Quilt Preview

Author: By Nargrakhan

On the secluded paradise of Ripple Island, there is a fashion design competition held once a generation. Individuals from all across the globe journey to seek this challenge, for it bestows an impossible degree of renown and prestige. The rules are deceptively simple: one fashion designer creates a dress of his choice to be worn by a woman of his or her selection. Yet merely creating an exquisite dress and finding an equally picturesque woman are not enough to win. They must all be in harmony: the beauty of the dress, the heart of the woman, and the soul of the designer. There is only perfection in the unison: a perfection only found once a generation.
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Quilt(きると) is a romantic drama eroge published by Clover in 2005. The title was later converted into a non hentai version for Playstation 2 by nine'sfox in 2007, substituting the loss of adult content with an expansion of winnable heroines and full voice acting. This review applies only to the original adult PC release.
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In the grand scheme of things, Quilt is a highly predictable eroge that firmly roots itself in the tried and true foundations of traditional saccharine romantic drama. Developed by the studio responsible for successful releases such as Puni Puni Hand Maid and Tail Tale , the title was claimed to have taken over twelve months to produce, during which every effort to painstakingly craft each aspect of its content was driven towards perfection. In many ways this is obviously true: who can seriously muster hatred against a magnificent fairytale scenario, beautiful graphics, charismatic character designs, enchanting music, unique setting premise, and top billing voice actresses? Yet beneath all this wondrous glamor and glitz is nothing new, nothing truly groundbreaking to differentiate it from other titles of its like, except the generous budget CLOVER lavished upon their creation throughout production. To be perfectly straightforward, Quilt is merely an average eroge wrapped in a rather expensive shell. Fortunately for everyone interested, this is a combination that works flawlessly.
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The story of Quilt begins with the arrival of Takumi on the mythical Ripple Island. Having spent his late childhood under the apprenticeship of a legendary dressmaker, he travels to the isle in hopes of proving his talent to the world and himself, taking part in a renowned contest that earns glory beyond imagination. This generational competition is held by the Guild, an influential institution which regulates the teachings and application of sorcery towards benign artistic endeavors. It is an opportunity which offers Takumi the greatest and most realistic chance to achieve his dreams of a becoming a distinguished dressmaker, yet an event of such world shattering importance brings the gathering of individuals who have ambition, desire, and skill equal to his own. To truly succeed, he must interpret the cryptic final lesson his master taught him… one that he still finds confusing: that a dress is nothing more than a dress, without the soul of its creator and wearer embedded into its threads.
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Character development has a significant role in Quilt, for only when a heroine truly opens her heart to the protagonist, can his craft be actually mastered… although he is not immediately aware of this. While the crisis that each girl faces is not terribly complex and fairly cookie cutter in concept, the resolution of a core problem will cascade into the creation of a second (sometimes more threatening) predicament that was not immediately foreseeable. This “dilemma echo” brings about a sense of emotional desperation, humanizing an already captivating cast with deeper vulnerability, making a successful final resolution all the more satisfying. Each story arc also involves the interaction of the other heroines not being sought after, thus avoiding the pitfalls of an unrealistic social vacuum. There still remains a suspension of relationship disbelief, given that “true love” is found within the mere passing of several weeks, but the fabled definition of true love is exactly the key element that Quilt seeks to portray.
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CLOVER long earned itself a reputation for producing breathtaking artwork, and Quilt is clearly no exception to this definitely earned praise. It is a paradox of simplistic form and high attention to detail, merged with vibrant colors and minimalist shading. Even the dialog text box and various menu screens are absolutely gorgeous, and the very fact that everything takes place within an ideally traditional European village where exquisite fashion is paramount above all else, only spurs additional creative imagery. Through the use of Classical inspired compositions, the soundtrack immaculately reflects the Renaissance era surroundings as well, ultimately culminating with a beautiful remake of the renowned Greensleaves. Voice acting is performed by a first class collection of actresses who bring pure joy to a listener’s ears, although only the six winnable women are voiced. This is a highly noticeable and debatably foolish decision, as nearly all eroge have female roles universally performed: thus the periodic showing of speechless women has an unnerving effect for veterans used to the experience; perhaps even cheapening it to a certain extent.
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With the exception of Sia (who has a single event), each of the heroines in Quilt is allotted three to four sex scenes, consisting of four to six illustrations apiece. This unusually extensive quantity of adult material for a plot central title further benefits from the talents of an unquestionably gifted artist and gathering of top notch actresses, making each event the epitome of quality. As they are entirely consensual and conventional themed, nothing merits objection or can be pictured as revile. Of course given the innocent nature of the narrative, sex does not occur until late into the game, so an impatient gamer will be mildly disappointed in this regard. However the delayed wait lends a significant worth to the moments, as it makes the ladies more than a one night sexual conquest: they are not willing to go “all the way” until Takumi has proven he is the man their hearts have searched for.

