played this to prepare for the prequel (i'm in the jam that game was submitted to). this was pretty good!
what really really really caught my eye was the visual style. haven't really seen another rpg maker game that looks like this, and it's incredible!! the low visibility that forces you to stay alert, the abundance of details like creaks and soil that make the atmosphere feel unsafe, the light that only works forward and makes the darkness almost claustrophobic, the heavy use of blood and cobwebs to remind you whose home you just entered... i don't think i've ever seen an rpg maker project with such a rich presentation, and it is beyond impressive.
while the story is kind of confusing, it kept me engaged the whole way through, and it was pretty cool to go from waking up in a dark room not knowing anything about where you are, to having learned about such a tragic family history and how twisted the protagonist you're playing as is. speaking of the protagonist, i really like how, at the start (KINDA SPOILERS), the game tells you that candy can be used to increase your mental health. then throughout the game, you may start to wonder why is candy being used for this mechanic? it seems like such a random item... until you learn what the candy is, and it's super dark and cool lol (also i tend to not like that kind of system in games, but the amount of candy you get is pretty fair so it's not a problem!).
if i could criticize the game, i'd say its weakest point is the grammar. i understood pretty much everything but some parts are really hard to get, and the choice of words in a lot of places is really weird (not trying to be mean, it's valid to struggle with languages, just thought i'd mention it). also some puzles and steps you have to take are pretty obscure, and i would've liked some more clues. (KINDA SPOILERS) especially with the third ending which (at least the way i played) didn't have any indication at all of existing, and requires an absurd level of timing to get. maybe there was a clue i missed or an easier way to get it i didn't think of, if so please let me know!
regardless of any flaw i had, i did come in the game expecting to just do 1-3 endings and move on, but i ended up doing all 7 lmao. and that speaks for how good this game is!!
(now brb i'm gonna play the prequel-)