Hi! I finished the demo recently and thought why not drop by and leave some feedback while I am at it :)
It was an absolutely amazing experience so far! I remember playing the first demo many many years ago, ok maybe not so many :D But it’s been a while. As I play a lot of vns, they tend to slip from the memory or turn into one big otoge salad, well not this one. And I could lie and pretend this persistent memory of mine had nothing to do with the hot grumpy sorcerer, but... it definitely was more than just that, honest! :D Anyway, it was a huge surprise to discover this new and shiny demo . Even bigger so when I finally decided not to wait and give it a go.
It is truly fantastic what you turned it into! The game looks beautiful, backgrounds and sprites fit really well together (and they are so pretty). And I never imagined that animations would be that good, it’s such a high quality work. One can feel the amount of love and attention that went into it.
All things (and visual candies) considered, what impressed me the most was the writing. It didn’t have a dull moment, not even for a bit. It was always quick paced and consistent, and very very entertaining. A lot of compliments for making narrative react on choices. Uhh it was so good I couldn’t stop messing around, experimenting with MC’s good vs evil. Funny moments were very funny, more serious/sad ones fit in just perfectly. I generally prefer the games that have an interesting plot going on, rather than purely concentrate on romance. Here the danger of turning into a lobster is real and probably not even the worst outcome.
Sorry if I am ranting too much, I am genuinely excited. Not to make it too long and tiresome, I will now write a little bit about characters and wrap it all up xD.
Protagonist
She was great! In fact she was the best. And I know it is the matter of preference, but it is just so nice to finally experience a story that is concentrated on the main heroine. She has a character, she has potential for growth, and it helps to build the chemistry between her and everybody involved so much better! I loved her in all her possible variations, I think I prefer a slightly meaner version though >:D
The Sorcerer
Oh the sorcerer, he got me. He really got me. Such a delightful grump, very teas-able. I like the dynamics of what’s going on between him and the MC. And “old man” was hilarious. As was everything else in almost every scene with him. I am still theorising about his connection to the mermaids and suspiciously deep knowledge of basically everything. Yes, very suspicious.
Mikali
He is very sweet, but not too sweet. I have a tendency to leave good guys for later, but no matter what he was interesting and grew on me. Also he should wear this gorgeous princely outfits more often. It is not an actual request xD But damn boy! I have to admit he really surprised me with the type of MC he prefered, most unexpected, but very fitting when I think about it.
Malik
Okay, so here goes my biggest surprise. I really didn’t know what to expect of him, I had hopes and maybe some fears too. Sadistic and evil characters are my guilty pleasure, but in vns they happen to be a turn off more often than not. And it is kind of a bummer. So I was afraid he will end up being one of those jerks, that love to call the MC “stupid woman”, while manhandling her for his own delight. You probably know the drill, it is not very enjoyable. And I was very very happy to be wrong.
So I am slowly moving to the point where I just applaud and send my loudest fingerling squees in your direction for writing it so freaking good! It was sooo freaking good! It is everything I always wanted from a character like that, no actually it’s more! Their chemistry, MCs responses and the way they both really enjoyed the interaction was magical! I think I was crying from happiness at some point. Also it was very very hot :D I want more and I really really need it!
Jack
I loved Jack. he was funny and cute and always there for the MC. And by this I mean he was always there to cause trouble. I think they share almost bro-like connection. And I feel very guilty every time she hits him. Really want to comfort poor Jack.
Mimi
She was nice. And she surprised me too. I would love to see more of the bonding in the underwater route. Also I know how it feels to be constantly worried, Mimi, I feel you girl.
Ceto
This lady is gorgeous, I hope we get more of her in the full game. She seems very powerful and I dig her design. I would even play a route like that to be fair, but I am just saying ;D She probably would not approve anyway.
Overall I find GUI easy to navigate, all menu functions were easy to find and a lot of save slots are always a welcome feature. I am extra happy that there are no right or wrong choices and no need to please the guy with the answer constantly. Freedom feels good :). I found the music pleasant as well. I only played with the english voice acting so far, they do sound nice. I think I love Jack’s and Sorcerer’s voices the most. It’s not a big deal but the quality of the sound itself sometimes seemed a bit inconsistent, like there is subtle additional background noise. It wasn’t very noticeable and didn’t ruin the experience. The acting part felt natural though.
I don’t know if you are interested in feedback to the story and scenes, there were a couple moments that were a bit confusing for me, but it wasn’t a deal breaker or anything serious. I can always write more on that, so let me know if you would be interested in a feedback like that. I am afraid that I am writing too much already and it will end up being a total bore.
I am so looking forward to see a complete game one day. It has enormous potential. And ok I might be a bit biased, cause the game never stopped surprising me in the best way possible, but it is already one of the best vns I played. And I definitely would support this project on Kickstarter or other platform of choice, when the time comes. Thank you for all the wonderful time I had with this demo <3