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My god (lmao) this was amazing. I couldn't help but notice all the little details I'm not sure I'm reaching for straws here but seriously, that was such a great VN!

The one thing I want to hilariously note is that the stranger is a carpenter but he has seriously great style. I would have taken him for a hairstylist or someone working in the beauty industry because he looks THAT good. But I think him being a carpenter has some ties to the religious aspect.

As someone born and raised as a Roman Catholic, I noticed interesting things about the Stranger. The first being that he is a carpenter like Jesus is. Not just that but he makes allusions of wanting to be saved through prayer, and yet his actions contradict what he wants which is common among people, religious hypocrisy. He feels entitled of wanting to be saved and thus doesn't care about the feelings of Songbird (MC) to the point that even if you input your name or change your choices, his actions and reactions don't even change as if he doesn't acknowledge the difference in which you interact with him.

I like how you used the game jam's limitation (especially the word limit of 1k) to envoke this sense of helplessness and feeling of not being in control. As a player, despite whatever situation your MC is in, you have the power/control/option to save and reload. However here, the SAVE option was scratched out forcing us to continue on. I also find it thematic in a sense that because the Stranger wants to be saved, and because it wants that therefore Songbird's desire to be saved isn't equivalent to its desire. Like the Stranger's wants are more important than that of its captive.

Another thing I like to note is again, that helplessness. Even if we input the name (like I put in the name Robin because hello, it's on bird theme) as soon as we press enter the Stranger speaks up instantly to call us Songbird, almost as if he's too deluded to accept his captive has a name of their own. Because names are powerful, they hold not just culture and historical importance that the character exists but that it's integral to their identity as a unique individual, the Stranger calling us what HE thinks of us, a songbird, erases who we are as a person and gives it the foundation to create the person the Stranger believes we are.

This loss of control is especially important to the Stranger and to us, no matter what option we pick, he continues on with his lines as if any choices yield the same answer. Your choices and actions don't matter. And as a VN player, picking choices is pretty much important to see who the character and your own MC is. By not reacting it shows that the Stranger is genuine in who he is (a delusional religious entitled person) and that MC's personality (which we already know is blank to allow self-inserts) doesn't matter, which is honestly great if you want to explain why a blank slate like MC can exist.

I also like how in the title screen, when you choose to adjust the settings the Stranger's eyes stare straight at you. I think it's neat because this is the only instance where the player has control of something, but the Stranger will always be looking at you, making sure you know your "decision" will still be monitored.

I'M NOT EVEN STARTING ON THE CANARY AND SONGBIRD SYMBOLISM!!

So canaries, especially those in cages, were used by coal mineries to ensure that if there were toxic gases it would alert or kill the bird first leading the miners to realize there were toxic gases and flee to safety. They were also pretty small to allow the miners to bring them in. Songbirds, on the other hand, come from the same family as canaries but are domesticated, but they seem to be different birds (probably due to domestication like wolves and dogs). Songbirds symbolize innocence, naivety, freedom, and joy. 

To me, we view ourselves as a Canary. A small bird (especially when compared to how tall the Stranger is) that is being kept at a cage that will eventually die because of the toxic gas that will eventually warn of danger (the Stranger). But to the Stranger, we are its Songbird, to him we are domesticated by him but just don't know it. For someone who desperately seeks to be accepted for his demons and to be saved, the symbolism of the songbirds seem to give him this comfort that someone so innocent that can accept his ugly and terrifying self seems to soothe him. Even though, in reality, the Canary will end up dying.

To Eat A Canary may have come from the saying "like the cat that ate the canary" which means extreme happiness, smugness, or satisfaction. It describes someone who is so pleased with themselves, perhaps about a success, that they are behaving in a conceited or over-confident manner. So by that point, it would be how the Stranger feels pleased that its plan of taking MC and making them his works, would be the only ending it wants. 

There are so much I want to talk about but my comment is already getting longgg. I just want to say how much I enjoyed the experience and am looking forward if there are more to come! Amazing job to everyone involved!!

Oh my god that was so off-putting. The story was so odd and had left me with a lot of questions. Namely, why were the three kidnapped to be lab experiments as we can see. Not just that, but it's interesting how the three characters -- owl, goat, and wolf -- are two predators and one prey, especially with the ending implications.

The short length helped further the mystery, especially when we aren't so sure what happened. We have less information than August but with the 1000 word limitation it helped cut off any information that could have possibly help us in understanding the circumstances these friends find themselves in.

The ending had me having thoughts, either both Noah and August had to attack Caleb leaving to August being attacked by Noah or was it that Noah was ready to have all three of them die together as per what his final words in the story claimed, that they would all be together. And with the doors opening, did it mean that they were going to retrieve Noah or were they going to eliminate all of them. 

It's such a curious thought! I really enjoy the mystery and wonder if there will be more to this story than what we see here!

