Name: Kanon (73.64% in 11 votes)
Type: NVL
Platform: WINDOWS
Company: KEY
Release date: 1990
Reviewed by: Great Teacher
"Snow had been fallen."
"While in deep thought, I was buried by the clear white crystals."
"In the snow-whiten street I have not visited for years,"
"and now, in this street that continues to snow like it was before,"
"I met with a young girl."
Last year, Tactics's visual novel, ONE, was praised as one of the best games of the year. This year, Kanon was the winner of such title. Being praised as one of the most anticipated game of the year 1999 since its announcement, Kanon has indeed not let down the expectation of the public. With its terrific graphic, appropriate music for mood enhancement, and finally its god-like story (exaggerated?!), it is no doubt Kanon is one of the most anticipated H-game in Japan.
Before the game goes into the main stream where you actually begin to taste the juicy meat in Kanon, you will see one of the most well made introductions produced for H-games. A special-effected snow animation combined with extremely ear-pleasing song will pull your focus right into the game. Soon afterward, you will find yourself inside the pretty white world of Kanon falling in love with the girl in your fate.
The game starts off with you or the main character waiting for a girl you know since childhood. It was cold and white, and it was already two hours past the time in which the girl will come meet you at the train station. You have not been to this town for seven years, and now youÆre coming back. Finally, a pretty girl with bluish long hair walked in front of you holding a cop of steamy coffee. She apologized for her lateness and gave the steamy coffee to you. The coffee feels warm as you hold it. As this heat of warmth spread through your body, she asks whether you recall her name. "Hanako...." you said. Several names came out of your mouth, but none of them was her name. Finally, right when she gave up and tells her name, you stand up and said, "Let's go, Nayuki." Looking surprised for a moment, Nayuki smiled happily and answered, "Ok."
Such was Kanon's prologue. It was January 7, 1999. The main character came back to his childhood town after seven years away. He has forgotten most of the events happened seven years ago including the promises he made, the love story he had, and the sad memory seven years ago. As he progresses through the month of January, he will meet with the five girls he played with in his childhood and slowly reveal the sensational yet romantic memories between him and the girl.
MY COMMENTS ON KANON'S STORY
As far as the games I have played, H and non-H, Kanon was inevitably the best love story I have seen. The game started off with lots of mysteries and holes, and got filled in slowly as the story progresses. At the beginning, you practically don't know anything except for the fact you came back to this town after seven years. You don't know why you left this town and why you don't like this town. However, all these was explained slowly each day when you or the main character goes to sleep, and, finally, on January 30th, all the holes was filled with a dramatic climax and sensational epilogue.
What's unique and special about the story of Kanon was the fact that reading the story at the end was like riding a roller coaster in Six Flags Magic Mountain. For example, two days after you confessed to Nayuki that you liked her, her mother was hit and run by a taxi and was in a dangerous situation. As a result, Nayuki just locked herself up. Just like riding a roller coaster, your mood will drop from the peak to the bottom of the mountain.
Besides Kanon's roller coaster storyline, its tremendous amount of cute and funny dialogues also makes the story an addictive weapon. One of the most remarkable dialogues I found in the game was how the main character cheated Nayuki out her three-size (Go play the game if you want to figure out how to cheat girls three-size out).
MY COMMENTS ON KANON'S MUSIC
When I first bought this game, I did not immediately puts into my computer. Instead, I put it in my music cd player. What I hear from the cd player was amazing. It was not just the normal average music you hear from usual H-game, but a nice, well created, ear-pleasing music and songs. What even amazes me more is that the music fits the theme of the game just right. The white snow combined with sad melodies really creates a great mood for the game. In my opinion, part of the reason why Kanon was so successful in Japan comes from the pleasingmelody of the game's music.
MY COMMENTS ON KANON'S GRAPHICS
As you can see from the screen capture, the arts are a masterpiece. However, some of you may found the graphics to be a little bit "under-age" (about 12 years old). Yet, from my point of views, other games' drawings are in no exception of being labeled "under-age" if Kanon appears to be "under-age" to you.
In terms of CG, there is not too much event scene CG. If I can do math, the total CG that you see except the background and the character stand-alone CG will not exceed 70 pictures. However, Key staff members did indeed puts a lot of efforts on character's facial expression. Each girl will have different facial expression from happy, embarrassed, sad, to sleepy face making the dialogue more alive and interactive.
MY OVERAL COMMENTS ON KANON
Kanon is a very well made game. Its strength in story, music, and graphics will prove to be one of the best games ever created.
The PRO - The story, music, graphics, practically everything except game play (This is a visual novel anyway, what can you expect?).
The CONS - This is it? I want more Kanon!
GTO - 7.7.99
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[ Demo Music ]
Kaze wo Matta Hi
Yakusoku
Last Regrets
[ Screen Shots ]
[ Voting ]
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