I wanted to like it, but tropes on tropes and repetitive story-telling for what is ultimately no thematic payoff feels difficult to recommend. There are parallels that are set up in ways that feel like they should almost work, but they just... don't? The story is very light on actual theme, which only leaves plot, and while it's common for visual novels to not actually have any meaningful choices, that somehow feels more insulting when the choices lead to different endings that are all as equally meaningless, all in service of a disconnect to a real plot.

but also it's gay, god bless

I wish this series was as popular in the west as it is in the east. Hell- I wish it was even more popular- as popular as Layton- or even Ace Attorney. I think it deserves it. I think it has the potential.

This is a silly game though. Not meant to be taken seriously. There are no high stakes. No crazy diabolical evils afoot. You're just a little girl solving odd mysteries around her little town with her quirky neighbors. It's just pure, unbridled fun.

The characters are a joy to interact with. You can't help but love each and every one. Even the annoying ones. There's just something so funny and joyful about getting to know just who you're dealing with here- especially in a detective setting. The mysteries are absurd- and yet in the absurdity- you learn to make sense of it. You understand the logic here as if it just makes perfect sense to you.

There's something that sets Touch Detective apart from other detective games. At the very least- they don't go as in depth as they do in this game. And that's experiencing Mackenzie's thoughts the entire step of the way. Where most detective games point out what they're thinking in a solve-the-case sense- this game- while still doing that- also takes it in an almost leisurely sort of way. You are playing a little girl, after all. Is it really so surprising that she's getting distracted by cute animals or interesting knicknacks? It just adds a layer of slice of life to the game that already was kind of there. This actually feels more like a slice of life than a hardboiled detective game. Yet it works so well.

You come to love the world and only want to live more in it. Thankfully- that's what its sequel is for! And it's even better than the first.

I didn't have much faith that the full game would satisfyingly wrap up the immense amount of misery the intro kicks up, but it really, really does. Not a game you really want to play for the romance (especially if you want to see a kiss with the game cover monster, like I know plenty did when it was announced), but a game that commits to the story it's telling and the characters it loops through again and again.

My main problem is that it has more gameplay than your standard VN, but it was wholly unfun to actually play. Definitely play something like GNOSIA instead if you want a engaging Werewolf simulator. It also crashed on me more than a dozen times, generally tripping up in specific spots for some reason.

And it's nice that the best explanation for "why" a specific thing is the way it is is "character's trans". Always positive in my book.

My favorite route in order:
1. Allan - cried in every scene 5/5
2. Raul - sexyman 4.5/5
3. Shelby - the banana 4/5
4. Gill - cried in his tragic end 3.5/5
5. Ryuki - just cute 3/5

There’s something about Rusty Lake, it’s irresistible to me in a way. It’s probably the weirdness of it all, and the fact I still can’t understand anything other than that the Vanderbooms had some god awful wallpaper. Roots was a longer instalment, the variety in puzzles going beyond anything I’ve played before—the overall aim was to collect body parts from the family for a ritual.

It’s because of the sheer volume of puzzles that some didn’t quite stick. Thirty-three levels with secrets that were only available at the end, that was a lot of stuff to do and definitely got the brain working. Some moments I even had to consult a guide, despite always trying my best to avoid them.

cw: cannibalism, murder, genocide

I'm not necessarily against using events of history for horror. In fact, I'm overall in favor of it. I think La Llorna (the Guatamalan film) is one of the greatest modern horror movies of our era. Detention is a beautiful look at the tragedy and pain of Taiwan's martial law. You can build something incredible from history and pairing it with the rage and terror of horror.

But there's a... tastelessness (no pun intended) to the game's set up. The talking veggies, the dating sim presentation over the murderous cannibalism... it's not presenting itself as a subtle narrative, its just a stupid goofy gimmick. That's not what I take issue with. Its enjoyable enough trash. It thinks its a clever twist game, but its really straight-forward in what it is.

But... placing the narrative within the Holomodor of Ukraine sits wrong with me. Its a heavy historical context and setting it as a motivation for character to start eating each other... Its not a context I would place next to the dating sim parody aspects. There's black comedy and there's using history for horror and there's just pissing on the real genocide and famine that was inflicted on a population for goofs. I could accept some kind of ghost story about the Holomodor victims seeking out revenge or, albeit warily, turning on innocents out of the blind pain of their experiences. Here, its a motive for cannibalism. Its crass. Its disgusting. Maybe I'm the only one who doesn't just shrug this off as the banal MattPat game but... I don't care for this one bit.