1. Did believing you could play this only once impact how you made decisions?
Oh yeah for sure. I definitely took the time to think over my decisions and how they would affect the overall progression of the story.
2. What do SAL and Ash look like in your mind? Did you mentally assign a gender to either or both characters?
Nothing much really. I have a very hard time visualising things on my own (like, if you told me to visualise a person you would have to describe their facial features for me and even then, I would only be able to picture one feature at a time and not put it all together. Don't even get me started on trying to imagine a background at the same time). But SAL definitely had Glados vibes and the only defining thing about Ash was that I assumed they had a lab coat.
3. What choices did you make? How did your game end?
I chose "i view our relationship in a logical way" and I think i got a neutral ending. Ash gives SAL a day to think about whether the melting of their minds so to speak would ultimately result in destruction of their relationship or whether they would get along better because of it.
4. What did you like and dislike about this game?
I really liked how the game doesn't pressure you into having a relationship with Ash, like, that was never endgame. It's nice that our choices do actually matter. I don't think there was anything I disliked really.
5. How did this game make you feel?
Seen. As an aromantic asexual who is in QPRs I relate SO HARD to SAL. Like yes bestie, we both don't have the capacity for love!! But we are trying.
6. Do you want to see these characters again? What would you want to see in a follow-up?
I would love to. I think it would be nice to see how their relationship develops based on the ending that the player has gotten, but I understand that would be rather tricky to incorporate.
7. What predictions do you have for SAL and Ash's relationship? Where do you see it going?
Personally, I think it's possible they could be in a committed relationship, just not a romantic one, at least, not from SAL's view. They may choose to label it as romantic (for their own reasons) but I do not think there would be any attraction so to speak. But then again, you are speaking to an aspec.
8. Any other things you want to mention?
Honestly,I really vibe with the aro rep here. I am aware that it may not be intentional, but I very much did feel as if my experiences were reflected through SAL. And I think this was a rather good representation because it allowed me to respond in a way that was more relevant to my personal aromantic experience than a blanket "Oh I just don't love", even if the options were limited, which is to be expected. The spectrum us infinite and a singular piece of media cannot reflect everyone's experiences. It allowed to be say that I the word for love doesn't fit. Or that I view relationships very differently. I think, even if it was not intended, it allows for people to be more empathetic of and more understanding of apsec people. Thank you for creating this :)