#liar! voltage

[everlastingbutterfly]

Voltage released a video a couple of months back. Looks like they have turned doubt into a manga:

They’ve got MC and Toya Kashi together on the thumbnail, but she is also shown with Haruichi Mamiya, Itaru and Soutaro in other chapters

Interesting they are still creating content

[19ost]

Visit Original Link

liar! dangerous lies

[miyuskye]

Senri making his appearance and ending up being the liar in the same chapter be like:

(it was the first time I didn’t hate the 5th liar, so thank you voltage) (even if the fact that he is a stalker should be kinda creepy, his scumbag ending and the love ending pretty much saved him, hurray to poor writing which sometimes saves unreedemable characters XD)

[anime-severler]

I see, Haruichi. You are man of culture as well

[liesarebetterthantruths]

hsjahajah this is adorable

[mallorygrayson]

That's the most funny and girlish thing that I've ever seen

[loveinthemaze]

I CRIED AHSJDJ

[hazeldite]

A Controversial(?) Take on Voltage Inc.

TL;DR at bottom because I write too much.

So, I decided to make this post since I saw a lot of commotion towards Masquerade Kiss being a Love Choice game. But this post really isn't about that, more about general criticisms I have about Voltage.

I myself actually don't know much about Love Choice except from what I read or hear, so an unpopular opinion is I am kinda sad how it's affecting MK, (well, I haven't played it, but I thought the CGs and screenshots were nice).

First off, Voltage games were my introduction into the otome/visual novel world. It started off when I saw Be My Princess (I technically read the "American" version- A Prince's Proposal, but let's not talk about that, skssksk) on the app store. I was like in middle school. I am now in college. I remember when Kissed By the Baddest Bidder was first launched. When Baba's, Mamo's, Ota's, (and maybe even Soryu's) first stories were not even out. Basically, Voltage has been in my life for awhile.

Producing, writing, and anything with game development is difficult. So kudos to Voltage to making games that still have an impact in peoples' lives in this community. I have great respect for anyone in the gaming industry. But, in all honesty, Voltage games are not really groundbreaking in terms of quality. The writing is lackluster. Characters are reused and the same formula is reused. And the "base" stories are not even intriguing stories to begin with.

Like I said I don't know much about Love Choice, so to have an option to read a game for free is appealing to me when the stories are so similar.

But from what I heard, LC isn't even really free? It's like an illusion, and you still have to pay to have an experience you want. So that's kinda lame.

Another criticism that has less to do with product quality is their seemingly lack of interest in what fans want.

It's apparent that the LC system is very unwanted, yet Voltage does not seem to acknowledge the feedback. I thought they were heading somewhere when they started making "better" MCs.

I think Voltage continues to spit out too many games (they've sorta slowed down I think?). I don't know the financial statistics of the company, so maybe this abundance of titles are working for them. (A lot of other companies seem to do this as well.) But we saw how that worked out for an even bigger game developer, TellTale. There's only been a few real stars. KBTBB the obvious one. SCM, I think as well. But, what about all the other titles? I personally thought BMP was a big title, but I guess not. Since I don't really buy the games they seem to all blur together. And their sucess seems to as well.

I personally liked Liar. Though I only had played the first season, and heard the continuations aren't great. I think they need more "unique" games. Or if they are going to continue with the same schtick, flesh the whole world more like with KBTBB. However, I have to argue KBTBB has been fleshed out more only because it has more seasons, more substories due to the fact it's so popular. (Not really saying season 1 wasn't fleshed out, b/c Soryu's and Mamo's were perfect). And I think the new seasons of KBTBB themselves are not even different, but they helped with the character development of Ota and Eisuke. I think it works for KBTBB because the characters are so "iconic" and established, if that makes any sense.

But what are they doing wrong with the new releases?

While I may be harsh, I do respect a lot of what Voltage has done and made. I do want Voltage to succeed.

There is so much more that everyone talks about: some characters not getting routes, favorite games discontinued, costs, bad MCs, no real consequences to the choices made. But, these problems are probably due to 1. the game/character not doing well financially, 2. Mostly bad writing of the MC, but possibly cultural differences as well 3. emphasis on visual novel rather than a choice game. 1 and 2 are both connected to points I mentioned before.

I do think the art has gotten so much better, which is why I am kinda drawn to MK. And they have began writing more mature scenes. (Though a good game doesn't necessarily need these components).

My opinions TL;DR:

1. Voltage doesn't listen to its fans

- i.e. Love Choice system

2. Stories are repetitive, no growth

- criticisms on writing

- characters are similar

3. Too many games are released

- not enough creativity or uniqueness so games/stories blur together

- parallel to TellTale

That all being said, idk, maybe this whole system they have is still working for them. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♂️