Pitstop in Purgatory

I really enjoyed this game. The writing and art styles were good and worked well together, the story was very interesting and all of the characters were engaging, even the less sympathetic ones. I genuinely enjoyed the partial voice-acting's delivery of every line the actors did, though it would be nice to have an on/off option for the less specific audio (hmm, laughter, etc.) that was occasionally paired with otherwise un-voice-acted lines. The minor adventure game elements, such as riddles and occasionally using an object from the inventory at the right time, fitted in neatly enough to not feel like an intrusion. There's also a helpful walkthrough linked to the help button in the game in case you need a hand figuring out your next moves. While the initial two romance options are nice and have their own elements of plot intrigue, the relationship development can feel a little rushed in places. This is very understandable, especially given the game's development history as far as I could glean it from itch.io comments, but might surprise players who bought into the game for the romance aspect. In particular, I was surprised to see elements of the text recycled across the ending sections of these two routes - it felt like an odd let-down when contrasted with the care and attention that was put into ensuring random background objects had fun, quirky descriptions that updated over the course of the playthrough. I felt rewarded for persevering in checking out the menu card on the bar, but oddly left cold by the reappearance of certain phrases in the penultimate scenes of the initial two romance routes. However, the characters themselves were endearing and had their own personal struggles to make peace with before they could move on, which was a major strength of the narrative. It helped to make the central conceit feel relevant to everyone, not just the protagonist, and provided a logical means to examine themes relating to specific historical periods (the Middle Ages and the Great Depression) in contrast to an assumed present-day-or-close-enough era that the protagonist lived during. The game really shines in the Solo and Guide routes, however. The worldbuilding has just enough detail to fascinate without getting bogged down in lengthy exposition - I was left intrigued and I would love to see it expanded on in a future game or some paid DLC. The game also uses the visual novel medium to good effect in handling its themes of personal agency, consent and becoming ready to accept things that challenge (or shatter) your worldview - it's definitely worth playing all the routes before forming a final opinion on this one. Kudos to the developer for including content notes on the store page and at startup - it's nice to see this being handled proactively! Overall, I rate this game an 8/10 - excellent. It delivers on its premise well and has a good amount of replay value. If you think you might enjoy playing it, you're probably right. You can follow my Steam Curator page at [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/35646443-Inclusive-Games/] Inclusive Games[/url]!

Well this game is overall a great game and with a easily accessible walkthrough. I love all the characters and the dark as well as lighthearted elements were very well balanced. It is a heavy story with complex ethics if you like that sort of thing. I played the whole game which is five parts which were all fun so that's a great value for $5.99. I liked the ending - there really aren't many flaws, art is nice, music is nice, voice acting is nice, diverse characters, interesting backstories, good writing, good story. I wish there was more voice acting and I felt like some parts were too short. It's a good game. It's moving and almost had me in tears. Great game! I've played over ten years of visual novels and this is one of the better ones!

A really short, but sweet game that ends in a great cliffhanger. I do have some minor complaints but, like I said, they're minor. This is a tiny diamond on the rough but I can't wait to play more of this series.

This is a Point & Click/Visual Novel Hybrid game about a woman who died and went to purgatory (or basically what humans call it) because she can't move on. For her to move on she will need to come to peace with herself, unfortunately she has no memory of how she died and some bits of her memories are still spotty, with the potential help of lost souls she will need to find a way to help leave purgatory and see the light... Well, actually the story is a lot more than it seems, this started off as a nice, interesting VN/P&C game with characters that has sweet stories and can help them then slowly unravels to give us a bigger plot that essentially teases a continuation in the potential future (and I really do hope we have more of this verse). Overall a pretty shortish read (3 hours roughly) but a good read. The music was nice, the art was nice and Astrid and the Guide themselves were my favourites. I recommend trying this out.

