Ne no Kami: The Two Princess Knights of Kyoto
- October 26, 2016
- Kuro Irodoru Yomiji
Get on SteamIn Ne no Kami: The Two Princess Knights of Kyoto, players follow the story of Len and Shinonome, two high school girls who become divinely appointed protectors of Kyoto. They must fight against supernatural beings threatening the city while uncovering the truth about their own destinies. The game is a visual novel with adventure and puzzle elements, featuring Japanese voice acting and animations.
Reviews
- The story is engaging and well-constructed, with solid character development and emotional depth.
- The art and music are praised for their quality, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
- The game successfully blends traditional Japanese folklore with modern elements, creating a unique and interesting setting.
- The pacing can be slow, particularly in the first half, leading to moments of boredom for some players.
- The translation has imperfections, with typos and awkward phrasing that detract from the overall immersion.
- Some characters lack development, and the romantic elements may feel underwhelming or rushed for those seeking a deeper yuri experience.
- story99 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story is a blend of modern Japanese life and supernatural elements rooted in folklore, featuring a compelling narrative that engages players despite a lack of choices. While some reviewers found the pacing slow at times, many praised the character development, plot twists, and emotional depth, particularly in the context of yuri romance. Overall, the storytelling is considered solid and immersive, with a mix of humor and drama that keeps players invested in the characters and their journeys.
“The characters bring life to this game world with all their different personalities and reactions throughout this story.”
“The story is set in modern Japan, but it has supernatural elements belonging to Japanese folklore and mythology.”
“The romance build-up is fantastic; the plot and story are always intense and constantly changing topics. There is slight humor as well, so it isn't always depressing, and finally, that plot ending... I really can't wait to play the second part of this game and I hope it will be just as long as this one!”
“The design of characters isn't bad, but the story is pretty boring.”
“The story made me want to skip most of the game just to finish it.”
“Its downfall was wasted on juvenile jokes and plot holes throughout almost the entire story.”
- music18 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in "Ne no Kami: The Two Princess Knights of Kyoto" is widely praised for its quality and effectiveness, enhancing both action scenes and emotional moments throughout the game. Reviewers highlight the epic battle themes, particularly noting the metal influences and the ability of the soundtrack to elevate the overall experience. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and engagement.
“But one of the best things about this game is the music.”
“Literally has some of the best battle music I have ever heard.”
“This seemed like such a promising series - it came well recommended, the art looks great, it seemed like the plot could be decent.. and it does have its strong points; the art is good, the characters have several different expression variants, the soundtrack is solid, the smooth text transitions give it a polished feel.”
“The company did a very good job at expressing tense moments with some darker music, while giving light, heartfelt music to the pleasant moments in the visual novel.”
“The best part of the ne no kami part 1 (yes this is part of a series), is the opening soundtrack.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, character development in the game has received positive feedback, with one reviewer rating it a perfect 10/10. While some players found the character designs appealing, opinions varied on the depth of character development, with a notable appreciation for Uzume's design. The combination of engaging character arcs and appealing aesthetics contributed to the game's overall appeal.
“Character development: 10/10! Yes, character development was great!”
“I was drawn to this title due to the concept - namely the promise of action and yuri, as well as the good character designs and musical score.”
“Cute character designs.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics in *ne no kami: the two princess knights of kyoto* are praised for their memorable style and overall improvement over its predecessor, *sacrament of the zodiac*. However, some weapon designs, particularly the heroine's sword and shield, are seen as confusing, and the supporting character sprites lack detail. Overall, the artwork is complemented by well-executed music and storytelling.
“The visuals are great and certainly have a memorable style.”
“Overall, 'In no Kami: The Two Princess Knights of Kyoto' is a large improvement over 'Sacrament of the Zodiac' in terms of better artwork.”
“The artwork, music, and story are all well done.”
“While there are quite a few yuri-themed visual novels out there, many simply drift into a fan-service focused vortex with a bad story and overly predictable visuals.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the emotional depth of the main pairing is lacking in the first installment, improvements are noted in the sequel. The game effectively uses music to enhance emotional moments, balancing tension with heartfelt melodies, though some players feel the execution of promised heartwarming elements falls short. Overall, the visual novel is capable of delivering significant emotional highs and lows.
“The company did a very good job at expressing tense moments with some darker music, while giving light, heartfelt music to the pleasant moments in the visual novel.”
“And man does this visual novel take you on an emotional swing at times.”
“Emotional, and other sorts of emotions at the same time.”
- humor4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as juvenile and often out of place within a serious narrative, featuring cringey jokes and shallow fanservice that detracts from character appreciation. However, some players find the characters relatable and endearing, with moments of humor that resonate, particularly in references to other works. Overall, the comedic elements are hit-or-miss, appealing to some while alienating others.
“While it cannot quite keep up with kindred spirits, 'No No Kami: The Two Princess Knights of Kyoto' nevertheless delivers a set of characters that are relatable, funny, and thoroughly endearing.”
“Seeing how it's only 9 - 10 USD, I think it's worth it to support not just the developers of the game but Sekai Project too! :D Also, I loved seeing those two girls from that other yuri visual novel 'Sacrament Sheep' during the beginning of the game; it was hilarious and cute!”
“I don't mean to say that it's bad, necessarily... maybe it's best if I just summed it up as being 'incredibly anime.' Cringey jokes, shallow fanservice, hilariously awkward combat scenes, and an infuriating inability to continue a line of conversation for longer than five sentences all gradually wore away my ability to appreciate the characters or anything that they were going through.”
“The humor feels forced and often falls flat, relying on tired clichés that fail to elicit any genuine laughter. It's like the game is trying too hard to be funny but ends up being more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
“While the game attempts to inject humor into its dialogue, most of the jokes miss the mark, leaving me feeling more confused than amused. The comedic timing is off, and the punchlines often feel like they were written by someone who doesn't quite understand what makes a joke funny.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a linear narrative structure, lacking choice options, which emphasizes its nature as a visual story rather than an interactive experience. Additionally, it incorporates a unique mechanic that is rarely seen in other visual novels.
“Gameplay: there are no choice options; this is a visual story after all.”
“They also used a mechanic that I have only seen in one other visual novel before.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be slow, lengthy, and tedious, with some also criticizing the quality of the art.
“The game is slow, long, and tedious; the art isn't very good either.”
