Muv-Luv Extra, Unlimited, and Alternative – Overview

Posted by Zephyr on June 13, 2012 April 16, 2014 Visual Novel

Introduction:

I’m sure many people have heard the name Muv-Luv bandied around at some point. Given that it’s ‘the greatest VN series ever written’ (depending on whom you ask) and that Muv-Luv Alternative is ranked number one in the visual novel database it would be no surprise to have been exposed to it. It’s been quite some time since the two main instalments in the series were released, but it still maintains a loyally dedicated fanbase, partially because of its awesome TSF (mecha) designs and partially because of its cleverly constructed and emotionally gripping story.

As you may be aware, an adaption of the spinoff VN Muv-Luv Alternative – Total Eclipse is scheduled to air this summer. In light of this, both Zephyr and I (Moomba) took it upon ourselves to finally buckle down and play through the series. For me, it’s been something I’ve long intended to do but always found myself sidetracked by other VNs, games and anime. To be frank, having finished the series, I can’t believe I didn’t do so sooner.

Our primary aim with this post (which will be split into sections for Extra, Unlimited, and Alternative per their chronological order) is to give our impressions on the series, try to convince you that these are definitely visual novels you need to play, and to give you some sort of idea of what to expect from Total Eclipse this coming season. While we’ll try to be as thorough as possible with our thoughts, we’ll also try to ensure to keep spoilers to an absolute minimum so we ask that you kindly do the same when making a comment (and make good use the spoiler tags)!

Muv-Luv Extra

Moomba:

I dove into Muv-Luv with no real knowledge of what to expect – the entirety of the information on the subject I possessed at the time was that it involved mecha (and yes, that does mean I was completely unaware of certain scenes in Alternative until they crept up on me). My reaction to starting Extra should be pretty easy to guess; to say the least, I caught entirely off guard by the complete lack of any sort of battle mechs.

Continued after the spoiler tag… Show Spoiler ▼

Of course, that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it… quite the opposite in fact. While there were times that it dragged, overall it managed to retain my interest for the majority of its running time. On the surface it may be similar to so many other multi-route high-school slice-of-life dating sims, but it still adds in an extra element to make it stand out as unique. It is undeniably not the most interesting love story (or series of love stories) ever told, but at the end of the day, that’s not really the point. Extra’s main function within the larger canon is as a springboard from which to introduce us to all the most central characters of the series. While many things change in the transition between Extra and Unlimited, the personalities of most of the cast are not among them.

No, it’s definitely not the story that sets Extra aside from other dating sims. The setting is fairly unoriginal too – a suburban part of Hiiragi Town and its local school. What does set it apart are the moments when the game decides to completely disregard common sense and do something ridiculously crazy. The perfect example of this would be levelling an entire city block and building a mansion, all within the space of a single day. These sort of events are almost everyday occurrences for the duration of Extra and actually add an extra layer of juxtaposition with the other two instalments of the VN – while Extra completely disregards normal practice with no second thoughts, Unlimited and Alternative always take great care to explain everything and ensure it all remains feasible within the setting.

As I mentioned earlier, Extra’s main purpose is to introduce the characters who we’ll be spending the rest of the series with and their relationships. It’s actually a little hard at times to get a decent impression of Takeru – our protagonist – over the course of Extra. I suppose this is to be expected – a large focus of the series as a whole seems to be on his character growth and reactions to all the events that come his way. But I for one couldn’t grow overly fond of him during Extra, particularly because of his general treatment of Sumika. Not necessarily in his… *ahem* ‘friendly’ abuse (which is usually returned in kind), but because of how little regard he gives to Sumika as a person for the majority of the VN. Sure, this may be remedied somewhat in her ending (which isn’t anywhere remotely as epic as Meiya’s, though I still support Sumika all the way!), but it’s not really until Unlimited and Alternative that I particularly began to warm towards Takeru.

To be honest, part of the reason I can’t quite empathise with Takeru during Extra is his lack of a voice. As someone who’s semi-familiar with the genre, I understand the reasoning behind leaving protagonists unvoiced, but it’s still something that bothers me. I personally have never felt the need to self-insert as the lead character in any kind of visual novel, especially when choices are restricted and the character clearly has a personality and will of their own that differs noticeably from mine. This is, of course, a minor personal gripe and not something that should be taken as reflecting detrimentally on the rest of the series.

While the main focus may be on these character introductions, they are by no means the only reason to play Extra. The entire VN is littered with little details which are meaningless until brought into focus during Alternative and there are a myriad of Chekhov’s guns all over the place. They’re exactly the type of thing you rarely find, and only ever in stories with extremely well thought out and thoroughly pre-planned storylines. It’s exceedingly obvious when playing Alternative just how much of the VN was mapped out when they first began production of Extra. There were just so many moments where I found myself stopping and thinking ‘Ah! That’s a pretty clever way to tie things together!’

Zephyr:

I’ll be honest. I came into Muv-Luv Extra with no real expectations. I mean, why would I? My original intent was to play Muv-Luv Alternative and I was only playing Extra because it was necessary to understanding Alternative’s plot. As such, to me at the time, it just felt like a bit of an obstacle—something blocking me from going right into Alternative, which has been labeled as one of the best visual novels of all time. Furthermore, I had heard all these stories and reviews talking about how it was just a dating sim for the most part, which didn’t do much to raise expectations at the time. But you know what? After going through the game, I’ll admit that I totally dropped the ball on this one. As much as I love giving things the benefit of the doubt and try not to judge something by its cover, I still do it from time to time… and this was one of those cases. And not only that, this was one of those cases where I was wrong. See, Muv-Luv Extra turned out to be quite the enjoyable experience. It might not be as good as the other two iterations we’re covering here today, but it still does standout quite nicely as a stand alone.

