Finally got time to play this, and I am very glad I did!
I had high expectations going into this VN because of how much I loved Ritenuto (even though i shouldn't have, considering this is your first vn :p) , and this still surprised me in terms of quality.
The gameplay mechanic is really cool and complements the story really well! I loved how it fits the theme, the way Anna was physically trapped in the time loop until she tries to mend her bond with Katie is an amazing representation of how one cannot truly move on by refusing to face their emotions. The mechanic itself made it feel much more engaging than your average linear VN story line, and it made it all the more rewarding to piece together the final ending and finally have the two make up. (and also the gay scene :D)
In terms of writing, it was really good as well! The undertones of awkwardness and distance were shown clearly in Katie and Anna's dialogue, and the contrast with Anna's internal yearning made it feel really realistic. Viv and Chip's interactions (basically what i came here for LMAO) did not disappoint as well, I loved seeing their banter and basically everything about it tbh :3 (the sketches in the gallery could feed me for a month :D). The contrast between Anna's tense interactions and Chip's guideless goobering with Viv kept the story refreshing, and their couple dynamic was already super entertaining and cute on their own :D
Artstyle is really cute too, nothing much to say about it!
My only nitpick was the conversation in the art room between Anna and Layla, I felt that the romance novel talk could have been cut short significantly and the intended message would still come across well. Also, the random /pos in one of Katie's lines threw me off, but i'm kinda forcing it rn cause it was kinda funny :p
In short, this was really good! I love your approach to your visual novels, where the focus is on literary themes and messaging, with the romance elements designed to be heartfelt and realistic rather than exaggerated, overly-fluffy wish fulfillment as the main (and sometimes only) focus of the VN. I could see myself in a lot of your characters, like Viv, Torch, Anna, etc, and it really kept me engaged and made me more empathetic to the plotlines. Easy 9.75/10 from me!
(took me 49 days, tried to see if there was any hidden easter eggs in the dialogue options and also ended up pulling a stupid and entering the same route multiple times LMAO)
(spoilers for ritenuto below)
wait so did chip achieve his dream of getting a painting in the roselake art institute? or did he give up? or is he just doing it as a side thing while hes doing his art teacher stuff? i'm writing a fic that takes place in between ritenuto and dolce and i wanna be as accurate as possible :p (hopefully i actually finish it) :p :w:
luckyvender
Recent community posts
This is criminally underrated.
I don't know where to start. From the moment I saw the first manga cutscene, I already knew that this was going to be a banger. The art style is adorable. The dialogue is natural and I love how everyone was characterised so well, from the eccentric Richter to the sharp-tongued Karin. I especially loved the texting scenes, where you can see the massive contrast between Chip and Viv's personalities in a way that complements the pairing. The pacing didn't disappoint as well. I LOVED how instead of rushing straight into the romantic plot (can I call it that?), we got to take our times to explore the supporting cast and both Viv and Chip's backstories. It's a shame that most other VNs I played were basically romance speedrun simulator, and for this one to not only have deeper themes of self-doubt and loneliness, but to also explore them with such loving detail is genuinely mind-blowing to me. My heart genuinely shattered during some of the more serious scenes in the later half, and oh my god, this was the first VN that had me sobbing at the end.
I really hope to see more content of Chip and Viv together. Genuinely shocked to not see any fanfics on AO3 and it was the first time I went out of my way to search for them, because I really wanted to see more of them :sob:
Thank you for the delicious food, xiruo! All of this for free? I could buy this for 20 bucks off Steam and still feel like it's a steal!