March 16, 2025

Volume 2 is surprisingly a much easier read than the first. They still get pretty deep into the weeds on some weird, esoteric gaming-related topics but the trivia is always interesting and it doesn't make as many esoteric historical comparisons (or have the names of complex chemicals). I feel like this volume is also a bit more focused on the character development which makes it more compelling. The two girls are clearly starting to become two friends (and say each other's names a lot so I can finally remember who's who!) and while each chapter still focuses around some odd point of gaming ephemera, it's starting to also be in service of a plotline. I'm hoping we'll see some of the deeper threads develop in further volumes. I'd like to see more of how Yoshiko's game turns out, and one chapter takes a surprising turn into creepypasta territory (while also elucidating some cool trivia). We have a new character in the plucky game story employee who's a bit more personable than Yoshiko but also has a deep well of strange knowledge. It's still tricky in places but the art is great and I think it's shaping up into something special.

(Also I was jazzed that I have that same transparent Salamander cartridge)

Gradings:11
1
favorite_border
Relevant gradings from other volumes
help_outline
on May 15, 2025
on December 23, 2024
on November 24, 2024
on September 18, 2024
on March 12, 2024
レトロゲ(1)L27similar in difficulty toミノスのビーフ100%L26
on February 28, 2024
on February 28, 2024
on February 28, 2024
on February 28, 2024
レトロゲ(1)L27similar in difficulty toガールズドーン! 1L25
on February 28, 2024