I don't usually write reviews so I don't even know where to start...
First of all, thank you very much for creating this VN. It brought a lot of different emotions, told an interesting and attractive story that I didn’t want to tear myself away from. Although, as usual, I had to survive the introduction, but once you get involved, you can’t stop.
Colorful characters, a good selection of atmospheric melodies, its own visual style, an interesting plot and emotional swings do their job, I really liked everything. I've always believed that being able to empathize with characters and experience emotions as if you were somewhere with them is the pinnacle of storytelling. If you laugh when you read jokes, fight back tears when the characters are doing poorly and regret that you cannot cross the screen to the other side to help and correct the situation, then this means that the material in your hands deserves the loudest applause and the most generous praise. And all of the above together, like fireworks, sparkled and rumbled in my heart. And I want to say thank you for setting off fireworks in my heart. I enjoyed it from start to finish.
However, I was left with a feeling of unsaidness. I tried to not spoil anything, but still... Read it at your own risk. The main character sacrificed a lot and made a lot of mistakes while chasing his goal. And when it was completed, most of the problems resolved themselves (although the main character himself intended to fix everything, and in the end he got rid of the source of the problems, but did not fix what was broken in the process). I was really looking forward to seeing Callum correct his mistakes, mend bridges, and maybe even help others deal with their problems. These types of scenes inspire me, make me think about my life, reconsider my priorities and become my best self. But, apparently, such is life - and people often greatly exaggerate, thinking that they need a lot to be happy.
I feel sorry for many of the characters (I don’t want to spoil who), with whom there seemed to be not enough time to deal with them, to bring them to the final point. I feel sorry for the main character, because many whom he could count on had already resigned themselves to the situation and did not support his aspirations, but simply let him do what he wants. As a result, he received more help and information from strangers than from those he knew.
The saddest thing is that the main character does not ask for help from his loved ones under the pretext that he will either get into trouble or believes that they simply will not help him. But everything could have been much simpler. Everyone has secrets from the main character, and only complete strangers agree to help. As they say, friends are made in trouble. So it turns out that many close people are not so close anymore. :(
But this is purely my personal opinion, which, of course, can be challenged. To say that I misunderstood, or am exaggerating, or somewhere I didn’t read one single line where all this is explained. And I will even be glad if there is an explanation for all this. And it most likely exists, but I just feel bad for the main character and a bunch of other people. That all those people whom he values do not value him as much and do not take into account his feelings, goals and desires. And that he does kind of the same with them and other people.
And this is my only quibble, which cannot even be considered a mistake or a minus of this VN. On the contrary, the fact that it bothers me so much is another plus in the collection of advantages of the work. The backgrounds that become familiar, the characters you grow attached to, the music that puts you in the right mood and the story that you live caused a storm of emotions that is difficult to describe in words.
I don't regret a single second that I spent reading this vn. After reading “What it feels like”, I was already sure that this novella would not let me down. And it did not disappoint. Of course, "What it feels like" is a little more personal to me and gets extra points so it holds more of a place in my heart. However, now I have to make room for "When I knew you" too. I simply cannot do otherwise.
OK. That's it, this will be the end, otherwise, knowing myself, I will begin to express the same thought in different words, because I will think that I have not said enough to express myself. In general, I feel strangely ashamed to write reviews, and I don’t know how to use words as well as I would like and I don't know how to finish this text. Therefore... Pun. How to praise beautiful exposed wires? Just say they are electrocute.
:/
...
Forget what I said.