Muv-Luv

Games are capable of ridiculous, absurdist stories. This is not one of them. Games are capable of intense, character driven dramas. This is not one of them. They are capable of being sexy, which this isn’t. They are capable of being funny and respectful and human. Muv-Luv is none of these things. It is flat, and it is tedious, and it is often gross as hell.

This is not a game for the faint of heart. It's offensive, perverted, and subtly violent at times during its opening moments. It's also adorable, funny, and heartwarming in equal measure. It's a complicated beast that rewards those who persevere. While far from perfect, it lays the foundation for one of the most epic sci-fi stories ever told. There is nothing else like it.

With Muv-Luv, you either go big or you go home. If you can truck through the first half of the game you're in for a treat, otherwise be prepared for the worst.

Muv-Luv packs in two visual novels for your pleasure on the go. The first, a basic high school romance, offers you the chance to date your high school sweetheart. The second, Muv-Luv Unlimited, has you fight alongside them to defend Earth against an alien menace.

Muv-Luv isn't a story that's so black and white, and that can make it hard for some people to get into at first. When Extra first starts up it really does seem like a generic anime dating sim. Bright and colorful characters, most of the cast is female, and Takeru gets into a lot of stupid situations. It doesn't seem like anything special, and it's pretty easy for someone to be turned off by it. Despite all of this however, the game does a great job of introducing these characters, and it does a really good job of making you feel like you're Takeru. You easily become invested in this guy's life, and you can't help but want to see what happens next to him and his friends. Yeah it can drag on at times, but it's pretty enjoyable as well. The Japanese voice acting is pretty high quality, and the more animated scenes help liven up the story. It's these extra miles that help keep you drawn in, and make it easier to continue pushing forward with it's story. But even so, it's not actually until Unlimited starts up that the main plot presents itself, and it's possible many will drop the game before reaching this point. For those who do stick it out though, they are greeted with the start of one of the craziest sci-fi stories to have ever been written.

I have a confession to make. Prior to starting Muv-Luv Alternative, I had never played a visual novel before, but I am glad that it was my first. The experience was long, thought-provoking, shocking, and completely engaging, and although I will play many more visual novels after this, I will never forget the journey of Takeru Shirogane and his friends. The PlayStation Vita itself may be on its way out, but it will never die in the hearts of many thanks to high quality titles like this one. Got it? Perfect-a-mundo.

Compilation of two visual novels that came out 10 year ago in Japan, Muv-Luv offers some pleasant adventures in which you will enjoy trying to seduce girls close to your avatar, even if their designs feel a bit old and games a bit repetitive.

Muv-Luv is a great visual novel for the PS Vita. A true classic of the genre, the game deserves its fame, with a great story, specially on the second game, and manages to overcome many cliches that could hold its success.

Honestly, as a book, Muv-Luv is fairly solid with a decent idea and capable writers backing it up. It doesn't reach its full conclusion but that's because there is a third game waiting in the wings, and the provided endings are just fine. About the only 'real' complaint that can be had is that its duel-story style can end up feeling needlessly taxing at times, resulting in irritation instead of enjoyment.

The Muv-Luv series of visual novels have been around since 2003 and have a fairly massive following. In fact, the sequel to the first Muv-Luv (consisting of Muv-Luv Extra and Muv-Luv Unlimited), called Muv-Luv Alternative, received an interesting anime adaptation, called Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse. Now, I was first introduced to Muv-Luv via the Total Eclipse anime, and I loved it; while many anime aficionados may scoff at Total Eclipse, I found it to be quite interesting, compelling, engaging, and just genuinely great.