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Yosuga
no Sora is pr
opell
e
d by its captivatin
g cast, excellent
voice acting, and polished
visuals. Each character is a wealth of moe individuality, handled with surgical precision to squeeze maximum adoration. Haruka’s twin sister is more than a tsundere: she’s also socially inept, physically weak, and emotionally vulnerable. Akira is no mere fun loving miko: she’s also an energetic yet innocent troublemaker, unable to maintain a serious expression on her face, and prone to forget the little details of a daily routine (like wearing a bra). These exemplified traits are flawlessly brought to life by a collection of actresses who often put the competition to shame. Not a single role sounds out of place, with everyone genuinely enjoying the characters they’ve assumed. The artwork excellence is immediately evident in the luscious character designs, without a single individual regulated as a dud concept. In the case of many eroge, paper dolls and environment backgrounds visually clash from distinctive differences in their illustrative styles: they literally have a “cut and paste” appearance. For Yosuga no Sora this problem is nonexistent, with the layers seamlessly blending together as if drawn by the same artist. Event illustrations are simply breathtaking, showcasing smooth and elegant presentation, colorized through a soft airbrush likened technique. Even the insignificant text box and menu buttons appear to fluidly glide into everything.
Much of the dissatisfaction found within Yosuga no Sora, owes from the aforementioned abbreviated scenarios. With notable exception to Sora and Nao, who’ve spent significant time with Haruka, a measure of belief suspension must be applied to the romances, given how easily and quickly the heroines are willing to sacrifice their virginity after a few weeks of quixotic companionship. Admittedly seasonal true love is a common theme in bishoujo, yet this particular ero would have greatly benefited from a more gradual approach. There is also the underlying sense that Yosuga no Sora was intended to be grandiose. Several plot hooks are left unexplored, especially in the case of Kuranaga Kozue and Ifukube Yahiro, who are unwinnable despite all appearances they should be: a notion expanded material in the preorder artbook and drama CD especially call attention towards. The omission is principally bothersome for anyone not fond of loose strings or “isn’t it sad Sacchin” teasing. When all is said and done, each of the provided scenarios can be completed within three to four hours – far less if text is skipped – regulating the title’s lifetime to a few days. This is obviously not a problem for anyone seeking a short and easy eroge of course. Despite the brief duration of each route, a total of fifteen sex scenes are contained. Not through one session of course (no harems or menage de trois), but divided somewhat equally between the five, typically consisting of six to eight variant images per erotica.
Saccharine and melodramatic, in addition to casual and noncommittal, Yosuga no Sora makes a strong addition to any similar themed collection. Despite evidence this eroge is incomplete, it rests on a wellspring of quality presentation and motivating (not to mention attractive) heroines. Of utmost importance, the twincest story is very well conceived, outlaying a plausible situation in which the taboo could mature and flourish. Indeed it puts forth a far superior effort than Boku wa Imōto ni Koi o Suru, a manga that’s often cited as the best known of the subgenre (at least in Japan), which ultimately subverted the full incestuous immersion. As the first commercial release from Sphere, Yosuga no Sora does the studio proud, making this gamer quite happy in the end.
— Central Characters —