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Oh this demo left me wanting for more. In that sense, I think the beginning is a great set-up that delivers with its promise of potential! Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

Oh my gosh this was adorable. I couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear between all the fun puns (Lico Ice! Spearmint having a literal spear!) and the sweet relationship between our two lead boys. The team did such a fantastic job bringing this world to life. Loved every moment of this game and truly wouldn't have minded learning just a bit more about the world you created ♥

Oh this was such a fun demo! I loved Luna as a protagonist - she felt like a breath of fresh air because she tries to make the right choices (she studied business! she graduated college!) and yet somehow fell into this world of magic anyways. I also loved the love interests we got to meet (I already have a soft spot for them all but was SUPER intrigued by Nova; it's so, so rare in my experience to find a sapphic couple where both are WOC! especially in indie otome no less!!) and am definitely looking forward to the full release whenever it comes out. 

Thanks for sharing this gem of a game with us! I'm so excited to follow y'all and see what's next ♥

Aww this was so much fun!! I loved how whimsical this game felt and the food all looked so yummy too! I've only gone through one ending so far but I'm super excited to play again and see how my choices affect the ending the next time. But gosh, what a sweet, charming game. I really had a blast with this!

Oh this felt like the sort of story you'd tell over an open campfire! Absolutely loved the home-y feel despite all the death (lol). This was super fun, so thank you for sharing with us!

Holy crap this game was so cute considering the subject matter?? It felt so much like the kind of sitcom Halloween movie I would've watched growing up, down to the Ocean's 11 and Phantom references! I really loved how lived-in this world felt, and how each ending revealed a different part of the overall story. Y'all did a fantastic job with this game and I also super appreciated the guide. I got perhaps my favorite one on my own but would've absolutely missed out on the utter zany, sitcom-like delights that was the other endings, so thank y'all for that too ♥

also side note: Evan is adorable and I would actually die for him so congrats on excellent character design!!

Oh gosh, this game was adorable! Each interest was super charming in their own way, and the music chosen really added to the fairy-tale like ambience. Since I haven't read the original fairy tale in a while, I was wondering if the names of the endings had any special significance (and if so, would there ever be a write-up on said significance)?

Thank you for sharing this game with us! It felt warm and cozy somehow, which is a feat considering the literal heist that may or may not happen as a result of our choices ♥

Aww this game was super fun! Loved the banter between the guard and our jewel thief. He seems like a fun character - would love to see more of him in the future somehow (if possible)

Thank you so much!! And yes, the removal of the lindworm improved it so much IMO - leaving him to the imagination does a lot than actually showing him, especially in a story that tells so much in so little words.

So it's been a couple of days since I played this game, and I'm still thinking about its themes of mortality and sacrifice (neither of which I particularly expected going into this). I was intrigued by a heroine with actual melanin, and was richly rewarded with a story that touches upon what it truly means to be human, albeit in the subtext. 

One spoiler-y note for those playing: it was so fascinating to see what constituted a 'good end' for Casey versus for Leon, Remy, and Jude! I have to wonder if that main thematic difference was on purpose (and if so, how that dovetailed into how the Carnival got its start, and namely how Casey got involved versus how the other characters were recruited). At the time, the difference was shocking; as part of a whole, it really speaks to the thoughtfulness of the theme despite the carnival setting. I was blown away by the amount of effort and love present in this game, and look forward to seeing what else this dev team creates! Thank you so so much for sharing this with us!

Ohhh the art is so charming! I love the vibes and atmosphere created with this game; although I really did expect something to leap out of the screen (like a jumpscare!) it really was more of a cozy late night game than I anticipated. Thank you so much for sharing this with us! It was a fun time (and also, since I went into this blind, it was equally delightful to realize this was a sequel to Silver Thread - which was equally entertaining!! Would LOVE to keep getting to know this world).

Oh the art is gorgeous - feels like it was directly lifted from a fairy tale! The story itself was charming; I loved the premise and how depending on which card you picked (and perhaps which route you were on?), the visions themselves changed too. 

The countess route was admittedly my favorite of the two but both were sweet! Thank you so much for sharing this game with us. It was a treat from start to finish ♥

Aww this was unexpectedly sweet (and I really do love demon summonings not going as expected)! Thank you so much for sharing this story with us; while I don't see many that discuss asexuality, or perhaps how romance is seen by many in society, that makes it all the more unique and special ♥ Fantastic work!!

oh this was such an interesting concept! I love that the lindworm really was left to our imagination- it allows us to emphasize more with our protagonist and the situation she had placed herself in. thank you for sharing this with us!

