Last Day of Spring is about a friend simply trying to enjoy her newest friends birthday, and the struggles that comes with it. What starts off as a rather wholesome plan to get together turns into a lesson of empathy and understanding the struggles of trans folk.
Not going to lie, this might be the weaker story of the bunch, but only for the fact that we aren't exactly doing much here. The majority of the time we are planning a party, and when we finally get to the party the game is almost over. It's basically a story to hand hold people into the struggles of being trans, and while I don't think that's a bad thing, I do wish we got a little more time and interaction with Erika and Haru. All the characters are absolutely charming and cute, but it doesn't exactly translate when they are texting on the phone. The story honestly just needed a little more interaction, but beyond that I do think it properly hits the beats it needs to in order to work as a connected story with the other games it's attached too. Honestly, it just needed a little more story is all.
Erika may not be the best protag of the Springs crew, but all 3 of them are absolutely friend shaped and feel like a proper friend group trying to help support each other and make life suck less. The music is cutesy, the character design is charming, and the backgrounds are simple yet sweet. If you enjoyed One Night, Hot Springs, you'll have a good time here, but aside from a positive outlook and LGBT friendly vibes, I don't see much here to make people interested. This game is enough for me though, and I really did enjoy seeing more of this friends hanging out.
Not going to lie, this might be the weaker story of the bunch, but only for the fact that we aren't exactly doing much here. The majority of the time we are planning a party, and when we finally get to the party the game is almost over. It's basically a story to hand hold people into the struggles of being trans, and while I don't think that's a bad thing, I do wish we got a little more time and interaction with Erika and Haru. All the characters are absolutely charming and cute, but it doesn't exactly translate when they are texting on the phone. The story honestly just needed a little more interaction, but beyond that I do think it properly hits the beats it needs to in order to work as a connected story with the other games it's attached too. Honestly, it just needed a little more story is all.
Erika may not be the best protag of the Springs crew, but all 3 of them are absolutely friend shaped and feel like a proper friend group trying to help support each other and make life suck less. The music is cutesy, the character design is charming, and the backgrounds are simple yet sweet. If you enjoyed One Night, Hot Springs, you'll have a good time here, but aside from a positive outlook and LGBT friendly vibes, I don't see much here to make people interested. This game is enough for me though, and I really did enjoy seeing more of this friends hanging out.
i have no memory of this game
Last Day of Spring é mais do mesmo, mas continua bom. Assim como no primeiro jogo (One Night, Hot Springs), esse conta novamente as dificuldades de Haru como mulher trans, mas dessa vez, pela perspectiva de sua amiga Erika. As tais dificuldades apresentadas não são muito diferentes de seu antecessor, mas esse dá uma diferenciada com a presença da Erika como protagonista, o que não achei melhor ou pior, só diferente. Dessa vez, a história é sobre as dificuldades sobre ser o amigo cis que quer apoiar um amigo trans, mas que não sabe como. Ainda retrata as coisas de forma doce e amigável sem desviar dos problemas e consegue ser educativo, mas com sinceridade e profundidade o bastante sem ser super didático. As personagens continuam gostáveis e a leitura continua com um ritmo sucinto o bastante pra não cansar. A arte continua agradável como sempre e gostei que as músicas aqui tem um estilo mais lo-fi. Last Day of Spring pode não ser tão diferente do anterior, mas isso não o faz ruim, pois ainda é uma experiência agradável que mostra os problemas retratados com empatia.
Prós: Problemas abordados com respeito e delicadeza; Até que é interessante ver as dificuldades da Haru pela perspectiva da Erika; A leitura não cansa tanto; As personagens continuam legais; Arte agradável; Músicas lo-fi.
Contras: Não muda tanto em relação ao 1° jogo; Demora um pouco pra chegar na 1° escolha que importa.
Prós: Problemas abordados com respeito e delicadeza; Até que é interessante ver as dificuldades da Haru pela perspectiva da Erika; A leitura não cansa tanto; As personagens continuam legais; Arte agradável; Músicas lo-fi.
