#wtc5

First off, wtf is with that price point? There's three more phases in WTC5, and if each are at that price point, this is one very expensive VN. Guess I need to start saving up for it now.

Artwork is the best of any WTC game to date but something needs to be done about perspective. The mirror flipping of sprites makes the whole "left arm" gauntlet jarring, and Koshka may as well have no eyes.

The illuminati set up was odd. The trope of shadowy figures gathered around plotting their domination is not only old hat but Higurashi played it for laughs and Umineko discussed how silly it was. It seems weird it would be played rather straight in here.

I dislike the "military might is necessary, build the walls" that is everyone's duty. Perhaps it'll be questioned again and the 1 bit people will flip from 1 back to 0. But it really feels more like anvilicious preaching on Ryukishi's part "Yes, we have to keep separate nations separate" feels more like xenophobia manifesting than anything actually groundbreaking. Again, there's reason to think that Ryukishi will end up challenging these thoughts by the end of the story (hinted at through Miyao's revelation in the after-party bath) but going through that was rough.

Music is disappointing and forgettable.

I like the "certain events" revealed to Miyao. Finding rules x y z are a challenge and finding the meaning of them is even tougher Having been told "this thing is certain to happen" in the first chapter is exciting. The setting and genre does not feel like a when they cry game but those words do.

The WW3 history or lack thereof is a rather good move for a lot of reasons. Like it's mostly a good save on Ryukishi's part. Could you imagine the backlash he'd get if he pointed fingers at a specific country or faction of having started World War III? Also the buildup to the real WW1 and WW2 were so complex that, while some BW3 conditions were discussed, it would be way too tedious to come up and depressing to read. And in the end, with how the aw3 governments are set up, it's actually quite believable to think that they covered up the history, and makes the conditions of the setting even more believable.

100 years after the world was nearly destroyed during World War III... Cutting-edge technology saved the planet from a nuclear winter, allowing its population to reach the tens of billions once more. This eventually gave rise to a new ultimate military technology, the Gauntlet. People who wore these on their left arms were called Gauntlet Knights, and without carrying any additional equipment, they could use this unrivaled power to fly like fighter planes, fight like aircraft carriers and battleships, and repel all sorts of attacks like tanks. Children all over the world were fascinated by this new kind of hero. However, because Gauntlets could only be used by those who had particular talents and underwent special training from a very young age, not even 150,000 people from across the world could control them, even if you counted preschoolers. And the number of people who actually earned the title of Gauntlet Knight was even smaller. In other words, it was becoming an era where all existing military forces would be obsolete, and where the military might of the world would be measured by the small number of boys and girls who could use Gauntlets... After competing against each other in the International Battle Standard Festival, a group of Gauntlet Knights from all over the world became fast friends, swearing to support the walls of peace from both sides and prevent another World War from ever occurring. However, World War IV was steadily approaching, like a line of falling dominos... The young are supposed to be the main characters in their own eras. But in reality, they're nothing but game pieces lined up on the board of those who are crafty and more experienced. Must these boys and girls be forced to kill each other as pieces? Who are the pieces, and who are the players? And who does the players' bidding? What victory conditions does each person have? Is it peace? War? Annihilation? Is the foretold tragedy a scheme or a delusion, the future or reality? No. There is no need to resist this tragedy. The job of a game piece is to dance about within the tragedy's grasp. What are the rules of the game, you ask? How hard is it? That's for us to decide, so it's none of your concern. All you people need to do is take pieces and get taken yourselves, entertaining us with the range of your emotions. Are you listening? You don't want to misunderstand your position. You aren't my opponent. You're merely a piece that exists for my amusement. In this next game, I won't give you the privilege of being a player!

the middle one is a pervert look into her eyes. the rest dont matter. 

1st one is a hardowrking respectworthy nun

3rd one is a ghibli protag in the wrong franchise. 

All the "teams of this supposed battle royal.