Alright… this game was a lot to take in, but I definitely had fun with it. Spoilers ahead.
I went into it without any expectations (I try not to compare games too much) and was somewhat pleasantly surprised by how well the whole “Oh no, I’m stuck in this game world, how do I get out?” premise was executed. I did my first playthrough without a guide and somehow ended up with the True Ending (after dying plenty along the way, of course). That ending left me feeling a little… sad for the brother, honestly. Before seeing the Bonus Side Story, I could somewhat understand how he snapped after his brother suddenly disappeared and left behind all the chaos he created. His reaction was extreme, but then again, what else would you expect from a character right out of a Yandere visual novel?
After that, I went back for the good endings, and I really liked both Leon’s and Vincent’s. (Everything thats coming now until the Brother, are thoughts before Side B. :3)
The MC was… interesting. The constant screaming did get a bit repetitive for me (no shade to the voice actor, they did great, it just wore on me after a while). But to be fair, if I were dropped into a Yandere VN myself, I’d probably be screaming the entire time too. His “reveal” as a yandere himself in his good ending didn’t really shock me. The story sprinkled in enough hints through his reactions and his understanding of the other yanderes in the later game. His good ending hairstyle? Loved it. His slight hypocrisy? Eh, maybe intentional, and it actually worked for the story. Also, his carefully planned “escape strategy” at the start slowly getting derailed by him thirsting over the LIs was hilarious and honestly? Big Mood.
Between the two love interests, Leon was probably my favorite. I’m weak for the “best friend” trope in VNs, and I thought his part of the story was done really well. Out of the two, I believed Leon the most when he said he loved MC and genuinely wanted the best for him...yes, still with the grain of salt that he is a yandere. But his willingness to try and change (even if he struggled) felt sincere, and I really appreciated that nuance.
Vincent, on the other hand, had some strong moments when he was vulnerable and let his true feelings show. I did sometimes wonder if he was actually in love with the MC, or if he was just in love with the idea of MC being his “hero.” It felt less like love for MC as a person, and more like an obsession with what MC represented to him. Very classic yandere, but still, he was interesting and fun to explore. I also think him going to therapy, was more "to please" MC. But I could be wrong.
As for the little brother...hoo boy. He was painted as the most suspicious from the start, which worked, and Side B confirmed why. At first, I honestly pitied him in the True Ending, but after Side B, that sympathy fizzled out. His reasoning boiled down to “my brother died, I want him back”, but the teddy outright told him that what he was getting wasn’t going to be the same person. He somewhat knew the MC saw the world as a “game,” and meanwhile, for the brother, it was reality, which made things more tragic. But at the same time, him going on a full murder spree because he couldn’t have his brother anymore just cemented him as the true yandere of the story.
The visuals were solid, though I would have loved more romantic CGs to balance out all the bloodier moments. Still,the style was okay and I liked how it tied into the overall theme.
All in all, this was a fun and wild ride. I’m glad I stuck with it and got to see every ending. Now that I’ve survived this Yandere VN, I’ll be taking my leave before anyone traps me in another one.