I don't usually write comments, but felt like I had to for this one. "The Mute" is a very special rpgmaker game. The writing and inner monologues are very intriguing and add to the whole being mute thing. We obviosuly don't know much, about the MC's (i think his name was Victor?) background, but the environment, aesthetic and little hints of the writing lets us know that he probably lives in a very hostile household. It felt like being in an average balkan neighborhood. The visuals are beautiful yet the colours make the buildings and people look lifeless, the music is eerie and really makes you feel like an outsider in your own neighborhood.
While I grew up to loving parents I related a lot to our mute MC. Growing up I felt like everything and everyone was out to get me. In response I became a recluse (I'm not one anymore). I remember viewing video games as an escape and would often resort to daydreaming, when I was forced to be outside of the house (mostly for school). I remember the feeling of playing video games in secret, writing stories in class when I should be paying attention, being forced to stand up for myself because there was no other option, being scolded by adults without them having full context of the situation, all of that stuff.
I seriously can't wait for the next installment, but with that being said I also have to point out some issues with the game. Obviously the game is very reminiscent of LISA: The Painful. While the game looks amazing and has its own story in a completely different universe, it feels more of a LISA fangame than its own title. I'm afraid that no matter how great the game can be it will end up living under LISA's shadow, even if it doesn't deserve it.
The dog segment took me a lot of time to get through (and a shit ton of luck) when it shouldn't have. I mean it's supposed to be the tutorial fight. My biggest issue with the combat is one of its minigames. The one where you had to follow the red box for a certain ammount of time. My issue with that is that when I pressed my arrow keys to move my box over the red one, it would move eratically making it impossible to win the minigame (i think i won 1/12ish times?). It would either barely move, or move all the way, even though in both occasions I pressed the button for the same amount of time. I ended up beating all the dogs, but it took like a little less than an hour (and a doorknob) with like 4-5 tries of all 6 dogs. I believe that once the minigame issue is fixed and the HP of the dogs is slightly lowered, it will be challenging enough to force the player to play around with the combat system, while avoiding making combat feel like a tidious task that the player needs to go through in order to continue the story.
I also found a bug in the same segment while winning the other quick time event minigame. The moment I did the quicktime event with the arrow keys, the battle ended and the dogs run away. At this point there was still one dog to go. I beat the other dog and the music kept playing. I suppose that happened because I never actually beat the previous dogs, but I couldn't find them in order to continue our fight, so I was forced to reload.
Also when I was in the house, I struggled finding a way to get outside. I had to look at a playthough to continue the game. The player has to go outside the window as if to not alert their parent(s?). It is a wonderful touch to the story and don't get me wrong there is a clue in it that can make the player think that this is what they should, I just wish it was a bit less subtle, so stupid players like me can still enjou the story LMAO.
The game was great. I get the feeling that VBI is not very experienced, but has a lot of things to say... I believe that the dev is an extremely talented writer AND DIRECTOR (many games don't really focus on that) and that "The Mute" and whichever other game they decide to make in the future, will be causing changes in the indie scene.
VBI you got something special going on here, I hope development is still going and I believe that in the future you will be a developer that writes history. It'd be an honor to work with you one day.