It would be difficult for anyone to follow up the decidedly serious sociopolitical commentary of Towelket 2, but through its opening mantra, "ゲームの主人公みたく4方向で歩きましょう," Towelket Once Again cleverly addresses and effectively bridges the tone gap between the previous two entries while mixing in some sardonic philosophical wit, illuminating that it is not simply a return to the tradition of Towelket 3. Once Again is somber: subtly whittling away at you, eroding perception of time and place, and provoking what it means to be human in a very Cyberpunk Buddhist sense.
At first, I thought the absence of the "心の中'' system was a disappointing step back, but it grew on me because of how it ultimately contrasted to Towelket 2’s sparse nature. Once Again distinguishes itself by imploring you to stop and smell the burnt roses, abandoning a focused plot for more character interactions. The conversation events scattered throughout represent the here and now as a reason to continue forward, whether it be a funny joke, wholesome character moment, or exposition about the world, and while you could go through the game without checking most of them, I'd imagine the story is a lot more grim and hopeless that way. It must be your conscious decision to become invested and care, to enjoy those fleeting moments and store the most memorable ones in your very own 心の中, which is made easy thanks to Kanao's naturalistic, endearing writing style (can't speak for the English translation). I like how, despite their appearances, the characters never come off as too ridiculous, and this lack of insistence also helps sell the dialogue and humor. Once Again actually might be the most "original" in the whole series in premise and writing style alone, but it simultaneously creatively weaves together elements from previous games, the humor, morbidity, surprising wholesomeness, with a newfound appreciation for contemplation and friendship which make the terrifying moments all the more affecting. Once Again works well also because it's deftly interconnected, with its writing built around the theme of "cycles'' allowing the plot to call back to relevant information from earlier in the story, bringing it to a greater meaning and giving a real sense of closure without overstaying its welcome, accomplishing a satisfyingly extensive plot within a condensed 5-7 hours.
I'm glad that this series continues to push the narrative capabilities of the niche medium of "actually trying to be a bonafide RPG" RPG Maker games. Even if the combat leaves much to be desired, Once Again proved that Kanao has an ambitious author's soul buried inside. There is something to be said about Towelket 2's minimalism, but for a sequel with such a different vibe, Kanao was able to step up and make a uniquely hilarious, wholesome journey through existential dread.
At first, I thought the absence of the "心の中'' system was a disappointing step back, but it grew on me because of how it ultimately contrasted to Towelket 2’s sparse nature. Once Again distinguishes itself by imploring you to stop and smell the burnt roses, abandoning a focused plot for more character interactions. The conversation events scattered throughout represent the here and now as a reason to continue forward, whether it be a funny joke, wholesome character moment, or exposition about the world, and while you could go through the game without checking most of them, I'd imagine the story is a lot more grim and hopeless that way. It must be your conscious decision to become invested and care, to enjoy those fleeting moments and store the most memorable ones in your very own 心の中, which is made easy thanks to Kanao's naturalistic, endearing writing style (can't speak for the English translation). I like how, despite their appearances, the characters never come off as too ridiculous, and this lack of insistence also helps sell the dialogue and humor. Once Again actually might be the most "original" in the whole series in premise and writing style alone, but it simultaneously creatively weaves together elements from previous games, the humor, morbidity, surprising wholesomeness, with a newfound appreciation for contemplation and friendship which make the terrifying moments all the more affecting. Once Again works well also because it's deftly interconnected, with its writing built around the theme of "cycles'' allowing the plot to call back to relevant information from earlier in the story, bringing it to a greater meaning and giving a real sense of closure without overstaying its welcome, accomplishing a satisfyingly extensive plot within a condensed 5-7 hours.
I'm glad that this series continues to push the narrative capabilities of the niche medium of "actually trying to be a bonafide RPG" RPG Maker games. Even if the combat leaves much to be desired, Once Again proved that Kanao has an ambitious author's soul buried inside. There is something to be said about Towelket 2's minimalism, but for a sequel with such a different vibe, Kanao was able to step up and make a uniquely hilarious, wholesome journey through existential dread.