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CHATT I JUST FINISHED AHHHHHH.

This was so good! I really enjoyed it (if you can "enjoy" something that made you feel deeply unnerved 100% of the time LOL). The entire setup, the aesthetics, the design, everything contributed so well to setting up this slowly suffocating vibe that really clinched itself (lol) by the end, and it was all just wonderfully done.

I'm in LOVE with the GUI you made for this. Every single part of it is incredibly immersive and instantly draws you in. The setup with the chat screen was a great idea for the idea of the AI, but with Yumeko's picture there to still give us an emotional connection to her as a person (erm, AI, lol). I absolutely loved the little creepy flashes that would happen on Yumeko's screen, especially how they kept getting more and more unnerving. All the different possibilities for what could pop up there were so creative and so unnerving lakdjfsad ALSO all the different variations for the "rebooting," gosh, poor Yumeko, some of those were absolutely HAUNTING. AND THEN??? IF YOU GET ALL THE HEARTS UP?? THE WAY THE GUI CHANGES AND HER PICTURE BECOMES ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING????? I had chills the entire time my gosh. The variation that is still haunting my mind is I think the rebooting screen right before all the hearts are full and it shows her decapitated, my god, was that terrifying...

Even besides the chat screen interface itself, I loved how the rest of the game fit into this game/computer-esque vibe, from the rebooting screen, to the little video game level-up sound (for lack of a better word) when you unlock an ending, to the music and all its chip-tone esque melodies. It was truly wonderful and evident just how much careful work and detail you put into the immersive experience of the game, which was doubly effective for a game like this where you're really placed into the head of Yumeko. I also liked the change into the real world and how the GUI changed after that, truly making it feel like "coming out of the box" into reality.

Regarding the gameplay, I found it so incredibly unique. I don't think I've ever played a game with quite this type of gameplay loop before?? At first I wasn't sure what was going to happen when I chose a "bad" option, but then seeing the reboot happen and now that option was gone was just... this slowly building dread began to take over me. Like little by little she was slowly being suffocated and her options and opinions taken away from her until only a shell remained. Some of the doctor's comments really sent chills down my spine... by themselves, they weren't always terrible, but I think it was hearing so many of them again and again, and knowing that you're unable to say anything against them that really made it really that much more claustrophobic and unsettling. Admittedly I felt a bit bad in the ending where he died... 🤣 Maybe my last hope being that he could have potentially changed or maybe he just needed someone real as a friend to help get him out of this mindset. Though it was cathartic getting to see Yumeko finally take control of her own destiny and fight back and have the chance to be her own person. "Becoming a real woman" as it were. I'm not familiar with the Pygmalion and Galatea story this is alluding to, but in my mind, I was instantly taken to Pinocchio and "becoming a real boy." I suppose not quite the same story but still based on something inhuman becoming human I guess lkjdfasd I really enjoyed seeing the different possible endings. The most unsettling one for me was "The Wife" ending as I could relate quite  a lot to shoving down your personal feelings and just "saying what's right" even if you feel awful inside, so my heart really went out to Yumeko... ahhh. In general I just thought the idea of the "reboot" loop and having your options slowly stolen from you was just a really need and unique idea.

Anyway, just a really well-done game! So much to think about now!! LOL Thought-provoking indeed. And just a haunting experience overall, aided by how much amazing work and polish you put into the design and UI. I enjoyed this a lot!!

Sob thank you that's very sweet!! 😭💕 I really hope people will enjoy the remaster when it's finished! I'm really excited about a lot of the new stuff!!

Orlam's original sprite needs to be incinerated and never looked upon by another living soul LOLOL 🤣

I'm glad you're looking forward to it, though! I really hope it'll feel like a really improved experience when it's all finished!!

Thank you so much!! 💕 Lol I wouldn't say the last couple of months tbh I've mostly been wallowing away in demotivated depression since the finale launch HAHAHA but starting on this a few weeks ago has really helped in starting to give me some of my creative spark and motivation back, which feels really nice for a change lakjdfas It's been a lot of fun seeing how much even small tweaks can make such an improvement!!