Continued after the spoiler tag… Show Spoiler ▼

First off, I shall state as a fact that the descriptions about Extra being a dating sim are true for the most part. I won’t deny that. In fact, I shall also say that there’s a fair amount of generic dating sim elements/personalities incorporated in as well. There’s the lazy and kind of dense Shirogane Takeru as the main male… the childhood friend who’s been around since forever (Kagami Sumika)… the class representative (Sakaki Chizuru)… the quiet, somewhat antisocial girl (Ayamine Kei)… the girl lacking slightly in confidence (Tamase Miki)… and last but not least, the girl who comes out of nowhere to challenge the childhood friend’s relationship with the main character (Mitsurugi Meiya). Chances are you’ve probably seen a lot of people with similar personalities in other dating sim type games or in other mediums in general, so I can’t say Muv-Luv Extra takes any leaps and bounds in this respect. But the thing is, with so many games of similar natures these days, it’s quite hard to create a character than be considered unique at this point. And to top it all off, this limitation is something that gets further compounded when you have to fit it within a limited scenario (dating sim). As such, the greatness of a game such as Muv-Luv Extra is something I feel can only be determined by how well it embraces these limitations and how well it works within and around them.

And Muv-Luv Extra does quite well in this respect. See, you don’t see the creators shying away from standard staples of the genre in terms of personality. You never notice any forceful insertions of things (events, characters etc.) that are outside the norm just for the sake of being different. What you do see however, are the creators doing the best with what they have. You see how each character’s personality readily reflects in their actions. You see the great natural dialogue and exchanges each of the characters have with one another. And you rarely see any drastic contradiction in any of the heroines in terms of their personality or the actions they do. Really, the characters all just end up exceptionally solid, despite their generic base personalities. And their stories and interactions are things that end up staying with you for awhile, however random or small they are in the grand scheme of things. Furthermore, the inclusion of enjoyable side-characters like Initial D tribute and limo driver Ichimonji Takahashi and the maid that can do anything (Tsukuyomi Mana) just further spices up the enjoyable atmosphere of the game.

In the end… what can I say? Everything just combines to result in a game that is fun to play. Sure, it’s just a dating sim type experience for the most part and the main focus is on Meiya and Sumika, but it’s still an experience worth having. I came into the game with no real expectations, but I came out with some great memories and some nice laughs. And if you got some time, whether or not you’re playing it just to get to Alternative, give it a try. At the very least, it’ll be a nice way to pass the time.

Other Notes:

One of the more notable things about Extra is that for an eroge, it doesn’t actually have much of those elements in it. The occasional fan service is present, but it’s so few and far between that it rarely detracts from the experience. Most of the eroge only presents itself in the scenes of more… sexual nature at the end of each respective route.

Also, while the connections between Extra and Alternative take until the near end to Alternative to sort out, the bottom line is this: Your mind will be blown when you realize how everything connects together. And let’s just say you’re bound to at least feel a bit more positively toward Extra as a result, regardless of how you felt when going through this game the first time.

Finally, just one last note. The sequel to Extra, Muv-Luv Unlimited, is on the same disc. Unlocking it requires the completion of Meiya and Sumika’s routes, hence why I said they were the main focus.

Muv-Luv Unlimited

Moomba:

Unlimited is far more in line with my original expectations for Muv-Luv. The transition between the two sections of the game is a little abrupt, but I actually consider this a good thing since it puts is in pretty much the exact same frame of mind as Takeru – we’re left completely clueless as to what has happened and why. While Unlimited proceeds to answer these questions to a certain degree, most of the explaining is left up to Alternative. Where Extra could be considered an introduction to the characters, Unlimited serves as our first window into the BETA-oppressed world. In that sense, it’s probably best to look at Muv-Luv as a sort of extended prologue to Muv-Luv Alternative.

Continued after the spoiler tag… Show Spoiler ▼

It was during the events of Unlimited that I finally began to empathise more with Takeru. At long last he actually gets a voice (if only during flashbacks) and begins to feel like an entity with a purpose. While he may suffer from the usual symptoms of a selfish, bratty protagonist at first, he quickly begins to warm to the new world and despite his obvious naiveté, he does try his hardest to pursue this newfound goal. He whines a lot less than the typical modern protagonist too which is always a huge plus in my book!

While this is definitely the point at which the Muv-Luv series starts to really come into its own, Unlimited still distinctly lacks a strong sense of danger. Part of this is because we’re following on from Extra, a story in which getting hit by cars at high speed isn’t even enough to cause serious injury. While we’re constantly hearing about the extreme threat posed by the BETA, we never actually encounter them. In a sense, we’re undergoing the exact same training as the cadets – in all their textbooks, the BETA are presented as silhouttes and never given solid detail. This means that their first encounter with the BETA will also be our first encounter with the BETA, letting us live vicariously through their emotions at the time. When that time finally rolls around in Alternative it solidly highlights just how naive Takeru has been and just how shockingly harsh the reality is.

The last thing I want to discuss for Unlimited is once again the writing. Many of the negatives I originally considered while playing Unlimited quickly became positives in light of events in Alternative. My above point for example – I originally considered the lack of a sense of danger to be a product of poor writing and planning, but in retrospect it seems intentional. Much of the writing during this instalment serves a larger purpose and a great deal of that is misdirection. They lull us into a false sense of security and present information in such a way that we draw false conclusions resulting in an even greater impact when twists are finally revealed. Like Extra, Unlimited once again shows just how well planned out the Muv-Luv series was.

