<report>Muv-Luv Alternative killed my family in front of me and performed cbt on me. After that it found me a wife and a successful job and cured all my illnesses. Was it worth it? I don't know. What I do know is that it impacted me emotionally more than anything else

<report>What I liked:
-Exciting conclusion and payoff to story threads in the previous game
-High production values (especially in the action)
-Immersive perspective (camera position based on character movement and focus)
-Great world building

Neutral:
-Can get predictable towards the end
-Ending makes sense in-universe, but is disappointing from a reader's perspective
-No branching paths
-Not as fun to read if spoiled beforehand

What people may dislike:
-Uneven/slow pacing (large infodump sections)
-Main character development (I found him to be realistic, but your mileage may differ)
-A significant portion of the cast is underdeveloped in this VN compared to the previous game
-Requires finishing a previous game (and therefore may not live up to the hype)

<report>While I didn't care much about Muv-Luv Extra and basically finished it as fast as possible, Unlimited really got me hooked after a while and, especially considering the massive praise, quite excited for Alternative. However, instead of picking up the high stakes that are left by Unlimited's ending and making this the beginning of a grand finale, the pacing grinds to a halt almost immediately and in my opinion takes far too long to get going again. Even when it does, the overall plot progression remains incredibly sluggish, with strong and important scenes being scattered between exhausting amounts of infodumping, the protagonist's constant inner monologues and trope-y comic relief moments. I also found myself quite disappointed with the music, many tracks sounded generic or even annoying.

<report>Played on PS Vita

If it were not for the ending in this I would have left it probably at a 9.5. This is the fabled good part of the Muv-Luv trilogy, and it is actually very good! It's engaging to read, dramatic, but not afraid to tackle heavy subjects that best not be spoiled. The only trouble is, the novel snatches defeat from the jaws of victory at the end by creating an ending that I find immensely disappointing since it leaves the novel feeling hollow. I would still recommend reading the novel however.

In terms of other genuine flaws, protag's inner monologue was a chore to read and also took up too much space.

Mikoto best girl(?) fight me

<report>it ismy favourite gal
my favourite character is Mitsurugi Meiya
this is a outstanding galgame
although i have played White Album 2 ~Closing Chapter~。it is very nice ,butit is very agony.
Although fifteen years have passed, the game is still unforgettable
From 2006 to now, this masterpiece is still worth playing
Taught me a lot of positive spirit
（My English is so poor）

<report>Quite overrated with self-indulgent writing, has a great overarching story-line but with weak characters. Much of the dialogue is asinine and exists as filler, however the main battles and strategy are interesting and well done.

<report>You will need to read the first Muv-Luv to deal with this one. Alternative is a direct continuation of Muv-Luv Unlimited, and is basically a non-stop train of angst and despair. You'll fall deeper and deeper into despair the more you read, yet you can't stop. There is no other way to describe it…

No significant choices, it's a one-way ticket to hell.

<report>Muv-Luv Alternative starts out strong. The game's first act is a refreshing change of pace from the previous game, which did mostly nothing.

But, when we get to the story's second act (Chapter 6), the MC becomes obsessed with concepts like "resolve", having a "pillar of strength", and strong "core beliefs", without which he feels bereft of the will to fight. These are concepts worth exploring, but at least half the remaining conversations in the game revolve around this, to the point where the words just lost all meaning to me.

Add in infodumps that are pointless to the story, and fictional science that feels more akin to magic, and the result is an over-narrated novel that gets in the way of its own emotional high points. A case study in wasted potential due to poor narrative focus.

<report>I enjoyed most of my time with this VN, but certainly wouldn't call it the best one ever made. There are indeed great highs, interesting concepts and developing characters. Additionally the production is top notch with a huge cast, plentiful CG's and some simple animations, which are present throughout the VN. However the pacing is very inconsistent, 80% of the runtime is spent in fillery dialogues, which aren't always that interesting and the VN is so centered around romance that it hurts the plot to a degree. The action scenes aren't that satisfying either due to limitations of the medium. Combine this with the very weak prequels and I'm honestly not sure whether Muv-Luv was worth the read as a whole.

