#11

Kin'iro Loveriche

The game's interesting take on Golden Time hooked me ever since the beginning of the game. Because this is actually an Astronomy/Photography term in real life.
Kin'iro Loveriche | vndb

Written on 29 Sep 2023.

Overall Playtime: 43h11m, from 16 Aug to 21 Sep 2023

Kin’iro Loveriche is a visual novel developed by Saga Planets. The game was originally released for PC in 2017. The version of the game I will be reviewing is the NekoNyan Steam release from 2021. The Steam release is all-ages, though it has an 18+ patch as well (which I used). Minimal spoilers in this review, but I will avoid anything that reveals crucial plot elements or twist within this game. I will provide a general outline of the game while also providing my thoughts on it as a visual novel (production value, story, characters, etc.).

To Become Golden (Story/Common Route)

Ouro finds himself attending a private academy after reacquainting himself with a friend from the past through some less than desirable circumstances. This “childhood friend” being the princess of Sortilège (a Scandinavian country), Sylvia le Cruzcrown. Ouro’s lifestyle before entering this academy had been strained from recent events where he found himself at odds with others he was once close to. For him entering this academy is a fresh start. One that he cannot afford to lose, being both aimless and depressed prior to instigating the set of events that led him towards this new path. And although he finds himself clashing with other students of higher social class within this academy, he manages.

Kin’iro Loveriche does a very difficult thing within the first few hours of its initial start. It manages to present a story with an absurd premise while also making it abundantly clear to the reader that there’s more than what meets the eye goofiness aside. The way Kin’iro Loveriche manages to blend both its comedy/serious moments was the biggest surprise to me about reading it. Usually, I find it hard to take these types of stories too seriously, but Kin’iro Loveriche somehow manages. The common route is filled to the brim with comedy (mostly of the sexual variety), but what keeps me reading is the implementation of its more somber moments. The reader can tell that Kin’iro Loveriche is presenting a story with a cohesive theme AND long-term storytelling from the very first minutes of its story. And it does so without feeling too melodramatic or overacted, the story is genuine to its core. A feat that very few works that I’ve read can manage.

The common route of Kin’iro Loveriche is fantastic. It does a great job of presenting the core conflicts of this story while also being a lot of fun to read through. I found myself constantly laughing at the strong sense of humor within this story, especially the comedy revolving around how sheltered people of the upper class can be from society. This elevated the theme of classism within this work and left me in stitches as I read along.

The common route also does the most important thing that it should d0:

It keeps the reader entertained AND has a good sense of foreshadowing for the future routes, not compromising either for the other. The craftsmanship of this portion of the story is stellar. I can tell that the writer wasn’t trying to waste my time. Something quite difficult to do when your common route is 10-12 hours. I blasted through this with ease.

That’s not to say the common route is flawless. I can see some of the sexual deviancies showcased in this portion of the story being a turn-off for some. I also believe that the cutesiness and absurdities may not clash well with people that want a more serious story. Since this game balances these tones rather than fully committing to them. So if you don’t like moege, this isn’t going to change your mind. Though I would advise readers to give the demo a try (which offers the entire common route) to see if it’s their cup of tea. Since I do think the common route is extremely well done despite these potential hang-ups some may have.

I wonder if this will come back at a later point in the story…?

The Students of Noble Private Academy (Characters)

I adored the cast of this one.

Something that Kin’iro Loveriche absolutely nails, especially when compared to other visual novels is keeping the presence of its cast BEYOND the common route. None of the heroines feel like they completely drop off the face of the planet once you start a route. They maintain consistent appearances throughout the entire work. Something that even my favorite visual novels don’t manage to do nearly as well.

Kin’iro Loveriche does have a strong cast, though very few characters are stellar individually. The reason I enjoy the character writing in this one is because the cast has very good chemistry. In most cases within this work, characters will be paired up to hide their weaknesses (as characters). It becomes very noticeable that few characters in Kin’iro can manage to keep a scene interesting without the assistance of another. Which may make the characterization feel very shallow for some. Though the standouts within this work elevate the cast. Especially characters like Ria and Sylvia which are capable of carrying potentially weak scenes into amazing ones.