Thank you!! 💕

I'm very glad it's interesting!!! I never know about these sorts of things LOL But I'll just be happy if people enjoy some of the updates and improvements! 🥺💕

Thank you so much weep that really means a lot!!

Sob Pri that's so kind!! Thank you so much!! 😭💕 It's been really fun diving back into the game like this and having fun again as I was in quite a low place for a while. It's been a really great way to kick-start my motivation and creativity for working on stuff again, so I'm quite happy and just having fun!

LKFDJALSDKFA IT'S A LOT OF FILES INDEED I probably need to actually figure out how to use layered sprites at some point so I don't need to keep every expression as a different file LOL But there's no fixing that in this game at this point anyway so I'll wait until a future game hahaha 🤣💦

Thank you!!! 🥰

Ahhhh thank you very much!! I'm glad the updates look exciting! 😍 It's been a lot of fun so far seeing how I can make some of the early parts of the game feel as immersive and lively as the later parts (at least in my opinion lkajfas). That and it's just such a relief to me to finally be able to replace some of the art that I cringe just looking at LOL

Hahaha I do draw a lot... 💦 I think it's the part about working on the game that I enjoy the most, so I don't mind redrawing stuff . I like it because I don't need to think and can just zone out lol.

Thank you so much for the kind words and I'm glad that you're excited about the remaster! I really hope it'll be fun to replay to experience the new content!

Oh gosh, I'm not really sure tbh 💦 I know that games made in Ren'Py can sometimes throw up false positives for Antivirus software and/or delete files. I'm not sure about the permissions part though, that sounds like something unique that your computer is doing that I've never heard of before, so I'm not really sure what to say 😭 My suggestion if it's possible is to maybe download the other version (if you dl'd the 64bit one, download 32bit, and vice versa) to see if you can get that version to work as a fresh game since it will likely read it as a whole different game. But I am not super sure. There are forums posts and such out there for ppl with similar issues with Antivirus and quarantining that may also have some suggestions too, tho I've never seen anything about the permissions thing before... 💦

You're too sweet thank YOU for playing ahhhhhh. I'm really glad you liked it!! 🥺💕

THANK YOU KRISTI SOBBBBBBB YOU'RE TOO SWEET 😭💕

I'm really glad you liked it!! LDKJFASLKDFA I TRIED SO HARD TO MAKE IT FEEL IMMERSIVE AND INCLUDE MORE DD2 ELEMENTS (not me spending as long on the pause menu art as on the main CG itself LKDJFALSDKA) 

Thank you so much for playing!! It means so much 🥺🥺

I'm so glad ahhhhh!! Thank you so much for playing! I'm really happy you enjoyed it 💕

WEEP I hope you'll like (liked?) it!! Genzy has my heart and soul... 💕

SOB I'M SORRY

You don't need to divert too much from the hand choices to be able to make it through (you just need to save up a couple choice's worth of will). If you try not making a jest for the first choice and also not making a jest when Iggy asks if Genzou has "e'er questioned the way of things" then you should be able to make it all the way through to the kiss...

DLKFJASDLKFJASDFA I AM GLAD 🥺💕

Ahhhhh thank you so much, Pri!! That really means a lot 😭💕 I'm glad you like them so much. I also want to see them in many different universes... they make my heart so soft sob.

Thank you so much for playing and I'm really glad you enjoyed it 💕

LIKE FLOWERS LKDJADSF this comment made me smile so much!! 😭💕

Thank you so much for playing! I'm really touched you liked the writing. I tried to emulate the style of the game as best as I could, even though I'm not used to it myself at all. Hahaha I think the vibes could easily fit into any of those big fantasy games for sure 🤭

It really means so much that you took the time to leave such kind words. Thank you so much!!

