This VN feels like it was specifically created to pander to me, literally almost everything about it is suited to my tastes it's insane. My only beef with it is that the writing was a tad repetitive but WHO CARES edgy grim reaper dude is sexy that's all I'm here for.



(also putting a preview of their NSFW patreon-exclsuive art of the sexy reaper guy as an unlockable in the game?? Two and a Half Studios you sly dog, you got me to look at your patreon....)

Deeply satisfying to set up your autobattler-Roombas and agonize over their every maneuver, running the numbers on each encounter ahead of time. The overworld shortcuts and crazy crit builds hint at some really cool speedrun tech I'm excited for.

Plays it disappointingly straight narratively, but you already knew this game had delightful character designs and stunning environments pouring out of every scene. Even the score swept me away sometimes - particularly in the overworld night themes and at the end.

Completed on Expert, and while I had to fight tooth and nail to see credits, I did it!

Initially captivating in its expressive possibilities, Elsinore stumbles in its second act by spinning off into a time loop metatext that neither interrogates the themes of Hamlet nor the non-linear detective systems in meaningful ways. The first dozen or so loops are riveting in their constant diversions, new wrinkles in the mechanics revealing themselves along with alternate paths through a familiar work, but once the larger structure takes form it's clear Elsinore is actually a fairly ordinary time loop mystery using the cast of Hamlet as props more than easily recognizable characters (and then there's still half a game to get through).

The insertion of explicit conversations about identity politics stand out as rather silly in their naivety, positioning Hamlet and Ophelia as #allies while having no bearing on the rest of the atomized character interactions. It was quite disappointing to discover just how little this game is interested in exploring Hamlet the text, taking its basic plot structure along with so many liberties that centuries of interpretations are washed away in favor of fanfic queries like "what if Ophelia was a gay pirate?" It's fine in a sense that all adaptations are works of translation and revisionism, but this is so invested in capital-H Hamlet that I wanted and expected something more substantial.

A lot of fun to poke around with despite its second act disappointments. I'd love to see this format applied to other plays, considering I'll likely never get to see Sleep No More and this is the next best thing.

Content warnings: suicide, confinement, dismemberment, torture, death by fire