Cute 15 minute read. Apparently the original script is full of wordplay but the English translation doesn't really have any of it? I wonder how much the translators are to blame, if at all, considering the inherent differences of language.
Regardless, wordplay isn't really the main point. It's a psychological visual novel where the protagonist imagines she... is in a psychological visual novel about herself. "A bit like milk inside of a bag of milk inside of a bag of milk". She manages to imagine a "Player", who "happens" to have the name we type in at the beginning at the game, to whom she is able to vent her feelings and trauma, which, as the final twist reveals, is in part allowed by her newest medication. In other words, we are the personification of this new medication. Unlike her previous prescriptions, this seems to be working well, considering this semi self-aware conversation was fruitful, thus ending the story on a happier note. "It'll take a lot of time and effort, but you can, eventually, start to get out of the pit you're stuck in". Or some motivational message like that. The game didn't say it outright.
The sequel seems interesting and I plan to check it out soon. The apparent presence of many branching paths intrigues me, because the first game has a different direction- the player is given dialogue options on a handful of occasions, but there aren't real branching paths beyond the protagonist addressing our response in a few lines, after which the script flows back into the linear story.
The tone and content of your potential words doesn't vary often in a given choice. However, if you say mean things a few too many times, a failure state is reached- in which the protagonist "discards" us, bringing us back to the name entry screen. "Looks like [Player name] doesn't help me at all... I guess I'll try something else next time." And once you enter a name again, she wonders if you'll do a better job than "[Previous player name]". This wording I would say adds further to us and our timely arrival being fundamentally related to her medication, which is an interesting meta layer to the story. I guess we'll be able to choose her fate now that she's starting to get better instead of going through the linear beginning of that process.
The meta framing of this project isn't explored very deeply- but I don't think it needs to be. Finding comfort in media by projecting our own experiences into it is far from an uncommon or invalid endeavor, and this sentiment directly flows into the creation of new media, through which we might be able to express our emotions in new ways.
The entirety of this small-scope project simply doesn't explore itself deeply, either- but I think that's fine. I'd say it's worth the dollar it's priced at. The ideas presented are interesting, the dialogue is appreciably emotional, and there are some entertaining tidbits that made me chuckle. It can get a bit heavy with its subject matter of trauma, though, so be warned.
Regardless, wordplay isn't really the main point. It's a psychological visual novel where the protagonist imagines she... is in a psychological visual novel about herself. "A bit like milk inside of a bag of milk inside of a bag of milk". She manages to imagine a "Player", who "happens" to have the name we type in at the beginning at the game, to whom she is able to vent her feelings and trauma, which, as the final twist reveals, is in part allowed by her newest medication. In other words, we are the personification of this new medication. Unlike her previous prescriptions, this seems to be working well, considering this semi self-aware conversation was fruitful, thus ending the story on a happier note. "It'll take a lot of time and effort, but you can, eventually, start to get out of the pit you're stuck in". Or some motivational message like that. The game didn't say it outright.
The sequel seems interesting and I plan to check it out soon. The apparent presence of many branching paths intrigues me, because the first game has a different direction- the player is given dialogue options on a handful of occasions, but there aren't real branching paths beyond the protagonist addressing our response in a few lines, after which the script flows back into the linear story.
The tone and content of your potential words doesn't vary often in a given choice. However, if you say mean things a few too many times, a failure state is reached- in which the protagonist "discards" us, bringing us back to the name entry screen. "Looks like [Player name] doesn't help me at all... I guess I'll try something else next time." And once you enter a name again, she wonders if you'll do a better job than "[Previous player name]". This wording I would say adds further to us and our timely arrival being fundamentally related to her medication, which is an interesting meta layer to the story. I guess we'll be able to choose her fate now that she's starting to get better instead of going through the linear beginning of that process.
The meta framing of this project isn't explored very deeply- but I don't think it needs to be. Finding comfort in media by projecting our own experiences into it is far from an uncommon or invalid endeavor, and this sentiment directly flows into the creation of new media, through which we might be able to express our emotions in new ways.
The entirety of this small-scope project simply doesn't explore itself deeply, either- but I think that's fine. I'd say it's worth the dollar it's priced at. The ideas presented are interesting, the dialogue is appreciably emotional, and there are some entertaining tidbits that made me chuckle. It can get a bit heavy with its subject matter of trauma, though, so be warned.