Thank you, Hiro!! 😭💕 It really means a lot that you would play this and say such nice things.

ldkjfaskdf it's always very interesting to me, too, switching perspectives away from Iggy, since all of my longer games are based around him. (Though strangely I've just noticed all of my O2A2 games are from Genzou's POV LOL how did that happen...) Sob thank you for the kind words about the art. I really wanted to make it feel beautiful... so I tried my best with the flowers and the lighting. And with the menu art, too weep. It turned out so cute I'll sob...

LOL I don't want to ramble too much about the lore and the mechanics as I imagine it will just be boring 💦 The bar is supposed to represent Genzou's "will." As a pawn, he's not supposed to have any of his own, but in the game, part of the story revolves around the fact that he's slowly gaining his own will thanks to Iggy (and falling in love with him at the same time... if you want to interpret the affection and his blushing/averted glances as romantic love; it's how i (obviously) chose to interpret them anyway ldskjfasd) Though kind of a cheeky way to represent that here, I made it so that anything that goes against his duty requires some of that will that he's forming, but because it's not complete, he may not have the mental strength to push too much, hence why if he uses up too much too quickly, he needs to revert back to his duty. As for the scar, it essentially represent his connection to Iggy (and it glows for instance when he's summoned, etc.). I have (also cheekily) expanded my head canon of it to also have it glow as a sort of indicator of his will and strong emotional connection so when the kiss happens and his emotions/Iggy-related feelings skyrocket, it starts glowing lakdsjfad I hope I kept those explanations short enough to not be too intense but to still make sense🤣 LOL

ANWAYYYYYYY. Thank you so much again for playing. It really means a lot!! And I'm glad you enjoyed the game! 🥺💕

I'm glad you enjoyed it!!! 😍 Thank you so much for playing!! It really means a lot!

SOB REALLY???? I mean it made me choked up working on it, but that's because I'm in too deep and these two make me cry on a daily basis already LKFDJAFD

I'm really happy you enjoyed it though!! 😭💕 These little O2A2 games never give me quite enough to do everything I might want so I never know if they'll hit right with people given their length and limits. So I'm really glad if people can still enjoy them even as just a little snippet into something bigger!

Thank you so much for the kind words about the art????? I really tried to make it as beautiful as I could lakjfda perhaps because I could only use that one art piece so I went overboard LOL Also because in the game itself (DD2) this spot gives me such a beautiful magical feeling and I really hoped I could try and recreate some of that ahhhh.

Thank you so much for playing and such kind words even for this small project!! It really means so much that you'd play it and enjoy it!! 💕 

AHHHHH CHATT THIS IS TOO KIND I'LL SOB LKAJSDFASDF 😭💕 Thank you so much for playing!!!! Your words are too kind...

HHH I'm glad it still felt like them despite the difference in style. I hoped that would still come across! I tried to still interject Genzou's lack of seriousness (and crassness) while still thinking about how those things might translate into this style lol. So I'm glad you feel it still fits them. The last thing I wanted was for it to feel like two entirely different people, rather, for it to just feel like a different version of them that exists in this "AU" lol

HELP YOU DID RESEARCH I'M LOSING MY MIND KJFKDJAFDA oh my gosh... 😭 If I get started on rambling about them and the game I think I will perhaps write 10k words in this comment so I'll try to refrain but yes!!! That's the basic gist of it. Pawns themselves are seen as husks without a will of their own created by the rift to assist the Arisen in carrying out their charge (basically... ensuring that the Arisen can face the dragon and complete the cycle). But part of the DD2 story is that the pawn starts to develop a will of their own from their Arisen that helps them ultimately defy the cycle and their duty... (particularly if you raise their affection level, as they'll start doing and saying sappy things and blushing/averting their gaze around the Arisen... which is not what they're supposed to do LOL) So for this little game I decided to use that idea as a base. Like Genzou in this has started to develop his own will as he falls in love with Iggy, but it's not super strong yet, so if he pushes too much at once, he won't have the mental fortitude to keep going and will have to revert back to simply sticking to his duty. It's not a perfect match/interpretation probably but it felt fitting for me at least in setting up the structure for this in a way that hopefully made sense even though most ppl know nothing about the game LKJDFASD I'm sobbing at "pawn points" that sound so cute HELP

