ChronoClock (PC) Review

Rei Sawatari's middle name isn't 'Virgin,' despite the fact that you'll be repeatedly reminded of that little factoid. Yes, Rei hasn't been able to do what bees do to flowers yet, but don't worry, as this is a visual novel, therefore a flock of available and eager girls will soon appear; like the standard tsundere one, your - BLOOD RELATED - sister Michiru, a weirdly flat-chested British otaku, and more. Oh, yeah. One should never forget that besides being a virgin, Rei can turn back time.

Yup, this is a moege (is that the right term?) visual novel, where the protagonist (a virgin, for those who were absentminded) can actually manipulate the freaking flow of time with the use of a unique pocket watch. Will he use that power to create a mega-corporation like his granddad? Of course not! He is a teenage boy, thus this immense ability will be used to just get jiggy with his favourite schoolgirl... or, to be more precise, your favourite schoolgirl - just don't pick the sister... eww!

Being a romantic visual novel, ChronoClock lets you make some choices. How many? Hmm, about two, so those who find kinetic VNs to be less fun, better avoid this. The good news (although that depends on your particular tastes) is that the choices are very clear in what they do. There are no intricate paths to take in here, meaning that, if you want to discover first time love with, say, the aforementioned, flat-breasted otaku, you can easily do so - or even your sister... you perv.

It's important to note, however, that even those two choices won't make any use of the magic, time-rewinding watch. By all means, this is just a typical date sim-esque novel like any other. Time manipulation is mostly here to spice things up a bit, with one example being the very first chapter, where Rei will bend time to save a game from falling to her death - something that certainly makes him a bit more likable than your stereotypical horny VN protagonist.

Also, don't expect a deeply emotional tale. This can be slightly sad and dramatic at times, but it's mostly a typically light-hearted comedy, with jokes that are worth a snicker or two, girls that are likable, but, ultimately, forgettable, and a decent amount of fanservice, with a couple of panty shots, a few breast grabs, some suggestive poses, and lots of sexy mini-skirts. Of course, the Steam version has no +18 scenes, which, as usual, must be patched in from an external source.

...And there you have it. ChronoClock is just a decent romantic visual novel, that most genre fans will enjoy, but not exactly love. It's kind of funny, kind of titillating, and mostly well-written. Visually it's not something special. The characters are appealing and frequently change poses mid-dialogue to reflect their moods, and the backgrounds can have some subtle animations that add some depth to them, but like everything else, all these are nice, but don't really stand out.