"Stardust. The remains of a broken wish washed away with the wind."
Taumi, not you randomly releasing an absolute BANGER, and also a very memorable experience!! I remember enjoying the prequel a whole lot, and now I'm happy I get to discover the sequel!
And of course, it was very cryptic: we do get a sense of the story, but clearly, this is a story meant to reach something in the player, deep in their heart, their wishes, their experience, rather than a story just to follow through. And every single time, it WORKS. Every single choice you made, from the music, the art, to the words and the effects on the text always seem to be the strongest ones to convey emotion. The solitude, the despair, the self-loathing, the confusion, the conflict between being appreciated by others and yet wanting solitude and to be away from the world... Truly, this is an emotional rollercoaster, as you touched on topics we all have experienced, although not necessarily in the same way of course, and yet, you still managed to detail a very specific experience, rather than a generic soulless one. Soul, soul, the game is filled with soul, and maybe that's why I have such a hard time dissecting it, finding points to underline and analyse, because in the end, I just felt the game deeply.
Also, more than feeling, I was also enchanted by the game, as if progressively won over by a spell, as if somehow Lilith was doing something right with me, I won't lie! I did catch up on some things I am curious about in terms of lore (Lily/Lilith, and Lily and Bell's discussion reminded me of an internal monologue, as if Bell was to reflect the "change" Lily is longing for in their seearch for freedom). The art participated in this enchantment: after all, it was GORGEOUS. The artistic direction of your games is always flawless, and here, I was just in awe: the animations looked amazing, the colour palette, the numerous illustrations... It literally felt like an animated storybook, the pages of which swing from the warmth of a childhood memory to the dark compressing feeling of something terrible is going to happen, but you don't know why. And yet, there is the emptiness of having made something major (escape from the tower), and yet, not having found the answers; of having escaped from the heat of the trauma, and yet, it still lingers, stings, and you blame yourself for not moving on.
The music choices too were amazing, and they really participated in making your game feel truly atmospheric. It really is a masterclass in setting atmospheres for a metaphorical story.
I'm sorry this comment is all over the place! Admittedly, my thoughts are confused, but I adored what you created. It was well crafted, well thought out, and so authentic, touching and raw. Thank you for creating it, it was inspiring!!