Neutral Drow reviews: A Drug That Makes You Dream

Evilsanta

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Argh! What has been read cannot be unread!That is soul crushing. Now i have to go and repress this, a god thing is that i got other VNs that are more happy-go-lucky kind.On the moonlit rooftop really makes my heart cringe but i can counter that effect with I'm Falling! or The World of Dreams( or a LOT of choclate).I'm Falling! might be the main theme on the ero scenes but it really is sothing and calming.I can listen to it all day.
 

NeutralDrow

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Tyson765 said:
NeutralDrow said:
Mizuki's unhappy ending (which I did stumble onto) hit like a punch in the gut and lingered like a stab wound the more I thought of it...but her happy ending is the most heartwarming thing I've ever read. I actually walked around distracted most of the next day, so touched was I.
Yeah No spoilers here but I felt like I had actually lost a good friend after the unhappy ending and my gf was wondering what the hell was wrong with me becuase I was so depressed!
Brilliant story telling even though the whole audible hallucination thing doesn't ever seem to be anything more than a side note from my experience of the game.

Love it aswell.
Yeah, the auditory hallucination was mostly just a metaphor for Kouhei's attitude towards life and his progress and growth, hence the thing's starting up again during the bad endings is just icing on the cake.

To be honest, the one thing I really wish was explained more was the woman from his dream in the very beginning. She only makes that and one other appearance, and I can kinda see what her point was, but I also wanted more of an explanation...though granted, the mystery of it is sort of appealing.

Besides, her single other appearance coincided with Kouhei
using up his life's supply of pure, undiluted awesome and briefly turning into Shiki from <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.128851-TYPE-MOON-reviews-Tsukihime>Tsukihime.
That's a major point in her favor.

Evilsanta said:
Argh! What has been read cannot be unread!That is soul crushing. Now i have to go and repress this, a god thing is that i got other VNs that are more happy-go-lucky kind.On the moonlit rooftop really makes my heart cringe but i can counter that effect with I'm Falling! or The World of Dreams( or a LOT of choclate).I'm Falling! might be the main theme on the ero scenes but it really is sothing and calming.I can listen to it all day.
I wholeheartedly agree. I actually like taking note of the music during ero scenes in these games, because "I'm Falling" wasn't an isolated incident; I have a similar fondness for "<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBwP_9xGzU0&playnext_from=TL&videos=H8NTxlwb0L0>Parting" from Tsukihime and "<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLwCfz-Z-98>Lover's Etude" from Heart de Roommate, and I might be one of the only people who actually likes "<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnSj66jZ7N0>Pursuing Minds" from Fate/Stay Night (and "<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVE86HGFUQk>Embrace" is all right).

Still, I noticed that each heroine in A Drug That Makes You Dream had at least two themes unique to their route (a character theme, and a situational theme). Having <url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tImCzIR5Alo>Mizuki's situational theme be an erotic theme was...actually quite appropriate.
 

Evilsanta

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NeutralDrow said:
Tyson765 said:
NeutralDrow said:
Mizuki's unhappy ending (which I did stumble onto) hit like a punch in the gut and lingered like a stab wound the more I thought of it...but her happy ending is the most heartwarming thing I've ever read. I actually walked around distracted most of the next day, so touched was I.
Yeah No spoilers here but I felt like I had actually lost a good friend after the unhappy ending and my gf was wondering what the hell was wrong with me becuase I was so depressed!
Brilliant story telling even though the whole audible hallucination thing doesn't ever seem to be anything more than a side note from my experience of the game.

Love it aswell.
Yeah, the auditory hallucination was mostly just a metaphor for Kouhei's attitude towards life and his progress and growth, hence the thing's starting up again during the bad endings is just icing on the cake.

To be honest, the one thing I really wish was explained more was the woman from his dream in the very beginning. She only makes that and one other appearance, and I can kinda see what her point was, but I also wanted more of an explanation...though granted, the mystery of it is sort of appealing.

Besides, her single other appearance coincided with Kouhei
using up his life's supply of pure, undiluted awesome and briefly turning into Shiki from <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.128851-TYPE-MOON-reviews-Tsukihime>Tsukihime.
That's a major point in her favor.

Was that when he:
Went Rambo(kinda) and held Kyoka hostage on the rooftop and cut that bitc...i mean her.I cant really remember(or put simply dont want to).

