Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

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Umiman
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Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Umiman »

You know what I hate about empowered nerds and geeks? They don't seem to make very good teachers, always assuming that everyone knows everything that they know. It's because of this that every time we have some tech related question, we are first greeted with scorn and then they clumsily attempt to guide us through whatever it is we are trying to learn, blaming us constantly for not being able to understand what they're talking about. Examples of this would be the various independent program installation "guides", modding "tutorials", etc.

While the information they have in definitely useful, it would certainly help if the guides that they wrote usually catered to those who have no clue what they're doing. I mean, unless they want to be treated similarly in real life about topics that really matter like say... their finances, where bank tellers only speak finance-speak with them and belittle them for not understanding why they're now bankrupt, it's only fair that we should expect some degree of newbie education when it comes to marginally complicated matters and not be bombarded with various references to niche mediums and so on and what not.

With that out of the way, the first semi-almost-finished patch of Chaos;Head the game is available here: http://www.tsukuru.info/tlwiki/index.ph ... aos%3BHead

It doesn't work for me, so maybe one of you here might have better luck. Here's what I know:
  • It only runs if you change your system setting to Japanese or use Applocale, no way around it.
    It might not work with Applocale.
    It might not work at all.
Guides to installation are here: http://forums.narutofan.com/showthread. ... 88&page=23

Here: http://forums.novelnews.net/showthread.php?p=59510

And here: http://forums.mirrormoon.org/viewtopic. ... c&start=80

Information about the game:
Chaos;Head is a Japanese visual novel developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus with gore, psychology, and science fiction elements. The game is described by the development team as a "Delusional Science NVL" . The game's premise revolves around a high school student named Takumi Nishijō who unknowingly walks into the scene of a gruesome murder on his way home. More mysterious events start happening afterward as similar murders occur in the area. Takumi struggles to cope with reality and the delusions he experiences as he tries to avoid getting caught by the perpetrator behind the chain of killings.
...Tg...g.g........... And Kol Ravensabbey cried,
..g...B...g........@.. "In Armok's name!!!!"
T...T..B..g........... And there was bloodshed.
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Dan
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Dan »

None of the synopsis I've read seem to make sense at all. The heck is this?
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Umiman
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Umiman »

I've managed to get it to work. Yay. I changed my system region to Japan AND used applocale to run it...

However, now I found out that the settings menus aren't translated. Oh well...

Anyway, I have no clue what the game is about. It's not eroge, there's no sex. I have a general idea of what it's about, but it's difficult to say anything without any spoilers because well... the entire story, right from the beginning is a red herring of sorts. Basically, it's about psychosis in Japanese youth... I think. I'm playing it now.
...Tg...g.g........... And Kol Ravensabbey cried,
..g...B...g........@.. "In Armok's name!!!!"
T...T..B..g........... And there was bloodshed.
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Umiman
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Umiman »

1/2 hour in.

I hate the protagonist. However, this is a special case because I'm confident that anyone who likes the protagonist has something wrong with them... I'm pretty sure the developers intended this.

It's also quite interesting trying to guess what's real and what isn't. Concurrently, it's fun to imagine if this is the thought processes of hikkikimoris.

edit: I just noticed that all the characters in the backgrounds are all dolls... that's pretty scary actually.

1 hour in: The dolls are starting to freak me out. Also, I like this guy's friends. Very interesting people. Well... the women in this game are all universally freaky (because we're stuck in the main character's idiotic, paranoid mind and he turns every girl into a freakshow) but the males are very interesting.

Though it might be worth pointing out that I'm still not really clear on how the game actually works...

1.5 hours in: Hehehe... you get to fill out the hospital questionnaire. Also, this guy really has some mental problems.

1.75 hours: Oooh, this is getting fun. I'm enjoying this, almost as much as Tsukihime.

3 hours: I really want to kill this protagonist myself.
...Tg...g.g........... And Kol Ravensabbey cried,
..g...B...g........@.. "In Armok's name!!!!"
T...T..B..g........... And there was bloodshed.
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Beware the talking cat
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Beware the talking cat »

I'm rather surprised they make non-eroge visual novels.

I must say, I am happy to see this has been translated--except for the fact I now want to spend time play/reading it.
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Umiman
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Umiman »

Did I mention that I really hate the protagonist? I think we need to make it clear that super, ultra hikkikomori otaku aren't a very desirable character to play as. This guy isn't amusing like the fella from Welcome to the NHK, just pathetic.

edit: My god, this dickweed can't even commit suicide without being useless and whiny.
...Tg...g.g........... And Kol Ravensabbey cried,
..g...B...g........@.. "In Armok's name!!!!"
T...T..B..g........... And there was bloodshed.
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Umiman
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Umiman »

Alright, I beat it with the best ending. I probably couldn't endure having to tolerate this moron two more times for the other two endings (and I can't really find any information on how to get the bad ending anyway).

