Full disclosure: While I was reading the setup of the story, I had to stop for a few minutes. I was wondering whether maybe this wasn't the game for me. I wanted to make choices to affect the flow of the plot. I therefore went back to the game's page to double-check the description, only then to realize that there was only one ending. I've enjoyed kinetic novels before, but I have a huge preference for multiple choices and endings. I seriously considered moving on to another game at that point. However, as I was skimming through the comments, I saw highly positive feedback that encouraged me to continue. And I'm eternally grateful that I did!
The distinct and expressive character designs, especially of Pavel, first drew me to download this game. But the entire project just wows on every level imaginable: the fleshed-out worldbuilding; the overall sci-fi/technological aesthetic and graphics; the way the sprites and camera move; the variety in visuals and storytelling formats, including the epistolary portions and the art style that shifts as the situation steadily grows direr; and the great music, sound design, and voice acting. In short, everything in this game is so meticulously planned to snag the player's attention right off the bat and to ensure that they stay engaged the entire way through.
I didn't expect to get so attached to the characters! I teared up not once, not twice, but thrice! And I gasped and cursed to myself so many times. Because I haven't played malViolence yet, I was totally in the dark about the fates of these characters and was filled with more and more dread as the story rapidly barreled toward its high-stakes and action-packed conclusion. Then I was super satisfied by the ending and overjoyed upon reading the extras. I can't wait to check out the sequel now. I'm desperate to learn more about these characters, the challenges they face, and the seemingly dystopian world they inhabit.
This is one of my favorite VNs/KNs in recent memory. Congrats to everybody in the team for delivering such a standout project! You're all incredible!
(Note: Copy-pasting this comment from the Spooktober VN Jam 2023 page.)