Games!
Katawa Shoujo
I'm going to say this right away, while I have played quite a few interactive visual novels in the past, this is my first dating sim ever. I was recommended this by a friend, but because of the name Katawa Shoujo that means Disability Girls and as it was made by 4 Leaf Studios a team from 4 chan (why does that censor as one word?), I really didn't know what I was letting myself in for. I was really surprised. The story is is very tasteful and really well written, the art work and visual effects are really well done and the sound track makes the game very moving. I feel I should get this out of the way, the game does have some adult content but it's fairly tasteful and if you're not keen on seeing it then you can always turn it off in the options.
The story is probably the main reason to play this, it follow the character Hisao Nakai after his arrhythmia causes him to have a heart attack and his life takes and unexpected turn. The game basically allows you to make choices that will lead you down different routes with a number of the other major characters, each of these routes has a number of endings. I have only finished one of these routes and it'll take you a good amount of time to get through the game. I followed Lilly's route and in the end got ended up with a "neutral" ending, which at rally didn't feel very neutral. It felt like of a "Grave of the Fireflies" moment really. I'm guessing the bad endings are going to be even more heart wrenching, if that was meant to be neutral.
While I couldn't recommend this game to everyone, I know that the type of game play, the context of the story and some of the content aren't every ones cup of tea. I would say it's worth playing. I also think people should look past the fact it's a dating sim and has some adult content because this is far far more than that. I could easily recommend this to anyone that was a fan of last years "To the Moon" or anyone just wanting a really good story.
Music!
After all that I think it's time to change the mood a bit.