itch.io

Thanks for the perspective. I haven't played Error 143, and I wasn't aware that the creator was being hated on because of it. Had I known, I would have tempered my language a bit and made it clear that I'm merely questioning this one particular writing choice in this one particular game, not making assumptions about the creator's character. Ultimately, though, I think many people, including those who probably don't have a strong opinion about the creator either way, feel the same way about the "true" ending.

You made a really good point about how the creator incorporated this into the narrative itself. I know some fanfic writers release bonus chapters if they received enough likes/comments/whatever, which still seems somewhat unnecessary to me, but I agree that I (and probably most) won't have a major problem with it. Ultimately, it's about whether the narrative is complete and is not being held hostage for reasons outside the story itself.

Just piggybacking on your comment a little more: I hope the creator doesn't take these comments personally and can eventually reach a place where they no longer feel the need to do such things in their own passion project. The game is truly one of the best in terms of art, music, and voice acting, all of which are still directed by the creator. Exploring themes that are relevant to a creator's experience often results in profound and moving work. I'd still be willing to check out the creator's future works once they've reached a better headspace.

I'll be upfront: The "true" ending really, really rubs me the wrong way because of how manipulative it is. Everything about the game is top-notch, and I can tell how much effort the creator put into it, but trying to solicit ratings in this way feels downright disrespectful to the character and the players who like the character.

Knowing the intent of the creator leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth when I look at everything that comes before it, be it the shock value or the VTuber setting. It is ironic that the creator seeks to criticize the culture around social media influencers/VTubers, from the audience manipulation to cancel culture, while actively trying to bring that culture to itch.io. This is the first time I've ever seen a creator on itch.io so blatantly try to fish for ratings, with no regard for how it might affect other creators. There's literally one comment down there saying that they would have gladly made dozens of alt accounts just to rate this game.

I don't think the creator is malicious or anything. Like I said, I think the game is amazingly high quality, and I would have happily rated it and written a supportive comment if the creator had just left a simple "Making games is hard, I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a rating!" As a creator myself, I understand the urge to interact with the audience about your work, but this is just not the way to do it. At least not on here.

I implore other creators not to take note of this "marketing strategy," and I implore other players who wish to preserve the spirit of the indie community not to encourage such behavior.

This game is absolutely gorgeous! I love everything from the art to the characters, as well as the extremely rare female omega MC. Phenomenal work, and I can't wait to see how the story goes!

(Edit: Also, just want to add that I've seen how patiently the creators have responded to all the comments. Such positive interaction is the cornerstone of the indie community.)

This game is SUPER interesting so far - I love absolutely everything, from the plot to the art!

Good lord. I did NOT expect where this was going. I almost dropped the game during Part 1 + 2 (definitely not because I couldn't figure out how to get into Part 3 on my own and thought this was the full game ...) Thank goodness I looked at the guide!

---Heavy spoiler---

What more can I say except how brilliantly you have executed the twists! It's absolutely clear how much effort you've put into this, and your love shines through every single tiny detail. I have binged the game through the night and it's almost dawn so I'll just ramble my thoughts and hope that they make sense.

First off, I absolutely cannot believe that my favorite characters aren't the two yandere LIs but our two MCs! Yes, both of them! It amazes me how much you manage to construct and deconstruct the character of OG MC in one breath, despite "us" not ever directly meeting him. It's clear that he is this sort of self-sacrificing saint-like stereotypical MC, which is why he can attract the OG yanderes in the first place - and why, realistically, he will never survive from his encounters with them. In a way, he IS asking for this. The urge for self-sacrifice and the urge for self-destruction are two sides of the same coin: OG MC's rushing towards and embracing kid Leon despite the dude literally beating others (and probably OG MC himself) again and again, his consoling Vincent despite their family's bad blood and his unpleasant first meeting with kid Vincent, his wishing to "light up" Reme's empty eyes despite her coldness ... None of this is, frankly, healthy, which is probably why he attracts unhealthy people like a blazing lamp attracts moths in the middle of the night. OG MC himself will never have survived without someone else literally hijacking his body and replacing his soul.

