Disabled Girl Dating Sim Katawa Shoujo Finally Available

[deidara]

Anyone else stuff up and die on the roof with kenji? The dialogue was beyond awesome, but then I got sent back to the main menu, and thought I only downloaded the demo or something. So much for doing what I would do in real life.

 

[Alterego-X]

Anyone else stuff up and die on the roof with kenji? The dialogue was beyond awesome, but then I got sent back to the main menu, and thought I only downloaded the demo or something. So much for doing what I would do in real life.

You failed to choose a route. Or you chose multiple ones. Start again, skip through the read text, and only take the choices that express interest in one specific girl.

 

[sniddy_v1legacy]

I've always said that I hate Japan.

This changes nothing. This makes my hatred of all things Japanese that little bit more solid.

Nothing that comes out of Japan earns my respect these days...

You have no idea do you? (Or are a troll - either way the below applies I guess)

Sad thing is people like you, closed minded, ignorant, and very cocksure of yourself, could really learn a few things from this.

I'm about 2 hours in and so far it has been fantastically done, as with all interactive novels/dating sims I tend to play the first way through more neutrally as 'me' then maybe aim to see the other paths the story could take...this really is the best one I've seen.

Even if your not a fan of this type of thing if you feel you can have the patience to 'play' this (more like read it to be fair) I really can't put it strongly enough to you to do so

 

[orangeban]

While I won't judge the game without playing it, the concept does make me feel a little off. The idea of a dating sim "but with disabled girls!" does indeed seem like blatant fetishisation (which is objectifying and more than a little creepy), and while disabled people definetly don't get enough representation in games, the way to fix that isn't to make a special section of games for disabled people (or in this case, games for people who fancy disabled people), instead it's just to make games which happen to have disabled people in them

However, as I said, I haven't played this game (but I do fully intend to, seeing as it's free), but those are my initial thoughts going into it.

I do hope to be proved wrong.

I'm glad that you are so open-minded about it and everything, so I don't want to sound too preachy, but here is a tricky question: If it would be a movie or a novel, would you say the same thing? Is there something inherently creepy about setting an entire movie's premise on the life of disabled people? Or a novel that is told from a disabled person's lover's perspective? After all, wouldn't that be vey objectifying, as in "regular novel, but about disabilities".

Of course not, these are the kind of stories that get a bunch of awards (at least if they don't go "full retard" )It is understood, that disability just happens to be the theme that the writers intended to tell. Yet with games, there is somehow this assumption that it's a gimmick, a wish-fulfillment theme.

It tells something very sad about the state of storytelling in gaming, that even us, gamers are barely more familiar with the idea of narratives that are used for the sake of storytelling, than the moral watchdogs who argue that every violent game is about simulating real violent fantasies, or that picking the terrorist side in Counter-Strike teaches you to be a terrorist.

And even among us, it's not just a stigma against dating sims. Just think about the "Killing children in Skyrim" conroversy. No one would think twice about the suggestion, that reading about characters of a fantasy novel, even a POV character, murdering children, might be morally wrong. Yet, there are several gamers that there is something "wrong" with your Dragonborn character killing children.

Well, I've played it and I'm happy to report that it is actually very good. It isn't fetishy and it isn't crass or cringey, it's respectful, well written and quite touching.

I heartily recommend it!

 

[josh4president]

4chan actually CREATED something?

I thought they only had the power to destroy

 

[deidara]

Anyone else stuff up and die on the roof with kenji? The dialogue was beyond awesome, but then I got sent back to the main menu, and thought I only downloaded the demo or something. So much for doing what I would do in real life.

You failed to choose a route. Or you chose multiple ones. Start again, skip through the read text, and only take the choices that express interest in one specific girl.

Haha I'm a n00b at these games, didn't know it would stuff up if you showed interest in more than one girl. That makes sense, thanks. I just thought it would sort itself out somehow. This time I saved before all the choices though, as opposed to last time >_>. (Yeah I got the roof scene again.)

 

[Alterego-X]

Anyone else stuff up and die on the roof with kenji? The dialogue was beyond awesome, but then I got sent back to the main menu, and thought I only downloaded the demo or something. So much for doing what I would do in real life.

You failed to choose a route. Or you chose multiple ones. Start again, skip through the read text, and only take the choices that express interest in one specific girl.

Haha I'm a n00b at these games, didn't know it would stuff up if you showed interest in more than one girl. That makes sense, thanks. I just thought it would sort itself out somehow. This time I saved before all the choices though, as opposed to last time >_>. (Yeah I got the roof scene again.)

Here is a simple walkthrough: http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=1221
And you can skip read text with ctrl.

