// this is a real long one, i apologize, i couldn't help myself
AAAAAAAAAAAAA
I've finally finished my first run through of the whole game in about 23 or so hours and GODDAMN do I have some things to say after that! It's less review and more me screaming into the void about the game in a very incoherent manner.
Possible Spoilers and horribly long and non-chronological bullet points that are just me ranting about certain points in the game are under the cut.
[ Numina ]
× it's rants all the way down... ×
First of all, rpg game is very rpg! I honestly don't hone too much attention on gameplay mechanics, but I'm very thankful for whoever thought we needed a story mode as a difficulty. I get really dumb sometimes with combat so it's helpful to turn it on whenever haha
As for the music, I find myself partial to the end credits song (I'm guessing it's the one called Echoes)! It's all melancholic and stuff considering we just said Goodbye to Shawn and the gang and I really liked that.
The Goodbye Scene really did end up making me tear up though. Shawn and the gang are just so sweet it kinda hurts.
I'm gonna miss my first run version of Shawn and the gang. But like Naomi said, I can just keep coming back to them and she'll always be waiting.
As a whole TLDR for what happened during my 19hr playthrough: I got the Noema end (Sarah ended up dying during the whole gate/fence thing so whoopsies, my bad) where I defeated Cealon and just destroyed the Guphs in finality rather than killing Naomi.
Unsure if this is a real Good End considering Raph still dies and I accidentally killed Sarah, but it's definitely a positive kind of end, so I'm content with this as of now.
At this point, I'm just gonna try to figure out how to get that very colorful question mark ending during my NG+ run. But I'm assuming that's just the end where everyone survives and the Guphs aren't sucking up souls anymore. Maybe Raph even EXTRA survives and gets a cure— idk, I'll find out later on.
Anyway, Rant Time!
* Okay, first things first, fucking RIP everyone that was yeeted into the yummy fun magic making blender under the city temples. Especially the lil guy we were controlling at the introduction.
but– BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY?
MASAMEEE NOOOOOOOOOO
SKHDKSJSJ GODDAMN WAS MY TIME WITH HIM SHORT 😭😭 WHY WAS HE SO FUN WHEN HE WAS GONNA BE SO SO VERY DEAD LATER???? I mean I get it and I knew the portraitlessness of Masame probs meant SOMETHING but GOD was I not ready for that sudden loss.
* Moving onto other things, I think it's sweet how the guardian spirit and Shawn's relationship dynamic is like when you two just get along. I just love him to bits and want him to be happy <3
The whole relationship thing in game is cool in general. The highest relationship bar I think I had was either 3 or 4 hearts with every party member, feel like they could be higher tbh but ehhh...
Still proud I got a 7 heart relationship with Shawn tho. It was literally the one relationship I tried to maintain on the steady up and up in game lmao.
* As for the little things in-game? Well, I think it's pretty neat that Shawn absolutely doesn't care whether he wears the prince or princess outfit for the costume ball plans. He looks really nice as Princess Aurora! Or at least that's what I think his costume looks like. Really pretty either way!
But yeah, that one thing I fixated on aside, I love all the characters and their whole things!
Sarah and Jael's whole creator-created relationship and Sarah having found a family with Shawn and the others? Good Shit.
Cassandra's disdain for the box that has cost her so much in these past days/probably weeks? Damn, I wish I could do more for you girl.
Aziel? My man, your whole existence is pain but thanks for weakening Kyade for me in that one battle. Davin? Perhaps in another life indeed.
The Ecclesia and the Rebels both being questionable as all hell with Cealon and Kyade as their leaders? God they always had me question where my loyalties should be during the run. Unfortunate for them that they lie only with Shawn.
As for my thoughts on the four party members? Well, the little moments that happen with Shawn and them are all very nice. I just like how easily they all ended up being friends— despite the looming terror of the Ecclesia hunting them down haha.
That and it's cute how the three have the possibility of having a romance route should you so steer Shawn in that direction. I was actually tempted to push him towards Arc buuut I held off a bit since I wanted to try a whole run without some romance sprinkled around for now.
* AND YET SOMEHOW I FOUND LOVE EITHER WAY >:/
There's something really funny about being blindsided in my post-narrative platonic route with Shawn by a confession scene by NONE OTHER THAN MYSELF!!!
I mean— I didn't mind the whole thing but WHAT????? I WASN'T INFORMED SHAWN AND THE PLAYER COULD END UP BEING A THING WHAT???
The fact that Shawn x Player can be an actual thing if you push through with a save that's only purely platonic for the gang is just— Oh my god??? Why would you do this to me??? I have so much Brainrot™ for Shawn now I can't— 🥺
Absolutely horrible how I just finished my first run of the game and I had to finish it while bawling.
The fact that Shawn and Player confess possible romantic inclinations for each other in post-narrative hurts in this really bittersweet way that has me wanting to make fanfic so I can soothe that pain.
I hate this and how much I wanna write a drabble to say how sad I am that I'm never gonna see my Shawn and his endearing dork ass self again. (only technically, but y'know.)
Ahhh, but no joke, that was a really interesting part of my ending and I very much appreciated it despite this relationship being so short for Shawn and his Player.
But yeah, the whole rant about only a few parts of the game aside, I seriously wanna thank you for the wonderful experience this game has offered me in the span of 24 hours. It was a wild ass ride and I'll cherish the memories I gained dearly and will keep them close to my heart.
Again, thank you so much for Numina <3