National Park Girls: Love Our Parks Edition

Dope AF

I don't know how the people at Studio Élan do it, but this was just as much of a beautiful experience as every other one of their novels I've read. I'll spare you the theatrics but all I'll say is I'm going to need a new box of tissues now. Play this. It's worth it.

What a terrible yet beautiful game. Once again Studio Elan absolutely delivered on what initially seemed like a bit of a goofy premise. National Park Girls is, as the name suggests, a game about girls conceptually linked with some of the US's National Parks, mostly in their interactions with jaded Ranger Eve Aadams. Beyond an obvious love for the parks themselves as places though, this game deals in several themes that I believe most people are forced to reckon with at some point, including environmentalism, change and personal growth. There are tragic scenes, just like there are cosy and wonderful ones, in this VN. The characters themselves bring most of those themes, but they also aren't just plot devices, far from it. You can see how, in a fairly limited scope, each character has their own quirks and a life of their own. You'll most likely end up caring for most of the cast, which isn't all that large. The art and OST are a joy. While the art takes a generally more simplistic and cartoonish direction, especially for some backgrounds and landscapes, the character design, if you couldn't tell from the preview images available, is just very well rounded. And the soundtrack just fits each scene to a T, with the ending being particularly powerful, both on vocals and instruments. If you like yuri VNs, have played a Studio Elan game before, or even just want to experience a great story centered on the National Parks and how we live alongside nature, then I absolutely recommend you pick up the lovely work that is National Park Girls.

[h3]角色簡介 [/h3] 主角，暴躁老姐兼下顎摧毀者 約塞米蒂，可以用頭髮榨出水的黑肉科學家 黃石，火山大隊長和歡樂擔當 錫安，表裡如一的小天使，整個遊戲算是思想最成熟的角色，如果有玩過這工作室的另一款遊戲HIGHWAY BLOSSOMS可以在彩蛋內容看到他 一共五個章節每一個章節都是量大管飽，而且富含教育意義而且都是著重在特別一個角色的故事、經歷和他們如何看待主角，而且其中包含地理的小知識更多的是角色間的成長，隨著遊戲會發現他們之間可能不是想象中的那麼個性鮮明，很多時候就是他們沒有把問題和心裡話說出口，而故事就是圍繞在角色們慢慢傾訴自己的心裡話展開的 [h3]第一章 [/h3] 簡單來說就是每個角色的自我介紹跟他們的作為國家公園和其影響，而這一章也能去深刻的了解主角熱愛自然和對國家公園的重視 [h3]第二章 [/h3] 主要圍繞在黃石身上，我們可以了解這位角色的樂觀和看待自己的方式，雖然積極的想要去幫助別人但其實也是滿足自己想要被認可的內心，在這一章能看出角色們間的互動其實不是如此友善，而再一起經歷過事情後每個角色內心也變化了不少 [h3]第三章 [/h3] 主角為錫安和約塞米蒂，這一章最主要講述了錫安他的身上發生了什麼事情和約塞米蒂他對於情感，這一章比較可惜的地方就是沒有把錫安為什麼變成這樣和前因後果說清楚，就玩到一半感覺有點在繞圈子，但也能在這章更加認識錫安的個性、想法 [h3]第四章 [/h3] 主角來到了約塞米蒂，主題圍繞在三大論點「輪迴」、「永恆」、「生命的意義」我是沒想到這遊戲畫風變化這麼快，雖然第三章就有暗示了一點東西，但其實遊戲在這裡的論點也是我們可能偶爾會想到的事情，我們為什麼活著？活著又是為了什麼？但可能現在的工作、人際關係，讓我們沒機會和自己對話，也自然很少去想到這些問題，但我蠻喜歡錫安這裡給出的答案「可以尋找意義」，個人這裡的解讀是「尋找生命的意義本身就很意義」 [h3]第五章 [/h3] 一開始迎接就是第四章事件的收尾，整體而言這章一開始就挺難受的，而製作組在這裡也在下一秒轉接到輕鬆的時刻，只能說這樣的安排的確非常大膽但也足以構成強烈的記憶點，再來主角的癲狂和為他著想的另外三名主角，而且這章真的有些放飛自我，他們一開始在對付一群「會動的石頭」？這裡到底在幹嘛？但也基於這是科幻題材就也沒那麼詭異，這一章也出現了第四位國家公園女孩—死亡谷。這一章也是全遊戲最長的的一篇，這章會了解到主角的固執是多麼頑強，我在看這一章時候有一章感覺有點在看mygo的既視感，到最後一刻還不願意相信約塞米蒂對他的感情，但就是他在逃避現實和否定內心的戲碼，這家工作室真的很會把角色的性格刻畫到很琢磨，但真的感到最後有一種解脫的感覺也是最有滋味的 [h3]關於百合元素和個人見解 [/h3] 那其實這一作，百合元素真的是輕百合，其實他們之間的愛意更多的是對家人和摯友的情感，更多的主角對於自己理想的抱負，所以要說這是百合作不太一樣，應該說他們剛好都是女的，但不影響這一作非常有深度和自我風格

Kino

Ruined my life. 10/10. Would never reccomend. I want to die.

Amazing! AMAZINGAMAZINGAMAZING!!! I really loved the banter between Yosemite and Eve, they really are perfect for each other!

好棒！

Felt like I was going insane the farther i got into the game and somehow that made me like it more. Very very slow-burn though.

Now that's a strange game. It's my first Studio Elan game, and it has their usual great music and visuals, but also it barely feels like a yuri. Which does not mean that the story isn't interesting! It's less a romance and more a title about depression and self-acceptance, which will probably hit deep if those themes resonate with you. Besides the serious themes, it's also a fun story with girls that are *literaly* National Parks. A good and short story, but I'd say don't come for the romance, otherwise you'll probably end up disappointed.