Calikov
2020
I recently came back to this after quitting during 2.7 and I mean. There's been some QOL changes and artifact grinding is less of an absolute pain with strongboxes. Haven't reached Fontaine yet but Sumeru is gorgeous. The exploration and world design is the main appeal of this game to me as well as cool characters. Ultimately though this thing and its God awful fandom peer pressured me into spending 500 usd between 1.0 and 2.7 so I still dislike it inherently. However I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and say it is a better game than it was before
Give me one good reason to continue this VN. No, I mean it. Where is the artistry that people claim this to be? I admit I haven't reached an ending to chapter 2 yet, but seeing how it's going, I'm not sure I want to! I've seen all around that this is apparently a "life-changing" game when all I see is an incel sob story masquerading as an ontological thought experiment. The idea surrounding everything is neat and all, but whenever anything starts to go anywhere, something comes and ruins any intrigue that I had in what was happening. Tell me what anyone sees in this and how its worth continuing. Genuinely. Everything I see disgusts me to my core and not even in the good way. The desk scene has left me scarred. I so badly want to like this because of the universe and implications it has behind it (and because of Ayana I love her) but if the entirety of chapter 2 is as bad as what I've seen, I don't understand how it could possibly get any better.
2015
As of this review I haven't finished Jenna's route but I've done the rest and... Oh boy.
I went into this expecting horror obviously but I was served way more than just that. I don't even know if I can really explain this game, dude. Doesn't matter if you aren't gay or a furry, I reccomend this in general.
However I can't stress enough that the order of the routes matters so much-
Carl->Leo->TJ->Flynn (Jenna can be anywhere you want but Flynn's route builds off of TJ's)
I went into this expecting horror obviously but I was served way more than just that. I don't even know if I can really explain this game, dude. Doesn't matter if you aren't gay or a furry, I reccomend this in general.
However I can't stress enough that the order of the routes matters so much-
Carl->Leo->TJ->Flynn (Jenna can be anywhere you want but Flynn's route builds off of TJ's)
I reccomend not having adhd if you wanna read this. I made this mistake and it proved fatal (for my brain to comprehend what was happening)
robo ky go brrrrrrrrrrrrr
2019
I loved this game but it has major flaws. The gameplay loop gets tiring so very quickly and if you aren't determined enough or have enough time, getting every single event is hell. It was relatively easy for me- but I did end up having like... 153 loops when I finished the game. It's a wonderful game with great characters and a fantastic setting, and if you can look past the gameplay, its something very special
By FAR the best in the dark pictures anthology
I watched jacksepticeye's stream of this and really enjoyed the scenario itself and the music was an absolute banger. Liked this one!... even if the ending was a bit eh.
It really wasn't great. I had fun with it but like... eh. Dog was the best part
Chapter 9 caused me unparalleled stress and several heart attacks but I ADORE THIS GAME SO MUCH
2006
meow meow meow song makes me uncontrollably sob
2022
I reviewed this game on itch.io as well but its a very nice little game. I unfortunately couldn't beat it due to the chase sequence at the end but its a good game!
2024
this is just ark with pokemon
holy shit
honestly it kinda sucks. none of the routes are locked and i got to the true ending before any of the other ends besides kagiha's so now i kinda just don't wanna finish it. its written decently? the whole twist is just something ive seen before and this game didn't execute it as well as others. The characters are also all kinda lackluster. Kagiha is way too perfect and its boring asf, for example. The music is a banger though I'll admit that. My opinion of this game may change if I play more of it, but for now the shitty flowchart setup leading me to the real end before I could do anything else killed it for me