Un:BIRTHDAY SONG – Review & Thoughts

A fandisc of the original series titled Re:Birthday Song. It’s an otome game from honeybee(The Starry Sky series, Dynamic Chord, etc), and I wasn’t really expecting something “ground-breaking” even though it’s a plot-heavy game(or at least that’s how they tried to present themselves…) based on my pure judgment of the original game which I have lots of mixed feelings in, but the final “true” route in particular exceeded my expectation and by all means was this better than the original series. Let’s get into it, then.

Title: Un:BIRTHDAY SONG ～愛を唄う死神～(Un:BIRTHDAY SONG ~Ai wo Utau Shinigami~)
Company: Honeybee
Release Date: March 27th, 2015
Length/Estimated Time of Playing: 10~15 Hours
OP
VNDB

Summary: you play as a highschool girl called Kanno Hotori, who has 2 shinigamis called Zen and Rikka visiting her then telling her that she’s going to die in 30 days – 25th of December. Before she dies, Zen and Rikka want to make sure that she’s able to pass on without any regret so that she won’t end up in the Netherworld – where dead souls left with regret end up in. She tells them that her only wish is to confess to her crush Shizuru, and so begins the days where Zen and Rikka would help her with her confession.

As I’ve mentioned above, this FD was personally a better experience than the original game; due to the true route. The other routes on the other hand… felt like “side” routes; and what’s even worse is how they also suffer from Re:Birthday’s writing flaws, even though I thought they’ve learned their lesson. But nope, here they are again. Ah well.

The game itself at least has some notable stuffs to mention, though. Such as how both romance and plot are well-balanced, despite the repetitive writing flaws and some concerning plot-holes, though they’re mostly in the non-true routes(feels like calling them “side” routes would be offensive since I do like all the casts this time, lol). Character development felt kinda lacking on that note, actually almost everything felt really repetitive; even the conflicts happening. This is also the kind of convenient shit they pulled basically all the time in Re:Birthday, though I guess they’ve gotten far better in this FD.

Unlike Re:Birthday, there are only 3 routes to play this time: Zen, Rikka and Shizuru. Zen and Rikka had quite the amount of screentime for supporting characters in Re:Birthday, and I actually like them two far more than the whole boys casts in Re:Birthday lmfao, so if you like them too you’re probably still gonna enjoy their routes despite them being “lacking” and full of plot-holes. Shizuru is an entirely new character, he’s the heroine’s crush – basically you’re already in max affection level towards him at the start of the game. Maybe this might be the reason why Zen and Rikka’s routes felt lacking – or even kinda forced.

Zen

Zen is one of the shinigamis who visited Hotori to hunt her soul. He’s pretty much your oresama type character, and I don’t particularly dislike the trope, but what makes him leave little to no impression on me is the fact that his route suffers the most from overused/repetitive scenarios that they went for at Re:Birthday. Throughout his route I was literally praying that this FD won’t turn out to be like its predecessor(since his route was the first one I read lol). The conflict happening and its conclusion are really predictable thus the route as a whole won’t really leave much impression other than “well, look at them going for this kind of twist again.” Aka basically another Re:Birthday quality route.

Rikka

Rikka is Zen’s partner and unlike him, he’s cool and collected. Not to beat around the bush, he’s easily my favorite guy and him being voiced by Tacchi was basically heaven on earth for me(read: my ears).

Now, Unlike Zen’s route; I appreciate the writers for not completely going in for another predictable writing and backstory. One of my favorite things inside the game is how his route feels “natural” – I get why people wouldn’t really favor his route due to lack of romance and all those stuffs, but thanks to that, Rikka feels so in-character and it also added some kind of melancholy impact to my reading. People usually play dating sims for the romance, but to me romance feels like nothing if it completely ignores off the characteristic and personality of the characters involved and add in some romance just… for the sake of it(I’m looking at you guys, all the bad moeges I’ve read). Seriously, I like romance but unnatural romance just feels… so bad. Yeah, y’know how it is. So I couldn’t appreciate the writer enough for not falling into the same dark pit that a lot of otome/galge writers swam in. As a Rikka fan, even though his route felt lacking in the writing aspect, at least it’s this kind of small thing that still made me able to enjoy the route regardless.