Evilsanta said:
Argh! What has been read cannot be unread!That is soul crushing. Now i have to go and repress this, a god thing is that i got other VNs that are more happy-go-lucky kind.On the moonlit rooftop really makes my heart cringe but i can counter that effect with I'm Falling! or The World of Dreams( or a LOT of choclate).I'm Falling! might be the main theme on the ero scenes but it really is sothing and calming.I can listen to it all day.
I wholeheartedly agree. I actually like taking note of the music during ero scenes in these games, because "I'm Falling" wasn't an isolated incident; I have a similar fondness for "<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBwP_9xGzU0&playnext_from=TL&videos=H8NTxlwb0L0>Parting" from Tsukihime and "<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLwCfz-Z-98>Lover's Etude" from Heart de Roommate, and I might be one of the only people who actually likes "<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnSj66jZ7N0>Pursuing Minds" from Fate/Stay Night (and "<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVE86HGFUQk>Embrace" is all right).

Still, I noticed that each heroine in A Drug That Makes You Dream had at least two themes unique to their route (a character theme, and a situational theme). Having <url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tImCzIR5Alo>Mizuki's situational theme be an erotic theme was...actually quite appropriate.
When i first heard the Mizukiz situational theme:

With the "aphrodisiac" and all and with her tone of voice i really though Kouhei was about to rape her.
Maybe that just me though. And i will listen to the themes you brought up later as i am posting from a school computer. (Looks around, no ones looking, lets out a sigh of relief)

I have listend to the themes now and they are great.
 

WolfMage

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I love this review, more than almost anything else on the internet, because it made me get this, my first H-game.
I just beat it, not five minutes ago, and got the good ending path for Aeka.
I went with her cause I felt like a monster on Kyoka's level from the one decision I made to do something with someone else.
I fucking love this game. The music is amazing, the story compelling, the characters dead-on at making you feel something, everything.
One downside, though.
Now when I try and go to sleep at night, I keep hearing a train...
(No, seriously.)
 

NeutralDrow

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WolfMage said:
I love this review, more than almost anything else on the internet, because it made me get this, my first H-game.
I just beat it, not five minutes ago, and got the good ending path for Aeka.
I went with her cause I felt like a monster on Kyoka's level from the one decision I made to do something with someone else.
I fucking love this game. The music is amazing, the story compelling, the characters dead-on at making you feel something, everything.
One downside, though.
Now when I try and go to sleep at night, I keep hearing a train...
(No, seriously.)
Can't say how happy I am to hear that. Not just because your opinion apparently matches mine, but that you liked it at all. That's always the nerve-wracking thing I find for my positive reviews; what if I convince someone to try a game, and they don't like it? Not so bad for something like Tsukihime or Kanon, but for one like this that can be legally acquired...well, I guess torrenting is still possible, but I try to ignore that.

Sucks to hear about the train, granted, but still. Have you done either of the other routes, yet? If not...something happens to make ignoring Aeka stop hurting (her route is the only one that's tied up like a loose end in the other two). Just a reassurance.
 

WolfMage

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NeutralDrow said:
WolfMage said:
I love this review, more than almost anything else on the internet, because it made me get this, my first H-game.
I just beat it, not five minutes ago, and got the good ending path for Aeka.
I went with her cause I felt like a monster on Kyoka's level from the one decision I made to do something with someone else.
I fucking love this game. The music is amazing, the story compelling, the characters dead-on at making you feel something, everything.
One downside, though.
Now when I try and go to sleep at night, I keep hearing a train...
(No, seriously.)
Can't say how happy I am to hear that. Not just because your opinion apparently matches mine, but that you liked it at all. That's always the nerve-wracking thing I find for my positive reviews; what if I convince someone to try a game, and they don't like it? Not so bad for something like Tsukihime or Kanon, but for one like this that can be legally acquired...well, I guess torrenting is still possible, but I try to ignore that.

Sucks to hear about the train, granted, but still. Have you done either of the other routes, yet? If not...something happens to make ignoring Aeka stop hurting (her route is the only one that's tied up like a loose end in the other two). Just a reassurance.
Alas, no, as the time has been hard for me, having to always play in the dead of night, as to not put my schoolwork off by playing around.
Really? Hmm, well, that's rather nice. Cause I noticed that the other two girls just drop off the map once I picked Aeka. Weird, since in my go through, I screwed Mizuki three times, and then she stopped existing.
Maybe the developers knew that hers was the most emotional path.

