There's probably more I'm going to want to say about this game in the future, but I'll get out now what I can after basically finishing it not even a half-hour ago.

For a game that absolutely didn't need a sequel in any capacity, it's astounding how much of a perfect compliment to Fate/stay night this game is. Amazing how much it takes the time to build upon not just Shirou's relationships with basically the entire ensemble cast of Fate, but manages to reinforce on an individual level what made every single one of those characters so great to begin with.

I walked out of /hollow ataraxia with an appreciation of the cast as a whole on a level I hadn't before, with characters like Caster, Rider, Sakura and Kuzuki really gaining a lot of love from me this run around. Long-time personal favorites like Saber, Rin, Lancer, Archer, Illya and of course Shirou all get so much time to shine, and hell, the new cast members all felt right at home and evoked memories of Near Side-era Tsukihime. All the slice of life stuff felt right, I loved so many of those little moments - from laughter to tears, /hollow ataraxia brought it all.

I'm kind of falling over myself to get these emotions and thoughts out the door and I'm sure I'll have something a lot more concise and put together out there in the near future, but look - Type-Moon is a studio that means a great deal to me at this point and I think this is some of their absolute best work. I felt things from this game I expected, I thought about a lot of things I didn't, and I've walked away feeling that this is one of Nasu's most conclusive and hopeful works. I'm really grateful this universe entered my life. Thanks, Nasu. Thanks, Takeuchi.