honestly, good point that I somewhat share.
Thank you for posting this and putting something I couldn't quite grasp myself.
I had saw many rpg-esque horror games (manly badass hero) and played some myself.
So, as I was playing this game, throughout the middle part, I have had the sense that: "Well, there seems to be something that's too off about Lee's house and behavior", "this is shaping to be a pretty solid and standard horror premise"
The cop out 'chasing scene' when Angel first went up.
How then, just after that. Lee overshared about his mother's implied abuse/neglect and painkiller overdose
The detrimentally selfless, response Lee gave to Angel when she brought up suicide.
weird timing and odd framing
I felt that there was something codependent forming. A type of manipulation they would both inflict on each other because of their past trauma and feelings of inadequacy.
This, in turn, made me be really invested into the story. I wanted to see how this would pan out
These seemed like they could have been just some transitional responses. Out of fear and their own type of self neglect that could be corrected, through boundaries etc.
I wanted to know how this is would turn out 'healthy' for them
I thought that well, Lee could help Angela have a better grounding in herself and her life, and, int 'turn', Angela could perhaps help him open up to his feelings and trust and process
I too have expected that the story would follow a process of healing and how tumultuous and terrifying, but ultimately so beautiful it can be
I have also said that " well, if this will turn out to be something horror where... I don't knoooow, Lee is a murderer or something, crazy thought but, if that's so, this is a great horror story"
and look, I do respect it for that. I respect how Lee did not harm Angel, I think that was a quirk that would be hard to tell off (especially after seeing the shrine) and an overall interesting dynamic.
In the same ending, I also have found the fact that Angel goes out to save herself, somewhat signaling the fact that she is trying and wants to heal herself, that she is willing to respect herself in in contrast to her depending on others to be a good choice for this path
BUT, honestly, this ending did feel like a afterthought and the cliffhanger, while indeed more real, maybe felt a little cheap? I do preffer it as my canon though
All of this said, I do personally believe this was a great ***horror game***in all of its deserved earnest, but it could've been something just soooo much more interesting and unique.
Not to say horror rpg games and tropes are necessarily bad or anything, god knows how the Purgatory series is one of my favorite horror rpg stories of all time, despite how pulpy it is(pulp... that it kinda create somewhat)
But I feel this game was just so... mature? and intricate, and complex, and the horror ending made it slightly tongue-in-cheek
anyways, i hope you have a good rest of your evening out there!