There are a lot of little/simple game design gestures in this project that are just so well executed and seamless that make it pretty easy to admire this project.

Moments where the playable character turns to perform a task, executes a small action, and then turns back around to continue their tasks to find the scene changed behind them in order to enable new moments of interaction/dialog are just such an inventive and subtle way of working around cumbersome and unnecessary animation while nicely fitting into the overall distinct aesthetic crafted by Turnfollow.

The dialog also feels so effortlessly written; so natural and carefree, so unburdened by the need to "REALLY EXPRESS SOMETHING" and as a result flows in profound, moving, and delicate ways. There's moments that just just "right" and they happen all the time. The way the characters interact with each other is so consistently written that every time you change playable characters it doesn't feel jarring or uncomfortable.

The "arc" is also so nicely crafted—so clearly set up and then so satisfyingly delivered. You go from "this is cute" to "I'm feeling something" to "I've been there" to "I don't want this to end" in such a wonderful way. Nothing feels alarming or unrealistic, but also not so pedantically predictable or trite. It's "coming of age" meets "knowing your place" in a way that confronts and sensitively challenges the tired tropes of each of those literary and game design genres.

WOBJ is genuine without being twee, sincere without being saccharine, wistful without being childish, mature without being pretentious.