The latest issue of Famitsu, the bi-weekly gaming magazine, featured a report on Onmyoji, the new game from the little-known company Pokeni.
Four editors each gave the game exceptionally high scores.
The total score was 39 out of 40.
With such an incredible score, Onmyoji entered the Platinum Hall of Fame.
Famitsu scores over 30 are considered Hall of Fame-worthy.
Scores between 30 and 34 are Gold Hall of Fame, while 35 to 39 are Platinum Hall of Fame. As of 2023, fewer than 40 games have ever achieved a perfect score of 40.
Given this, it's easy to see just how remarkable Pokeni's Onmyoji is, to have earned a 39 from these notoriously strict editors.
The single point deducted was explained by editor Ishida:
"This is undoubtedly a game that will go down in gaming history."
"There's not a shred of exaggeration in that statement."
[ Though Onmyoji is a galgame, it's flawless in every aspect—romance, plot, even the combat details. ]
[ The only thing that compelled me to deduct points was its ending, which left me with an enduring sense of bittersweetness. ]
[ This bittersweetness isn't to say the ending is bad; quite the opposite, it's so brilliant it makes the game feel like Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country. ]
[ To avoid spoilers and preserve your experience, I won't reveal the ending here. But I'm confident that after playing it, you'll feel the same way I do: ]
[ This is a game everyone should experience once in their lifetime—but only once. Because once you've played it, you'll lose the courage to ever touch it again. ]
[ Based on a comprehensive evaluation of its gameplay, graphics, quality, plot, combat, systems, and all other aspects, I've awarded it a high score of 9. ]
The other editors' reviews of Onmyōji were nothing short of effusive.
[ This game stands at the pinnacle of both the galgame and RPG genres. ]
[ It's the first time I've experienced such stunning visuals on the Red and White Machine. It elevates the galgame genre to unprecedented heights. ]
[ After Onmyōji, it's unlikely any other galgame will be able to captivate players quite like this. ]
[ Visually, Onmyōji is the undisputed number one. In every sense, no other game in the world can compare. ]
[ In terms of story, Onmyōji is an absolute masterpiece, well worth the purchase. ]
[ When I first heard the game cost 8,000 yen, I was taken aback. Even for a galgame, that price seemed excessive, like highway robbery. But after experiencing it myself, I must say— ]
[ It's worth every penny. ]
In short, Famitsu's review and coverage directly brought the niche game Onmyoji into the public spotlight.
Many people became curious about this galgame-style RPG.
On one hand, Famitsu is a highly influential magazine. On the other, Onmyoji was simply that good—even the screenshots in the magazine were breathtaking.
The scene of cherry blossoms falling as the male and female protagonists met on Immortal Spirit Island was so beautiful it took your breath away.
The accompanying battle and feature illustrations conveyed a sense of awe-inspiring beauty.
Just a single glance was enough to make you fall in love with the game, or at least want to try it out.
Thanks to Famitsu's immense influence, a steady stream of customers flocked to game stores to buy Onmyoji.
The already limited stock in these stores quickly sold out.
Pokeni's phone lines were flooded with calls.
After reading the report, Aoki Haruhi wore a puzzled yet amused expression.
"What's this? They're forcing us to take a point off, huh?"
"Be grateful we even got a score, President!" Ayase Akane slammed a glass of plain water in front of him.
She glared at him with a hint of resentment.
This guy was the perfect example of someone who forgets their pain as soon as the wound heals.
Just last night he was in despair, even talking about disbanding the company, and now he's all smiles and jokes.
"President, if Famitsu hadn't given us such a high score, Pokeni would have been disbanded by now!"
"Uh..." Aoki Haruhi frowned deeply.
"And please hire another assistant soon. I'm HR, why am I always doing secretarial work?" Ayase Akane waved her hand and returned to her desk.
Hmm...
Aoki Haruhi closed his eyes in thought.
Is this little HR getting a bit too bold?
Could it be because I've been treating her so nicely lately?
Onmyoji's sales soared, climbing from a low of 1,000 copies in less than three days to rapidly hitting 10,000.
Then came 20,000.
30,000...
At this rate, it was a certainty that Onmyoji would break 100,000 copies.
Of course, Famitsu's influence was crucial, but it wasn't the sole reason for this success.
The players who had already purchased Onmyoji served as vital word-of-mouth marketers. It was thanks to their constant sharing and promotion that a steady stream of new players flocked to game stores.
This was the power of reputation.
However, this process required time to mature. Pokeni found itself in a brief lull, but regardless of Famitsu's boost, the game was destined to explode sooner or later.
It was just a matter of time.
"Oh no! Pokeni's new game is going to be a hit!"
A colleague from the operations department shouted in Bluevens Corporation.
"Really?" The other employees turned to him.
"Yes. I have a former elementary school classmate working at Pokeni, and he told me. Apparently, Onmyoji is already sold out, and the order phones are ringing off the hook every day.
I even checked nearby game stores and found that almost all of Pokeni's new games are completely sold out."
"Nani?!"
Lead planner Tatsuya Mizutani's face was pale with shock.
Impossible!
How could a trash game that barely sold 1000 copies a few months ago suddenly turn things around?
This has never happened in game history!
If there's anyone in the world who would hate to see Pokeni succeed, Tatsuya Mizutani would definitely be in the top three.
As a former Pokeni employee and the lead planner for the Onmyoji project, how could he show his face after defecting to Bluevens if the game became a hit?
Wouldn't that prove his judgment was flawed?!
But what made it even worse was the next piece of news his colleagues shared:
"I heard Onmyoji made it into Famitsu's Platinum Hall of Fame! They gave it an incredibly high score of 39!"
"Nani?!"
Tatsuya Mizutani's eyes widened. "No way?"
That... trash...
He clutched his chest, suddenly feeling a sharp pain.
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