 

[VanQ]

I don?t have to play the bloody game to have the right to say that I think this is an awful way of handling a delicate issue, given its genre alone. And I?m pretty much that most experts and people within the disabled community would agree. Nor do I think that they?d be particularly impressed with a few gamers claiming that it actually has a, what did you call it, a romantic storyline?

You are aware, aren't you? That several experts and disabled folk had a helping hand in advising on this game? You seem pretty adamant for someone so poorly educated on the context.
You know, you could always try the game and actually form a valid opinion based on evidence you have seem yourself rather than on sheer speculation.
It's a very nice game, nothing groundbreaking but still very unique in it's premise and development. It's completely unique in those regards, so any self respecting gamer would consider it worth seeing with their very eyes.
And I'm sure the many experts and disabled people of the world can do without your pity. They are human too, is it really that bad that someone in the real world would fall in love with and enter an intimate relationship with a blind girl? Or a burns victim? Wouldn't that be a heartwarming thing to see? To know there are those out there who are willing to look past such things? Or should we forever ostracize anyone with a disability and refuse them any form of human contact? Why should it be any different in a game? I'd have to say, your opinion on the matter is a little... disgusting in my opinion.

4chan actually CREATED something?

I thought they only had the power to destroy

Okay, I have to admit. This line alone made me laugh more than I have in a long time. Well played.

I'd never played (read?) a visual novel before this one, but downloaded it after reading this article and a few of the comments recommending it and I have to say I can't remember the last time I got so emotionally involved in a story. The characters are not defined by their disabilities, and each have far more complete and developed personalities than I first anticipated. Particularly in Shinzune's (the deaf-mute girl) route, her disability became almost irrelevant to the story being told once it got going, and the focus was much more on the character's personalities and relationships with one another.

As a side note, I have found the least enjoyable parts to be the sex scenes, which often feel out of place (Yes, I am aware that they can be turned off in the options).

Spoiler

Especially in Hanako's route, I absolutely hated Hisao for sleeping with her when he did, especially when I found out why she let him.

He couldn't have possibly known at the time. And it's because of that moment that everything played out in the end. I still think Hanako's route is the best in the game, personally. I really got caught up in her emotions. It also had the best ending in my opinion, that final scene was really heartwarming.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

I can only second this, this is actually my first visual novel, and if the rest of them have story of this quality I might start playing more! I honestly like this game; I feel it's playing off some of my own insecurities. This game has inspired me to think more about the disabled people I know (Which are a lot, epileptic, deaf people, mentally ill to name a few).

The game simply plays differently to different people. I don't think this game should be condemned; it should be embraced by more, if you play it and the subject matter is not to your liking, then, fine.

Just don't judge this game by its cover, or judge the people playing it by the same standards. This game will continue to be interpreted differently by thousands of people for years to come, and if a handful of people are better for it, then why complain. If people use it to fulfil a fetish (it?s not deranged or sick, just another fetish like the rest of them) then that?s their own prerogative.

My two cents anyway ~Blank

Some ones I recommend are Tsukihime and Fate/Stay Night.

@CarlMinez

Holy crap, you are Cooper Lawrence

He couldn't have possibly known at the time. And it's because of that moment that everything played out in the end. I still think Hanako's route is the best in the game, personally. I really got caught up in her emotions. It also had the best ending in my opinion, that final scene was really heartwarming.

I did Hanako's route first as I found her backstory and growth to be intriguing. It's the inherent contradiction of desiring both isolation and attachment. Her showing Hisao the full extent of her scars is a powerful scene.

Amusingly, this is the original sketch that inspired the whole project (found in a doujinshi by Valkyria Chronicles character designer Raita Honjou):

http://shimmie.katawa-shoujo.com/image/9.jpg

 

[VanQ]

Snip.

This isn't a video game and shouldn't be thought of nor judged like one. It is a Visual Novel. A different genre entirely and one that is severely under-appreciated due to it's more 'adult' audience.

Snip.

As someone who has always had a crippling complex of my appearance, I couldn't help but feel a really strong connection to her character. Mind you, she has life a whole lot worse than I ever did and I would never claim otherwise. She is a very strong girl.

Also, I'd be wary about recommending Fate/Stay Night to a beginner. What if he ends up in the Heaven's feel route. Then again, I once recommended Saya no Uta to a beginner and he's now read more VNs than I have. Some people will surprise you like that.

 

[MammothBlade]

I've gone through Emi's storyline so far, getting both the good and the bad endings. (The bad endings are really depressing) Now I've gone with Lilly. It's great to just play/read through and follow this story on whichever path it takes you. It is very emotionally powerful... and you see that these girls are not portrayed as circus freaks or fetish objects, they have three-dimensional personalities.