Zephyr:

To say the least, Muv-Luv Unlimited is where the series starts showing its true colors—throwing the main character not only back in time, but also to another dimension as well. And well, the result is a pretty drastic difference: A world where humanity is on the brink of extinction by aliens known as the BETA. Many of the characters from Extra are present, but with notable (and expected) changes as a result of the state of the world… and the fact that the high school you used to go to is now a military base for training mecha (TSF) pilots (known as “Eishi”). The gameplay mechanics stay the same for the most part, but…

Continued after the spoiler tag… Show Spoiler ▼

… gosh darn is this world different. Going into Unlimited, I knew it was going to revolve a bit around mecha and aliens, but I never anticipated something quite like this. The contrast between this and Extra… was just wow. The sudden twist into such a grim dark apocalyptic scenario really was quite the sight to behold. But in the end, it’s still pretty mild compared to the events of Alternative. I would suppose that’s natural, considering that Unlimited is pretty much just an appetizer to the main course so to speak… but make no mistake: Muv-Luv Unlimited might only be an appetizer, but it’s a darn good one.

Aside from the awesome inclusion of the TSF mechs, the detailed introduction to the new world, and the Extra-inducing nostalgia of rekindling friendships with people you used to know in the other world—Muv Luv Unlimited is a great story about life in my view. It’s a great demonstration of how things in life don’t necessarily always go the way we want them to and how we have to deal with it and get past it in order to get the things we want. We might not have any unbeatable aliens threatening to kill us all, but the events of Unlimited and Takeru’s realization that he needs to do what he can given the situation he’s in… they’re all things that can be readily applied to real life. Furthermore, with the inclusion of things like humanity not being united even in the face of an overwhelming threat to our entire species goes even deeper philosophy wise—touching upon the base foundations of humanity and the struggles of reconciling the innumerable amount of unique views that we each have. Sure, I’ll admit I might be going a little too into everything… but it just feels to me that there’s so much more you can get from this other than the enjoyment of the gaming aspects that Unlimited does right.

Overall, Unlimited was a great experience that builds upon the characters you got to know in Extra. As such, the basic importance of Extra is emphasized further by Unlimited, which wouldn’t be quite the same if you didn’t have to play Extra to unlock it in the first place. Subsequently, the importance of both the stories get further emphasized in Alternative… an aspect which just shows how awesome the series overall is, because everything just ties together perfectly when all’s said and done. There are just so few things wasted… it’s just amazing. Granted, you don’t feel this way until after you’ve played Alternative, but gosh darn, when you see that even the eroge scenes tie into the story…

Muv-Luv Alternative

Moomba:

It’s hard to talk about Alternative without resorting to spoilers, but I guess I’ll do my best. First and foremost, Alternative is designed to screw with your emotions. It’s generally considered an Utsuge for its uncanny ability to reduce even the most gar of men to tears. At its core, Alternative is a tale of courage in the face of adversity and overcoming hardships – standing beside Takeru as he conquers insurmountable odds while his entire world is turned upside down around him, it’s hard not to feel some sort of emotional attachment.

Continued after the spoiler tag… Show Spoiler ▼

Since there isn’t much I can say beyond praising the TSF design, art, music, and the story as a whole, I’m going to bring up a discussion I had with Stilts recently over a Penny Arcade editorial on the upcoming Tomb Raider game. It seems to be something of a staple in Japanese fiction (and not just Japanese fiction, but fiction in general) to force protagonists through excessively painful trials in order to turn them into a worthy hero.

There are many ways a hero can be born – they can be born a hero through contrivances such as fate and destiny; they can grow from a simple ideal, fighting with the help of their friends to become something greater; they can overcome minor trials, find an ancient relic and ascend to the title; or they can be forced headfirst through the fiery pits of hell over and over until something that vaguely resembles a hero emerges from the other side. These aren’t the only options by any means, only the ones that come immediately to mind for me. In this case, it’s the last that I want to talk about – the idea of putting a protagonist through excruciatingly painful situations time and time again, tempering them in the fire until they barely make it out the other side stronger and more resilient for their trouble. It’s this concept that seems to fascinate so many authors, particularly in Japanese fiction – the act of forcibly creating a hero as the result of situations he barely survives, should not have survived, and wishes he hadn’t survived.

Takeru fits into this perfectly. He may begin with naive ideals and a simplistic outlook on the world and how everything should be, but as events begin to pile up on him, he gradually evolves into a true hero, someone worthy of awe and respect. It’s not the fact that he surmounted every trial that came his way – in truth he’s had few victories to speak of – but the fact that he somehow managed to make it through alive, took his experiences, and made himself stronger for it. At the same time, this doesn’t mean that he becomes an emotionless machine, only that he has the strength to continue to move forwards whatever might come his way, ensuring that the sacrifices of those who went before do not go to waste.

Simply put, the best hero is not born through fate or destiny, but through hard work, experience, trials, and above all else, necessity. Takeru was that hero and the route which led him to those heights was more than worth the time, if only to bask in his glory.

Zephyr:

Ah, Muv-Luv Alternative. Stated by some to be one of the best—if not the best—visual novel ever, the first question that comes to mind is: Does it deserve this distinction?

Continued after the spoiler tag… Show Spoiler ▼

You’re damn right it does.

Granted, I haven’t played many visual novels in my lifetime, but really, I don’t really see how it would be possible for the typical visual novel to reach the level of excellence that Alternative does. I can’t say it’s hands down the best visual novel ever, but it’s definitely high up there.