Secondly, building upon the previous point: OG MC cannot survive BECAUSE he is such a saint. Perhaps current MC can survive BECAUSE he is not quite a saint? I adore the current MC's seemingly "normal"-sounding inner rants, but I do think that the hints of his being a yandere all along are long present. One thing I never quite liked about transmigration novels is precisely how, frankly, jerkass-ish (if not dehumanizing) the MC treats the rest of the cast. More well-written novels will explore, or at least mention, the MC's struggle between seeing the rest of the characters as NPCs vs. "real" beings, but most of them don't. The tarot card reading essentially nails this part: Current MC has been nothing but manipulative towards everyone around him, and he feels only minimal attachment towards these "game characters". Of course, minimal != none, but when push comes to shove, he will choose himself without a blink. That said, you absolutely struck the perfect balance between current MC's more manipulative tendencies (i.e. stringing both LIs along) and his more genuine attachments. I LOVE the detail that we can only reach Bad Ends 3 - all in Part 3 - without dying once. I was quite appalled at first when MC nonchalantly sent lil bro to the LI whom he rejected. It is pretty cowardly and frankly insulting to not even show up in-peron to explain, but even more egregiously, WHAT DOES HE EXPECT TO HAPPEN? These psychos have been happy to commit homicide when his affection point was much lower and when he had never agreed to a date! ... Then I remember that MC has NOT experienced any deaths in this run, and therefore he might not make the leap so quickly. BUT then this begs another question: If he doesn't expect the LI to commit murder, why doesn't he go himself? Is it because he hasn't seen lil bro killed "in-game" but OG MC killed multiple times, so he thinks sending lil bro will be "safer"? Or is it because he is "hoping for the best" ... WHILE, deep down, preparing for the worst? Despite how much time we spent in the current MC's head, it's interesting how little we actually know about him and how little he revealed about himself until the very end. Peak character writing!

Third, lil bro = Neanderthal (sorry if I spelled his name wrong!!). I adore non-romantic yanderes!! I'm not sure if this is how you intended him to be read, but I find it both tragic and gratifying that lil bro is so obsessed with big bro for the same reasons as Leon, Vincent, and Reme. The fact that OG MC is so eager to be the emotional crutch for others - including those who clearly need guidance more than indulgence (lil bro because he practically raised him, the other three because they are clearly mentally unwell) - means that something like this is bound to happen at some point. No shade to OG MC - again, I find him a fascinating character - but it's obvious that he's not up to the roles he's so eagerly taken on. He isn't and shouldn't seek to be a parent or a therapist. Given how dysfunctional their relationship is, I feel that lil bro's actions have been very well built up in this subtle yet powerful way, despite how "sudden" the twist may seem.

Fourth, Reme! I was, frankly, a bit bummed when I found out that Reme was an LI in "OG" game but no longer one in "ours", and I essentially chalked it up to this being a BxB game. I was VERY pleasantly surprised by her character in Side-B. I love her when she was this stoic kuu without dere, and I love her when she has been forced to feel guilt as a result of lil bro's wish. A well-written female character in BxB games (and, similarly, a well-written male character in GxG games) are, in my mind, oftentimes hallmarks of a well-written game in general.

Last but not least, the ambiguity surrounding Side-B itself. I feel like Side-B follows the timeline/universe where we've raised too many suspicion points. BUT I also feel that we can read it as following any universe as long as we've finished Part 3. Since the current MC will commit suicide in all timelines, the final conversation between Teddy and lil Bro will always take place ... so lil Bro will always decide to seek out the "killers" of OG MC and make them pay? I might be letting my imagination run too wild - since both Leon and Vincent keep their original look in Side-B's ending - but I think this reading makes the "Good Ends" that much more chilling. Imagine lil brother hiding just around the corner, relieved that you two made his job so much easier by coming together ... However, IF this interpretation is wrong and the "Good Ends" are really good ends where the current MC and LI survive, it's interesting to speculate what lil Bro's final wish would have been in that case.

