Questions

[inappropriately_gendered_fungus]

I literally just saw this. I know nothing, but I'm an Urobuchi fan from Madoka and Fate/Zero. I've also played a bit of Fate/Stay Night (patched). I don't care for gratuitous sex scenes, but I see some topics about how important stuff is only included with the patch. Is this true? Does it include gratuitous sex scenes? Is there an option for them? Is there something really good here that's not TOO disturbing? I'm not big into horror, but I like Urobuchi and I've considered getting into vns more.

[DarkChaplain]

You definitely want it *with* the censored content included (so you'll have to buy the patch off of JAST's site, or buy the uncensored edition there). It's part of the story, and really not good to replace with anything else.

To make a comparison to Fate/stay night... it's a different case, really. The Fate route especially was super clumsy about its sex scenes (I almost fell off the chair laughing at how poorly written it was), but they weren't so integral to the overall story that it stopped Type-Moon from writing replacement scenes for the console release. They just had to use a different method of explaining the mana-transfer process between Shirou and Saber.

Here, it's really part of the point, part of the horror and character development. It's not something you can adequately replace with an equivalent piece of writing.

As for how disturbing it is.. Well, pretty damn disturbing. The gore/gruesome imagery can be blurred or otherwise toned down - the game asks you upfront if you'd like to do so - but from the first background artwork on, you can tell that it really isn't for the faint of heart. In some Visual Novels, the upsetting parts and gore happen way down the line, but here, it's on full blast. It all makes sense as part of the protagonist's perspective, but if you balk at that kind of stuff, I'd rather recommend staying away.

It's not pretty. It's highly compelling and intriguing, but it isn't pretty. If you risk and can handle it, you'll probably find something very special, though. Not exactly a beginner VN, however.

[El Fuerte]

"Disturbing" is just a nickname when it comes to Saya No Uta lol.

Nevertheless that is no reason to miss on this masterpiece. If there was ever a VN i would recommend to someone who don't even like VNs in the first place, it would be this one.

[scythewielder]

Here's the thing: most of the people complaining haven't played this version.

They just assume what is cut. Without knowing for sure.

As for me, I believe the sex and nudity isn't necessary.

You can establish the character relationships even without that.

[FlyingTorcensoredWhale]

Originally posted by scythewielder:

Here's the thing: most of the people complaining haven't played this version.

They just assume what is cut. Without knowing for sure.

As for me, I believe the sex and nudity isn't necessary.

You can establish the character relationships even without that.

It's not about relationships in this case, though. It's literally about horror.

[Ardanis]

Originally posted by scythewielder:

Here's the thing: most of the people complaining haven't played this version.

They just assume what is cut. Without knowing for sure.

As for me, I believe the sex and nudity isn't necessary.

You can establish the character relationships even without that.

Sex scenes are integral parts of character development here. Not relationship between two partners, but psychological development of character's perspective. You can certainly play the cut version, the story should still pack a wallop without those scenes, but it's gonna be bleaker.

[SonofTzeentch9]

There is some dialogue between characters during those scenes and internal thoughts of the protagonist that can be missed - normally I'd say you can skip on that if you don't want to delve too deeply, since you can kinda get the main gist of the story without it.

But if you are an Urobochi fan, well...

You'll probably have to get the patch then I'd say. I also recommend just arranging yourself with the fact that there is porn in many nitroplus games. This game and Kikokugai the Cyber Slayer are absolute must reads, and in both sex is an integral part of the plot; Urobochi didn't write these stories in such a way that they are "the plot" + random porn; instead they are (fortunately or unfortunately) written with the porn scenes very much in mind. The plus is that they feel less out of place, the minus is...well if you don't like porn scenes, they are kinda unavoidable.

Just my 2 cents as an Urobochi fan.

[scythewielder]

Yet those thoughts can be included in text form, even without having to show you two naked people explicitly having sex.

I don't mind porn, actually. I'm fine with that. But I also don't think seeing the sex is inevitably required to tell this particular story, let alone always "good".

Folks can use the patch, if they want. I don't think it's an obligation.

[SonofTzeentch9]

Originally posted by scythewielder:

Yet those thoughts can be included in text form, even without having to show you two naked people explicitly having sex.

I don't mind porn, actually. I'm fine with that. But I also don't think seeing the sex is inevitably required to tell this particular story, let alone always "good".

Folks can use the patch, if they want. I don't think it's an obligation.

I agree, but not if you're a fan of the particular author. Then the depictions actually matter. Also if you want to engage more deeply with the overall production. But to get the general gist, the pornographic content is totally skipable, sure, and even the thoughts of those characters in those scenes can be missed out on.

Nihilistically one could say you can put anything just in text form, but then we're questioning the very existence and point of a visual novel. No need to go that far.

[SonofTzeentch9]

As for opinions regarding the disturbing nature of the story's content - the gore isn't very gratuitous, people are kind of equating the fleshy meatbag look of everything with the "gore". Whether or not the story is overall disturbing, I dunno, that depends on what you're used to.

I read a lot of cthulhoid and lovecraftian fiction, so for me it's average. It's more disturbing than Madoka (unless you weren't expecting the direction Madoka would go in, in which case Madoka is way more disturbing than this courteously up-front horror game). I've said this in another thread, but it's no Mortal Kombat and it's also no American Psycho (the book); it does not skimp on portrayals, but doesn't really overdo them or elongate them needlessly either.

Probably "mildly disturbing" I guess if you're into horror, and "quite, but not over the top disturbing" if you're not.