I've been playing this game in short bursts whenever I had the time, during work breaks or after dinner, for the past few days and every time I sat down to do it I was so excited. I already knew I'd enjoy this considering your entry for the previous yuri game jam was one of my favorites. And treading similar ground of self-sacrifice and unfathomable acts of love, which is a theme that definitely doesn't get explored enough, at least not like this.
First off, I thought the length served the story well. You're really good at telling tales like these in short bursts, in little scenes, and it's a way of writing I'm very particular to, it's one of my favorites. And you use it so well. There are so many scenes in this, so many of them full of fear and melancholy, some full of grief, and a couple full of a gut-churning horror that was the hardest part to get through, but worth it. But anyway, the amount of time I spent with these characters made the ending hurt so bad, which I'm sure was intentional so great work.
Especially the sex scenes, which were fantastic and probably more vital than any other kind in the game.
I also adore the way you portray self-sacrifice in this and your other works. I feel like in these types of games there's usually a lack of... idk, angry, spiteful positivism? There's usually well-earned pain and apathy and anger, but I like it when you have characters who do something about it. As someone from a place full of stories like this one, stories where people gave up not only themselves but everything they loved to deal a near-killing blow on fascism and on the state, this feels so refreshing.
Because that's often how it is in reality. Self-sacrifice often isn't this off-the-cuff heroic moment of bravery, it's sitting down and eating and fucking and doing everything with the people you love, while all of you know full well that the good you're attempting to do might (or will) kill you. And needing to find peace in that, because the goal is more important, and all you can do is believe that your love will endure after you're gone.
There were many stand-out scenes in this. Anhedonia visiting the lake where they had that date, One's death in her arms, the little bursts of black as time flew while Anhedonia was deep in her grief... It's all so good. This is so well-made, I really admire it.
And of course, I can't not praise blood's art and the whole messy, jpeg artifact-y art direction of this, which is really inspired.
You wrote something so good, something that shows your growth as a writer IMO, and I'm so glad I got to read it. I can't wait to read your other submission for this jam tomorrow.