All in all, absolutely great game. I've thoroughly enjoyed the ride - thank you so much for making this!!

Oh gosh, thank you SO much!! I like the Dashingdon/CoG UI because of how minimalistic it is, and I genuinely want to use it for reasons other than "nostalgia".  Your template has EVERYTHING one can hope for, from the stats page to the save system. Again, thanks a lot for doing this!!

Hey no worries at all!! The "balance between gore and yandere" bit is just a personal observation - personally, I would prefer to have slightly more yandere content, but that's ultimately just that - a personal preference. You don't have to pay it heed at all if it doesn't align with your own creative vision. You are the creator of this awesome game and character, after all :)

Again, thank you so much for making this game and sharing it with us!!

Wow. I really "enjoy" Vinny's character - as long as I TRY to forget the gruesome ways in which he murdered me - but I enjoy this game nonetheless, short as it may be. I agree with the comments that the stream chat is what makes my blood boil more than anything Vinny himself has done lol.

I'd love to learn more about Vinny and his thoughts on MC - as much as I really like the game as it is (from the ... creative guro to the pixel-like, stylish art!), I do think that the game seems to lean more on gore than yandere, if that makes sense?

Still, can't believe this seems to be your first game! Really well-done, and I look forward to any more insanity you might produce in the future :)

Absolutely fantastic work - finally, the dream toxic MC of my life!! Because Eris is ... kinda ... you know, I was hoping there might be an ending where Milo realizes what's going on and one-up them, but I feel like the true ending(s) definitely fit the whole story more. Really, really well-done.

This comment is absolute gold. What a genius way to (humorouly) inquire after a work-in-progress. Sorry buddy but I simply can't stop my hands from stealing this 😭

Hey there. I'm not the creator of this game, but I am a hobbyist creator in my spare time. I just want to let you know that giving unsolicited advice is generally NOT considered good practice, especially when it comes to indie games that are made in the creator's free time and pure love.

If you feel like the dialogue is too blunt, you could have expressed your opinion and left it at that, but you really don't need to bring up "recommended lessons" or "studies" on how to do things "right", especially if you don't know whether the creator intended whatever it was that you didn't like.

Also, it ABSOLUTELY isn't good practice to bring up the work of other creators in the comment. It's one thing if you know the two creators are friends, but usually, such mentions just end up being awkward for both parties.

Whether or not it's appropriate to call a stranger "cute" will not be my judgment to make, as different creators have different standards when it comes to boundaries with their audience.

I hope this doesn't come off as scolding or anything. I'm sure you mean well and that you genuinely believe you're helping, but good intentions do not justify the repercussions of your words. There are those who truly want to learn to "write better" and there are those who simply want to share their stories with the world. There are objective standards by which writing can be judged, such as grammar, and there are creative choices that are entirely a matter of preference, such as the "bluntness" of dialogue and how "straightforward" a character should be.

Incredible ... Come on you can't leave us hanging like this😭

That said, as much as I look forward to updates, please take care of yourself and work on this at your own pace :)

I will not admit that this game made me search if it's possible to keep octopuses/cuttlefish as pets and watch a few documentaries on sea creatures - because what's more fun than trying to out-yandere yanderes! Both Thaumo's and Nalis' designs made me feel things that I never should feel towards fish!!

Seriously, everything about this game is *chef's kiss*. But like others have said: As much as I look forward to the next update and more fish shenanigans, your mental health ALWAYS comes first :) Please take your time and don't let the pressure sap the fun of the project!

I adore this in almost every single way! I happened to play the perhaps "best" route order on my first try (Unum -> Septem -> Nulla), and the way the lore unfolds across the three routes is just perfect (*chef's kiss*). Everything about the game speaks to the amount of effort you have put into it. The PLOT, the sprites, the music, the CGs ... Oh god, the CGs!