[h2]おやおや！あなたは死んでしまった！[/h2] [h3]あらすじ[/h3] 女優として成功する夢を追うのにひたむきな若き主人公Astridはなんとその半ばにも死んでしまいます。目が覚めてみれば、この世とあの世の境、いわゆる煉獄と呼ばれる場所にいました。ここで自分の死と折り合いを付けないといけないのですが、なんと自分がどうやって死んだのか何も覚えていない様子。先に進むために頑張りましょう。 とっても心と印象に深く残るゲームでした。私はあまり他のノベルゲームをプレイした事がないのですが、今はこれが一番好きです。こんなに感動させられるとは思いませんでした。 [h3]ストーリー[/h3] まずこれが何よりもイチオシポイントです。本当に素晴らしいストーリーでした。ネタバレになるので一番好きなパートについて何も書けないのが残念。是非とも全ルート+無料DLCまで全てプレイしましょう。ミステリー要素が強めで、重厚な物語をじっくりと読むことができます。徐々に全貌が明らかになっていく過程が緻密に描かれていて、終わった後にあまりの感動で暫くずっとこのゲームのことを考えていました。上質な物語を楽しみたいという方に是非ともお勧めしたいです。 [h3]ゲームプレイ[/h3] 画面をクリックして調べたり会話をしたり、ときには謎を解いて物語を進めます。いわゆるポイント&クリック系です。ところどころ迷ったり謎解きができなくて時間がかかることがありました([strike]ぶっちゃけ私の知能不足です[/strike])。ただただ読み進めるだけではなく、ちゃんと話を理解して考える必要があります。そしてこれは個人的な意見ですが、とにかく恋愛要素を楽しみたい！と言う方にとっては少しジャンルが違っているかも知れません。もちろんキャラクターはみんな魅力的ですが。 [h3]イラスト[/h3] 他ではあまり見かけないユニークで落ち着いた絵画のような絵柄で、とても美しいです。好みにドンピシャでした。女子はかわいいし男子はかっこいい。主人公はとってもかわいい。表情差分もしっかりあります。アニメっぽい絵柄じゃない乙女ゲームを求めている人は私だけじゃないはず… [h3]キャラクター[/h3] 共感できる主人公って大事。Astridは言葉も考え方も良い意味で一般人的で、感情移入しやすい主人公でした。 煉獄にいる他の人たちは死んだ人たちです。それぞれ違った時代、価値観、過去、性格、個性があります。一言二言交わしただけではその人のことはわかりません。第一印象が良くない人だって理解を深めたらまた違った人となりを見ることができます。そういった体験をこのゲームでは再現されています。どのキャラも非常に良く描かれていて、最終的にみんなの事が好きになりました。[spoiler]The Guideさんめっちゃ好き♡[/spoiler] [h3]音楽[/h3] バラエティ豊かで飽きさせず、特定のシーンに合わせて場面を彩るサウンドトラックが楽しめます。特にメイン画面でも聴けるテーマが本当に美しいです。このレビューを書きながら聞いています。 [h3]声優[/h3] キャラクターのセリフには部分的に声がついていますが、みんな素晴らしい演技と声です。もっと聞きたい。 [h3]英語[/h3] [b]勿論これが最難関ポイント[/b] 中高の英語で赤点常習犯だった私は良くて中学生レベルの英語力です。過去に英語のコミックを大量に読んだりはしていたのですが、このゲームの英語はハッキリ言って難しいです。何度も辞書を引いたり検索したり機械翻訳したり凡ゆる手段を使って読みました。最終的にネイティブに助けを求めました。幸いノベルゲームですから時間制限もありません。焦らずゆっくりじっくり読んでいきましょう。ノートやメモも忘れずに。とても良い英語の勉強になりました。 [u]キャラクターに一人とても難解な言葉を使う女性が出てきます。[/u]その人は主人公や他のキャラさえ理解できない独特な言葉を使う人です。なのでわからないところはとりあえずメモして先に進んでください。あとで辞書的なものが貰えて分かるようになります。 全て終えてストーリーを理解した時の感動は何にも代え難いものでした。あまり英語に自信がないと言う方にも是非一度挑戦して貰えたらなと思います。そう思ってこのレビューを書きました。おすすめです。 このゲームの開発Tymedust Gamesさんは他にもノベルゲームを出しています。このゲームを含めてPurgatoryverseという共通の世界観を描いたもので、その中には無料でプレイできるものもあります。続編のPoetry in Purgatoryは現在Demo版が配信中です。 是非この独特で美しい世界に飛び込んでみてください。きっとなにか心に残るものが見つかるはずです。

This game has weak writing, insufficient character development, a bad interface, and too little scope. Though I admit the epilogue was interesting. So why did I play the whole thing? Well, I'm a sucker for afterlife games, and the demo seemed promising - it turned out that it had already introduced most of the characters and locations, though.

