I need to replay this game. My expectations ruined my first playthrough :( It's a game that kind of transcends genre in that it takes storytelling to new heights to build this whole world and establish this rich cast of characters.

However, I came into this blind expecting something linear/easy, casual and straightforward (a la Abzu, Life is Strange, Night in the Woods). I only played late nights before bed and fell asleep playing it during at least three of the five acts. It moves at a very contemplative pace, but it came across as glacial. I expected something grounded so the constant introduction of new surreal sci-fi type aspects took me out every single time. Also, it's not casual in that these storylines are heavy. Technically the plot is simple (at its core it's a road trip), but we've got characters all struggling through different crises and hardships that can be felt even in between their lines of dialogue.

But of course as the game progressed I got more into it and understood its rhythms and by the end of the fifth act I was all in. It's a gorgeous, melancholy game set in what feels like a southern rural gothic atmosphere about anything and everything in life. It's got themes of found family, home, regret – the past as a ghost, friendship, loneliness, healing, technology and labor, the list goes on and on. I will think about this game for a long time. And the soundtrack bangs. I cried to basically all the lyrical songs.

Both a compliment and a complaint, but I wish we just had more. I know the limited pov is the whole point, but I thought the world and the characters were so fascinating that as they were tying up loose ends I thought to myself, "oh so this is about to end already?" For example, one of my fave parts was reading the newspaper headlines every day because it was fun learning about stuff beyond the coffee shop. Also, I appreciate that it tried to talk about timely topics, but these discussions didn't feel well-written enough to have real impact on me as a viewer. It was nice but barely thought-provoking.

Otherwise, I thought this was generally a super cozy, cute and chill game. I've never played that valhalla game so I have nothing to compare it to either. I'd play it again to revisit these characters and bask in lo-fi music and rain sounds tbh

I went in as blindly as I could, just knowing from comments and reviews that this game was likely exactly the type of game for me and it was!! I loved every second of it and felt so engrossed in the plot and these characters. I thought it would be some edgelord nonsense, but it was surprisingly sweet and hilarious if you let it be. It was such a fascinating and ingenious game with character, personality and decision-making completely steering your adventure.

Also I love Kim Kitsuragi so much.....loml