(side note: I was only able to get three endings, so while I'm certain a 4th ending exists, I have no clue as to what that might be. any chance of writing up the potential endings and/or hints for the curious?)

every time I play an O2A2 game, I'm always impressed at just how much story y'all can pack into a game (and namely, how the story feels so alive with atmosphere alone). The premise alone had me intrigued, and well - I've always been weak for enemies to lovers type stories, and this really was no different. 

I think about the execution of this story more than I anticipated - namely, in how the lead POV has more personality than I would've expected - and truly am delighted and grateful y'all decided to share this with us. It really was a treat!

This was such a cute game! I'm weak for retellings of fairy tales in general, but even more so with Red Riding Hood - this really did feel nostalgic (despite this being the first time I've ever played it) and the puzzles felt just right in the amount of difficulty and fun. 

Admittedly I couldn't bring myself to be even a little bit mean to Alex, so I'm not sure what the other endings were like, but their relationship was so charming and sweet. Thank you for sharing this with us; it was great fun from start to finish. ♥

Oh this was a delight! I'm always impressed at just how much story a team can pack into a game like this - the atmosphere (music, backgrounds, etc) tells you so much about the world alone, and it was neat to see how the plot unfurled via dialogue. 

Thank you for sharing this with us. It was great fun to learn about Silas, and to see how the relationship either blossomed or withered depending on the reader's choices!

Oh this game was so cute!! I really enjoyed the witty banter between Ash and our leading protagonist - and the color scheme was such a fun hint towards Ash's story (in hindsight, brilliant; at the time, I paid it absolutely no attention whatsoever and that is entirely on me lol). Thank you so much for sharing this gem of a story with us! I had a wonderful time hanging out with Ash, and hope there might be another story with him in the future ♥

Aww this was such a sweet and funny game! I especially loved the last choice (or lack thereof, if we're going to be honest) - after a variety of choices, it really said something about the conversation thus far. 

Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I can't wait to play your other games in the future, bc this really was a laugh from start to finish ♥

So I'm not particularly sure why I decided to play this right before bed (especially since I usually don't play horror either!), but for those who love spooky games: the timing of my playthrough really added to the atmosphere! The overall ambience was delightfully chills-raising (and I do credit the choice of music/visuals for enhancing that) and yet felt like a surreal dream or fairy-tale, as others have noted. 

This was such a clever use of time loops, too - I was one of those players who started with a very 'by the book' playthrough, and it was immensely rewarding to see that the game did want me to explore and poke around the manor! I especially loved how the game evolved with each loop, and getting each ending was its own reward. 

Thank you all for sharing this with us, because it was such a delight <3 This game really proves how beautifully horror/fairy-tale games can be created without intense depicted blood or gore, and I'm super duper grateful to you all for it.

You absolutely succeeded in making a horror game fun and creepy without it being overwhelming!! I cannot understate how much I generally avoid horror, and yet Karamu hit a lot of solid narrative notes. The atmosphere helped a lot, I believe; the game was really dynamic with unique animations that drew me into their world, and as someone that used to go on 5am runs, you nailed how quiet the world is at that hour. But mostly, I think it's the lack of jumpscares and assuming your audience needs shock to be horrified? Karamu reminds me of older horror films (like Psycho and other Hitchcock films), where your imagination does a lot of the work, and *that's* the kind of horror a wider audience can get behind, I think.

Nelli was FANTASTIC. While her VA did such a great job at invoking her emotions, I truly wasn't expecting to love her as much as I did. ♥ You've certainly made a fan out of me, lol! I look forward to playing your other games and leaving reviews on them too (and honestly, sharing your games with my friends who DO enjoy horror!! I know that if I'm having a grand time, they'll enjoy it even more)

Ohhhhhh my goodness. This game was delightfully creepy - I normally don't play horror games, but I had heard such wonderful things about this game that I wanted to give Karamu a shot, and my god, I am so glad I did!!

Nellie is such a unique protagonist in otome land (I can't think of anyone heading off to veterinary school!) and the composition and animation made the game feel like I was flipping through pages of a comic book.

I also want to add that the walkthrough was super helpful, and that you did a fantastic job of capturing that creepy five AM atmosphere! I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time, and also: the arachnophobia warning was honestly a bit of an understatement LMAO, but we persevered!! Thank you for sharing this with us. It was a treat, and I can't wait until I have more time to play the sequel!

