I started playing Yume Miru Kusuri because of the images of Nekoko-chan I had seen online. 5 hours later, I was living with Aeka bittersweetly happy ever after. 12 hours after that, I’d started on the story of Nekoko, slept, woken up, and shed a tear watching fireworks from atop a ferris-wheel.

To me, the “H” aspect of the game took a back seat to the stories. Granted, our digital altar-ego is somewhat (ok, quite a bit) of a tool, I think he is that way as a blank slate for the story to write itself upon. If our ‘hero’ was less of a tool, the game would be infinitely harder to write (or in many places, a lot less dramatic).

This effect also lessened my dependence on the graphics. Although the static backgrounds with no background characters showing up, or for long periods, repeat images, etc, were annoying occasionally, and sometimes I wished for a new graphic to show something that was being described, I found for the most part that putting the text on Auto and just reading it as it scrolled by, my eyes didn’t venture above the text line as often as I thought they would!

To me, there are only 2 things wrong with this as an ‘H-game’. First, our giant tool-bag of a protagonist, and the fact it is more like an extremely limited choose-your own adventure rather than a ‘game’. The only ‘game’ aspect to me is that you have a chance of failing (luckily, I made it to the happy full credit story ending for the 2 paths I followed first try).

*Kinda Spoiler* OK, there’s one more thing I didn’t like – knowing that by following any one of the story-lines, you are dooming the 2 other story lines to a dismal ending. You are more than likely saving one persons life/happiness/future in exchange for 2 others *End*

Funny enough, the “H” takes enough of a back seat that I would love to find a CLEAN version of this “game” to suggest to others to “play”. Forget it, let’s just call it a short story to read, with occasional illustrations?

In short, if you’re just looking to get off on some porn, this game probably isn’t what you’re looking for. If you’d like some good, emotional stories (even if they aren’t completely original, being behind the screen with them makes you part of the story) with some damned sexy interludes, then go for it, just be prepared to cry as often as you get off ;)

Worth Playing brings tears to my eyes with these beautiful screens from FF: XIII for the PS3. “ FF XIII provides tangible, intuitive controls while delivering seamless transitions between real- time gameplay and stunning in- game cinematics. The late…

BUT – though I haven’t gotten into any sex scenes yet, A Drug That Makes You Dream has spectacular writing, very good and subtle humor, and almost realistic and compelling characters and situations. I am really looking forward to playing this one, actually. These games bring me back to my high school daze. :)

A Drug That Makes You Dream: extremely highly recomended

I reviewed a couple of Peach Princess games ages ago (Snow Drop and Tokemeki Check-in). The latter had something like 10 different girls you could get it on with in different capacities (from consentual to full on blood virgin rape), but the former had suggestions of brother-sister sex that I mentioned in the review as being kind of creepy-vile. The media contact guy got annoyed with that.

Most porn just isn’t my bag because every time someone says “Hey, John, check it out”, it’s always something lame. But then again, if I want to see naked bits I just ask my wife.