The story pretty much starts similarly to Unlimited, as another loop brings Takeru back to the beginning again… but what happens after that changes drastically—mostly due to the fact he already knows some of the events that will happen. As a result, Muv-Luv Alternative ties together the events of both Extra and Unlimited to become a game that not only gives us one of the more emotional and memorable stories of all time (in terms of visual novels), it gives us something more basic: a tale of maturity… a tale of being human.

How so? Well, it’s because Muv-Luv Alternative is pretty much a story that revolves around Shirogane Takeru. Past all the end of the world stuff, past all the other side characters the fact of the matter is that Takeru is the sun around which the planets revolve around in Alternative. The actions he does and the words that come out of his mouth… it’s not a stretch that they influence virtually everything that happens in Alternative. And from what do they come from? What triggers one to do a particular action, to say a particular thing? Events. Events are in turn influenced by emotions, emotions influenced by views and experiences, views and experiences that change as the person develops and matures over time. And via the differences between his actions and views from the beginning of the game to the end of it, we see this gradual maturation of Takeru. And given his impact on the story, Alternative is thus a tale of maturity… of accepting the things you can’t change, of knowing and understanding your limits, of knowing that you need to give effort to get something you want, and of knowing that it’s okay to have fears and doubts, as long as you don’t let them get to you. And most of all, it’s a tale of being human… of understanding the many different views people have on the same issue, of accepting the fact that everyone dies sometime, and of understanding that those that have passed on still live on in your memories.

In a way, I could spend thousands upon thousands of words writing about the greatness of this game if I went through a bunch of spoilers… but the bottom line is this: Alternative really is one of those visual novels that come only a few times a generation. On the surface, it’s an exceptional visual novel filled with great aspects sci-fi and visual novel fans would love. But underneath lies is a deep philosophical manifest about being human and about living. Regardless of which aspects you prefer in your games, the fact of the matter is there’s something for everyone here. And well, despite the exceptionally brutal and graphic nature of some parts of this game, you really need to play this game if you haven’t already. Also, just a quickie: the soundtrack rocks too!

“You’re going to save humanity, right?
“Yes.”
“And you want to do it with your own strength, right?”
“I will… all on my own.”
“She’s right. It’s not about whether we can’t or can’t. We simply have to do it.”

87 Comments

Brutal and graphic…yes…
Yes it certainly is. That particular scene where Show Spoiler ▼

someone pulls a Mami

, is so…Ugh.

Silivious

June 13, 2012 at 2:41 pm 12 years ago

Reply
1. More like Show Spoiler ▼
  
  Mami pulled a you-know-who. Muv Luv is way older than Madoka.
  
  Chomp
  
  June 14, 2012 at 12:59 am 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. I know that. Just wanted a way to relate that to people that haven’t heard of the series before now, lol.
    
    Silivious
    
    June 16, 2012 at 10:38 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
This saga is (up-to-now) the best experience I had from any entertainment media in my life.

I recommend it to anyone who consumes anime, manga, visual novels, light novels, etc.

A Muv-Luv Guide for those interested.

xRichard

June 13, 2012 at 2:42 pm 12 years ago

Reply
1. Just a warning: Major spoilers are everywhere. Even in the Wikipedia article linked above.
  It’s kind of a “School Days” thing.
  
  – Install Japanese Locale.
  – Get the patches from Amaterasu Translation
  – “Acquire” the DVDs (pirating, importing, whatever).
  – Install the two games using the patches, not the auto-run install.
  – Prepare yourself to 80hrs of enjoyment.
  
  xRichard
  
  June 13, 2012 at 2:47 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
2. Fun Fact: Muv Luv (the first game) was marketed as a “not just generic, but ultra-generic” harem comedy VN by their own creators. The “Extra” part of the first game was meant to be cliched experience from birth and served as a very clever cover to the big surprise that came after it: A Hard Sci-Fi Military Real Robot Mecha Romance story.
  
  xRichard
  
  June 13, 2012 at 3:01 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
3. Then you must have experience a lot of media, though I find MLA pretty great it is far from entering my top. Actually if not for the great setting and action scenes it would be pretty terrible.
  
  To be honest I always found ML dialogue and pacing quite horrible, but the good parts greatly outshine the bad
  
  Srider
  
  June 13, 2012 at 3:52 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. Well, what I said has a lot to do with my tastes. Each person will have their own experiences with the series.
    
    About opinions: For it to be “the best VN ever created” is a very debatable statement. Even I, as much as I loved it, can’t agree to that because MLA is a 6 years old and there are many critically acclaimed games out there that most VNDB.org users don’t know about. Simply because they are not translated.
    
    But saying that it is terrible is just unfair and hard to justify.
    
    And you are doing it wrong if you play the games for the action in the first place. It isn’t directed by Michael Bay. It isn’t even part of the “Action” genre. It’s like watching K-On for the Music or Gurren Laggan for the Romance, it is there but it’s far from the focus.
    
    xRichard
    
    June 13, 2012 at 4:24 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
4. I think the best way for new viewers to understand Muv-luv is to see its openings.
  
  Muv-Luv Extra
  Muv-Luv Unlimited
  Muv-Luv Alternative
  
  You can tell how awesome stuff gets when they have JAM PROJECT do the op for the last VN. Its arguably my favorite Jam Project song too (“TACHIAGARE KEDAKAKU MAE SADAME WO UKETA SENSHI YOOOO!” )
  
  And just for kicks I’ll add the OP for the Kimi ga Nozomu Eien anime since its supposed to share the same continuity and has some significance in the actual story of Muv-Luv.
  
  fragb85
  
  June 13, 2012 at 7:38 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
What a huge coincidence. I just started playing Muv-Luv Alternative a few days ago after reading the Muv-Luv extra and unlimited manga.

