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I finished this a while ago but didn't have anything very deep to say about it. Still, I might as well write a wrap-up post.
So! Overall I liked the game! It is a bittersweet exploration of grief and growing up, which uses the dating sim format and does have dating sim elements, but is more about the relationships between a group of friends.
The "Happy Ending" is an alternate timeline Happy Ending For Everyone. I liked seeing how things could have played out differently, but think I prefer the Best Ending's more bittersweet take on an ensemble end.
The Happy Ending splits from the flashback at summer camp, as the kids are leaving the mansion and realise they're about to be trapped on the island by the rising lake water.
In this version, they decide to stay inside. There's a sweet scene of them keeping each other's spirits up as they fall asleep together, and then returning to camp together the next day.
We flash forward to the present day. Ai is friends with all the guys, including a not-dead Natsuki (but not Hikage, who is presumably still master of the manor) They hang out with her after school and are clearly all in love with her and jealous of each other about it, though in a moderately good-natured way where they're still all friends.
On the whole everyone is kinda similar but a bit less fucked up:
Ai doesn't have the moments where her cheerful persona cracks to reveal the angst underneath.
Aki is still 'jokingly' flirtatious but not TOO creepy or bitter.
Takuya is still a bit tsundere but not mean.
Natsuki is still kind of paternal but not super manipulative.
Kazuya is still socially awkward and spacey but not totally checked out and unworldly.
At the end Natsuki makes a calm remark about still wanting to marry Ai which makes everyone go Wait What.
It's cute, but I didn't feel like it added much to the story or my understanding of the characters.
I did write down some dialogue I thought was funny and captures the dynamic, I didn't write down the names but am pretty sure I got them right.
So. Everyone is coming to Ai's house to study, with the older Natsuki's help.
Ai: We'd better hurry or we'll be late
Aki: I wouldn't mind spending the night if its just the two of us ;)
Kazuya: I'd like to stay too then :)
Takuya: Are you all idiots
Ai: I'm sure dad and Haruka would be happy to have you!
Takuya: Ugh you are all so...*sprite shrinks down off the screen*
The game gave me an achievement to let me know I got all the endings, it was kinda cool looking at the flowchart all filled out. And that's it, I'm done!
I finished this a while ago but didn't have anything very deep to say about it. Still, I might as well write a wrap-up post.
So! Overall I liked the game! It is a bittersweet exploration of grief and growing up, which uses the dating sim format and does have dating sim elements, but is more about the relationships between a group of friends.
The "Happy Ending" is an alternate timeline Happy Ending For Everyone. I liked seeing how things could have played out differently, but think I prefer the Best Ending's more bittersweet take on an ensemble end.
The Happy Ending splits from the flashback at summer camp, as the kids are leaving the mansion and realise they're about to be trapped on the island by the rising lake water.
In this version, they decide to stay inside. There's a sweet scene of them keeping each other's spirits up as they fall asleep together, and then returning to camp together the next day.
We flash forward to the present day. Ai is friends with all the guys, including a not-dead Natsuki (but not Hikage, who is presumably still master of the manor) They hang out with her after school and are clearly all in love with her and jealous of each other about it, though in a moderately good-natured way where they're still all friends.
On the whole everyone is kinda similar but a bit less fucked up:
Ai doesn't have the moments where her cheerful persona cracks to reveal the angst underneath.
Aki is still 'jokingly' flirtatious but not TOO creepy or bitter.
Takuya is still a bit tsundere but not mean.
Natsuki is still kind of paternal but not super manipulative.
Kazuya is still socially awkward and spacey but not totally checked out and unworldly.
At the end Natsuki makes a calm remark about still wanting to marry Ai which makes everyone go Wait What.
It's cute, but I didn't feel like it added much to the story or my understanding of the characters.
I did write down some dialogue I thought was funny and captures the dynamic, I didn't write down the names but am pretty sure I got them right.
So. Everyone is coming to Ai's house to study, with the older Natsuki's help.
Ai: We'd better hurry or we'll be late
Aki: I wouldn't mind spending the night if its just the two of us ;)
Kazuya: I'd like to stay too then :)
Takuya: Are you all idiots
Ai: I'm sure dad and Haruka would be happy to have you!
Takuya: Ugh you are all so...*sprite shrinks down off the screen*
The game gave me an achievement to let me know I got all the endings, it was kinda cool looking at the flowchart all filled out. And that's it, I'm done!
no subject
Date: 2020-07-26 05:46 pm (UTC)They hang out with her after school and are clearly all in love with her and jealous of each other about it, though in a moderately good-natured way where they're still all friends.
After playing through Amnesia, I just winced when I read the first half of that sentence.
I read your recap of the best ending and the game sounds really interesting!
no subject
Date: 2020-07-27 12:18 pm (UTC)Yeah it's an interesting game. I hear the sequel is EVEN ANGSTIER and MORE INTENSE which sounds too much for me but also interesting.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-28 04:54 am (UTC)And with Kazuya I just kept blinking whenever I saw him, with his smile (he looked so happy!!) and just... the fact that his sprite was existing against the real world backgrounds.
Natsuki is still kind of paternal but not super manipulative.
Haha, I like the qualifier on the "manipulative".
Natsuki: I'd like to stay too then :)
It was Kazuya! Who is still mildly dubconny in the mansion-style "what are boundaries?" way, which I'm pretty sure is just him playing innocent.
Natsuki shows up only afterwards to talk about how newlyweds should spice things up every now and then, and ofc this is relevant because he's totally going to marry Ai, which is such a thing to spring on your study buddies. The CG for him and Ai made me ship it a little, but I still am kind of :/ at him.
I also came out of this shipping Takuya/Karasuba and Kazuya/Karasuba.
(but not Hikage, who is presumably still master of the manor)
Yeah. I guess he is definitely not completing the kaleidoscope. In the spirit of the optimism from Monshiro's route, I'd like to believe that eventually he gives up on the shards and Usagi talks to him, and everything is fine, white butterflies everywhere.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-05 08:56 am (UTC)It was Kazuya!
Oops! edits
I'd like to believe that eventually he gives up on the shards and Usagi talks to him, and everything is fine, white butterflies everywhere.
Yeah! It's not NOT canon!