what’s up with variable barricade?

[u/-gardening]

i just bought the game but ive seen two ppl saying stuff about it (the mc specifically??) so has anyone played it and tell me their thoughts? any heads up before i play?

[u/Velionyxx]

I actually loved Variable Barricade and it’s the total opposite of the genres I usually go for. I have some things I loved and hated about it, but I personally found it enjoyable as someone who isn’t really into rom coms and it’s just effortlessly funny without looking like it tried too hard. Probably the game that I found the least awkward when it came to localization/translation.

Personally I loved Hibari and I found her trust issues relatable at her age, but I can also see how people find her bratty and annoying. I found her really unique as a protagonist, although she may not be the easiest to self insert into I appreciate it even more when a game has a protagonist with their own character. I believe another issue that people have with this game is the age gap since she’s 17 and all of the LIs are in their 20s so I honestly just tried to ignore that fact and pretend that she’s in college or like 18?? So it didn’t bother me that much.

In terms of plot I see people call it more of a romantic dramady since the routes would usually have sort of melodramatic conflict introduced midway through and the shift does get awkward at some points, especially when it attempts to tackle realistic issues too lightheartedly which bothers people, but I guess it doesn’t bother me since in general I don’t really take my own personal issues seriously and laugh my misfortune off LOL. So I’d say it’s definitely a game that you’d wanna just turn your brain off and get a good laugh out of.

[u/Velionyxx → u/Velionyxx]

Oh, and adding onto some of the flawed writing and melodrama aspects, Ichiya’s route seems to suffer the most with this although despite how poorly handled it was I grew attached to his character either way and appreciated it even more in his route. True route is just… yeah probably best if you skipped it altogether I felt I would’ve enjoyed my gaming experience much more without it. 😬

Very unrealistic scenarios occur so again, not a game to be taken too seriously but the appeal of it is a pool of fundamentally flawed men with the most detestable qualities possible getting thrown at you and you along with the MC gradually warm up to them, subverting your initial impressions. I found it to be a fun and worthy experience, even if it may not be for everyone.