This VN is not the first to make me feel uncomfortable, but has 100% made me feel the most uncomfortable of any VN to date! That's saying a lot considering the others had much more gore jump scares and general ickyness!
Please understand I don't mean any of this in a negative way, and I feel as though the author is expecting such reactions.
In this VN a compelling story has been created, and I'll fight through those queasy feelings to continue reading new chapters.
Thank you for sharing your works Kideshi.
Thank you so much for your comment and your compliments!! I'm so very glad that it's made you uncomfortable! By constantly presenting my potential readers with uncomfortable and disturbing concepts and imagery, I aim to broaden their perspective and ability to understand and feel okay with things they otherwise wouldn't. It's kind of like presenting someone with their fears until they eventually become open or comfortable to whatever they once feared. There's no point making something if it doesn't help one grow in some way!
If you don't mind, what exactly made you feel uncomfortable in my visual novel? What made it the most uncomfortable visual novel you've read? I would love to know!
And thank you again! <3 <3 <3
Specifics? Oh no! The exact follow up question I feared when I made my comment!
Well, here goes! Deep breath!
Spoilers
First the reader is presented with two possible outcomes, both are super bad for someone if not every one. With no quarter given to the “there must be some other way” train of thought the story has a kind of “if you’re expecting a happy ending you’re not paying attention” sorta vibe.
All the themes you warned of such as substance use, mental health issues, extreme trauma, suicidal/homicidal thoughts and the very idea of people that are afflicted by such holding the fate of every one else in their hands. (Mainly because that’s real life where I live.)
Next comes the idea of unending nose and ear bleeds! The tunnel, all the blood, vomit and such, I simply found text descriptions of these things to be more disturbing than VNs that rely on visual cues to portray this because my imagination does so much worse to me with descriptive words.
Lastly… Reuben! So much with this one alone! Innards! Licking said innards! The copious amount of times he said “and again” in the second bed time story! The first bedtime story! but mostly some of the views he expressed such as hostility towards an entire group of people despite many of those people must have been grown well after the events that he is resentful for. Also I feel specifically called out by a comment he made about docile people since that’s my natural disposition as a person.
Well that about wraps it up, and again I must emphasize that none of this is meant as criticism, with out such elements it would be difficult to write such a compelling story.
Ps. I like the way Neo is drawn and I hope to see more artwork of him beside the other characters. I know this might be difficult because the story is meant to be seen through his eyes so here is to me hoping for a mirror scene in the future!
Oh, I apologise if you didn't want me to ask such a question!! But I'm glad you've answered!
Hahaha, this is one of my favourite comments!! I'm so glad my visual novel's concepts have had the impact I intended!! And I must say, you're quite observant!
As I said earlier, it's my mission to expose the reader to all of these dark and strange things in order to help desensitize them to such things, so I'm glad it's made you feel a little uncomfortable at times!
But in all honesty, all of the things you listed as disturbing... are actually very normal to me, hence why I asked what made you uncomfortable specifically! Heck, I didn't even know I was writing horror until someone pointed it out to me. But I appreciate the effort you went through to type that out, it's really helped open my eyes to what others think as disturbing!! I hope to keep exposing you to strange and different things, if you'd like! After all, normal is boring!
(And of course, I would love to draw Neo more! He's my fursona, so I've drawn him more times in my life than anything else! You will see more of him! <3 )