I would call the character writing in Kin’iro Loveriche functional above all else. Because although not every character will blow your socks off individually, they all felt purposeful in the grand scheme of the story. The main heroines especially do a good job of consistently showcasing the theme of classism, pride, and facing your problems without regret. Ouro (the main character) is great, though he doesn’t hit the full throttle as much as I’d like when it comes to his introspection. You rarely get to see him go all-out in terms of personality, though when he does it’s very special. Which is probably why I wish I got to see it more within the heroine routes. Despite this drawback though, Ouro maintained my interest in most cases within this work.

The heroines are good. Though I do find Elle, Reina, and Akane to be lacking. I would say the reason is primarily because their character arcs showcase a theme more than a strong character. I won’t really remember them outside the context of their stories, though I will remember Ria and Sylvia. Fantastic characters, ones that I will likely never forget. One of the most interesting things about Kin’iro Loveriche is that it uses the main heroine to elevate another heroine. Something I have never really seen in a visual novel before. One of the most creative aspects of this work easily. I found the side characters in this work to be pretty good, though not quite in the same ballpark as other amazing side characters I’ve seen in past visual novels. I personally really enjoyed Ayaka, though I do think she lacks consistency due to routes like Reina. The rest of the side characters are fun, though they don’t offer much substance outside their entertainment value.

I adored the cast of this one, it’s just not quite a favorite of mine.

Golden Time (Production Value)

Kin’iro Loveriche has great production value. The art style is awesome at conveying both the comedic and serious moments throughout this work. But that’s not my only praise for the art style. The game also has a very nice variety of character sprites (outfits) for each heroine. I love how they constantly change expression mid-conversation, keeping me very immersed/invested throughout the story. The CG’s in this one also don’t feel wasted. Even the sub-route has a huge amount of artwork dedicated to it. Which was extremely impressive to me. Since those typically have very little compared to the main heroine routes. The utilization of CG animation for the “Golden Time” CG was also pretty amazing, elevating these beautiful scenes of pure intimacy into pure ecstasy. The game had a really strong director, knowing when to dial up the production value for maximum impact.

The voice talents in this work are also fantastic. I especially love the performance that characters like Elle, Ria, and Sylvia provided, really honing in on their archetypes and showing a lot of emotional depth. Ria is my personal favorite, not only because she holds a pivotal role in the story, but the VA that voiced her was also the one behind Ao from Summer Pocket, another all-time favorite heroine and game of mine. The comedic performances of the male characters were also really memorable, I’ll never forget the “lolicon” scenes due to the delivery of the male cast in this one. The comedic timing was simply amazing. I also have high praise for the soundtrack generally, especially the more serious tracks. Tracks like Golden Time, Sealed Off World, and Orohora especially take on new meanings when shown in context to certain scenes. Once again proving to me why I enjoy visual novel soundtracks. The context elevates the quality of the music to me. Making me associate a peak moment with a song will make that moment/song legendary. A principle that Kin’iro Loveriche can uphold magnificently with its placement of soundtracks.

I also really dig the SOL music, above the standard of what I’m used to.

If I were to nitpick the production value, this game would have benefited immensely from a title screen/theme song change at the end. I did not like the emotional whiplash I had once I finished the game and was greeted with Golden Mission. I love that track, it’s one of my favorites in this OST. But it wasn’t the song I need to hear when I finished the game. A change in visuals would have been nice as well, though it’s not as common as I’d like in most visual novels I’ve played. I also wasn’t a fan of how much artwork was dedicated to h-scenes, because although they’re not abhorrent (usually), they just shouldn’t have taken priority. I do think this problem persists with me in a lot of eroge. So it’s not something I’m particularly mad with in regards to Kin’iro Loveriche. It’s just something that I think could have been improved.

The heroines and soon-to-be-heroines

Reina Route: This was a good route.

