I loved //TODO: today. It's arguably one of the best western otome I've played. I honestly didn't get into the game with any high expectations, but this game really impressed me. It drew me in fast. I became fond of the cast pretty quickly and connected with the characters a lot, especially the MC - Teal. I was able to identify quite a bit with her issues and saw myself in her from time to time throughout the the game (I played as a girl). I related plenty with her past - in losing oneself in fictional realities and imaginary characters as a means to cope with loneliness and hardships. As well as generally being a loner. I mean, isn't that why I'm playing this game? Haha. ^^;
I also identified with the frequent themes of procrastination, depression, lack of motivation and being conflict-avoidant. It's still a constant struggle in my life. It's truly empowering watching her journey as she, step by step, climbs her way out of her rut and slowly overcome her internal struggles with the intention to improve and possibly bring herself closer to her dream; with the added aid from Joyce, of course. I actually wished I had someone like Joyce in my life - giving me those regular nudges in the right direction and just pushing me toward being a better version of myself. Sometimes it can be incredibly challenging being your only motivator, especially when you're low on motivation yourself.
*spoiler* My favorite segment in the story was rescuing Joyce. The heartfelt conversation shared between Teal and Joyce was one of the best scenes in the game, as well as the risky escapade it took to getting to Joyce - I felt genuine excitement and tension for the group. *end spoiler* Anywho, I think Teal and Phoenix would be the better romantic pair, given how well their personalities meshed together (both being loners and introverted) and their common interests, but I obviously got more attached to Joyce. I liked the openness between Joyce and Teal, and the way they both played a role in positively changing one another. I enjoyed the character development from the main 3; how they tried to adapt and later see things from a new perspective.
Some more thoughts:
Phoenix looks like a chill person I wouldn't mind hanging out with irl. Male version of Phoenix also looks like a K-Pop idol. Yes, I did simp for an AI. Moreover.. please add Suuji and Ken as dating options! I was seriously hoping to potentially romance Suuji until I realized that they weren't a dating option. Suuji was such a wholesome cutie, haha. And Ken seems like such a laid-back, fun dude. I'm a straight woman, but I think the inclusivity and choices in the game was great, notably for those who would benefit more from them! I loved the pastel color palette and the art. Maybe not what I'm used to from commercial otome, but very pretty nonetheless and for a FREE game. That being said, I definitely enjoyed this game. Writing, characters and art were all solid. The game was rather educational too.
THANK YOU for supporting Linux as a platform! I played this on my old, potato laptop that's running Linux Mint 20.3 Una from a USB stick. Really appreciate you giving native support.