My gosh that was something. First meeting with Riven was really something. The way the artist drew him was so, look he was hot okay. Silver haired men go batshit insane in the most chill way possible and I am HERE for that. I enjoyed the way the story panned out and how we get hints of what MC is dealing through. The secret CG tripped me up (that and the 2 normal CGs because I was wondering what the hell was the other normal CG) but thankfully I saw your comment explaining how to get it and MAN, it just asked more questions! Particularly about the origin of that scar...

But also like, mafia men? Whoo boy I was down bad for MafiaTale Sans back in highschool and that shit has NOT left me at all. Anyway, love how Riven feels like this in control and composed character despite the violence he can easily cause. And the way he forced MC to stab the creepy VIP? Absolutely phenomenal that scene was way too intimate for what it should be, way more intimate than that kiss scene AHAHA

Looking forward to the full game! Especially looking forward to how MC can even hope to escape the city they're in. And learning more about who exactly Riven is, is really exciting and I feel like it's gonna be tragic. Job well done here~!

Woah, I was caught off guard by the 3rd ending. I and like all the others thought it was just another fantasy story but apparently it isn't all that it seems to be. I feel so bad for the poor Angel, I'm also worried what will come to the MC now that they know the secret and let the Angel go. Will they replace him??

But aside from that, in my mind MC equally runs away and they live on the run together :')) But this was such a great short VN, I liked the sense of futility at the start when you could only get the 2 endings until the 3rd ending was found.

Aaaa this was such a cute VN! I absolutely adore the visuals and voice acting, it was done so good and just the way Virgil's personality played off was such an endearing and fun experience! I absolutely adore his design, I would for real be lost staring at him because he is SUCH a pretty boy.

Also all the tropey things? Absolutely hilarious, I love the small banter and conversations we can see, and not just that but Ending 2 is by far my favorite (Ending 3 is also funny imo). Love the somewhat shift in atmosphere but now I so badly want to see a sequel where MC and Virgil employ all the tropes and banter over which is better or which person suits their assigned human-- Aaa the idea is so good and just well-done!

The scenario will live long in my head, but again, to everyone involved they did SUCH a great job bringing this VN to life. It really is the best and I absolutely loved it!

Awww that was so cute!! I love how light hearted everything is and how chill both characters are. Though the background made my head and eyes spin, I would brave it for these dorks.

This was so curious, I have to say I love the character design of Shavil, looks appropriately undead to me. I also love how we get to see glimpses of the character history between MC and their master. Throughout it, I like that there was a stark difference between the two endings. How MC was resigned and that Shavil realized he couldn't force MC to continue living (also probably due to his own feelings) or how MC was their playful determined self that inspired Shavil to continue on despite the curse MC found themselves in. I like how he's still protective over his apprentice mage. Great work done here!

That was so interesting, especially with the strange woman and the consequences of said actions. But I do like how in End 3 was the good ending, as it did show that since the main character was being polite and nice, the stranger seemed willing to let him go. Especially with Thea being exasperated over it lmao.

When I saw the name "Zachariah Crowley" my first words were "This pretentious bitch" no wonder he's so cocky lmfao. But honestly, the pretty boy has a pretty voice, I do think the set up is pretty intriguing, especially how Nightingale can't really get over him because the hurt was fresh. I'm so curious about the event that happened with the Sarada Clan and how Nightingale actually survived that.

Despite that, I don't really think Zach was shown to be cocky, he was more annoying and soft lmao. Dude even braved the kick to the balls for his love, also that seduction tactic? Bro I was telling both Nightingale and I this bitch is just gonna lure and leave us (bec of that honey trap). But honestly, it was more wholesome than I anticipated, I thought it'd be lovers to exes to enemies but it was quite sweet at the end.

Very noicee

Woah, that was an experience. I haven't played the main game where Sheol comes from but I remember playing The Painting and being fully blown away by the emotional storytelling and narrative quality. And even in this VN it didn't disappoint!

I found the voice actor's delivery of each line to be so impactful, it was so intriguing reading through the dialogue and trying to choose words that weren't hurtful but I guess it's just premade it into the script ahaha. Despite that, it was so interesting reading through the story and trying to understand what is happening despite not having the full story.

From what I understand, the character, Sheol, is talking to her mother who is stricken by an illness, possibly a plague if she's from the past. Her mother seemed to be the complete opposite of Sheol being more lively, bright, and energetic that made Sheol adore her mother despite being the opposite. I get the sense that Sheol deeply cherishes her mother who didn't seem to think Sheol differently despite her clothes and gloomy self, and instead encouraged her writing hobbies and interests.