THE PAWN SCAR ON HIS HAND yes................ I love it very much.............. ahhhhh.... it's perhaps, mm, an exaggerated interpretation that I have of it, but, it just fills my head with so many ideas and feelings. It's indeed his connection to Iggy. Whenever he's resummoned from a rift stone (e.g., if he dies) he'll hold it up and it will glow and I like to think it also glows for instance whenever there's a particularly strong pulse in their connection, for instance if they've been reunited after a time apart or during intense moments of high emotion (or here, like, as an indication of Genzou's will skyrocketing as a result of the kiss and their proximity and like... an semi-electric charge between them because of it lkadjfad I HAVE MANY MANY IDEAS AND HEAD CANONS ABOUT THIS I WILL ADMIT I'm very weak to it wahhh...) I need to stop rambling about this I feel embarrassed LKDJFASD

"You're lured into this sense that picking the answer not marked by the hand will instantly lead to a game over." - Indeed, I kinda assumed that many people the first time around would try to simply choose the top answer every time. And at first, I had it so that doing so would easily net you the true ending. Then I sat on it and was like... "this feels pointless then," so I did some finagling to try and set it up so that it still wasn't too difficult to get, but you'd at least need to change up your answers sometimes. Basically saving enough will in order to get through to the end by still sticking to some "duty" answers when it didn't matter quite as much.

Hhhhh I'm glad you liked the final menu art... it's my favorite piece in the game SOB IT TURNED OUT SO SWEET. And just thank you for all the kind words about the art and writing and game in general. It really means so much ahhhhh. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And I'm really touched that you even took extra time to understand it even more ahhhhhhhhhhhh I'll really sob 😭💕 MY HEART IS SO FULL LKADSJFLASKDFA

I'm still choking at the fact that you're quoting poetry at me in this comment... LKDASDKFJAD I should have expected no less. BUT ALSO IT INDEED FEELS SO FITTING. So. Thank you. I also have an innate love for the whole unlikely and perhaps unfitting hero schtick, especially if it actually delves into their struggles and mindset. Iggy in particularly is so scraggly and scrawny and dissimilar to what one might expect of a hero that it makes my mind whirl with what's likely going on in his head and how actually hesitant and scared he is about most of what he has to do in the game. (But having Genzou by his side certainly helps... ahhh... 💕)

ANYWAY. Thank you so much for playing, this comment is giving me lif elkadjfasd Yes about the GUI! I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it at first, then was like... ahhh... well this is already a DD2 fangame so might as well go all the way LOL Not to mention it might give at least some little extra hints to the game (for instance, I never use their actual names in the dialogue, but you can see them in the party, and also Genzou refers offhandedly to Orlam at one point and you can see him in the party, etc., I thought that might be kinda nice). The actual pause screen in DD2 is much more detailed and textured but I did my best to recreate it in a simplified form. I wasn't going to also add the controller button part but it felt kinda lonely in that bottom right so I did it anyway to complete the vibe lakjfdad

This is the actual screen:

Thank you for the kind words about the art and writing 💕 I had a lot of fun trying to recreate the DD2 writing style, though I hoped it wouldn't come across too weird LOL As silly as it is, it's grown on me quite a lot from playing the game, to the point where NOT writing this game in that style would have felt extremely weird to me. So I'm glad you liked it!

FDJALKDSJFASD stamina is a good word for it and fitting. It's technically "will" but I feel like stamina is just as good of an interpretation (though I leave it vague both because it's not really necessary to know and because otherwise I'd need to somehow go in-depth in all the DD2 lore). I'M GLAD YOU LIKED THE ENDING AND THE NEW MENU SCREEN SOB. I was really happy with that final art sob... I turned into goo...

