A successful university student on seasonal break, Kugetsu Akinari decided to take time off studying, by planning a trip through the countryside to relieve educational stress. With his best friend tagging along, he looked forward to having fun and passing time without worry, readying himself for the next challenging semester with a relaxed mind. However destiny has other designs for Kugetsu, and after taking refuge from a terrible storm within a frightening manor, the future five beautiful women are placed in his hands. Yet the more aware and sympathetic he grows to their plights, the greater his own troubles and less certain future become.

 
Shinjyu no Yakata (神樹の館) is a mystery eroge published by defunct Meteor in 2004. It has no sequel or side story. While the product has ceased store shelf availability, it may be legally downloaded through sale services such as DLSite.

 

 
For those who are as old as I am, you might remember seeing obscure novelty catalogs advertising an adult computer game called Nocturnal Illusions back in the late 1990’s, often times including a listing of surplus MegaTech products being sold at discount prices. While outdated by the standard of modern gaming, the title was responsible for introducing hundreds of Westerners to eroge, and arguably thousands after the runaway birth of the Internet (albeit illegal through piracy). If I were forced to choose a “modernized” candidate that was the spiritual successor to Nocturnal Illusion, it would unquestioningly be Shinjyu no Yakata. Given the vast abundance and diversity of eroge titles in Japan, it’s difficult to assume if this was intentional or merely coincidental on the developer’s part, yet there is no mistake that veterans of the forgotten Excellents Japan product will have a strong sense of déjà vu. Whether or not this unofficial association makes the title an enjoyable experience, largely depends upon nostalgic fondness and renewed expectations (or the lack therefore of).

 

 
As in the aforementioned vintage eroge, Shinjyu no Yakata takes place within the confines of an enigmatic Victorian mansion located in the wilderness of Japan. After an overnight visit, vacationing college students Kugetsu and Asoko find themselves unable to depart the estate’s premise, repeatedly stymied by ill opportune accidents or severe storms that make driving unsafe. Investigating these strange events for answers that will lead to a means of escape, Kugetsu becomes closer with the inhabitants of the residence, realizing that each of them hides a dark secret from their guests. As the days and nights pass, these women develop intimate feelings towards the protagonist, inevitably revealing what she knows about the supernatural events surrounding the mansion. Yet in a twist of irony, Kugetsu quickly discovers that the more information he uncovers, the less likely his freedom becomes: a fact his new paramour is wholly aware of… and perhaps even hoping for.

 

 
Quite surprisingly, despite a plot setup that has the potential to provide hours upon hours of mystery and twists, Shinjyu no Yakata is disappointingly short to complete. While nothing is left unsolved and glaring plots holes are nonexistent, everything the eroge has to offer can be unlocked within a single sitting. Nevertheless if one can disregard this, immense enjoyment can be found from the morbid and unpredictable flow of the story narrative. Thanks to the small cast, there is a measure of emphasis placed on character distinctiveness, which only serves to provide greater entertainment thanks to the avoidance of cliché expectancies. Unfortunately this gain is mitigated by the lack of game time to actually allow these cultivated seeds to nourish and grow into something far greater. Although supernatural elements are a prime motivator in the setting, its employment remains hidden and subtle until endgame segments, and this intentional withholding creates an air of suspense: you know something paranormal will happen, but you have no idea when. Shinjyu no Yakata also takes great strives to avoid falling into the more gruesome traits of its contemporaries: bloodshed is kept to a bear minimum and sex between Kugetsu and the heroines is always consensual and realistic – no tentacles violation or equally absurd erotic activity.

 

 
Considering its age and the plethora of eroge that have come and gone in its wake, the graphical standards of Shinjyu no Yakata are highly admirable. Although the interface menu and text box leave something to be desired, characters and cinematic illustrations are cleanly drawn with crisp colorization. Oftentimes backgrounds have a crowded appearance to them, as if the artist was trying to squeeze as many objects as he could into one frame, but they nonetheless accommodate the large paper dolls without fail. Yet another field the title excels is the employment of audio assets. While an artificial quality is still prominent, the music is simply gorgeous, from the mourning piano melodies during emotional revelations, to the haunting and powerful brass orchestra when the bloodthirsty White Wolf makes its appearance. Taking things to even greater heights, each of the heroines is skillfully voiced by her respective actress, and while some might not agree with the intensity (or lack) of their passion during sex, it nonetheless remains believable during other areas of drama.

