I did enjoy playing through Clannad, and I will admit that I went back to finish most of the various routes. However, I really wouldn't put it on a list of "Most Emotional Visual Novels" of any era. It's true, it has some moments of heart-tugging, but only in some of the routes and usually the drama all unfolds right at the last moment of the last act, rather than build towards a climax. I have not read very many VNs, but having played Katawa Shoujo, it's hard to rate anything that doesn't rise to the same level in terms of getting choked up. Also, there's a lot of goofy humor--large stretches of the stories are closer to Loony Tunes than anime. Clannad was an easily digestible distraction, but nowhere near an all-time great.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