Eamon

June 13, 2012 at 3:03 pm 12 years ago

Reply
I’ve always heard great things about this particular VN, but its also apparently a 90+ hour experience from what I’ve been told. I’ll probably give it a go after I get around to finishing Ever17 (eventually).

Click

June 13, 2012 at 3:31 pm 12 years ago

Reply
1. Extra will take around a dozen hours. Unlimited is around eight. Alternative around 40-50 hours. 😀
  
  Zephyr
  
  June 13, 2012 at 4:16 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
2. Just a warning, Extra and Unlimited might feel like a chore to go through, sometimes frustrating. Especially when you consider what a complete dumbass the Protagonist is. It is however intentional, you just won’t understand the importance of the first two VN until you play Alternative. So don’t skip anything.
  
  fragb85
  
  June 13, 2012 at 8:06 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
I just want you to know that you’re both massive overachievers.

*thumbs up* Good job! 😀

Stilts

June 13, 2012 at 3:31 pm 12 years ago

Reply
So can we finally get a Visual Novel category on RC?

Da5id

June 13, 2012 at 3:31 pm 12 years ago

Reply
1. Lol I was thinking along similar lines earlier… but the amount of VN novel coverage isn’t really something we’ve been doing on any regular basis, so it hasn’t really warranted one yet. If I remember correctly though, Zanibas has plans to cover more VN’s in the future though, so it may be coming shortly.
  
  Zephyr
  
  June 13, 2012 at 4:20 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. Well, there’s always GC: Lost Christmas…lol.
    
    Da5id
    
    June 13, 2012 at 6:22 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
I gotta ask what other VNs do you guys play?

hysteric

June 13, 2012 at 4:04 pm 12 years ago

Reply
1. I’ve played too many to list them all quickly, but a few of my current favourites (not including the Muv-Luv series) include Steins;Gate, Kamidori, G-Senjou no Maou and (of course) Fate/Stay Night.
  
  Moomba
  
  June 13, 2012 at 4:18 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. The Muv-Luv series is my first jump into the VN medium.
    
    Zephyr
    
    June 13, 2012 at 4:21 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
  2. If you liked what you saw, please try more!
    
    Rain
    
    June 14, 2012 at 3:36 am 12 years ago
    
    Reply
2. Here you go: /vg/ Guide to Visual Novels.
  
  xRichard
  
  June 13, 2012 at 4:28 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. I wish they put Baldr Sky Dive 1+2 as well. AWESOME GAME!!
    
    †Croos†
    
    June 13, 2012 at 5:33 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
  2. They will whenever it gets translated (the project is progressing quite well). I’ve heard many good things about it.
    
    What’s missing there is the recently released Rewrite Common Route patch.
    
    For those who don’t know, Rewrite is the latest Key game (Kanon, Air, Clannad, Little Busters).
    
    xRichard
    
    June 13, 2012 at 5:45 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
  3. Don’t forget Rewrite Harvest festa!
    
    †Croos†
    
    June 13, 2012 at 6:01 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
3. Here’s my list
  
  †Croos†
  
  June 13, 2012 at 5:30 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. You haven’t read Saya no uta?!?! Blasphamy!!
    
    billng
    
    June 13, 2012 at 8:50 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
  2. dont worry. im still on it.
    
    Croos
    
    June 14, 2012 at 2:56 am 12 years ago
    
    Reply
[Major Spoilers warning: Watch out for poorly titled YouTube related videos (as in “XXXX’s Death”). The ones I linked in this post are safe but I don’t recommend to watch further.]

Now that I finished my rushed info-dumping and read your article. It’s very funny how you can’t really say much about Alternative without spoilers. Even the physical appearance of the aliens is a spoiler. But I applaud you both for this post, giving the series the respect it deserves and presenting it with the care it needs.

Luckily, early in Unlimited there’s one of the best scenes of the games that instantly hooks anyone who got up to that part of the series: The history lesson about the new “Alternative” world the MC woke up in.

A war against aliens… How bad could it be if we have gigantic TSFs to fight them? The way the story delivers the answer to that question was perfect.

After Unlimited, comes Alternative. From the get go you get a far more technically improved game in almost every aspect. Higher wide-screen resolution, JAM Project opening, facial animations, updated artwork and a far more expanded orchestral soundtrack with many memorable pieces. The upgrade is very impressing and you really feel you are getting into something far bigger and ambitious than before just from the Menu Screen music.

The only thing that you didn’t mention is the appearance of many past âge characters such as the Suzumiya sisters and Mitsuki Hayase from the Kimi ga Nozomu Eien anime (also known as Rumbling Hearts). People who are familiar with them will be glad to see them playing important roles once again.

I hope that many RandomC readers try these games out. And I’m not saying this for Total Eclipse’s sake. These visual novels are masterpieces that stand on their own and should be played anyway.

xRichard

June 13, 2012 at 4:06 pm 12 years ago

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The combined efforts of these three vn’s had me feeling a plethora of mixed emotions for almost a whole month before I got over myself. This isn’t a story that you simply read from a 3rd person’s point of view, it’s a story that feels as if you’re living through it. There aren’t many visual novels that actually make you love and feel for the characters as much as this one does. My personal favorite :]

Laziness

June 13, 2012 at 6:21 pm 12 years ago

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Muv-Luv Extra is an incredibly generic cliche-riddenharem comedy. The thing is that was INTENTIONAL, since Unlimited/Alternative is largely how Takeru(a dense, stupid harem lead) deals being stuck in parallel world where humanity is facing extinction. The Muv-Luv series is a transitional series, Extra was there to establish the characters and get the reader attached to them, Unlimited brings the setting of the dystpoian earth and understand how bad things are there. Then Alternative is pretty much the “S*** GOT REAL!!!!” chapter so when the serious stuff happens its emotionally effective.

