Kana Little Sister

"This game is NOT about incest - This game is about life"

Kana- Little Sister is NOT a game about incest (Which game did the reviewer named Ina play? O_O) but about so much more than that.

To refute the incest accusation: Kana is not related to the hero by blood.

Now for my review:

This isn't a game, this is a visual novel of the highest quality. Your role is that of Taka, Kana's big brother who wants to protect his little sister at all costs. Kana, your adopted (As you later find out) little sister, is battling a chronic kidney disease among other things. She never gets out of the hospital much and therefore never learned about every day life. I.E. Having friends, playing, going to school etc. She loves to read, it's her only outlet in a world filled with pain, sickness and people bullying her for being different. You were once one of the bullies until you realized how much your sister is suffering. This game spans from early childhood till Kana's 18th birthday and a lot happens in between. Your decisions will form Kana's path in life. Will you cheer her up with toys and experiences of fun or will you give her difficult books and meaningful, deep memories to broaden her horizon? It's all up to you. Kana's illness progresses and soon it will be a matter of life or death for Kana....

The story features 6 different endings, each incredibly beautiful and meaningful. My first ending was Ending 5 (Intellectual Ending) and I cried my eyes out in the end. As the story goes on you start to care for and love Kana for her innocence, her love, her sweetness, her affectionate personality... It's a story way beyond today's RPGs and Action Shooters, it's a story about love, life, suffering, regrets and how to die loved means truly to have lived.

It's a shame that a few Adult scenes (Completely unnecessary) were added but they are far from other Hentai games' meaningless romps.

The art of the game is magnificent and vivid, I was especially drawn to Kana's expressive eyes. Rich colours and beautiful character art is meshed with the most haunting game score I have ever encountered. There is a theme for everything......and it's just brilliant how the music can tell the story much better than any voice acting ever could. That's right, no voice acting here. (Which I loved) Kana's and Taka's voices as well as those of Yumi (Your persistent girlfriend) and others come alive in your heart only.

Gameplay is easy, merely making choices and clicking them.

The other characters are wonderfully drawn out too. There's Yumi, your childhood crush who broke your heart pretty badly at elementary school. She is the exact opposite of Kana. Healthy as a horse, direct and funny as well as mentally and physically strong. Many have hated Yumi but I didn't hate her at all. Yes, she made mistakes and yes, her presence doesn't help Kana recover but the way Taka treated her after entering a relationship with her after a drunken night.......well, it's a very sad relationship. Then there are Taka's three friends, Tomoki, Ikuro and Masa. All three are delightful guys in their very different ways. Tomoki's the intelligent guy, Ikuro the good-hearted peacemaker and Masa the dirty-mined bad boy with a golden heart.

This isn't just a game. This is a story that has changed people's lives because it isn't extraordinary but seems so real that it is almost painful to continue it to the end. And yes, there is one ending where Kana can be saved. It isn't the most meaningful to me but it is a life-saver after getting the other endings.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/29/07