[h1]At a Glance[/h1]
[table]
[tr]
[td](Adult) Content[/td]
[td]Yes, (F) nudity.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Censorship[/td]
[td]No. Woot! Woot![/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Hours of Gameplay[/td]
[td]One hour.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Modding Support?[/td]
[td]No.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Patch Required?[/td]
[td]Yes, download as Steam DLC.[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
[b]Anime Artist 2: Lovely Danya[/b] is a connect-the-dots/coloring game with a generic anime theme.
[h1]Gameplay[/h1]
The goal of the game is to recreate an image by connecting dots, and using a set of tools to apply colors in the correct areas. It's kind of like drawing, if you waved a few magic wands and [b]poofed[/b] a masterpiece. The real [i]meat[/i] of the gameplay will take some 'splaining, so bear with me. Before selecting a stage, you can choose between "Normal" and "Challenge" difficulty settings.
Before a stage starts, you are shown the completed image (which subsequently disappears.) You must connect a series of dots (in the correct order) to create the outline of the image, before moving onto the coloring portion of the game. You must select the correct colors from a nearby color wheel, and (liberally) apply them to the painting. As you drag your cursor around, a host of colors (vaguely related to what you've chosen) will populate the screen. You are timed, and the idea is the complete the image within the time frame.
The more of the image you're able to complete (within the time frame), the higher your score. You can earn up to three stars, and each (previously unobtained) star is counted to a star currency. That currency can be used to unlock new "dresses" for the protagonist (Danya), which are seen in-game as her avatar watches over you. Normal and Challenge versions of each painting can yield up to six stars a piece. It's best to practice stages in Normal mode first, because your "paint" is limited in Challenge mode.
Assuming you have the DLC installed, there is also a "Hot" mode. In this mode, you erase the subjects' clothes within a short time frame. You can unlock one "hot" star from this mode, per image. If you unlock collect twelve "hot" stars, you can unlock a special outfit from Danya's wardrobe.
[h1]Story[/h1]
You play as Danya, and she wants to do art things. She's payed based on her timeliness and skill, and she likes buyin' new outfits. That's about as much as I could make up with the source material.
[h1]Visuals[/h1]
The title screen is simple to navigate and somewhat attractive, though I thought that the selections were unconventionally displayed. The protagonist follows your cursor movement (with her eyes), which is a nice touch (and makes sense considering that [i]she's[/i] the one painting the in-game pictures. I think). She does, however look a bit blurry. She isn't as [i]crisp[/i] as the rest of the game's visuals. I did enjoy the overall user interface though, and I thought that the level select screen was very creative.
[b]- The Goods -[/b]
The artwork is consistently styled and high quality. However, it lacks background, characters and story. Additionally, it cannot be fullscreened (due to "portrait" aspect ratios"). The artwork, though good isn't more unique than someone's gallery (dumped inside a game). The lewd artwork features plenty of nudity, provided you downloaded the (free) adult patch.
Unfortunately, if you have the adult patch installed, you are no longer able to access the "non-adult" versions of the puzzles.
[h1]Verdict[/h1]
There's a lot love in the game, but love doesn't [i]necessarily[/i] translate to fun. I didn't find the game to be very engaging, even on "Challenge" mode, nor was I impressed by the gallery's interface. But the artwork [i]is[/i] good, and this game makes an honest attempt to stand out from all of those [i]generic puzzle games.[/i]
If pretending to be an artist appeals to you, I'd give this game a looksy.
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