Played the game last night and so far I loved it! Hallowelle certainly piques my interest, it's good to see that more and more MCs with different personalities are being created for visual novels these days. I still remember the cookie cutter heroines that used to feature in female lead VNs before independent developers really had a chance to get into the spotlight with things like Lemmasoft and Steam (and of course itch.io). But enough of me talking like an old lady, lets sink our teeth into the meat of things (just like our heroine)!
Not too much can be said about the plot so far, since we're only at the very start. It does have plenty of potential though, there's a decent set up for internal drama causing everything that the MC has built to collapse in on itself. Through the player's decisions, we could see Hallowelle struggling to relate to the other characters, brushing up against success or throwing it all away to retreat further into the 'safety' of isolation. Personally I think it'd be most interesting to see her struggling with the question herself, although I think any player who goes that route will inevitably end up with everything slipping through their fingers.
Speaking of, I like how you set up that Hallowelle actually does have a lot to lose, though not quite in the way that Inan puts it. It feels like Hallowelle is a little too assured of herself and her way of life at times, setting herself up for a possible fall. Even if she sees Drisdon and Robbie as disposable, and her lair as abandon-able, sloppiness or simple bad luck could easily mean something precious getting left behind...
Moving on to the rest of the characters, Napoleon is definitely my favorite so far! Such a sweet and bouncy ray of moonlight, and the perfect pinch of mischief too. I want to know what makes her so special to Hallowelle, was it that she knew her before turning her?
And Inan, the loyal friend, so seemingly rational and levelheaded. What is his story? Why does he need so badly to pursue his craft? And what is that ever so particular madness that flashes behind his eyes? Was it there before he 'lived again'? I think the answer is yes.
Robbie has so much anger and self-loathing, Drisdon is so lovesick and dramatic... Honestly you've made me want to know more about all the characters, which is excellent! Dharma is the real wrinkle though, the light that leads back to the living world as well as the downfall for the dead. What could such a child have had to endure to see a savior in the Witch Queen who tells her so openly she'll be eaten or experimented on or worse!? My mind goes straight to the darkest most abhorrent pits of child abuse, but I hope her history isn't so.
The setting is definitely to my taste, with dark tales of magic and shattered hearts and dusty mansions stringed with gore as if it were red lace~ All in all I can't wait to play the full game and see the journey that you'll take us through!