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Developer: Dischan Media
Publisher: Dischan Media
Platform: PC
Visual novels are one of the most disrespected genres of gaming out there. Thanks to a real lack of understanding of dating sims and games which are primarily text, you see few mainstream attention drawn to them. Of course, this all denies the previous success of companies like Infocom who attracted PC gamers in the 80s with their text adventures.
Either way, if you’re still new to the whole visual novel world then Dysfunctional Systems seems to be a good starting point. The game, so far, appears to not be a dating sim and features a story not pulled straight from some silly anime series.
You play as a teenager named Winter who has a new job. She doesn’t work as a waitress or anything though but instead must try to resolve conflicts on other planets. It’s a tough position and one she isn’t even sure she’s ready to fulfill. All the same, she studies (and gets a little too close) to the subject in Episode 1: Learning to Manage Chaos.
I’m not particularly a fan of episodic games but so far this looks like quite the game. The story is surprisingly focused on sociopolitical topics which is rare for visual novels, let alone gaming as a whole. This brave move deserves attention, but it’s unknown yet whether Dysfunctional Systems will attract tons of players. I hope so, as I would love to see this series continue and the only way that will happen is with more purchases.
3 1/2 out of 5 alpacas
Chances are, if you’re here reading this post then you’re aware of what’s going on. Those with no clue of forthcoming shenanigans can check out the about page for more information. Regardless, this is an introductory post before things get going.
Pixel Pacas is a gaming site which got its name out of what was initially a joke. The joke grew into something much larger, though, as you can now see. “Pacas” refers to to “alpacas” which are cute, if awkward animals which you can see depicted in multiple places on the page.
The intent of Pixel Pacas is to be a place to house reviews and other musings about games. Sometimes they may be for hugely popular titles and other times it may be about niche visual novels. Really, there are no restrictions being put on content because there are just too many varieties of games out there. Why restrict yourself to one when you can enjoy a taste of each?
Hopefully, the site may introduce you to new games or remind you of old favorites. With that said, let us know what you like, don’t like, or want to see in the future!
– Marcus & Leah
PixelPacas.com
May 4th, 2013 
