Mystery Abounds || Up Until the End [DEMO] (PC)

Title

Up Until the End is a visual novel in the works from LetiGame. You play as a nameable protagonist, who was reading in a library, when she somehow passed out. When she awakes, she’s surrounded by smoke and flames. What happened?! As you’re trying to escape, you’re intercepted by a man you don’t know, and you’re knocked out. When you awake again, you’re in a dark room, alone. Somehow, you’ll have to find a way to escape.

When you are able to escape the building, and perhaps help some others escape along with you, you’re left with no answers, except the knowledge that you don’t want to be caught. You learn that the others who escaped with you are Matt, Amanda, and Erika. You’re able to elude the men chasing you, and rest in a farmhouse located in the woods. After a rest, they search for supplies and decide to keep moving—together.

Talking with Amanda and Matt

I found the demo intriguing, and I want to know who those men were, and how all of these people got tangled up in such a mess—and what exactly that mess is. I find the artwork charming, both the sprites and the backgrounds. The music is intense and fitting, although I feel that it might benefit from some sound effects.

From what I understand, this VN is an undertaking by one individual, which is rather impressive, so kudos for making what you have. I hope that you are able to complete it, and refine it into something you’re proud of!

You can find the free demo of Up Until the End on Itch.io *here*. Please be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement for the developer, and let me know what you thought down below! Thanks for sharing some time with me today, and, until next time, happy gaming!

Bell

LetiGame did have a form to fill out in regards to the game, and in case I didn't address every point, I'll post it below:

Did you enjoy it overall? What did you like the most in the demo?

I did enjoy it overall. I am enjoying the mystery, and I want to know more.

Who is your favorite character and why?

I like them all, but I think Erika. She's young, and innocent. I wonder how she got mixed up in this?

Who is your least favorite character and why?

Um, I don't think I have one. 

What do you think of the protagonist ? Can you relate to her?

Not quite, but we don't really know anything about them, so I don't have anything to relate to yet. 

What is your opinion of the artwork?

It's not award winning, but it's not terrible either. I like a little more variation in poses maybe, but that's it. 

What do you think of the story so far?

Very intense.

Was it something that bothered you about the game?

I wish we knew more about the men, and what happened. (In time, I hope)

Did you find any typos or spelling mistakes?

Yes, and I'm still open to helping you with that, if you'd like. 

What would you say needs the most improvement?

Sprites.

Do you think you'll play the finished game once it's released?

I look forward to it!

The protagonist doesn't have a sprite. Did it bother you? Did it help you to relate to her or would you prefer her to have one?

I think there are pros and cons to both approaches. Personally, I think it's fine without. 

Any other comments?

Nothing in particular. :)

The Perfect Monster || Dr. Frank's Build-A-Boyfriend (PC)

"There is love in me the likes of which you've never seen. There is rage in me the likes of which should never escape. If I am not satisfied int he one, I will indulge the other.” -Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein

Title

Way back in January of this year, I talked about a demo I played for Dr. Frank’s Build-A-Boyfriend by Heiden. It was short, but I really liked the idea and was looking forward to playing to full game. Well buckle your seatbelts, cause it’s here and I finally carved out some time in my schedule to sit down and play it.

I found this game to be hilarious. Dr. Frank’s over dramatics, and the boyfriends unfailing innocence are charming. The sprite art and the environments are nice, and the puzzles are a perfect difficulty. There is a secret ending, which I think I know how to get but I haven’t tested it just yet. So, you can have fun trying to find that on your own.

That jerk!

Essentially, you play as Dr. Frank, who, after having his heart broken and his research stolen, is looking for revenge. And what better way to get revenge on a past lover, than to show them up with a new, and better, lover at your side? So, Dr. Frank is collecting… body parts to build himself a new boyfriend. But only the best body parts will do… right?

The game is a bit short, and I felt like there was more that could (or should) have been done with the boyfriend. It would have been nice to have even some smaller events to just fill the game out a little more. This isn’t something that really takes away from the enjoyment of the game, more of just a personal feeling.

Uh oh!

The music for the game is really nice, although sometimes the music would change suddenly and I wouldn’t know why, particularly while I was searching the house for clothes. The SFX were pretty well done also.

Without a doubt my favorite part of the game is building the boyfriend. The options are simply comical, and I had a good laugh while creating my boyfriend 3 separate times. My only issue is that the hair styles sometimes don’t quite look like they’re pictured in the builder, and I with the look of the boyfriend would change a little more drastically to really show. But, the pepperoni nipples were the real star.

Build that boyfriend!

If you enjoy a nice comical romance, I would certainly recommend giving Dr. Frank some of your time.  You can find the game free to download on Itch.io *here* Please be sure to leave your feedback for the developer, and happy gaming. Until next time, Jammers!