Then, the illness begins to get worse as her mother's mental and physical state fully deteriorates. I'm thinking something debilitating as Alzheimer's but maybe not so? Anyway, I like how Sheol really tried to save her mother by putting in words and writing them down, most likely because her mother adored Sheol's poetry and her creativity. But as it progresses on, her mother's mental state becomes exhausted from trying to think up on words to appease the girl and she begins to think of darker thoughts.

Probably because Sheol is wearing dark clothes and pale skin, her mother thought she was a monster. And afraid for her life, either she killed herself or Sheol but seeing as the main game where Sheol comes from is a purgatory, then it must mean her mother killed Sheol in a delusional state.

If so, god I can't imagine how it must feel. Sheol very obviously loves her mother and thought the whole world of her, and then an illness comes and takes away her mother's brightness leaving a hollow husk behind that she doesn't want to leave even if it's dangerous.  It just really speaks to me and I find this awesome both narrative wise but also from the simple effects of the distorted voice, features, and lights. It was all so immersive, amazing job with this!

This was so much fun! I love how funny and light hearted everything is. It's so much fun to collect all the endings and I just love how the entire world is set up to just sit back, enjoy, and have fun. Love Posey's wacky adventures and the fun it brings me.

Based on the tumblr post they had tendonitis on their shoulder where their dominant hand was so it's taking some time for it to heal properly

It was quite the fun and relaxing visual novel. I love the aesthetics, they were so cute and dang you really didn't skimp out on the pinks and reds. I do wish we got to know more about Cupid and Anteros, especially about the shared past the two gods had with one another and the common link of their falling out.

I'm also curious about our MC and the gods connections to one another as I'm sure there must be something about them that genuinely caught their attention...

I'm thinking that MC must have been the reincarnated soul of Psyche, which is why Cupid was so obsessed over MC's love life status and why Anteros was keeping a close eye on them, making sure they wouldn't suffer despite his unrequited love.

The pacing did feel rush but genuinely the premise of the story is very interesting, I look forward in case there is ever a fleshed out story but as of now, it's really a nice way to pass time and have some fun with the routes (it was kinda sad getting the rejection endings on Anteros, way more than the yandere route LMAO)

That was quite the experence, at first I was wondering why this was in the yandere category because you did well in establishing how the MC was acting all nervously and suspiciously attached to Emily. However, I began to realize it wasn't Emily per say, but her teeth. I like how it was established early on during the flashback portion the MC's detachment towards other people as his fixation towards being a "dentist" was being formed.

Especially with how he acted, the nervousness but still going through with it in the end until he was finally caught and yet had no real "punishment" other than being told he couldn't practice dentistry. I mean, how could you really criminalized what MC did? He was pretty careful and made sure not to take too many teeth during his victims, and he's still pretty rich. 

I have to say the ending felt a bit flat especially when the build up was pretty strong at the first part, but since it was limited due to it being a jam I honestly think it did well with its minimalistic style but strong story telling standpoint!

Wow, this was strangely uplifting in a way, kinda wholesome. I've always had to deal with existentialism and existential crisis as well as derealization and disassociation a lot when I was young. So weirdcore really hit me because of how easy it was for me to just stare off into the haze. I genuinely was steeling myself for any horror or spook factors but it wasn't all that bad.

MASSIVE SPOILERS DOWN BELOW AS I ANALYZE THIS BECAUSE MAN THIS REALLY INTRIGUED ME~!!

I like how Echo and MC's relationship is. Echo is already set up to be this shy character but in reality it seems as though her fears run deeper. She's scared of the end that will come and instead of facing it, she quickly hides away and uses the TV as some sort of justification as to why she feels the need to hide over something that many people are looking forward to.

Ms. Lucy and Arthur show how the end of the world isn't really bleak, it's how nature is and that you can't focus on the painful end and just try your best to enjoy the final days with people you love and be present in the moment. It contradicts what Echo is doing as she isolates herself, trapped in her own paranoia that she begins to forget her own parents and even the simple joys in life. 

Enter our MC who seems to going through the path as either Echo or Ms. Lucy and Arthur, we see that MC has the same ability to see the white door but I'm thinking that it's Echo who's allowing MC to see the door and her way of letting MC know that she still cares for MC a lot. The thing with MC going through different identities, I wonder if it's because it's a direct consequence of Echo hiding herself away and denying herself the opportunity to go out.

Because she forgot her own parents, I wonder if MC constantly changing their identities is a way to force Echo to remember MC, to pay attention to the world outside of the safe cocoon she built up and to hold tightly to the connected in the outside world. Conversely, it could also be MC "growing up" in a sense. The narrator makes it a point of telling us that they can't go back to their previous name -- that they've changed so they can't return back to who they were before. And we see MC's attitude change from being that childlike naive self to an angry kid and finally to an understanding kid who helps Echo no matter what ending you choose.

