itch.io

вау, охренеть, спасибо вам, дорогие разработчики, это 10 из 10. облизываюсь на артстайл, музыкальное сопровождение и, конечно же, сюжет и литературный стиль.
смеху было столько, что аж скулы свело. местами конечно игра вскользь или напрямую затрагивает и тяжелые вопросы, и морбидные темы, но это все приправлено такой великолепной игрой слов и черным юмором, что я просто сидел и наслаждался контрастами.
безумный плюс за возможность отыгрыша, есть ощущение, что твои выборы реально что-то значат, а не просто вариации одной и той же фразы.
ну и куда без аспекта романтики :З каждый парень чем-то уникален, мне они все одинаково по душе пришлись. хотя не стоит забывать о тру концовке - вечере с менеджером 😌
так держать, диана! как человек, проработавший в филиале ада 4 года (и постаревший при этом по ощущениям лет на 40), я тебя прекрасно понимаю
п.с. продавать душу как виктор я, наверное, не буду, но все же молю о втором дне от вас :З о двадцатом... или двухсотом

Oh?? I guess I missed that poll, but I'm happy to learn that they actually won!

Happy day! After reading the update I wanted to join others in congratulating you on ch7 release! As always, it's amazing.

And I am once again (if you recall my past serenades here) feeling obligated to tell you just how much I love Ashmedai. No poems from me this time, lol. Azarias bullied them enough with the book as it is xD 
I rarely see them mentioned in asks, so I just wanted to say to you that I treasure them deeply💙. As they say, if Ash has no fans, that is because I am dead 😌. Not to say that others have no place in my heart (as friends or at least simply interesting characters). I honestly love everyone in your story, but Ash is really special. The quiet love and gentleness they treat Oracle with is healing me (and my MC). They are my comfort zone. The intimacy of casual coziness? Washing hair?? Be still my heart. And changed relationship status in this chapter with them is soooo... cried a little from the softness of it. But oh well, I cry a lot reading this story, haha (good tears).
Thank you for writing this story!

...Wow, I couldn't stop reading until it was over. 3am now, but no regrets, lol. This is like a hidden sparkling gem with many layers. Such a pretty artstile, very nice sounds, amazing writing. Personally, I just love tropes and themes represented here. Love me some spooky, psy horror mystery, and other spoiler stuff. Everyone involved in the creation process pushed to 200%, considering you had a month to make it!

You are amazing! Please don't forget to rest 😌

Still dreaming about this story from time to time 😌 Had a blast rereading recently. Thanks for not deleting. There's a clear absence of mermaid themed IFs... wish I had time and skill to write my own interactive story about them. If I do, one day, I'll totally credit you as inspiration!

Uncertain times. Good thing I have a habit of downloading everything I like, hah. Safer this way. Already some games disappeared from itch, but I have them. Perks of living in a kind of 3rd world country where I can be cut off the Internet any day potentially indefinitely. I'm mentally prepared for this.

Revising certain parts of the game feels like letting them win, but you should do what you feel is right and safe for you in this situation. Still, I think a separate nsfw patch is a good idea, if you'll be forced to do that. I think now is a good time for us to download games which could be under the threat of being deleted. But let's not panic. Let's be strong. Community should rally, because these activists will not stop here. There's a visible, massive reaction from the society, like petitions, and also there's a bill H.R.987 - Fair Access to Banking Act (which is similar to the ACLU petition?), if you're living in the US (I'm not, so this info is for others). Things may change for the better in the days to come. Even if not, there are already ways (and I'm sure there will be more) to ensure indie games with lgbtq+ and/or nsfw content will continue to be distributed. Self-hosting sites, alternative payment options, etc. Yes, it will be harder, but possible.  

Sorry for the mistakes/messy writing, English is not my first language. Wish everyone the best in these times.  

Very interesting start! Loved how each country/kingdom have something distinctive, Edria's districts included. Enjoyed reading about cultural aspects. Good luck with the story! 

Sorry for strange wording and potential mistakes, not a native English speaker. I struggle sometimes to describe my inner thoughts, but this time they don't want to stay hidden.

