This review contains spoilers
I played this game all the way through together with a friend, and I was immediately interested because of how extremely bleak the scenario depicted here is. I am a huge fan of so-called "Feel Bad" media. Things that only focus on one thing, and one thing only, which is to make you feel as bad as possible. Good examples are LISA: The Painful (in my opinion), movies like Lilja 4-ever and Requiem for a Dream, and music like Swans' "Public Castration is a Good Idea". So for that reason I wanted to continue, because I wanted to feel this classic feel-bad sort of catharsis that I usually experience from the best of these films or games. And when I had played through the entire thing, I thought it was good, but not as good as I had expected. So I ended up giving it a 7.
That was before I experienced the two other endings. These two completely change everything to be completely honest. I never thought a piece of media would be able to make me feel such horror and joy combined at the same time. If I were to describe the story in one expression, it would be "horrifying beauty". This is probably the first review I have done that warrants a spoiler warning, so from now there be spoilers. I loved the final ending especially, the one where Fuminori and Saya win, because what that ending symbolized to me was the fact that despite the lovecraftian concept of a creature (Saya) whose entire purpose is to hijack the main species of a planet to essentially rule it, what the ending actually shows is that love trumps everything. Now, the planet did end up hijacked anyways, because this is Saya no Uta, and a completely happy ending would be sort of out of place, but Saya did that out of love for Fuminori, not because of her biological urges. She did it as a final gift to him, a way to slowly make the world feel beautiful and normal again. But at the same time, it is absolutely horrifying, because what this ending means is that the entire rest of the world's population will feel a similar agony to what Yoh experienced when she was converted by Saya. But it was this duality that made the ending feel so complete to me, probably leaning more to the beautiful side. Because Saya no Uta tells us that the world is a highly subjective place, where your world view can change everything. To someone who wants to eat something quickly, McDonald's may seem like a nice place to go, but to someone else, supporting McDonald's is to exploit people who are being worked to the bone there. That discussion is an insanely complex one that can be boiled down to a difference of opinion in my opinion. Saya no Uta takes a very extreme approach to this, but shows through this that no matter what world view you have, you can find joy and happiness, even if it happens on top of the suffering of someone else. Not really a message that one should take to heart in that extreme of a way in my opinion, but it's an interesting and beautiful thought that this game presents.
That was before I experienced the two other endings. These two completely change everything to be completely honest. I never thought a piece of media would be able to make me feel such horror and joy combined at the same time. If I were to describe the story in one expression, it would be "horrifying beauty". This is probably the first review I have done that warrants a spoiler warning, so from now there be spoilers. I loved the final ending especially, the one where Fuminori and Saya win, because what that ending symbolized to me was the fact that despite the lovecraftian concept of a creature (Saya) whose entire purpose is to hijack the main species of a planet to essentially rule it, what the ending actually shows is that love trumps everything. Now, the planet did end up hijacked anyways, because this is Saya no Uta, and a completely happy ending would be sort of out of place, but Saya did that out of love for Fuminori, not because of her biological urges. She did it as a final gift to him, a way to slowly make the world feel beautiful and normal again. But at the same time, it is absolutely horrifying, because what this ending means is that the entire rest of the world's population will feel a similar agony to what Yoh experienced when she was converted by Saya. But it was this duality that made the ending feel so complete to me, probably leaning more to the beautiful side. Because Saya no Uta tells us that the world is a highly subjective place, where your world view can change everything. To someone who wants to eat something quickly, McDonald's may seem like a nice place to go, but to someone else, supporting McDonald's is to exploit people who are being worked to the bone there. That discussion is an insanely complex one that can be boiled down to a difference of opinion in my opinion. Saya no Uta takes a very extreme approach to this, but shows through this that no matter what world view you have, you can find joy and happiness, even if it happens on top of the suffering of someone else. Not really a message that one should take to heart in that extreme of a way in my opinion, but it's an interesting and beautiful thought that this game presents.
If I gotta start off this review with one thing it's that I'm a sucker for a good hypothetical. Another way to describe it is moral questions. This game, in my opinion, offers a very good moral quandary. Not only does it do that but it also tells an amazing story that leaves you seeing the beauty and ugliness in so many things in life. It's truly a game that lets you question things about yourself and others. How far will a human go for something he loves whether it's organic or inorganic? Alive or dead? Does it really matter if they're not hurting anyone? All things said and done, I like this game a lot.
Back when I played this during my "edgy art discovery phase" when I was 18 years old, I was rather freaked out about this VN and rather appreciated it for that, as well as a decent story.
In retrospect, I've grown less and less fond of the game through memory. I haven't had any true interest in returning back to Saya no Uta, though I will say the fact it still grosses me out to some extent means it had at least some impact on me, which isn't worth nothing.
In retrospect, I've grown less and less fond of the game through memory. I haven't had any true interest in returning back to Saya no Uta, though I will say the fact it still grosses me out to some extent means it had at least some impact on me, which isn't worth nothing.
no idea where the philosophical reviews are from but watching paint dry is better writing than this. idk who needs to hear this but mindless sexual assault doesn't equal good or deep writing. literally only 1 star for the art and ost. there are better morally grey media who execute topics better than whatever tf this is I swear the jeff the killer story is better than this garbage
This review contains spoilers
Saya no Uta is not a life-changer. When actually playing it I can't say I was ever deeply affected by it more than the 7/10 rating I gave it. Yet it's stuck with me. Beyond the actual playthrough I do feel like it resonated with me, I hold it in high regard. Even though upon a proper reflection I don't feel particularly impacted by anything beyond the music and the Instrumentality-esque 'Saya in Bloom' ending.
the urobutcher is at it again. this is my favorite work by him, and i think it's one that is going to be remembered for a long time. a nasty (but romantic) little story about an innocent cthulu monster who just wants some love. art is fabulous, but the OST really steals the show. infodump suddenly in the true end ruins it though. good end is best end.