VN - Others - Completed - Riddle Joker [Final] [Yuzusoft]

Another Standard Yuzusoft title that doesn't particularly stand out among the others (both in a good way and a bad way). The art, UI and voice acting are all top-notch however beyond that things are pretty... meh.

The story in this one was really subpar and uninteresting. I won't spoil anything but the main "conflict," leaves much to be desired. This is mostly due to how little time is actually spent on it and also it's absence in almost all routes besides one. It feels extremely underwhelming additonally because of how little time was actually spent building it up and actually executing it. It gets resvolved and brought up so fast that it doesn't even feel like an actual problem. I also didn't enjoy the heroines in this game as much as other Yuzusoft VNs, they aren't "bad," but aren't very memorable either (Besides Ayase). The h-scenes are plentiful and the art/ voice acting is great but their placements in the route is just terrible. Having 3 h-scenes play one after another with nothing else happening in the story is simply bad placement. The MC of this game is a typical dense, no personality, kind self-insert. This makes him feel particularly incompetent even though he is supposed to be a "secret agent," it's yet another idea that Yuzusoft manages to do so terribly.

Play this game if you like drawn-out moeges without regard for story.

I highly recommend this game. I haven't finished all routes, so maybe I'll change my opinion later on. But the amount of small setup done, the amount of solid characters, and the way the story utilizes it's world to build great moments that do not rely on spectacle, just character motivations and issues has me in awe.

I figured out most of the twists early on, or at least suspected them. But not (just) because of chlichés and tropes, but because of solid and subtle foreshadowing and hints.

It is just a solid story, which I did not expect at all.

Edit: After finishing a second route, I have to say, the routes vary wildly in quality. Second route was still good, but nowhere near as good as the first.

Final edit: I have now finished the game as a whole and sadly take back some of the praise I have given the game. Out of the 5 routes

• Story 1
  Spoiler

  You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.
  is excellent, with just an overall strong story, an the great setups and pay-offs i have described earlier.
• Story 2
  Spoiler

  You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.
  is great, with less off a payoff and some significant flaws, but stronger emotional moments.
• Story 3 and 4
  Spoiler

  You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.
  are significantly weaker, but still good, tying less into the "main plot" and feel more like sidestories, which are still worth playing for the excellent character moments, as well as good moral dilemmas, of the MC's position, that other routes only slightly explore.
• The last
  Spoiler

  You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.
  is absolute garbage. It adds nothing to the overall story, it has by far the weakest character in the entire game, and for some forsaken reason needs to be unlocked by finishing any other route. Don't play.

I still highly recommend this game. A lot less than after my first route though.