I was feeling a bit bad after making a certain choice in Unum's route because that guy is just a brat child who doesn't know better, and then a certain CG came up, which made me laugh every single time I remember it. Speaking of which, just a tiny suggestion: Would it be possible to add a CG gallery to the game, too? Your art is truly gorgeous, and I'd love to revisit them from time to time. :) But no pressure, of course.

All in all, I can't believe this is just Act 1, and I just can't wait to see what you may develop in the future!

THIS DESERVES MORE RATINGS. Come on, just look at the gorgeous art!

The demo is relatively short, but clearly a LOT of love and effort is put into it, and clearly we're just getting started with the real meat of the story. I can't wait to read more about the boys and be scared out of my wits - by monsters or by what humanity is capable of? Who knows  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mmmmm yes👌

--spoiler--

Twisted twincest, exactly what I need most in my life. Not gonna lie, when I first saw the game page, I was like: "Who the hell is this eyeless generic otome MC? I hate self-insert !!111!!1!" Then I actually laughed when the first scene was us choking to death. It was at that moment when the sadist within me knew that this game would be a blast.

On a more serious note: It's really impressive how well you managed to develop the characters in such a short amount of space!

My favorite scene is actually the police scene - that Evan, the guy who has been giving off the "emotionless high-performing sociopath" vibe, is the one who knows he might not be able to handle the interrogation without being suspected, while Enjel is the who switches faces as fast as a light bulb ... only to almost immediately confess how nervous he really was, only to have Evan act surprised by it. This scene establishes the dynamic between them so well! Evan is cold on the outside but hot on the inside, while Enjel is timid outside but unflinching within, and how Evan thinks he knows Enjel inside-out even though he really doesn't ...

And I suppose just adding more to the "inside-out" theme, the character designs are just awesome: Evan wears grayish-blue within but black outside, while Enjel wears black inside but grayish-blue outside. The duality between the twins is captured so well both in the writing and the art!

To be frank, as someone who has read tons of messed-up VNs, I wasn't entirely surprised by the ending, but this absolutely doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed the game. To have a reader dwell on the ending and the characters even though they saw the twist coming, is some of the greatest signs of a writer's talent! 

Wow. This is... some ride. I haven't completed all the endings yet, but I have reached the last ending of the secret character and read the last chapter of Particles. There will be HEAVY spoilers in this review.

I'm a lover of horror-mance games (*cough* Boyfriend to Death *cough*) myself, so frankly, I don't find the game "too dark" at all. That said, I'm generally not a fan of "gore for gore's sake", so I'm very pleasantly surprised that this game gives purpose and proper explanation to the "darkness" manifested, and it actually spends time developing the personality of our various psycho "love interests".

About the love interests themselves... I like all of them except Sebastian. God, I'm just SICK of Sebby. He's everywhere and you can't get rid of him even if you're on another guy's route. Like, the others are bad too, but at least they have some self-awareness and are at least trying!

Quinn tries to be a good friend (and is one in several endings, such as when he protects Monika and apologizes for misjudging Sebby's character). Also, he's about the most decent character in the whole game, so I have a soft spot for him and am usually more forgiving of his flaws.

Julian tries to protect you (... yes, only in Sebby's route, I know). But he recognizes his own hypocrisy in his vigilante work and kind of, sort of, tries to believe in Monika even after she (accidentally) stabs him. I'm genuinely surprised that he acknowledges Ash as an inherent part of himself instead of blaming everything on his "evil twin".

Brandon tries to make things right by (generally) keeping his distance from Monika, and he seems somewhat remorseful about his sexual abuse of Monika, while acknowledging that he only regrets hurting her rather than doing anything "wrong". Yes, still screwed up, but again, at least the guy is self-aware!

Sebastian ... OH MY GOODNESS. Not only is the guy delusional (like every other love interest), disrespectful to Monika (like every other love interest except maybe Quinn), only cares about himself (like every other love interest except maybe Quinn), but worst of all, he's pathetic. I applaud every time Alexander opens his mouth and rips his twin to shreds. Like, damn it, listen to your brother and grow up!

