Murazukuri Game no NPC ga Namami no Ningen to shika Omoenai
The NPCs in this Village Sim Game Must Be Real!

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This manga is very lovely and heartwarming, and worth the read if you are looking for a motivational and endearing tale. I do have a couple of issues with it though.

As for what to expect, there is a great story with a main character who will experience a lot of character growth, and it isn't forced or given to him with no work. He pushes himself out of his comfort zone and works for his development. He's a likable character despite his initial flaws. The side characters all have lovely interactions and I felt connected to them. I found this manga incredibly heartwarming and inspiring, ... especially as someone who has struggled with depression and self-isolation in the past.

As for critiques, I found the characters to be a little flat. Some of the side characters weren't very fleshed out. The two girls in the game world only had two personality traits; working hard and fighting over a big brother figure in a weirdly romantic way. I'm not a fan of incest so the romantic innuendos made by the sister and a literal child sister figure were a bit uncomfortable to watch. Plus there is a scene where the main character's sister offers to kiss him and he peeps on her showering. Ick. I liked the other characters but they were all a bit bland.

The story was good and wrapped up most of the loose ends aside from one. It was a little bit predictable; there was only one thing that surprised me. Most of the time it's just relaxing and doesn't have stakes. However, compared to most isekai that is the norm. They hinted at a second series, but it seems the author currently has no plans to go through with this.

Overall, a good, comfy read that most will enjoy, just keep in mind the incesty stuff is there and it can ruin the positive points of the book for some.

This manga is pretty good. It follow the same setting as a sandbox/worldbuilding game but with a focus on character development. Although you are building a world, the well being of individuals is what's important. And as the title suggest it's a sim like game so every single character counts and them dying or suffering any type of damage heavily influence gameplay.

What's so great about this particular manga? It's the story. All of us could in some shape or form relate to the MC. Not all of us are shut in NEETs but you def have one day felt ostracized by family or society. In ... his case he went into video games as a form of escapism. There is a manwha called "Her summon" with a somewhat similar plot which is also quite interesting.

Just imagine playing god with a bunch of fantasy characters and you have to start a village and make it prosper while at the same time dealing with your real life issues. The manga is quite slow though so I'll recommend checking out the novel.

8.5/10

I love this manga. Not for the typical reasons like revenge p8rn or action, but because of the character development the mc undergoes.

It’s hard to put in words, but he’s a lowlife prior to the game, undeserving of much pity, but the author manages to slowly make the mc improve his self-of-being. Because the mc worked his @ss to become a valuable member of society, he resonates easily with relatability and attachment.

What makes most of this manga is the mc’s progression, while the characters inside the game he’s playing are also realistic, undergoing their own struggles.

The manga has a good balance of action/suspense, real-world ... or not, but it mainly emphasizes on the character, creating a sense of realism. I’d give it a shot regardless if you don’t prefer these type of stories.


Reading Rankings (Portnoy inspired & A Huang Teizan Original)
10 – God’s penmanship
9 – Must-read. Drop everything else.
8 – Instant bookmark
7 – Entertaining
6 – Good to pass time
5 – Why are you reading this?
4 – Bad.
3 – Typical garbage.
2 – My head hurts.
1 – Retirement is a thought.
0 – “Did they even give you a story?!”

It has the elements of a portal fantasy and done by an author with an obviously voyeuristic streak. This is The NPCs in this Village Sim Game Must Be Real!

Main character Yoshio thinks he's beta testing a new computer game, but the characters are so real, and there's the warning that came with the warning to keep quiet about this game; if all his characters die, it's game over, for real.

It really feels like an isekai, but the main character never stepped over that door to the new world, but instead is stuck in the mundane world, where he has to keep on living as ... a recluse in his parents' home, a man beaten by society, someone the Japanese call, a hikikomori.

It is really interesting to see what would happen next in this villager simulation, and what the main character would do to keep the game playing. See how Yoshio, little by little, overcome his social anxiety, so that he could earn the cash to spin the gacha element in the game. When you see gacha, and pay-to-win elements in a game, this is definitely a story written by a Japanese author. As Yushio slowly integrates back into society, he gets to find his footing, and it really helps that his family is supportive. As a reader, you get to cheer both for Yushio and the village he is building in his game.

Those who regrets something wishes to change it. I agonize about the past and my current situation because that is something I don't like or even hate it. We can't change the past to fit our wish, the past is something we're familiar with, the present we distain and the future that scares us; that is exactly how our main character feels and lives. But why can he change, and not us?

