A visual novel is an interactive fiction game, featuring mostly static graphics, most often using anime-style art or occasionally live-action stills (and sometimes video footage). As the name might suggest, they resemble mixed-media novels.
In Japanese terminology, a distinction is often made between visual novels proper (abbreviated NVL), which consist predominantly of narration and have very few interactive elements, and adventure games (abbreviated AVG or ADV), which may incorporate problem-solving and other types of gameplay. This distinction is normally lost outside Japan, where both NVLs and ADVs are commonly referred to as "visual novels" by international fans. Visual novels and ADVs are especially prevalent in Japan, where they made up nearly 70% of the PC game titles released in 2006.
Visual novels are distinguished from other game types by their extremely minimal gameplay. Typically the majority of player interaction is limited to clicking to keep the text, graphics and sound moving (most recent games offer "play" or "fast-forward" toggles that make even this unnecessary).
Most visual novels have multiple storylines and many endings; the gameplay mechanic in these cases typically consists of intermittent multiple-choice decision points, where the player selects a direction in which to take the game.
Katakamuna - Ushinawareta Ingaritsu: Published by the moderately sized Japanese production house, Alchemist, Katakamuna is the latest in the company's long line of interactive novels and adventure-sims that are guaranteed to never appear on American soil. For this adventure, the storyline follows a young male high school student with no name who is magically transported from his summer camp to ancient Japan.
Kind of like a reverse Fushigi Yuugi without the prophecies, Katakamuna quickly encourages its male protagonist to meet new female friends and solve the mystery of why he mysteriously traveled back in time, and how (and if) he can return to his own time period. The game boasts quite a large amount of voice over work in addition to a ton of traditional written text to help tell the story. Moreover, there will be a number of branching dialogue trees that alter the plot and change the final outcome of the story.
CHARACTERS:
- Izanami: the quiet queen of the ancient Japanese kingdom that our hero travels to
- Sachika: the sharp-witted daughter of a rival queen
- Yuki: a friend of the main character from modern time
- Tsukoyomi: a brazen warrior from another kingdom who has been nicknamed "The Forbidden Shrine Maiden".
The deluxe pack will feature a 40-page art book that details the various environments of the adventure, in addition to a limited edition mouse pad, various stickers, and an exclusive "vanity case packaging.
MANUFACTURER'S DESCRIPTION:
Visual novel of dramatic story that will be deployed back and forth the ancient and modern. It follows that by the choice of an option that appears in the key points of the story, the story along the heroine of four people to expand, to celebrate the ending of the excitement of each. He started from Japan today, and trying to enjoy the epic story that transcends time to the future and ancient Japan.
FEATURES:
- First person perspective.
- 2D graphics
- Cartoon graphics
- Medieval Japan, Fantasy & Anime themes.
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