I love your story and your writing, and every character. And... From the way you write, I got the sense that you went through many things you describe in your story... personally? Not the exact situations, maybe, just... These are very specific thoughts and emotions. But I could be wrong. It's not my place to make any assumptions, anyway. Okay, enough of my weirdness, to the story itself: 

I love Ash so much it genuinely hurts 💙 But it hurts sooo good. I can on some specific levels/things relate to my MC deeply (have they endured loneliness with grace?), and each scene between them have big healing (pun not intended, truly) effect on me. So much softness, gentleness and yearning 😭 I'm like a starved beast, finally to be fed, haha. Personal favorite? That moment in ch6 when MC said they ever wanted only one thing - for someone to not let go of their hand even if it hurts, and Ash then said they won't let go... destroyed me in the best sense. Reminds me of a line from a poem by Leila Chatti: "I walked into the ocean. Not to drown but to be held by something reluctant to let go." Or maybe “Like any unloved thing, I don’t know if I’m real when I’m not being touched.” by Natalie Wee. Feels very fitting for my Oracle MC. And at the same time, I think about how it would feel for them to be touched and not be afraid. For it to end and for it to continue. 

Bawled my eyes out all over again, ANYWAY, thanks)) Be well and have a good day/night.

Interesting start! Best of luck with the story.
Might I suggest adding a theme with more muted colors in the future, though? This bright orange and yellow really strains the eyes.

Although I'm uncertain if you're still checking this comment section, I still want to leave a review. Game deserves one. You deserve one. Sorry for potential mistakes or strange wording, not a native English speaker.

General feelings and thoughts:

To be honest, I was not expecting much from this game when I stumbled upon it. I thought... I don't even remember what exactly, just not much in expectations. Artstile looked simple, and I was for some reason under the assumption that this game would be a fast and light reading, and not serious. In the end I clicked on it because it was about creatures that looked like mermaids (I'm kind of obsessed with them).

Boy, how wrong I was about everything. Started in the morning, finished in the evening. This story is everything I want in visual novel and more. Now it's on top of my favorites, and I've read hundreds. After maybe an hour in game, I have fallen in love with the sprites and the backgrounds. The narrative and the ideas are very important to me. I'm somewhere (still exploring where exactly) on aro/demiromantic and asexual spectrum, so I enjoy reading about platonic relationships and friendship the most. Which this game provides. I also do enjoy reading about romance on occasion, but mostly only if it's in the background or if it's accents already existing friendship. Which is exactly how it goes for this game. I enjoyed watching characters growing closer together and overcoming differences. It's delighted me how different and original is your lore. This world is alive. I can feel how much thought you put into it. It has a soul.

Questions for feedback:

--Who is your favorite character and why?

Honestly, every character is deeply lovable for different reasons. I feel like I would be friends with everyone from the group, which is not an easy feat for me (making friends). Well, maybe on a somewhat slower pace with Kameckt, he's too energetic for me to deal with on most days, haha, but still! We will be friends! But if I had to pick one favorite... Groriu, for sure (with Makani as close second, she's fantastic). As for why - well, I'm nowhere near his level of jerkiness (I'm on zero level, I think), hah, but we have identical views on honesty. It's an important part of who I am and how I treat others. It's amazing, really, I almost never meet anyone irl or among the characters in media who would have this particular thing integrated with them and explored in 'character arc', so to speak. So I can't help but relate to him. I can relate in other aspects too, just less. He also has other traits I find enjoyable - he's funny and witty, and, as others said, actually can be gentle and almost nurturing.

--What was your favorite moment from the game?

Hmm, probably the first encounter with Groriu. I was like 'ooh, pretty big mercreature'. ...And then he opened his mouth xD (jocking, I love his personality).

--Any advice or critique I should keep in mind for the sequel/other future games?  (other than having more reasonable release goals)

Others have already said this in the comments, but I kind of not a fan of being forced to spend more time with Vane in order to get good ending. I love him and he's amazing, but I would prefer being free to choose with whom I spend my time. So I guess I wish it was implemented differently, but I don't know how. In the end, it's not a big deal, it didn't ruin anything. But I guess, yeah, this is the least fun part of the game for me.

--Any other comments/concerns?

Don't know if you still visit this page, but I wish you all the best. Be healthy, have a good life, do things you're love. Maybe, if your heart is in it, we will see the sequel for the deep unknown, but it is fine if not. I'll reread this. Have a good day, wherever you are!

Oh wow, how I was not already following your tumblr for updates.. rectified!!

