Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is a fantastic otome title with an interesting story and solid, attractive characters. That said, as this is only the first half of the story they're retelling, Kyoto Winds doesn't have a solid conclusion in any of its routes. What it does have going for it however, is double the pathways - and the privilege of being arguably the most content-filled, definitive version of the game.
Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds
Idea Factory · May 16, 2017
About
Romance 12 handsome warriors and the samurai of the Shinsengumi, uncover their dark secrets, and conquer your demons in this historical fantasy visual novel! Your narrative choices unlock multiple branching storylines and 30 different endings!
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Critic reviews
- Being my first otome visual novel, Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds has made me a fan of the Hakuoki series. The game handles the large cast of characters wonderfully and allows the story of the Shinsengumi to shine through. For new visual novel fans this is the definitive way to start the Hakuoki series and date the guys that older fans had to wait years for.
- 7.0If you’ve got money to spend, and don’t mind waiting for any sort of conclusion, then Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is the best way to experience the first half of Idea Factory’s visual novel. The new scenes help to flesh out the existing stories, and the additional characters help make a familiar story feel new again. It’s a shame that all the hard work gets marred by splitting the story into two games, but it’s still a very enjoyable read.
- Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds was great; plain and simple. Not only is it high-quality by visual novel standards, but it managed to teach me something as well; romance-centered Otome games can get really intense. If you’re into role-playing and are a fan of this genre, picking this up is a no-brainer. And even if Otome games usually aren’t your thing, I’d still recommend thinking about picking it up. Romance aside, Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds manages to tell a wonderful story about perseverance and the importance of companionship of all kinds. And hey, there are sword fights! Sword fights featuring attractive anime men (ani-men?)! Everybody wins!
- 7.0Fans of the otome genre will find a lot to like within Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds. It offers a rich storyline as well as presenting likeable characters within its well-built world. With personalities based on real-life historical figures, the game offers a charming, albeit brief look at an interesting area of Japanese history, as well as the chance to romance some grade-A anime boys.
- 8.0It’s a shame to see Kyoto Winds cut off in the height of exciting plot, but what’s there is still a great story. Hakuoki is an absolute gem, so while Kyoto Winds may be arguably only half a game, it’s half a really good game. The new characters and story content definitely freshen things up, and I’ll be crossing my fingers that we see the follow up game — if not the Fuukaden compilation, which would be ideal — come West as well.
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