OOAUAUHGUAHGUHGH now that I'm not tied immediately to rating screens and get the luxury of a Read More offered...
PHENOMENAL CHEFS KISS. OH MY GOODNESS. THIS GAME HAS BEEN ON MY TO PLAY LIST SINCE THE DIRECTOR SHARED THE PREMISE WITH ME BACK IN DECEMBER. THIS WAS PHENOMENAL AMAZING AND OHHHAH AUHAUHUHUGHUGUH IM STILL REELING FROM NEMO.
THE VOICE ACTING AND SOUNDEFFECTS WERE PEAK. THE SPRITE ANIMATIONS AND AMBIENCE? STELLAR. OAUUAHGUHGUHUHG NEMO!!!!! NEMO!!! CALL ME!!!!!! I'M FREE TONIGHT FOR YOU.
I genuinely really enjoyed this game. It has everything. Every part you look is going to be phenomenally polished. I heard that there was apparently a bug in it but I couldn't seem to replicate it on my own save- but this entire game play was just. ALL that i could ask for and more. Every part you look has
And on top of that! It has the Butterfly Rocket TM uniqueness, blending magical realism with witty modern dialogue alongside stunning graphics, cinematography, and UI to make for a perfect and splendid experience that is well worth another playthrough to fully soak into Other Spheres. The direction here is truly something to behold, from opening scene to closing credits.
Every character we get introduced to: Channary, Umibozo, and Nemo, all have their own unique voices, unique flavors of character, and unique feelings they invoke in the reader.
Channary felt like sweet maple donuts, fresh from the oven of a bygone era. She's gone to the moon and we won't be able to follow her. She's got her purpose and she's finding her destiny; yet she stays rooted in our past, memories of a distant time-- maybe even a better time depending on how you view Nemo and Umibozo. She's a beloved friend, one that you want back, and every shot of her is basked in this warmness, this softness.
(During MisterShins' stream, the chat noticed that in the ambience of her scene, that there's people talking, laughing, clattering things around... living their best life. Rarely does Butterfly Rocket Studios make unintentional choices and even in the sound design, it reflects how genuinely nostalgic Channary is. She's the moon, always out of reach, but always present with us)
Umibozo directly ties to this sense of destiny that Channary brings up. To her, the moon is her other self. She has to go out and chase after it- but what about Callisto? They love the ocean- so much that they initially choose it instead of following Channary to space. Except the Ocean, the depths... isn't a tangible object. It isn't something that can be contained in a box and when Umibozo catches wind of Callisto's stubborn existence, they offer to free Callisto from the shackles of society, offering true freedom, true authority, free from nagging. Umibozo is the bottomless bucket of dreams, of curiosity... and through Umibozo, the author asks us if we'd be willing to destroy our safety nets, our shackles to the past and present, and truly be free in a gamble for true euphoria, true satisfaction.
And my Imaginary Husband- I mean Bad Robot- I mean, Nemo. He's programmed to be our caretaker and therapist, overseeing the bulk of ship duties as well as be Callisto's personal alarm. He's snarky, he's pompous, he's... precocious ;) and while talking to him, we learn that he has his own vast emotions that he manages. He, our caretaker and roots, the only home Callisto can tangibly return to, has fallen in love with the player. He adores us even behind all of his threats of martyrdom and hatred for Callisto. And he's willing to tank "becoming a smart toaster" or whatever other hypothetical fates awaited him upon returning to the surface... just to ensure Callisto lived.
Do you long for what you once had, embracing the safety and security of the past even if there's no guarantee those feelings will ever fully return?
Reach out and escape to the unknown to meet your destiny, your passion, your future, in its (or rather their) domain rather than stay unknowing of what could've been?
Or do you accept the familiarity of the present, of shelter, of home, of a safety net, even if it's cynical and mean at times, because at the end of the day, home knows you best?
NOW UH... that was a lot of words. I hope you enjoyed my thoughts just as much as I enjoyed your game, Butterfly Rocket Studios. Know I eagerly await what comes next. In the mean time, I... should go get the gallery complete BUT man, I can't take my eyes off of Nemo! I'm off to go frolic with my bad robot boyfriend again. Sorry, Umi and Channary, I need to know what M!Callisto sounds like when I'm with Nemo.