Contras: Não muda tanto em relação ao 1° jogo; Demora um pouco pra chegar na 1° escolha que importa.
I was surprised that I found Erika to be much more relatable protagonist than Haru but I also feel exactly like this whenever I try to do something for friends. It shouldn't feel cringe to do nice things for people or try to cheer them up!
...I also think that Haru getting sad because she had to put her deadname and AGAB on forms at work was a super great depiction of one of the most annoying microaggressions I've faced as a trans woman. Not a fan of the person who decided that those things are relevant all the time (they're not, especially the latter!).
...I also think that Haru getting sad because she had to put her deadname and AGAB on forms at work was a super great depiction of one of the most annoying microaggressions I've faced as a trans woman. Not a fan of the person who decided that those things are relevant all the time (they're not, especially the latter!).
A Year of Springs (Switch)
'a lot of hassle' and 'a day with friends' completed
'a lot of hassle' and 'a day with friends' completed
O senso de empatia que transborda através dessa história é fenomenal. Um game simples, curto e efetivo.
a very warm, sweet, funny game that feels at least partially designed to help people better understand some of the day to day difficulties of the trans experience without really coming off as an "educational issues game" or whatever. i think it also does a good job of capturing the stress and uncertainty that come from being the cis friend who wants to be respectful and supportive but isn't sure the best way to be. i know i've been on both sides of this experience and i'm sure a lot of non-cis people have, and it's good how much empathy this game has for all of it.
on top of that stuff i just think the characters here are really well-drawn in a writing sense, a very small short game that gives me a really good sketch of these three people, all of whom i find very fun to hang out with, and whom i was happy to find i CAN hang out with again in two other games, as this is actually the second in a trilogy, each following a different member of this trio. it's all packaged in a really lovely art style that's well-drawn in the illustration sense, just a really cool game. Kinda stressed me the eff out for the middle twenty minutes but that's not a bad thing and i'm really glad i spent the time with it.
on top of that stuff i just think the characters here are really well-drawn in a writing sense, a very small short game that gives me a really good sketch of these three people, all of whom i find very fun to hang out with, and whom i was happy to find i CAN hang out with again in two other games, as this is actually the second in a trilogy, each following a different member of this trio. it's all packaged in a really lovely art style that's well-drawn in the illustration sense, just a really cool game. Kinda stressed me the eff out for the middle twenty minutes but that's not a bad thing and i'm really glad i spent the time with it.
Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series.
damn this one hit home more
Cw: Transphobia, present trans politics
When Haru said that she's incapable of fighting for her rights as a trans person, I felt that. That it's just too much for her to handle, it's something I've actually been grappling with, with all the current anti-trans laws, getting into leftist politics and just growing into the woman that I am. I feel like I should be able to do everything I can to fight back, I want to with all my power, but I'm just not capable of it, I can only do so much and I have to accept that and it really sucks. Even though the game takes place in Japan, the fact that it goes into how it's so hard to even go out with friends and celebrate your birthday in public as a trans person, reflects so much how society still has a massive amount of work to do in accepting LGBTQIA+ people, minorities and diversity in general. For a game to simply explore this hardship in 2019 with its easily digestible writing and cute aesthetics, remaining relevant to my life now, it surprisingly stuck with me. Despite the depressing circumstance that Haru has to deal with in all walks of her life as a trans woman, her friends doing everything they can to celebrate her birthday in whatever way regardless, genuinely warmed my heart. Despite people who are too ignorant or close-minded to be accepting and understanding, despite people who make it their mission to cause others suffering, despite everything wrong with living in a capitalist society, what makes life so unbearable to live will always be triumphed by everything that makes it oh so worth living.