I say this with some potential caveats. Thematically this was a crucial route in terms of developing Ouro’s character. Since this is the portion of the story that dedicates the most time to developing his backstory. But at the same time, I do feel that this route does lack in a few regards. One thing I’m not particularly fond of is how it develops Reina’s relationship with Ouro. There’s an h-scene within this route that in my opinion makes the relationship very hard to take seriously. Felt like the writer wrote themselves into a corner here and decided to accelerate development regardless of whether or not it fits the tone of the work. I think most people would agree that this route sacrificed a potentially interesting sub-plot with Ayaka in order to cheaply get the relationship rolling between Reina and Ouro. For me, the worst part of this route is the middle portion. The route begins and ends very strongly.

Reina is very likable as a heroine. Though I do think that she lacks as much development when compared to the other characters. What stilts her development the most is how little time is dedicated to any of her conflicts. Ouro takes priority and I find that to be a big shame since it’s hard for me to justify Reina’s relationship with Ouro beyond the supportive role she plays. Despite this fatal flaw though, I think this route made the game overall better. Since it does accomplish its job of elevating Ouro’s character. While also foreshadowing some of the events that take place within Ria’s route. One of the portions of this route I enjoy most is the resolution to Ouro’s character. Especially in context to the rest of this visual novel. This was far from a complete waste of time, a common theme throughout the entire work. Even if I don’t think the route was necessarily fantastic, it did not feel unnecessary.

Which is the highest praise I can give this route.

Akane Route: Does exactly what a side route should do, nothing more. That's actually a good thing in and of itself.

There's nothing much to say, really.

Just as a side note, Akane’s route is pretty enjoyable for a sub-route, though nothing too memorable. I do feel it rushes its story and a lot of the time is spent having sex. Which is nice, but it didn’t really elevate too much of the story. I did like though that it kept the theme of living without regret consistent though. Could have easily just been a pure love-making session.

Elle Route: A tad bit underwhelmed.

This is another case in which a heroine exists to elevate the story. Though I feel in this case Elle has a stronger sense of identity. Since the relationship she has with Ouro plays a large role in her development. This route has a lot more intimacy when compared to Reina, though I don’t think it’s quite better than it. More so that it develops Sylvia/Ria in this case instead of focusing solely on Ouro. I find Ouro’s character in this route to take a backseat which I’m not a fan of. Elle takes up a lot of screentime being very lovey-dovey with Ouro. Although this is quite cute, it does drag out the route at some points. The core conflict of this route is good too, though I don’t like how passive the development is. I feel like the route plays it too safe. Lessening the impact of the resolution/climax of Elle’s conflict. It was very predictable in a way that took me out of the story. I was expecting some more highs in character development than what I actually got.

What I enjoyed most about this route is how it elevated Sylvia’s arc. I really fancied how the theme of independence in this route plays into Sylvia’s character. This route re-contextualizes the relationship she has with Elle in a very transformative way. Ria also has some very strong moments and this route (especially towards the end) puts forth a good effort to elevate the main themes of Ria’s route. Where this route mostly faltered for me is the overall importance in the grand scheme of the visual novel. Because although it did elevate Sylvia’s route, they were mostly minor improvements for the most part. In a lot of ways, I feel Elle could have been a sub-route. The Ria scenes are great, though they could be put in other routes hypothetically. Not only this but as I said previously, the route does drag out the lovey-dovey scenes a little too much for my taste. I like these scenes usually, though Elle wasn’t a strong enough heroine for me to be head over heels towards their implementation. Overall I think this is a decent route, just wish it could have been a little shorter or more expressive in the way it conveyed its themes. Since I didn’t get any strong character-defining moments throughout its runtime, weakening its overall impact.

Sylvia’s Route: Amazing heroine route.

Especially when you evaluate the quality of its storytelling/structure after you finish the game. I feel Ria was really emphasized in this route compared to Sylvia, increasing my excitement going into that route. This is how you properly build the main heroine. By using all the tools available in the routes before to take your story to another level. Though this route isn’t just functionally good, it also has a strong heroine at its helm. Sylvia is an extremely likable character, one that I constantly find myself mesmerized with. I really enjoyed her offbeat personality combined with her high emotional intelligence, making her a character capable of elevating both comedic and emotional scenes very well. Though I don’t think the conflict of this route is insane, I do like how it does keep the story focused. Since the main theme of this route by the end is:

Live your life without regret. Thinking about the past in a negative light will only hurt you. Be glad that it happened because it got you to where you are now. Your past doesn’t define you. You’re perpetually golden.

