it's been quite a while since i've left a comment for something on itch.io... hopefully nothing slips my memory! it'd be a shame if i were to forget something i've been looking forward to talking about.
anyway, hydrangea was an absolute delight to play through! i decided to download it on a whim during the dead of night, completely oblivious to what was in store for me... there are many aspects of the game i'd like to praise such as the art, the writing, or the voice acting; but i'd definitely say its biggest strength is how the story and the gameplay loop heavily tie into each other.
normally, i'm not a huge fan of when visual novels lock certain—usually better—endings behind the initial endings which also happen to be the worst ones. it's mainly because i don't think it makes sense for most VNs; the protagonist has the ability to do whatever they'd like for most of the game, but at the last stretch you're forced to trip and fall unless you've already sat through the events about to transpire before.
in hydrangea however, it not only makes complete sense but also reinforces the story's core themes. the protagonist is nigh-powerless to do anything to affect their circumstances, and by forcing the player to keep replaying the game in the hopes of getting a better ending, they're put into the protagonist's shoes and get to experience the sensation of being trapped in a horrible loop which keeps going nowhere much like the protagonist themself does.
the fact you slowly learn more about the twins as you unlock more endings also helps, since i'm also not particularly fond of replay-for-better-ending visual novels where the entire story remains the exact same for a new option you get to choose from at the very end. in fact, i also enjoy how revisiting certain earlier events after completing the full game frames some of the twins' actions in a new light.
some examples which come to mind right now are the friend twin's reaction to you gripping their shoulders without warning or being intimately familiar with various manipulation tactics enough to recite them from memory (i had initially chalked it up to explosition for players not acquainted with the story's premise), and just about everything to do with the sweetheart twin's behavior in general. this might be my favorite story-relevant replay loop which isn't tied to time loops somehow!
speaking of fantasy elements, i also think the complete absence of them (aside from the central disease) in this story is what makes it so effective as well. coughing up flowers aside, the rest of this game is just a heavily realistic yet poignant story exploring the topic of abusive relationships (not even necessarily romantic, a rarity in these kinds of games in my opinion), how they form, and the fallout resulting from them. i don't want to give too much about myself away, but certain parts of this game hit like a truck and also felt like staring into a mirror.
for me, at the very least.
i also want to compliment the usage of the hanahaki disease trope in this story as well, by the way! i last heard the term used like... what, maybe well over a decade ago? it was what drove me to give the game a try, considering the fact i tend to be wary of games which use the term "yandere" as part of its marketing due to. uh. Genre Expectations, i guess???
like, as someone on the aromantic spectrum who also used to be chronically online back during the early 2010s, there are A Lot of thoughts i have about both the hanahaki disease and yandere tropes. i like the general idea behind both, but the way they tend to be depicted leaves me with a sour taste in my throat. don't get me wrong! i fully understand there's a market for that sort of stuff, but it's just not for me, haha.
funnily enough, i also had an idea for a story somewhat similar to this one a few weeks ago? that's not relevant right now, though! my point is, this story was a perfect deconstruction of the "yandere" archetype. both how people fall into such a mindset in the first place, and how they continue the cycle of abuse and hurt the people around them without meaning to.
i also appreciate the ability to not forgive the sweetheart twin in the true ending epilogue (ultimately bittersweet, but also the most realistic best outcome for everyone involved). a phrase i've always held dear to my heart is "i can always hope you heal and get better; i can also hope you do it far, far away from me."
anyway! i'm sure i've long overstayed my welcome, but i wanted to dedicate this last paragraph to liyah pon for lending her voice to yua; regardless of whichever role yua played in the story, her performance genuinely struck a chord deep within me. i'll probably revisit this game more than a few times in the future for inspiration.
