East Tower - Akio

Game rating: 6/10 Playing time: About 2 hours (very cozy played for a Run) Summary: + funny and quite decent story + well-done Intro (reminiscent of an Anime opening) + Good Voice-acting (in Japanese, but the Protagonist was not Shot) + 3 different Endings + Few but very light puzzles + collectible cards + easily achievable Achievements (but requires exploring d. Dialogables)-only the first Part with the Character Akio, the other Parts must be purchased extra (Cost of the Other 3 Parts total about €33-Total Package cheaper. Status: August 2017)-after each Level, the Notice is made that you should share your Status on Facebook, etc. -Mild Graphics problems with the Steam Overlay (at Game Launch) Comment: Before I bought and played East Tower – Akio, my Experience in this Genre was limited to free visual Novel. I therefore had higher Expectations for this Game. Unfortunately, East Tower – Akio has failed to live up to these higher Expectations. But this is by no means a bad Visual Novel. With a Visual Novel, good Graphics and Music may not be the most important Elements. But still, they consciously or unconsciously feed into the Assessment. While I still like the Character Style of the Characters, although it is quite simple and special, I don't like most of The backgrounds. They usually seem very minimalist, unimaginative and are not so well drawn. In part, they are blurry. In doing so, good Backgrounds, where the Characters fit in well, could have really improved the Gaming Experience. Especially when you consider that you have to spend "a lot" of Time in front of the same green Background. The Music is simple, but has its own unique Charm. Unfortunately, I can't say the same of the Sound effects in the Menu. A Tone that just doesn't fit in for me and can really annoy. Even though I understand the Background. Since the Story revolves around a Computer Game or Virtual Reality, this has also been tried to translate into Design. Otherwise, though, I have to admit that I'm a Fan of the Intro. The Music is stirring and the Whole thing is reminiscent of the Beginning of an Anime series. Definitely Stay in the Memory and has its Recognition Value. For me, the most important Points of a Visual Novel are still: History (and, in this Case, translation). [Warning: Light Spoilers ahead!] The most positively prominent Feature of this Visual Novel is definitely the Story. She at least hit my Humour and so I spent a nice Evening with some Laughter. Because the Main Character is a Girl but represents a Boy in the Game, an up and Down of Feelings awaits us. Chaos has been pre-programmed, especially when you consider that the virtual World feels lifelike to Players. Unfortunately, the Story suffers somewhat from the fact that the Character Development, as well as the relationship between the two Main Characters, is being pushed too fast. Sakuya * (* Name can be changed in the Game) would rather be a Boy, dress accordingly – tries partly-so to talk and behave. In the Game, therefore, she chooses a masculine figure. But by meeting Akio, she seems to be increasingly accepting her Femininity within a very short Period of time. You definitely could have made more of it there. The Love Story also proceeds somewhat briskly when you make the right Decisions. But still not a bad Story, I laughed a few Times heartily and that's a lot of Value. The German Translation has not succeeded quite so well. But it is improved throughout history. The Beginning sounds a bit bumpy and there are Spelling Mistakes. The Game Mechanics are probably quite normal for a Visual Novel. Two To three Decisions need to be made per level. These Decisions lead to either the immediate End of the game, a romantic or amicable End of the two Protagonists. Already read texts can be reel forward, but you have to go over the Menu. Verdict: East Tower – Akio is not a bad Visual novel. Certainly the Graphics and the Music is kept quite simple and certainly not to everyone's Taste. But the rather good Story makes for a suitable Balance. It would have been Desirable if the Story had placed more Emphasis on Character Development. The value for money is just as acceptable here – even if €4.99 is already Quite high. If you can do something with Visual Novel, you should give this Game a small Chance.