Butterfly's Poison; Blood Chains
- June 13, 2023
- PROTOTYPE
Get on Steam"Butterfly's Poison; Blood Chains" is a visual novel that depicts a mature love story. It was first released in Japan as "Chou no Doku, Hana no Kusari (蝶の毒 華の鎖)", and while the original game contained adult content and was unsuitable for minors, it was later remade to meet the appropriate ratings for video game consoles and distributed worldwide as "Chou no Doku, Hana no K…
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a gripping and complex story that intertwines romance with darker themes, making it stand out in the otome genre.
- The character development is deep, with unique personalities and well-written dialogue that keeps players engaged throughout the various routes.
- The art and voice acting are of high quality, enhancing the overall experience and immersion in the game's world.
- The game is considered overpriced for its content, with many reviewers suggesting it should be sold at a lower price point.
- The adult content is heavily toned down from the original version, leaving some players disappointed with the lack of mature themes and scenes.
- Some routes and endings can be quite disturbing and may leave a lasting negative impression, which might not be suitable for all players.
- story31 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story of "Butterfly's Poison; Blood Chains" is praised for its depth and engaging narrative, skillfully intertwining romance with a gripping main plot across multiple routes. While some elements are seen as fanservice, the overall writing and character development are highlighted as strong points, though some players feel that certain routes lack completeness or depth. However, the narrative's darker themes and emotional weight resonate well, making it a compelling experience despite some criticisms regarding content cuts and pacing.
“Butterfly's poison; blood chains is an otome that is shackled to its mobile presentation, but manages to shatter those restraints in a way I was never expecting, leaving me breathless with how good the story and writing can be in this formerly pay-to-play visual novel.”
“But once I got past the opening movie and the story began to slow down and breathe, I found myself enraptured with the deep character writing and engaging mystery that had me ravenously devouring each route until all was laid bare.”
“All of these ideas are explored in a mature and refreshing way, and help keep the story engaging as the romance simmers and the overarching plot slowly reveals itself.”
“My main complaint why I actually can't write an exciting review about the story that occupied my mind for so many days is the fact that it's a short, cut, mutilated story.”
“It spoiled all the pleasure when I was told that it's actually a hentai story and it's not about juicy 18+ details; the very plot is damaged in this story.”
“I thought most of her content could've been put in Majima's route since it was about him - his route ends up telling you the least about him unless you get his bad ending, which makes the story feel kind of incomplete.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game received mixed reviews; some players appreciated its quality and pacing, noting it enhanced the storytelling, while others criticized it as sounding cheap and detracting from the overall atmosphere. There is a desire for additional soundtrack content, indicating that while some enjoyed the music, others found it lacking.
“I liked the music; I thought it wasn't cheesy at all like some other visual novels. The pacing was also really wonderful, and the story unraveled at a great pace in each of the routes (except my lowest ranked one).”
“The background music is fantastic; a soundtrack DLC would be appreciated.”
“Aside from the gorgeous sprites and full voice acting, almost everything about this game screams mobile game, from the Arial UI font to the simple backgrounds that feel quick and cheap. The awful royalty-free sounding soundtrack ruins the atmosphere in almost every scene, even the way the prologue tries to pull the player in with rushed character introductions.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features genuinely funny dialogue and hilarious extra content that consistently elicits laughter, providing a light-hearted contrast to some of the more intense storylines. Players recommend engaging with the extras after completing all routes for an added dose of humor.
“There were some truly funny dialogue points that made me laugh out loud.”
“The extra section that is opened at the very beginning of the game is so hilarious; I kept giggling all the time.”
“I recommend reading the extras after completing all routes; they were very funny and left me feeling a lot more light-hearted after some of the more intense endings in the game.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is marred by a mix of beautiful visuals and full voice-acting, contrasted sharply with a cheap, mobile game feel due to simplistic backgrounds and a lackluster soundtrack. This inconsistency detracts from the overall experience, as the prologue's attempt to engage players with provocative dialogue feels rushed and poorly executed.
“Aside from the gorgeous sprites and full voice acting, almost everything about this game screams mobile game, from the Arial UI font to the simple backgrounds that feel quick and cheap. The awful royalty-free soundtrack ruins the atmosphere in almost every scene, and even the prologue tries to pull the player in with salacious dialogue between rushed character introductions.”