I must keep up with your reviews, as you seem to have good taste. At least, on this one. Time to get Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime.

Also, I find the train thing great. Keeps me company. Gonna make it a ringtone or something.
 

NeutralDrow

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WolfMage said:
NeutralDrow said:
WolfMage said:
I love this review, more than almost anything else on the internet, because it made me get this, my first H-game.
I just beat it, not five minutes ago, and got the good ending path for Aeka.
I went with her cause I felt like a monster on Kyoka's level from the one decision I made to do something with someone else.
I fucking love this game. The music is amazing, the story compelling, the characters dead-on at making you feel something, everything.
One downside, though.
Now when I try and go to sleep at night, I keep hearing a train...
(No, seriously.)
Can't say how happy I am to hear that. Not just because your opinion apparently matches mine, but that you liked it at all. That's always the nerve-wracking thing I find for my positive reviews; what if I convince someone to try a game, and they don't like it? Not so bad for something like Tsukihime or Kanon, but for one like this that can be legally acquired...well, I guess torrenting is still possible, but I try to ignore that.

Sucks to hear about the train, granted, but still. Have you done either of the other routes, yet? If not...something happens to make ignoring Aeka stop hurting (her route is the only one that's tied up like a loose end in the other two). Just a reassurance.
Alas, no, as the time has been hard for me, having to always play in the dead of night, as to not put my schoolwork off by playing around.
Really? Hmm, well, that's rather nice. Cause I noticed that the other two girls just drop off the map once I picked Aeka. Weird, since in my go through, I screwed Mizuki three times, and then she stopped existing.
...I didn't even know that was possible. That raises some disturbing implications that you'll probably get eventually.

And yeah, night is when I play these games as well. Partly out of convenience (for some reason, things seem to have more emotional impact at night) and partly out of nostalgia; when I first got Tsukihime to run, I was still studying in Japan, and it was late June, right when I was getting swamped with schoolwork. I wound up playing specifically at night in bed, because that was when I could justify not working on something else...and the justification pretty much stuck once I got home and found Fate/Stay Night.


I must keep up with your reviews, as you seem to have good taste. At least, on this one. Time to get Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime.
Thanks, I try my best. I will get to reviewing Fate/Stay Night eventually (hell, it's half the reason I started writing reviews in the first place, the other being Tsukihime), but I'll just give an initial recommendation. While it's certainly of a much different genre than this game, its plot is epic in scope, it's three paths form three very different stories (and different paths of progression for the protagonist), the characters are fun, the music is pretty good, and the technical quality is breathtaking for a visual novel.

I still favor Tsukihime out of nostalgia (even if I can't bring myself to replay it, due to flashbacks), but I have to admit to Fate being the better game overall...though going from Tsukihime to Fate would probably be less jarring overall (the former is wonderful storywise and with decent but expressive artwork, but for technical quality, it's clearly done on an amateur budget).

Also, I find the train thing great. Keeps me company. Gonna make it a ringtone or something.
One of the two sounds I miss from Japan (other than the sounds of decent arcades). Considering the other sound is cicadas, though, I suspect that's just due to simple nostalgia.
 

WolfMage

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So as not to make an infinite quote (The mods frown on that), I'm gonna only quote bits.

NeutralDrow said:
...I didn't even know that was possible. That raises some disturbing implications that you'll probably get eventually.
Then you understand my surprise when I, not yet deciding who to pick, go to the student council room and
am basically jumped by Mizuki and her damned tea. And that was the third time.
And yes, disturbing implications ahoy, cause I was also with Aeka (sort of) at the time.
Wow, Kouhei is really a great guy, huh?


NeutralDrow said:
While it's certainly of a much different genre than this game, its plot is epic in scope, it's three paths form three very different stories (and different paths of progression for the protagonist), the characters are fun, the music is pretty good, and the technical quality is breathtaking for a visual novel.

I still favor Tsukihime out of nostalgia (even if I can't bring myself to replay it, due to flashbacks), but I have to admit to Fate being the better game overall...though going from Tsukihime to Fate would probably be less jarring overall (the former is wonderful storywise and with decent but expressive artwork, but for technical quality, it's clearly done on an amateur budget).
Hmm. So I am indeed going to have many, many more late nights of eroge games, then? That's great. Cause really, who needs sleep. I think I'll go with Tsukihime first, cause... Eh, I dunno. Sounds great.

