(My review contains Spoilers of the game.)
It's hard to express in words just how much a silly game from 2018 means to me, especially when it's from a genre I hardly ever enjoy due to how bland a lot of it tends to be. However, I find myself loving this game and its characters to bits even after the long while since I originally played it.
I managed to convince some friends of mine to play it with me - a total of around 5 right now, with one playing on their own - and none of them have anything bad to say about it at all, despite many of them also not being a big fan of visual novels. Call it confirmation bias if you want to, but that does say a lot at least to me.
Enough blabbering, though, I'll give a proper review of everything!
Characters
Trixie - Trixie is undoubtedly the most painfully relatable character that I've ever had the pleasure of learning about. The way that she interacts with people ranging from absolutely awkward, to a weird kind of sexual, and everything in-between; the absolute lack of interest in doing most things besides using her computer, going so far as to ignore things like laundry or cleaning things that are clearly dirty; the painful struggles of not really knowing who you are and not wanting to drag others into the absolute hell that is your psyche in fear that you're only going to hurt them; all of it hits very close to home.
Through the entire game (not a stretch) I felt almost like I was playing a character I would've made, but I have never known anyone from Digital Poppy in my entire life and had no part in this. It was really bizarre to feel that, but at the same time that added quite a lot of charm, because the character being that relatable despite seeming so below average is a feat that's incredible to achieve in a market that tends to be full of clichés that don't really make sense. There's a reason Doki Doki Literature Club exists.
What hit me the hardest, though, was the rant that she went on with Bell on the second day. Before then, I either found that the game was mostly full of sexual humor or disturbing imagery that I'd created in my head thanks to the writing being superb despite typos, but this was the moment that I viewed the game far more dearly than I had before. There was clearly a phenomenal amount of thought put into this one segment that just makes it so absolutely real that it felt like I wasn't playing a game, but listening to a real person just getting something off their chest. The most painful part was that it almost entirely reflected how I felt about everything, too, minus mentions of university and the like. It even played a big part in helping me come to the ultimatum to go through with becoming trans myself. The only critique to this section I could possibly give is that this is one instance where music should cease; there's no need for a tone to be given in a segment like this. The words alone portray a picture far better than music ever could.
Trixie is my most beloved character on a personal level. Absolutely a 25/10.
Nikita - Nikita ended up being the character I felt worst for, though that isn't to say that it's at all a bad thing. Although I can't really tell what her past is like due to there not being any mention of it in this game or Three Lesbians in a Barrow, at least to my knowledge, Nikita definitely comes across as someone who didn't choose to be such an aggressive academic. While the repeated pauses could definitely be taken as her holding in anger - which is further implied through the artbook - it also seems like a mannerism to prevent an outburst, sort of like she knows that there's something wrong with doing that but can't really fully stop herself. I won't jump to further conclusions, as I don't know nearly enough about her.
Her entire character seeming to flip for the most part due to The King in Yellow was something that genuinely caught me off guard. Beforehand - and afterwards, if you got the "correct" ending - she is a very collected individual who may be mouthy, but knows not to pry too deep, and always remains very tidy with herself. However, coming across the forsaken play completely alters what she's like, minus some parts that stick such as the aggression, though far more unhinged. She becomes far more antsy and can't even think straight or keep herself composed, no longer has any sort of care for how tidy - or even clean - she is, and no longer has a filter when she's getting aggressive, hence my original thought that her holding in anger is more of a mannerism. Despite everything here, though, she's still an enjoyable character for reasons that are far different from anyone else in the cast, even if it's only because her banter with Trixie pre-TKIY is a bit of a riot.
I absolutely love Nikita, even if she isn't the kind of character I vibe with the most. 10/10.
Heidi - Heidi is the most unexpected character portrayal in the game that I can think of and that is absolutely the best part. There's so many contradictory traits that it's amazing she even functions, but at the same time it makes complete sense when you separate all of the traits and look at them individually. Making herself visually intimidating as a Hyena of all things, and going so far as to paint her spots and jacket with red, having a biker jacket in general, always being loud and assertive and always having some sort of weapon... it seems to me like it's more of a façade to hide the fact she's a total nerd and cares about people a lot. Still does illegal stuff though, so it's not fully that way.