Here's my impressions.

Overall, if you remove the protagonist, this game is quite excellent. It has very good pacing, some lovely plot twists and there's always that sense that you have no clue what is real and what isn't. Sadly, the ending is terribly cliched though it isn't bad by any means. Just that after a rollercoaster ride of freakish simulated fantasies, I kinda expected more from the ending beyond deus ex machina. Did I forget to mention that the protagonist is a pain in the ass? Anyway, the other characters are interesting, though not really near the level of Type Moon characters. Personally, I don't think they fit with the overall guro, horror theme the developers were going for as there's too much of those annoying silly delusions and attempts at humour in the way... not to mention the whining of the godawful protagonist.

Art is great, music is quite good as well. More impressive were the auditory effects in play like ringing in YOUR ears that you don't realize or the lorry crashing streetlight crossing thing. Then there's those creepy doll backgrounds. I think the mystery would have been a LOT more compelling if the main character had the initiative to investigate why these things were happening, but because of his idiotic personality, this opportunity practically got thrown out the window for stupid, stupid, stupid self-pandering delusions about anime dolls.

I would put this around A- minus level, but depending on how much you rely on protagonists in story, this grade may alternate anywhere between that and a F-----
...Tg...g.g........... And Kol Ravensabbey cried,
..g...B...g........@.. "In Armok's name!!!!"
T...T..B..g........... And there was bloodshed.
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Muffinman
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Muffinman »

What is it about though? I still can't figure that out
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Umiman
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Umiman »

Serial murders. Otaku hikkimori has psychosis. Delusions. That's it. If you don't understand with that, then it's easier just to play it.
...Tg...g.g........... And Kol Ravensabbey cried,
..g...B...g........@.. "In Armok's name!!!!"
T...T..B..g........... And there was bloodshed.
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by HolyCow »

Playing this too. Which ending did you get Umi?
Spoiler! :
I got the ending where Rimi kills Takumi by stabbing him. Which one did you get?
I also loved how the
Spoiler! :
Hand scene
made so much more sense compared to the anime.

If you haven't seen the anime, I advise you to stay far away from it. It doesn't compare to the VN at all. Seriously.
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Umiman
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Umiman »

AA ending. I'd rather not have gotten any endings though since they were way disappointing and far too generic for my tastes, especially as the journey there was... not really generic.

I'm starting to think that since the main character is a nyan-nyan, a wuss, a useless worm, freak, waste of oxygen, etc. the bad end is probably the true end. My theory is supported by the fact that it's damn hard to get the bad bad ending while it's ridiculously easy to get the A and AA endings.
Spoiler! :
If I had to plot a graph on how bad this main character is... it would be like... the Eiffel Tower is this dude and.... that a lovely cream souffle is Shirou. That's how bad he is. He makes all those squirmy harem anime protagonists look like Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star). He makes George Bush look like Onizuka (the manga, not the administrator). If there were a list of people deserving to have been aborted, he'd make it and have his name repeated in it 9,000 times. He was so bad that I had to turn on Left 4 Dead and mentally paste his face on every zombie so I could shoot them with the shotgun.
edit: p u ssy = nyan-nyan?
...Tg...g.g........... And Kol Ravensabbey cried,
..g...B...g........@.. "In Armok's name!!!!"
T...T..B..g........... And there was bloodshed.
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by HolyCow »

Spoiler! :
Hmm, I got the one where Rimi stabs him after kissing him, not sure which ending was that.
And yes, Takumi is a wuss. He makes Keiichi look like a saint compared to him. I kinda enjoyed the delusion gauge though, it keeps you guessing what's real and what's not.

What's the bad end though? Takumi commits suicide or something?
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Umiman
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Umiman »

AA = good end
A = bad end
B = bad bad end

You got A ending. That's the normal one. I have no clue what the ultra bad ending is though I'm honestly not very curious. Maybe you can endure the protagonist again, try and figure out which strict combination of delusions leads you there, and report back?
...Tg...g.g........... And Kol Ravensabbey cried,
..g...B...g........@.. "In Armok's name!!!!"
T...T..B..g........... And there was bloodshed.
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by b0mb3r »

well i already watch the god awful anime. so yeah typical ending as you said
.
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baka baka baka
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Kaisos Erranon
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Re: Chaos;Head Release Candidate 1

Post by Kaisos Erranon »

I'm probably about the only person out there who actually felt sympathy for Takumi...

I also feel that feeling that much hatred for a game character is unhealthy.
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