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Part 2 was amazing! I loved the ending with Phoenix. Teal's speech about finding new dreams really hit home for me; their story and Phoenix's story really resonates with anyone who's ever worried that they wasted time while pursuing their passions. I didn't play the other routes, but I love the message that there's a lot of paths you can take in life, and they'll all work out some way or another. Teal finds happiness regardless of what career path they go down. 

I enjoyed following Teal as they found themselves and learned to take care of their mental health :). The drawings of Teal/Phoenix at the end, and the party at the bookstore, were so adorable! Loved the background music in Phoenix's scenes. Also, the interactions between Teal and Snow were so precious; I'm excited to see more of Snow in Defaction!

Thank you guys for all your hard work; this is an absolute  masterpiece!! I'm so happy to have been able to witness this game's development since its beginning. Excited to see what you make in the future.

The demo was so good! Beautiful graphics and a really engaging storyline; I'm excited to see how the relationship between the two factions and our MC's role progresses! It was also wonderful to see Snow from To:Do. Great job guys!

The demo was incredible! Wonderful art and a really interesting concept. I especially liked the points system for our relationships with each character and our own personality. Can't wait to see the finished product!

Can't wait to try this! Thank you for all your hard work <3

I just finished the demo, and enjoyed every second of it! I love the art style; it's so crisp and clean, and the expressions are adorable.The plot is engaging and exciting, and I'm so excited to learn more about the characters. I was so happy to see a diverse team of guys, each with vibrant personalities and backstories. Beau is probably my favorite so far, but I'm interested to learn more about Wolf and Gerald. The MC is pretty freaking awesome too—it's so nice to see a female character who is the expert and can take charge.

Overall, amazing demo! I can't wait to see what else is in store.  Wonderful work.

I played the first demo a while back and I have to say, I'm loving all the edits and improvements you guys made with this new demo! Felt as engaging and fresh as my first time through. This is definitely one of my favorite visual novels on the site.

The new "date" with Phoenix (I like to think it was a date, even though MC didn't haha!) was adorable; I really felt like we got to know Phoenix well (that blush! so cute). 

Pectin's background and character art is incredible as always, I find myself pausing the game just to look at the detail of everything and the gorgeous color scheme! I remember seeing a post-it note on the right wall of the computer desk graphic. that says “TODO today: work eat sleep," which made me smile. :')

Not sure if these are new updates or not (working off of my memory right now), but I really like the text animation—how each line of text pops up like in a conversation with breaks—as well as the new background music, how it's perfectly timed. So good. That cake party with MC's coworkers was adorable and the conversation with Joyce about sarcasm made me laugh out loud.

A couple comments—I know how much effort you two put into this game and it's already pretty incredible, but I figured I'd leave them here in case you're interested.

• Add transitions when switching to different locations? For ex., in the beginning, the scene switched immediately from the computer repair shop to teal’s bedroom, and it felt a bit jarring
• Inner dialogue is edited down, and improved from before yay! but it’s still a little too heavy, feels like writers are point-blankly telling us what MC is going through rather than actually show it in action and let the reader experience is. I know that the novel deals a lot of MC’s self-reflection about their life and career but clicking through lines of them just talking to themselves still drags a bit. 
• If you don't want to condense the text, maybe consider adding more activities? or even just spread out the inner monologue and disperse it here and there in different scenes.
• Skin color variation for MC customization would be awesome!
• Snow’s pronouns—I noticed MC referred to Snow as "they," and Zen referred to Snow as "he." (I played the new demo about a month ago so not sure if this is still the case.) I was wondering if Snow goes by both he/him and they/them pronouns, or if that was a typo. 
• Joyce’s departure feels out of place, especially right as MC is forming a relationship with phoenix. Joyce’s points about perpetuating loneliness are are true and apply to MC, but with the timing of the events—how MC is starting to branch out right when Joyce drop that bombshells—it doesn't really make sense. Maybe if MC was getting doubtful again or closing themself off, and then Joyce gave us the talk, it would flow more smoothly.

(these are all notes I scribbled down while playing the game a while back hahaha! hope they're readable)

Still amazed by the incredible work you two put out in this game! I really enjoy reading all your dev logs and seeing all the detail that goes into a game like this. I think MC's story is one that a lot of students and people can relate to, and it's a important one to be told. <3 Thanks again for all your hard work! I'm so excited to see what's in store for Part 2.