One particular scene in alternative still haunts my nightmares. (Yes MLA readers you know what I’m talking about “THAT SCENE”)

fragb85

June 13, 2012 at 6:59 pm 12 years ago

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never thought I would see a muv-luv alternative review on RC, oh praise the lawd

billng

June 13, 2012 at 7:10 pm 12 years ago

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1. Word.
  
  Zephyr
  
  June 13, 2012 at 9:52 pm 12 years ago
  
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Ugg, I couldn’t finish Alternative when THAT scene kept popping up in flashbacks. Is it just me? I kinda feel ashamed that I couldn’t take the scene even though I’m an 18.

Wells

June 13, 2012 at 7:32 pm 12 years ago

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1. its ok, I get uncomfortable during sex scenes in VN’s too :/
  
  billng
  
  June 13, 2012 at 8:51 pm 12 years ago
  
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2. Saw the Show Spoiler ▼
  
  Marimo
  
  scene everyone was cringing about, don’t know what’s so bad about it. Go watch Fate Zero manga if you want to see a lot more disturbing scenes.
  
  Balzr
  
  June 13, 2012 at 8:52 pm 12 years ago
  
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  1. A lot of people today are kinda jaded and desensitized, because of the ultra-violent games, movies and shows that are all the rage lately. Maybe you are too.
    
    It’s also important to note these scenes are more powerful/repulsive if you really like the character it happens too. And most people did really care for that character.
    
    Zreon
    
    June 14, 2012 at 8:01 am 12 years ago
    
    Reply
  2. I don’t appreciate the low punch there. It’s not a matter of desensitizing, but rather to distinguish fiction from reality. What happens to a fictional character in a drawn form is not worth having nightmare about, unless you’re weak mentally.
    
    Train your brain to distinguish between fiction and reality. Although I’m sure it’s hard for a lot of people who visit this website…
    
    Balzr
    
    June 16, 2012 at 1:03 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
  3. I was playing at 2:00 AM, when I saw that scene so I wonder if it’s less scary when you’re not tired or out of it.
    
    Wells
    
    June 17, 2012 at 3:05 pm 12 years ago
    
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Have to agree that MLA was definitely the best visual novel I’ve read with FSN a close second. Sharin no kuni felt all around better than G senjou (only haru’s route was any good), same writers though.

Glad to see VNs on RC though!

disgradius

June 13, 2012 at 9:00 pm 12 years ago

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I gotta admit this has gotten me excited for Total Eclipse.

Mike F.

June 13, 2012 at 9:03 pm 12 years ago

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1. Mission accomplished.
  
  Zephyr
  
  June 13, 2012 at 9:50 pm 12 years ago
  
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i hope there will be betas on eclipse
and yes some blood and gore will be nice

Espada

June 13, 2012 at 9:34 pm 12 years ago

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1. Hmm. Rumour has it that there won’t be sadly. :X
  
  Zephyr
  
  June 13, 2012 at 9:50 pm 12 years ago
  
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  1. I’d like to know where you’re hearing these rumors, it’s known that there are at least two instances of anti-BETA large scale combat in Total Eclipse. And a few more instances of simulated anti-BETA combat.
    
    IronZeta
    
    June 14, 2012 at 1:13 am 12 years ago
    
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  2. Inagaki Takayuki (the director) confirmed in a recent interview that there will be animated BETA. He also went on to say that they will be ‘disgusting’ and inspired by horror movies but that they would have to suppress some of the more grotesque stuff for TV broadcast.
    
    Moomba
    
    June 14, 2012 at 3:33 am 12 years ago
    
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2. I hope not, since
  Show Spoiler ▼
  
  the part in the visual novel where the Beta popped out of nowhere during the new OS testing, right when Takeru was starting to gain more confidence in himself, and made you cringe at how terribly inhuman they look
  
  was one of the most powerful scenes in the visual novel in my opinion, and made me shit bricks when the orchestral music kicked in.
  
  nonexistant
  
  June 13, 2012 at 10:32 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. I’d love to see the Beta in animated form, but not in a sidestory where it could then lessen the impact and despair in that scene.
    
    nonexistant
    
    June 13, 2012 at 10:34 pm 12 years ago
    
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3. You do realize that Alternative has a grand total of ONE Gory scene right? The rest of the violence is pretty standard.
  
  fragb85
  
  June 13, 2012 at 10:35 pm 12 years ago
  
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  1. Show Spoiler ▼
    
    Marimo
    Tamase
    Sumika Rape (not exactly gory, but pretty disturbing)
    -arguable-
    Haruka
    
    …one?
    
    cakester
    
    June 13, 2012 at 10:44 pm 12 years ago
    
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  2. Non of which are as explicit or detailed like the first one. Blood and gore is not a significant feature of Alternative despite its grim setting.
    
    fragb85
    
    June 13, 2012 at 10:51 pm 12 years ago
    
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  3. ah, I see what you mean now. Still, the scenes I listed were still pretty bad, and made me freeze for a couple of minutes.
    
    cakester
    
    June 13, 2012 at 10:57 pm 12 years ago
    
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Is it just me, or is the front side of their suits transparent?

You know, for kids!