The way that she develops her relationship with Trixie in her route is something I can best describe as "Emotional Support Hyena". You're completely able to peer into Heidi's "other side" when you're working with her, to the point that you can take that mask she has and achieve the "correct" ending because of it, but this doesn't dent anything with her in the end; as things become more and more strange with Neufrund being around and all of the other events at the hands of Nikita, Heidi becomes less and less aggressive towards Trixie, and completely breaks character (or "breaks character") whenever Trixie ends up being a bit hurt or sad. Even despite almost killing the both of them, she also does not blame Trixie for anything and goes so far as to protect Trixie over herself in every situation they come across, even though she comes across as someone who's likely selfish.
Heidi is a complex character when you look beyond the surface, and that's the kind of character I enjoy quite a bit. That, and being such a massive dork while also being angsty has its own unique charm. 10/10.
Bell - Bell is by far the most relaxed character in the cast, but there's quite a lot to unbuckle despite this. Her being so unemotional on the surface doesn't mean that she isn't that way at all; hell, if anything she's likely the most emotional out of everyone in a way that isn't as obvious as it is with say, Gregg. This, mixed with the fact that she's so unhappy with the fact that she has to do actual work, her past relationship with LeRose and how much she actually talks about her compared to everyone else despite their relationship being long over, and her unwillingness to really talk about things going on with her own past... it all leads me to believe that she has her own kind of depression, much like LeRose does, which would help explain why the two have bonded so well.
Everything that happens with Bell only made me like her more. She isn't trying to be flamboyant or extravagant, not trying to show off or anything, nothing like that; rather, she goes through an average day with Trixie while trying her best to also make Trixie feel better by going out of her way to go places that she would enjoy, even though she's the one that's lonely and could very easily just drag Trixie wherever as long as it was somewhere. The way that she cracks small jokes and leaves it at that, the fact that once Trixie started to talk a bit more she completely stopped talking and let her go on through all of it without once interrupting minus at the very start, the way she tries to make absolutely sure Trixie is okay before she goes and does something... it's very commendable, and she does all of this despite how desperate she is to get some attention towards herself, when clearly she could try and make it about herself.
I sincerely enjoy Bell as a character, and can't help but feel sympathetic towards the way she feels. My friend feels the same way as her, too, so it hits a lot closer to home. 10/10.
Gregg - Calling Gregg eccentric would be kind of a light way to put it, but they aren't exactly hyper by any means. They're the nicest person among the cast and certainly the most generous, going out of their way to ensure that their friends are all okay even at a literal cost. They're also the most expressive, being the only character in the game that actually cries and let me tell you it kind of hurt to see them cry. Despite this, they can also be a little bastard and it's really amusing; by far the best moment would be the caffeine rush that absolutely convinces them to go and steal from North Acres while driving recklessly.
There isn't as much to say about Gregg as the others, but I can really commend them for trying their absolute hardest to keep their bakery open even when things get so hard while also offering to show Trixie how to bake at the expense of their own ingredients and time, and it's especially nice to see they're not even remotely upset with anyone for anything that happens, even with Trixie messing up her baking so horribly bad. At the same time, there's a whole lot of unintentional humor with the crime side of them and just how horribly uncharacteristic it is to see someone that looks so sweet become so riled up that they feel the need to burglarize a town. Their relationship with everyone is sweet, but not as sweet as those muffins...
While Gregg falls a little more flat to me than the others, there's way too much to enjoy about them for me to dock anything from them. They're also likely perfect for other people.
Parsnip - Parsnip is an awful character for the best reasons, and it is 100% intentional. I can't even begin to describe Parsnip as a character, just know you're going to hate them and that's how it's meant to be.
LeRose - LeRose is an amazing representation of someone who is suffering through multiple things. There's not as much going on with her as you don't spend the most time with her, but it's really cute how much more open she is with Bell despite the fact things ended between them a while ago, and her absolute hatred towards Parsnip to the point of considering arson had me balling.
