Well, we're nearing the end of another NaNoRenO. For those that don't know yet (seriously?), NaNoRenO technically started March 1st but the festivities don't begin until April 1st 12 AM. It is then when we will all get to see what the mixing of talents has brought us. While I haven't spoke a lot about this year's NaNo, I have been keeping my eye on the projects at hand. I doubt I'll be able to cover everything this year...as that has been tried with great failure. However, that doesn't mean there aren't...plans. To that end I wanted to just take a quick look at a few of the projects this year that have caught my eye. This isn't of course a complete list and it doesn't mean anything other than the opinion given...and even then it maybe shouldn't be taken so seriously.
What do I mean by this? Well, let's juts take a look a three particular standouts and you should see what I mean.
Autumn's Journey (Apple Cider Games)
So, perhaps the best way to describe my expectations are with how I was introduced to the idea. First you have M. Beatriz Garcia whom my respect of is well documented, teaming up with a group of talented newcomers (Nellie and Arowana from a2 and Pirate Mermaid, KittyKatStar who worked on Heileen 3) to give life to one of her own ideas. Of course, me being me I'm highly interested as this is the potential to delve into a world I've never experience that, until now, has existed only as in the landscape of an artist's mind...and for those who think that's not interesting at all, I give you M.C. Esher.
So, yeah! I'm all in! What does this brave new world of Ishtera have in story for us Deji?
Ishtera is populated by two races: dragonkind, who have lived there for eons, and the heavenkind who have recently appeared.
The two races have been politely aware of each other, but never intervening, only keeping to their own business. Until now.
Kerr, one of the pupil earth dragons, is cursed by his master after an incident and forced into an unfamiliar human form. He can’t return to his kin until he has atoned for his impudence while learning more about the heavenkind.
Okay I'm sorry. I'm just warming up for a much snarky moment in a little bit. To be absolutely fair despite my malevolent rambling, there is nothing wrong with what I think this EVN is shooting for: a simple, fun story. Unfortunately, wherever people try to do that, 'simple' and 'fun' gets translated to, well, lazy. Learning and accepting things that are different than you is a trope as old as time and it's unavoidable that using said trope can lead to a lack of creativity. However with the right sense of humor and a deft touch it can be done in a way that can be entertaining. It isn't an easy task to be sure and while I appreciate the gamble, that doesn't make the task any easier. So far, Autumn's Journey has already attracted something of a following from those who like to inject all of that heart-warming stuff directly into the veins, so for the rest of us it'll be interesting to see what routes are taken here. While I enjoy my jokes, I do have faith in the girls of Apple Cider (I even discarded a whole list of jokes just on your name!) and what we've seen so far avoids the normal pitfalls.
Then again, I also heard a bit from the opening theme of Autumn's Journey and my teeth nearly fell out from the up-beat, sugar-coatedness of it all....seriously I'm getting a toothache right now just thinking about it. Moving on before I start hummi-GODDAMMIT!
Witch/Knight (Cyanide Orphans)
Ahhhh. There we go. It's like stepping outside just after the first frost of Winter. I can always rely on Auro-Cyanide to speak to my withered soul...except with Ristorante Amore (LIIAAAAMMMM!!!!). With poor Camille off to finish up Break Chance Memento, Auro's teamed up with the writer of Cheerful!Polymorph to create a very ethereal, visually stunning entry for this year's NaNoRenO. Witch/Knight focuses on a female knight named Bethlyn as she travels to a mystical forces to convince the Goddess of Rebirth (which would also make her the Goddess of Death right?) to return someone important to her back to life. Of course, dealing with the gods is never and easy tasks and Bethlyn will surely be put through the ringer for what she wants.
While there is little we know about Witch/Knight outside of the artwork and what I just told you, the potential for what this particular EVN offers is rather broad. Not only do you have the whole self-discovery angle, you also have a fairly traditional conflict: Man vs. God or the Supernatural. Mythologically speaking, whenever a human being has the cajones to challenge a god, it ends tragically. There's no such guarantee here as while we know what Bethlyn wants, we don't know WHY she wants it. It could be straightforward, but what if she's doing this simply because she can? As in, 'I know where the gods live and I want to bring someone back from the dead. What do I have to do to make it happen?'
Also the creators of the game are promising it'll be just that: a game. A lot of EVN writers and producers tend to spar over whether or not visual novels are games or there own defined medium. I fall into the former category and I have several reasons for it, most centering around the fact that games are about creating an experience the player can live through rather than a tale you discover. It's a small difference but it's there. There will be elements here that definitely stick it in the gaming category though, which makes me wonder if it'll be more RPG that we have seen mixed with EVNs before or something completely original.
A lot of questions surround Witch/Knight which won't be answered for a bit longer. But I have grown to anticipate great things from young Auro and I definitely look forward to what this new team have in store for the rest of us.
Left of Center (CheeryMoya & Others)
Well well well, what do we have here? Yet another piece of fiction dropping a serious, taciturn individual into a pit of oddball, but well-meaning types who are all more than happy to work the stick out of his ass. Oh. Freakin'. Joy. Considering my nature, it's a little hard for me to do anything more than snark at this kind of stuff. Which is, honestly, what i'm looking forward to. Left of Center follows a young man dealing with a serious migraine issue who decided it is in his best interest to go to a smaller, private school that will hopefully ease his mind. Instead, he gets transferred to 'Ouste Academy', which is your atypical liberal arts, free-spirited, 'why should we pay attention to three hundred years of results that have cured major diseases, connected the world through literal light and generated enough wealth to buy out GOD? WE HAVE OUR OWN IDEAS ON EDUCATION!' high school. And through one week, you'll be following him as he interacts with four particularly oddball members of the school's citizenry as they no doubt try to enchant him with their oddball ways.
And I will be right there at mental DEFCON ONE: my verbal ballistic missiles on hair trigger. While I have high hopes that Autumn's Journey can volley over the trope hurdles it has to deal with, this won't and I'm fine with that. Why? Every now and then you have something that comes along you just love to have around for target practice. That doesn't mean it'll suck; it just means that I know what I'm getting into. It won't be something that is in my wheelhouse. In fact it'll most likely burn down my wheelhouse. The characters will be over the top. The drama will be cliched and I will not be able to stop mocking every line that comes across the screen. And by the time it's over, I will replay just so I can get new material.
So, CheeryMoya, are you feeling froggy? Still want to put this one out? Bring it kid: bring it.
Now did all of that just made you want to see more of what NaNoRenO had to offer? You can get more information on everything via the Lemmasoft page here! And of course check back with us in April for...a thorough demonstration of the selected finished products!