I just really liked that Echo and MC's relationship is built and how the two hold a very strong bond. But I also like how Ms. Lucy and Arthur really help MC grow and change to be more understanding and consequently, is able to further help Echo by internalizing their lesson of living true and kind to others.

Listen I was fresh out of reading an article for my major class while doing this so that may be where the other wolf came from, but aaaa good luck with everything!! Looking forward to what comes next and that the story continues to unfold in its many confusing but interesting elements~

WHERE DO I BEGIN?!??!

There will be major spoilers so I will adequately make sure they're at the very bottom for a certain someone but holy hell I gotta ramble because this really was thinking outside of the box for a certain yandere genre of visual novels.

First off! I love how the sprites are livelier compared to the previous version, they feel more dynamic and natural for the character's personalities but I swear to god I cannot take Asa seriously at all, why is this dude pulling in the yugioh move as soon as he slides into frame, does he want me to choke on my water???

ALSO IDRIS MY BELOVED, HOW ARE THEY LOOKING EVEN MORE MAJESTIC THAN BEFORE??? THEIR HAIR IS JUST *chefs kiss* (Finally the missing arm is fixed lmao)

Remy is Remy, but his new pose is quite dramatic and really fits in with his eccentric personality. I love how his sassines is being expressed really well and his long pink nails are making its comeback. Very him.

Another thing I noticed while playing through the VN was that the writing subtly flowed well. Though there were some grammatical errors (mostly punctuations) the sentences were much better and showed a bit more information about the protagonist than what we normally notice. 

There's also something really rewarding about choosing the choices, especially when the VN will change directions while also sharing a very different experience we normally get from linear story telling. The choices really help in giving more context on what's really happening and that not everything is as it is.

The one thing I'm really intrigued by is Remy, we already know that Asa is the yandere from the get go but Remy shows hesitance and seems to be questioning why he's even attracted to our character. I'm curious about the slow burn yandere-ification of Remy and the clue that Idris gives us about him being the type to treat someone like us as a living doll is very interesting.

I like how Asa's character was handled, with the previous versions we assumed the surface level knowledge (especially for those who are experienced with the yandere archetype), however the updated version gives us more hints about Asa's upbringing and WHY he was set up to the yandere which is really cool as we already have hints of it from Remy. It adds on more to the atrocities he commits, adds emphasis and understanding towards the level of delusion and commitment he has towards the MC in a way that is slightly realistic.

Idris being the only "normal" character is quite the breath of fresh air. They do show genuine concern and worry for MC, and is quite proactive when the narrative needs it. I'm looking forward for seeing more of them, especially the sort of role they will have.

Now, spoiler.

WREN MY BELOVED!!! I AM LE DYING!

I genuinely don't know if it was the hormones but as soon as I got that dialogue from him? Oh, I fell. RIGHT DOWN TO MY KNEES I HAVE NEVER HIT THAT PRAYER POSE FASTER THAN CHURCH.

Listen, I genuinely don't know if the saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" but holy SHIT did I feel my heart palpitate. I, I'm not proud, but I felt like I was going crazy rocking back and forth in my chair trying to calm down. 

HE CALLED ME "Silly" HOW COULD I NOT REEVALUATE MY LIFE?!?!?!

Okay but seriously, I like how Wren's feelings towards the player is very mixed. One moment they're watching over us, chiding over our decisions and making sure we're going through the right route to expose and end Asa, the next they express disgust, contempt, and hatred towards the player for being complicit to his suffering.

It's very understandable given the information we have gathered from Wren, and his presence honestly is what makes this VN so interesting and mind-blowing, Wren pretty much can be the antithesis of what the yandere genre is, but they are also a product of continuously being put into it. Wren's active role really was surprising, especially when he was able to kill Asa twice and made sure that he wouldn't hurt both us and Wren again.

But like, the CG of him in the bathroom... Lord take my soul I was pretty much gone because HOLY HELL THE IMPROVEMENT?? THE COLD LOOK OF HIS EYES?? THE STYLE OF HIS CLOTHES? Lord lord lordI'msimpingsobadIcan't

What is even more intriguing is what the ending will be especially if you categorize the ending to be either good or bad. With how Wren took such an active role, it seems to imply he's set on changing the flow of the story and achieving an ending that satisfies him. It's understandable given how they had to go through so many scenarios like this, but it's an interesting thought if Wren is fighting against the narrative and is trying to get the player on their side since they're the ones driving the choices.

At what ending would be more satisfying?? Would it be for Wren to be able to break away from the curse of the yandere genre and to be transported to a sort of universe of different genres? Is it for them to be totally erased from existence and finally rest? Or would it be for Wren to break out of the computer and live life beyond the code?? My god there is so many things that can happen to the story that it's really exciting waiting for the next update.

Bravo!! Well done for your first ever visual novel (that I know of), you really went ambitious for this but this did not disappoint at all! Looking forward to whatever will happen in the future and hope that the story can come to a satisfying resolution~!!

