NEKOPARA After
" Charming casual adventure with expressive art and voice acting but a short, rushed story "
NEKOPARA After Review
NEKOPARA After, a visual novel and spin-off of the main Nekopara series, delivers a wholesome and heartwarming experience that fans have eagerly awaited for years. The game focuses primarily on two catgirls, Shigure and Fraise, providing a "what-if" story that expands the universe with new character routes. The art and animation maintain the series' high standards, featuring beautiful and expressive CGs, detailed character designs, and smooth voice acting. Despite its charm, the game is notably shorter than previous entries, with a main story lasting around 3 hours, which left some players wanting more depth and development. The narrative explores themes of love and family but controversially includes explicit incest themes that divided the community. While the game lacks the usual H-scenes on Steam, a free R18+ patch is available elsewhere. Technical performance is stable with few bugs reported. Overall, NEKOPARA After is a loving sendoff to the series, though it may not fully satisfy all fans due to its brevity and narrative choices.
Highlights
Players praised NEKOPARA After for its beautiful graphics and polished art style, consistent with the series' high-quality visuals. The voice acting and soundtrack were well received, enhancing character expression and atmosphere. The game’s focus on Shigure and Fraise’s storylines was appreciated, especially the long-awaited Shigure route. Fans enjoyed the wholesome and cute slice-of-life moments that define the franchise. The inclusion of jiggle physics and interactive elements like catgirl petting added charm and engagement. Despite being a spin-off, it retained the core identity and appeal of Nekopara, making it a recommended experience for series enthusiasts.
Criticisms
Common criticisms centered on the short duration of the game, with many players feeling the story was rushed and lacked sufficient character development, especially for Fraise and Shigure. The incest theme was controversial, with some finding it off-putting and poorly handled due to the absence of emotional conflict or drama. Several reviews noted the lack of H-scenes on Steam, which diminished the experience for some fans familiar with previous games. Additionally, a few players reported minor technical issues, such as frame drops during scenes and occasional crashes. Some felt Kashou's character was underdeveloped compared to earlier volumes, and others wished for more screen time for other catgirls like Milk and Cinnamon.
Pros
- • Beautiful, expressive artwork and polished character designs throughout the game.
- • Well-executed voice acting enhances character personalities and immersion.
- • Engaging and wholesome slice-of-life story focusing on Shigure and Fraise.
- • Includes interactive gameplay elements like catgirl petting and jiggle physics.
- • High-quality soundtrack complements the visual novel’s atmosphere well.
- • Free R18+ patch available outside Steam for fans seeking mature content.
- • Stable performance with minimal bugs and smooth gameplay experience.
Cons
- • Main story is disappointingly short, around three hours of playtime.
- • Rushed narrative with limited character development for key characters.
- • Controversial incest theme handled without sufficient emotional depth.
- • Lack of H-scenes on Steam version reduces appeal for some fans.
- • Some minor technical issues reported, including occasional crashes and frame drops.
- • Kashou’s character feels shallow compared to previous installments.
- • Other catgirls like Milk and Cinnamon receive minimal screen time.
Rating Criteria
A new chapter begins with the arrival of the catgirl, Fraise! She seeks advice from his little sister, Shigure and while Fraise feels the relationship between siblings is most important, Shigure priorities the happiness of her catgirls. This sets the stage in the battle between catgirl and girl!