Art - 8.2/10
The art is consistently strong, effectively capturing both the emotional tone and atmosphere of the story. The story is filled soft slice of life panels in addition to action-packed panels with detailed ... illustrations to emphasize strength, urgency or horror.

Story - 8.4/10
The story seems quite simple, and it is: a shut in starts playing a random game and it appears that the people in the game are actually real. The author could've left it alone just there: have our main character try to make the villagers happy or content and we'd also be content, and he does that, but better.
The story is something I believe would hit close with many: a failed man at the center of the story with mistakes and regrets just piling up with no sight of it stopping.

The villagers are faced with hardships and our main character is just watching there: starting at the monitor and be able to influence them little by little to progress the game further. But why would they progress? Why would the villagers in a game be able to progress? Why is it that they can overcome their hardships and not him?
From observing the villagers our main character he concludes that he is worthless, while some character in the game has actual importance around them. Our main character observe the villagers' behavior, their bravery and their drive to survive and uses their drive to push himself further; encouraging him to improve and be better. He found a fuel to drive himself forward, he found people that faced hardships, he found role models to be a human: striving to be better.

Characters - 8.4/10
The characters in the story felt like humans: with their own aspirations, emotions and stories. We could place ourselves in any of these characters and pass them as the protagonist of their own story. I believe that the interactions and behavior from the characters is what elevated the story to further levels.

Personal View - Very good.
I actually read around 5 chapters a few years ago and I'm happy that I dropped it: because otherwise I wouldn't understand a good story of someone who has regrets but finds that the people around him are able to look past his troubles and help him to be better. The small changes for our main character, just going outside, going to the store, anything that we just deem as a daily task is incredibly challenging for him. But what he finds is something that is able to put his mind off the negative and regretful thoughts and strives to help others while improving himself.

Overall - 8/10 or is it?
I'd say 8/10 is a fair assessment, the story, art and character is well rounded and would at least make it to 7.6/10 for those who are unable to relate to the story further than just to appreciate it at face value. But for people who relates to having regretful thoughts and is every day attempting to change and improve may view it in a better way.
I'd actually like to see a continuation of this story: for our main character to improve, understand the world of the game while helping the villagers survive.

STORY:
The story is a fantasy mixed with reality. And up to the part I've read, nothing has been revealed regarding how "real" the game is. I like the premise of the story. We get to look at an MC at one of their lowest points in life and we see how a certain miracle pushes him to take an outlook on his life and try to improve it. I'm hoping for the best for the MC.

ART:
The art is made to look real and not cutesy and it fits the theme. It makes it easier to sympathize with the characters.

CHARACTER:
The villagers are nothing special. They ... behave just like normal humans, despite the fact they're supposed to be NPCs. The MC and his family feels realistic due to their realistic problems. I think some will find the MC very relatable, particularly those with Asian families. There's that expectation on children to be successful in life and the pressure is real.

ENJOYMENT:
This manga hits home in some points. And it may sound a bit like escapism, but it does give hope to people that things will get better in their lives. It also lets people see that even with the state they're in, it's not impossible to help others (in this case, the NPCs) and that it's never too late to change. For those, I enjoy it.

OVERALL:
I recommend this manga to those who like life simulation games, world-building games or games that let you play as a god. Also very good to encourage people who are in the same shoes as the MC and his family.

Thanks for reading my review and God bless.

Such an engaging and thought-provoking series. It has inspired me to push myself towards self-improvement, even if i'm not a total shut in like he was. My only gripe is its abrupt end, I felt it had potential to go much further. However, the conclusion might be a blessing in disguise, preventing it from becoming overly convoluted, as it was seeming to head towards. Ultimately, it’s up to us to decide how we interpret the series ending and carry forward its impact.


I do not wish to make the review meaningless with crap just to fit the character limit of this stupid site, ... so im just putting this here.

I won't go into too many details, but I personally really recommend this manga!
Despite the long a*s title, and the typical shut-in mc, the character development in this story is top-notch.
If you want a shut-in/neet main character that actually works to better himself instead of blaming others and getting isekai'd in an escapist fantasy world, that's the one for you!

Story: 9/10
Simple yet intriguing story, with civilization-building sim flavors

Characters: 9/10
As I wrote previously, the character development is the best thing in the story. I found myself being emotionally moved, and cheering on the characters during their many struggles and successes.

... Art: 8/10
The art is pretty nice! It has kind of a more realistic approach, with lots of details that go well with the story.


Overall, it's a great motivational and fun story to read!:)