<report>Kino experience. Amazing artstyle, with a large variativety of emotions and poses. Voice acting is peak! Awesome cast of likable characters, everyone was developed nicely. Takeru - awesome MC, who walked a long way from an ordinary guy to a real hero, this path was not linear, was full of ups and downs, which even makes him more relatable. Story is rollercoaster of emotions, it raises a lot of important themes, a lot of good questions. There are some complaints about long briefing sequences, but i personally dont see it as a problem: briefings was done nicely, they make you dive deeper in the world, making it more belivable, there only a few briefings btw. Action sequences was thrilling, looks very expensive. Great vn overall!

<report>The Muv-Luv trilogy as a whole is one of the greatest stories ever written and everyone should experience it. I recommend it to any and everyone.

Alternative was the ultimate finale to a truly phenomenal story. No story has affected me as much as this one. No story has made me as emotional as this one. No story has broken me like this one. This story comes highly praised and hyped, and it deserves all of it. Across all mediums: books, games, movies, TV, etc.; very few stories compare to the Muv-Luv trilogy. And yes, I mean the TRILOGY. If you ever plan on diving in to Muv-Luv, do NOT start with Alternative! You'll be doing yourself a huge disservice.

- An absolute masterpiece of a story
- An absolutely phenomenal cast of characters
- Depression
- An absolute banger of a soundtrack

10/10

<report>I played this VN with low expectations because I don't really like Mecha-type Visual Novels but in the end it got me pretty good.

Sometimes, it gets boring and pretty long at some sections but the thing is afterwards it gives you a better scenario that neutralizes the boring part. Overall awesome has some bad points like pacing but I suggest everyone give this a read

It got 9.5 me minus 0.5 because of pacing

<report>I was honestly bored with Muv Luv Extra and slogged through it thinking: "If this is indicative of the author's writing abilities then it doesn't bode well for the rest of the trilogy"
After finishing Alternative, I've concluded that the writer(s) of Muv Luv either wrote extra for the piss of it or they had the greatest glow-up in writing skills I've ever seen in a series. Looking back it was worth trudging through those 30 hours of boring romcom in extra to reach Alternative. It was worth all of it.

Everything is done superbly well. Story, music, dialogue, art. there's even animation included. (This is a big understatement it was absolutely incredible!)
From someone who was initially sceptical about the quality of MLA, I can confidently say it's a masterpiece to be remembered. 10/10

<report>One of the best (personally THE best) visual novel I have ever played. The plot, writing, voice acting, and character development are just incredible. A solid 10/10 EVEN WITH several minus points (to be fair some minus points will be old-style artwork, some minor bugs, sound volume adjustments, obvious recycling of some artwork etc.). It is the visual novel I cherish and will always have a special place in my heart. Insane creativity is what I will describe this work. Also to note some themes or story ideas that are widely adopted today are based off this work (still can’t believe this was created in 2006).

<report>I was broken for about three days after I played this. I bought a figure of the best girl to cope, but I fear that even with that in my possession just looking at her might make me cry. This game hollowed out my heart and carved a memory into it -- which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just hurts! It's the best visual novel that I've played based on sheer production values up until this point, but also the best in terms of narrative scope and love. Sumika's the GOAT!

<report>One of my favorite visual novel of all time, a true roller coaster of emotion, hype, drama, and much more.

No route, a linear story that never stray and knows exactly where it's going and what it wants to do, it can be very funny, sad, epic, and that's truly remarkable.

Great production value, the opening song is legendary, the music is great, the art is amazing, the writing/translation is also a real treat.

The plot is great, post apocalypse mecha against monster story is a great setting.

Recommended to any visual novel fan !

