Oh, god. Writing this with literal tears streaming down my face. This was... was... SO MANY things LOL Just... wow. The ups and downs my emotions (and heart) went through while playing this numbered more than I can count, and the ending left me feeling both completely at peace yet also 50 shades of weepy at the same time. (I got the Goodbye ending, which might also explain it—though I'm not sure what other endings there are, so I'll need to try some different choices next time 🤭)
GUHH. Honestly, just. Everything about this game is AMAZINGLY done. Even from the get-go starting it up, I found myself immersed in its autumn-tinged world, from the absolutely gorgeous BGs (with delightful animations!), to the liltingly poignant music, to the gorgeous UI (the little leaf in the middle was so cute and sweet), to the beautiful sprite art and CGs. Autumn is already my favorite season—and this game was like getting sucked straight into it, from the colors and vibe to the bittersweet story that just felt like something meant straight for fall.
The slow-build of this is amazingly done. And really necessary?? Like, the story really hinges on the MC's relationship with Nathan—how it starts, grows and develops, hits all the different beats—and the ending would never have felt "deserved" I think without all the rich interaction you get to experience between the two of them, watching not only their relationship grow but also them both as individuals, too. My heart wept for them so much!! Not only at the end, which was literal tear-jerker tears flying mode, but also at other points in the story, whether it was their fight in the middle to even just the little poignant moments they shared (GUHHH THE PHOTOGRAPH MOMENT, MY GOD, I HAD TO STOP MOMENTARILY BECAUSE I WAS GETTING TOO EMOTIONAL).
The writing in general was absolutely beautiful. There's so much wonderful world- and character-building happening and woven into each line, exquisitely written descriptions and emotions. Everything felt so incredibly natural between the two of them, and I also got quite a few chuckles from the jokes and some of the refs (LOL THE SUPERNATURAL REFERENCE) and the use of expertly timed zooms to land a joke or two. Oh, I forgot to mention how much I enjoyed the choices screen!! LOVE! It's so unique and fun. I especially loved how the main char's face would change depending on the choice to give you an idea of how she feels about it. Also the photographs! What a wonderful little effect! And then seeing them show up on the screen gradually. Little moments like this helped the game seem even MORE polished if it's at all possible and were just so delightful. Like little extra nuggets in an already engrossing experience.
ALSO ULYSSES IS BEST BOY AND MY HEART SQUISHED EVERY TIME HE WAS THERE.
Anyway, just, amazing job. Loved every moment of this. And their story is going to stick with me for a while now—probably even more so now that the leaves are changing, so it'll remind me of them every time I look outside the window 🍂💕