Anyway, if you perhaps dislike or don’t really pay any attention to Rikka and is mostly in here for the romance, then unfortunately I don’t think you would enjoy his route all that much. >>

If I have one thing that I’d like to complain… it’s how they didn’t explain what’s up with his heterochromia eyes, even though they touched the subject in Zen’s route. Like… seriously??? I was so excited to know what could have happened to him and was on the edge of my seat the whole time, but alas, the moment didn’t come at all. Makes me wonder if this is actually explained on the drama CD or something? Who knows.

Hayasaka Shizuru

Basically the final goal of the game, Shizuru is Hotori’s classmate and crush. He appears to be kind-hearted even from the start of the game, not only to Hotori but also to Zen and Rikka.

Shizuru’s route is basically locked until you’ve completed both Zen and Rikka’s route(you literally will get a bad end if you go for him before you complete the other two lmao). One supporting character also has a very important role in his route, and the route itself basically revolves around him, Shizuru and Hotori. Here, all the mysteries(okay there /are/ still some plot holes but yeah y’know) that were touched in the previous two’s routes will be elaborated more clearly for all readers.

His route is easily the best one out of the three, as in both romance and writing content they’re all much better and polished than what I got from both Re:Birthday and this FD(aka the other routes). No forced romance, no “convenient” happy ends and such. Other than that, it’s actually pretty hard to discuss about his route without mentioning any spoiler TBH. So experience it out with yourself!

Art

Satoi is a blessing from God that we don’t deserve and I’m pretty sure everyone in the otome community already know this. Other thing to mention is how there are less CGs here than in Re:Birthday I guess, but I’m not really the type to be minding such thing so yeah. Also, there are no SDCGs, which is kinda disappointing(need dem qt chibis in my life).

Sound

Mostly reused BGMs from Re:Birthday, other than that they’re all just mediocre otome OSTs. Voice acting is of course AA++ though… LOVE YOU KENN, LOVE YOU TACCHI :3c. At least this time we don’t get another Infamous(tm) rock ending song so LOL, but one thing I wished is how the title song won’t start so loud and sudden since I swear it always surprises my ass off ugh.

Overall/Final Thoughts

At least this was sooo much better than Re:Birthday for me! Maybe it’s because I really liked all the casts this time, even Zen and the supporting characters, which made me able to enjoy all routes in their own way. The writing has also improved too – albeit not that much, but still, improvement is an improvement. The super draggy feeling that I got from Re:Birthday didn’t feel as strong here. Hotori is a super cute and fluffy heroine unlike Cocoro(which is probably like one of the reasons that I didn’t get to enjoy Re:Birthday all that much lmao), and I really, really adore her. But, all in all, writing flaws are still there, plot holes are still there – but they managed to nail the character aspect at most part… is what I’d like to say, but unfortunately some character developments fell flat which is, again, thanks to the writing. Fortunately, their personality and characteristic managed to save the game enough. I really like seeing all the 4 main characters hanging out together, god, so precious. ;_;

Another notable thing to mention is how there are after-stories for each character once you’ve completed their respective route, and one epilogue once you’ve cleared Shizuru’s route and all his endings. It was one of my favorite things inside the game, TBH.

All in all, Un:Birthday Song has both its good and bad points, and it’s more like a “charage” unlike some very romance-heavy otomes. Definitely give it a try if you don’t mind that and if you like the characters! I think it’s safe to just jump and play this even if you haven’t played the original game, too.

Story: (7/10)
Characters: (8/10)
Artwork: (9/10)
Sound: (7/10)
System: (7.5/10)
Enjoyment: (7.5/10)
Overall/Finalized Score: (8/10)