Oh my god, someone pinch me to wake me up. I ADORE THIS IF, even though it was hella short I already adored the opening that set the scene even before our MC was introduced. You also have no idea how much I love the MC customization scene, I genuinely adored the fun add ons making MC feel so fun and exciting despite like... Not seeing them ahaha

Regardless, I hope things go well for you in terms of not just the IF but also in general life! Looking forward to whatever changes you bring and hope to re-experience this IF again soon!

Helloo, no problem with the review hehe. I just had so much fun with this mischievous and playful MC a lot. Also hard relate to the angst writing as I too will always default to that style.

Looking forward to see what else you have cooking up! Hopefully we get to have more moments of bonding with the LIs with a lively MC!

I really like how the story unfolds, I like how controlled and very warm Cato is, despite the provoking questions or reactions we're given, he doesn't seem all that reactive to them and instead he gives off a very safe and calming vibe which, if you think about it, can be frightening. I like how we can see cracks forming with Matias especially if you choose the choices that get mad at him. It's an interesting trick for MC to self-isolate themselves from their very limited support system. Love Matias though, despite their pricky demeanor, it's obvious he cares a lot for MC and only uses his prickly demeanor to tell others to back off on behalf of his loved ones.

I also like how we can subtly see the hints of something... Wrong with Cato. How he can feel lovebombing at one point but can instantly rein himself back and make you think he's just an impulsive and enthusiastic person. It's just really cool to see how you feel safe with him, when you really shouldn't and that it's too soon. I like how MC's settings are laid out in a way that makes it believable if we want to be with Cato from the get go. They're lonely, they lost their parents and feel very conflicted about relying on their only friend (presumably), and they just got out of a toxic and abusive relationship.

Someone like Cato must be a godsend for MC and it's already very interesting how far Cato knows about MC and why he adores MC so much (especially with the ex-boyfriend and the dream symbolism, that is making my brain tickle in curiosity!)

Great first visual novel, love the layout, UI, sound effects, art (I adore it so much), writing, and overall vibe!! Looking forward to see how you continue to shape the story!

How curious! It is admittedly short and while I find the art charming (I think the full body of Kaisei should be half body since he looks too stretched out) I like how Kaisei was being pitted against by the plot.

He's fully within his right to reject people he doesn't like if they confess to him, and he isn't obligated to give them a chance if he doesn't even want to. He isn't a villain for that but females stalking and harassing males is quite heartbreaking especially when the victims aren't acknowledged or given proper help just because of the gender roles.

Kaisei's inability to be helpless against the stalker was honestly interesting since for me I haven't consumed much media regarding things like this (since the gender roles are always female victim and male assaulter) but I'd love to see Kaisei's relationship with the angel progress with how the angel will handle his stalker. I find it an interesting direction!

Please send Thaumo, he'd give me less grief to do the dishes at 1:30am. But also I'm glad my rambles made you entertained ahaha!

Looking forward to the update! Hoping things go well and I will be stalking those update posts (with love)! Excited to see what sorts of things you've concocted up in your mind!

You don't know how long I busted my ass to decode all of the wingdings so if anyone wants to see it, it'll be down below to avoid spoilers!

But first I played the original demo about 2 years ago and dang I was so impressed by how many things were changed. The most notable thing for me is that the art had drastically improved and I absolutely adore the background art for each scene,and the story! The plot felt a lot more fleshed out compared to the original demo, I have a soft spot for the original and I think its lack of plot and mystique was more similar to a dream.

Yet despite that, I genuinely had so much fun with this demo remake, especially with the mystery!

This will go in order, I noticed that some of the wingdings are the true feelings of the Jester-like character while the dialogue plays out so it's very cool!

• See you soon (had to guess the first letter since the first two showed an unknown symbol)
• Nathan~ (during the flashback sequence regarding MC's friend who made the music they played, it's curious how they don't seem to remember him though)

During the two choices:

"Give me a name"/"Call me whatever" 

• How cute
• Are you scared?

I also noticed during the 2nd option there is a blink and you miss it code, however looking through the pictogram wingdings I think it's just "LUMA" as the name you would get if he gave you a name.

• Welcome Home~
• It'll be ok~
• Be happy
• Calm
• Kindness
• Patience...
• Patience... (this one was mispelled I believe)
• Stay patient
• Be friendly
• Stay friendly
• Resist
• Resist...
• Breaking...
• Failing
• Temptation
• Stop temptation

And yeah! That's what I got, had to really be patient getting them all since there was no way you can skip the dialogue so my enter key had a workout from me spamming it.

Either way, this was honestly so cool and I'm looking forward for more!!

