I played my first route for 6 hrs straight and absolutely loved every moment!! It was so immersive, I forgot to sleep! XD
I got to the end of my "first" playthrough for Emerson and was shocked at the "abrupt" end bc I still wanted more...and then New Game+ Mode kicked in and I audibly gasped!
SLIGHT SPOILERS BELOW
I honestly didn't expect to cry, yet here I was, silently bawling my eyes out in my room at 4 am during Emerson's happy ending lol
The tension of that one pivotal choice in his epilogue felt so real!!! The conversation that ensued was what set off my waterworks though lmao
Sometimes "the one who got away," regardless if romantic or platonic, really is only a call and a decade of personal growth and healing away and it's up to you to do the work and be willing to reach out again.
Overall, I absolutely loved the plot, aesthetics, and design and concept of the game. It's clear the amount of work, time, and passion that went into making this!! You should be proud!!
The art and music are beautiful (I loved designing Mallory and had so much fun experimenting with their overall look! They're so gorgeous!)
But I'd have to say my favorite part of the game was how you wrote the relationships between your cast of characters. They all felt very real and actualized and their bonds with each other reflect that.
The discussions around losing touch with people who you once knew better than your own self really gutted me (as was intended). Finishing the game left me sitting in my room thinking about old best friends I once thought I'd spend the rest of my life with, wondering who they are now and if life has been kind to them in the years since.
Thank you so much for making such a wonderfully fun and emotionally dynamic game!! It made me laugh and cry and wish I was old enough to be in a band in 2007 XD
I look forward to playing the rest of the routes and seeing what you guys come up with next!! Take care!!! ^-^