itch.io

this was such a gut punch from the first section to the second, and then onwards, over and over again. the story worked so well in tandem with its presentation, i've really never seen anything like it.

this left me feeling so hollowed out by the end. amazing work.

(spoilers)

"I have a habit of finishing people's sentences. She had trouble finding the words to describe her emotions. We fit together nicely that way."

even when the things stephanie says are dripping with love, it's like she's taken a bite of chrys and slotted herself inside the wound.

jesus christ. targeted attack on my location. i was taking notes as i played and ended up just writing down a bunch of lines that made me want to crawl out of my skin and writhe around bloody on the floor. "Annie. Hang up. We need to work on Blueberry's route." is now a permanent addition to my lexicon.

(spoilers)

it's tough to write about this game without constantly alluding back to my own life. i'm the same age as anita, and grew up in the same online spaces, had very similar experiences down to the DMs. "*kisses you*" aghhhhhhh wow it's like looking over my own teenage shoulder and feeling the exact same revulsion i did then. 

and, to be honest, i see a lot of my younger self in sunny, especially the way she talks about cartoons, so focused on whether or not something is "good rep", needing to make sure everyone in the room knows her morals and that she is a GOOD PERSON! it feels so completely shameful to admit that. it was almost a relief to see how terrible she became, that i could no longer see my reflection in her.

"you're so gay" and "looking respectfully" were other specific turns of phrase that felt just so. fucking perfect in how they're deployed. my skin was crawling. it was like being in the 2010s again in the absolute most nightmare hell way possible. for most of the game it feels like anita is still stuck there, unable to escape.

i related a lot to anita feeling like she needed to contextualize her trauma to explain why she was drawn to taboo. i remember thinking that way about myself, my art, and my own experiences. she's looking for someone to blame for her own desires when there's nothing wrong with her desire in the first place. but being in the online panopticon also turns your eyes inward, scrutinizing yourself and everything that's ever happened to you as if it's a narrative that can be cleanly dissected. 

i loved how much anita's inner dialogue differed from how she actually expresses herself (up until the end). i could feel her fear of articulating any kind of dissent. i felt the panic and dread of someone not liking you, being mad at you, saying things about you where you can't see them. 

"it was too easy for someone like me to become one."

god. we are all too afraid of ourselves. phenomenal work.

god i just want to cry. everything about this -- presentation, story, sound, is so potent. i felt like i was playing pretend in my grandmother's garden, in the gauzy timelessness of childhood, and then slowly, forcibly, growing up. 

the fairy's physical helplessness felt so perfectly emphasized, too small and clumsy to escape, even with wings. it's so easy for a person to kill a bug. it felt like it would be just as easy for Katurian to fulfill her promise to squeeze the fairy "until she popped".  as a reader i was never not aware of the fairy's complete vulnerability. 

i really, really loved the end, because (evil reasons), but also because it felt so unexpected yet still so completely earned. the visuals sell it just as much as the prose. fuck the rules, there are other ways to win.

the presentation here is so well realized and creates such a sickly sweet, unseelie feeling. it reminds me a lot of "blood tea and red string" but also so clearly has its own distinct vibe. there were a lot of moments that made my heart sink, and i think the post-game notes really help to build on that feeling of dread. daizy wants to have her own self-sustained life, but the rug keeps being swept out from underneath her. this story shows how horrific it can be to be taken care of and to have your needs Technically met against your will.

this really struck me where it hurts. it’s hard to find the words. the way the text is incorporated into the composition with the artwork is really striking. beautiful work ❤️

no i’m sorry 😔

tysm <333

thank you!! 

thank you so much ;; the best art is indulgent and perverse!! 

<333 thank you!!

thank you so much, and thank you for the feedback!! we will fuss around and see what we can do to fix this! 

thank you so much nauma <333

thank you so much!!! 

this was so nasty in the best way.  the visuals complimented the writing really well and vice versa, nothing felt redundant or like there was a visual missing. the character sprites were used in some really innovative ways!! the UI/border breaking sequence was soooo good, the tension created in having to click through every frame was perfect. 

i'm glad you enjoyed it <33

thank you!! <3

thank you so much!! 

i'm so happy you enjoyed it!! i looooove a grilled cheese with tomato *chef's kiss*

i have been rotating this review around in my brain since i read it. thank you so much for your kind words, this means so so so much to me <3

just uploaded a fixed version. i hope it works! please let me know if you're still having issues.