This game is really special, and it's clear just how talented hako is. There's a really great and raw story here, and it's all compacted into a really sweet package.

The best way to describe this is a cross between a point-and-click adventure and an RPG. The primary gameplay loop is going to a new area, interacting with every object in that area, and then using the systems of the current area to unlock a way to the next area. But Unreal Life is so much more than just that simple description I gave. There's some really powerful writing here, and a really charming cast of characters. The world is coated in shades of blue, and the pixel art is really stunning. There's also a really solid soundtrack to go along with it.

This game is super heavy on dialogue, and the gameplay is pretty stripped back to walking and interacting. It's not for everyone, but for people who are looking for a solid story and an atmospheric world, this game nails it.

Honestly my only complaints with the game are more on the technical side. There were several longer dialogue scenes where the music would switch with each text box. It got pretty distracting, and really took away from the weight of these scenes. There was also a tendency in the longer dialogue scenes for the game to cut to black between textboxes and display a quick loading screen. I get that new things needed to be loaded in, but I wish it could have been more seamless, or loaded things in without fading to black.

If this sounds like it's up your alley, definitely give it a play. And if you need a little more convincing, there's a train conductor penguin who likes sleeping and smoking cigarettes. I don't know what else you could want out of a game.