Looks like good things are coming your way, I am glad! Your games are really special to me. New project sounds intriguing. And rpg maker could be surprisingly versatile, so I'm sure the skills would be useful for you.

Alas, can't visit you or the band (I live in Russia), but happy that you get to experience the whole thing! Don't forget to rest and have a nice day! 

Hello! The story is so captivating already! You have a very vibrant writing style. Almost poetic. I also noted the attention to detail in portraying the emotions of both the main character and the Younger. I already love the main character for being relatable and intriguing at the same time, and that's a great thing and a sign of a strong writing, I think. And thank you for the 'flaw' choice option.

That aside, I was amazed by the audio part of this story—the sounds perfectly accentuate what's happening, creating a perfect melancholic ambient for the story. And for a first attempt, in my opinion, you coded everything excellently. 

I encountered only one bug so far, in the 'but first, good morning!' choice, I think.


Good luck with the story!

I liked the demo very much! Eagerly awaiting for the full release. Good luck!

Wow, love this story so much! Stunning artwork, polished ui and amazing writing. I want to thank everyone who worked on this story. Replayed three times  as cat, crow, and snake familiar, and the difference in details (the concept of familiar's hierarchy, which brings unique flavor of tragedy for each MC) is so delicious... my personal favorite was the snake, but I might be biased here, haha, because I have three dearly loved pet snakes. I will eagerly await for Maeve's route 💙

I really love your games! Each one have a distinct "soul", if that makes sense. I also deeply in love with every character in your stories 💙 Patiently waiting for the next Days for this one!  

Honestly, good for you. Please prioritize your own mental health first! And I know this will be good for the game as well. Well wishes to you 💙 
Also glad that the game will be available on Steam too, for me it's the only way to buy games for the last few years, even if I wish I could buy it on itch. 

This is such a lovely story! Thank you! 

thank you, submitted 😌

Oh, how much have changed and not at the same time! I love this story, loved it from the times of the first Secunda, but I admit I struggle so much with prose of it sometimes, similar to what biohazardblade said. This is not a criticism, because it's your work and if you wish to write it this way you totally should. I'll still enjoy it. But I share the hope of more simple alternative, maybe as a toggle or a choice at the start. But I understand if you don't want to do this. it's a ton of work, basically rewriting the whole story. 

On the other note, it's insane how your art improved, I'm in awe. 

I enjoyed it so much! The writing is beautiful, and the music really helps with immersion. Stories where you can play as something alien and monstrous are my favorite, and you conveyed that feeling perfectly. Besides, I'm deeply in love with everything about merfolk 💙

I do hope you'll have time and wish to continue this story, but if not, I'll still enjoy rereading demo!

(Forgive me for potential mistakes or weird phrasing, since English is not my native language and I'm still learning)

I stumbled upon this demo and this is beautiful. It has some serious VIBES. Delicious. Art? Music? Writing style? Yes, yes, yeees.

Thank you for this ❤️

Also sorry, I just scrolled some comments and noticed that people sometimes call protagonist 'Vesper'. Is that, like, a default name or something? If yes, than it's very funny coincidence - I always name each of my protagonists by the name of Vesper, so I did the same here and happily typed in a name box, aha. 

I think i got every possible ending, that was fun. Liked the merperson the most, hehe~

First of all, sorry for potential mistakes, I'm not a native speaker. I hope it's still readable enough to convey my emotions clearly.

Very beautiful, melancholic, almost dream-like story. Like the game... knows me without telling an single fact about 'me'? Maybe it just reminds me about some of my dreams too much. The art looks like drawings from some old books I used to read as child, with dusty and warm scent on it. Soundtrack is elegant, wistful and emotional enough without being pushy and masterfully accents game scenes. I like it so much I just play it on background when doing something like reading or writing. The game was.. written with care, if it makes any sence. And lore does leave you imagining a very remarkable world. I played The Remainder soon after it was released on itch, and gladly replayed it after it was released on Steam. And now I played and replayed Act 2 several times, too. And I will return.

Thank you so much for creating such a game!

>Just to be sure, you're the one I exchanged emails with to solve the fan pack issue, yes?

For late clarification, I was the one who emailed you about issue with fan pack :) (emi...rov@gmail.com). Thanks again for help. I figured it wasn't only mine problem exactly after starscourge comment here on itch. Strangest thing, we (probably) both from Russia, but I not sure how (if at all) it could be connected with problem..