June 13, 2012 at 10:24 pm 12 years ago

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1. yep, completely see through.
  Utter fanservice it is not though, since there’s a logical reason for it.
  
  nonexistant
  
  June 13, 2012 at 10:29 pm 12 years ago
  
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2. Its not. Cadet Armor Suits are just peach colored, made to look transparent. Because fanservice. The normal Armor Suits are black and purple though.
  
  fragb85
  
  June 13, 2012 at 10:31 pm 12 years ago
  
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  1. I thought they explained it in Alternative that it was actually transparent so Show Spoiler ▼
    
    that the 2 sexes won’t feel embarrassed about seeing each other in the nude, and to raise camaraderie cause you know humanity is in a war, getting their asses kicked, and at the risk of extinction. Being uncomfortable around the opposite sex is not going to help anyone
    
    as Takeru himself explained
    
    nonexistant
    
    June 13, 2012 at 10:40 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
  2. I don’t recall of that. They are definitely not transparent though, because you don’t see nipples.
    
    Show Spoiler ▼
    
    Also if you saw Meiya’s *coughsexscenecough* you can clearly see her skin and the suit are of different color tone.
    
    fragb85
    
    June 13, 2012 at 11:01 pm 12 years ago
    
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  3. Two reasons were given for transparency.
    
    Show Spoiler ▼
    
    First was nonexistant’s explanation up there. Second was because transparent material was cheaper. It is transparent for the most part. Also reason was quite logical in real-life perspective too. Fan service just so happened to be applicable too.
    
    Zephyr
    
    June 13, 2012 at 11:59 pm 12 years ago
    
    Reply
  4. “It’s fan-service” is just half of the answer:
    
    The Altverse is under the Hard Sci-Fi genre. Everything is explained and rationalized with scientific detail.
    
    Cadets’ suit are transparent in the +18 version of the game and translucent in the All-Ages version. It isn’t the same as being naked but anyone would be able to see their attributes if they get close enough.
    
    On the other hand, Eishi suits are all translucent.
    
    Very minor MLA Spoiler about the suits: Show Spoiler ▼
    
    The cadets’ suits are like that as part of the training. This is to strip the to-be soldiers off their sense of pride and shame over their genres because they would share bathrooms and showers at the battlefields, a place where they won’t have either time nor mental strength available to spend getting awkward around brothers-in-arms. It also serves to build up a better camaraderie where all sexes are equal. The idea is that a soldier is gender-less. If I remember correctly, this is explained in MLA by Captain Isumi.
    
    xRichard
    
    June 14, 2012 at 12:07 am 12 years ago
    
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  5. But it isn’t like they always walk around like that. They do wear something over their suits whenever they are not doing TSF-stuff.
    
    Look: Minor Spoiler (It shows a mid-game MLA character)
    
    xRichard
    
    June 14, 2012 at 12:17 am 12 years ago
    
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  6. Are you blind? I completely see nipple. Notice the pink part in the center on each breast that ends in a point and is where the material “covering” the breasts changes angles.
    
    Bijyu
    
    June 16, 2012 at 4:33 pm 12 years ago
    
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hmm tempt by it give anime version of it this coming summer bit tempt to check?

KLAC_OF_PERSONALITY

June 14, 2012 at 4:32 am 12 years ago

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hair style scary…. remind me to Zero on Megaman…. *_*

4:3 screen VN….. soo old fashioned…. *0*

can you post another playable VN game like MeltyBlood or BlazBLue…

kacho kacho

June 14, 2012 at 4:58 am 12 years ago

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1. That’s because her hairstyle is a reference to the Gundam Physalis. Yes, really.
  
  fragb85
  
  June 14, 2012 at 9:30 am 12 years ago
  
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Muv-Luv is a really great VN series. It is however important to note that you should be aware that by the point you reach Muv-Luv Alternative, the story will throw a lot of suffering, tragedy, violence and other nightmare-fuel at you.

I think it’s worth it, but it’s definately not for everyone.

Zreon

June 14, 2012 at 8:08 am 12 years ago

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That art is pretty bad but I think I can overlook it if it’s as good as it sounds.

qwerty

June 14, 2012 at 9:10 am 12 years ago

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Tried to install this VN like a year ago but it failed. This post made me try again and it WORKED. Time to enjoy the supposed ‘best vn ever created’.

Skattack

June 14, 2012 at 5:23 pm 12 years ago

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1. “Best VN ever translated” is more accurate.
  
  There are a lot of stuff we non-moon speakers don’t know about like Muramasa, Baldr Sky, Grisaia, White Album 2 and more games that got as much praise as MLA in japan.
  
  Enjoy your ride.
  
  xRichard
  
  June 14, 2012 at 6:50 pm 12 years ago
  
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This VN managed to rile up so many emotions out of me like no other. It was sure an emotional roller coaster. As for people who are thinking of skipping the highschool sim hijinks, I suggest you don’t. I don’t think I would have BAWWWW’d as hard in the halfway point of Alternative if it weren’t for the attachment I had for Extra.

Kusano

June 15, 2012 at 1:29 am 12 years ago

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>.< I can't wait for the anime!

The Moondoggie

June 15, 2012 at 5:57 am 12 years ago

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“That scene” (which I can’t bring myself to complain about, since Takeru didn’t have a “censor” function on his eyes) aside, Muv-Luv was by far the best visual novel I’ve ever read, and that’s after playing through quite a few. Extra and Unlimited were solid, but not absolutely spectacular, but thinking back, it was all just a ploy to get you attached to the characters so the absolutely spectacular Alternative could rip out your heart. I’ve never cried so much about anything.

Shiden

June 15, 2012 at 11:24 pm 12 years ago

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Already finished MuvLuv Extra and I will say that it’s indeed a quite enjoyable ride. A bit boring on some times, hilarious at other times, and even pretty amazing at some other times. I would say it’s a decent ride of over-the-top generic harem-romcom story.

