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Huzzah for the last major hill to climb!! I can't wait to see the next chapter AND see all the new art! I love the new poses.

Debate Changes

I am GREATLY in favor of the debate changes. This will add a lot more options to each encounter. Good fix!

Hopefully we get to see Arguments that double combat speed too (I don't believe one exists yet?).

Sprite Changes

I like the new proportions! Some one else mentioned that they make Dia look older, which I agree with, but not with her being 40. She looks more like 20's now. It works for me.

The GIF demonstration sells me on the new proportions. It looks natural.

Although, I'm not a fan of the way the cloth folds over her breast when Dia is in the thinking pose. It looks like the cloth is tucked under when it should just drape in front. 

Otherwise, looks good!

- Adventure Kid's second appearance will now only occur if you've seen her first side-story.

That adds a whole new dynamic for playthroughs! Is that the same for all NPC's like her (Cat Guy, Painting Dude, etc...)?

"Rival Theory" is my favorite track of this new batch!! It feels so chaotic and groovy.

Hype!! This update was really exciting to play.

I especially loved the new watch item that speeds up combat. I'm not sure if any other items do that yet, but hopefully, we see more time shenanigans in the future!

OOF!

Quayle is a nice guy. I like him too. 

Congrats Garrett!

I am glad your hand recovered, even though the feline menace is still at large. 👏

I just found this article! I must have missed it in my inbox.

I love that you're trying to fix the combat. The adjustments are much appreciated. My debates still take over 15 minutes most of them time, but I'm also very methodical. So I think that's a good sign it's working!

Simple, fun, and pretty! 

This was a pleasure to play. Super Bit Boy is an inspiration.

Short, but packed full of things to unlock. I enjoyed it a ton!

I loved the original SkiFree game growing up, and this reimagining is so cool.

I never knew being a yeti was so much fun.

Same. I had to download it here instead: https://gamejolt.com/games/kiwi-64/33914

I was unprepared for how epic and hectic the game would become. Such an awesome premise!

Changed my life.

The Zelda glitch references were phenomenal, and the puzzles were very clever. 

It's surprising how clear the puzzles in the game are, despite looking so confusing at a glance.

Gold star from me!

This is really cool! I can imagine being in a futuristic star fighter, practicing for a space battle.

The aesthetic is also pleasant.

> The possibility of running out of time for the investigation is THRILLING! I've wanted to play a video game like that for years. (Fallout 1 has a similar mechanic! You have a limited amount of in-game months to save your hometown. But you can buy yourself more time (literally) by sending merchants to your hometown with supplies.)

> I still listen to the music from Chapter 1, so I'm HYPE for the new tracks!

> I use gaussian blur in my videos all the time. It's my favorite blur for the reasons you mentioned. Good choice!

> I can't believe how much you're writing for this. It's going to be a blast to try each route and see the dialogue options! (Assuming there is a lot of optional dialogue)

> February/March feels like a long time, but I will persevere! You gotta take your time to make this perfection. 👌

Lets go!! October to December feels really soon, which is exciting.

Using Georgetown as a base for the new University was a good call cause it fits the world's aesthetic well. And I appreciate the changes you are making for combat! Good luck tweaking that (sounds like a big task).

Also, please don't get hit by a bus. 😳

My computer isn't a potato, but as someone who is short on file space, I appreciate you fixing the size issues! Thanks Garrett.

It's great to hear that the release has gotten better over time! Considering how much work was put into this project, and how polished it is,  that is well deserved. 

It's also great to hear progress on the illustrations for Act 2 are underway. You did a great job giving them character in the first Act. I'm not sure how you can top the DEAD CAT Defense. XD

Thank you Garrett! For the last month, I've been listening to ripped versions on my computer, but now Youtube will make it way easier to listen to the tracks on other devices.

- HONEST REVIEW (Edited to reflect Chapter 2) -

PROS

+ A VERY compelling story with well-written characters and mystery.

+ A unique conflict system (you debate opponents instead of fighting them). 

+ You have a lot of customization options for making a Debate Deck that matches your tastes. 

+ The overworld that feels like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, but with more fantasy and less Mario.

+ Lots of interactable objects in the environment. 

+ Catchy music (I personally love Distant Warmth, Jazzy Idealist, and the new Rival Theory).

+ The finale of Chapter 1 is JUICY. (It is dramatic and scary, but will make you more determined than ever to solve the mystery.)

+ Chapter 2 explains a lot of lore about the world and involves an academic mystery.

+ There is a "countdown" to finish each chapter (5 days), so you want to choose which missions you want to finish before the 5 days are up. CHOOSE WISELY!

+ There are lots of references to real-world rhetoric/philosophy (Perfect for nerds like me!)

CONS

- When the game first released the combat (ie. debate) was slow, but the latest update seems to have improve the combat! It now feels faster paced.

- Terminologies can be confusing (I tend to think about combat in terms of Energy Points and Damage, instead of Premises and Resonance.)

Conclusion:
A fun and exciting turn-based strategy game, with lots of dialogue and lovable characters. It has very few issues and is well worth playing.