Liminal Border Part II

[h1]Concise Game Reviews: "Criminal Border Part II"[/h1] [i](Scroll down for the longer version)[/i] [table] [tr] [th][b]Game Value:[/b][/th] [th]✅ Highly recommendedfor fans of crime drama visual novels that dive deep into morally complex themes, the dark underbelly of Japanese society, and intriguing character dynamics.[/th] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Mature Themes:[/b][/td] [td]✔Dubious Consent ✔Oral Sex ✔Double Blowjob ✔Vaginal ✔Breast Play ✔Sexual Corruption ✔Boobjob ✔Struggling ✔Virgin ✔Large Breasts ✔FFM Threesome[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Genre Classification:[/b][/td] [td]Adult visual novel with crime drama elements, focusing on darker, explicit content and a narrative involving Yakuza and digital drugs.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Censorship:[/b][/td] [td]Contains adult sexual content with genitalia obscured by mosaics.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Game Length:[/b][/td] [td]Second part of a four-part series, offering hours of linear story content with compelling character arcs and intense moments.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Challenge Level:[/b][/td] [td]Not applicable; primarily a narrative-driven experience with minimal interaction.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Graphics:[/b][/td] [td]Hand-drawn art style with a unique, gritty aesthetic that enhances the dark themes of the story. Static CGs showcase intense scenes.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Technical Stability:[/b][/td] [td]Runs smoothly with no significant issues reported.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Replay Value:[/b][/td] [td]The game is mainly a linear story, but its captivating narrative and character development may encourage revisiting in anticipation of future episodes.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [b]For further insights, join my [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/EdenGenesis]Steam group[/url], follow my [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44791353-EdenGenesis/]curator page[/url], or connect with me on [url=https://twitter.com/EdenGenesisSC]Twitter[/url].[/b] [h1]Detailed Review:[/h1] [table] [tr] [td][b]Key Features:[/b][/td] [td] 🖼️ [b]Gallery:[/b] Unlock and view a collection of beautifully hand-drawn scenes throughout the game. 📖 [b]Story Depth:[/b] Engage with a compelling and linear narrative that unfolds like a drama, focusing on Itsuki's journey through the digital drug underworld. 🔞 [b]Adult Content:[/b] Includes 8 explicit scenes out of 22 total scenes, with high-quality static imagery featuring mosaics obscuring genitalia. 🖌️ [b]Character Design:[/b] Appreciate detailed, hand-drawn character designs with a unique and attractive aesthetic. ⚙️ [b]Interaction:[/b] Primarily a narrative experience with minimal interactive elements or choices, emphasizing reading and following the story. [/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [th]🌟[b]Overview:[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]"Criminal Border 1st Offence" is the first episode in a four-part series of visual novels. The game immerses players in a crime drama where the protagonist, Itsuki, inadvertently creates a digital drug, leading him into the depths of the Japanese underworld. With a single, linear storyline, the game focuses on reading and experiencing Itsuki’s journey through a compelling narrative. Featuring 9 explicit scenes out of 20 total, the game showcases hand-drawn visuals with mosaics covering genitalia, adhering to Japanese content regulations. Its engaging story and distinctive art style offer a unique experience, although it lacks interactive.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [th]🎮[b]Gameplay:[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]The game is a visual novel with a linear narrative and minimal player choices. 📖 [b]Linear Story:[/b] The narrative progresses in a straightforward manner with one choice that offers slight variations. 🖼️ [b]Scenes and Gallery:[/b] Includes 22 scenes, 8 of which are explicit. The Gallery features CGs, Scenes, and a Stand tab for character customization. 🔍 [b]Customization Options in Gallery:[/b] - CGs: View all scenes, including erotic content. - Stand: Customize character appearances with: - Hina: 3 outfits, 11 poses, 25 expressions - Kotoko: 2 outfits, 10 poses, 31 expressions - Rin: 2 outfits, 8 poses, 20 expressions - Meryl: 1 outfit, 7 poses, 13 expressions - Shiori: 2 outfits, 4 poses, 31 expressions - General: 11 emotes, 4 distance settings, 17 backgrounds (backgrounds vary by scene) [/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [th]🔞[b]Adult Content:[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]In this episode, the primary focus shifts to Kotoko, who features prominently in the erotic scenes. Notably, Kotoko engages in two intense threesome scenes with Hina, where both girls have sex with Itsuki. One of the threesome scenes includes a double blowjob, followed by alternating penetrations as the girls take turns in bed with Itsuki, creating an immersive and heated experience. Kotoko also has a sensual bathroom sex scene and a spooning sex scene near the climax of the story, showcasing her growing intimacy with the protagonist. The sexual content ramps up in intensity, with detailed depictions of the characters' pleasure, enhanced by the use of "Rave", a visual drug that heightens sexual sensations. The game’s high-quality static CGs effectively capture these moments, providing a vivid and immersive experience.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [th]📖[b]Story and Depth:[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]This second installment in the four-part visual novel series picks up after the intense events of the first episode. Itsuki Ninomae, now deeper in the criminal underworld due to the "digital hypnotism movie" he accidentally created, faces new challenges. With a crippling 20 million yen debt to the Yakuza, Itsuki and his friends turn to Kotoko Teshigawara, the daughter of the Yakuza boss, for help. The narrative shifts its focus to Kotoko’s complex character, balancing her position as the Yakuza heiress and her desire for justice. As Itsuki navigates the dangerous world of crime, he must forge a delicate alliance with Kotoko while continuing his business with Rin Akinashi and Hina Yorozuya. Kotoko's evolving relationship with Itsuki adds new layers of tension, as her internal struggles and loyalties are tested. The story is driven by themes of corruption, loyalty, and survival, with suspense building as the group’s situation becomes increasingly perilous, setting up high stakes for the next episode.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [th]🏆[b]Verdict:[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]Criminal Border 2nd Offence is a great follow-up to the first episode, diving deeper into the dangerous world of the Yakuza. Itsuki and his friends are forced to navigate even more dangerous territory as they grapple with mounting debt. The spotlight shifts to Kotoko, the Yakuza boss’s daughter, whose involvement introduces new layers of tension and intrigue. Her character is both captivating and enigmatic, making you wonder where her loyalties truly lie. The transition from the digital drug to the darker elements of the escort business raises the stakes, adding complexity to the story. Although Kotoko’s relationship with Itsuki isn’t fully explored, their evolving dynamic keeps the plot compelling. This episode builds on the strong foundation of the first, leaving me eager for what’s next. If you’re a fan of crime dramas with dark, mature themes, Criminal Border is a must-play. With two episodes now available, the series only gets more intense and gripping.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [th]✅[b]Good:[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]👍[b]High-Quality Art:[/b] Unique and gritty CGs. 👍[b]Kotoko's Central Role:[/b] Adds complexity to the story. 👍[b]Engaging Plot:[/b] Tension-filled narrative with Yakuza intrigue. 👍[b]Erotic Variety:[/b] Intense threesome and intimate scenes with Kotoko & Hina. [/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [th]🛠️[b]Ways of Improvement:[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]👎[b]More Choices:[/b] Additional player choices would have enhanced engagement. 👎[b]Static Presentation:[/b] No animated scenes, fully linear story.[/td] [/tr] [/table]

