i guess it felt like having another depersonalization episode and watching myself from afar, except instead of thinking "that's not me, i wouldn't say that" there were no thoughts in my head besides "surely i'm not schizophrenic too on top of having borderline, there's no family history for that nor any telling signs", which is to say, despite not hallucinating as she does, ran ibuki is the character i see myself in the most out of any piece of art i've earnestly tried to connect with. looking at a mirror would provide a less accurate depiction of myself than if i were to read this again simply to stare at all the disgusting features we both share; the maddeningly constant yet brief episodes only caused and solved by the thought of the one you love, the weirdly specific coping mechanisms in order to deal with how miserable said episodes feel, the abnormally toxic dependency on the only person you're even able to acknowledge as being worthy of merely existing in your limited little world, the adorably eccentric internal frameworks used to explain the senseless world around you, and finally, the constant choking on your own vomit due to how unbelievably self-absorbed you are.

in regards to the other characters, they can all be interesting on their own, but especially when paired with ibuki, considering they were present exactly for her sake. which is no demerit at all, their use as a narrative tool works in tandem with how you end up caring for them just as you do for the hallucinating little mess we both love. as for ann sakura, such a perfect fit for ibuki feels almost inhuman, and in more ways than one, it really is. i guess i envy them.

something i was not expecting at all but was pleasantly surprised by was the presence of some very interesting yet underused sci-fi concepts. knowing this novel is part of a bigger universe that is being expanded on through their next novel, which i have not yet read but definitely will, does subside the bitter taste in my mouth from not being able to learn more about those concepts which i found to be so captivating, especially when paired with such beautiful artwork.

when it comes to the murder mystery aspect of it, i'm afraid i don't have much to say, they aren't difficult at all and pretty much solve themselves, serving only as a way of exploring some admittedly great character relationships and progressing the story naturally. if i were to say one more good thing about them, it would be that hearing ibuki's thought process, her unexpected expertise in investigating crimes and how she enjoys doing so was endearing.

from what i'm aware, this is a very small scale project made by two chinese artists at most and i sincerely wish more people would be willing to give it a chance and support said artists were they to enjoy reading it.

the chinese century of lesbianism is upon us, and i shall be the one responsible for spreading the word of its arrival.

Really incredible; pretty easily one of my favorite VNs i've played so far and i fell absolutely in love with every character and every bit of horror and every image but my god, this is in much greater need of a follow up than I expected. was kind of wondering how all of this could be wrapped up in such a short time once it seemed like i got to the end point and the truth is they don't fully. i still need to play this studio's next game to see if that is like a secret sequel to this or something but yeah this story, while incredible, just does not conclude a ending to the main plot thread. at the moment i don't consider this an issue in its own right but if time passes and this continues to show no signs of getting a follow up yeah that will be a problem. still, an incredible experience i'd recommend easily and one i was consistently wishing was 4x it's length, not from any pacing issues or underbaked elements i was just so engrossed second and would have really liked to be in this world for even longer.

♥♥♥♥♥♥!!! Up!!! (complimentary)
Really fun twist on the classic yuri setting, starring a well written all-gay, all-female cast with fleshed out interpersonal dynamics, both as a group and as pairs. It’s a pretty unique VN that I’d recommend to any yuri fans who are into horror. The less you know, the better.

It starts out pretty intense throwing off the player by introducing many concepts and mechanics all at once, but gameplay is actually very minimal and what little is there to do serves to apply some pressure or aid immersion, seeing everything in a single run is easily doable. On average it takes 10-14h to complete, the sense of wonder holds up throughout and I'm glad the game doesn't indulge in over-explanations, this kind of story could've easily disappointed in its final hours but instead provides a pretty satisfying ending. The pacing is kind of slow but the narrative is very tight, though had it been one or two chapters longer it would've been even better as the epilogue does feel a bit rushed.

There are a few minor technical issues, like the Skip Button almost never working when set on "Read", or the music not looping seamlessly, genuinely nothing that can't be overlooked. There's no voice acting but it doesn't feel lacking for it thanks to the distinctive character design paired with good writing.

It doesn't focus specifically on one aspect, not ideal for those looking for an interactive investigative game, just romance, or a constant adrenaline rush, it's very much a sum of its many parts. Will also disappoint people who want every detail explained, it does require to suspend one's disbelief and to make more than a few concessions.

All in all, it's not perfect but it has earned a place amongst my favorite things, it's a very good genre mashup, homey and unnerving at the same time for most of its length, at some points heartwarming and at others disturbing. Worth its full price, and goes on sale for very cheap!