Katawa Shoujo

[Bamyasi]

Like his namesake, Dust collects on decade old topics.

I really wanted to like Katawa Shoujo when I read it like a year and a half ago, but most of the endings left me kind of cold. There just wasn't enough meaningful character development for my taste. Most of the possible love interests ended up being exactly as they seemed from the get-go, right up until their respective endings, without ever really growing or acting in a surprising way (except Misha, who I did feel was well developed (pun intended I guess (sigh))). Like Rin for example, her central trait turned out to be her very resistance to change, which just made me feel empty (I have had friends/lovers like her and those people are genuine nightmares). It also bothered me that Hanako could never really transcend her hangups and no one ever called her beautiful or whatever.

So yeah, Katawa Shoujo depressed me, but not for the right reasons. I had more like emotional blue balls when I finished it than the emotional orgasm a lot of other people described.

I'm just gonna throw my dignity out the window. This VN actually made me depressed.

If you want something in a somewhat similar vein, read Narcissu (I think bd624 recommended me this one originally). I've also heard Muv-Luv Alternative is really depressing but I still haven't made it through the first one. Key's games are depressing but only if you fall for their evil manipulative ways.

The most depressing VN I've actually finished in my opinion is still Saya no Uta, mostly because of the age I was when I read it and how hard it hit me. It's great if your a fuckin cynic with a heart as black as coal like me!

Saya no Uta OST 02 SABBATH

^Probably my favorite track from any VN I've read^
(admittedly only a handful and mostly horror ones)

Edit: edited for literacy.

[rtil]

So yeah, Katawa Shoujo depressed me, but not for the right reasons. I had more like emotional blue balls when I finished it than the emotional orgasm a lot of other people described.

reminder that KS was the first experience most people had with a VN who had that kind of reaction

[Dust]

If KS hit me this hard I don't know how I'd survive anything else, though the ones Bamyasi mentioned does sound interesting.

[Bamyasi]

reminder that KS was the first experience most people had with a VN who had that kind of reaction

Yeah I'm totally willing to believe the "virgin effect" is at play here. SnU was one of the first, if not the first, VN I played so there you go.

[michaell]

lol

[Gladius]

Yeah I'm totally willing to believe the "virgin effect" is at play here.

u bet

[Bamyasi]

At least someone appreciates my hilarious joke.

Also michaell would be all over this game if it was about dating serial killers.

Kira Shoujo.