Wahhhh you're really too kind. Thank you so much for all the wonderful words and for playing the game! 💕 It really means so much, especially as I was quite nervous about this in general and was even questioning whether to release it once I was done lakjdfsa 

Ahhhhh thank you so much for playing and for such a kind comment! I KNOW RIGHT?? I spent a lot of time looking for the music for this... I had a vibe in mind but even after listening to 100s of options nothing quite matched what I had in my head. Until I found this one! Something about it just really fit so well and I loved the instrumentation.

kdjlaksdf "courage" sounds so sweet I love that interpretation 🤭

It really means a lot that you took the time to play this!! 💕

This was so beautiful yet sad...

As someone who also feels like they've had many of their dreams end in failure, I really resonated with Ziri and her feelings of hopelessness and despair at what could have been... I was tearing up the by the end... 😢💕

Everything about the game was so beautifully done though ahhhhh!! The art of Ziri is so gorgeous, especially with the beautiful golden light... it makes her look so magical... And the GUI! From the menu work to the NVL frame, it was just really poetic and delicate and felt so perfect for the story and its themes.

GAHHH AND THE VOICE!!! My gosh there was so my EMOTION behind some of those lines... especially when Ziri was getting really emotional and crying... it made everything hit that much harder... just so well done... 😭

Ahhh everything was so well done and beautiful! And the music even now as I sit here and listen to it while writing this. So magical. Thank you for this poignant beautiful story... 💕

This was absolutely beautiful! What a magical feeling... I felt as entranced as the Supplicant themself while playing. From the ethereal music to the gorgeous artwork that feels like stepping into a painting from another time to the beautiful lilt of the voice work that really tied everything together. It was just a gorgeous experience.

I quite enjoyed the final bit where I had to guess the identity of Her... it took me a few times, so I was quite glad for your hints LOL And what a compelling tale, that of uncovering the own obsession plaguing your mind and coloring everything around you so that you no longer see reality...

Ahhhh everything was just so well done! I really enjoyed this. It just felt so absolutely magical!

This was a really beautiful and bittersweet game... I started to understand the true meaning behind it while playing, and then got the full picture after I was finished and also read your devlog for more of the details. Ahhh... how touching yet sad... 😢

What a poignant subject to approach for this little game and a way to bring some attention to some of those disasters and the people they affected.

I really enjoyed the simplicity of this. The art was so warm and soft, coupled with the melancholic music. I felt for a bit that I was standing there on the seashore myself reminiscing about my own bittersweet memories... even if they can never be the same. Just a really lovely and touching experience 💕

This was so haunting!! I'm left with so many questions about who they are and what's going on and what are these awful experiments and why is any of this happening MY GOD???? You did a great job of giving new little bits of information slowly as the story went on to really build up the tension... and I loved the use of the single ambient monotone track that gave everything such an otherworldly vibe...

The composition of everything was also excellent. You used so many different styles! From the use of the sidebar NVL for the dialogue to the point and click section as August is coming to and trying to remember things... and absolutely lovely artwork! The starkness of the room was so intense. Together with the music it really made it feel so isolating. And I loved the sprite work and menu art! What a cute style (that also then makes everything feel that much more surreal in the game lakdjfasd)

Just really well done! I enjoyed this a lot, both the overall tone and ambience as well as the deluge of questions and thoughts this opened up in my head!

Ahhhhh I'm really glad you enjoyed it!! 😭💕 I HOPED PEOPLE WOULD ENJOY THE CHANGED MENU ART LAKDJFASD I made myself melt into goo drawing it... I was really happy with how it turned out sob. I'm glad you could enjoy the game and Iggy and Genzou even without anything about DD2. I really love imagining them in many different situations and worlds... Thank you so much for playing and for the kind words!!

Thank you so much!! I tried my best to make the scene feel very immersive and beautiful lkdjfad I'm glad it could make for a lovely atmosphere... 🥺 It means so much that you played it! Thank you for taking the time to leave your thoughts 💕

THAT IS SO MANY TIMES TO PLAY THE GAMES HELPPPPPPP LKFDJALKDSFJADSA I-I-I do not even know how one could play some of those so many times... 🤣

That's so incredibly kind though sob... I'm really touched that you enjoy my games so much... 🥺💕 Thank you for the wonderful support!!

