Hinterlands III followed by Chapter 16 is such a one-two punch of Minotaur Hotel's strengths. I was sure Hinterlands III would be the highlight with how deftly it gets you to care about these two new characters while simultaneously expanding and twisting the time management system that was just introduced. And then everything happened with the Deep Labyrinth. The conversation of why Asterion, our Little Star, calls you master; how it's a form of gloating, while the gorgeous and evocative Foolish Child plays in the background is cathartic. It gave me real House in Fata Morgana vibes, which speaks to how wide this casts its net.
I only started with the 0.5 build, so I can't say how it's always been, but I'm consistently impressed by the music. It enhances the already transportive writing. And I love how alive the scrolling text and eventually sprite movement makes things. It's fitting you first get that movement when finding Asterion holding on, as alive as he's forced to be, only to grow the more people enter the story and hotel. For a story about being stuck to one place, there's so much movement. I can't imagine any of this was simple, but I'm so impressed by the what everyone has made.
Thank you for this experience.