Kindred Spirits on the Roof

[Lettow77]

Kindred Spirits on the Roof (Or more properly, Okujou no yurirei-san) is a delightful yuri VN that has recently been released in its uncensored form on steam.

That's quite a departure: The wall is coming down, and more visual novels are flooding the Steam store. Unfortunately, most of them are horrible english-language originals, and more are neutered, all-ages releases. Okujou no yurirei-san represents the best VN on steam since Little Witch Romanesque.


The premise of the game is that the protagonist finds she can see ghosts- specifically, a pair of lovers on the roof of the all-girls school she attends. Their love for each other is earnest and keeps them tethered to the mortal plane. But they are ladies from different eras, united only in death; Never having embraced each other in life, they don't know how to move forward with physical intimacy between two girls, which was never openly explored when they were alive. To help them, the protagonist must help others- subtly steering girls toward one another that their love might blossom and the ghosts might have opportunities for informative voyeurism.

It's very charming. The finest maiden is of course the Showa-era one; She receives more than her fair share of attention, but she might have received more. The game focuses on many subplots, and one criticism can be that all are necessary to advance- It is inevitable the reader won't be equally enthusiastic about all the couples. I myself found it a chore to deal with a pair whose work ethic was too poisonous and unrelatable, but the game can be surprising, too- One of my favorite couples was a pair of girls whose language, word choice and mannerisms should have made them unacceptable, but they were far greater than the sum of their parts and had a really lovely charm.


Purest maiden herself

A word on the title: Fan translations defaulted to "Yuri-ghosts on the rooftop", but the official translator bravely tried to preserve the wordplay of Yuurei (ghost) and  yuri (purest form of love) with "kindred spirits.". It didn't work, and is one of the more tortured translations I can think of.

[Norgy]

Well, there went any chance of me having an erection again this year.

[Josquius]

One of those Japanese porn games on steam?
Not particularly interested, but it does make me wonder whether one can set their ownership of certain games to private.

[Norgy]

If your sex-based is becoming an issue, you can get help.

[Razgovory]

I get a pop up that Lettow is playing this game and all I can think when I see the title is "L'Chaim!"

[Valmy]

I get a pop up that Lettow is playing this game and all I can think when I see the title is "L'Chaim!"

You are Steam friends? Wow, life really does have a way of confusing us, blessing, and bruising us.

[Lettow77]

 The prurient view languish takes on this fine game is predictable but unwarranted. This is not Nekopara, or heaven forfend, part of the Sakura series of lewd tripe.

It must be conceded it is more overt and passionate than Maria-sama ga Miteru, the masterpeice of yuri to which all comparisons must be made, but is more restrained than A Kiss For the Petals, the principal yuri visual novel series.

As an exploration of the purest form of love, Kindred Spirits on the Roof doesn't have much in the way of erotic content. A diligent player might put in an eight hour shift and find nothing more provocative than two girls sharing the same umbrella in a strained walk home.

[Razgovory]

I get a pop up that Lettow is playing this game and all I can think when I see the title is "L'Chaim!"

You are Steam friends? Wow, life really does have a way of confusing us, blessing, and bruising us.

Well, I like Lettow.  We don't agree on much, but he's a decent sort.  Honest and good natured.  I still think his true calling is poetry.  Unfortunately that doesn't pay well.

[Martinus]

I get a pop up that Lettow is playing this game and all I can think when I see the title is "L'Chaim!"

You are Steam friends? Wow, life really does have a way of confusing us, blessing, and bruising us.

Well, I like Lettow.  We don't agree on much, but he's a decent sort.  Honest and good natured.  I still think his true calling is poetry.  Unfortunately that doesn't pay well.

You two weren't bullied enough.

[Berkut]

Jesus Fucking Christ.

[Legbiter]

You do you Lettow.