I DIED SO MANY TIMES LAKSDJFASLDF

Oh my gosh though... what an intense, claustrophobic vibe! Right from the get-go with that pounding music and no context, just being thrown into this game. My heart was beating so fast already!!

I somehow made it to the final round even on the first try, though then stupidly thought I should try to cheat at that point... 🤣 Then it took me a while to get back to that point as I wanted to try some of the other questions and also I kept then dying a lot hahaha. But it was really fun trying out the different options and then not knowing when I'd suddenly just die (I think one time I even died on the very first round!!! LOL) I think I eventually got every possible interaction/ending though... unless there's a secret one I didn't uncover lkadjf

This was so great though. Between the flickering lights and the sprite effects (especially when it all goes dark except for his eyes!!) and the intense music and just the whole INTENSITY of everything, it really got my blood pumping. Was on the edge of my seat the whole time. You really set up the intensity so well! And the art was so lovely!! I really enjoyed it!

AHHHHHH. This was so good! The vibes are so wonderful. Creepy and ominous and heart-wrenching ahhhh... my heart was clenching for the poor angel...

I got the failure ending first, then had to force myself to get the perfect ending. Then I couldn't figure out how to get the secret ending, so I just kept replaying trying different combinations lkdajfasd I wasn't sure how I eventually got it in the end but I finally did. And I was even more heart-broken at the final reveal... 😭 How cruel...

The combination of the wonderful GUI, creepy circus music, and beautiful but sad art made this feel really powerful and immersive. I enjoyed this a lot despite how painful it was... it also made me want to know so much more about the poor angel and the story behind everything...

Really wonderfully done!! 

I'll look forward to it!! 😍

You are too sweet SOB 🥺💕 You are killing me softly. Thank you so much for the kind words... 😭 Fjfjdj though this feels quite different from my usual style I tried to translate their characters into the DD2 style as best I could. I'm glad they could still come across as sweet...

Thank you so much for playing and leaving such a kind comment! It really means so much 💕

You are so sweet, thank you so much... Reading this really made me smile! 😭💕 I'm glad you could enjoy this little game, even though I feel it's quite different from my other stuff djfjfj

Thank you for playing and for these very kind words. It really means so much! DJDHDJ I DON'T KNOW ABOUT A MASTERPIECE 🤣💦

HELP HELP HELP THIS COMMENT IS TOO MUCH YOU'RE SLAYING ME FHFJFJDJ

Sob thank you so much though... 😭💕 It really means so much that people can enjoy my games. Even silly self-indulgent ones like this lol

Ahhhh thank you very much!! This is such a sweet comment 😭💕 It means so much that would play this! 

DJFJFJF I'M GLAD THE OLD TIMEY LANGUAGE WAS OK. I tried to mimic the style of DD2 as well as I could... my benefit being that I've spent way too many hours listening to it 🤣 But it's not like my usual writing style at all, so I hoped it wouldn't feel too strange. 

Thank you for the kind words about the art and expressions. I tried to put as much into it as I could to make up for only having a single shot. LOL I'M SORRY IT TOOK YOU A WHILE TO GET THE KISS THOUGH DHFJFJF

I'm so happy you enjoyed it! 💕 Thank you so much!!

OH GOD I'M SORRY LAKDJFADS I didn't want it to be too difficult 🤣 Mostly I just wanted to make it so that people did have to try a couple different options in order to be able to get the true ending rather than just click the top one each time hahaha

I'm glad you finally got it though sob. Thank you so much for playing and for saying such nice things. It really means a lot!! I feel a bit embarrassed and cringe for making this so hearing that people could still enjoy it makes me want to sob softly ahhhh... 🥺💕

HHHHHH THANK YOU???? I mostly just think everyone is tired of me rambling about this at this point so it makes me happy that people can still enjoy this... 🥺💕

Thank you for playing and for such kind words!! I feel like I always want to go all out as much as I can with the O2A2 art since we're so limited lkajfda I wanted to make it feel as beautiful as I could... It really means a lot that you enjoyed it!!