Brass Restoration

By: Xander

On: March 22nd, 2009

Okay, probably not what you were expecting to see, but hear me out.

Brass Restoration is a Visual Novel by Japanese based Twincle Drop and translated by Yandere Translations. Unlike a lot of Visual Novels however this was released as a free game, so the translation installer actually includes the full game in its entirety.

The story surrounds a young musician who suffers a cruel accident that robs him of his arm. This leaves you making the occasional choice which slowly affect his life after the accident. Will he be able to mend the connection he had with music now that he can’t create as he used to, or will he instead forge new relationships as a result?

You’ve already left haven’t you? Bugger…

Well if you are still reading, here’s why you should care.

Though it is a free title the art and music aren’t actually that bad. They aren’t as accomplished as maybe Tsukihime or others of its genre but it would be cruel to expect that. What it does have as a well written (and well translated) story, which exemplifies both the bitter-sweet drama and ridiculous humour that this media is famous for. When a choice between a “Good morning kiss” and a “Good morning forehead crusher” (which is every bit as painful as it sounds) is present in a game, even the most cynical critics of the genre must surely crack a wry smile.

It isn’t the greatest game of its kind, but its a free title which really gives the player a crash course in what this style of game is all about. And at only 50MB you could do far worse than give it a go. If you don’t enjoy it then at least you’ve tried something new, and if you do then it only really gets better from here.

Posted in Adventure, Casual, Freeware, Nerd Love, Windows

Owlet

Giving it a go!
Telwo

Not giving it a go!
Deacon Blues

You had me at “Good morning forehead crusher”.

I’m hoping that this is less Tsukihime (Whiny, dull rape fantasy story) and more OMGWTFBBL. (In which every single time you’re asked to make a choice, “Genuflect” is an option)
Cobalt

/Only/ 50 MB? This is because of the installer, right?
Cobalt

Whoops, wrong markup.

Typo fix: _Only_
TimothyFitz

Testing in production!
B

50mb is tiny for a visual novel. Most are around the 500mb mark, from experience.
Cobalt

That’s huge. Maybe I’m just a bit too minimalist.
James

50 mb is pretty huge for a freeware game in general. How long is it?
Taltos

…last place on Earth I expected this to show up. Well, almost. Reminds me to finally try it out now.
Voodoo Master

Times like this remind me how much I need to get a faster connection.
http://chaoseed.com/garden John Evans

I have this already downloaded to my HD…I heard about it somewhere and thought I should give it a go, but I can’t remember why and I never quite got around to it…
GC

There are plenty of perfectly good instruments that can theoretically be played with just one hand, especially in the brass section…
gsm

Forehead crusher? Is that a street fighter move or something? Getting the feeling this will probably be a joke game or something…
Cobalt

I don’t think it’s a joke game. It probably makes fun of some cliches of the genre, but other than that…
Cobalt

Does gsm stand for Gypsy Space Muffins?
BroDude

This looks like japanese cartoons… where r teh titties and tentacles!?!?!?
crackers

Yeah, where are the tentacles?

Oh wait, SHE’S A TRAP!
Xander

There are definitely a lot of random jokes, like when he thinks a store clerk is trying to assassinate him, but most of his ridiculous machinations sort of come from trying to avoid how tragic he feels his life might have become.
Sergio

This game is quite strange. it seems incredibly self-reflexive at times, but at others it just seems to be falling back on what I assume are the clichÃ©s of the genre. Nevertheless, I suppose I must give credit to a game where you can eventually find romance through repeated forehead crushers…

Thanks for the recommendation.
Zwobot

when will we see a newspost about The Maiden Rape Assault – Violent Semen Inferno?
Sergio

Unfortunately, since my previous post I have reached a point where forehead crushers don’t do the trick. :(
qubodup

Bahahaahahahaha!!

Minori: What are you listening to today?

Ryo: Rock.

Minori: Oh. It was pop music yesterday, right?

Ryo: Yeah.

Minori: Classical before that.

Ryo: Yeah.

Minori: And anime songs before that.

Ryo: Yeah.

Minori: Is it a set rotation?

Minori notices something for once.

