Voice Gamer, Love Plus
Originally I wanted to write a post about voice in games–simply put, there is a terrific amount of great voice work in many modern games today, and it’s an area where I’m seriously underexposed, being someone who really doesn’t have much time to play video games. Getting a DS was almost like an eye-opener for me in that now portable games are getting voices (and also squeeze in more game time on the go). But at this point I’m just getting a feel as to what’s “good” to play; looking for those accessible titles that are on the DS or PSP, and have a lot of voice overs and cut scenes. But like a serious relationship it might get monogamous! (LOL.)
Well, thanks to Love Plus, I can stay monogamous. And I can write this blog post like a cheesy television ad for an e-personal site. Or a TV ad for an erectile dysfunction remedy. [I’m so going to get spammed for saying that.]
[Love Plus is not for everyone. If you can’t handle playing a text-heavy game all in Japanese, or you can’t live with the knowledge that you may have played a dating sim in the past, don’t play Love Plus. If you don’t like playing games where the character art is married to aliasing on a Nintendo DS display, consult a lonely otaku near you. Side effects may include sighful smiles, daydreaming, and decrease in productivity. If you have an online debate on the topic of Love Plus lasting over four hours, get a life. (Women who are pregnant or could become pregnant…could play Love Plus. Actually I wonder what would they think about the game once they get to play it, pregnancy status notwithstanding.)]
Back to the voices–now that I’ve actually played Love Plus to some extent, I can say that not only the full-voiced NDS game is a huge boon, but so is the new pronunciation method where you can just use a standard, common Japanese name and hear them just say it, pre-recorded. It is leagues better than hearing them crunch hiragana keys together. Of course that is an option too, and who knows, it could be charming hearing Saori Hayami trying to do that text-to-speech thing.
The game is very detailed, down to the text messages the girls trade with you. I enjoy the whole mail system where they add a touch of real time in a mostly not-so-real time game, and in a way that doesn’t affect the overall gameplay style. That said I haven’t really gone ahead much with the second part of the game, even if that is the “fun” part according to Famitsu. The game is structured so that once you unlock whoever’s “ending” in the first part of the game, she becomes your steady and you can do all of those displays of affection things, or whatever they call that in Japan.
Despite the monogamy claim, there are three girls in Love Plus, so there’s no reason to try it out a different way the second or third time. The game is also very attentive to detail, to the degree that on the load game screen, they display 3 load slots, lol. I seriously do not think that is a coincidence!
I’m a bit surprised how much voice work may have been put in this game considering the limits of the DS cartridge space but I can say that after playing for quite a while those limits will start to dawn at you. I’m starting through the second part of the game and already some of her text messages repeat, as well as some of the voice events whenever you’re walking with her to and from school. She would also repeat some lines whenever you’re on a date.
I think the second part is a gimmick where there is slow-but-sure item and event unlocks to lengthen your potential gameplay. That along with the real-time clock (but there is a skip mode too where you play as quickly as in the first part) would provide a potential hundreds of hours of intermittent gameplay, that is… if you are really hooked into it. It may take you quite a while to unlock many dating places or events for a few bits of reward like new lines of voice (maybe new clothes or gifts to give but I’ve not even unlocked the gifts part yet).
You can run into those repeat bits even in the first part. You can trigger “walking home” or “walking to school” events pretty easily over the course of the whole first 100 days or however long and it’ll eventually run out of things to say.
I think I don’t mind repetition at all. It’s definitely immediately less rewarding in the second half, and that’s just a matter of you liking the girl you’ve been playing with or not :p
Repetition isn’t all that bad. You learn stuff that way. Haha.
Can’t wait to get mine in the mail on Tuesday.
For reference: http://www.tsukuru.info/tlwiki/index.php?title=Love_Plus
I’ve been getting more headway in the post-confession life with Rinko. And damn she is moe. I imagine when I get to this point with Takane I’ll totally become a nutbladder splotch on the ground.
Well as someone who has played this game for quite a while I can say this much. If your good you can manage the first part of the game within 50 - 60 in game days. I got my confession from the lovely 小早川凛子 at day 62, and it took that long mostely because I was courting まなかちゃん for the first 30ish days. so in retrospect, you could possibly complete it on or around 30 or 40 IGD.
As for repetition in the game, well it’s bound to happen. Only so much can be put into the game. And realistially, even with a real girl you WILL run out of things to say. 40,000ish scripts spread between 3 girls. soo…. I guess thats what 13,333ish scripts each. minus events and such that are predetermined in the game such as confessions, and such. also each girl has 3 personality styles to try and match your preference in girls. so even then that leaves you with about 4-5,000 different conversations scripted out. within a month you probably talk about a million different times with people. so in comparasin this is far less to work with than in reality. But take into account it is all Voice acted and on a DS cart. It really is amazing. I hope that a ’sequel’ is released. DS carts will only get better. With technology advancing the way it is. I wouldn’t be surprised if they would make carts that hold a gig or more information for a game like this. I would try at least.
All in all it’s not a true relacement for a flesh and blood girl, but if your single… it nice to have that allusion of affection to fall back on. Otaku have a need for games like these. And I am happy to see something come out on the DS to fill this need without it being a dirty ecchi game.
As for some unlockables you can unlock many different outfits for the girls by going to successfull dates and having positive skinship sessions, and kissing sessions. There are about 20 or 30 outfits for each girl, some of them are combination of different tops and bottoms giving even more potential outfits. Some are even cosplay. Cosplay outfits can be seen in Love Plus by winning a nice friendly game of roshambo aka janken. (rock paper scissors) Rock is GU, paper is Pa or Pan, but don’t stress the n. Scissors is Cho-Ki. its a 2 out of three game so win twice and see her get into a cute outfit just for you.
If you set a date in RTM dont forget to keep it. So set it for a time you know you will be able to pick up your DS and play. It DOES matter. Giving gifts is not an ‘unlockable’ thing. To get a gift for the girl it has to be near certain events. Such as white day or golden week. Christmas or her birthday.
And a final tip to those of you who arent quite getting it. Remember its a japanese date sim. The Japanese are far more self consious of their appearnce in public. So watch those two little eyeballs on the top screen when your trying to initiate skinship. don.t touch if the little people indicator is flashing or above 2 marks. 1 mark and zero, its ok to initiate touch, 2 marks its ok to initiate safe touch, such as hand or shoulder. 3 or flashing DO NOT TOUCH! will get negative response from girl because of it being embarrassing to be lovey in public where people can see you.
Good luck! And Happy courting!
Ok well i have the game but can’t really read to much japanese i am a novice, I have a gf [on the game] how do you get to where you can play rock paper scissors?
once you “finish” the girl you can access the love plus mode, where you can play random games with her.
Um what exactly do you mean by finish or how do you do that? She is my lover so is she finished? prob not right?