And now…2 hours at Unlimited and I missed Extra already. Not because Unlimited is bad (It’s pretty awesome), but because I just realized some good things that I didn’t really notice in Extra. It’s already felt like a homesick already.

Now I wonder what will I think when I reach Alternative.

zeroyuki92

June 16, 2012 at 11:01 am 12 years ago

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1. Had fun with the lacrosse arc? Hahaha.
  
  No wonder why you feel homesick playing Unlimited. That’s exactly what the MC is feeling too.
  
  xRichard
  
  June 16, 2012 at 7:28 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. Lacrosse arc? Well, that’s the first time we saw MC getting serious in something, so it’s more like the first saving grace :))
    
    Yeah, pretty much I’ve already in synch with the protag, something that only a good story could achieve. But the biggest factor that contribute to my homesickness is…I can’t see “a certain character” up till now, 6 hours in game (furthermore, I never saw a screenshot of her past Unlimited) T_______T
    
    I’m planning to finish MuvLuv until alternative next week. I guess I’ll post my thoughts here as well :p
    
    zeroyuki92
    
    June 16, 2012 at 9:30 pm 12 years ago
    
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I have to say I am glad people are saying the reason why this VN is so great is because you end up crying. Knowing this is a tear jerker like Clannad I will actually skip it until the entire series is out. There is no way I am going to put myself through week after week of watching a depressing show. Instead I will just wait, marathon it over a weekend and hopefully get past the depressing stuff to a redeeming ending. Though from what I have heard of Muv Luv the endings are either “Bad” or “Bitter sweet”.

Bijyu

June 16, 2012 at 4:37 pm 12 years ago

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1. I think you misunderstood something. The anime airing next season is Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse which is a SPINOFF of Muv-Luv with a different cast of characters and story. The proper Muv-Luv trilogy that makes people shed manly tears are all VN’s.
  
  fragb85
  
  June 16, 2012 at 7:34 pm 12 years ago
  
  Reply
  1. Technically is a Side-story (same setting). Set months before Alternative and ends right around where Alternative would start.
    
    But the most important and alluring part of the saga is the setting. I’m interested to see how much will MLA:TE reveal about it.
    
    xRichard
    
    June 16, 2012 at 10:00 pm 12 years ago
    
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I am now officially curious for both VN’s and the anime! (cue Chitanda googly eyes!)
Given how I loved Ever17, I think even depressing endings won’t stop me.

ewok40k

June 16, 2012 at 7:29 pm 12 years ago

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I am always glad to read these. I’ve only this year started to become interested in VN’s (thanks to Katawa Shoujo). Right now I’m playing Fate/Stay Night but after I’m done with that I am going to put this series on the list. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

Beckett

June 17, 2012 at 12:53 am 12 years ago

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I think overall MLA is by far the most epic VN. I think it might be too long for people newer to VNs to get into. I tried to include a wide range and generally stuff that is easy to get into.

Some other great VNs:

Little Busters
Cross Channel
G-Senjou no Maou
Clannad
Fate/Stay Night
Majikoi (Really fun series)
Sengoku Rance (crazy perverted)
ef
Tsukihime (er the H is…but a must read)

@ewok40k ever17 is pretty peachy compared to MLA especially when you get the true ending.

shin

July 6, 2012 at 10:02 am 12 years ago

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read each and everyone of those that xRichard posted…
add in various overdrive works,school days(released a few days ago),shuffle,Hoshizora no Memoria, bunch of other key works not on the list

rasone0104

July 9, 2012 at 4:02 pm 12 years ago

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After 2nd episode of Total Eclipse, I want to remind that actually, the mecha and war detail stuffs in Muv Luv actually aren’t the main dish of what Muv-Luv trilogy serves.

It’s a tale of man that turned from a manchild, an adult wannabe, a struggling human into a true “hero” after facing shits, learning the purpose of life, love and deaths. Truly a story of being human in the middle of under-apocalypse universe.

zeroyuki92

July 9, 2012 at 11:48 pm 12 years ago

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I kinda don’t like the idea of a VN with a fixed ending like Muv-Luv Alternative. I get the thinking behind what it’s doing but still, there should be choice to the endings in a VN game, otherwise we should just be getting a LN/book.

That’s not to say it’s not good though but yeah, each new game in the trilogy just takes away choice and gives you dispare in the process.

GP

July 10, 2012 at 2:10 pm 12 years ago

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Just finished the Trilogy not too long ago, it was pretty darn good. gogo MLA TE

I quite liked the linear nature of MLA, but the lack of VN functionality is a let down. ie: CG gallery, Music Library

billng

July 29, 2012 at 4:37 pm 12 years ago

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Fulfill your duty with all your might.
Despair not until your last breath.
Never die in vain.

In last two weeks,I spend my time played MuvLuv and followed by MuvLuv Alternative.I really grace I played it.As many said it before me,If It isn’t the best visual novel,then it is still one of the best.

But… MUV-LUV ALTERNATIVE ENDING SPOILER

Show Spoiler ▼

for the few last second in the final operation,If I was takeru,I won’t hesitated.I prepared myself enough to stain blood on my hand,I accept my sin.For Humanity,that’s price to paid for.She don’t even need to told me to put the trigger.

Topboy

August 1, 2012 at 9:02 am 12 years ago

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1. ^
  ^
  Mod or Anyone with authority please Make word after “But…” be in spoiler.After that please delete this reply,thank in advance.
  
  Topboy
  
  August 1, 2012 at 9:11 am 12 years ago
  
  Reply
Just curious, will I need a game disc for the translation patch??

D-LaN

September 5, 2012 at 2:09 am 12 years ago

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