In the end, the group gritted their teeth and each bought a Sega Mega Drive.
20,000 yen was a bit pricey, but it was roughly equivalent to a week's worth of food for them.
When they thought about it, they wouldn't just be playing The Mermaid's Heart on the Mega Drive. Sega had many excellent games, so they would eventually need to buy a console anyway.
It was better to get one now.
After checking out, the three of them said goodbye at the entrance of the specialty store.
"See you on Monday, everyone."
"See you on Monday."
Hirozawa Furukawa eagerly carried his game console and game cartridge back to his residence.
He tore into the console's box and removed the 16-bit system.
Furukawa ran his fingers over the smooth surface, a surge of excitement washing over him.
It had to be said that Sega's 16-bit console was quite well-made, with a modern design. The upper half of the controller was ergonomically shaped, fitting comfortably in the palm.
It was far more comfortable than the traditional FC.
Still, the unfamiliar feel lingered; holding it felt slightly awkward.
After connecting the console to the TV, Furukawa finally opened the game box and inserted The Mermaid's Heart into the Mega Drive's slot.
Naturally, he didn't forget to blow a breath of air onto the cartridge first.
Ever since the Nintindo FC era, players had developed the habit of blowing on game cartridges. This was mainly to clear dust from the cartridge pins, which could cause screen glitches or prevent the game from loading.
A simple breath of air usually fixed the problem.
Of course, one had to be careful not to blow too hard, lest saliva ended up on the pins instead.
He flipped the power switch.
The game booted up.
A soft, beautiful melody immediately filled the air.
Compared to the FC, the Mega Drive's audio was nothing short of stunning.
"Wow, just as they say—this 16-bit machine is incredible."
Though Hirozawa Furukawa had read countless articles praising 16-bit consoles and received numerous recommendations, it wasn't until today that he truly grasped their allure.
In terms of graphics alone, Sega's Mega Drive far surpassed any 8-bit console.
It felt like a nearsighted patient suddenly putting on a pair of properly fitted glasses—
The entire world had become crystal clear.
No, it was even more than that. The Mega Drive's color palette was far richer than the FC's.
It was as if he had stepped out of a black-and-white photograph into full-color reality.
Hmm, that comparison might be even more fitting.
Now, Furukawa regretted not getting his hands on a Sega 16-bit console sooner.
A line of text appeared on the screen:
[ Pokeni Corporation ]
[ The Mermaid's Heart Project Team ]
This was followed by a sea-blue border.
In the center were the large letters:
[ The Mermaid's Heart ]
The style was unmistakably that of Kogahara Tsubakiaki.
Seeing this, Hirozawa Furukawa couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
Kogahara Tsubakiaki's standards and control over visual design were truly world-class. Playing one of his games was truly a treat.
The game officially began.
On the storm-tossed seas of the eastern Pacific, a cruise ship tossed and turned violently.
Boom! The ship collided with an iceberg.
A massive gash tore open its hull, and seawater rushed in.
"Help! The ship's sinking!" someone shouted.
[ In Yamazaki Hikaru's eyes, massive lightning bolts tore across the distant sea. ]
[ Just before he lost consciousness completely, a flawless, beautiful face emerged from the phosphorescent sea. ]
[ The girl's startled eyes met his. ]
[ Then a massive fish tail swept past. ]
Huh?
So the story unfolds through text?
And there's so much of it?
Furukawa thought to himself.
He'd never experienced a game like this before.
Pokeni's previous Onmyoji series had similar elements, but overall, it was still more of an RPG.
But The Mermaid's Heart was a quintessential galgame.
More precisely, it was a visual novel.
No other game had ever done something like this before.
It was actually a pretty risky move.
By essentially abandoning gameplay, the game's success now rested entirely on the quality of its script. If the script wasn't compelling enough, players would quickly lose interest.
At first, Furukawa found the text-heavy format a bit jarring. But the scriptwriter's skill was undeniable, and he quickly became immersed in the story unfolding through images and words.
The male protagonist was submerged in the sea, completely losing consciousness.
When he awoke, he discovered that everything around him had changed—
In the vast ocean, the surroundings were dazzlingly brilliant, with beautiful, colorful fish swimming gracefully through the water.
In the distance, a massive whale stirred the sea, accompanied by a school of smaller fish.
The entire scene was breathtakingly beautiful, captivating anyone who beheld it.
It felt as if he were immersed in an underwater world.
The Mega Drive's hardware performance was truly impressive, leaving Hirozawa Furukawa awestruck.
Of course, the most crucial factor was Pokeni's world-class artistry.
This was what brought players an unparalleled gaming experience.
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