Koisuru Natsu no Last Resort: Visual Novel Review

I mentioned once that I’d review this novel as well. Basically because Nobel Works and this both have similar weak points so I just flipped a coin and this one lost at that time.
Now that I remembered, and calmed down on this novel, I honestly don’t really mind it anymore. I’d still recommend a huge amount of novels over this one though, unless you really like moege.

Before I rag on it for its issues, I do have to say that the cg work for this is great, it’s not as important as character development, music or overall plot, but the art is still lovely to look at.
I don’t remember much of the music so there was nothing really worthwhile in it. I still remember tracks from Sharin no Kuni and Symphonic Rain clearly so I doubt it’s an issue with my memory.

The whole issue on this one is that it actually had quite a deal of promise in the beginning. Even going up to the island and having to go through the options were pretty funny. The issue comes when you actually hit the branching point where you you start a specific route.
It really feels like a nukige afterwards in the majority of the routes.
Now I won’t say much about what happens in the routes, it’s part of the fun of reading them.

Shiori’s route could’ve been done better. I’ve seen this type of scenario in a few other novels, and it normally gets to me as it centralizes around loss and how to get back on your feet. However, I just didn’t care with this one, part of it probably stems from the nukige aspect I was talking about before. Her main characteristics would be aloof and individualistic. C

Riho’s route is also pretty bad. Who the hell can’t walk just because you’re rich and could drive everywhere. It’s not that she was sick or anything, how does that even work. You still have to walk to the car, and I’m assuming you’re going places. It’s not like you can bring your car into a store. Now to the conflict on this route, it’s barely focused on it at all. Yes, you see the importance of her actions and requests and you see what she’s trying to do. But it’s rather stupid as she’d never be able to reach that goal, and that’s her main flaw; She’s a dunce and she’d be the one most likely to be in an ahegao hentai. D

The female lead, Umi isn’t all that much better. Sure, her issues and the main protagonist’s issues coincide and that’s really how their friendship even starts. And honestly, that’s why I’m saying it had a lot of potential in the beginning. This could’ve been its own novel without going into the island and working there with the rest of the cast. A short 10 hour novel that just centralized on these two could’ve made it a classic, and that’s most likely why I was angry at this novel when I finished it, just lost potential. Her main characteristics are basically ditz, gets embarrassed easily and a perv. C(the beginning was quite good and it ended nicely, but the natural waste on potential pissed me off).

Now, to the actual two routes that I actually enjoyed, lol.

For some reason, it’s always the loli(Sango) that has a decent story attached to it. Now, this is because she actually has a friend who provides more potential scenarios. She’s the most hopeful and bubbly of the group and aside from Riho, the one that will break down the most if you don’t do anything. She’s really into sentai heroes so she’s really into helping others in need, which causes much strife to those that won’t her to get involved. Mainly, I believe the route works because it’s rooted down to earth, it’s more relatable to the average reader and it’s the one that shows her emotions more often. B(maybe even B+).

And the last route, the boss(Nagisa). You have to finish one route to unlock this one. Story wise, I think Sango is better, but the boss’s persona is super cute. This is also where they fully explain the title of the novel, but it was quite apparent through the other routes. The shortest way to explain this route is that she focuses too much on work to the point where her social life is dead. I sometimes go through that myself so maybe that’s why I like it, but it’s more likely that she’s just adorable. I’d have to think about if her ending is cuter than Sango, but I think it is; As it sides more on cute than just fun and childish. B

And here’s the central issue with this novel, and it’s a reason you can’t even complain about. It’s a moege, you’re lucky to have any routes with any worthwhile conflict with this decent writing and focus.
So here’s how you should play it. Sango->Nagisa->quit. You can also add Umi in there. If you want to play them all, then Riho->Sango->Umi/Shiori->Nagisa. Shiori and Umi can flow better into Nagisa’s route. There’s a risk on choosing Riho first because you might just want to give up, so I place Sango second to keep the reader motivated.

My own select was Sango->Shiori->Umi->Riho->Nagisa.
This is simply because I thought the Sango, Umi and Nagisa was the most promising. So I spaced them out so I could finish the novel.