Take your time! I've been following TODO for a couple months and I have no problem waiting longer :) I know the final product will be incredible. Thank you again for all your hard work! Wishing you the best of luck with university and your games.

Such a fascinating premise. The demo kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Looking forward to future updates, and good luck with the kickstarter campaign!

Awesome!! Can't way to play it. :) thanks so much!

I was wondering if you had a mac version, or were planning on making one! This looks so adorable haha and I'd love to try it out ^.^

No worries! You can read their explanation here (it's very long!): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/audilis/love-...

I didn't see them explicitly state that the game was ending, but they did say "We will be refunding our backers and dissolving the company." They also mentioned "We have been working at a slow pace and are willing to post what we have finished to show that we did take our game seriously," which I take to mean that they will not be continuing the game.

I've only played four routes so far: Jared, Shane, Paul, and PBG (listed in the order of how much I enjoyed them). But wow. This is by far one of the best otome/visual novel games that I have ever played.

The artwork and mechanics are lovely. The storyline is fully fleshed out, with wonderful dialogue, flawed but realistic and adorable characters, and an engaging series of events.

There are many choices in the game, and I felt that they all rightfully had significance on the ending. The pacing of the storyline is wonderful as well; the big competition day is the overhanging conflict of the game, and it remains so up all the way through the end. This team did an exceptional job of balancing romance, character development, and side stories with the central issue.

I loved playing as Hana, and was so pleasantly surprised by the development of her character. Her relationship with her father and her openness about her shy demeanor/experience being bullied was incredibly touching--bullying is a topic that I feel games/anime too often water down and take advantage of, but you guys did an amazing job bringing it home. I teared up while reading the letters between her and her amazing father, and was so proud to see her finally be so happy.

I also liked how Hana grows and evolves as a character depending on which route we take. I enjoyed Jared, Shane, and Paul's route so much because of how much Hana broke out of her shell and began to gain confidence in her instincts and self-worth--and how it varied for each boy. She didn't take Shane's hot-cold bullshit, called out Jared for being selfish, and walked out on Paul when he was being unreasonable. That was probably why I didn't enjoy PBG's route so much; I felt neither really grew as individuals while in a relationship with each other, that Hana stayed inside that shell.

Another route-specific complaint I have would be Paul's character development. I liked the story outline, but felt that his romantic feelings for Hana was too rushed. The redemption for all of his denial/insecurity over the class election didn't tie up all the ends--especially when I consider all of the tears Hana shed over him to Mai. A little more angst, a little more pining/jealousy, some more scenes and conversations...that would've hit the spot!

Also, Mai is possibly the best friend I've ever met--I could not agree more with her dialogue about why it was important to hold Jared accountable for his shitty actions. And the fact that she was willing to let Hana be happy with the boy she was crazy for? What an incredible, incredible friend. I was really happy to see in Jared's route that Mai and PBG get together; personally, I think they are a better couple than Hana and PBG, and their energies match each other so well. ^.^

Great, great, great, great (gosh I use that word too much to describe this game but it is so true) game. I've recommended this to so many people, and I will continue to do so! Will definitely come back to tip this amazing team when I get the funds haha.

Things I loved:

I was dazzled by the beautiful artwork, sleek mechanics, and well-written characters and conversations. Authenticity to the racial tensions and culture of 1920s. Inclusion of POC, a trans matriarch, and a lovable, diverse cast of characters. Wonderful game mechanics, though there was lag in the skip option, including the definitions of 1920s slang and intro tutorial. It was so enjoyable to click through the scenes and look at the design.

The MC is Chinese American (like me! woohoo) and kickass. She's strong-willed and offers insightful analysis of gender norms and racial stereotypes, and owns up to the many mistakes that she makes. I enjoyed the inclusion of each character's native language and how natural it felt. The initial interactions between MC and the coven are so adorable, especially Vivi and Emilio's bickering and Alexei and Giovanni's hilarious bond. The nude scene cracked me up. Blessings upon blessings to Marie and Vivi for setting MC up. >:)

Giovanni was by far my favorite character :). I was pleasantly surprised by Alexei's kindness, and though Emilio pissed me off quite a bit, the last romance scene was the best out of the three LIs. I liked how the story challenged my initial perceptions of the LIs and other characters, much like how the MC grows as a person.

