(This is gonna be long and might have some errors here and there as English isn't my first language so please forgive me for that, but I wanted to show my appreciation for what I deem to be the best VN I've ever read and experienced in my life).
I'm not the type to leave reviews, but I'll make an exception just for Repeat because it impacted my life in a way that's basically indescribable. I still remember vividly that fateful day, years ago when I still used to go to school, when I found Repeat completely by chance while I was randomly looking at furry games and, fascinated by the art-style, I downloaded and played it. I got instantly hooked and it managed to become a special comfort place for me, since the very first moment.
Ever since, I've been basically silently following every single update; updating and playing immediately on day one most of the time the public release was released, and the more it went on, the more I needed it. There was literally nothing I disliked about it. At the time I played it alongside some other VNs such as Nekojishi, Morenatsu (now Homecoming) and Extracurricular Activities, beside other very story driven games that were not VNs, and none of these managed to grasp my heart in the way Repeat did, not even managing to get close.
I don't know how it happened, but from the music selection, the art-style, the comedic timing and even the spicy parts, it had everything to become my staple and favorite. And so it did, it felt perfectly right in every way. It remained that way for years, up to this point, and I grew up alongside these characters, finding myself now here, at the end of Sissel's route, having a deep bittersweet feeling in my heart.
I've seen the storytelling and the art evolve alongside the narrative itself. I remember the scrapped content, when the sprites overhaul happened, when I first witnessed the characters moving around on my screen, and now...there are even full blown animations and most arts have been revamped as well as the writing. I was simply amazed and grateful to see such dedication go to the game that helped and is still helping me go through many obscure bits of my life. It was a joy to see it evolve, and it was basically a constant presence in my growth and life, one safe place I could turn to everytime I wanted or needed it.
The characters, alongside the rest, are what gripped my heart the most. Repeat's cast felt alive, real and relatable ever since the beginning of it all, and it made me immerse and on a level I never experienced before. The dynamics between them, every line of dialogue, it all felt thoroughly thought out, and it had a tangible soul in it. Even the comedy level was amazing, and this comes from someone who hasn't got English as his mother tongue.
This was especially true in Sissel's case, my first comfort character ever, and the strongest one I've ever had up until now, one I think won't ever be beaten in my case and one that literally managed to bring me to tears mutiple times after years of being unable to cry, (ending included), to really make my heart flutter with love, to arouse me and get a laugh out of me too. I won't ever be able to forget him, and I don't ever want to, he's going to be forever my most loved character ever.
I've followed Shirokoi on Twitter ever since the beginning, and every single time there was a post about the Repeat cast (which could be fun facts, more art of them or simply update logs) my heart always throbbed with joy (and not just my heart sometimes, if you know what I'm implying).
I'll keep following Repeat in the future, as I'm simply so engaged in it, and deeply care for every character, but as I stand now, Sissel's route being finished is a peak moment which holds immense significance for me, and I look forward to every future content that regards him in the future. I sincerely regret not having been able to fund the project, but if it wasn't for it, I wouldn't be like I am now. It just means that much, and it always will, and I'm not exaggerating.
It's a 10/10 on every aspect, and I cannot stress enough how much I want to thank Shirokoi for creating what's basically an experience that goes from the most wicked of supernatural happenings, to the sometimes funny but always deeply sentimental struggles of every character. As such, I greatly advise everyone who hasn't tried it, to download and play Repeat for themselves, it deserves everything and more.
Thank you Shiro from the bottom of my heart, for creating such a splendid project, going through its slow development and...for caring about it, really. It shows in every single step. I look forward to see it become better and better over time, but as it stands, it feels like a very impactful chapter of my life closed alongside Sissel's route, as Repeat keeps being there for every instance I need it most. My love for Repeat itself; Sissel especially, the developer and every memory I have with it and I'll be able to have in the future, will be always treasured within me until the end. Thank you again and again, I'll be forever grateful to have been able to experience all of this.