NeutralDrow said:
Also, I find the train thing great. Keeps me company. Gonna make it a ringtone or something.

One of the two sounds I miss from Japan (other than the sounds of decent arcades). Considering the other sound is cicadas, though, I suspect that's just due to simple nostalgia.
Ahh, cicadas at night. Not a sound we in the Mid-West get too often.
I gotta ask. How is it, in Japan?
 

Evilsanta

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Is Fate/stay Night that good? Neutral, you seem to worship it. And Wolfmage, Im glad that another soul has been bleesed by the eroge!
 

Hazy

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Great review!
Very well written, and you've certainly peaked my interests.

If I can find a copy of this (virtual or otherwise) then I'll be sure to give it a look.
 

NeutralDrow

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WolfMage said:
So as not to make an infinite quote (The mods frown on that), I'm gonna only quote bits.
Makes sense, I suppose, though I was surprised when I first got here that quote pyramids technically don't exist.

NeutralDrow said:
...I didn't even know that was possible. That raises some disturbing implications that you'll probably get eventually.
Then you understand my surprise when I, not yet deciding who to pick, go to the student council room and
am basically jumped by Mizuki and her damned tea. And that was the third time.
And yes, disturbing implications ahoy, cause I was also with Aeka (sort of) at the time.
Wow, Kouhei is really a great guy, huh?
Not what I was talking about (can't say anything else, you'll see), but that too.


NeutralDrow said:
While it's certainly of a much different genre than this game, its plot is epic in scope, it's three paths form three very different stories (and different paths of progression for the protagonist), the characters are fun, the music is pretty good, and the technical quality is breathtaking for a visual novel.

I still favor Tsukihime out of nostalgia (even if I can't bring myself to replay it, due to flashbacks), but I have to admit to Fate being the better game overall...though going from Tsukihime to Fate would probably be less jarring overall (the former is wonderful storywise and with decent but expressive artwork, but for technical quality, it's clearly done on an amateur budget).
Hmm. So I am indeed going to have many, many more late nights of eroge games, then? That's great. Cause really, who needs sleep. I think I'll go with Tsukihime first, cause... Eh, I dunno. Sounds great.
Join the club. I'm losing sleep over Kana: Little Sister these days.

NeutralDrow said:
Also, I find the train thing great. Keeps me company. Gonna make it a ringtone or something.

One of the two sounds I miss from Japan (other than the sounds of decent arcades). Considering the other sound is cicadas, though, I suspect that's just due to simple nostalgia.
Ahh, cicadas at night. Not a sound we in the Mid-West get too often.
I gotta ask. How is it, in Japan?
You live in the midwest? Well, you already know roughly what the weather is like...especially in summer (humidity and sudden rain that a Southern California person like myself wasn't used to). Not as much snow where I was (Yokohama), but it did snow twice, which was apparently unusual. Otherwise...really pretty country, sidewalks and cars are really small (the people aren't; I even noticed people around my height of 6'1"), people are generally polite (though foreigners do draw a lot of stares), it's not really as expensive as the reputation states (depending on where you live, I suppose), the public transportation is wonderful...really, I do want to go back some day.

Evilsanta said:
Is Fate/stay Night that good? Neutral, you seem to worship it. And Wolfmage, Im glad that another soul has been bleesed by the eroge!
It's really good, yes. I like Takashi Takeuchi's art style a lot, and Kinoko Nasu is a helluva writer. Not to mention FSN has <url=http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4696/saber01ox5.jpg>my favorite video game character.
 

WolfMage

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NeutralDrow said:
Join the club. I'm losing sleep over Kana: Little Sister these days.
I'm gonna have to make that club at my college.
The "We don't get enough sleep because we're up playing porn games" club.

NeutralDrow said:
You live in the midwest? Well, you already know roughly what the weather is like...especially in summer (humidity and sudden rain that a Southern California person like myself wasn't used to). Not as much snow where I was (Yokohama), but it did snow twice, which was apparently unusual. Otherwise...really pretty country, sidewalks and cars are really small (the people aren't; I even noticed people around my height of 6'1"), people are generally polite (though foreigners do draw a lot of stares), it's not really as expensive as the reputation states (depending on where you live, I suppose), the public transportation is wonderful...really, I do want to go back some day.
Hmm, might not want to live there then, cause I despise the weather and such here.
And I'm none too good at learning new languages.