When Haru said that she's incapable of fighting for her rights as a trans person, I felt that. That it's just too much for her to handle, it's something I've actually been grappling with, with all the current anti-trans laws, getting into leftist politics and just growing into the woman that I am. I feel like I should be able to do everything I can to fight back, I want to with all my power, but I'm just not capable of it, I can only do so much and I have to accept that and it really sucks. Even though the game takes place in Japan, the fact that it goes into how it's so hard to even go out with friends and celebrate your birthday in public as a trans person, reflects so much how society still has a massive amount of work to do in accepting LGBTQIA+ people, minorities and diversity in general. For a game to simply explore this hardship in 2019 with its easily digestible writing and cute aesthetics, remaining relevant to my life now, it surprisingly stuck with me. Despite the depressing circumstance that Haru has to deal with in all walks of her life as a trans woman, her friends doing everything they can to celebrate her birthday in whatever way regardless, genuinely warmed my heart. Despite people who are too ignorant or close-minded to be accepting and understanding, despite people who make it their mission to cause others suffering, despite everything wrong with living in a capitalist society, what makes life so unbearable to live will always be triumphed by everything that makes it oh so worth living.
this one made me cry a little bit
Sometimes a sequel being just more of the same is exactly what you want
Así como el juego previo (One night, hot spring), aquí vemos las incomodidades de Haru con respecto a su identidad, el como se le cierran espacios y se le niegan generandole un sentimiento de soledad, la diferencia es que lo vemos desde la perspectiva de Erika en esta ocasión, lo cual añade matices en cuanto a estos problemas e incomodades, es decir, mostrando el punto de vista de una persona cisgenero que nunca ha sufrido estos problemas y como empatiza de manera profunda con las vivencias de Haru.
De esta manera brindando apoyo e intentando por todos los medios ser capaz de evitar que su amiga sufra, esto se refleja en sus finales y en la manera de como se desenvuelve Erika en la historia, ya que al ponernos desde su perspectiva vemos su visión de las ansiedades de su amiga y como tratar con ellas, no forzandola a nada genuinamente, si no siendo un apoyo enorme que busca brindarle un espacio que la haga sentir segura.
Cancelando plan de celebrar su cumpleaños o no, no importa al final, porque lo verdaderamente relevante no es el evento en si, si no el poder crear este espacio y validar a su amiga como mujer.
A nivel personal soy una persona ansiosa con muchos problemas a la hora de socializar o cumplir con los planes, por tanto este juego me hace sentir reflejada en la relación con mis amigos, y como sin saberlo he podido formar un vinculo con personas que me brindan su apoyo ayudandome a calmar mis ansiedades. Me hizo llorar este juego al verme a mi misma y eso es algo que agradezco demasiado.
De esta manera brindando apoyo e intentando por todos los medios ser capaz de evitar que su amiga sufra, esto se refleja en sus finales y en la manera de como se desenvuelve Erika en la historia, ya que al ponernos desde su perspectiva vemos su visión de las ansiedades de su amiga y como tratar con ellas, no forzandola a nada genuinamente, si no siendo un apoyo enorme que busca brindarle un espacio que la haga sentir segura.
Cancelando plan de celebrar su cumpleaños o no, no importa al final, porque lo verdaderamente relevante no es el evento en si, si no el poder crear este espacio y validar a su amiga como mujer.
A nivel personal soy una persona ansiosa con muchos problemas a la hora de socializar o cumplir con los planes, por tanto este juego me hace sentir reflejada en la relación con mis amigos, y como sin saberlo he podido formar un vinculo con personas que me brindan su apoyo ayudandome a calmar mis ansiedades. Me hizo llorar este juego al verme a mi misma y eso es algo que agradezco demasiado.
My least favorite entry of the trilogy, primarily because it doesn’t utilize the change in protagonist as well as it could have. Last Day of Spring is about Erika learning more about and emphasizing with Haru’s struggles but said struggles were more compellingly conveyed in the prior game in the series through her own perspective. That being said, it retains the qualities that make the trilogy so good, mainly through its focus on wholesome and uplifting friendships, and by no means diminishes the overall impact of the trilogy.
A very touching short narrative with a simple but pleasant artstyle. The game feels very grounded, both with its low stakes and mundane setting, but also in its portrayal of the characters.
The aesthetic along with the tone of the game create a feeling of softness, that acknowledges the difficulties of being transgender without ever revelling in it.
The aesthetic along with the tone of the game create a feeling of softness, that acknowledges the difficulties of being transgender without ever revelling in it.