VideoGame Whys is this popular again?
Wadanohara fails as a game. The combat system is broken and unbalanced. The plot is pretentious and a lot of characters are either one-dimensional or wasted. There will be spoilers.
The combat is simple. You press the button and the character attacks. This wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't so unbalanced. I mean, when Wadanohara reaches level 30, the game is basically over, with her kicking everyone in the groin. And with a ultraserious plot in the background, it kind of increases the segregation between gameplay and story. In fact, the most tense moment of the game is the Advancing Boss of Doom, which isn't even a battle. I guess that's the reason why almost all enemy encounters are optional.
There is a thin line between pretentiousness and ambitiousness and Wadanohara's story. It's clear that Mogeko wanted to make an epic story, full of epicness, darkness, romance. But instead it's so pretentious that it creates lots of moments of narm. I mean, the art doesn't help, moe characters against Warp abominations (and some of said Warp abominations are moe as well) is too much of a jarring contrast to be taken serious.
The characters don't help as well. I have to say that their design is the most interesting point of the game, very detailed and genuinely good. However most of the characters are onedimensional; some would say simple and that wouldn't be a bad thing. Oh, Samekichi, you edgy shark, why haven't the internet created memes of your edginess? Perhaps is why Sal has more fanart than you, he has an agenda beyond "muh-Wadda", though not by much. He had the potential to be a tragic Driven to Madness character, but instead all he ends up as is "LULZ EVIL MASTERMIND RAEP THE WADDA". It kinda neuters the shocking twist that he was secretly evil when his 'true personality' is so lacking.
Another example would be the Sea of Death . I remember when I played the game, when Tsuribari and Stella were introduced, I thought that they would explain their version of the events, then the plot could become more complex. But no, they died. Waste. It also shows how rushed the last arc is.
The endings were tolerable at best. But if you want to get them, it's up to you. Perhaps what makes this game kind of popular with fanartists is the character design and the feeling of how much better it could be.
VideoGame My honest opinion on Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea
Original post on Reddit here.
I've read the Sea of Death arc of the manga adaptation and played the reboot game.
I prefer the manga to the game because it has a condensed story, depicts the emotions of the characters more effectively, and details the lore (particularly Samekichi, Sal, and Old). It's not that I dislike pixel/RPG Maker games; I remember enjoying videos of games such as Ib, Ao Oni, Cave Story, and Undertale and I've played those four myself.
While I find the lore interesting, how the main game confines much of it, including Samekichi's backstory, Sal's relationship with his family, and even Sal's final fate, to bonus material and the manga frustrated me. I found Sal unsatisfactory even as a nasty villain in the main game despite his role as the true main antagonist. Super Paper Mario, on the other hand, has a pair of NPCs who provide much of the lore including the backstories of the primary villains.
I love manga-exclusive scenes such as Tatsumiya's past with Old, Fukami resisting Sal's attempt to corrupt him using his jealousy in favor of Wadanohara's happiness, young Samekichi tearfully vowing to his aunt that he'll bring his brother back, Samekichi's reunion with Sal who acted as if he were a stranger, Samekich's inner thoughts about how he worsened the situation by running from facing his changed brother, Samekichi trying to reason with Sal, who is emotionally moved for seconds before saying "I hate myself... that's why I hate you too!", and Sal proclaiming to Wadanohara his hatred for the sea as he remembers his mother's death.
I appreciate that the reboot-exclusive videos reveal the real names of Samekichi, Sal, their mother, and their aunt and that the final video offers a bittersweet epilogue where Samekichi visits his aunt with Wadanohara and their son. However, I find Samekichi's backstory in the manga more emotionally powerful than the fifth video that retells the same event.