My 21st Visual Novel is complete! Read more for my short review on this fantastic VN. Now that I've finished Cross Channel, there are tons of other VNs that I want to read but I think I will hold out for the English release of Steins;gate. I've already had my limited edition copy pre-ordered from rightstuf for months and it is scheduled for release on March 31st so it won't be a long wait. Schoolwork will keep me busy til then! Gunjo Gakuen (Deep Blue School) is a facility designed to gather and isolate those students who got a high score on an adaptation exam (Scoring high on this exam indicates that the student is less likely to be able to be adapted to the society) mandated by the government. Cross Channel is a unconventional VN that is far deeper than what VNDB's description indicates. Ultimately it is a character driven story that deals with with the relationships between people, how one person affects another, and the need for contact with other humans. The character development in Cross Channel is the true highlight of the novel. We get to see the good, the bad, and the worst of what each character has to offer; in return, we also get to see how they each grow and learn to deal with their inner problems. The second highlight is Romeo Tanaka's writing style. Without it, this VN wouldn't have been nearly as good as it is. It is often times hard to understand and follow some of the lines in the game but the folks over at Amateratsu Translations have done a wonderful job with the translation and with providing TL notes to explain some of the references and lines made. The phrase, "Show, don't tell" is cliched and often times misused, but Tanaka really understands how to put it to use. His writing allows us to really understand all the complexities and emotions that goes through each character's minds, especially Taichi's. In addition, his play on words often lead to pretty amusing lines. The music in this VN is fitting for most of the situations offered in Cross Channel, but it is lacking in depth and variety. The art on the other hand is pretty good for considering its age (2003). There are plenty of H scenes and pantsu shots but they never detract from the storyline as they are used either humorously or part of the plot. The voice acting in Cross Channel is done superbly; each voice actor does a fine job at portray their character. The one that stands out to me is Youko's; She is cold, calculating, and manipulative. and her voice actor never fails in portraying that. As Cross Channel is a unconventional VN with lots of confusing dialogue and lines, I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner. Instead, read something like Planetarian or True Remembrance. For VN veterans who are looking for something that dares to be different, then Cross Channel is a classic that should be read by any fan of the medium. Rating - 9.5/10 - You'll either love Cross Channel or hate it, depending on if you can tolerate the slow start, Taichi's perversions, and Romeo Tanaka's writing style.
1 Comment
Michael
3/20/2014 11:15:19 am
Yes... plot. Glorious plot. http://www.reddit.com/r/WatchItForThePlot/
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Welcome to The Emotional Skyscraper, a blog for touhou/doujin music recommendations, games, visual novels, and other otaku related oddities.
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Games: Atelier Escha & Logy Anime: None Emoskyis a full time otaku & audiophile who enjoys listening to Touhou music, playing doujin games, and reading visual novels. For more information, visit the About page. Categories
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