{"id":6940,"date":"2020-07-30T12:00:57","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T09:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/playlab.uta.fi\/?p=6940"},"modified":"2020-07-30T12:00:57","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T09:00:57","slug":"revolting-yet-captivating-song-of-saya-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/revolting-yet-captivating-song-of-saya-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Revolting, yet captivating\u00a0– Song of Saya review\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Saya no\u00a0<\/span><\/i>U<\/span><\/i>ta<\/span><\/i>\u00a0or<\/span>\u00a0Song of Saya<\/span><\/i>\u00a0is a well-recognized masterpiece<\/span>\u00a0among visual novels.\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s no wonder, thanks to its main writer being Gen Urobuchi, the writer of the hi<\/span>ghly acclaimed anime series\u2019\u00a0<\/span>Fate\/Zero<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Puella Magi Madoka Magi<\/span><\/i>c<\/span><\/i>a<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now for some warnings. When you s<\/span>tart the game up it tells you the following: \u201cPlease do not play this<\/span>\u00a0game if you are sensitive to displays of blood, gore, death, partial nudity, sexual themes, or Lovecraftian horror.\u201d Listen to it. This visual novel is not for the faint of heart<\/span>\u00a0or many other people.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll only explain the beginning of the story as not to spoil it.\u00a0<\/span>Our main character, Fuminori Sakisaka is a medical student whose life changes when he gets into a car accident along with his\u00a0<\/span>family<\/span>, killing them and wounding him.<\/span>\u00a0When Fuminori wakes up in the hospital, the world around him has changed: he<\/span>\u00a0sees t<\/span>he<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>world as covered in gore and people as hideous monsters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>One night as he\u2019s contemplating suicide<\/span>,<\/span> he meets Saya, a beautiful young girl who for some reason is wandering around the hospital<\/span>\u00a0and looks like a normal person<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Fuminori and Say<\/span>a grow close during\u00a0<\/span>these nightly visits<\/span>, and when Fuminori\u00a0<\/span>convince<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0the doctors that he\u2019s fully healed\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0sane,<\/span>\u00a0they move in together.\u00a0<\/span>This might sound like a cute premise, but I promise this visual novel is more Lovecraftian than love story.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The game itself is very short for a visual novel: one route took me about four hours to play.\u00a0<\/span>In total there are<\/span>\u00a0only<\/span>\u00a0three routes, so this game is more about the story that the choices made.<\/span>\u00a0Luckily the story is brilliant: it never loses its tensions or releases the player from its iron grip. The immersion is also aided by\u00a0<\/span>the game’s beautiful and eerie soundtrack.<\/span>\u00a0The mix of somber synthesizer, ripping electric guitar\u00a0<\/span>and haunting vocals by Kanako\u00a0<\/span>It\u014d<\/span>\u00a0is at times brea<\/span>thtaking.\u00a0<\/span>Also, the Japanese voice<\/span>\u00a0acting<\/span>\u00a0does wonders to set the mood and impart the\u00a0<\/span>characters’<\/span>\u00a0feelings<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Song of Saya is not without its faults. The weakest point of the game was its art: I just wish there was more of it. F<\/span>or example, all the monsters Fuminori sees have the same game CG. Also, the 3D-modeled gory background<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0are a bit tacky at times.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some might criticize the game for its excessive violence toward women and even possible pedophilia. I do not personally see it as a problem becaus<\/span>e the violence, dehumanization and sexual\u00a0<\/span>perversion are not represented as anything good. The fact that you\u2019re manipulated to at first\u00a0to <\/span>sympathize<\/span>\u00a0with th<\/span>ese twisted characters is what makes the game so chilling<\/span> when all hell break<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0loose<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Altogether<\/span>, Song of Saya is, for\u00a0<\/span>at least<\/span>\u00a0me, a thrilling and\u00a0<\/span>agonizing playthrough. Its horror is masterfully crafted, as it makes you expect the\u00a0<\/span>worst and somehow\u00a0<\/span>manages to\u00a0<\/span>top your wildest nightmares.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Developer:\u00a0<\/span>Nitroplus<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Publishers: J<\/span>apan<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>Nitroplus<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>N<\/span>orth America<\/span>: JAST USA<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Director<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>Gen<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Urobuchi<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Android<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Original Japanese\u00a0<\/span>Release<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>December 26, 2003<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Genre<\/span>s<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0Visual\u00a0<\/span>novel<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>Eroge<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PEGI: 18<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Images<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>taken<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>game<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Steam<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>page<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Song of Saya is a masterfully crafted horror visual novel that will make you very uncomfortable in a good way. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":6943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[241,799,273,352],"class_list":["post-6940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-game-reviews","tag-horror","tag-japanese","tag-lovecraft","tag-visual-novel","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6940","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6940"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6940\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}