adorable!! i have no clue how i didn't know about this before i just randomly saw it on backloggd but this is right up my alley. also unbeknownst to me before starting it but halfway through i found out this is based on an anime done in the same boxy 3d style so now i know i HAVE to watch it now.
this game is such a strange mix of genres as a stealth, puzzle solving, horror, comedy game effortlessly bouncing between different ideas and moods while never feeling like it's inconsistent. it reminded me of a lot of other games (luigi's mansion, animal crossing, parappa the rapper, silent hill, and a bunch of other stuff that i'm sure i'm just forgetting) but always felt completely idiosyncratic because of the atmosphere it builds and maintains over the course of its short runtime. the best part about the game is simply exploring the crafted world and getting to know all of the strange inhabitants, each new character introduced just filled me with joy at getting to find out each of their quirks and personalities. if anything, the game is worth a try just to live in this world for a few hours alone.
but the gameplay is no slouch either! the characters in the game keep to consistent schedules and in order to gather the souls from each of them the player must eavesdrop on conversations by looking through keyholes in order to find out their weaknesses. some of them can be more obtuse than others, and i'd be lying if i said that i didn't consult a guide a few times just to figure out what to do for certain characters, but trying to keep yourself hidden by swapping between looking into rooms and looking down the hallway that you're in to see if you'll get caught can be absolutely nailbiting at times, and though it's not particularly scary the tension is definitely there. a few frustrating moments of trying to keep to a specific time in order to get a particular character interaction to take place, or waiting around for something to trigger can make the game feel somewhat lacking in execution compared to ambition, but a lot of very surprising moments regardless and trying to keep track of everyone's schedules as the cast grows and grows can be a really compelling challenge. also i will say it's definitely all worth it for the spectacular ending the game is able to pull off, even if the final boss fight is maybe a bit too simple compared to how much work is required for the rest of the game.
this game is such a strange mix of genres as a stealth, puzzle solving, horror, comedy game effortlessly bouncing between different ideas and moods while never feeling like it's inconsistent. it reminded me of a lot of other games (luigi's mansion, animal crossing, parappa the rapper, silent hill, and a bunch of other stuff that i'm sure i'm just forgetting) but always felt completely idiosyncratic because of the atmosphere it builds and maintains over the course of its short runtime. the best part about the game is simply exploring the crafted world and getting to know all of the strange inhabitants, each new character introduced just filled me with joy at getting to find out each of their quirks and personalities. if anything, the game is worth a try just to live in this world for a few hours alone.
but the gameplay is no slouch either! the characters in the game keep to consistent schedules and in order to gather the souls from each of them the player must eavesdrop on conversations by looking through keyholes in order to find out their weaknesses. some of them can be more obtuse than others, and i'd be lying if i said that i didn't consult a guide a few times just to figure out what to do for certain characters, but trying to keep yourself hidden by swapping between looking into rooms and looking down the hallway that you're in to see if you'll get caught can be absolutely nailbiting at times, and though it's not particularly scary the tension is definitely there. a few frustrating moments of trying to keep to a specific time in order to get a particular character interaction to take place, or waiting around for something to trigger can make the game feel somewhat lacking in execution compared to ambition, but a lot of very surprising moments regardless and trying to keep track of everyone's schedules as the cast grows and grows can be a really compelling challenge. also i will say it's definitely all worth it for the spectacular ending the game is able to pull off, even if the final boss fight is maybe a bit too simple compared to how much work is required for the rest of the game.