Gaming is one of the most inclusive pastimes one can experience. With a range of genres and themes to select from, there really is something for everyone. Yet, there are still some games that fall into a niche category. In Europe, visual novels are popular. However, they don’t have the following that the Asian Market affords them. I enjoy reading, so I’ll always leap at the opportunity to review any visual novel I can. Yet, that being said, Takorita Meets Fries wouldn’t be a game that would normally appear on my radar. Its cutesy and nonsensical story doesn’t normally appeal, but nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Developed by Roseverte and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a visual novel about food, romance, and friendship. The developer is renowned for its OTT style, eccentric storylines, and vivid art style, so I was equally dreading and excited to give this a go.
Takorita Meets Fries is typically Anime and odd as hell.
I’m not sure if it’s a generational thing, cultural difference, or I just didn’t get it, but Takorita Meets Fries is odd as hell. With light romance elements, a heavy dose of sexual tension, and bizarre food combinations, I didn’t know whether to love it or loathe it.
The story revolves around Princess Takorita and her selfish attitude toward life. She is fed up with the bland food served to her in her underwater kingdom and she demands new recipes. Her father, the King, refuses, but he is overruled by the Queen and Princess Takorita is allowed one month to venture on land to find new and exciting foods. She must take her less than helpful guard Mer with her and the two unlikely companions head to land for their new adventure.
An odd plot with a heavy reliance on its colourful world.
Takorita Meets Fries is no masterpiece and its plot fails to evolve past its reliance on food. Yet, I still enjoyed it for what it was. The cute characters and delightful settings bring the story to life, and I enjoyed the weird romance that blossomed over the exploration for new food types.
I also liked how the story eventually came full circle to explain the strange disappearance of other merfolk who searched for new food types. The lack of closure wouldn’t have bothered me, but it was a nice touch, nonetheless.
Multiple endings and different plots to follow.
Takorita Meets Fries isn’t the largest visual novel I’ve played. Yet the story is nicely broken down across three locations, each with unique endings and relationship paths. I really liked the bite-size approach that enabled you to have a rounded appreciation of every character.
However, unlike other visual novels that have good, bad, and neutral endings, this one forces you into a happy ever after finale, repeatedly. This was fantastic for the cute theme and lighthearted nature of the story, but this method missed an opportunity that would have developed the characters further. Princess Takorita made no errors and I would have preferred to see a more vulnerable side that would have allowed the other characters to shine.
Takorita Meets Fries is fantastic to look at.
Roseverte is a genius when it comes to presentation. Yet, the extremely colourful imagery and loud in your face noises may not be suitable for a Western audience. I admired it for its style, but its Anime influences and shrill sounds got under my skin.
The crisp lines and stunning landscapes bring the story to life and I loved how the basic animation enhanced the emotion and brought energy to every scene. The world you explore is an explosion of colour, and each character is unique and interesting to look at. What I didn’t like, however, was the overreliance on Mer crying. It was thoroughly irritating and didn’t match the character’s persona.
The audio helped to build a lighthearted and carefree atmosphere. Its blend of energetic sounds and sad tunes portrayed the emotions far better than much of the script. I found the repeated use of a lighting crack to emphasise annoyance to be really irritating. Many of the chapters looked fantastic and had a jovial atmosphere, yet they were plagued by an unnecessary and OTT crashing sound. It would have been effective if it was reined in, but its constant use was absolutely unbearable.
A lack of dialogue options and limited replay value.
My fascination with visual novels stems from the ability to alter the plot. Yet, Takorita Meets Fries has a distinct lack of choices. This makes it relaxing and easy to play but, I wanted to influence the plot more than I did.
Thanks to its array of endings and relationship paths, there is some replay value. I enjoyed exploring each ending even though most were extremely silly. If you love your achievements, there are guides available that allow you to finish this in less than an hour. Therefore, this is a completionist’s dream.
Takorita Meets Fries is odd, confusing, but good fun.
I definitely didn’t get the nonsensical plot, yet I enjoyed the setting, art style, audio, and characters. Its story won’t win any awards, but it’s fun if you take it with a pinch of salt. It’s a bizarre game that I recommend you to buy here! Can you help the Princess to find the new food types she desires? Go on an adventure, find new friends, and taste exciting new recipes.