Neufrund - Neufrund is a devilish little... goat. His mysterious character remains very consistent throughout the entire game, and at the same time, you can see right through certain parts of him while you play the game. His horrible temper and absolute disgust towards The King, combined with him being the only person that has tangible proof of possessing magic, creates a dynamic that can only be described as unsettling at best and horrifying at worst. The worst part of it is just how unwavering he is when he's trying to get the second book from Trixie; he's so obsessed with it that he forgoes an actual broken limb, only fleeing when he catches fire due to the possible threat of being exposed, and takes over Heidi's shop and forces Trixie into a situation just to get what he wants before ultimately almost killing them both anyways. Fantastic continuation from Parsnip.
Gameplay
I'll be completely honest, this is one of the only games I've ever played where I actually felt afraid, even if it wasn't awfully afraid or anything. The tense, unsettling music combined with imagery and writing that described things so extremely well, all of it was putting me on edge effortlessly. This was partially because it's such an absurd change of tone from the rest of the game before it starts at the Cottage, but this doesn't change just how effective it is at being genuinely unsettling. The use of the same track in situations where there is dread is an outstanding repurpose as well, as it goes from music conveying a mysterious tone, to that of one completely void of hope or full of dread.
That said... the comedy in this game is also a goddamn riot if I've ever seen it. There's a lot of humor in the game that's sexual, sure, but it can go so much farther than that in so many different kinds of ways that there's something for everyone to enjoy in some way, even stepping foot into the dark humor side of things with Trixie referring to Squirrel Kid as a "little fucker". There's also repeat gags in the game, with my favorite being a total of three mentions of Trixie being a sub if my memory serves me correctly, all of which are in different connotations entirely. Even things that come off as just normal writing from Trixie end up being stupidly comical, much like when Trixie describes that people say she has a bat fetish, only to later confirm this by mentioning Gregg's small fangs despite having literally no bearing on anything that is going on.
The way you can also find out so much about this world and all of its little intricacies and stories is also phenomenal. There was quite a lot of work put into not only the story behind the events that are currently happening and the vague story given to Carcosa, but many other stories that are around as well, such as the Antlered Tree and my favorite of all, Mr. Sproingy himself. So much storytelling is jammed into one small section more towards the end of the game, but you're able to read through all of it and see just how much this world has to offer in terms of past events and even some backstory to characters you never even see in the game, much like The King.
There's also a lot of humor put into the game that is either referential or a fun kind of dumb, such as Speciesist Dickhead(TM) or the literary paper on The King in Yellow that you can read, respectively. Quite a lot to enjoy here.
Impact
I cannot express enough that this game is something that will stick with you for a while if you're someone, like me, who likes to play games like this far more for the experience than how cute the characters are. Not to say that the characters aren't cute, as all of them are very pleasant in their own ways, but this is the kind of experience that lingers in your mind for very good reason. It doesn't matter which route you decide to take, as there's something for everyone here. However, with that said, I cannot recommend at least doing Bell's path at least once enough, just due to how much you're able to see into Trixie as a character.
All of the characters get their own fleshing out in every single path, and even have interconnecting points scattered through and through whether you realize it or not, such as: the customer that ends up coming in on days with Heidi actually being Bell to pick up her magazine; the burglary that happens with Delilah Moonbeam happening with both Heidi and Gregg but with differences in Gregg's tone due to having Trixie with them or not; and of course, being able to figure out a lot of details of other paths by playing through certain ones, much like how you learn a lot about the Antlered Tree by playing in Bell's despite having the most prominence in Gregg's, and how you're able to have the mask in Bell's route despite only learning about its true origin and how it isn't related to The King in Yellow at all if you play on Heidi's.
The most important part is that this game is a flawless representation of real people and real personalities. This isn't representation for the sake of drawing in a crowd, it is very genuine representation that is extremely real despite the fact it's a visual novel full of anthropomorphic characters with questionable sexualities. As I mentioned with Trixie specifically, it is painful how real the representation is here.
With absolute certainty, I can say that you absolutely should play this game.
Also, I came here literally a year later to fix a small grammatical error. Don't mind me.