Post by The_Epipan in Psychic Connections comments

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- It seems you don't realize that the video game's plot has barely begun and has been left incomplete. What's been done so far is nothing more than the beginning, the introduction of the characters, and only at the end choosing the character you like best to start a romance with them (this is more like a demo). That's why the dreams don't make sense, because it's still a complete mystery that no player understands, disconnected from everything except the accident, which seems to me to be connected.

- I agree with you that I also disliked Zoe quite a bit at first, barging into the room like that with another key... and being quite controlling; I wish the video game gave me the option to tell her off, at least. But then it becomes clear why she did it, and after she introduces you to the others, she's more likable; although, yeah, she already made a pretty bad first impression.

- Regarding the other characters; They're not flat, you might think that way if you shut yourself off and didn't bother to get to know them. Only Quinn the rabbit could be considered to "stalk" you, but only because he approaches when he sees you, since he's already envisioned a future where the protagonist joins the group. I can understand that some might find it inappropriate or annoying how he forces you to risk being caught by the teacher distracting you in class (like that annoying Patrik Star scene of an episode from SpongeBob XD)... but I'm personally very easygoing/relax and connected with his lighthearted personality and double entendres humor (that's why Quinn is my favorite). As for the others... there's one I find quite unfriendly because he seems like a typical bully, and even if he isn't, he seems to have anger and impulse control issues; I've seen people who played his route say they found him heartwarming, that he's a soft heart of gold wrapped in a hard shell, and I could see a bit of that, regarding his mother, but anyway, he's a hotheaded musclehead... not my type. The dog/wolf... he's a rich kid with his life all figured out, always very bussy with preparing for the life of a wealthy businessman he's going to have; he seemed a bit stuck-up, overly responsible, and always thinking he's right... but he's not malicious and he's kind, I like him better than the muscledude. The panther is a kind/affable guy, but I'm not into mature guys, and I mostly feel a bit sorry for his attempts to flirt and his comment that the older you get the harder it is to find a partner.
Even with these flaws, none of them seem detestable to me, as I've seen some people say, and they don't harass... in fact, most of them are there because of Zoe is who brings them all together, and the previous encounters with them are casual (except for Quinn, who approaches you to talk because he saw you in the future).

- The group is not a cult because a) officially they are not a group with defined roles, objectives, or philosophies they try to promote; they are simply people who share something in common that they have to keep as a secret and decided to form a group of friends or a social club to have someone to talk to about what they are afraid to discuss with anyone else who wouldn't believe them or would react with fear (quite similar with being gay before the 70s). Which leads me to b) their powers actually exist; it's not an invention or a doctrine used for manipulation. If this video game turns out to be well finished (if it continues), there should be a route where the protagonist refuses to join the group... it would be a boring storyline, I suppose, just hearing about things that happen in the background, maybe weird things, (although we'd have to see how significant the psychic powers are in the plot... it would be good if something central happened with it instead of it just being a flavorful element; although I've seen several stories like that, like the movie Birdman where the superhero theme is very much in the background and it's almost even ambiguous whether he's hallucinating everything), but if the rabbit saw in the future that they end up as a group, then that should end up happening, and since the protagonist also has powers (because Zoe's power indicates that) it's natural that it happens that way. Also, you are choosing the pill that prevents the story from happening, or at least prevents you from being a part of it.

Reptilia54 days ago(+1)(-1)

Thanks for your opinion. I partially agree. If this were a demo, i would have a less negative reaction. However, it's still incredibly boring. There's nothing interesting about characters. And the events that happen to them don't engage me as a player: one helps another's mother, second got assaulted by his roommate, third is taking his coffee in cafe with company, and player have to decide where to sit. It was so interesting and excited, i literally fall to sleep two times during reading that scene (and it s not even the joke). As a player, I expected something interesting to unfold around the stated plot theme. But I see nothing but strange abuse of the main character and rudeness toward him, like he has no feelings or he just a empty place. And on top of that, I'm forced to make choices without a choice. Oh and the cheap drama.

Even the game itself destroys the the state about company have psychotic powers: bunny boy telling he can see the future, but even in the present game state it is not the future it is just a possibility which may be predicted literally by anyone without any powers. So he and others looks more like having delusions.

And if the game version number (0.7) is to be believed, this isn't a demo. It's the more than half of it. Maybe a miracle will happen. and the developer with renewed vigor will fix the game and finish it making it better. But i don't believe in that. And that is why for now i consider that novel as a boring and annoying with bad characters.

The_Epipan41 days ago (8 edits)

Hello again, Reptilia ;3
What type of scally you are? I'am an otter, by the way.
I wish this game let you choose your species from a few options. Although I suppose it's because it's easier for the art and avoids having to include a lot of branching text.
Also... perhaps what bothered you was that is a reptile the one hurting the "bunny boy"? Hehe... just kidding ;)

The "bunny boy" doesn't simply tell/see "possibilities that everyone else might": he sees that the protagonist is going to be with the group before Zoe tells them anything, so he knew nothing about the protagonist when he meets him in the classroom, he hadn't even received Zoe's request to meet in the cafeteria later... so anyone else couldn't simply guess that the protagonist had powers or at least that Zoe would want to include that one guy in the group. So that's, at least, more than just visualizing a possibility. The protagonist's acceptance into the group is almost confirmation that the rabbit can see the future (if it isn't already, given that he was interested in you without even knowing that Zoe was interested in you first and was going to orchestrate that group meeting because of it). The only remaining question is about he could refuse to join... from what we've being told, all of the rabbit's visions until now have come true (everyone is pretty sure that these visions always come true is the curse that comes with the power of the bunny)... so even if the protagonist initially refuses, the plot should contain powerful events that naturally and inevitably force him to join despite his initial reluctance (for example, a plot involving government officials kidnapping psychics or some local threat in a Akira style). But what we've seen so far is that Psychic Connections was going to be something light and calm, more of a romantic slice-of-life story than anything else, with the psychic powers serving as a touch of mystery and the supernatural, although I also get to expect something more interesting or ambitious than that because the revelation of psychic powers surprised me and put some honey in my lips.

You make an interesting point... what if the boys are having delusions, and that's what they're interpreting as having psychic powers that make them mentally different from everyone else? As I mentioned, something like the movie Birdman. To a certain extent, could be disappointing if the powers didn't actually exist, but it could have its valid, vindicatory, and interesting point to represent people with different disorders or neurodivergent conditions, and have the video game draw you into that a bit: the dreams with the protagonist hearing a voice could fit with him being schizophrenic, Jude (the hothead muscle dude) could have some kind of paranoid disorder. But this whole idea of them having delusions is completely nullified the moment the panther who works at the café demonstrates his power... and precisely, meta-narratively, it's clear there's an awareness of this because Zoe had the panther as her secret weapon, knowing that everyone else's powers were very difficult to demonstrate... the panther is the proof and confirmation that the powers are real.

You're right, if the current version is 0.72, it means the initial plan, at least, wasn't a long story... so it was all going to be about just this group of friends forming and a romance beginning in like one or two weeks? With the mystery of the powers as a parallel/secondary element?

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