 

 
Unfortunately, though I enjoy pointing out where Shinjyu no Yakata excels, it has a number of obvious deficiencies. Due in part to the minimalist cast of four women, since for all intent and purposes the twins count as one, the two endings (one good, one bad) each are gifted with, become predetermined early in the story. As a result, a large number of the player’s decisions have zero effect on the overall plot or suddenly result in the generic false ending. Each story arc is also limited to an average of two sex scenes at most, thus a mere eight constitute the final total. Sadly all of this pales in comparison to the aforementioned short game play. I cannot stress how detrimental the lack of more sex, opportunities for more important decisions, and genuine cast interaction denies elevation of Shinjyu no Yakata to legendary status. Each character story is too narrow and focused towards reaching its inevitable conclusion, ignoring the inherent apprehension and suspense that ooze naturally from them.

 

 
Shinjyu no Yakata is the perfect example of something that leaves you wanting more when the final credits run. The story is told with master precision, yet everything closes to an end before your appetite is truly satisfied. This conclusion is not exactly abrupt, as all lose strings are adequately tied before being put away, but there’s an incredible feeling that so much more could have been told and yet was not. Knowing the scenario writer for this eroge is the legendary Tanaka Romeo, it perhaps should come as no surprise that this is the case, as some have claimed they wish his tales would never end. It is a negative that is an even greater positive, to strongly believe something would be even better, if it was only a few hours longer.

 

 
— Central Characters —

 

	Asoko   Less than a lover yet more than a friend, Asoko attends the same university as Kugetsu. She is an inquisitive and energetic individual, but shows extreme fragility when faced against dire adversity, seeking the comfort of companionship when faced with the loss of all hope.
	Shiori   Shiori is an incredibly intellectual yet mysterious woman who serves as the mansion’s sole housekeeper. She possesses two personalities: during the day a motherly understanding figure; during the night a lusting harlot. Having lived with this curse for so long, Shirori has long forgotten which aspect is her true self.
	Isuki & Imi   Twin sisters who are deeply protective of one another, Isuki and Imi initially show great caution towards Kugetsu. While the siblings have encountered other men before, he is the first they feel an attraction for, emotionally confusing the pair. The sisters frequently disagree, but are never seen apart.
	Rindou   Mysterious and aloof, Rindou resides in the inner most chambers of the mansion and rarely leaves her quarters: even to eat or socialize. Her alabaster skin and blood red eyes create a foreboding air, yet she is always seen with a kind smile and knowing expression.

 

 
— Scored Summary —

 
Scenario: 37 out of 50. Dark and deceptive, but suffers for not capitalizing its full potential. Character development is handled oddly due to the rapid pace of the plot, but maintains the momentum to maintain sympathy for the cast. Each story arc specifically limits itself to a certain heroine (twins counting as a single person), and while focus this makes it easy to associate with the individual, it seems to suddenly drop everyone else at that expense.

 
Visual: 13 out of 20. At first glance it’s easy to merely classify the illustrations and paper dolls as an average artistic contribution, but one must take into consideration that this has been the case for years, literally standing the test of time. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the text menu and house map, which are featured just as prominently.

 
Audio: 13 out of 20. The haunting and intense music, played with a Classical bent with a few traditional Japanese melodies, are a strong anchor to that it holds fast to, with the addition of quality voice acting adding sweet icing on the cake.

 
Erotica: 5 out of 10. While there’s only a total of eight sex scenes (all of them one on one), they consist of five illustrations apiece, following the basic principle of quality versus quantity. However the player has no control over how the sex is acted out: not even the typical “keep it in” or “pull it out” options are offered.

 
Mechanics: 0 point neutrality. The typical “choose your response” menu system that most eroge share. The house wandering aspect, while novel, has no functional purpose other than lengthening game play time.

 
Final Score: 68 out of 100. If you’re looking for a dark eroge that won’t take months to complete, there’s no question Shinjyu no Yakata will not disappoint. The plot never falls apart, boasts strong voice acting, and provides heartily with artistic quality. Though having the capability to be, it is not an “epic” offering seemingly goes on forever, but often leaves you wishing it was. Recommended for purchase, so long as you understand this is strictly a “quickie” title… but a damn good quickie title.