<report>Has a very cohesive, well constructed, and engaging plot(for the most part). It's action-packed yet always manages to slip in just the perfect amount of breathers. While the vn lacks any kind of high-quality art and animation that often elevates other vns to Excellent rating, the story itself and its brilliant execution almost single-handedly carried the vn. The only two technical setbacks in MLA is that the music selection isn't enough for its length and fight scenes weren't animated very well - but that's due to the old age of this vn - and even then they are still pretty enjoyable. Unfortunately, they messed up the pacing of the last 5-10% of the ending, which singlehandedly knocked 0.5 off of the score. Still worth playing Extra and Unlimited if only for this though

<report>My favorite game and visual novel ever. I love it so much and highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the genre. In my opinion, it's the most perfect story ever, and truly impacted me in a deep way.

<report>What more can I say that has not been said already by the many other reviews here, a truly brilliant work. If there is one thing I will say is that this vn really makes you feel what the protagonist feels, almost experience what he feels. I remember shouting the exact same words for a specific scene as he did (damn it)

<report>Plot is complex and twisty. Taking you through hardship, loss, and fear, on a collective and personal level. It examines grand themes and teaches lessons.

Characters are believable and fairly complex. Certain characters have surprising wisdom and depth to them, so much that you might come to actually respect them. This nicely reflects the phenomenal writing and thought behind the whole thing.

Visuals are different but great, and the sprite engine, which is very impressive. makes it all the better. The scenes feel lively, and the action is the best that could be done.

Soundtrack is something you want to listen to after finishing the game. Not to mention the amazing utilization of it throughout the whole game.

Repetition and the rushing of a couple things could be the only criticism.

<report>This game should not be possible, i just can't believe that it exist.

the only draw back about this game is that u need to play muv-luv extra and muv-luv unlimited, the good news is that unlimited is included inside extra and u can unlock it after finishing the extra main plot.

I just can't belive how they did make this game and how everything is going to be important, the attention to the details is also insane.

What you are going to experience is something like this:
muv-luv extra: it look like a generic visual novel
muv-luv unlimited: wtf is happening, by the way cool world setting
muv-luv alternative first half: wow! it look really nice, we are getting somewhere here.
muv-luv alternative second half: OMFG how is this so good! i can't stop reading!

<report>The highest rate of VN, but......
sadly, for some reason i must say muv-luv trilogy is not perfect vn (for me)
I still admitted though, this VN is deserved on top tier levels. the story is undeniable good or best.

The downside of muv-luv for me is :

Enjoyment, the pace is slow, this novels is very long and i feel there is many boring parts like explaining strategy, details enemy or weaponry, complicated theory, etc
i know it is needed, but its too detailed or unecessary long, sometimes i lost or didnt hesitate to take a break when reached that parts

<report>I've never read, watched, or played anything that was so gut wrenching and beautiful at the same time. A journey of profound suffering, growth, maturity, friendship, love, and courage like no other. A masterpiece in every sense of the word. The greatest story ever told.

<report>I did not expect this to become so good despite people telling me it would, especially after Extra. Alternative really knows how to pace itself in my opinion and has some awesome drama along with top notch worldbuilding and politics in the background. It pretty much just gets better and better the longer you read, with the Stakes building up more and more, everything comes very neatly together and there is really very little to complain. This is probably the quintessential Mecha-Alien Story i can think of. At times i think it goes a bit much on Drama to a point that i got slightly desensitized, though the strong moments still almost made me cry. I am also not sure about some Character decisions...but overall those were too little to make this score any less

<report>This visual novel hit me with the meanest sucker punch I've ever gotten. There's a specific moment in the story that makes you truly realize that this isn't like the happy and lighthearted dating sim prequel. When I thought it was over...it continued to punch me so hard that Mike Tyson would piss himself if he witnessed it. I hate this visual novel. I love this visual novel.

<report>This VN makes you feel like you're Takeru. I love suffering and getting emotionally destroyed. No but really this was the first VN I've ever rated a perfect 10/10 before in my life I really recommend it. Read MUV-LUV Extra and Unlimited first beforehand.

<report>It is a good and pretty interesting visual novel

I like big fights, It's always incredible and in this novel you really find it however this game has the highest rating on vndb. Does the game deserve it? Nah. Not really. The problem with this game is simple- fights are awesome but slice of life or just hanging in the base is pretty boring mostly all the time with little exceptions. Anyway I'd suggest you play in it. It's good anyway. 8/10

<report>Few stories manage to bring such emotions as when alien affairs and space travel were in vogue in the 90s.