The demo was super fun and cute! I loved the commitment to the comic book aesthetic - I really felt as if the game had been lifted off the pages themselves. Looking super forward to seeing your next updates :)

I don't have a ton of details in this overall review, but I will say that I was super intrigued by the clammy woman in the demo - and at the sheer variety of choices you could make in interacting with her! Each interaction felt real and grounded, despite the extraordinary world you've created for us to play in. 

I do have one question for the final game, though: are you planning on CGs for the portraits you have on the resume? This isn't for the demo or your progress, since that does feel like a lot of work, but I was wondering if it would be in the final game (or if it could be something we could pay extra for - I know I wouldn't mind paying a little extra for a cosmetic bonus, esp. as a thank you for working so hard)!

Oh, I absolutely loved the game! Your team worked so hard on it and that love and passion shone through with each playthrough - it was delightful! Seriously, I was laughing and crying with all the various bits of characterization, and your choice of friends was *superb*. I cannot commend you enough for those routes and on letting us choose which one we wanted to befriend. I even wanted to befriend Iris - you made her that sweet and inviting.

I was a little late to your Kickstarter, but I look forward to seeing In Blood when it comes out, and wish you all the best of luck!! I think you've got a tremendous amount of talent, and time will only refine and hone that skill (:

This game had such a fascinating story! Let me preface this with: thank you so much for making this game part of the Racial Equality bundle (and for sharing it with such a wide audience). After going through several routes (thank you also for the guide - i would've never gotten some of them on my own), I can tell this world was carefully built with consideration for those from all walks of life. 

I also appreciated how details about the world were nudged out, bit by bit, from various friendships - and how you learned just enough from one person to understand how another's life would be impacted (and vice-versa). 

That said, I do have to echo other sentiments re: "the big choice" being way less obvious. On my first run, I had no idea it would lead to the love interest being on the opposite side (and how it automatically locked me into bad ends). It was clear in hindsight, with multiple playthroughs, but definitely threw me for a loop my first time around. 

* also, i don't know how feasible this would be for a future game, but when you're given such an impactful choice - the ability to change either the player's or the LI's POV would be so neat! I was half-expecting a discussion about all the shades of grey involved. Maybe I've yet to unlock those endings? But to be clearer: the ending hinging on one choice was only shocking because i believe it comes way sooner than who you romance - and depending on who you pick, the bad ends were much easier to obtain in my gaming experience.

Overall, this game was an unexpected delight, and the world felt so rich, inclusive, and diverse without once feeling preachy or heavy-handed in those themes (I'm especially thinking of the non-romanceable NPCs; I would regularly re-play Trevor's and Sam's 'routes' because they were both such compelling characters, and I really wish we'd gotten the chance to befriend Iris in the same way! Homegirl deserves some love, and not just forever pining after Vince!!). Your team has a great voice re: writing narratives, and I look forward to future games. Any critique offered here is to hopefully help re: future installments, and to explain what I personally would've loved to see!

This was such a sweet and fun game! I don't think (?) I've seen many games about urban exploring either, if at all, so that aspect was really neat. I think I actually learned a thing or two from reading, haha! 

I have to echo an earlier comment about Finn - I really appreciated the depth given to his character (and his personality affecting other routes such as Paxton's), and that he felt so fleshed out and well-rounded. All the love interests did, really; it's a testament to the writing in this game, and also how much love and passion the team placed into the project. Great job; I had a wonderful time with this game.

This was such a sweet and thought-provoking game (and honestly, an underrated gem that I hope more people get to play in the future)! I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting when I initially purchased and downloaded this game, but the warmth and sincerity in Evalise's story was so much more than I anticipated. 

The NG+ details were really neat, too; it was great to see things from the perspective of the love interest, and to sense just how tormented and difficult their initial decision was. The most unique thing, I think, was the ability to play with the sprites' clothing and BGs in the gallery - you don't see that much in VNs, so thank you! I really had a blast getting to play around with it all.

This was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed each and every party member's personalities, and how much you could feel Brynn holding them together (or not together) every step of the way.

Thank you so much for sharing this with us!

This game was so hilarious and heartfelt!! This really took me back to when I played D&D - while it took me a minute to get that it was a tabletop game, it really added to the atmosphere (especially considering the boys were brand new and yet totally gung ho, in  their own ways). 

Thank you so much for sharing this with us - it really was a treat of a game.