WHERE DO I BEGIN?? I finally decided to sit my butt down and play through this VN (after struggling with the downloads, I think something is wrong with the SymptomsofDeceitDemo-0.1.win.zip since it doesn't have a platform to view it) and my god was this a kaladeiscope of confusion.

I adore both Thaumo and Nalis, like holy hell I kept swinging back and forth between them ESPECIALLY WHEN THAUMO WAS SO CUTE AND PATHETIC AND NALIS WAS JUST *bangs fist on the table multiple times*

The design of these characters is just *chefs kiss* TOP TIER. Like oh my god what the hell, even Tremo was absolutely perfect as she just rounded out the cast despite the few times we see her. I adore how colorful yet visually interesting they all were, and how their design contrasted towards their darker personality.

Thaumo's design looking all soft and innocent despite the acts of violence he commits, and Nalis open and cheery appearance contrasting with his twisted personality is just *chefs kiss*

ALSO NALIS, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH YOU MAN YOU CAN'T KEEP TOYING WITH MY HEART LIKE THIS!! This man has made me completely doubt my loyalty to Thaumo because yeah, Thaumo poster boy yandere of the VN but NALIS?!?! Listen, I just can't. The way this man gaslights, gatekeeps, and genociding this damn section. At least with Thaumo we get his full blown transparency which I love (adore his neediness) BUT JESUS ALMIGHT CHRIST NALIS?! Dude had me switching like a pendulum going back and forth, and that scene with him just jumpscaring and gaslighting/confusing me?? BOY CAN'T AN MC SHOWER IN PEACE?

(Also I cackled at Thaumo's ending on how he came up to MC's floor even though realistically it must be pretty creepy)

Anyway, I have a high tolerance for the shit Nalis put us through and every time a new line of dialogue came I kept constantly switching moods being "You war criminal" to "OH MY GOD I NEED YOU". Not my proudest moment over my knee-jerk reactions but it was more tame compared to Thaumo's good endings because hot DANG IS THAT DUDE DOWN BAD

hehehe 

Hang on, I need to praise the masterful way the world is built up, especially with teh associated animals. It's all so intriguing because of how the disease is being spread, like, is it actually natural or is the lab doing some unethical things. Just, the reason why MC is kept in the dark, why they seem so important, what the deal with Nalis and Tremo hiding from them, Nalis himself, Thaumo's relationship with Orca, Thaumo HIMSELF, and the backstory and if the star fish boy in the prologue was the reason how the SSWS mutated into the horrific disease.

Just, absolutely phenominal work, I'm so glad I finally took my time to actually play this VN and experience many epiphanies of myself. ALSO YOU WANNA KNOW HOW I FOUND OUT NALIS IS NALIS DURING HIS ENDING???

"Good girl. Thank you."

PLEASE I NEARLY FELL OFF MY CHAIR (I also slammed myself against the back of my chair at 1am when I went through Ending 2. MC I AM DOWN BAD FOR YOU)

Looking forward to what comes next!! Please excuse my disorganized and chaotic rambles, it's 1:38am and I have not done the dishes yet.

WALKTHROUGH UNTIL THE LAST RIDDLE!

Wow that was really something. I was really happy that I got to the very end, it was all very intriguing. There were some I didn't get and managed to get through it by correctly guessing it but I gotta say that the last riddle was really difficult especially when you can't get there during a saved file and you aren't given 3 chances to solve it which kinda dampened the mood to keep trying again and again.

But still, I enjoyed the adventure and the chats with the "butler", quite sneaky of him. Also love how our MC just strolls inside like dang, girl had that much confidence to just enter a random house lmao.

Anyway, here is the walk through for the first riddle all the way until the second to the last since I can't solve it yet :'))

1. Pick a rose and petals for a port (quay - key)

2. Golden Violin, Silver Violin, Viola, Cello (I actually don't know why this works)

3. Go to the library (based on the book hint)

4. Check title

5. Take Black Book (based on the titles that the MC observes in the dialogue box)

6. Music Notes (bce a gbc are musical notes on the staff)

7. Red, Orange, Blue, Purple, Green, Silver (at first I thought it was because of the ROYGBIV but I just had to write their positions down)

And for the last riddle was so confusing I didn't know how to solve it especially with how the hint was given :'DD

But still, had a great time!

You know what, that was honestly hilarious. I initially had the impression that Bree was gonna be a bit of a drag because she never really signed up for this but with the way she handles things honestly I think she's doing good.

The kids? They're a riot and also a pain to deal with, but they're honestly so interesting just as who they are while the dads that are shown are also hilarious, especially Crystal's dad like dude chill you haven't even seen Bree yet. The one who looks like he's most decent is Jin and that's saying something.

