Playable Only Once

[Aerin]

I finished Rin's path first and had the exact same feeling. It destroyed me for days, emotionally, and I didn't think there was any possible way for me to play it again.

Still, it seemed a waste to only play 20% of something so well thought out.

I just finished the Shizune route last night, and I'm really glad I chose her second. It too was very well written and engaging, but never reaches the heart-breaking lows of Rin's story. I was a good palette cleanser, as it were. While I wouldn't say that Shizune's story was as effecting as Rin's, I did come out of it with a better understanding of who she is and what makes her tick, which made it all worth it. Though I do have to say that the sex was a little less.. earned. It didn't feel wrong or voyeuristic with Rin. It... kinda did at the end with Shizune. It just wasn't cathartic.

Working on Emi now. Like Shizune, I like her but... it's just not the same. Only in the second act though, so there's a lot of time for me to change my mind.

Next is Hanako, then Lilly. I look to enjoy them, but I really don't think that anything is going to match the impact of Rin's good end,standing there with her arms open wide, finally accepting that she can be what she is and doesn't have to change for anyone, Hisao included.

[KaneTaker]

Why is everyone so worried about Hanako? She actually does better in Lilly's route then her own. Isn't the whole point of her route that she doesn't need to be rescued?

But Hisao realizes that as well, which I think is the point. Remember in Lilly's route Hanako starts to blossom AFTER the point that ends Hanako's story. So I think that all still happens...but now with Hisao along with her.

[KaneTaker]

Aerin, I think Emi may surprise you. It starts off pretty fluffy...but once things get serious, no surprises, but their is more depth than their appears to her.

[Aerin]

Aerin, I think Emi may surprise you. It starts off pretty fluffy...but once things get serious, no surprises, but their is more depth than their appears to her.

Oh, I've been lurking around the forums long enough to have a vague idea of what's in store for me for the rest of the routes. I'm well aware that Emi and Hanako are going to probably tear me a new emotion-hole. I just don't think that they're going to be able to compare to that first, raw, unexpected play through.

[KaneTaker]

Oh, with that I will agree. You just don't expect to get that much real emotion from a VN and it can really blindside you. Each path since has been a bit less overwhelming.

[A Humbled Fan]

Oh, with that I will agree. You just don't expect to get that much real emotion from a VN and it can really blindside you. Each path since has been a bit less overwhelming.

I think I'm gonna have to wait a little while before I start her path... Not quite ready to replay that experience again haha

[MechaMew2]

I felt this exact same way. Everytime I moved on, it was like "Jeez... this doesn't feel right for a bit."

[Theeyebrowsofdoom]

I know what you people are going through. I just tell myself there's only one "true" path for Hisao and Hanako, and all the others are interesting what-if scenarios. That said, I haven't actually started a second path after Hanako. I guess I'll see how it goes with Lilly since she's the closest person to her.

[A Humbled Fan]

I played Lilly's arc after finishing Hanakos... yet I couldnt seem to shake the feeling that I was sort of cheating on her

Just watch out for that.

[Tomate]

Why is everyone so worried about Hanako? She actually does better in Lilly's route then her own. Isn't the whole point of her route that she doesn't need to be rescued?

quoted for truth

[ziamatt]

I played Lilly's arc after finishing Hanakos... yet I couldnt seem to shake the feeling that I was sort of cheating on her

Just watch out for that.

I'm playing Lilly's route right now and getting exactly that feeling.

[Adjuchas]

For me, the first read through on most of the stories left me feeling pretty dejected.
Completing all of the stories and starting again helped a lot, it gave me a fresh perspective on the characters. For example, I played through Rin first and thought I had the bad ending, turned out to be the good ending! It wasn't until I played through Emi's story that I was able to fully get a grasp of who Rin really is (which helped me understand what was going on a lot better on my second time through).
Another example is Kenji and to a lesser extent, Yuuko: Their bits are much more interesting when you've seen them from all of the different perspectives.

[A Humbled Fan]

I played Lilly's arc after finishing Hanakos... yet I couldnt seem to shake the feeling that I was sort of cheating on her

Just watch out for that.

I'm playing Lilly's route right now and getting exactly that feeling.

I think it's kind of hard not to...

[ziamatt]

I played Lilly's arc after finishing Hanakos... yet I couldnt seem to shake the feeling that I was sort of cheating on her

Just watch out for that.

I'm playing Lilly's route right now and getting exactly that feeling.

I think it's kind of hard not to...

Especially since their routes are so similar due to their closeness. You could easily re-write Lilly's route as Hanako's with little effort, at least what I've played of it so far.

[A Humbled Fan]

Especially since their routes are so similar due to their closeness. You could easily re-write Lilly's route as Hanako's with little effort, at least what I've played of it so far.

Not only that, but I sort of developed an attachment to Hanako as a character. It just felt wrong not looking for her in the library vs going to town to find lilly. Choosing to go to Lilly instead felt like i was abandoning Hanako. /feels