is a South Korean otome game (乙女ゲーム) or female oriented visual novel game made by Cheritz. The goal of the game is to choose the appropriate responses through group chats, phone calls, and text messages to establish a romantic relationship with one of the five available love interests. As the player progresses through different character routes, the story unfolds and the deep secrets within the RFA organization becomes revealed.

The game was released in July 2016 and I started playing in late August after seeing a few screenshots and fanart on Twitter. Like most games, I didn’t know anything about the gameplay or characters, but the art was pretty and I never played a Korean mobile game before. So I thought I’d give it a try! Although I never thought I would enjoy playing a dating game this much, Mystic Messenger left an impression that typically isn’t found in other otome games.

Main gameplay: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

The gameplay for Mystic Messenger is simple, addictive and very interesting. It is available in both Korean and English, making it easy for anyone to navigate through. There are not any extra game functions, like puzzles or levels since the game is strictly story-based. It is similar to reading a choose your own adventure book. Unlike other dating games, you progress through the game because it synchronizes with the player’s time zone. I think this aspect of the game is very unique and keeps the players wanting more. Even if you are not currently in the app, your phone will still receive notifications from the characters (see image below). It creates a real emotional connection with the characters. Even if you were feeling lonely or a bit bored, there would be someone who checks up on you and ask how you are feeling. I think most people would like that companionship that might be difficult to find in real life. Plus, having a cute character call them and sweet things is always nice, even if they are two-dimensional.

When I started playing the game, I first chose the character I liked the most and went through the route blindly. However, after realizing that there were multiple ending routes, I looked up some walkthroughs to make sure I didn’t play the same route twice. If you are really determined to collect everything perfectly, all the photos and different routes, then walkthroughs will be very helpful. I recommend looking at Otome Obsessed and Otome Dreamworld since their walkthroughs for Mystic Messenger are easy to understand and very detailed. But I think if you really want to know the characters and understand the story it’s better to play at your own pace.

Like most games, it is free to play, but does have a “currency” called hourglasses which can make phone calls, unlock a conversation or an entire day in advanced. This feature is helpful for people who end up missing a lot of chats due to busy schedules or they want to sleep and cannot look at their phone every one to two hours (see image above). Sadly, I have no self-control and spent even more money buying hourglasses to finish routes in advance. I think in the four months I played, in total I spent a little more than $500 in total on Mystic Messenger hourglasses and related merchandise. There were many benefits to buying official merchandise such as getting special interviews with voice actors, official soundtracks, all the members phone calling cards and more. But I regret buying fan-made merchandise when I really didn’t need it… but they are very well made, so I can’t help it! You would think I learned my lesson by now, but clearly mobiles games make me a bit crazy with money [deeply sighs].

Overall, the gameplay is very simple and fun for anyone to enjoy. The interaction with the characters and the amazing voice clips make the relationships feel so natural and authentic. It makes each experience really meaningful. There are some minor flaws like some jokes are too repetitive and the reaction choices are not the most ideal. However, that could just be the Korean to English translations.

Characters: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥

In the entire game, there is a total of eight important characters; five are dateable and the other three are for support, context and drama. Within the five, each character has a unique personality that is somewhat stereotypical. (From left to right in the photo above) Yoosung Kim is a college student who likes to play video games. Zen (Hyun Ryu) is an actor who is very good looking and flirtatious. 707 (also known as Seven and Luciel Choi) is a genius hacker who has a quirky personality. Jumin Han is a rich businessman who loves his cat too much. Jaehee Kang is Jumin’s serious assistant who never has a day off. However, as you progress and really get to know them, you learn of their other hobbies, dreams and other sides of their personality that is not show to the public. This aspect of each character makes them very relatable and realistic. It’s not just about how cute or funny they appear to be, but that they have complex thoughts which creates an honest connection.

Artistically, I really love how each character’s designs reflect their personality based on colours and clothing style without even starting the game. They style of colouring also is not too bright and does not overly exaggerate their features. Like other otome games, there are illustrated CG photos that are sent to you throughout group messages and visual story chapters (see above). These photos help better visualize what is exactly happening in the scene or are just funny images from the characters. I really love the emotion each photo shows, from humor to angst, from love to sorrow, it completes the whole dating experience. You can’t help but fall in love with these characters! However, in the new event stories that got released (For Christmas and Valentines specifically), they changed the illustration artist. I know other people have their own opinions but I don’t think it accurately portrays the characters I love. But I don’t hate the style, it is still very good, I just think it suits a different type of game.

Other than design, each character’s personality is special and intriguing especially after getting to know them. For example, although Zen can be narcissistic and always look for compliments, he often calls the player for a boost of confidence because he feels insecure about his acting ability. He worries whether his fans like his performances or just his face. This type of insecurity is so common and relatable to anyone that it easily touches my heart. The selection for voice actors is also contributes to the authenticity. While some of the actors like Yongwoo Shin (Jumin) and Yeong Seon Kim (707) have previously voiced and sung for other Drama CD’s and anime dubs, Korean voice acting is still not as popular as Japanese voice acting. Therefore, I really appreciate the work they accomplished with Mystic Messenger. The character’s voices are so important to each conversation and help form a deeper relationship with the player. Some of the phone conversations are incredibly moving and thoughtful. I remember crying after completing each ending because it was either so sweet or so sad. Especially for Zen and Jumin, since they are my favourites, I really felt hurt whenever they were upset or stressed. I wanted to hug each of them and tell them everything was going to be okay. One of Zen’s phone conversations, to this day, always makes me cry like a baby (Erizu on Youtube has an animated sketch video of the phone call that emphasizes how wonderfully sweet Zen can be).

Story: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

While the character artwork is the first thing I notice in any game, it is not as important as story. The entire story behind Mystic Messenger is without a doubt amazing. Besides the adorable and comedic parts, the story is also complex, suspenseful, and dramatic. The amount of diversity due to the difference choices and routes available never makes you bored even when playing the same routes over and over again. I don’t want to spoil too much of this story since it is so interesting, but I applaud how modern this game is compared to others. Since this is a Korean dating game, that is specifically directed towards a female audience, it is extremely wonderful that they added the choice to date another female. Although in the original route you are more best friends than lovers, in the other events you become much closer and kiss on the cheek. It does not seem that revolutionary compared to western media. But for an Asian game whose audience is largely straight or from countries where gay marriage is not legal yet, it is a step forward. Introducing LGBT relationships into media other than dramas and TV shows also brings equality, especially to players of typical otome games.

Overall: 4.33/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

Mystic Messenger will always have a special place in my heart. Despite the few criticisms I have, they do not compare to the wonderful adventure I’ve experienced and the relationships I’ve created with these characters. I think this game, made me value each character’s personality much more since their backstories were so captivating. It helped me understand other characters from different games better and even people in real life. I encourage other beginners to play Mystic Messenger because it is a good introduction to otome games that is constantly interesting and easy to follow. The connections with each character contributed to my current obsession with loveable characters with complex backstories and fascinating storylines.

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