The route is a lot of fun as well, a good chunk of my favorite comedic segments occur within this. I especially like the scenario where Ouro feels like he needs to impress Sylvia so he enlists the help of her sister. Which made for some very amusing scenes. The relationship that Sylvia and Ouro have is also very heartwarming, I can tell that they have a genuine love for each other. Especially with how highly Sylvia speaks of her childhood friends to others. What steals the show though is Ria. She is an absolute POWERHOUSE in this route, taking command of EVERY scene she is a part of. I felt floored with how good her character was in this route, constantly keeping me on the edge of my seat. With every word she spoke seemingly having a double meaning. This is a case where Sylvia may have been outshined in her own route and I’m not particularly mad at it because Sylvia herself was enjoyable regardless of this. She was simply just outclassed rather than obliterated. A testament to how good the writing of this route was. The final moments of this route are nothing less than legendary, the perfect lead-in to Ria’s route.

Ria Route: This route was quite literally all gas. No brakes.

Rarely do I read a route that maintains my interest throughout the entire runtime. This is a route that was made great by everything that came prior. Although I do have some minor reservations about the necessity/quality of some routes (Elle in particular), it was all worth it for this one moment. This route relies heavily on Ouro’s backstory (Reina) and Sylvia/Ria’s development (Elle/Sylvia). It is the culmination of Kin’iro Loveriche. And it’s all being blasted into the reader’s face by Ria’s development in this arc. It’s a very simple arc in theory, but quite beautiful to see unfold when it’s executed by someone capable of writing a strong VN structure. Ria is the type of character where EVERY line she says in this route feels masterfully done and purposeful. I was quite literally feeling emotion for even the smallest of things she said in this route, it was a very personal and cathartic character arc. One that will stay with me for years to come due to its strong theming and message. This was only amplified further with how good the writing was for Ria’s perspective shifts in this route. The way she conducts herself makes her feel like a living being.

Which is the highest compliment I can give her to this character, that she made me forget I was reading a visual novel. I was watching a human make themselves completely vulnerable to their loved one. This was Ria Souma‘s story rather than just a character’s story.

The route was consistent in its quality. I really like how it made several callbacks to Sylvia’s route, making me enjoy that route even more with the context of this one. The cast is used to their maximum potential within this story. I especially like how characters like Ayaka, Maria, and Sylvia are utilized here. Nothing felt wasted with those characters and they had many great scenes in this route. The final hour of Ria’s route is extremely poignant, though at the same time very hopeful. I admire how it manages to convey the main theme of the story without having to rely on any cheap tricks. The last hour of this route is completely stripped down and raw, making the reader feel a vast spectrum of emotion. Knowing the result. But at the same time not regretting the choices they made to read this far into the route. The final message of this route is one of hope and optimism rather than feeling defined by the destined result. It was in quite a few ways predictable story, but nonetheless it remained golden throughout.

Life is perpetually golden and that doesn’t change regardless of the hardships you may face. Life is a beautiful thing and you can move forward despite what your destination may be. Don’t forget that.

Concluding Thoughts

Kin’iro Loveriche is a great work. One that I will remember for years to come. The message of its story resonates with me immensely. I also love how the themes are presented in this work, never feeling compromised by other elements within the story. My only major reservation with this work is that I’m not a fan of the route quality on an individual level. At the same time; however, I think it never reached anything below acceptable. The major highlights of this game are Sylvia and Ria’s route along with common. I’m also a huge fan of the structure that this visual novel has. Utilizing every route to elevate the last two (Sylvia and Ria). This was a very memorable experience and is likely a shoo-in for one of the best visual novels I’ve read in my recent memory. I highly recommend reading this work if you have any interest in the genre of moege. Though I will say that it gets drama-heavy towards the end, which may turn off some people that just want a cutesy story. This game also has an enforced route order. Which I personally love since it makes the work feel more focused in most cases, since routes start existing to culminate a theme as opposed to being a flash in the pan. But I’ll leave this warning here for those that simply can’t stand the fact that there is a main heroine.

8.5/10. Highly recommended.

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