Who said this game didn't have a happy ending? The ending where Monika calls him on his bullshit and shatters his fantasy, by pointing out how different she is from the "soulmate" he thinks he knows (based on diaries written years ago), is absolute gold. Destroy him, girl! Yes, Monika dies in the end, but at least it's relatively painless! (Wow, how low my standards for a happy ending have dropped after playing this game ...)

The only thing that surprised me and almost made me want to revise my impression of him ... is when he refrains from killing Julian after Julian has driven Monika insane, just because Julian claims that Monika loves him. I did not expect that, which made me like Sebastian a little ... just a little.

One more thing... I really, really like the overarching plot with the Ethereals! I enjoyed a great deal the dynamic between our Ethereal duo Lux and Quispe. I don't think I could get through some of Monika's ... more questionable decisions without their snarky comments. Also, while I fully understand why Monika is the way she is - and appreciate her as our very unlucky heroine - I am still relieved to have Lux as a "female" supporting character with a more outspoken personality and just good old common sense.

(Speaking of common sense ... I sincerely think the greatest irony of this game is that our otherworldly deities seem to have more common sense than our human characters!)

Obviously, this very fact is also part of the plot. This "cluster" of reality is deliberately made so messed up. My guess is that Monika is somehow connected to Allannia, and Casper is somehow connected to Allannia's banishment, and Allannia is being punished for whatever. But who knows?

Overall, I can't believe this is your first game. The project is very ambitious and well done. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us in Remembrance!

(Last point ... Even though I've bashed Sebby to a pulp with a club in this review, I don't really "hate" him. He's a fun character who embodies the "obsession" in the title, and I find his insanity both entertaining and frustrating :) Being able to evoke strong emotions in the reader is always a strength in my eyes, so once again, well done, Arewar!)

I love this so, so much. I actually guessed the truth quite early on and was pretty sure where the plot was going - but that didn't stop me from melting and almost tearing up when the resolution actually came. That, my dear author, is one of the highest compliments I can think of. Just. The FEELINGS.

Some other comments have mentioned how "stereotypical" Phebe is as an otome protagonist. I agree wholeheartedly. This story is ultimately about Phebe and her growth, not the boys, and that is one of the most brilliant twists in this genre.

Your writing is absolutely gorgeous. There's a touch of gentleness to it that enhances both the sadness and the bittersweetness of the story. The relatively minimalist visuals also serve the atmosphere of the game perfectly.

Really well done. My utmost respect to you and this game.

Thanks for your reply! The chloroform bit is definitely ...

The author is cooking up something big with so many breadcrumbs. Not to mention that we still know little about the biggest mystery of all, the truth behind the accident of Louise and Lu Ren's parents.

(And I love the way you put it about the restaurant. Who needs a restaurant that services people when it can serve people!!)

This is SO good. I've played all your games, loved them all, and I already have a feeling that this will be an absolute blast. The world-building! The characters! The suspension!

--spoiler alert--

I am just jotting down my thoughts here so that I can be proven wrong when more update is released. Is Puppy the student of Professor Joy who is suspected of having shady connections? Is the "conglomerate" the family business of Louise and Lu Ren, whose board is arguing over which sibling to support? Is the high-end restaurant connected to the missing persons cases?

So many questions! Looking forward to the mystery and dating. All of your characters are so attractive give me all of them from the human-shaped golden retriever to the hot bartender robot to the queenly CEO mommy. Now we'll just have to wait for the titular blind date ...

Gonna play this first-thing when it's out!

Loved all your games - I played them roughly according to the order you published them, and I must say that I've been seeing a steady improvement in your style which yet never lost that unique touch you have!

ITYH is absolutely one of the most creative otomes I've played, and I can't wait to see what craziness (in a good way) you deliver this time!

Just finished the demo and oh my god, haven't been so hyped for a wip for so long. The cliffhanger is absolutely brutal, how can you be so cruel?!

Just kidding though. Thank you so much for writing this, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next update!

Hey, just wanna tell you how much I've enjoyed the demo and absolutely can't wait to read more!!