Hey, I just stumbled across this while looking for games about chronic illness rep. I'm chronically ill myself and was looking for comfort and understanding through games, since I'm struggling to find it in life (think Hattie in this game, oof). This game represents my life well, with energy limitations, even panic attacks. I know all too well the type of person Hattie is, my mom is like that and my friend of many years is too. I felt like this game represented my own story, thank you for making it. It's been a while since you posted it but I hope it can get more visibility.
Shane Blackheart
Recent community posts
This game is amazing in so many ways, but mostly because I relate somewhat. I have DID, and one of my alters is so much like Moths, except for... a certain really dark habit ^_^; My relationship with them is so similar there were a few times I thought I was reading similar words to my own in some of the later journal entries. Overall though the story is amazing and it's based on the dev's own feelings about their experiences, which is valid. Nothing was too hard to figure out or get through, and the art is fantastic! Definitely one of my favorite games ♥
This game.... this game hit me in a way I hadn't expected. I was laughing one second and in an existential crisis the next. I LOVE the way the game challenges current stuff and sensitive topics, honestly. Big claps for challenging some really common and annoying social habits some have that do more harm than good. And the mental health side of things, that was one thing I was worried about going in, having dealt with certain difficult mental illnesses and symptoms myself, but the conversations the characters can have are really good (unless you're just immoral and pick the most awful answers). Musicals are also one of my weaknesses, so you also won me over with that. My early 2000s emo heart is very happy right now.
First, as unbiased an opinion as I can give, this game is pretty good. You've nailed the atmosphere and it's very unsettling, and it keeps you wondering what's happening. However, I would not have engaged with this game if I had ANY idea it was about CSA (just randomly came across it). I'm a victim of CSA and always read TWs, and this game was heavily triggering and upsetting to me, and the only warning was 'disturbing content.' PLEASE consider putting a more specific warning, even if it is 'the content of this game contains some heavy triggers related to CSA, so if you are a survivor, this may not be a good game for you.' I have to say too, despite giving props to the game, if your biggest twist/spoiler is 'it was CSA/SA,' then you might want to reconsider how you've handled the subject matter. CSA/SA is not a good 'shocker twist' for a horror game, but it CAN be included in the story sensitively and well. Maybe a story where we get heavier inklings of what's happening, and have a clear ending where the victim escapes? A good ending for them (apologies if this is one of the endings, but I have no desire to find out for the sake of my MH).
That said, I also realize I don't know the dev, I have no idea what they may or may not have been through in life, but as someone with heavy traumas who is also a creator (I write books about some pretty dark stuff), survivors still have a responsibility to handle certain subjects carefully when putting them out there for the general public in stuff like games and art, even if that just means a heavy and informative content warning.
I hope the dev takes a lot of the constructive criticism here to heart, and they continue to make games.
Excellent atmosphere and story. It raises awareness for a very scary reality for some people, and it's sad to know that things like this exist. This game was definitely eerie toward the end. I only had to look up one hint to find the lock to the rectory gate because I didn't see it, but otherwise, I got 15/12 tapes and completed it in a couple of hours without help. 10/10