With the country experiencing a relatively large summer wave of COVID-19, the Food and Drug Administration is considering signing off on this year's strain-matched COVID-19 vaccines as soon as this week, according to a report by CNN that cited unnamed officials familiar with the matter.
Last year, the FDA gave the green light for the 2023–2024 COVID shots on September 11, close to the peak of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in that year's summer wave. This year, the summer wave began earlier and, by some metrics, is peaking at much higher levels than in previous years.
Currently, wastewater detection of SARS-CoV-2 shows "very high" virus levels in 32 states and the District of Columbia. An additional 11 states are listed as having "high" levels. Looking at trends, the southern and western regions of the country are currently reporting SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater that rival the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 winter waves, which both peaked at the very end of December.
When you think about it, The Quintessential Quintuplets is a perfect anime and manga to dating sim game adaptation situation. We have a number of heroines. For much of the series, there’s the question of which Nakano sister Futaro will end up with at the end. The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer gives players a chance to get closer to the sisters, with tutoring playing a part, in the hopes of getting a chance to date one of them.
For those completely unfamiliar with The Quintessential Quintuplets, Futaro Uesugi is hired to tutor his classmates, the quintuplet sisters Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki Nakano. As a reward for the efforts, the young women invite him and his kid sister Raiha to their family’s private island. It’s supposed to be a short jaunt, but a storm leaves them stranded there for two weeks. However, while it’s a potentially harrowing experience, it also gives Futaro a chance to grow closer to the sisters and perhaps even find love with one of them.
Image via Spike Chunsoft
The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer is an unusual dating sim! It’s basically divided into two parts. In the first half, you need to keep meticulous schedules. You must raise the five sisters’ stats to ensure they can pass a test at the end on various subjects, while also occasionally sending people to gather supplies so there’s always something to eat. For the first half, you need to ensure each of the girls can pass a test with a 60 in each subject. If you do, then you can move on to routes with each sister, a family-route with Raiha, and an “all route” with all the siblings. The second half is a more traditional dating sim visual novel game, which feels like a reward for The Quintessential Quintuplets and is a much less demanding experience.
I did feel that the balancing might be a bit off in The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer. Basically, if you let someone’s mood drop too low, they’ll need to recuperate for a time slot. Okay, fine. I’ve played Princess Maker and Idolmaster style games before. I figured that meant losing some morale and some time. No, here that also means a severe stat drop across the board. It happened to me once early on with Miku and Yotsuba, as both were about to dip below 20 mood. Instead of getting some grace period, they immediately took off to relax and came back with some of their 15-17 stats dropped down to 0. It’s a harsh lesson to learn!
Image via Spike Chunsoft
It almost feels like it is a lesson you have to learn. Once I did, I found I got into a much better groove as I worked my way toward the second half of the game. The stat requirements aren’t too demanding for a route. In fact, given the way in which affection builds up, it’s very easy to have multiple characters at the necessary relationship level to end up with Futaro. I was able to find a much better balance as I arranged the Nakano sisters’ schedule to ensure they would get a passing score and do well, all while surviving on the island.
Plus, the story and relationship portions of The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer are can be quite fun. The “trapped on a deserted island” plotline gives Mages an excuse to focus only on Futaro, Raiha, Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki. The studying and gathering elements also provide opportunities for Futaro to spend time with just one of the sisters, furthering a relationship with them. The CGs are well-executed, and it’s a good amount of fanservice handled well for a series with established, beloved characters. There are some awkward formatting elements though, as sometimes the font in text boxes won’t stay consistent and will shrink to fix everything into them, and every once in a while something might read a bit awkwardly.
The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer really sets itself apart with its unique premise that is part tutoring and life management sim, then part visual novel dating sim. It’s true to the series, given there is still that element of helping tutor the sisters. Plus, you absolutely are earning your happy ending here. I enjoyed it, because it’s an approach we don’t often see paired with likable characters and a fun premise, but the approach may make it an acquired taste. Just be sure you really pay attention to the sisters’ stats and make smart choices.
The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summeris available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC. The anime is available on Crunchyroll. Kodansha handles the manga.
Spike Chunsoft confirmed it will release two The Quintessential Quintuplets dating sim games in English on the PS4, Switch, and PC. The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer and The Quintessential Quintuplets: Five Memories Spent With You will both appear on May 23, 2024 and can be purchased alone or in a double-pack.
Both of these dating sim visual novel games pull from the original The Quintessential Quintuplets series, but let you pick which Nakano sister Fuutarou ends up with in the end. Memories of a Quintessential Summer involves a summer trip gone awry due to a storm. It also involves some character development elements, since players help determine the sisters’ study schedules to help boost their abilities in certain school subjects. Meanwhile, Five Memories Spent With You involves the five sisters, Fuutarou, and Fuutarou’s sister going on a graduation trip together.
Spike Chunsoft already confirmed launch discounts will be in effect for each game and the double-pack between May 23-30, 2024. Alone, each game purchased separately is $34.99. If someone gets the double-pack that includes both games, it will be $59.99.
There’s another The Quintessential Quintuplets game on the way, though it is another console adaptation of a puzzle game rather than a more straightforward dating sim like these two. The Quintessential Quintuplets: Gotopazu Story 2ndwill appear in Japan in 2024 on the Switch and PS4.
The Quintessential Quintuplets: Memories of a Quintessential Summer and The Quintessential Quintuplets: Five Memories Spent With You will come to the PS4, Switch, and PC on May 23, 2024, and both are already available in Japan. The anime is on Crunchyroll, and Kodansha handles the manga.
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