Translation questions regarding 5pb games

[TheAveryChu]

(First off if there is a better location that this thread, I would appreciate if a mod could move it to the appropriate location).


I am in the process of learning Japanese, although I do have a long way to go. My main motivation is being able to play JP games that haven't been localized in the U.S, such as several of the 5pb games.

I am curious for those who have played some of these games (such as STEINS;GATE 比翼恋理, and Robotic;Notes), is how well should I know the language before even attempting to read any of these. If I know Hiragana and Katakana fairly well, would it be a good idea to pick one up and struggle through it, or should I just wait until I can read Kana, and Kanji with ease, and would there be any options to make the experience easier?

Thanks for whatever info, you guys can provide.
 

[Satoshi Ookami]

Um... um... I... kinda don't want to answer because... I don't want to destroy your hopes of playing these games...

But I have to be frank in this case...

 

 

I am curious for those who have played some of these games (such as STEINS;GATE 比翼恋理, and Robotic;Notes), is how well should I know the language before even attempting to read any of these. 

A LOT.

Seriously, A LOT. These games are filled with really complicated terms and correspondingly complicated kanji. 

Kana is not nearly enough for these games. I went through RoboNotes due to being able to understand spoken Japanese but since MC's inner monologues are not voiced, I was only getting bits and pieces because his monologues were literal wall of kanji. 

 

 

Another thing is that 5pb games are a bit specific. They use their own terminology or terminology you won't ever use anywhere else. =D In other words, they are not VNs that would actually help you in understanding different VNs. That's how special they are.

 

 

If you, however, play on Vita, you can have a phone with you and use Google Translator to translate complicated sentences with its scanning feature.

Edited August 21, 2016 by Satoshi Ookami

[TheAveryChu]

His monologues were literal wall of kanji. 

 

 

yay, I love kanji /s

Edited August 21, 2016 by TheAveryChu

[Satoshi Ookami]

yay, I love kanji /s

We all do! 

Yea...

Not to mention the compounds... just no

[Xillia]

Yeah... no. Basically what Satoshi said.

 

The easiest VNs to read would be school/slice of life romance. But even then you won't get very far by just knowing kana and no vocabulary/grammar.