This isn't a video game and shouldn't be thought of nor judged like one. It is a Visual Novel. A different genre entirely and one that is severely under-appreciated due to it's more 'adult' audience.

Yeah. Which makes me want to say read through instead of "play".

As someone who has always had a crippling complex of my appearance, I couldn't help but feel a really strong connection to her character. Mind you, she has life a whole lot worse than I ever did and I would never claim otherwise. She is a very strong girl.

I can connect to the severe social anxiety, I really felt a link with her too.

 

[Duruznik]

Huh. I've never really been into visual novels, but so far it's rather interesting. The art amazes me most. The backgrounds are all DRAWN! It took me some time to realise they weren't photos. They're so realistic it's mind-boggling.

So far, so good.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

As someone who has always had a crippling complex of my appearance, I couldn't help but feel a really strong connection to her character. Mind you, she has life a whole lot worse than I ever did and I would never claim otherwise. She is a very strong girl.

Also, I'd be wary about recommending Fate/Stay Night to a beginner. What if he ends up in the Heaven's feel route. Then again, I once recommended Saya no Uta to a beginner and he's now read more VNs than I have. Some people will surprise you like that.

I know this is going to sound weird, but I've always found scarred women to be a fascinating aesthetic design. Not in a fetishistic way, GOD NO, but just...intriguing, and I don't know why.

Also, if I remember right it's impossible to get either Unlimited Blade Works (my favorite of the routes) or Heaven's Feel the first time around.

 

[Alterego-X]

Also, I'd be wary about recommending Fate/Stay Night to a beginner. What if he ends up in the Heaven's feel route.

FSN's routes are in fixed order, you don't choose them.
I would recommend it.

But if I would recommend anything specifically after Katawa Shoujo, it would be "Ef: A Fairy Tale of the Two". It deals with some very similar themes, and it has BEAUTIFUL art. In fact, I don't recommend it to beginners exactly because of that, that it would spoil them and they would see every other VN later as ugly, but those who already got used to KS, will be fine.

 

[Reveras]

After playing it and actually finishing most of the story lines (I went into this game with so many prejudices that you don't wanna know) I will say that it's impressive. I really enjoyed the dialogue and the stories as they unfold.

 

[VanQ]

I know this is going to sound weird, but I've always found scarred women to be a fascinating aesthetic design. Not in a fetishistic way, GOD NO, but just...intriguing, and I don't know why.

Also, if I remember right it's impossible to get either Unlimited Blade Works (my favorite of the routes) or Heaven's Feel the first time around.

I've heard weirder things, trust me. I know people who find Balalaika from Black Lagoon utterly irresistible so it's hardly an alien concept.

Huh. I've never really been into visual novels, but so far it's rather interesting. The art amazes me most. The backgrounds are all DRAWN! It took me some time to realise they weren't photos. They're so realistic it's mind-boggling.

So far, so good.

Are they really? I thought they were photographs with a filter over the top of them. I'm impressed. What impressed me more than that though were the animated cut scenes. They are masterfully done and the music to each fits perfectly.
Especially the piano piece in Hanako's cut scene. I wonder if there is a soundtrack for the game available for download. I will have to look into this.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

I've heard weirder things, trust me. I know people who find Balalaika from Black Lagoon utterly irresistible so it's hardly an alien concept.

It's more like looking at a piece of art for me. There's just something about the design of women like Balalaika that fascinates me. Maybe it's because I find it gutsy to do something that (at face value) makes a person (mostly women) less physically desirable as opposed to the impeccable displays of airbrushed beauty people are too used to. Another example would be that boss from No More Heroes that had a bazooka leg or Rose McGowan's character in Planet Terror

 

[Duruznik]

Huh. I've never really been into visual novels, but so far it's rather interesting. The art amazes me most. The backgrounds are all DRAWN! It took me some time to realise they weren't photos. They're so realistic it's mind-boggling.

So far, so good.

Are they really? I thought they were photographs with a filter over the top of them. I'm impressed. What impressed me more than that though were the animated cut scenes. They are masterfully done and the music to each fits perfectly.
Especially the piano piece in Hanako's cut scene. I wonder if there is a soundtrack for the game available for download. I will have to look into this.

*Facepalm* You're right.It could be a filter. It's hard to tell. Still, it's got impressive visuals, either way.

 

[Reveras]

-snip-

Do let me know if you find one pls. I'd appreciate it, the music was amazing, especially the piano in Hanako's cutscene.

Edit: I'm an idiot, I just realized I wrote exactly what you did about the music... Eh, whatever, please let me know if you find it somewhere.

 

[MyNameIsNowNotMyName]

@Lovely_Mixture No, doing that is like counting the dots on the ceiling, there's too many. Way too many. Too may who post on articles who didn't even read it.