Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
It's been a bit since I last played a game that made me feel nostalgia. Maybe it's because one of my first visual novels that I played was Hakuoki, which is based in the Edo period of Japan, same as this game. Dealing with dramatic encounters with a bunch of samurai and magical creatures just always puts me in good, wholesome mood.
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Her Secret
High up in the mountains, we are introduced to our lovely female protagonist, Suzuno. She has lived most of her life alone, after her father's passing. She only wishes to be included in the livelihood of the village at the summit of the mountain, but the villagers refuse to allow a 'monster' to live among them. Born with a special ability, Suzuno can see magical threads, which change colour to match the emotion that current person is feeling. No one wants to associate with her, but day by day, Suzuno strives to be a good person.
One day a mysterious samurai appears lost at her temple. Intrigued by the stranger she happily agrees to take him to the village. Upon entering the village, the locals are furious that Suzuno is there. Each one showing a massive amount of negative emotion, which is represented by black thread. Suddenly a mass gathering of black threads turns into a monster, terrorizing the villagers. It's then that the samurai jumps in and destroys the creature. He tells Suzuno that he's actually there to request her help in Edo, Japan. Those black creatures are called blightfalls and they are attacking the citizens of Edo. With Suzuno's help in seeing the black thread they would have an advantage over the enemy.
A Colour Wheel of Samurai
You know, I wasn't a big fan of samurai in the past, but lately I've been playing more otome games with feudal love stories and... I think I'm a fan now. Winter's Wish seemed to give me the whole rainbow of eligible gents. Shall I introduce you?
Tomonari Takamura
Furry balls-sempai
Oblivious
Snow White
One of the latest recruits to join the Oniwaban. He tends to keep to himself and can be quite blunt, but he will show a more gentler side of himself only in front of the main character.
Kunitaka Tojo
Oni-Sama
Animal Hospital
Borderline Cringe
This brown haired, chivalrous member has a heart of gold and will always lend a helping hand to those in need, which can sometimes get him in trouble. His favourite pastime is making you feel like you're part of the family.
Yoichi
Foodie
Nap-time over Work-time
You Sir, Are Rude
A Vessel that works by gathering intel at a brewery. He somehow has a line-up of girls fawning over him and he can't seem to shake them. With an unshakable appetite maybe you can convince him to be hungry for something, or someone, else.
Genjuro Kuga
Patrol Papa
Workaholic
Should Really be a House Husband
A warrior tailored for battle, this castle watchman seems to govern respect among the people. Though he may come off intimidating, this serious sweetheart is curious about his new female member.
Kinji
Sir Tease-A-Lot
Prettier Than Me
Theatre Kid
One of the oldest members of the organization, this talented individual loves to please a crowd. However, get too close and you may become his new favourite toy.
Ohtaro
Playful Puppy
Barker
Keep on a Short Leash
A young Samurai that is quick and nimble. Need someplace to unwind and have fun? Don't worry, because this skipper knows all the hottest places in town. Nothing makes him more happy than having someone to hangout with.
Corded Design
One of the first things I noticed in the game was the small detail of all the text boxes being drawn out of threads weaving in and around, bordering every sentence in string. It's artistically tasteful to see when the whole basis of the story revolves around cords and threads.
Even the character designs are gorgeous. There are just so many pretty characters to meet and get to know. Why do we tend to fall victim to hot side characters that are NEVER DATEBLE!
Another interesting fact is the way the story plays out. It starts normally with a prologue, where you get to meet all the characters. Then it'll branch out into three separate story points, focusing on The Entertainment District, The Castle Town, and The Samurai Town. Depending on which you choose you'll be narrowed down to two LI's (love interest). Once you play through these chapters, you'll be matched with your LI who you gain the most love points with, entering their personal character route.
Everyone Loves a Skip Button
Wanna know my favourite thing about this Otome? It's this amazing button that gives you the option to instantly skip to the next choice/decision AND/OR scene you haven't seen yet. This mechanic is super nifty if you're trying to skip over scenes you've already watched and just want to go right to the other choice you didn't choose on your first playthrough. It'll also stop at a point in the story if the dialog is different or new, which is nice so you don't accidentally skip past new scenes. There is still the 'Force Mode' option that will rapidly skip through the text, but I'm loving this instant skip button.
From Dusk til Dawn
To conclude, Winter's Wish: Spirit of Edo had me curious for more. Each characters, main or side, were lovable and intriguing, making me want to play through the others story lines immediately after finishing the last one. The mixture of samurai and fantasy is always fun and exciting. What's a little magic sprinkled into Feudal Japan gunna cook up? This game! I am giving this title a 8 out of 10! Keep being delicious samurai bachelors!
Score: 8 / 10
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