Otome Game Review: ときめきメモリアルGirl's Side 2nd Kiss

First "official" post and its going to be a game review! It's on an older game but I feel this series is greatly under appreciated for how innovative it is. I wish there were more ときメモ fans out there. Hopefully, this review will convert some people （‐＾▽＾‐）

Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 2nd Kiss
PS2 (2006)
Konami
Otome, Dating Sim
ときめきメモリアルGirl's Side 2nd Kiss website


This is part two on the PS2 for the Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side series (also the last TokiMemoGS on the PS2). This particular game takes place a couple years after the first one... It is in the same city but a different school called Hanegasaki School.


STORY

My little mermaid...

As with every TokiMemo there is a legend. This one is a bit different than the other games. It starts off in the past with the main heroine and her childhood friend. They are laying around in the boy's room with his grandfather and he is telling the two a story about a mermaid. The summed up version is that a man meets a mermaid, they fall in love, the village is against it so the mermaid feels like she should leave. The two share a kiss and the mermaid tells her love that the ocean represents a place that they can be together at. She then leaves and day after day the boy goes to the ocean with hopes of being reunited with the mermaid.

Like with the previous TMGS, the heroine wakes up from a dream and decides to shove off towards school. However on her way to school she gets lost. Upon wondering you stumble upon a good looking guy standing in front of a restaurant (Heads up, he is the 'prince' of the game).

Lost in thought....?

So you approach him and ask for directions to the school. He seems really turned off by this and grouchily gives you directions to the school. After the brief encounter and a travel to school, our home girl reaches her destination. Much to her surprise, guess who she comes across? Yup. Mr. Grouchy pants from earlier. He nearly shits bricks when he sees you. Quickly he marches up to our poor surprised girl and drags her to the back of the school. There he freaks out a little and tells her to tell NO ONE that he works at that little cafe by the sea. You agree and he seems relieved... After that really bizarre meeting you guys finally get a proper introduction (his name is Saeki Teru).

After this encounter you head off to homeroom. Here you run into your girl friend (this is determined by what room you choose. She can either be your best friend or your rival, depending on which guy you go after). You two chat it up and then head to homeroom. Here you meet your spacey math teacher (again) and homeroom teacher, Wakaouji Takafumi. He is a bit of a space case (its super cute...). The homeroom class picks on him a bit before class and here he hands out a short (and weird) questionnaire for the class to fill out (explained more in game play).

So after a long day at school you head home. While relaxing in your room you hear a 'knock knock' coming from your window. Your neighbor, a little kid named Otonari Yuu, asks you about your day at school and also tells you that you can talk to him about the guys at school. In this game he is your confidant for the guys (first your brother and now your kid neighbor... Awesome.). After you finish talking to him your first full day of game play begins...


Game Play

Game play is pretty much exactly the same from the first TMGS... If you didn't check out my review for the first one, I will do a quote from it.

"Game play is fairly simple. You don’t really need to be proficient in Japanese to play. Only a few times in the game do you need to know some Japanese in order to progress. A lot of it is guessing (that is, if you don’t know how to read Japanese…). One of the few times you need to know Japanese is when you fill out a survey at the beginning of the game…"

Stats menu from left to right: Stress, Money, Inteligence, Art, Fashion sense, Exercise, Popularity, and Charm.

Like with other TM games, your stats are everything. This determines which guy you can end up with (since this is basically your school grades and your strengths and such...) and what kind of part-time jobs are available to you. What determines your stats at the beginning of the game in this one is a bit different. Instead of your room choice dictating your status (and girl friend) its Wakaouji-sensei's questionnaire! The first three questions tell you your beginning status. Depending on your answers your status will change. Each guy has certain stats that he requires so make sure to keep an eye on them constantly!

"The game’s main menu is simple. Each icon corresponds to an activity your character can perform. The first 8 boxes at the top are for actions you perform to increase (or decrease) your stats. In the next set of 8 boxes, the first three on the left are used to call the guys, to go out (on a date or shopping), and contact Yuu (your neighbor). The last one is for options and saving. On the bottom row the boxes are for (in this order) check your closet, check the internet, check the internet, and to check your email." 

Also with Wakaouji-sensei's questionnaire, it dictates something else besides stats. This game is called "Second Kiss" for a reason. Not just because its part two for the series but because you get an 'accidental' kiss scene with one of the guys! Depending on your answers determines which guy you unlock the scene with. They don't happen right away (which makes it funnier) and it happens pretty randomly. It's a good way to get a boost with your guys. Only one that doesn't have this is the hidden character.

Like with the first game there is a shopping option as well! This is great. I love picking out clothes so this is is probably one of my favorite things (next to the guys naturally). Each guy has a specific style they like (it is a bit easy to guess based on their personalities) and the different shops available cater to them. Most stores carry for two styles so have fun shopping!