What memories with Muv-Luv. For me the best visual novel of today. We do not know if in the future it will be surpassed by another.

<report>Not much I can say that hasn't already been said. It's Muv Luv Alternative. It's the landmark work of fiction that inspired Hajime Isayama to write Shingeki no Kyojin. It frequently hurts you to make a point. It lulls you into a false sense of security and yanks the rug from under you. It is immersive, subversive, and emotionally rich like few other games. By the end of this game, things that would have otherwise been emotionally ravaging at the beginning of the game just kinda happened, and the protagonist, along with me myself, just kinda accepted it and moved on. Something snapped within us a long time ago on this once-in-a-lifetime journey. That is the magic of Muv-Luv Alternative. It is a work of fiction that I will remember for the rest of my life.

<report>Muv-Luv is, by no means, not even close to being a perfect story. It has flaws, some segments are worse than others, and so on and so forth. But, despite all of this, the sheer amount and intensity of emotion this story can make you feel is simply unparalleled. I firmly believe that anyone who makes it to the end will not come out of it unchanged. I know this is a really vague way of putting it, but just believe me, Muv-Luv is entirely worth it. It has the power of changing the way that you approach life and your general attitude towards it. At the very least, it did that to me.

<report>This is the greatest sci-fi visual novel ever made. The best way to read it is by going into it completely blind. In fact, the less you know going in the more you will relate to the protagonist. You will not be disappointed.

Yes, this is a sequel. Do yourself a favor and don't skip The Hobbit before reading The Lord of the Rings. The first one isn't as dire or thrilling as the followup; this much is true. What I ask in return is would a few hobbits climbing Mount Doom mean as much to you if you hadn't been to The Shire, knowing how far they've gone from home or why they would struggle so much to protect it?

<report>Went into this with very high expectations but all i got was a dragged out piece of shit. The side cast is absolutely fucking abysmal each of the girls are 1 dimensional with absolutely 0 development. Takeru at least had some development but the pacing was so fucking bad that I was not invested in him at all. The entire plot is predictable as hell and the majority of the time you are just getting useless information dumped on you that has no relevance at all to the actual story. The entire last part of the story is pure shock factor without any depth. Not to mention that you have to sit through muv luv extra and unlimited to even get the chance to read this. Overall I have no idea why anyone thinks that this is good

<report>Alternative is the Apex of Muv-Luv franchise hands down. It's one of, if not the best Sci-fi action thrillers I've ever had the pleasure of watching or reading so far. This Visual Novel is packed to the brim with a highly engaging story, great characters who you come to love (after playing Extra/Unlimited), action that rivals many of the best Anime shows, and an awesome attention to detail when it comes to fleshing out its lore and the context to the conflict you find yourself in.

I highly recommend anyone who's even slightly interested in Anime or VN's to give Muv-Luv a shot just to witness this amazing masterpiece. (Ofc you should not jump into Alternative immediately, as it is the 3rd and final part of a 3 part story, so make sure to complete the original game first.)

<report>Without a doubt, Muv-Luv Alternative is the best Visual Novel that I've ever played. If you are looking for something similar to Steins;Gate or Evangelion, then you will love this game. Just make sure to play Muv-Luv Extra and Unlimited first. Note: Therapy not included.

<report>Worst thing I've ever had the displeasure of reading. Terrible plodding exposition dumps, awful characters that are only there to be attracted to Takeru, and some of the grossest stuff I've seen in my life with the twizzlers. Also the entire vn is just imperialist Japanese propaganda the whole way through. Never read this if you value your time.

<report>Snob was right. This is literally the reason why anime is shit nowadays. Plot makes no sense. Animation in the final scene was so piss poor that I can't take the vn seriously (the one where they have powerpoint slides to move the mechs). The story is so all over the place that I fell asleep half the time when I played it.