Title: アマツツミ
Developers: Purple Software & Prototype (Port)
Release Date: 17th May 2018
Length: ~15 Hours
Links: Official Site, VNDB
The protagonist Makoto grew up in a remote village solely inhabited by humans whom are able to use the power of “Kotodama” which allows them to manipulate reality using spoken words. One day he decides to leave everything he’s ever known behind and escape from the village, however, he was unprepared for the length of the journey. After four days of trekking through the mountains he ends up collapsing from heat exhaustion and dehydration. As he awaits his death, a young girl named Koroko accidentally ends up standing on his face and inadvertently rescuing Makoto from an untimely demise. She brings him to her family’s cafe and her mother agrees to let him stay for a while. With this Makoto begins his new life away from his village but is the outside world all it’s cracked up to be?
Characters
Oribe Makoto
Makoto has lived alone in his primitive village ever since the death of his parents some years ago. He was continuously hearing his mother’s voice in his head telling him to “go” before finally gathering the courage to leave. He wishes to understand the outside world and learn more about feelings and connections with people. He uses his “kotodama” ability to make the Oribe family believe that he is their son returning from a long stay in hospital.
Oribe Kokoro (CV Akino Hana)
Kokoro is the girl who (literally) stumbles across Makoto in the forest. She later believes him to be her beloved older brother and is very affectionate towards him. Kokoro has had quite a sheltered upbringing and is very trusting of people, perhaps to the point of being naive. She is quite chatty and popular but also enjoys reading in her bedroom. Ever since her father passed away she has tried to help her mother out with the family cafe.
Minazuki Hotaru (CV Ogura Yui)
Hotaru is Kokoro’s best friend and is a bit of an eccentric person. She’s very chatty and enjoys telling dirty jokes/stories (but also has a pure side). She also likes to “collect memories”. Unusually, Makoto’s “kotodama” ability doesn’t appear to work on her but she agrees to go along with his story so long as he doesn’t hurt Kokoro.
Asahina Kyouko (CV Yuuki Suzu)
Kyouko is Makoto’s classmate and appears to have no friends so is over the moon when Makoto befriends her. She also works part-time at the local shrine. Kyouko is a great cook, especially when it comes to sweets. She tends to lack confidence.
Koizuka Mana (CV Yamada Yuna)
Mana is Makoto’s fiancee from the same village as him. Once she realizes that he left the village she follows him to the outside world and also uses her “kotodama” ability to convince the Oribe family that she’s their daughter/Kokoro’s older sister. She loves Makoto a lot and is often quite clingy to him. Despite wanting to return to the village with Makoto in tow, she finds herself warming to the outside world, especially when it comes to manga and doughnuts.
Artwork
Artwork for this game was primarily handled by Koku & Tsukimori Hiro (Kyouko only), both have most worked on other Purple Software games. The SD artwork was handled by Tottori Sakyuu.
Sound
1st Opening: Kokoro ni Hibiku Koi Hotaru – Hashimoto Miyuki
2nd Opening: Kotodama Tsumugu Mirai – Yamazaki Moe
Ending: Tsunagaru Kokoro – Asaba Rio
The 38 BGM tracks for this game were composed by Abukawa Osamu, whom has mainly worked on previous Purple Software games.
System
This game has a very simple system, consistent with most of prototype’s other ports. Amatsutsumi has a very linear story, similar to something like G-senjou no Maou, with the heroine routes (or “epilogues” as the game refers to them) branching off from their respective chapters. The game has four chapters in all and gives you a pretty obvious choice near the end of each one for you to decide if you want to pursue that heroine or move on.
Most of the heroines only have one ending, however Hotaru’s route has two endings but you must finish her first ending before unlocking the second.