As this is a dating sim, dating is a very important aspect. It is actually a bit challenging too. For this you have to read between the lines while on the dates and chose the best option possible to gain the most affection. It takes a bit getting used to it but after time it gets easier. The guys reactions to certain answers are great! There are three types of answers; good, so-so, and bad. You can save right before the date so make use of the saving option. If you mess up you can always reset and start over again without much of a hassle. There are also rivals in this game. They take your men away really easily so be careful with who you make friends with. Also if you decided to date around and be nice to the guys watch out. The bomb system is back. If you piss one guy off, during the date (if you ignore Himeko and Yuu's warnings), he will come at the end of the date to your house and bomb you (I always wondered if it was a poop bomb). The guy you are dating's affections go down greatly and it is nearly impossible to get a good ending. So, watching out for the bombs!

This game also brings back mini games! There are the mini games for the spots day festival, the second year school trip, and the yearly Valentine's Day chocolate making one. The sports festival games are a little different from the first one but are as equally fun.

There is an omake option (like the first one) where you can play the mini games (as you unlock them) and look at the varies CG and endings you collect.


CHARACTERS

From left to right: Saeki Teru, Shiba Katsumi, Hikami Itaru, Christopher Weathersfield, Hariya Kounoshin, Misaki Motoharu, Amachi Shota, and Wakaouji Takafumi.

In this game, there are 6 classmates you can date, one sempai (he is two years older than you), and one teacher. There is also one secret character as well.

Saeki Teru: Our tsundere prince of the game. He works part-time at a cafe by the sea called Sangosho Cafe. Also has an annoying fan club...
Shiba Katsumi: The silent sporty guy. He has a soft spot for cute animals.
Hikami Itaru: The student council guy. He is pretty much the school nerd (its cute though!). He is related to a certain eye glass wearing character from the first game...
Christopher Weathersfield: The artsy foreign-exchange student. He comes from a rich family.
Hariya Kounoshin: He is a typical Japanese guy. He is in a band and is really into his looks. Prefers to be called Harry.
Misaki Motoharu: He is your semapi by three years. He attended the same school back in the day. Attends college and works at a florist.
Amachi Shota: The kouhai. He is a year younger than you. He is also a ladies man and is a cheerleader.
Wakaouji Takafumi: Your homeroom/science teacher. He is pretty ditzy... Loves cats.

Hidden chracter: Akagi Kazuyuki

Resident hidden character; Akagi Kazuyuki. He attends Habataki School and is in the student council.

There are four rival girls as well.

Left to right: Todo Tatsuko, Onoda Chiyomi, Nishomoto Haruhi, and Mizushima Hisoka

Todo Tatsuko: She is a total tomboy. Your rival for Shiba Katsumi.
Nishomoto Haruhi: A fashionable ditzy girl. She is from Osaka and speaks in Kansai-ben. Your rival for Kounoshin Hariya.
Onoda Chiyomi: Student council. She is pretty strict with rules and such. Your rival for Hikami Itaru.
Mizushima Hisoka: Artsy. She is really sweet and quiet. Ojousama type. Your rival for Christopher Weathersfield.

Left to right: Onotani Yuu and Hanatsubaki Himeko

There is also your pesky neighbor Otonari Yuu and the fashion advise giver (and bomb hinter) Hanatsubaki Himeko.


ART

Oh Hariya... Ugh....

The art in this game is nice. I like it. Its not an "OMG SO BEAUTIFUL~11!!!!" kind of art but its nice and simple. It goes well with the feel of the game. It doesn't take away from it either. I think it really gives the game character. Not to mention, all the guys look great so no complaints here :)


VOICE ACTING

The voice acting in this game is top notch! All the characters are voiced by famous seiyuu! It's really porn for your ears... *cough cough* But in all honesty, the voice actors really bring the characters to life. They add so much emotion and depth into the characters its great. I can't really say much more about this other than if you are a stickler for good voice acting, this game will not disappoint.


MUSIC

The music in this game is so-so. It is a bit cheesey at some points but it is bearable. I don't get sick of it like I do with other games with repetitive background music. The opening song is really catchy. I enjoy it. It gives off a nice energetic vibe! Really matches the theme of a beach heh... The ending song is nice and sweet as well. Overall thought the music is just ok. 


RECOMMEND?

I honestly liked this game better than the first one. The guys were more relateable and more entertaining. Don't get me wrong, I love the guys from the first game, its just I love the guys more in this one more. Each of the guys endings and stories were really great and it really made them more realistic (for the most part). I really recommend this game to beginning otome gamers and the like. It is also a good tool to use to learn Japanese. The game is fully voiced so it makes it easier to learn the language. You can look at the text and match up the words to it as you go. In fact, I had a couple of friends have their University professors recommend this game as a tool to learn Japanese. There is also a DS version of this game that I will be doing a review of separately one day. As for this game, I overall give this game a 4.5 out of 5.