Boku No Natsuyasumi 2
(My Summer Vacation)


OVERVIEW

plot:

a young boy is sent to a coastal town to spend the summer with his relatives.

controls:

tank controls. jarring at first but once you get used to it it's like second nature.

music:

mostly ambient sounds of wind chimes, bugs, and ocean waves. there's diegetic music sometimes when characters use their music players or watch tv. some cutscenes and loading screens play cute childlike tunes.

camera:

fixed. different areas are rendered from several different angles as 2d paintings that the 3d characters can run in front of.

dialogue:

almost all dialogue has voice acting (only in japanese.) Boku mostly speaks on his own without player input, but there are occassional yes/no prompts.

mechanics:

you play through each summer day and save each night. time flows in real time with each day lasting about 30 minutes. each day has different events and possible interactions, and you have the option to engage in them or not. you can talk to characters, spend time swimming, fishing, catching bugs, fighting beetles, etc.
ENTRY 3 *new*
the new guest, Yoshika, arrived in Fumi. Simon thinks she's mysterious.

Yoshika asked Simon for some cigarettes. The ashtray in her room is full to the brim.

Hikari asked me to meet her by the seesaw and she showed me the secret beach.

i'm starting to get a little antsy and worried that i'm gonna miss certain events. i'm trying to just be chill about it and play as a kid; if i miss something, i miss something. it wouldn't be any fun if i covered every single story beat anyway, or at least it wouldn't be realistic.

i could hear Yoshika playing the guitar from upstairs so i ran around trying to find her!

i listened to Yoshika and Simon's conversation. Boku was distracted thinking that Simon's last name sounded like "lychee" in chinese. they mainly were talking to each other.

Simon has mentioned a few times that he has a lover. he said something about taking the same lady out on dates every night? i'm not sure what he means.

i went to see Yasuko at night and she was sitting on the swings at the park. she spoke about her dad again. she seems to really miss him, she plays his favorite music all the time. i missed my chance to talk to grampa at the clinic, but when i went to their house at night he said he dreamt about his wife, and that she smiled at him.

i'm so fascinated by the characters, i want to help them out. Yasuko said her house has been locked since her parents left and i wonder if i can help her get it open. i still need to talk to Yoh again and try to coax them into interacting.

ENTRY 2 *new*
the more i play the more i fall in love with this game.
i'm starting to get used to the map- there are many entrances and exits to each area so i've accidentally gone the long way a few times.

i caught a big beetle and won a bunch of beetle fights! that said i don't think beetle fighting is for me so i probably won't be dedicating too much time to it. maybe on another playthrough.

screenshotting this game feels strangely like taking a photograph. it doesn't quit capture how beautiful it is while you're experiencing it.

Hikari is so cute! i've been following her fortunetelling instructions to catch daily events.

i'm more interested in talking to the characters and seeing what's going on every day than catching bugs or fish. Yasuko said she had a falling out with her best friend and they don't talk anymore... i wanna be able to help them reconcile!

Yoh, Yasuko's former best friend.

i hope if i keep visiting her and talking to her i'll be able to help her mend her friendship with Yoh.

aunt said there would be another guest arriving tomorrow who will be staying at the guesthouse. the only one right now is Simon, a photographer for national geographic. when i talked to him he said he's falling in love with Fumi and he might just decide to stay here forever.
ENTRY 1
this is my first time playing Boku No Natsuyasumi 2. it's the second game in the series, and i believe it's the only one with an english fan translation so far. you play as a young boy nicknamed Boku in 1975 who's spending his summer vacation with his relatives in a small coastal town.

the save screen shows diary entries written by Boku

this game is absolutely adorable and charming. you play through each summer day, starting off with a family meal before you're free to explore the town and do whatever you want. you can swim, fish, catch and fight bugs, talk to the locals, participate in events, etc. the game gives you the freedom to explore and decide however you want to spend your summer.

the days are divided into morning, afternoon, and evening. i'm not sure if the timing is based on real time or a certain amount of interactions, but i believe it's the former since each time i save after a day ends it's been about 30 minutes. each area has a fixed camera angle so you get to see things from some really interesting perspectives.


the shadows and lighting change from morning to afternoon

most of the time there isn't any background music. instead you hear the sounds of cicadas, wind chimes, and the ocean waves as you run around exploring Fumi. a high schooler named Yasuko plays music in the evenings and you can hear it from a distance, getting louder as you get closer.

i'm looking forward to getting to know all the characters, they're so sweet.

i found the "secret" clubhouse! the cousins said i have to beat their Queen beetle in order to be a club member.

so far, i've been taking my time exploring and figuring out what the daily events are. you can check your fortune with Hikari, steal sugar water from the kitchen in the evenings, ask your uncle for advice about fishing, and i believe aunt said something about a dinner trivia and to talk to her during the afternoon. the boys mentioned competing to grow some plants as well. there is so much to see and i'm having so much fun!

kitty! i've found this kitty sleeping in different spots.

during dinner Boku mentioned that he thinks jellyfish are cute. that night after writing in his diary and saving the game, he had a dream about jellyfish! it was so gorgeous.

i'm so happy i found this game. it's unbelievably cozy and exactly what i'd been looking for. i can't wait to play with Boku and make some great friends and memories this summer. <3