My Thoughts
Oh look another review that’s taken me too long to write, wow. I’ve been kinda interested in Amatsutsumi since the original PC game came out so when prototype announced their port I knew that I had to get my hands on a copy! After playing it, I’m certainly glad that I did but unfortunately, there are a couple of small problems that stop me loving the game as much as I’d like to…
I kinda want to point out that it’s really surprising that a game where sex is an important plot point throughout the game actually got a console port, although it is cero D so the game pretty much goes “and then they had sex here okay” after a little bit of foreplay and I swear there’s a bunch of CGs that are straight-up cropped ero CGs haha.
Wow, I wonder what could be happening here, hmmmm….
Okay, okay, I’ll be serious now – the game’s overall story is actually pretty great and I actually liked how linear it was. The pacing is very good and it’s easy to end up playing the game for hours without realizing so the whole thing ends pretty quickly (especially since it’s on the shorter side).
The first chapter of the game is Kokoro’s and is also the game’s prologue. It almost feels more like a common route at the start but the climax of this route was so good! I like Kokoro as a character and feel kinda bad for her in the rest of the game. Her epilogue was pretty cute, although the drama was a tad unnecessary?
Next is Kyouko and while I enjoyed her route when I played it, upon reflection I would put it as easily the weakest of the four chapters and is noticeably shorter than the others. I don’t really have too many feelings about Kyouko as a character either, except that I preferred her as a side-character in some of the other chapters. Sorry!
Mana was overall my favourite heroine – I just loved her interactions with everyone and could really tell that she cared about Makoto a lot. I found her route to be a good read as well and enjoyed her epilogue the most – she’s so cuuuuute!
It’s pretty clear from the game’s cover and promotional materials that Hotaru is the main heroine/endgame so I spent most of the game wondering just what her eccentric personality could be hiding, haha. I definitely enjoyed her route a lot but I feel like her second ending was a bit of a missed opportunity and that the “villain” of her route was treated in quite an extreme way, especially as I emphasized with them a lot more than with Makoto/Hotaru.
My main problem with the game was Makoto’s treatment of the heroines and his playboy nature. He literally sleeps with all four heroines before the end of the second chapter, which is something pretty unusual in galge outside of nukige. I know that he doesn’t really understand human relationships due to his upbringing but he even thinks of Mana when Kokoro asks him if he has a girlfriend and doesn’t even think twice once Mana comes back.
I found it really frustrating that he gets pretty defensive when Mana is annoyed about him sleeping with Kokoro (although she doesn’t know that he’s slept with the other two heroines too) and places the blame on her as apparently she should’ve realized that their engagement came to an unofficial end when Makoto ran away from the village without saying a word to her. I get frustrated even thinking about the whole situation! Maybe I’m just annoyed because Mana was my favourite heroine but I really did not like Makoto at all.
The game’s BGM was pretty good overall but it was the vocal songs that really stole the show, with all three of them being excellent. I really liked the placement of the second opening song and it made me so hyped for Hotaru’s route.
All hail the doughnut goddess!
I really liked the game’s artwork – especially Koku’s work which was generally really pretty. The SD CGs were also adorable and generally quite funny. I felt that there were enough CGs, especially since there were new event images added into the port (don’t ask me which ones they are though since they slotted into the game seamlessly). The backgrounds were also really pretty and I really appreciated the small animations.
I believe that the original game had a floating textbox which the port unfortunately removes and changes to a standard, simple textbox. That being said, I didn’t really mind the change too much since prototype’s ports always run smoothly and I like small touches like being able to change the BGM track on the CG viewer, which is handy for when I have to spend 15++ min taking screenshots of all the CGs after finishing the game. This game is also sadly missing the PS Vita wallpapers that a lot of prototype’s games have.
Final Thoughts
My Score: 8/10
Despite my problems with Makoto’s personality and the wasted potential of Hotaru’s second ending, I still really enjoyed this game and would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a galge with an interesting story that isn’t too long. Also, I realize that my problem with Makoto is pretty subjective so many people would probably like him more than me.
I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on Purple Software’s other works after this – Ao Tori + Happymaher look particularly interesting.
Oh well, that’s enough for this game. My next review will be for Gakuen Club & will probably be pretty short since I don’t have much to say about that one.
Thanks for reading!
Zettai Renai! 