SPOILERS AHEAD
I have to say, should this game have ended upon MC going back into the real world, this would've been a much more mid game. Sure the plot would've still been quite original and fun to play around with but it wouldn't have been anything as jaw-droppingly spectacular as it is with the twist. The twist is spectacularly set up and keeps the player intrigued. The liminal feeling of post-valentines is so perfectly matched to how MC would feel; confused on what's going on and why the game hasn't "ended" yet. And the twist is cool, I can't quite describe narratively but it is. Just the way that little brother is set up to be the only character MC can "trust" since they're not a yandere, only for him to turn out to be the one and only true threat!(able to hunt him outside of the game). Also loved how all events are revisited from Little Brother's point of view AFTER he kills MC; it's a nice way to tell the story!
FUCKING LOVE Newt as a character tho. There's clear set up to see more of his adventurers, and hell if I'm not hyped asf! As a little add on, I do greatly appreciate just how tragic his story is written. Poor kiddo.
I do have a few critiques, however. These don't take away from my appreciation at the innovativeness, creativity and sheer LENGTH of the game, but I feel they need to be said for the sake of constructive criticism.
Most, if not all, of the Voice Acting is annoying as hell. I'm sorry, there's just no nicer way to put it. Could've done with more actual lines and less, random sounds? Especially MC's "oh noo"s and "AAAAAAAA"s, those get annoying so very quick and were so grating to the ears. I get they were supposed to be funny(which they went from being so to being annoying pretty quick) but I cannot understand the choice to use the same voice blips in more serious scenarios?
Functionally, the post-game so to speak(ie getting anything but the bad ends for the yanderes) I found to be extremely difficult, to the point of making me seriously consider putting the game down early; which I really wish I didn't, the second half is really the meat of the content! I just feel one of two options could be a great improvement: either adding a walkthrough/guide to the game page, or working in better hints to the game itself on how to progress. It wouldn't have struck me I'd have to PRECISELY balance Leon's and Vincent's routes; the game very much leads towards avoiding Vincent(him seemingly being able to do more bad things to you, that kinda thing).
I do wish some parts of the narrative were a little more clear/less underbaked. For example, Reme. I understand that she gets more of a spotlight in the afterstory, but even there I feel like she's so heavily underused and underexplored/explained. The game doesn't choose to go forward with her very interesting obession with understanding human bodies and instead waves it away as "the problem she's trying to fix by summoning demons with Little Brother". I also find Leon's bad end with her so very confusing like, it makes no sense? There is NO build up to it and it comes completely out of the blue?
I feel quite similarly on MC's "irl" backstory and the deal with the demon, atleast I'd assume so? Little Brother's involvement and deal with the occult is perfectly understood however MC's relationship with that ginger character is very puzzling to me. It seemingly starts, and as soon as it starts, it just abruptly ends to switch to the plotline with Little Brother.
Also, I find the way the Yandere's were written to be a good mix of tropey for the plot's sake(ie being literal video game characters) and with an actual level of depth. I would be keen to find out about Leon's backstory with Big Bro, however I can tell that is left ambiguous for a reason and enough is said to satiate the story's purposes.
This game really, really could be the next DDLC. I believe that from the bottom of my heart. Maybe it isn't as Meta as doki doki was, but hidden deep in the game doki doki also touched on occult themes like this did. In my eyes, this is the occult version of DDLC.
4/5