"What simple nonsense."
I certainly consider myself a fan of Studio Elan and have been following them since their debut game "Highway Blossoms", but after a three year wait since their last effort—one I didn't overly enjoy—I was eager to see what they could do with Please Be Happy.
Miho is a fox girl—a "Gumiho"—once stricken by the cruelty of people, but is also saved by one as well: the seemingly contradictory sides of humanities coin leave her confused and mistrusting of anyone except "her person".
This dichotomy is the heart of PBH's sincere journey from mistrust to love; an aimless survival instinct transformed to a wide net of ponderies and passions. Is it truly worth aiming for more in life when we can survive well enough by ourselves, and risk so much by reaching out to strangers?
Miho's very existence is a defence mechanism; she causes people to forget her after 24 hours have passed. It isn't something she consciously realises either—only when Aspen, a barista, recognises her not a day after her last visit does Miho absolutely shatter. Her self-described "armour" was breached and it genuinely terrifies her. It's such a well executed scene, and sets up the rest perfectly.
What follows is a deftly woven tale of growth for Miho and the townsfolk of Wellington. Bit by bit they pull her out the tough shell she hides in with silly conversations, genuine joys, and of course, heartening romance. In fact, I'd say most of PBH's runtime is made up of these seemingly low stake scenes. However, it's the flawless transition from them to drama that absolutely feels a cut above anything Elan have ever put out before. Miho learns that everyone has joys to share, and so to does everyone have anxieties.
It’s these anxieties that are the absolute high points of the story, for all of the main cast. Aspens grounded relatability set my expectations somewhat low for her route, but her battle with what her passion becomes was deceptively nuanced. Likewise, Juliet’s disarming selflessness reveals itself to be not quite an empty nicety, so much a heartbreaking turning point. I haven’t finished her route yet, but even just her common route story was amongst the highpoints of games I played this year.
Of course, this brings us back to Miho. Come the end of her journey Miho faces a mirror; one that reflects what she could have become. Against ridicule and hate she offers the hand of kindness she was once extended, and in one final gambit, the mirror ridicules Miho for the triteness of the words she lives by. The final knife twist of PBH, is that these words weren’t something Miho was told, but ones she came to live by and understand herself; a revelation that completely shatters the mirror.
I could go on about how I think the excellent ost and art compliment the game wonderfully, or how the (full english!) voice acting punctuates the story perfectly, and they do, don’t get me wrong. However, it’s without a doubt the heartening story of a little fox learning empathy and love that hit me here. The moment the mirror shatters PBH’s story comes together to make it feel so, so earned, but it’s the deep respect shown for people who aren’t ready to take Miho’s journey yet that made it stand out even more in my mind.
Something to the effect of the quote I started on crossed my mind even before playing, but by the end, I definitely no longer felt the same way. This almost certainly was an intentional move, and I can’t help but love how the sincerity of this story worked out. Turns out the three year wait was worth it, and what a wonderful success Studio Elan have to show for it.
I certainly consider myself a fan of Studio Elan and have been following them since their debut game "Highway Blossoms", but after a three year wait since their last effort—one I didn't overly enjoy—I was eager to see what they could do with Please Be Happy.
Miho is a fox girl—a "Gumiho"—once stricken by the cruelty of people, but is also saved by one as well: the seemingly contradictory sides of humanities coin leave her confused and mistrusting of anyone except "her person".
This dichotomy is the heart of PBH's sincere journey from mistrust to love; an aimless survival instinct transformed to a wide net of ponderies and passions. Is it truly worth aiming for more in life when we can survive well enough by ourselves, and risk so much by reaching out to strangers?
Miho's very existence is a defence mechanism; she causes people to forget her after 24 hours have passed. It isn't something she consciously realises either—only when Aspen, a barista, recognises her not a day after her last visit does Miho absolutely shatter. Her self-described "armour" was breached and it genuinely terrifies her. It's such a well executed scene, and sets up the rest perfectly.
What follows is a deftly woven tale of growth for Miho and the townsfolk of Wellington. Bit by bit they pull her out the tough shell she hides in with silly conversations, genuine joys, and of course, heartening romance. In fact, I'd say most of PBH's runtime is made up of these seemingly low stake scenes. However, it's the flawless transition from them to drama that absolutely feels a cut above anything Elan have ever put out before. Miho learns that everyone has joys to share, and so to does everyone have anxieties.
It’s these anxieties that are the absolute high points of the story, for all of the main cast. Aspens grounded relatability set my expectations somewhat low for her route, but her battle with what her passion becomes was deceptively nuanced. Likewise, Juliet’s disarming selflessness reveals itself to be not quite an empty nicety, so much a heartbreaking turning point. I haven’t finished her route yet, but even just her common route story was amongst the highpoints of games I played this year.
Of course, this brings us back to Miho. Come the end of her journey Miho faces a mirror; one that reflects what she could have become. Against ridicule and hate she offers the hand of kindness she was once extended, and in one final gambit, the mirror ridicules Miho for the triteness of the words she lives by. The final knife twist of PBH, is that these words weren’t something Miho was told, but ones she came to live by and understand herself; a revelation that completely shatters the mirror.
I could go on about how I think the excellent ost and art compliment the game wonderfully, or how the (full english!) voice acting punctuates the story perfectly, and they do, don’t get me wrong. However, it’s without a doubt the heartening story of a little fox learning empathy and love that hit me here. The moment the mirror shatters PBH’s story comes together to make it feel so, so earned, but it’s the deep respect shown for people who aren’t ready to take Miho’s journey yet that made it stand out even more in my mind.
Something to the effect of the quote I started on crossed my mind even before playing, but by the end, I definitely no longer felt the same way. This almost certainly was an intentional move, and I can’t help but love how the sincerity of this story worked out. Turns out the three year wait was worth it, and what a wonderful success Studio Elan have to show for it.
Reviewed on Nov 26, 2022