Artistically, this is one of the coolest games I've ever played. It's clearly a passion project of some very talented people. I am definitely going to be watching out for future stuff by them. The illustrations, voice acting, and music all do an excellent job of selling the characters, story, and atmosphere.

The story itself is interesting, but may not stick with me as strongly as some other game stories I've experienced recently. It came across as cryptic and intriguing, but not necessarily cohesive in the end. Maybe I just didn't quite follow all the information it was throwing my way, but when trying to explain the story to a friend, I wasn't ever actually fully confident of the explanation I was giving.

Game and structure-wise, this was 'good'. It feels like, in the end, kind of a gimmicky setup, but it doesn't really feel like it needs to be much more than that. It was a short and sweet experience, but it's also extremely cool knowing how many other branching paths and stories I never saw there are packed into this game. I can't say I have too much of an urge to see them all, since they began to feel a bit same-y, but this was a treat regardless. I'm glad to have experienced this one despite some slightly mixed feelings in some areas. Certainly worth a simple first playthrough just to witness the artistry here.

Pros:
+ Illustrations, voice acting, music
+ Overall tone and atmosphere

Cons:
- A touch repetitive, even when facing different paths/conflicts
- Tough to fully understand the story in one playthrough

Spoiler-free review! The less you know before playing this, the better. But you SHOULD play it!

I've heard time and time again from people who played this game on the DS that it is a hidden gem. It seemed that every person who had played it wanted every person they know to also experience it. I finally understand, and I'm so glad for it.

I'd always wanted to check this game out, but being only available on the DS (or emulated) made it less appealing to me. I knew eventually I'd like to find a good way to play, and with the re-release on modern consoles, I was instantly down.

This game has straight up one of (if not the best) mystery stories I've ever experienced in any medium. It's extremely tightly knit, everything serves a purpose, and it leaves great hints along the way to empower the player's imagination and problem solving. I predicted a number of twists, but had plenty still blindside me in the best way possible. I adore the characters and their dialogue, which both managed to make me crack up and get emotional plenty of times.

Visually, this game is really refreshing. Its character designs are so far out there that they instantly establish identities and personalities the moment they step out on screen. The animation work is hilarious and lends itself well to the roles played out by the game's well-developed and well-utilized cast. The sound design and music are also excellent, and I'm sure a number of tracks will make their way into my frequently-listened-to game music.

Gameplay-wise, this is some of the most clever puzzling I've seen in a game, as well. Solutions are not always obvious, and are often pretty far-fetched, but I think the game establishes early that logic doesn't always apply here. Personally, I think it's all the better for that. When things fall into place after a few head-scratching attempts, it feels great. Those eureka moments make each section really special. I never felt so stumped that I had to use a guide, though there were just a couple of times I got close to considering it. I'm glad I relied on my own problem-solving and creativity, though, as it was way more satisfying.

Positives:
+ Story, mystery, dialogue
+ Fun and expressive characters
+ Music and sound
+ Fresh, clever puzzle mechanics

Negatives:
- A few character moments that were just a touch too aggressively annoying (but that was often the point so I can't fault them much for that)
- Occasional visual jitters when characters moved at the same time as the camera