VenusBlood GAIA International Reviews

This is the second game in the Venus Blood franchise that I’ve played, the first being Venus Blood Frontier. Although the aesthetics of both games are extremely similar, this title introduces a significantly different gameplay style compared to its predecessor. It’s worth noting that while the international releases came out in an unusual order, this game is originally the successor to Frontier. The gameplay adopts a strategic approach reminiscent of a tower defense game, where you assemble squads to defend your base from invading enemies. Strategy also comes into play when building your base, organizing your squads, and managing resources. The difficulty ranges from extremely easy to extremely challenging, depending on the chosen difficulty level. While the gameplay is notable, the game primarily focuses on being a visual novel. The story is engaging and manages to keep players entertained throughout. Even though the plot might feel generic by today’s standards, it still stands out due to its execution. As with other titles in the series, the game features two main routes: chaos and law. These routes determine whether the protagonist becomes a hero or descends into madness. However, I felt the shift between the routes is too abrupt, leading to a loss of character consistency. Nonetheless, both routes are enjoyable. A highlight of the game is its excellent soundtrack. There are moments when you’ll find yourself pausing the gameplay just to listen to the music. Unfortunately, not everything is perfect. One of the negative aspects is the game’s resolution, which doesn’t support widescreen. While the original release dates back to 2013, the 2023 re-release—with so much additional content—could have updated the resolution, but it didn’t. Another downside is the interface, which feels outdated and confusing for new players. As many are already aware, the games in this franchise are rated +18. The version available on Steam is an all-ages censored version, but a patch to unlock the full content is easy to find. Regarding the +18 scenes, they deliver exactly what you’d expect from this franchise: plenty of tentacles, mind control, body modification, and psychological torment. This particular game explores pregnancy as a central theme in its story, which may appeal to or deter some players. Interestingly, compared to Venus Blood Frontier, this title includes more vanilla scenes, which I find to be a big positive since the more extreme elements mentioned earlier aren’t really to my taste. Overall, I give this game a solid 7.5/10. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys visual novels or strategy games, and I suggest not letting the negative reviews mislead you.