While not being something really original, even with the match-3 additions, this visual novel is definitely great to play in my opinion and hosts an awesome soundtrack since the beginning, that you can get as a DLC (16 mp3 tracks, mostly an instrumental jazz/pop that sounds great to me)!
The game features a reduced amount of customization options, mainly related to text speed and such, but it's ok since the save system works perfectly.
The background are amazing, I really enjoyed all the artwork, while the characters aren't that awesome-looking but still they have all their own facial expressions and the whole game gives a good impression, although it keeps an indie flavour in the whole system (text style, graphics, movements and such).
So, after having seen so many great works of art (not to mention the moving backgrounds!) it's really a shame that we can't get a section dedicated only to see and download them!
The other feature of this game is that all in all it has lots of endings and choices, but it's short - so, you'll have to go through multiple playthroughs in order to see all the endings (there's 7 of them if I'm not wrong) and you'll start every time from the beginning, if you don't save of course in the middle of the game!
Love in the Glen classifies itself as "otome" since the beginning - that means this is a game targeted at a girls' public, and where the main goals often involve creating relationships, searching for the good endings and such. But it's really enjoyable by everyone!
The story takes place in a Western environment - you'll control in fact Zoe, a (female, of course - it's otome! xD) designer, and you'll have to take all the decisions that will control her life.
As I said, there's no Japanese feeling here - the main character has Richardson as surname, and meeting guys like Finn Iverson and Johanna St. Marks definitely won't make you feel like you're in East Asia.. :)
This is great. I think everyone making a new visual novel should create what they feel suiting in the best way what they're developing and in this case, the story makes great sense and it's entertaining albeit a little bit short. I'm thankful to Sapphire Dragon Productions for this, since I'm always eager to explore new territories and something set in the States isn't a bad thing even if we're talking about visual novels and of course, characters somehow designed in a vague "anime" style.
Plus, some endings will take you through new characters and lots of questions, which is good to explore.. just don't think of this as a long visual novel, nothing else :)
And the game isn't so "easy" as it may seem (like it happened to me in my first short playthrough) - the story can be quite "serious" and well, it's always greatly written in my opinion, especially if you explore the long routes (you'll see only adults here, so you'll have to face the divorce of the main character among other things that will eventually happen).
As I said above, the match-3 element of the game isn't definitely something original - I've played dozens of visual novels including mini-games and such, but it's not by any means out of place in the broad context of the narration, and most of all it's funny and refreshing (and it won't activate in half of the routes, too!).
Maybe just the price is too high, but you can easily find this one in bundles or on sale, I saw it many times discounted for the 80% of its price (now on some sites the keys are sold at 90% for the deluxe edition, so.. xD) and 1€/$ or little more is definitely great if you want to spend some hours on a very nice visual novel.
All in all, I think that if you like visual novels in general you'll like this one too. The story is nice, the backgrounds are great, the mini-games are never boring and most of all it's well-written, easy to read and with lots of multiple choices and endings.
Have fun!
