Better late than never, we close the book on the eroge world of 2007 with a look at major releases through the month of December. It was a banner month in several respects, with new releases from CODEPINK and Littlewitch, the Dies irae debacle, and the recall and subsequent reissue of what many are calling the lolicon title of the year. This post was composed over the course of a few weeks so don’t mind some random changes in verb tense here and there…

ALcot’s
FairChild

CODEPINK’s
Sweet Home

NOA’s
Witch’s Slave

Caligula’s
Sakimidare

Lilith’s
Niizuma x 3

Rune’s
Koshimai

Ail’s
Mesunie
Jokyoushi

Light’s
Dies irae

Kogado Studio’s
Solfege

Littlewitch’s
Period

Skunkworks’
Shokujuu

Marin’s
Hitozuma
Sakunyuu
Hyakkaten

Bishop’s
Mekyoushi 2

Lilith’s Oharai
Onee-san!

December 14th releases

• ALcot’s FairChild

Semi-major full price release. [Erogamescape]

• CODEPINK’s Sweet Home

Following Sexfriend and Maid in Heaven SuperS, Sweet Home is the latest release from eroge artist Kiriyama Taichi. It features a standard household harem scenario, and is getting mixed reviews on EGS due to a bland protagonist (”his popularity with the girls is inexplicable”) but is generally seen as a solid nukige (game meant to be used primarily for its prurient characteristics). [Erogamescape]

• NOA’s Witch’s Slave

Supernatural and tsundere are the keywords of this new title from Janis sub-brand NOA. A madcap eroge analogue to Zero no Tsukaima with elements of school love comedy and mad science exploits thown in. [Erogamescape]

• unicorn-a / Anesen’s Oshiete Miko-sensei 2 Gaiden

The harem expansion for Anesen’s Oshiete Miko-sensei 2. The name pretty much explains the entire premise – great for large-chested miko fans, probably not worth looking into otherwise. [Erogamescape]

• Cotton Soft’s Nagisa no

I have it on good authority that this is a quality game, especially in the voice department, and Erogamescape seems to agree. This is a good one if you like humorous wordplay, apparently. [Erogamescape]

• ESpot’s Magical Change Yuuki-kun

Only mentioned here because it’s so obviously an X-Change ripoff. I didn’t know the world needed more than one eroge series on this particular theme… [Erogamescape]

• Caligula’s Sakimidare

The newest game from designer Sumeragi Kohaku, known for his large-chested and otherwise amply endowed female protagonists. The story centers around reclaiming a school sweetheart separated from you by time, now reunited as teachers to find that she is married… not exactly a comedy. More lighthearted fare is available from Sumeragi in the recently released English-language version of Bazooka Cafe. [Erogamescape]

• Lilith’s Niizuma x Niizuma x Niizuma!?

Why have one wife when you can have three? This is the question you must answer as three women vie for your affections and the position of your monogamous life partner in this Lilith budget title. This ero-ero romantic comedy is currently available via DLsite download purchase as well as in the standard package version. [Erogamescape]

• Blue Gale’s Shinken Dashi! Royal

According to the game description this is an ero-comedy in which you save the world along with your chosen band of heroines. Prodigious amounts of intercourse seem to be involved in the process, a concept I can certainly stand behind, though the designs don’t do much for me. [Erogamescape]

• Rune (Team Twintail)’s Koshimai

This title is probably the biggest news story of the month: it was recalled shortly following its initial release on the 14th due to omission of mosaic on one of the CG (additional details at AkibaOS). The game was already flagged as one of the biggest loli titles of the year, and reviewers at EGS are even calling it the game of the year for those of a certain persuasion. It’s scheduled for rerelease in fully censored form on December 30th. Oh – did I mention that the point of the game is to have sex with your own (blood-related) daughters? Yeah. [Erogamescape]

• Ail (Team Soif)’s Mesunie Jokyoushi

Eroge artist Saburou steps to the plate for his second Ail game in as many years, following the critically ambivalent Ma wo Jutai Seshi. Initial reviews are generally positive, with reports that the game performs well within typical Ail parameters (dark, dark, dark). [Erogamescape]

December 21st releases

• Light’s Dies irae

The cause of some controversy since its release due to what many fans perceived as a critical betrayal of expectations (or just flat out false advertising), we covered the story of this “gakuen romance battle opera ADV” more in depth here. [Erogamescape]