Honestly I do wish there was some updates on this VN, like small updates if you're able to continue or not but so far I did enjoy everything about this VN from the fun music, interesting dialogue, and the art (it's very cutee)

Jesus christ that was so cathartic to read. Just the way things spiralled and how realistic it all felt, especially with how Lia, Luna, and Alex were fleshed out even through the snapshots of the Twibber posts, from other people, and how society was collapsing. As one of the user puts it "all because they didn't want to pay their employees" paraphrasing it obvs.

Especially when everyone was still clowning around, not really expecting it to lead to the end of the world. With how some still engaged despite the threat of it being spied by the Thesbon (Thespon?) bots and just absolutely horrific how it all went crashing down, especially at the very end with the constant stream of sponsored posts and the dark humor leading up to the vague end of what happened to the three characters. (Especially when Lia joked about her last moments being on the toilet)

What really broke my heart is that Alex was left alone with the heartbreaking "God. It was stupid to think any of us ever had a chance, wasn't it?" even though we see in Twibber how he actively did his best to help by trading and taking these dangerous walks to meet up with other survivors. Even though he was the one who suffered more earlier, he still had so much hope. 

Honesly this was such a well-written story, absolutely terrifying how it all boiled down and how it captured the atmopshere in just a few posts because I imagine the outrage of the public would be a lot more terrifying.

Wait that was super cute and very in the feels. I actually thought that this would be some funny twist on annoying the prince trope because of how silly the MC was so I followed along with the funny choices. But when it got serious with Ignatius emotions and sobered up real quick. I nearly cried reading through what his real emotions were.

Usually with princely characters, to make them more relatable people give them tragic backstory(tm) or give them some sort of gap. But I like how Ignatius fears are very realistic and makes sense given his background. I also like that the privilege aspect of Ignatius background as a prince isn't obvious because being isolated is something a lot of people also experience with.

I really like how MC is. From being goofy in some choices (I mean, you can be totally normal but MC's annoying tactics really charmed me) they can also be really honest and understanding, especially with someone like Ignatius. I like how, even though we don't know the full scope of their relationship, both MC and Ignatius progression within the time we have with them felt very natural and not at all forced or rushed. Just seeing their dynamic change and become more sincere before bouncing into who they are is very fun and satisfying to end on.

Overall, had a lot of fun with this one! Really made my day :DDD

OH MY GOD I LET OUT A LIL SCREAM WHEN I SAW THE NOTIFICATION! CONGRATS ON FINISHING THIS VN!!

I wanna play so bad but I'm currently studying BUT I WAITED LONG ENOUGH FOR THIS VN I CAN WAIT FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR SO

I'm wheezing so much, it really went crazy in all direction but the crowning glory was the narrator! I adore how completely off the rails everything was, it must have been both a joy and pain to work on this because damn man, Dante truly is a character of his own. Also love the backgrounds and the emojis, truly the star of the show!

Honestly, I will admit it was quite chilling. There were so many set ups for Rook to scare us (I was a scaredy cat and didn't do anything, but I was also too sympathetic to be rude to the creepy Rook... I know I will suffer stranger danger) but from what I saw in other videos and images I could tell there is more to Rook and his unsettling vibes.

He's such a curious character with a tragic feel to him, from what little we get from the VN it seems he wasn't getting the proper support he needed, and isolation only further exacerbated his problems. I have to say, I love how Rook was characterized! (Also how did he find out about MC's information, boy you could have employed those skills to find your package)

But I will say this, I was absolutely weak for Rook. Like, my caretaker instinct just flared up upon seeing Rook and I was like "You unsettling man, you terrify me but I must give you a bath and food". Still, great work with this one! 

This was so fun! I adore the many choices and how there wasn't really a wrong option that leads to horrible outcomes (aside from not taking care of the laptop itself). For me, I got ending 3 and it was so cute getting the gamer boy. It was a bit easy to aim for some of them if you know what archetype of character you want, and it is now my mission to catch them all.

Love the story and dialogue, they were all fun to go and read through, I kinda wished we had more interaction with Ch4r0n personally even though the AI was collecting data subtly. But I like how short the days were since it did make things quick and easy, also to help with skipping dialogue you've read through before.

Wonderful VN! Had a great time with this oneee~!

I found this utterly hilarious. I love how pretentious Zachanjel's name is and how odd his clothing is (he kinda looks like he belongs to the celestial setting our MC finds themselves in). I love their banter and childish arguments, it's so hilarious reading through their exchange that it didn't really feel boring or flat because of how alive they look. I think Zachanjel looks a little bit goofy, especially when his irises go really small but it was funny.

So, some SPOILERS ahead because after seeing the last scene in the VN, I have THOUGHTS!

Is the entire VN like some sort of weird portrayal of the famous tropes, especially with the Enemies to Lovers and There was only one bed kind of shenanigans? Because what got to me was that MC makes a comment to highlight how odd it was that there are "people" watching them and it being called the "Audience" led me to believe that they're currently in some sort of entertainment show that is tasked with recreating popular troupes in fiction for the entertainment of those outside of the narrative. 

