Augma II Arc I is an experimental surrealist monolith -- despite it being quite short -- that is the result of years of deep thought and introspection through the lens of just one person and a few likeminded collaborators. There's a sincere fascination for the weird parts of life, the things you don't really think about, the nuances of the unusual, the avant-garde, slathered all over this visual novel. Although its' writing can be somewhat elementary and choppy at times, that's the result of a long journey of passion and it doesn't really take away from the full experience that the game wants to be, and although the story may peeve some in ways that may slightly annoy or bore the reader, again, it is a result of that passion. Arc I is both enormous yet tiny as a speck in regards to the universe it's set in, and that is what makes it so compelling.
In regards to the best things Arc I does, perhaps it's greatest achivement is it's world building, atmosphere, and overall synchronization between it's different aesthetics, from the music, to the characterization of the many personalities that you'll become familiar with, to the unique art style. Dystopian sci-fi and cyberpunk settings are not rare; in fact, it's quite the opposite in recency, but it's been quite a while since I've seen it looked at in the lens that the writer sees it through here. It's presentation is subtle but ever-looming, and the way each track of the OST is inserted in to each situation is almost always fitting and/or seamless, even if the quality of the compositions aren't all too consistent... not that it's necessarily a bad thing, as there aren't any tunes that I believe anyone would take offense to. On a personal note, the ambient tracks that were made for this game are absolutely breathtaking.
The writing style Kamigigana also incorporates makes it even more immersive, as the abstractions and complications of the English language in his grasp seem to just flow as freely as water, yet you still feel some jagged edges like it's some strong current, since it keeps you grounded, as much as it likes to be whimsical and rarely silly, even if that silliness can be poorly placed. There's a long stretch of chapters from 4 to 9 that I really enjoyed, with the ninth being my favorite. It's an achivement and a half to execute that sort of concept in an interesting way. The last stretch is also great, but doesn't appeal to me as much as the more bizarre concepts that are put on display. The ending is also one of the greatest parts of the story, leaving you with a lot of questions and truly makes you wonder who the cast can trust.
As for the weaker aspects, there aren't all too many. Many might find the beginning to be slow or out of place. It's mostly issues with characters and the comedy which in retrospect didn't fit too well with the rest of the overarching plotline that was built after the initial ideas of the plot. Some scenes I personally find too long in the story on the later chapters, but that's a matter of personal gripes or simply due to me not being used to that sort of style.
If you can trust me on one thing, this visual novel tries a lot of new things. Augma is a series I absolutely look forward to. There are stories with potential, and then there are stories with promise. One is a possibility, and one is a guarantee.
Augma is one of the strongest examples of the latter that I have had the pleasure of reading.
Strong 7/10 - Light 8/10