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Samurai Love Ballad: Mitsunari Routes
Oct. 28th, 2019 09:48 amToday is the day that I have to choose my ending and I am dithering about it. One thing I like about this game is that for characters who were killed in history you get to choose if you want the historical ending or an AU happy ending. I was planning all along to choose the AU but now that I am here I'm not sure, I think I might need a good cathartic cry more than a wish fulfillment fantasy.
So I will delay by writing some thoughts about the game and the routes so far.
The game mechanics are very similar to Ikemen Sengoku: half a chapter a day for free, some upsells for premium routes. The big difference is that it is *much* easier to get free or cheap extra chapter tickets and such. Also the premium routes are word for word identical, you just get a cg. I've spent some money on it, but this is more out of a sense that this is a very good game and I want to give it money than out of any real necessity.
Another big difference: some characters have two routes and the second starts when you are already in an established relationship. I finished Mitsunari's first route and then immediately started his second route, which I am near the end of now.
In terms of content: the characters are much darker. There may be LIs in this universe who aren't terrible people but if so I haven't met them. I guess if they weren't terrible they'd be doing something other than warmongering. But they are all interestingly terrible and terrible in different ways.
Also, this game assumes that same-sex relationships exist in this universe, and you get references to past m/m relationships for LIs. Which is nice.
These routes been very emotionally affecting, to the point that I've had a hard time writing about them. There's a lot in them to engage with, both intellectually and emotionally, and sometimes no clear resolution.
( Spoilers. CN: painful gender issues. )
ETA: I went with the AU happy ending. So far I'm glad I did.
So I will delay by writing some thoughts about the game and the routes so far.
The game mechanics are very similar to Ikemen Sengoku: half a chapter a day for free, some upsells for premium routes. The big difference is that it is *much* easier to get free or cheap extra chapter tickets and such. Also the premium routes are word for word identical, you just get a cg. I've spent some money on it, but this is more out of a sense that this is a very good game and I want to give it money than out of any real necessity.
Another big difference: some characters have two routes and the second starts when you are already in an established relationship. I finished Mitsunari's first route and then immediately started his second route, which I am near the end of now.
In terms of content: the characters are much darker. There may be LIs in this universe who aren't terrible people but if so I haven't met them. I guess if they weren't terrible they'd be doing something other than warmongering. But they are all interestingly terrible and terrible in different ways.
Also, this game assumes that same-sex relationships exist in this universe, and you get references to past m/m relationships for LIs. Which is nice.
These routes been very emotionally affecting, to the point that I've had a hard time writing about them. There's a lot in them to engage with, both intellectually and emotionally, and sometimes no clear resolution.
( Spoilers. CN: painful gender issues. )
ETA: I went with the AU happy ending. So far I'm glad I did.
