Hello and welcome to my Ultra Long Running Commentary Comment, where I share all my impressions as I play for your entertainment. (Spoiler Warning for other players)
I am immediately impressed with the opening menu, I'm not sure I've seen an animated Ren'py menu before. But also all the medical safety that's been drilled into me from using needles is screaming "THOSE SYRINGES NEED CAPS. THEY SHOULDN'T BE MOVING SO MUCH. THEY'RE GOING TO HURT SOMEONE. BIOHAZARD" wwww (any, SO cute and stylish, the menhera vibes are immediately off the charts)
[me, getting to the very first screen] OMOCAT SPOTTED
oh my god, the time-specific references...Kero Kero Bonito...kawaii super bass...I'm guess there's gonna be a lot of namedrops like this and I shouldn't be writing every single one I relate to, but like. One of the most powerful things that I think can reinforce the potency of a piece of art is the power of "Oh, I get that reference!!!!". I think it's why genre comedy also hits so good. And this game is such an effective zeitgeist, so that power is So Strong (not to mention I think you probably have the perfect target audience with the menhera game jam), so like...auuugh. I'm going to have so much fun.
ohhh, I immediately love Sabila. I love that the "awkward comphet boyfriend from high school" is not an uncomfortable part of the past, but a very exciting and happy reunion. I was waiting for "oh no he's turned into a creep and feels entitled to my attention because we dated" and instead she's rocking pastels and is nice and (my current impression) rules.
These fucking. Anime flavored cigarettes. Nurse Miku cigs. God. I'd also buy cigarettes I had little-to-no intention of smoking for the cute factor.
GIRL DON'T TAKE HER SPIRO. SHE NEEDS THAT. (anyway I love how it's immediately evident in the next timeskip that Evee and Sable are soooo together and also cute.)
The OCD writing is really spot on. Someone close in my life tells me a lot about their experiences with OCD, and the narration in this game reflects so much of what they've described. I might ask if they want to play this game, because I think it'll help them feel seen.
oof. I've been in situations where someone I cared about took lethal amounts of alcohol and drugs. That scene with Sable was very realistic, incredibly well written. Augh. Ough. And may I reiterate: oof.
When the call with Pega Studios finished and the screen went to "FIN" I was like "ALREADY???". And then there was more and I let out a breath of relief. (BTW I love the graphic design for the logo and "FIN" and just, all the cute menhera text, holy shit that font design is stellar.)
okay, so. I loved this game. There were a few points where I couldn't quite follow who was talking, but given most dialouge didn't have name tags, it was FAR LESS than one would expect. The context usually made it quite clear, which was impressive. I think you did a good job utilizing the art assets you had to make a visually nice game without much in the way of character sprites, too. Overall everything was really well executed, the story was so relatable and real, and the ending made me a little sad but in a cathartic way (which feels, at it's core, extremely menhera).
This also looks like one of the game jam entries with the most explicitly menhera flare, which makes me really really like it. I'm really glad you made it and submitted it to this jam.