Tokyo School Life (2015)

Tokyo School Life accomplished what it set out to do, teach you about Japan whilst romancing three adorable girls. This one simple feature, the dual subtitles, left me wanting this to become the norm in all Visual Novels – it’s such an interesting mechanic which almost educates you whilst providing entertainment. However, what Tokyo School Life could take from others is how to portray the protagonist and dial back on stating the obvious so often. Despite the few flaws and annoyances, the game offers multiple relationship routes, accessible gameplay, and stunning aesthetics, it is a beautiful and endearing Visual Novel which I honestly recommend to fans of the genre.

The visual novel format, animations, and cultural references all end up creating something that feels incredibly Japanese. There's even an anime-style opening to boot. It's recommended for those that wish to learn about Japanese culture, or practice reading Japanese, but it may not be a game that appeals to the masses.

Overall, Tokyo School Life felt less like a dating sim and more like an interactive guide/tour, which I found to be rather refreshing. While full of tropes, they're mostly played off of or deconstructed, which is great to see them not being relied upon.

In the end, this is a fairly short and simple visual novel with some comedy. If you have an interest in Japan and visiting it, it should be an interesting read. To me, the interactions with characters were better than the story and I was very impressed by the use of animation.

Tokyo School Life is a sweet and charming story of warmth and good characterisation... and an earnest and genuine attempt to highlight everything that is great about Japan.