Without spoiling any of the route, it is a fantastic ride that takes a left turn early and might just be the craziest part of the entire Hatoful universe.
It is, again, a standard visual novel trope to have a secret route unlock after clearing enough of the intro routes (in this case, the five “main” romantic interests and the Bad End), but this does so in a way I absolutely adore. While Hatoful Boyfriend starts off as a rom-com school-life story, it is the BBL (Bad Boys Love) route that explores the true story behind the world of Hatoful, how each character is intertwined, and what exactly is going on behind-the-scenes at St. Her “Bad End,” which you receive if you don’t romantically pursue any of the pigeons, also alludes to a secret society that might have a vested interest in Hiyoko becoming involved with the birds of the academy… It’s a little strange that Hiyoko is the only human in this story, and that she was accepted so readily to St. Yet through all of this light-hearted, wacky romantic romp, there’s bound to be lingering questions. Little touches make each story feel unique enough to stand alone, yet connected by the overall aesthetic and theme to keep the cohesive narrative together. While the upbeat tempo of San’s theme provides a perfect background melody to his antics, Nageki’s somber tale is accentuated by slow piano and dim lighting. The aesthetic of the game adds beautifully to that, keeping the look simplistic and focused on the birds, who all have distinct portraits and themes to remind you if you’re as bird-blind as I am. The writing of Hatoful Boyfriend is quite excellent, knowing when to keep things light and when to slowly lay on the emotions. The story can get touching at times, and there’s surprisingly heavy subject material under the colorful surface. The childhood friend, the boy with a dark past, the contemplative but absent-minded professor… each hits their standard notes, but does so in a way that I didn’t exactly mind treading old ground. It’s safe to say that Hatoful Boyfriend covers the bases of every romantic route common to the genre, but it does so in a way that’s both reverent of the medium and happy to poke fun at itself. Will you spend time with the shy bookworm in the library, who seems to be all but invisible to the rest of the academy? Or are you more into pompous, boisterous pigeons, born into the life of a rich aristocrat, whose destiny is surely set and looming ever closer? Maybe you should just hang out with San, the only pigeon without a corresponding human portrait, whose obsession with pudding and athleticism makes for one of the wildest routes in the game. Who you spend time with will directly influence whose affection you gain, and each of the different birds has a very different story to tell. While already a strange premise to start, Hatoful Boyfriend amps up the crazy and touches on every genre trope imaginable over the course of its many, many routes. Each character gets a human portrait alongside their actual pigeon body.
0 kommentar(er)
