Written by Jin0uga, edited by Otaku Apologist
Gahkthun of the Golden Lightning, developed by Liar-soft, published by MangaGamer. Released on April 2nd 2017. Download at Nutaku’s digital store for $40.00. Available for PC Windows. Full voice acting, uncensored genitals. A grand tale steeped in Steam-punk and Fantasy elements, full of hot babes and gritty action.
Neon Scalar is the female main character of this visual novel. She’s a second-class citizen, fighting against overwhelming odds to get through her daily life. Then, a high-status male protector appears to take care of her.
This single man is resolved to wage war against an unjust governing council. The wicked will be toppled from their seats, the time for the oppressed to rejoice is at hand.
STORY
The story follows Neon Scalar, a newly enrolled student at a prestigious university. On the outside, she looks the part of a regular student. Studious, earnest, and friendly. But nothing is as it seems. Two weeks into her new school life, the cracks begin to shine through her easy going façade. She begins to look ragged and exhausted, her mental state teetering on the brink of despair.
Unlike most of the students attending this special university, Neon has entered through illegal means. This marks her as a second-class student, a status that can severely impair someone’s life. People like her are purchased on the black market, smuggled into school as private labours. They are worked to the bone in exchange for pitiful amounts of cash. Second-class students are no better than cattle, and can be bought like cheap whores.
The university she attends also holds a deadly secret. The governing council rule the school with an iron fist and through their machinations, Neon loses her nightly job. The greasy boar of a man she works for expresses his condolences, and tries to pressure her into sex. Just as Neon is about to give up, resigned to her fate, a mysterious man dressed in white rescues her. His name is Nikola Tesla, a seventy two year old male with a youthful body, who promises to bring justice to the school.
The story seems absurd at first, but the writer takes special care to create a believable world. Despite the steampunk elements, things are explained in a way that make sense. The writing style is also something I really liked. It’s whimsical in tone, often dramatic, each scene managed to capture my interest even if the characters are doing something mundane, like exploring the university grounds. The plot is not all epic action and battles, however. There is also a good dose of slice of life elements, which serves to develop the characters and make plot twists and dramatic reveals more powerful.
GRAPHICS
The character sprites and CGs are drawn in the same anime style. Japanese visual novels like this scream of a big budget, the art and sprites are top notch and beautiful to look at. The women are all gorgeous. Even side characters are easy on the eyes. They have different body types and facial features such as unique eye colour and hairstyles. The artist did a spectacular job in making sure every female character is distinct. Neon for example, wears her hair in a reserved way, which makes her look mild-mannered and quiet. Her friend is the complete opposite, rocking a hairband with cat ears and a spritely bob cut, giving her an energetic and cheerful look.
The men look less impressive. Save for two male characters, most of the males are very feminine, with slender bodies and androgynous hairstyles. I wasn’t taken by their designs but this is mostly my personal preference. What all the characters have in common, however, is a nice variety of quirky outfits. Neon and her friends sport identical uniforms in most scenes, but other characters wear coats, chiffon dresses, suits, capes, and even armour. It’s a feast for the eyes and I really enjoyed the Victorian-steampunk style of the clothes.
The backgrounds are realistic and detailed. In a scene where Neon and her friends are hanging out in a park, the minor details of the place are easily seen despite the number of characters in the scene. Another example, the building Tesla and Neon are staying in. The living room has desks, shelves, and a number of seats. The floor is covered by a carpet with intricate patterns. The cushion of a chair has a marbled texture, the surface of it slightly shiny as light filters through a nearby window.
Shadows are expertly used, subtle in casual scenes, heavier in action scenes to emphasize the gravity of the situation. The colour palette is well-rounded, ranging from bright eye-popping colours to dull ones. A overarching view of the city for example shows off the vividly blue sky tinged with dark clouds Meanwhile the buildings beneath sparkle with bright orange lights.
GAMEPLAY
Gahkthun of the Golden Lightning is a visual novel with side stories, one good ending and one bad ending. Side stories can be read at the end of each chapter, completely optional for curious readers. These extra contents are unlocked after the reader chooses from branching choices in decision-making scenes. Clicking the textbox ‘turns’ the page and advances the story. For choice-driven games like this, saving during critical decision moments is advised. It will save you the trouble should you want to redo certain scenes.
SOUND EFFECTS AND VOICE ACTING (SFX)
There is a nice variety of sound effects. This is to be expected of a high-budget title. There is a wide range of sounds for different scenes. As a character walks down the school hallway, for example, the conversations around her can be heard in the background. When a tram slowly comes to a stop, the sound of the carriage sliding over rails is heard. The sound effects worked fantastically to immerse me in the steam punk setting.
The voice acting is phenomenal. The visual novel is fully voiced. The entire cast does a great job with their respective characters. I never felt that a voice was poorly acted. It was obvious the budget was heavily dedicated to voice actors. I found Neon’s voice actor extremely impressive. The atmosphere of a scene can instantly shift when she changes the tone of her voice. She can go from utter melancholy to a warm, innocent tone in a heartbeat.
MUSIC
Following the Victorian-Steam Punk setting, the music in the game is mostly orchestral, using instruments like violins, cellos and other string instruments. The song that plays at the start of the first chapter is an upbeat track made up of a chorus of violins, accompanied by the calming tones of a flute. Occasionally, the violins fall back into the background and the flute takes over, growing louder and changing the atmosphere from energetic to soothing.
My favourite track plays during casual scenes. The soft strumming of the guitar comes first, then the smooth melody of an accordion kicks in. The accordion especially sounds expertly played, giving the song a distinct jazzy undertone. The track is extremely French-like, bringing to mind street musicians performing for couples strolling down scenic pathways. It does well to create a carefree, fun atmosphere.
Sad and reflective moments get a bittersweet track with a piano solo. It has a gentle but heart-rending tune that works well to convey the intensity of the scene. When paired off with the well-written dialogue and inner thoughts, as well as the voice acting, the piano is successful in evoking an emotional reaction from the player. Ominous and tense moments get an eerie track. The low wail of violins almost sound like a cry for help. Then, the violins fade into the background and the rest of the string instruments take over, bringing the song to a crescendo before fading out and repeating.
Battle scenes get an overblown track that energizes the player. The blare of trumpets and crash of drums sound like something from a scene of a great battle that is about to take place. As the battle progresses and the clash between opposing parties becomes deadlier, the song’s tune changes, becoming even more energetic with more instruments joining in.
HENTAI
Hentai is not the main focus of the story. It took me around four hours to unlock the first scene, but it was absolutely worth it. The writer has a peculiar style where they meticulously describe the act, and the feelings of the people involved down to the smallest of details. I personally loved this writing style, it’s very immersive and easy to get emotionally invested in. It is erotic, but at the same time, reads like poetry.
The voice acting combined with the writing easily made me bust a nut. The first sex scene for example. The girl is in a state of utter ecstasy, with a dick buried deeply inside her. He has experience in pleasuring many women, and his touch is electric. Her moans are filthy and spine tingling, melding with her love confession towards the man. It was deliciously steamy and well worth the long build up.
CONCLUDING WORDS
Gahkthun of the Golden Lightning is an impressive adult visual novel. It showcases the strengths of the medium with its intriguing story, gorgeous art and enjoyable music. It has the balls to tell an epic tale and the budget to live up to it. If you consider yourself a true anime fapper, then do yourself a favour and buy this. Download Gahkthun Of The Golden Lighting.
Overall
- Graphics
- Gameplay
- Story
- Music
- SFX
- Hentai
