Pardon the cliche but this game is art. The pacing from the engine gives it a very deliberate feel that lets the tension build until it vents just a little bit, which works because the incident may be over but as the conclusion says, the trauma lives on.
I liked the part where brief sexual encounters are described that the protagonist hoped would lead to friendships or relationships. The writing made me feel sympathetic to the other characters, even as they were portrayed as flawed in how they dealt with the oppression they lived under.
Rayven
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This felt like a horror game to me, despite the fetish aspect. The coziest horror I've ever read.
The understated traumas, the soft but melancholy music, and the eerily pastel illustrations all contributed to the feel of the point-of-view characters' gradual loss of will and their eventual surrender to obedience.
If, instead of the common thread being a sadistically cruel lesbian, it was narrated by a deadpan man smoking a cigarette, it would feel like a Twilight Zone episode.
Very cute! Definitely got the vibe of becoming a larger predator with a matching appetite, as prey that was once closer to the player's size eventually can fit in the palm of their hand, and the once-larger prey are now 'unlocked'.
The dialogue is super cute as well, and encouraging in the sense that I wanted to play again to see if there was any cute lines I missed. Also, adding a little timer as a 'score' was another thing that made me want to try again!
Oh gosh, this gave me chills! I love how every page plays a little bit with the format, sometimes playing it straight with a page of prose and a choice, but sometimes giving a false choice or revealing things at a deliberate pace.
The way the characters were developed did a great job of making everyone feel real, even if they were just briefly mentioned, and the main characters sympathetic, even if neither one is perfect (except in the other's eyes, maybe).
Played through a few times trying to see the results of other choices.
I did enjoy the way the storyline zig-zagged from being a silly satire about pixelated fish but also a sincere examination of war and how it leaves the ones who had to fight it.
The map design worked, because even though it wasn't always clear where I could go I did feel like that meant I was exploring a more 3D space, as a fish under water would have a harder time finding spaces to swim through as opposed to just walking on the horizontal surfaces.
I did get bogged down in the grinding, though. Only looking back at the text walkthrough made me realize what I was missing!
Loved this! Reminded me of escape room games in Flash I have played, like the original Crimson Room. The puzzle was simple at the end but I honestly had no idea where it was going through most of the game, and hunted a lot of the pixels trying to find clues. The loop with the sailboat painting was a nice touch, made the 'room' seem more intriguing, even if it wasn't a hit. Makes me want to try something similar next time, but I don't know if I could be as clever! :)
It's simple, but I did have fun going through each frame. :) The choice of showing each being's symbol first, and then revealing a portrait, played with my expectations, since I tried to think of what they might look like but of course I had no way of knowing. The way that there's no set order made me think of a kind of minimalist interactive story, which I suppose it is - an introduction into more details about you.
This was both erotic and emotionally touching. Being transfeminine myself, I could relate to how transition can change someone's relationship to their body and self this way. It was sexy playing with the frames that loop around, but the presentation also supported the contentment of the final panel.
A small, yet evocative slice of a surreal world that artfully raises more questions than it answers.
I loved the graphics, cute in their own way but every new character or screen had an ominous feel. Little touches like trying to read every gravestone or how sometimes the books weren't what they appeared to be, gave the game some levity without breaking the pensive tone.
I am seriously impressed!
Though short enough to be completed in one sitting, a lot of careful design choices - the deliberate pacing, the fair but limited resources, the intriguing maps - all helped make it feel like it was still a very complete adventure.
The main character was fun to play as and though I must admit I do wish we got to see the broader world that only got hinted at, that just means I'm dying for more. Thanks for sharing your work!
I'm just too stunned for words - had a great time, taking me back to when I was experiencing the worldbuilding and memorable characters of games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI as a kid.
This game knows just when to tweak your expectations, so that it all feels satisfying while also being accessibly compact, in terms of playtime.
I think I told you this directly, but it manages to be a guilty sort of fun! Excellent pacing between the 'levels' as the tone shifts from one of being curious but vulnerable to a sort of indifferent power trip. And very aesthetically appropriate for the idea of a low-level beastie becoming an abomination.


