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Well... damn. I was not expecting this to be as good as it was. 

Listen, early on, you're going to be hit with a major hurdle to continue reading: tolerating the protagonist's self-sabotage. It's there, and it's infuriating, but it is not a core character trait, and it's very satisfying watching him better himself (and be bullied into being better) as the story progresses!

No the art isn't Michaelangelo but it has its moments, and anyway what shines brightest is the writing. It's honestly so well written, hilarious when it wants to be, and genuinely crushing when it tries. And boy, it tries a few times throughout. This is, ultimately, a very hopeful and happy story, thank fuck, it didn't leave me sobbing, thank fuck, but it's just so well done. 

A good idea, well executed. By the way, am I the only one who feels like JJ's Wasted Love (Austria's Eurovision winning song) is a perfect fit for the first third of this story? Jakob really do be making us feel that way iaeluvbeiljbvae

Just finished rereading it.

It makes so much more sense. Enjoyed it just as much as the first time around, maybe more. I understand. Somewhat. Not everything, gods no. I think the only person who understands it all is the creator.

It's not the best visual novel I've ever read.

It's the best story I've ever read. Ever.

Wow. This was the best visual novel I've ever read. And yes, I've read Adastra, Echo, Shelter, In case of emergency, etc... it's just that good. Absolute mindfuck. Absolutely raucous laughter almost throughout. Absolutely unabashedly loveable characters. Ian is baby. Kurt is fun. Even the side characters, Andrew... Fisher, were amazing. Everything just. Blew me away. Art, yes, that too. If this were priced at a hardcover book I'd buy it instantly. Oh my god. The micro-expressions. The amazing comedic timing. I still don't understand everything that's going on and that's the beauty of it. I think I'm going to reread it from start to finish to better appreciate all the twists. I think I may have to do so multiple times to truly understand what happened. Wow

Thank youuuuuu

Holy shit, that's impressive

Absolutely could not agree more <3

Awesome! Love that <3

Hope you've taken care of yourself!

Congratulations with the visa!

YOOOOOOOO

Welcome back!!!!

Holy shit hospitalisation and you still got this out? The dedication is amazing

Holy shit you are so back

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM 🤔

LMAO the onesie coat was amazing

💖💖💖

Holy. Shit. I read the dev log mentioning that the writing would be toned down and rewritten in future updates, and whilst I understand why, I just want to say, I LOVE IT. My first experience with this game was having it muted whilst I quickly finished an email, coming back to it, unmuting it, and being blasted with the main menu song going unnecessarily hard with the gorgeous art in the background. The cryptic intro was giving me that amazing feeling of the sublime that I absolutely love, and even more than that, the amount of worldbuilding. Granted, this was one feature that I think actually was a bit distracting, as worldbuilding nerd that I am, I stopped reading every time a notification popped up to get the lore, but maybe just making the notification discreet or even nonexistent would fix that, just by making it so you only read them in longer, more spaced-out bursts, instead of getting the urge to read them every time? idk

also, listening to the soundtrack rn as I write this and UGHHHHHHHH shit FUCKS so hard, I've never gotten such cinematic vibes from a VN before, except maybe soulcreek? but even then, soulcreek has like one song that slaps and the rest is just really good sound design, this vn is one chapter in and there are like, a good six I'd happily put on my playlist. Okay, that's a lie. Maybe eight.

I feel obliged to keep talking about the writing. It's so UGH YES, just MMMM yes. I'M ONE CHAPTER IN Y'ALL and it's serving total cunt at every turn from poetry to cryptic verse to witty banter, and just, it's the small things, like 'LOOM' tying into the motif of threads, or the first time you see the LOOM entry it's corrupted with Kavir(?)'s commentary near the end. The attention to detail is just fucking fabulous.

Also, the premise is yes.

And it's just so original? Like, yes, frostbitten worlds are a trope. But has literal storytelling magic ever been done before? A youtuber I watch (Nakari Speardane) has a somewhat similar idea of magic manifesting what people believe to be the truth into it, but still, that's not even close to the way this interlinks with the post-acopalypse of the world, and IBSIHCBEWLHJCBHIBV

just oh my god. Have I ever been so thoroughly hooked, lined, and sinkered so quickly before? I don't think so. This VN is unique in that way

Tl;Dr please don't change the prose too much I love it so much

After finishing Burry's route...

I don't cry easily. I did cry twice, though! And fucking hell, I didn't expect the plot to be so good, the fucking twists holy shit just.

*mwah* cheff's kiss

Omgg YESS i love this game!!!!

Don't beat yourself up about it, it's amazing you're only two days late with a PC broken for two MONTHS haha. Looking forward to it!

Happy birthday! The dedication you put in is amazinggg

no pornographic content, and maybe only one real "jumpscare." Every other element of horror is just good 'ol slow-burn disturbing

This made me shiver in fear, and cry with emotion. I am not your average Goodreads keysmasher; I do not cry for nothing. No, it takes beautiful writing, and wonderful music, and gorgeous art, and this VN had all of that in spades. You can clearly see the effort that went into it, and more importantly, the love.

Wow dude this sounds so cool!

Yesssssss love this man so much you write him so well

*happy noises*

Awww yes! I always love reading vns/books with well-represented underrepresented ethnicities, especially in non-assimilated states. You sir are doing god's work (if there was a god for gay VNs and multiculturalism ig)

Oh my god I FEEL the pain of outlining a story and UNDERSTAND the joy of having something you like again set out in front of you. The story I'm writing has had 4 (four) rewrites of its outline and I wouldn't have it any other way—they make it so much better

Cuddles?! Sign me up

Hope you had a good trip!

it's actually unfairly, practically incongruously beautiful wth

this game may be riddled with weird grammar and the occasional spelling error, but it manages to be absolutely hilarious anyway. When I noticed this visual gag, I burst out laughing

..."playfully mimicking tears"

*shudders*

the only real NSFW is at the end  of build 3, after going home from the indulgence. The only choice to be made is 'carry on' in regards to sex, which should be pretty self-explanatory. If it's not there, it may be the pre-censored version after all.

apart from one consistently weird writing eccentricity (way too many exclamation marks! Like really it's ridiculous! The following sentence did not need both exclamation marks—it comes off as amateur!) the rest of this VN's writing is totally solid, and I absolutely loved it

Like, the worldbuilding was absolutely top-notch, the humour was really well done and abundant, making an otherwise slightly slow opening tonnes of fun, and the intrigue had me consistently... well... intrigued. The plot was interesting, and occasionally, when this VN wants to, it puts out some of the most disturbing atmospheres out there. The scene in the radio station with the loud, glitchy equipment, and our two encounters with demons, were both very off-putting.

The second encounter

was

very well done. The author did not lie when saying soundscapes enhance this VN. Although sparsely used, the horror is made so much better by it. (Also the title theme is a total banger) (also I noticed that there were different stages for the drum soundtrack during the indulgence! Nice attention to detail)

The characters were all richly nuanced, which you love to see (and Loken especially was pleasantly nuanced, with behaviour that takes a different light as you learn about him, instead of him changing his behaviour (an existent, but not primary shift unlike in other VNs with rough personas) as you further your romance.

Also, I love the way worldbuilding has added some delicious angst and uncertainty to their relationship(?). What a great way to make sure two obviously compatible protagonists don't have an established happy-ever-after by the end of act 1. 

I def recommend this VN for fans of like, One Last Night, maybe In Case of Emergency? But basically if you like humour horror and great characters/plot, this is amazing (the overused exclamation marks never get that annoying, don't worry! At least the grammar and vocabulary are both impeccable)