Oh my god, Joy, thank you so much for your very detailed and thorough feedback! And I have to agree with you: the game can get very dark, so if anyone is reading this before playing, please make sure you can handle the trigger warnings (and to anyone reading this answer: it is not spoiler-free)!
Yes, it was very important for me to tackle the game from Chloé's perspective, rather than from her predator (similar to what the actual Lolita does: it explores the layers of a narcissistic's mind) because, in the end, I felt like the important story to tell wasn't Matthieu's, but Chloé's: the story of a victim who has to realise she's in a situation of abuse to get out of it.
Yes, what's very frustrating with Matthieu is that he is a very layered character! At the same time, when he dies, you can think: "Oh, he could have been better", but at the same time... he does things that are unacceptable and him recognising it is more like him pretending to be a victim of his feelings, rather than him taking accountability for his own actions? (In the ending you didn't get, a point mentioned is the following: a healthy adult would never say something like "I love her despite her young age", because they wouldn't project any romantic love on a teenager; and to give clues about this ending, let's say that in the ending you've got, Chloé has totally rebuilt herself, in the other ending, she's still trying to rebuild herself, but once again, her relationship with Matthieu eventually meets its end).
Thank you for sharing your experience, it mustn't be an easy thing to do (and to be honest, I don't even manage to share mine, haha)! I don't think he was any better since, in the end, he says this terrible thing which Matthieu also says, albeit phrased in another manner: I fail to see the difference between "we could be something if you were 18" and "I love you despite your age". And in the end, they steal something which is important, as you mention: childhood, and at such an age, more importantly, the closure of childhood to become a healthy young adult.
I'm happy you felt satisfied with the ending you got, I wanted it to be very positive for Chloé! I'd say the other is more bittersweet, but still overall happy (after everything she went through, she didn't deserve a sad ending).
And yes! In the devlog (don't know if you read it), I try to break down the way I see the teacher/student relationships trope tackled, and although the "evil teaching whose only goal is to groom children" is the best of the ones I mentioned (as this treatment at least sends a clear message: in these relationships, the teacher is up to no good), I wanted to paint a more nuanced Matthieu. He isn't a monster because it's his fatum, but because he performs monstrous actions.
Chloé is mature, but I think you can still tell she isn't totally. In her relationship with Matthieu, I hope it is clear that she's forcing herself to appear mature to please him, but even if the way she manages her feelings (in the ending you didn't get, she's almost beating up Bastien because she believes he told the headmaster about her relationship with Matthieu) or considers others (at some point, during the café scene, she mentions enjoying mature men because people her age are not nearly as emotionally complex... it's a thought I had a lot as a teenager, but that I don't hold anymore as a grown-up, obviously). And yes, I really think that, in the end, she deserves to feel happy and optimistic about her life, to realise she's the one who can change it, and that she doesn't need to rely on some random sexual predator.
I'm looking forward to these discussions! I wanted this game to raise the right questions about these situations (i.e. not "is this right?" because hell no, but "what are the signs? How can we protect children?"). And thank you! I don't know if it was being brave to write it, but I know this is very important to me, so I wanted to do it full justice.
Thanks for noticing the technical details, haha! I put a lot of work in them! And yes, I'm really happy Lucie and Bastien still supported Chloé, and only wish Chloé would realise earlier they were the kind of support she needed (but there wouldn't be any story if things were that easy, right?).
And aaaaah!!!!! Don't say such nice things, I won't know where to hide then!! Indeed, it would have been a bit tricky to record yourself while playing this difficult game, so glad you reached out to Chatter to make sure you played it with the right "set-up", if I dare use the word!
"If you ever have doubts in regards to your writing, you've done good work! You've written a story worth telling, and I will forever sing it's praises." F4RF4D3EREEZED THIS IS TOO MUCH MY HEART, AAAAH!!!!
But thank you very much, Joy, I'm very happy you had a good impression of the game despite it being so dark and I hope you soon find your joy!!!!!