All things considered and within reason, few titles match the general auditory and graphical grandeur as Quilt. No illustration appears out of place; no spoken line is poorly acted. Even if one were to totally disregard the presentational factors, romance maintains its appeal from lovable characters that never get tiresome in an ideal world where sex is the consensual result of true love. Quilt provides “feel good” satisfaction, which is as close to perfection as many titles will ever get. In my opinion, that alone makes it a worthy addition to any collection that is looking for something pure and innocent.


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— Central Characters —
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	Airi . Height: 164 cm . Measurements: 87 - 55 - 86 . Bra Size: E Cup . Something of a disastrous klutz when she becomes nervous or excited, Airi is a competition contestant who shares the same apartment complex as Takumi, and as such sees him as possible rival to her goals. Despite the initial showing of a cold shoulder, Airi remains an energetic and compassionate individual who constantly believes in romantic superstitions and ideal love.
	Ena . Height: 172 cm . Measurements: 96 - 59 - 94 . Bra Size: G Cup . Ena is the manager of the apartment complex Takumi takes residence within, possessing unusually persuasive connections with much of the local business community. Many of her tenants quickly discover that Ena is a reliable and experienced source of knowledge in dressmaking, yet she remains strongly guarded about her past - one she seemingly has yet to let go of and move on.
	Sia . Height: 158 cm . Measurements: 80 - 53 - 79 . Bra Size: B Cup . Sia is a mysterious girl who appears and vanishes on the lonely beaches of Ripple Island without any apparent purpose or pattern. She typically refuses to speak about anything except the island’s culture and history, eternally presenting a hauntingly sad expression that masks her true emotions.
	Kanami . Height: 154 cm . Measurements: 89 - 54 - 86 . Bra Size: F Cup . Daughter of the master dressmaker who apprenticed Takumi, Kanami secretly ran away from her home to follow the man she secretly harbors romantic feelings for. Kanami is utterly devoted to Takumi, believing he truly can do no wrong and has already mastered the craft of dressmaking, enjoying the chance to wear attires that he designs.
	Kyrie . Height: 161 cm . Measurements: 79 - 55 - 78 . Bra Size: A Cup . An honor exchange student who is wholly committed to her work, Kyrie lives in the same apartment complex as Takumi and Airi. She carries an air of persuasive dignity and grace about her, giving rise to undying rumors that she is actually nobility from a foreign country. Kyrie’s mysterious solitude only bolsters these unproven allegations, as many feel she is intentionally trying to hide the truth.
	Mizuki . Height: 166 cm . Measurements: 85 - 55 - 86 . Bra Size: D Cup . Mizuki is a local island girl whose tanned skin arguments her athletic form and alluring curves. She is hopelessly drawn to serene places of nature, revealing her boundless curiosity and intellect when speaking about them. Despite her own obvious charms, Mizuki feels inferior when looking at other beautiful women, and further lacks the confidence to wear elegant clothing out of fear that doing so would only cause her to appear silly in them.

— Scored Summary —
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Scenario: 37 out of 50. The plots are so sugary you’ll most definitely get cavities. Nonetheless there’s an overwhelming allure to having a heartwarming story without foreboding foreshadowing or devastating revelations. The small cast allows for massive character development, and their high likeability makes repeated replay more of a charm than a chore.
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Visual: 20 out of 20. Three popular character designers were hired to produce the artwork, and their combined efforts shine flawlessly. No one suffers from looking like someone else; and the silk, lace, ribbon attire further the entire European setting. All other factors share in the same level of excellence – from the detailed backgrounds to the numerous paper dolls to the littlest menu button – bring forth an example of what all eroge should strive for.
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Audio: 15 out of 20. The limited voice selection is what truly hampers this title from achieving a perfect score. It has finely appropriate music. It has an excellent catalog of sound effects. It most certainly has believable and memorable acting (when it occurs of course). The sudden decision to cut costs in something so trivial is incredibly disheartening.

Mechanics: +5 bonus. The typical “choose your response” menu system that most eroge share. The major exception is the inclusion of an item making “alchemist box” that is used to produce items required for sewing dresses and advancing the plot. Access to this feature can only be performed at the end of each day, and materials for the alchemist box are found at locations the player selects in the overhead map or via interaction with the island inhabitants. The most important contributions are received from the datable girls, as they provide inspiration for Takumi’s creative drive. Initially, this unusual feature will slow a newcomer down, as it takes several minutes to understand what combination of items create worthwhile results; but everything remains simplistic enough to not be a taxing challenge. In fact, it adds somewhat to the role playing that the player is assembling the materials needed for needlecraft.
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Final Score: 85 out of 100. Outside of its item making elements, Quilt can be equated as a simplistic unoriginal concept. Yet the sheer exquisite production values quickly strip away thoughts of negativity. The title stumbles slightly in the audio department, but otherwise leaves nothing but a good feeling no matter where you look. Recommended for purchase.