Evilsanta said:
Is Fate/stay Night that good? Neutral, you seem to worship it. And Wolfmage, I'm glad that another soul has been blessed by the eroge!
Glad to have found the light... Reflecting off the tits.
Also, Neutral, nice character. Really gotta get the game now.
 

NeutralDrow

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WolfMage said:
NeutralDrow said:
Join the club. I'm losing sleep over Kana: Little Sister these days.
I'm gonna have to make that club at my college.
The "We don't get enough sleep because we're up playing porn games" club.
Er...I wouldn't use...quite that wording, perhaps... >_<

<color=aliceblue>Line break color-testing.

(Especially not for that game. I don't like Yumi all that much, and she's got the inevitable sex scenes; Kana's actually got very few.)

NeutralDrow said:
You live in the midwest? Well, you already know roughly what the weather is like...especially in summer (humidity and sudden rain that a Southern California person like myself wasn't used to). Not as much snow where I was (Yokohama), but it did snow twice, which was apparently unusual. Otherwise...really pretty country, sidewalks and cars are really small (the people aren't; I even noticed people around my height of 6'1"), people are generally polite (though foreigners do draw a lot of stares), it's not really as expensive as the reputation states (depending on where you live, I suppose), the public transportation is wonderful...really, I do want to go back some day.
Hmm, might not want to live there then, cause I despise the weather and such here.
And I'm none too good at learning new languages.
Admittedly, I pretty much stuck in the Kanto region of middle Honshu, with a few short jaunts into Kansai (Kyoto and Nara mainly, I was only in Osaka for a couple days) and Kyushu. Might be different farther north; I just wound up studying in Yokohama instead of Gifu or Aomori.

The latter would be more of a difficult barrier, if you wanted to go out of the larger cities. Truth be told, though, I'm still not that great with Japanese, though I knew enough to get by...halfway through my stay, at least.

Evilsanta said:
Is Fate/stay Night that good? Neutral, you seem to worship it. And Wolfmage, I'm glad that another soul has been blessed by the eroge!
Glad to have found the light... Reflecting off the tits.
Also, Neutral, nice character. Really gotta get the game now.
Saber's awesome. You'll find Rin's fans everywhere, and I admit to having a rather large soft spot for the sexy goddess who is Sakura (especially since she's easily the most maligned of the characters, very unfairly in my opinion), but Saber's who I always come back to.
 

Evilsanta

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So do you know where to get Fate/Stay legally? As i dont want to torrent it. And thanks to google i know there is an english patch, which means i dont have to use my crappy japanese language skills.
 

Evilsanta

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Rodyle2 said:
Evilsanta said:
So do you know where to get Fate/Stay legally? As i dont want to torrent it. And thanks to google i know there is an english patch, which means i dont have to use my crappy japanese language skills.
A mere 100 dollars from PlayAsia, last I checked.

:
A 100$ you have to be kidding right? Thats like 1000 Swedish Kroner (which is a lot) I got GTA4, Dragon Age: Aweking and Assassins Creed 2 for that much.
 

Evilsanta

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:[/quote]

A 100$ you have to be kidding right? Thats like 1000 Swedish Kroner (which is a lot) I got GTA4, Dragon Age: Aweking and Assassins Creed 2 for that much.[/quote]
Importing is a losing game. Also FSN is longer than all 3 of those put together.[/quote]

Argh, quote fail. Really, longer than all 3 put together? I know that some VN are long (pulling allnighter is so tiresome) il guess il use the *cough* less legal way *cough* then.
 

NeutralDrow

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Evilsanta said:
So do you know where to get Fate/Stay legally? As i dont want to torrent it. And thanks to google i know there is an english patch, which means i dont have to use my crappy japanese language skills.
Yeah, there's that one legal copy that I know of. And it keeps getting more expensive (it was $75 in late 2008). I just noted that it was used and didn't bother, just went with the torrent...and if you ask the same question about Tsukihime, no. If there ever was a legal copy, it'd be $400 by now and buried on some Japanese auction site.

Also, ignore Rodyle. Ilya is clearly greater than her maids. And he forgot to put Sakura anywhere on there.