[h1][b]Pitstop in Purgatory[/b][/h1] TLDR: I really liked this one. I enjoy stories that feel like Venn diagram becoming a circle, if that makes sense. This is definitely one of those. Keep in mind that this isn’t your standard VN, it has more gameplay (yay!) and less of a focus on the romantic aspects in favor of the plot. If you’re down to solve some riddles and discover people’s tragic backstories then you’ll have a great time. Definitely a Halloween treat. For the price, absolutely worth it. [h3][b]The Good:[/b][/h3] - The [b][u] vibe [/u][/b]. It’s spooky with fun tied in. I think the art style really gets across that the world we are in is an approximation of reality. Things feel a little bit off, and it is clear once the story kicks in that everything you think you know, you don’t really know. The game flows freely from mystery to humor to romance to horror, and it very rarely suffers from the transitions between those tones. That feels especially talented to me, because that would be so easy to mess up. - [b][u] Everyone is hiding something[/u][/b]. Trying to get a straight answer is close to impossible in Purgatory, even for the most well-meaning characters. It’s easy to see (especially once you know the truth) why characters are holding something back, and the path to getting them up might feel quick, but the process is fun nonetheless. - The [b][u] plot[/u][/b]. It’s hard to know how to explain this without spoiling the game, but I expected to finish a route and be done with the game, but after sensing how much was left unsaid, I immediately did another route. Then another. Then another. By the time I reached the end I was pleasantly surprised by how everything unfolded. - The [b][u] UI[/u][/b]. The UI is so polished and (thank goodness) actually works. The title cards in between the acts also really add to the elegance and presentation of the game. [h3][b]The Not So Good: [/b][/h3] - [b][u] CAPS LOCK [/u][/b]: I think that the weakest moments in the narrative are whenever caps lock were employed. As a personal critique, I think there are other, less blunt, ways to get across the same tone. [h3][b]If You Liked This You Might Also Like: [/b][/h3] - Oxenfree - Lake of Voices [h1] Visit [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41411199/] A Variable Review [/url] for more reviews [/h1]