Ryo: Wow, you caught on.

Minori: Of course. I go to school with you every day.

Now that she mentions itâ€¦

But if thatâ€™s the case, she shouldâ€™ve realized sooner.

Minori and I have been friends for over 10 years, and weâ€™ve gone to school together since middle school.

Conclusionâ€¦

Minori is an idiot
Mitch

To those who are gasping over the 50 megabyte size (really?), I have news for you: You can delete it after playing it. FYI
renkin

Hentai is the shit!1 Downloading.
UnrealClock

Narcissu was free. You make it sound like this has never happened before.
TCM

It’s not eroge or hentai, is it? I prefer my computer remain work safe.
Mitch

@TCM: Yeah, the lack of an arm leads to him having to choose between a tentacle or a robo-phallus. After that it’s basically a rape sim.
http://b-mcc.com// BMcC

>When a choice between a â€œGood morning kissâ€ and a â€œGood morning forehead crusherâ€ (which is every bit as painful as it sounds) is present in a game, even the most cynical critics of the genre must surely crack a wry smile.

Hehe, you got me. :)
Xander

@TCM: Not an eroge! No hentai component to worry about.

@UnrealClock: Whilst Narcissu is another free VN, its a very different kind of title. Narcissu is very intimate, focussing on the interactions between the main two protagonists. Brass Restoration follows a much more generic narrative, which is why it’s more interesting for it to be free as aside from the missing eroge it offers a lot of what mainstream VN titles offer (at least the highschool themed ones).
TCM

It’s exceedingly hard for a fan of VNs like me to find “clean” ones that are translated, so this is a good surprise. >_>
Anonymous

I wonder if TIGsource will have a post about Katawa Shoujo when it finally comes out? I hope so.
Xander

Haha, yeah it isn’t that easy. That said I think Tsukihime and Fate Stay/Night allow you to remove the H-scenes with the translation installer.

@Anonymous: I didn’t know about the game until you mentioned it, but now you have I can guarantee I’ll be covering that. I think Hanako Ikezawa’s character design is what sold me on it. Apparently will feature ‘adult content’ though? I guess those would be ero scenes?

That’ll be an interesting time to be a TIG writer..
TCM

Forehead crusher is epic, I must say. >_>
TCM

Ugh, I hate double commenting, but this game has a truckload of references to mech anime.

“Ide-san will run wild and we’ll all die!”

“Is it Amuro?!”

etc.

It’s twice as hilarious when you get every single reference. >_>
IceD

You should give it a try, it’s a nice title.

@Xander: Narcissu is one of the best free VN’s out there and we won’t be telling about VN’s in general – it’s a very distinctive, experimental title. If you like, try looking upon Ochi, Ori, Onoe – it’s somewhat simmiliar to Narcissu, but it’s an english production. I reccomend that one deeply, mostly because of interesting plot, atmosphere and music.

There are alot of other free, original english VN’s out there on the net, there’s even a live community and Katawa Shoujo isn’t the only one upcoming, interesting title. If you’re interested with VN’s in general, check out the english Lemmasoft forums for more stuff :)
BLARGH

Ryo: “…………”
Kouri: “…………”
Ryo: “…………”
Kouri: “…………”
Ryo: “…………”
Kouri: “…………”
Ryo: “…………”
Kouri: “…………”
Person what enjoys indie games

I find visual novels insufferably boring.

“I am an emo protaganist who is shy around girls. Zounds! Something unexpected occurs and now I get to do that voodoo that I do-do so well.”

(subplot that involves something interesting)

“Wow, I am suddenly attracted to you, emo protaganist. Let us make babies.”
Jay

after some consideration i must say:

i regret that i wasted precious lifetime on this – and also i think i got the bad ending….
Allen Smithee

While I know it isn’t if this is hentai someone will die!
Silver

@ Person what enjoys indie games

Well, then you haven’t played enough. There are many good ones and many bad ones just like books and any other medias.
TCM

Hentai visual novels aren’t enjoyable. Period. Ones without sex scenes, or ones where the sex could be totally removed without affecting the plotline at all (Fate/Stay Night being one example), those tend to be the best and most interesting.