Bell

What is Normal? || A Question of Normalcy (PC)

“Anxiety is nothing but repeatedly experiencing failure in advance. What a waste.” –Seth Godin

A Question of Normalcy is a slice of life visual novel created by nanna4673. You play as Shakya, a young lady who is stricken with anxiety, and feels out of place in the world. Others call her weird, and Shakya feels this kind of rejection acutely. Can she overcome her anxiety to feel “normal”?

Shakya as a character is very relatable. As someone with anxiety I could easily put myself in her shoes. The good days, the bad day, the sensory overload of sounds and people... it’s all very familiar to me. Shakya has a close friend Lorenzo, or Loren for short, to help her along, but he has some troubles of his own, as does everyone.

Supporting friends. <3

One day in a nearby café, Shakya meets Arvin, and a new relationship begins. Arvin doesn’t give Shakya the same overwhelming feelings of anxiety as other people so. Arvin seems to understand Shakya and allows her to take things in her own time. He gives her support and a shoulder if she should need it. Perhaps this can develop into something more…?

The artwork is cute, I loved Shakya’s hair color. The story is nice, and, even with the few errors, is written fairly well. The characters and their troubles are all relatable and things that many people may have gone through themselves. This game is certainly worth a play through if you enjoy visual novel style stories. You can get the game free from Itch.io *here*.

Be sure to leave your thoughts and feedback for the developer, and as always, thanks for stopping by! Have a great day, Jammers.

Bell

The Chemistry Between Us || AP Chem Let's Study Together DEMO (PC)

"My atoms love your atoms. It's chemistry." --Atticus

 

 Title Screen

Source: Screen Capture in Game

AP Chem, or After Party Chemistry Let’s Study Together, is a visual novel romance in development by xxmissarichanxx. You play as Marina, captain of the water polo team, and you are not doing so well in Chemistry. Seems you’re too busy daydreaming about Mr. Kagaku, the Chemistry Professor. This has caused your grades to drop, and now you’re on academic probation, and suspended from water polo until she brings her grade up.

Mr. K tells Marina that he can help her study, by getting her a tutor. With no other available options, Marina accepts. Besides Mr. K, we also get to meet 2 other gentlemen in the demo—Basil and Sidney. I’m partial to Basil thanks to his electric blue hair and neon yellow glasses, but Sidney seems to have some good points as well. 

It's Basil! Looking smug, eh?

Source: Screen Capture in Game

  
One of the things I really like is that you can actually learn you some Chemistry! I mean, I already know a lot of Chemistry since I’ve taken a lot of Chemistry classes, but I think it’s great anyhow. You also get a quiz and such later on.

I love the art style of the game. It’s unique, vibrant, and colorful. All the characters so far are great, and other than a couple of typos the demo is well done. Obviously, there are unfinished components, this is a demo, so I’m going by the more finished parts of it. 

Good one, Mr. K!

Source: Screen Capture in Game

I think this demo really has a lot going for it, and I’m looking forward to seeing a full release in the future. You can, and should, try the demo for yourself *here*.

Thank you guys, gals, and non-binary pals, for sharing some of your time with me today. Be sure to leave some feedback for the developer and happy gaming!

Bell

Splish Splash! || Mermaid Splash (PC)

Hello everyone! Thanks to my birthday, and also because this is LGBTQ+ PRIDE month, we’re looking at some special LGBTQ+ friend games. Today the game we’re looking at is a sweet yuri/GxG romancey story. So without any further delay, let’s get to the cuteness!

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Mermaid Splash is an adorable visual novel romance created by Sofdelux Studio. You play as CiCi, a mermaid that dreams of entering the Passion Festival and showcasing a special talent. However, CiCi has never had the focus required to specialize in just one area. She loves all her hobbies! This time, though, CiCi is going to do it! She’s going to pick a skill and master it!

This game progresses with the use of time management. It’s up to you to help CiCi plan her weeks wisely so that she can master one of her hobbies to show off at the Passion Festival. You’ll also get to choose a friend to spend time with on the weekends. You only have 4 weeks before the festival, so choose wisely.

In my playthrough I threw my all my time at Bea, the cuttlefish. Cause she’s adorable, and the tentacles reminded me of an octopus(my favorite animal). This meant I also chose fighting as CiCi’s hobby.  I enjoyed the play through, and the characters are super adorable. 

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Besides Bea, there are 3 other characters you can also spend your time with, Angie the Angler, Delora the Sea Slug and Maka the Shark. There are also 23 endings in total, according to the Itch.io Page, so the game seems to have some replayability—especially if you’re a completionist. 

The game graphics are very nice, the characters sprites, in particular, are too cute for words X3 . The backgrounds and environments are also well done, and I love the soft look of the coloring. The music and sounds are fitting for the game, as well as the adorable story and cute dialogue. 

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Overall, I feel the game is worth the multiple playthroughs to get to know the other characters, which is what I plan to do! If you’d like to try the game for yourself, I encourage you to download the game free from Itch.io *here*. You won't be sorry.

Thanks for sharing some time with me today. Be sure to leave some feedback for the developers, and happy gaming!

Bell