[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34294631/] Follow Far2close - Visual Novel Playthroughs Curator Page [/url] [b]Pitstop in Purgatory[/b] Developer: Tymedust Games Publisher: Tymedust Games [h1]Intro:[/h1] Death is hard to take in for the living, now imagine trying to accept that you're dead in a conscious state in the afterlife. Pitstop in Purgatory does just that with Astrid finding herself in Purgatory. It's not exactly Heaven nor Hell, but the place you go where you are not at peace with yourself. In Purgatory awaits The Guide, a mysterious man that takes care of the residents, even if he may seem a bit cold. In Purgatory, you can meet the other people that are just like you. There is Locke, the alcoholic and depressed individual. Smiley, the prankster and overall a positive person. Ezrebeth, the sarcastic and mean one. The final one is Rahel, someone who into spiritual baubles and speaks in a strange old way. You can find your fate and go with it, or go along with someone. The choice is yours. [h1]Pros:[/h1] [b]1.[/b] The premise is interesting utilizing the concept of death and the process of accepting it. The difference is that it's not those that are left behind that are trying to move forward, but the dead themselves. Watching Astrid be confused on where she is and who is The Guide is a strong start. As time moves on, getting to know more about Purgatory, its inhabitants, and your purpose in this place all felt well done. Now the most important part of the story is that, yes you can be satisfied with the common route, but playing the entirety of it will bring in so much information about Purgatory and its entities [spoiler](especially The Guide)[/spoiler] [b]2.[/b] I enjoyed the characters, however I do have some complaints that I will explain in the Cons below. The good parts about the characters is that they are well written personality wise, even the ones that don't have any features such as Smiley or Ezrebeth. Locke for example, once you meet him, he has drunk himself to the deep end and has a crabby attitude. Why? He is a good man put in a bad time. He possesses an extensive amount of self loathing. [spoiler]His backstory is tragic and he tried so hard do the best he could during The Great Depression. It was a hard time for everyone, essentially every man for himself. Locke's selflessness was not only his downfall, but the one of the main reasons why he is currently in the state he is in. He feels like a failure for both his family and himself.[/spoiler] Another example would be The Guide. He can be perceived as cold, sarcastic, and maybe a ♥♥♥♥. He is like this throughout the whole story, but he might be like that due to variables beyond his control. The characters' stories are written well too, as once you dig deep, you can find their woes and piece together what made them this way. My personal favorite was Locke's but I do give The Guide's route an applause too as he had a huge character development. [b]3.[/b] The visual novel uses a light point n' click/inventory system, using items to help you go forward with the story and uncovering different dialogue if you show the wrong item. I liked how the environment can also affect the item. I also enjoyed the various thoughts Astrid goes through if you decide to click on the same things over and over again. The final portion of the story where it heavily involves objects you receive is quite clever and if you do happen to get stuck, there is also tips or a direct link to route guides provided by the developer. [b]4.[/b] The art is soft and pleasing to look at, it somewhat feels like you're looking into the past or maybe a lucid dream, fitting for the overall theme of the game. The characters all look great and even the explanation of why Smiley/Ezrebeth lack features also ties in with the story. The CG art is absolutely lovely as well. Art is by: [url=https://twitter.com/aIcinus] Alcinus [/url] GUI is by: [url=https://twitter.com/Skolaztikaa] Skolaztika [/url] [b]5.[/b] The voice acting is great, I think everyone did an excellent job. It's only partially voice acted where important lines get voices and a majority consists of grunts, groans, or chuckles. Here is the list of actors and available twitters or sites: Astrid - [url=https://rcruzvo.com/#] Roanna Cruz [/url] Rahel - [url=https://www.keelysmithactress.com/] Keely Smith [/url] Locke - [url=https://twitter.com/JoeySourlisVo] Joey Sourlis [/url] The Guide - [url=https://jesstoshy.wixsite.com/website] Jesse Pinnick [/url] Volumnius - [url=https://twitter.com/Rekhova1] Noah Belachew [/url] Remm - [url=https://twitter.com/Drivered_en] Eden Solomon [/url] Smiley - Andreas Tryman Ezrebeth - Undeadlover [b]6.[/b] The music is fantastic, a lot of it is mellow and fits in extremely well to create the atmosphere of the game. The theme song "Pitstop in Purgatory" is slow and has a rainy background; it makes you feel like you're just stopping somewhere to pick something up or maybe just taking a break. It really does well to paint the picture. "Dead Things" is personally my favorite. Close your eyes. What do you picture? I picture a near empty bar, the lights are dim, it's smoky and it wafts through the air. Visually, it might be depressing but it also gives that comforting feeling. "I Slept for 10 Years" reminds me of Phantasy Star Online's "Crossing3084" or "Pioneer 2" or VA-11 Hall-A's soundtrack, it's like it's sending you to the future, quite a great track. "The Last Game" is a very intense track and I do love it. It puts you on a mission, everyone is affected by it and it's up to you set things right by your own accord. Definitely a fantastic one. Soundtrack artists are: [url=https://tymedust.itch.io/] Tymedust (the developer) [/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/c/endigo] Endigo [/url] [url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/1R9fj5Tiy9XMFp5ANzS7FA?si=1eH6T6GsQFugSFslKGghEA&nd=1] Jhove [/url] [h1]Cons:[/h1] [b]1.[/b] Pitstop in Purgatory is a good story but there is one issue: pacing. The characters are written well and so is the story, Astrid's route felt solid. However, the routes regarding Locke and Rahel may have felt quite fast. We get to know their backstory and all, but it doesn't feel like it warrants a romantic relationship. It felt too quick for that. Understandably, time can be your worst enemy, but when you're in Purgatory, all you have is time. The residents have been there for ages and for that I believe it would benefit if we spent a bit more time with them. Have a sit down with them and have a good talk. Maybe after initiating with them and post carnal desires, there could be a longer period of uncertainty or a session of hanging out with them before sending them off. [h1]Conclusion:[/h1] Pitstop in Purgatory is a beautifully made visual novel with fantastic characters, atmosphere, art, and music. What may hold it back from its full potential is the quick pacing. [b]Score:[/b] 8/10 GREAT