Hey! Thanks for the feedback! I understand that my writing style didn't appeal to you. It's heavily inspired by spoken word and poetic prose, prioritizing the sense of rhythm, rhyme, and color. While this can come across as condescending or repetitive—since it's not as straightforward as direct prose—it's an artsy sort of style that calls back to indie films and Japanese cinematography, which the atmosphere of the visual novel is built on (hence the use of cinematic cuts, dictionary definitions, and other subtextual imagery). The writing can definitely be polarizing, but keeping its style is something that I feel strongly about, since it's the foundation of the game's vision. I understand if it wasn't your cup of tea, and I certainly don't expect it to be everyone's!
As for Alison's fixation on normality, there's actually a specific reason that ties into the themes of the visual novel—though it won't surface until much later.
Regarding subtext, while the visuals are meant to be artistic and subtextual, the actual dialogue is meant to be clear and easy to understand. There's copious amounts of foreshadowing and lampshading, but in the end, Alison is a straightforward protagonist who doesn't engage in subtext. Even when the Zodiacs ask her questions with hidden meanings, she tends to miss it and answers it literally. This does carry the risk of overexplaining, so we made the choice made after thinking of our target market. A lot of subtext is lost in the lack of body language / vocal tone in a visual novel, so as a result, the dialogue needs to be more literal.
Thanks again for your honest thoughts and for playing the demo!
— Luna Chai