VN - Unity - Completed - Raging Loop [Final] [Kemco]

Raging loop is a high tier VN featuring a lot of mystery and supernatural elements, using "time loops" as its primary plot device. Basically, if you are used to long VN's (30+ hours), and find the premise interesting, you can't go wrong with this title, so it's an easy recommendation. There's just to one problem to consider, the ending of the VN is very weak compared to the rest, and leaves a bad final impression.

Positive:
- It's one of those multiple route mystery VN's - Your attention is grabbed during the vast majority of Raging Loop's duration, and you are always coming up with more theories to solve some question. It's mystery that gives you clues and misdirection in the proper amount, while providing steady and enjoyable pacing.
- Characters are hiding a lot from you - At first it is less than impressive, you have the cute girl next door, angry old man with gun, smart student with glasses, but as the story progresses, you will find they have plenty going for them, in particular backstory and pre-established connections. Very good characters overall, the protagonist is impressive too and voiced
- Traditional Japanese setting (meaning small rural communities) - It's not that uncommon to see things turning to terror in a small village (happens all the time in fiction), but the worldbuilding here is excellent, whether we are talking about scale, detail, established history, links between events, characters past, or mythology. It's a selling point for me.
- Adult (dark) setting - I don't have anything against sexual content in VN's, quite opposite in fact I like it, but having something that shows a terrible side of humanity, without resorting to (controversial) shock value on 18+ H-scenes, is definitely a win for me. We need more titles that can deliver thrills like this.

Negative:
- The ending segment, and the supernatural that explains things is not as good, as the rest of the VN. Without spoilers all I will say is that it's generic, disappointing, and left me unsatisfied.

Score: Raging loop is an 8/10 and a great VN, that ends up losing points because of the ending. It's still a high tier VN, and recommended if you are a fan of mystery and supernatural combined.

(No sexual content)

Raging Loop commits every writing sin VNs are so often guilty of, but still manages to be more entertaining than most.

The premise is explained from the start, so you're led to expect a real-life 'Mafia' (the party game) situation. But things aren't what they seem--and I don't mean the twists in the plot.

Unfortunately the writers opted to slap a thick layer of supernatural BS to the murder mystery--i.e. magic, gods, time travel--has it all. Problem is that kinda stuff has no place in a game of Mafia (except maybe time travel, in a way).

Mafia is a game with rules, which ostensibly exist in Raging Loop's world. The rules mean people's actions have a degree of logical connection between cause/effect. But the existence of supernatural elements undermines those rules, effectively making the ties to the real-life game, ostensibly a major selling point of the VN, moot.

The story is more about magic, gods & time travel than it is about a fun/deadly game of mystery-solving. Some elements of the game are represented, but the knowledge that every rule can go out the window at any time makes it less fun, and the time travel greatly reduces the sense of stakes.

On the other hand, once you know what to expect, and what not to expect, you still get a fairly interesting setting (albeit cliché), good characters, good VA and a premise which still carries some intrigue, albeit not in relation to the 'game'. Also, the dialogue takes many detours into comedy which seem inappropriate, but the general absurdity of the situation makes it feel not-too out of place, and I liked the jokes anyway.

The story starts with you following a guy going by Haruaki as he takes a midnight ride on his motorcycle, gets into a small accident, and is forced to stay in a small rural village until he can repair his bike. But not all is as it seems as a dense fog rolls in and the village inhabitants are forced to participate in a game of wolves and folklore...

Raging Loop basically takes the idea of Werewolf / Mafia and goes, what if the game actually happened in real-life and had lore (and time-loop shenanigans) to go with it? The end result is a surprisingly engaging mystery / adventure story about a man caught in a mysterious killing game and his attempts to figure out the truth of it all.

The strongest part of Raging Loop's story is how well the characters are written. All of them feel believable and fleshed out, each with their own distinct personalities, reactions, designs / appearances, and so forth which makes the story super engaging to read. Watching how each of them interact with the others in each game of Werewolf and following along with their strategies and logic, predicting what will happen next and playing along with each game, is what makes the story so engaging to read Shoutout especially to Haruaki(?) and Chiemi. Their chemistry is really what drives the slower start forward and overall they're just really engaging characters to follow.

While I have high praise for how engaging each game of Werewolf is in the story, I do have minor complaints near the end of the story. While the larger over-arching mystery does scatter its clues throughout the first part of the story and your time-loop ability is foreshadowed to be something more, the last part of the story radically switches gears. It takes a greater focus on the lore of the game and crazy time-loop scenario. And while it's fine, I just didn't find it as engaging as reading the games of Werewolf in the first part.

In summary, I give Raging Loop an 8/10. Is it perfect? No. I'd say the last part of the story is a little disjointed compared to the first part. But overall, it's a surprisingly good story for a lesser known VN. And published by Kemco of all companies. I thought those guys only published mediocre JRPGs but here stands Raging Loop as an actually good story.

You play as a dirty liar and swindler, who are doing anything in order to progress through story and get a better understanding of the local lore.
And you'll be drowned with the deepness and quality of it, how greatly developed it is. Unbelievably believable story.
Expect loop grinding for progression for the better understanding of the story and lore. Everything else is pretty much basic for VN.
Corresponds to the general atmosphere of the game and emphasizes it.
Not found.
Prayer for Shin'nai is still echoing in my mind, and personalities and names of Yasumizu's village inhabitants engraved in my soul, that's how great this game is...
Very long and thrilling experience, that I must recommend to try by yourself.
There is additional content after completing the game. Don't miss it.
Though, subjectively, content in the EXTRA section mostly not interesting, what I can't say about secret endings, which you can get in the loops after getting final ending

Re:Zero but with werewolfs.

This game may not be porn, but it will give you satisfation in another way. A boner of the mind. A fap of the soul. You will love this if you liked Re:Zero even a bit.

I don't wanna say more than that, the mystery is amazing and I love this story to bits. The behind the scenes team and voice actors even claimed how much the loved this. Its a project of love and it shows.

10/10 Read it.

P.S. There is a post game mode that is a secret if you need any more reason to play. It gives spoilers so don't enable it till you 100% the game it.