Dang this was incredibly atmospheric and suffocating in the absolutely best way.
The visual design is incredibly dynamic. I really loved all of the different animations, from Styx' sprite movement to the various text effects and transitions. The slight movement of the background was an incredibly nice touch, and really made me feel as if I was "drowning in the depths." Styx's sprite is gorgeous, and the VA did such a fantastic job of bringing the character to life, especially with the added kind of "echo" post-processing effect - it added so much gravitasse to the voice. Styx is a compelling and magnetic figure, equal parts playful, charismatic, and frightening. There was simply a TON of thought put into the details of the game - and I loved how the start menu also changed according to what ending you got.
===SPOILERS===
I really liked the use of "resets" here - at various points, Styx lets you "go" and when you start the game again, you're still trapped with them. It really contributes to that feeling of suffocation, that now that you're here, there's no escape. Styx is the perfect mix of playful and sinister - at times, you feel drawn to them as they affectionately call you "Friend" and assure you that they want to keep you here to protect you, but you're continuously reminded how easily they toy with your life. I appreciated that, no matter what, Styx never gives you a "cure" for what ails you - it is impossible for them to give you "life." The closest thing to a cure they can give you is to grant you a place at their side, in the place between life and death - a bittersweet ending.
I really appreciated how many endings there are in such a short playtime - every choice really seems to alter your ending in some way. I got all of the endings, and while I enjoyed all of them, Endings 2 and 3 were particularly memorable. The gradual transition of Styx's sprite as the souls of the dead strain against their dress is CHILLING. I found it interesting that the only choice where the MC escapes is the one where they never speak to Styx - indeed, the only way to free themself from Styx's games is never to engage in the first place.
Overall this was such an atmospheric and intriguing game. The combination of the background, sprite, voice acting, visual effects, and the writing was SO good. Fantastic work!