Diabolik Lovers Grand Edition PS4

I know I’ve already written a Diabolik Lovers review years ago, back in the old times when PSP was the best console ever for otoge and my blog was still in italian, but since I’m enjoying replaying this series on the PS4 big screen, I thought it could be interesting to write how my opinion has changed since I’ve played it for the first time, 6 years ago.

Back then I was a newbie to this genre, I’ve barely played a couple games before I entered vampire hell; and I enjoyed it way more then I expected.

Actually, that’s how my love for Rejet started, even if some of their games were not that great and we know how it ended; but that’s another story.

So, I was feeling nostalgic about the good old times, and since I didn’t feel motivation to play a new game, I thought it could be a good idea to replay Diabolik Lovers and remember why I fell so hard for otome games back then.

And it worked even too much, since all I wanted to play was this game, instead of starting the new ones I have on the shelf collecting dust!

I started with Kanato, since I had a lot of memories in my mind of him stabbing Yui with a fork and making her lick Cordelia’s ashes. How could I forget when he set a random person on fire?! That moment was almost hilarious! His screams didn’t hurt me as much as I remembered, maybe because through the years and various games, I’ve been exposed to even more of his hysteric moments.

I guess the worst was in More Blood, but I’ll discover it when the moment of replaying that route comes. Anyway, my opinion about Kanato changed it for the better, at least for the first game: he was way less annoying than I remembered, I almost ended up liking him.

I had great expectations about Shuu, since he’s my favorite character ever and I remember myself fangirling like crazy when I first played his route.

I’ve always wondered why the anime almost ignored him, leaving so much space to the triplet, while Shuu is no doubt the real star of the series. Ok, I know, it’s because of Cordelia; Beatrix is not interesting at all, so his sons were kinda shoved aside in the adaptation.

Anyway, Shuu’s smirk and attitude never failed to amuse me and attract me at the same time: he’s basically annoyed and too tired to do anything, but somehow he always has the ability to distort Yui’s words, to make her appear as some kind of perverted woman.

Poor girl, there’s nothing she says that can’t be distorted and manipulated by Shuu’s mind; as a result, she apparently wants to see him naked, undress him and touch him all day long.

Also, that scene where she discovers he’s not listening to classical music it’s a comedy masterpiece.

Since I was playing without any guide, I unlocked first an ending I forgot about, where Shuu randomly discovers what Reiji did to Edgar’s village when they were children and they kill each other. Even if it was tragic, somehow I kinda liked it more than the good ending, which always seemed half-assed to me.

Let’s be honest, Reiji deserved some kind of punishment for his childhood actions, it was awful.

We all know the truth, so in More Blood I was happy to see them reconcile, but while I was playing the first game, I was disgusted and angry.

Well, that’s the reason why I decided to play Reiji’s route next.

I admit he wasn’t boring as I expected, at least at first; but when I reached the Ecstasy part, I suddenly remembered why it was so annoying to play: Cordelia takes over Yui’s body for a long time, so you just stay there, watching that bitchy woman who beats or kisses your “boyfriend”. Wow, we have some fine plot device here.

It gives a terrible aftertaste when you end the route, and the fact Reiji himself is also a character difficult to accept and forgive for his actions, makes very hard to like him and find something good to say. Or to write, in my case.

Laito is… well, the usual manwhore we all know, nothing more or less.

I admit his obsession for Cordelia was way creepier than I remembered and also more disgusting; my mind probably erased some scenes, so I’ll just try to forget them all once more.

I knew already how the first game isn’t enough for him to learn true love, but still the ending left me sad for the poor Yui, who almost became his slave.

I thought the horrifying scene where Laito offers Yui’s blood to Ayato was way earlier in the game, in the Dark section: maybe in my mind I almost wanted to condone his actions, while thinking it happened when they barely met and he still had no feelings for her; well, it wasn’t the case, that’s why it was way worst. That’s really awful to see before the best ending.

I won’t lie, I still think some perverted scenes were funny (in their own way, of course), but overall it left a bitter taste.

I played Subaru next, to purify my mind.

I forgot he was so violent at first, I only remembered he sucked Yui’s blood literally in the first scene, which shocked me years ago.

He was also scary, but there are funny scenes in the Dark section already; he also starts blushing for no reason pretty soon. That scene when he’s in the bathroom and says something like “ it’s not fair if I’m the only one who sees you naked, I’ll show you my body” never fails to make me laugh!

I still think he’s the only one who truly loves Yui at the end of this game.

Since I dislike Ayato’s personality, I left him last so the motivation to fully complete the game could give me the energy to go through his route. But it was more painful than I imagined.

I don’t know why, but my memories of Ayato’s route were completely different, I guess they were mixed up with other games: I thought Cordelia was present most of the time, but she actually appeared only in flashbacks, so I barely remembered her existence. She was way more annoying in Reiji’s route. I wish I could say it was enough to make this route enjoyable, but Ayato’s sadistic attitude was even worse than I remembered and all the physical and psychological abuse Yui went through made it difficult for me to complete it. I felt pity for her, I swear.

That’s why there’s no way I’m going to replay his route in More Blood, since I remember it was way worse. I’m done with him! I tried, but I really can’t.

So, was it worth replaying Diabolik Lovers Hunted Dark Bridal?

Of course it was, I actually enjoyed it more than playing most of the new games this year!

I had nostalgic vibes all the time and it was fun when I found myself going through special scenes I still perfectly remembered; it was also surprising when some events left in me a different emotion and impression, compared to my reactions 6 years ago.

When I first started this series, I had no idea that it was going to become so long and complicated; I just thought they were sadists vampires, nothing more.

But playing those routes, while knowing they personalities and past deeply since the beginning, made me consider their actions in a different way.

I’ll be going though More Blood next year, even if it’s going to be painful for sure!