Another thing that made me think about it was because of the title "Life Like a Tale" so does that mean MC and Zachanjel (gotta put justice on that naem) are quite literally living their life through various plot points? The monster might be there to make it even more interesting and fuel the narrative to excited watchers or the "audience".

I also kept thinking that Zachanjel isn't entirely blameless himself too. Literally from his name and clothing, he looks like he belongs in the celestial space MC finds themselves in. AND he can read the text on the binders and can "sense" the monster, maybe he has keen senses that aren't like that of humans.

Maybe Zachanjel is being punished and is forced to entertain others like a clown on probation kind of thing? Honestly I didn't expect my head to buzz with this much interest lmao, quite interested with this!

Aaaa so excited, but do take care of yourself while you're juggling all of these tasks! Looking forward to what comes next and hoping things go well not just for you but also your game jam team! Best of luck and wishes to all of you~!

Aww this was such a cute game! Curse me not being mean enough to explore the options and creeping Zazack out because I was so curious about the other endings. Dude was just sweet and calm as he was probably just annoyed that a customer had to come in at the last second while the story was about to close and I was like "I can't be mean... He's a retail worker his life is already difficult..." I'm honestly glad I checked out the development log and found a Youtuber had uploaded a video about his playthrough of the VN. That means I can vicariously live through his experiences as my own.

But I have to say, I really like the art when referencing other visual novels or developers! I got some like Casket, Duality, the backrooms from Batter, and I think that's all. But I loved the art for it especially with how cozy and pretty it was! Highly wish more people would try this out!

Help-- I can't breathe! This was so funny, from the choices that led us to comical routes (my favorite is the one where we end up becoming a wax artist) and the one where we reached our boiling point and ran out with the PC. I think my favorite part was when we had to do the fridge and email notes, absolutely loved how UNHINGED MC. 

From how they made those food (seriously, the art was so good it legit made me hungry I had to snack on two chocolate bars) to the hilarious dialogue of Bo and MC when they faced off (god I love those two dweebs) AND JUST BO BEING SMUG HE STOLE LUNCHES AND GOES TO MC AND SAYS "You're damn meal was the best, 10/10 would steal again"

ALSO ENDING 7??? I'M CRYING HOW DO YOU MAKE IT SO FUNNY AND FLIRTY?? The entire team is basically doing god's work with this visual novel I'm beside myself SOBBING!

The music is perfect and doesn't grate your ears when you hear it constantly loop and play, the art is stunning with its visual effect, character design for Bo was funny and attractive I will not lie, and essentially just the entire visual novel is so worth playing through and having some laughs!

... I'm gonna eat again even though it's 11:21pm dammit.

I have to say that's an interesting take on the whole bullying victim summons a demon to grant them a wish. I think that my main gripe is how limited the facial expressions of the sprites were that it didn't match the dialogue and tone, as well as how similar both Ayaka and Emi were which threw me off at the beginning. Another thing I wanted to point out was the music at the beginning, it felt like it didn't fit much with the scenes like the bullying scene and seemed way to preppy. But I did enjoy myself at the latter stage of the story, finding it cute if not cliche.

I find it interesting how the dynamic between Ayaka and Emi played out because they are both cowardly yet brave, we see this most with how Ayaka treats Emi as she is harsh to Emi because Emi reminds her of herself as well as her own internalized feelings. I also find it interesting how Emi internalizes her feelings to Ayaka, I'm sure she noticed that the coins in her piggy bank weren't being depleted and caused her to be curious about Ayaka's true intentions.

Despite that, I think the visual novel is pretty well done in terms of visuals, I found the story a bit slow paced and at the same time a bit oddly placed with the new informations we glean from both Ayaka and Emi but it's pretty well done!

That was short but no less interesting. Adam presents himself as a harmless person who seems quite doting towards his "girlfriend". What interests me is how he's so normal looking and acting that we don't really equate him as a threat despite the implication that he drugged our food at the end (probably when he realized we had no memory of who we and he is).

I'm curious about the memory scene if it was something like an innocent plyaful childhood memory or if Adam was exhibiting abnormal attachment towards the player even back then. Seeing as it's called "Adam Game" (which, should it be Adam's Game?) I'm imagining that Adam's harmless persona is going to gaslight MC a lot and put her in a psychologically unfair situation.

Quite curious how it'll turn out! Good luck with its development!

Wait omg I'm gonna fall for Chester even more WHY DOES HE LOOK SO PRETTY OH MY GOD STAWPPP

Congrats on the 265 downloads! Honestly, more people should try out this VN because days later I still remember the experience I had playing this VN. I adore the characters and the story you crafted, looking forward to playing more of your VNs and seeing you grow and learn!