• Squeez’s Oshiete! Yuiko-sensei

A typical yaruge (sexfest game) from a Hokkaido-based Tech Arts sub-brand; what you see is what you get. [Erogamescape]

• Kogado Studio’s Solfege

The sole non-ero PC game to make the list this month, primarily due to its beautiful illustrations, female protagonist, and yuri subtext. It currrently only has one review at EGS, but it seems like the sort of game hardcore yuri fans will swoon over. [Erogamescape]

• Littlewitch’s Period

The latest much-hyped work from artist Ooyari Ashito, fans of games with the Littlewitch trademark ambiance seem ambivalent toward the release. While positively dripping in the “mysterious world” environment of its predecessors the content is apparently lacking, leading to some dissatisfaction and a middle of the road 70th percentile ranking. [Erogamescape]

• Red Label’s In Days

The latest release from Red Entertainment’s ero side, the lone EGS review paints a picture of a yaruge that is at best mediocre and at worst drab and awful. [Erogamescape]

• Erogos’s In Series Tokunou Nama Nakadashi

The final installment in Erogos’s latest animated eroge series, it ends with a bang (literally) in this “raw inner ejaculation”-themed disc. With the end of the “In” series, what’s up next on the plate for this niche fetish anime game maker? [Erogamescape]

• Guilty’s Otome Hajisarashi Yuugi

With a subtitle like “Disgrace Return Play” it seems we’re in for another typical Guilty offering here, good for fans of the dark (though not supernatural) fare the brand tends to dish out. If this is what you’re looking for in a nukige it should prove satisfactory. [Erogamescape]

• Rose Tiara’s Oshiego no Yuuwaku

A student-teacher themed budget title with a single heroine. [Erogamescape]

• Skunkworks’ Shokujuu ~Imouto no Oshiri~

I picked this up because I’m a huge fan of Hazuki’s art, though the games he illustrates tend to be rather odd in their mechanics and ultimately not too satisfactory. I haven’t had a chance to install this one yet, but hopefully it’ll buck the trend. [Erogamescape]

• Marin’s Hitozuma Sakunyuu Hyakkaten

The game’s title translates as “wife milking shopping mall”. Need more be said? I probably would’ve picked this one up if the art were better… [Erogamescape]

• Matsuri Kikaku’s Chikan Sharyou Ichigousha

Another train chikan (groping / molesting) game. Will this genre never die? [Erogamescape]

• Bishop’s Mekyoushi 2

The latest maniac ero offering from Bishop, featuring half Kagami designs and half from some other guy. If you enjoy Bishop’s brand of deviant harem training play this is sure to be another treat in the nukige genre – EGS reviews agree that though formulaic, it delivers the goods where it counts. [Erogamescape]

• Erotica Black’s Haramase Saimin Princess

A budget title from the pen of character design veteran Saapento featuring predominantly maniac themes. [Erogamescape]

December 27th-28th releases

• Frontwing’s Time Leap

The latest offering from the makers of Makai Tenshi Jibril and Kimihagu, word on the street is that Time Leap sets a new standard in the realm of polygon-based ADV gaming, at least in terms of visual quality. It requires correspondingly high machine specs, and preliminary EGS reviews are split evenly along the range from decidedly sub-par to amazing – it seems different aspects of the game are appealing to different players. If you’re looking for a technologically marvelous experience this is the game for you, but for firm, rich story and characterizations there are better fish in the sea. [Erogamescape]

• Jellyfish’s Lovers PREMIUM PACK

A rerelease of the now storied Taki Minashika-designed anime/still CG hybrid game from 2003, the package contains a ton of extras, but they’re all digital; nothing to set the release apart from an attempt to make easy money by a brand that has been stagnant for over four years now. Not a recommended purchase unless you really want the game itself. [Erogamescape]

• Lilith’s Oharai Onee-san!

The second of two releases for Lilith this month, a lighthearted yaruge title in which a miko and a succubus fight over the protagonist in typical battle-to-please fashion. At the budget price point this is probably worth looking into for those fond of the character types involved, and purchase via DLSite is just a few clicks away! [Erogamescape]

That’s a wrap for our coverage of arbitrarily selected releases from December. In subsequent eroge coverage along with the regularly scheduled monthly post for January I’d like to look ahead to the year of 2008 in general, as well as take a look back at what the eroge field of 2007 brought to us. As usual, if there’s anything you’d like to see or any suggestions you have for particularly effective ways to cover the genre I’m all ears!