dont think i've ever been as frustrated with a game (narratively) than I was with this. there are some genuinely good moments and sequences: i think the opening few chapters are pretty decent if a bit boring. i think the CHOMP is genuinely phenomenally well delivered. i think the final battle sequence is pretty good (if so predictable that it removes any tension from itself) until the final bit with Meiya and the weird brain. from a non-narrative perspective, its pretty impressive what they manage to do with sprite movement/animation in what is clearly an extremely limited, early 2000s VN engine.

but man, other than that, this thing is a mess. insanely bad pacing, Takeru (who i didnt really mind too much in Extra/Unlimited) becomes absolutely insufferable in how often he monologues about the SAME DAMN SHIT. the twizzlers scene is god awful, unnecessary, and tactless. there's certainly a place for characters to have traumatic backstories and its not like sexual violence is inherently off-limits to talk about but its handled so poorly and for shock value when just a couple of minor changes would've made a huge difference. the ending, as i mentioned, is very predictable and the final sequence with Meiya is straight up bad lol. and then, after all this and the game's continuous emphasis on struggle and trauma and the way people change in response to those things, they send Takeru back home with no memory meaning that all those experiences/suffering/trauma were meaningless? theres some really really compelling stuff here but this game just cannot stop shooting itself in the foot. idk man