Some qualms:

1) Pacing is awesome until after the confrontation with the LI. From there, it gets faster and faster. The true love/neutral endings feel rushed and underdeveloped, and the climax of the story, which is MC's test, is barely touched on. The ending romance scenes feel a bit awkward and out of place, which is disappointing because of all the great build up in the first half.

2) Lack of choice. We only get 3-4 choices per LI, that I didn't feel held enough weight to have so many influence on the ending. I liked the MC's personality and responses, but I wished we had more control over that. It would also be nice to have more say over the development of romance. It was sort of evident with Emilio's route (hold hands vs. put hand on shoulder), but not so much with Alexei and Giovanni. I didn't think calling him a flower = let's move to Paris and sleep together ahaha, no matter how in love with him I am.

That being said, I could never understand the insane amount of work that goes into creating a game, especially one this well-executed and created within the span of a month! Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of playing this visual novel. I look forward to seeing your future projects. :)

Hi there! I read the recent "Love is a Game" update on Kickstarter. While I am very sorry to hear the game will no longer be finished, I understand that there are so many things that go on behind the scenes in creating a fully-functioning, well-written game. Sometimes, it just doesn't work out. As someone who was looking forward to the final game, I understand your team's position and and greatly appreciate your transparency.

Additionally, I believe that that all your supporters would be happy to play what you guys have created, even if it's not finished or polished. I think this would be pretty solid consolation for donators + people who have been following the project. I would be happy to enjoy the hard work that you guys put in and play as much more as possible. :)

I applaud you all for taking action to refund your backers, and hope that you will all continue to create awesome games. Based on the how much this short demo electrified visual novel lovers (myself included!), I know that your future creative endeavors can and will do well, whether you do so as a team or individually. I look forward to supporting you, and wish you the best of luck. ^.^

Just finished the demo! There's something very peaceful/cozy about the mechanics and storyline and characters, but I get the feeling that there's more to the concept that I think...right???

The MC is adorable (thinking about what she was gonna cook :) very relatable), as are the three LIs. Wanted to slap Kennith, but I have hope yet for him. ^.^ I also liked the phone feature a lot; it was so simply, but having the character profiles available and clicking through photos and emails was incredibly satisfying. And as a graphic designer myself I enjoyed reading the commentary on the website hahaha.

Of course, the art style was so pleasant and..cuddly? Is that a proper descriptive term? Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed playing the demo, and I'm looking forward to future updates! Great job guys. <3

Finished part 1, and I have to say that I ADORE the game.

Things I loved: The art is so retro and pastel and vivid, and the music is also fitting. The option to choose gender and sexual orientation was awesome too. I really like the MC; I found that I could really relate to her artistic struggles and identity crisis. There were so many pleasant things about the game mechanics and the way you guys executed a simple concept. I loved interacted with different customers at the store, how sweet our boss is, and grabbing food with Phoenix, of course. One of my favorite parts was when Joyce directly addressed our escapism/solitude and though it made me pretty sad, he decided to leave.

Something I wasn't crazy about: There was a lot of clicking through the text, to the point where I became pretty restless. Granted, heavy text is a given with a visual novel, but it often felt like most of the lines didn't contribute anything. For instance, in the last argument we have with Joyce, it seemed like we were just talking in circles for a few minutes. The same applied when everyday MC would ponder over what to do--I felt that the lines could have been condensed! Just a personal opinion.

Overall, I find the MC refreshing and relatable, and the game beautifully designed. There's something very peaceful and relaxing about the game. I'm currently in the midst of applications and AP testing, and finding this gem was really made my morning. I cannot wait for Part 2, and I wish you guys the best of luck!

(Also I'm now in love with Phoenix and his fashion and his beautiful character design oooops)

The demo is awesome! Can't wait to play the full version. <3

I really, really enjoyed the demo. Love how original the plot is! Although I've never had to experience being fired from an Otome game before, I fully identify with Bobka's pain. Favorite lines have to be about her best friend "showing up when it's relevant to the plot," Roy "beating up all the dudes just because," and the poor faceless mother.

Meta humor and sarcasm are on point, and I'm excited to learn more about Roy hehe. You're able to balance the parody/comical elements with a very engaging story and heroine, and I'm looking forward to playing the final version! Cheers, and good luck. <3