'RIP Normalcy', to me, is a contemporary one-scene drama about the disconnect between the terminally online and the terminally offline. It's a classic meet-cute location, a bar, and the where the main character, Wonder, deals with their first time doing something that they consider 'normal'. I think what intrigues me most about this story is how easily the dichotomy between the bar regulars and Wonder can be polarized. As in, depending on the reader's personal experience, will align with the online fox or the offline wolf and tanuki.
Wonder, always in their own head, apprehensive about how they come across, seeking the action of visiting a bar to fulfill a checkbox of saying that they've experienced it, without allowing themself to be authentic or vulnerable. Complaining that the drinks are expensive, the bartender is chatty, and getting hit on by bar patrons, and then wondering why they bothered to come to a bar in the first place (a very "I don't know what you expected" type scenario). On the other hand, the bartender and bar patron, despite their casual and filtered-less dialog, can come across as both cringy and somewhat vulgar, despite being genuine. The bartender hamming up puns, using internet lingo speak, and being a fan of painfully popular media products can come off almost patronizing or having an ulterior motive (to sell expensive drinks) and the tanuki bar patron being so forward and blatant about discussing sexual preferences (in a gay bar), could be seen as offensive towards an ace common talking points of 'how do you know if you don't like it if you never tried it'. In essence, what I take away as a reader is the folly/tragedy of the youth unable to embrace the vulnerability or honesty of pursuing a genuine connection face to face, as opposed to across a screen.
It's a well crafted scene, and efficient in the time spent establishing the characters and presenting the meet-cute. What would be a simple two character sprite combo conversation does get spiced up with the use of a phone cutaway to simulate watching a tik-tok video, which I think is a great demonstration of the ren'py tech and pretty creative. The use of the jam sprites was great, really taking the time to use all the facial expression in the conversation, and even changing up the sprites' colors for a personal feel. I thought the choice of music was on point for a modern casual scene like this. The writing craft is competent and does well to get the point across, though I think there were a few tense issues in some of the sentences, something that could be fixed with a few extra proofreading passes. I do appreciate how each of the character's spoke with their own voices and there wasn't a lack of friction between the characters.
In terms of creativity, I don't think this visual novel is breaking much new ground with it's concept or presentation, but I do think it is portraying a moment in time in the time-scape of social interaction in the digital age, which makes it feel very contemporary. As for the folklore theme, my assumption is that this might be based on that sort of, 'back in my day' story that feels normal to an older generation but foreign to the younger one. Where to a digital native, meeting in person is a myth/legend. I feel like I might be stretching it to fit the theme, rather than it be easily apparent that it would fit into the theme of 'folklore'.
I remember bored_kitty's work from last year's farce of 'RIP Me', I sense a style that they really gravitate to is with these really distinct ideas and visuals, as a snapshot of what could be a larger story. Perhaps that's intentional, as expanding on the themes in the stories might lose out on the impact of the sudden closure of the scene, but I think that moving beyond drafting a single scene is easily on the table for them. That or lengthening out the story, as if it were a bottle episode. This might also be a scope issue, and they're being conservative on what they feel they can accomplish in 30 days, but I have faith that they got it in them. Overall, very solid entry even if it feels like it cuts out before it gets too real.