Sofia?

Oh okay thanks a lot :)!

Oh, wait I get it now! Thank you SO much! :D

Hi there!! I was incredibly flattered reading your response! Thank you so much for replying!! Like I said this game rattled in my brain for a bit even after I finished it, so when I say as soon as my year end essay is finished Im gonna snap up the extended version, trust that I mean it haha. Below is a slightly edited version of my review! I really hope that other people who played this game (or deciding if they should play this game) find it useful!

If I could title this review it would be “Exceptional Storytelling, beautiful art, who gave you permission to hurt me”. Unfortunately itch.io isnt so kind as to include that as an option.

I went into this game prepared to be a bitter hater. I’m not a fan of rpg maker for a couple of reasons, and the very sweet style fooled me for quite a bit. I have a ton to say about this game so get ready for a long one.

As a general overview of my opinion, I think this game is magic; Lightning in a bottle type of stuff that’s completely up my alley. The characters are incredibly charming and the pacing in how different aspects of their personalities is shown is very well done. There’s plenty of fun foreshadowing for eggheads like me to obsess over while they surreptitiously search from room to room. The pixel art and illustrations are well made and the simplistic communication style lends to a detachment that makes sense the farther you go into the game. It’s mentioned in the description that some people have issues progressing. I can see why this is the case as much of the gameplay is returning to the same exact few rooms with the same interaction points multiple times over the course of your playthrough. As a person who plays tons of puzzle and exploration based games I’m very much used to the repetition myself, but I can understand why people may find it unengaging. I thought the puzzles themselves were relatively simple and easy to follow, though I’m not sure i would have enjoyed a challenge for this game. Some of the issues people are having is i think perhaps linked to the bird eye view aspect of the design which makes it slightly more difficult to have the spatial awareness required for a couple of the puzzles. Besides a few minor syntax errors, the writing is straightforward and clean without being unproductively off putting. By the time you get to the last few moments of your playthrough, you may just hear your heart beating in your ears. (I certainly did)

Now if i really want to talk about what makes this game special, I have to get into deep, potentially game ‘ruining’ spoilers. So if you haven’t played the whole game (or havent done what I tend to do, which is play it once and watch the rest of the endings on youtube), here is where I’d recommend you do so. I doubt you’ll regret it.

This game is heavy.. heavy heavy.. It implies and talks about aspects of the characters with brevity, but the simple art style and deftly composed music build upon easy-to-follow writing that does pull a few punches, but for a reason. I was ready in particular to dislike Crow. He seemed to fill archetypes I was bored of in other games superficially similar to this one. In any other situation, I wouldn’t care much about characters resembling Crow and Fio, but I CERTAINLY cared for Crow and Fio by the time I finished the game. The fact that not only Fio (who we already knew wasn’t all he seemed) but Crow himself is an iteration was in hindsight so incredibly obvious but cleverly disguised under tropes and regular old video game rules (which is… if that was on purpose which i think it was….wow). There’s that zero escape-esque feel that while you know all the pieces are somewhere around you, it’s hidden frustratingly out of view. Some may find that irritating but I find it engaging.

I do have some minor gripes with design and some choices made. The first few times you go through the evening, the pacing is not as strong, unfortunately. It feels less like you’re excited to look for what’s new, and more just going through the motions knowing eventually someone’s going to die. But it should be encouraging to note that, by the end of the final night, it was leading to something relatively satisfying. There were a few times that I assumed the game was foreshadowing something that never actually paid off (from what I can tell). If I could change one thing about the game i’d frontload a few more implications about the heavy stuff. While I enjoy Crow and Fio’s banter, not a ton of what they discussed in the ‘happy’ part of the game felt very deep (which possibly was intentional).

The controls are typical rpg maker faire, but the larger sprites lend a slowness to Crow’s movement that can be difficult to get used to. However, the somewhat stilted pace to his movements lends to a sense of foreboding that (at least I think) works well. There are limitations to working in this medium and that’s to be expected.

Also, I’m not going to lie, as a gay woman, the game’s themes of immorality for the sake of conformity, defiance, and existing for others’ benefit without knowing hits incredibly close to home. This game wouldn’t have been objectively worse without a same-sex couple, but the fact that the main couple is one is a layer not just to their relationships with other characters but is built upon by their identities as ‘iterations’, (i guess replicant would be goofy haha) who feel othered and demonized by those around them. It just wouldn’t hit AS hard with a clearly defined male/female relationship. In particular, the escapism and co-dependant hope present in the plane ending is something quite a number of individuals I know who identify with lgbt labels can relate to thinking about many times. Every once in a while it feels like it is us against the world, and the fact that this detail was included was inspired.

I do have a few other issues with some character related things. For example, i really wish we could have had some seen interactions between Fio and his family. I understand why this wasn’t included, but seeing the same name on all the papers rings a little hollow when I have very little context for how their relationship affects Fio. As for Fio, my poor poor boy. I felt sad for this kid the entire game. His optimism is not only admirable but another indicator of him as a ‘failed’ iteration. He’s happy with himself in ways others aren’t happy FOR him to be that way (if that makes sense).

At the center of this is Sofia(?). I need more of Sofia?..end of story. Her speech in many of the endings is a tiny dip into what I thought could have been a super intense and emotional payoff. I haven’t bought the expanded version yet (I probably will though!!) but the peon in me really wants to hear all about her life..though im sure that might destroy some of the mystique.

This game touches on themes like eugenics, child abuse, familial/generational trauma, neglect, and societal/parental expectations. It feels like a lot, and it is, but the game does a pretty good job of making their addition feel natural and not gratuitous. Also, while I certainly expect (but not necessarily relish) some blood and guts in my horror video games, nothing is more irritating when they bring the…ahem.. giant pile of bodies.. out too early; which this game does well (though a certain reveal can come off as less horrifying and more silly the more times you go through it).

Im sure that if i’d had more time, I may play some of the other endings myself. The visual novel aspect makes it easy to consume for those with little patience and skill for puzzles (either by simple controls or playthroughs available around the web).

The people behind this game clearly worked incredibly hard to deliver this soul-gouging (depending on who you are) story, and I’ll absolutely be keeping my eye on the pages of those involved.

Anyway.. no one reads reviews but I wanted to collect my thoughts on this game. If someone finds them useful that’s great! If not, no harm done i hope. Thanks again to the creators and everyone involved in making this ‘suspicious present’! I opened with hesitation and left with much more than I expected. At least this present didn’t need to be dunked in water before opening!

TYSM

ah, thanks for the reply. I asked because I use Linux. amazing game! thanks for making the Linux build.    

i played english but i would like to play turkish

browser on laptop

It's ok. Thanks for responding!

thank you so much

That's cute

OH MY GOD I FOUND THE TRACKS, I THINK I'M THE HAPPIEST DEVELOPER ALIVE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THANK YOU!!!!!!!! :D

Also, PLEASE make some kind of 2nd game that cost money. I know that there is a extended version but please. I love this game so much.

It does help, thanks! And your games aren't silly, in my opinion. They're actually rather impressive.