After the first part reading this one I felt disappointed and disgusted:( But I believe it's not the game's fault per se, I'm just not their target group. So, I don't want to sound too harsh and will try to write a neutral review. There're some SPOILERS, proceed with caution if you haven't played the game yet. [b]Reasons to be disappointed:([/b] –I didn't expect it to turn into some shallow, stupid harem story(－^ლ) Hina was practically absent in this story, the focus was more on mc's relationship with yakuza's daughter. And it was so unrealistic, so primitive, some perverted delusional dream of a pathetic loser. It was said too many, absolutely unnecessary amount of times that he was so miserable but now he ♥♥♥♥♥ two girls at the same time. And besides, he wasn't really so terrible as he tries to sound, just a normal teenager with ordinary complexes, lol :D Anyway, he's not the type of a protagonist I enjoy watching :( https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3429571570 –again I know maybe it's wrong to expect anything too righteous in the story about criminal underworld, but I felt too disgruntled reading about their course of actions:( One thing is to watch villains & their wrongdoings, smth I utterly enjoy actually, but the other thing is to see some inexperienced kids who decide to fight the evil organization, for mc to become the king of the underworld ahaha (how ridiculous it sounds); they spout so many virtuous claims, condemning the drugs, for example, but then make a decision to do that themselves because drugs are already there anyway, so... That excuse sounded so revolting I was about to drop the game. And I felt like quitting too many times. Luckily, I was able to talk through my frustration with a steam friend, getting promised the story is gonna become more intense helped me endure some esp unbearable parts :( –I was going to choose a thumb-up for this neutral review but having reached this point I realized I just can't. For me it's unacceptable that the solution to all their problems at that period of time was to rape an innocent virgin girl honestly willing to be their friend. Or how they decided to prevent the guy from quitting & changing his life for his baby... Yeah, I get it, they had to think about their own survival first of all but it was still sickeningly disgusting. And sure all their crimes miraculously turned into smth excusable but it's def not the way it should be. Oh yeah, let's justify rape because, you see, she actually fell for the guy later anyway & found sex so pleasurable. Just no! ⋋_⋌ –checked the mature content description on steam store page. Contains mild O_O violence (they actually killed a boy), crude language, use of drugs. What about blackmail or rape?! Do they even not consider what has happened to that poor girl as such? O_o –even with the adult patch visuals are blurred:( –some typos [b]Reasons to continue with the third part anyway:)[/b] +despite all my grumbling, I admit I'm intrigued in the story and how they actually gonna try and overcome all the hurdles. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3441716750 +Tatsuya is a very appealing character for me <3 he was one of the reasons I felt like I'll finish the game no matter what :) It's awesome when despite all possible shortcomings there's at least one char you feel so strongly about that everything else doesn't really matter that much :) +there's a free \o/ adult patch on their site +chibi CGs are adorable as usual <3 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3435988805 I bought all the parts during the sales. I'd recommend to do the same. [table] [tr] [th]More thoughts about the game in a [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/readingnook/discussions/0/594014529961082649/] Reading Nook [/url][/th] [/tr] [/table]

Just a quick note - I don't have a lot to say this time around. My opinion is the same as before Lately, I've started noticing some cool character development happening along with some intriguing world-building. The issues are starting to show up more clearly, and I'm pretty confident that things will really pick up in the next part. I hope you all have a great time into it until next part:)