D.C. ~Da Capo~

Visual novels are very much an in form of gaming entertainment at the moment. However, visual novels have existed in the gaming medium in one form or another for well over twenty five years. Indeed, a fine example of an early 2000s visual novel would be D.C. - Da Capo. Developed by Circus Northern, this visual novel was a very interesting release in Japan before it was eventually released (briefly) in English in 2009.

For many, it remains a bit of a mystery and a relic, but is that fair? Let’s take a look at what D.C. - Da Capo brought to the table.

High school romance and drama as it should be

So, the name of the game – Da Copa – comes from Italian music theory, which means ‘from the beginning’. This plays into the way in which D.C. - Da Capo plays, with the story looping over itself numerous times before you reach the ‘real’ ending. Like many Japanese visual novels, the game takes place in a school setting and is mostly based around a romance adventure.

Set on the fictional island of Hatsunejima, the game requires very little actual input from the player. Most of the time, you are simply reading the text as the game goes along. You typically are reading conversations or the inner monologue of the main character Jun’ichi Asakura. However, the main interaction with the player comes from making choices and decisions of which you have quite a few choices to make.

In total, D.C. - Da Capo has seven total plot lines. While it has some comparisons to more modern visual novels like Doki Doki Literature Club, it lacks anything like the same supernatural elements or chaos. The main plots all basically revolve around the protagonist helping one of the ‘heroines’ out and eventually dating them. As you might imagine, this leads to some pretty out there scenes. For some, they might be a touch off-putting.

Intriguing though typical visual novel fare (8/10)

It would be harsh to review D.C. - Da Capo based on the fact that it came out long before many more innovative visual novels came along. Games like this set the stall and standard for other visual novels to come, and for that reason it should be respected as such. While many of the plot elements and storyline elements that come along are quite generic and expected, there are twists that have clearly inspired later visual novels.

Pros

• Interesting cast of characters and worldbuilding keeps things enjoyable throughout
• Easy to play through in a short space of time, making each plotline easy to see through

Cons

• Lacks the innovation and agency of some of the more modern visual novels that came after
• Sex scenes might be a little off-putting for some who are not used to such elements

D.C. ~Da Capo~ is a visual hentai novel about entering and studying at the London Academy of Magic. A brother and sister enter the world's most famous magical academy and find themselves in an extraordinary underwater world, where even the most ordinary school routine will feel like a beautiful dream. Make friends, fall in love, and live the life of your dreams in Weather Vane.

Pluses of the game:

• Four romantic stories that are appropriately complemented by hentai scenes
• Player choices affect the hero's reputation and performance