VN - Others - Completed - Shuffle ! [Navel]

SHUFFLE is a VN with a lot of issues, but what ends up being personally striking, is how unremarkable this is (the most important personal memory, is the failure to implement the premise successfully, or in a way that is appealing), and it feels like SHUFFLE received little kindness from the passage of time. Still, some virtues can be found.

Positive:
- Premise is interesting; Art style can be charming ("retro". Personal); Lots of heroines, and archetypes (large cast); Attempts at worldbuilding (just the attempts); Some comedy, and expected conventions; More traditional supernatural can be a good thing (better than "unrewarding convoluted").

Negative:
- Premise doesn't go anywhere; Setting remains lackluster even with fantastical elements; Worldbuilding could have been the saving grace, but that doesn't happen; "Full-on harem route" would have been welcome; Limited VN in many regards; Routes are too short (main problem of the VN).

Score: 5/10. Proper storytelling and heroine route duration, are stopping SHUFFLE from becoming an enjoyable classic. The score accounts for the title's ability to provide "moege goodness". In that sense this is recommended, and if you play it casually it's not that bad.

Have to agree with Avaron1974. Although MC is not obnoxious as most in many ways I find him more annoying, he is incredibly lazy and dishonest and his self justification as he exploits, uses and molests (yes accidents happen but when you drag the accident out to satisfy your perverted nature its molesting). His selfish nature and total disregard for boundaries while judging everyone else for far less transgressions moronic.

The female characters are all quirky with depth and charm even the side characters but the male characters seriously suck one and all.

The artwork and writing is quite good and balance between comedy and romance decent but regardless if either of fathers, best friend or the MC the men just sucked all the life from story.

I tried so hard. I love romance so this was right up my alley and people told me it was great.

They lied.

It gets 3 stars because Asa, Nerine, Sia and Primula (before he gets pedo) are all adorable in their own way. Kaede is your typical bland childhood friend and the MC .... that fucking MC .... what a prick.

No matter what route you try he can never just say what he needs to say. It's typical in this kind of novel but it's always frustrating. If I was a straight and had to deal with a guy that couldn't just say what's on his mind i'd have dropped him faster than Paris Hilton's panties.

On top of that he demands things of her while doing nothing.

I can't think of one good point to this MC.

The truly sad thing is he's exactly the same as a lot of male MC's in Japanese romance VN's. I hear this kind of thing is popular with Japanese women, I don't like it personally.

Fortunately the girls, well, most of the girls save it. Nerine and Sia are the princesses of the devils and gods respectively and along with their dads provide a ton of entertainment.

Asa is pretty much what I look for in a partner. Physically fit, attractive, shortish hair and enjoys a bit of banter.

Primula is adorable until the game goes full on creepy mode and gives her a romance route.

This would have been awesome with an MC like the one in the Majikoi series. A bit of intelligence and knows what is going on around him while also being able to say what's on his mind. Even for those of us that prefer immersion with female MC's find guys like that to be liable and tolerable to play.