She is Mermaid

She is Mermaid is a heartfelt and whimsical visual novel developed by COSEN in collaboration with TALESSHOP that combines fantasy, romance, and a nostalgic slice-of-life atmosphere. Set in a quiet seaside town shimmering with the warmth of summer, the story follows Hiroto, a young man who returns to his rural hometown after years away in the city. What begins as a simple homecoming quickly turns into something extraordinary when he discovers that his childhood friend Ion has become a mermaid. From there, the game unfolds as a delicate mixture of human drama and gentle fantasy, exploring themes of memory, connection, and the bittersweet nature of growing up. Rather than leaning on high-stakes conflict or heavy emotional melodrama, She is Mermaid finds its strength in subtle storytelling and its ability to evoke a mood of tranquility and wonder. The setting plays a central role in the experience, serving as both a physical and emotional anchor for the characters. The seaside village, surrounded by clear water, crumbling docks, and the hum of cicadas, creates a feeling of familiarity and nostalgia. The visuals complement this perfectly: the art is soft, vibrant, and full of detail, painting a world that feels alive but still touched by melancholy. The water-themed palette—shades of blue, white, and gold—reinforces the story’s aquatic undertone while giving it a dreamlike serenity. Every scene feels like a snapshot of a passing summer, fleeting and beautiful. The character designs are expressive and distinct, capturing the personalities of the game’s heroines with warmth and charm. This attention to presentation is further elevated by the full Japanese voice acting, which brings emotional nuance to even the simplest exchanges and allows the story to resonate on a deeper level. At its core, She is Mermaid is about relationships—between friends, lovers, and the small community that surrounds them. The story primarily focuses on Hiroto’s interactions with three key characters: Ion, his childhood friend turned mermaid; Petakko, a bubbly and forgetful mermaid who brings humor and lightness to the narrative; and Rin, a mysterious shrine priestess with an enigmatic connection to both the spiritual and natural worlds. Each character’s route offers a unique emotional journey, exploring different facets of love, memory, and identity. Ion’s route is the emotional centerpiece, mixing nostalgia and yearning as the protagonist confronts the changes time and distance have created between them. Petakko’s story adds warmth and comedy, offering a lighter counterpoint to the heavier emotional themes, while Rin’s storyline delves deeper into the supernatural elements that frame the narrative. Together, these routes weave a cohesive whole, each shedding light on a different aspect of the story’s central question: what does it mean to hold on to the past in a world that keeps changing? The game’s writing reflects the understated emotional tone that defines Japanese visual novels of this type. Rather than relying on twists or melodramatic reveals, it builds its story through quiet moments—conversations by the seaside, fleeting memories, and simple acts of kindness. The pacing is deliberately slow, allowing the player to settle into the atmosphere and observe the small details that bring the world to life. For some, this will be part of the game’s charm; for others, it may feel too leisurely, particularly in the early chapters where the story takes its time establishing relationships and tone. However, the slow pace pays off by giving each emotional moment room to breathe, making the eventual revelations and resolutions feel more earned. The dialogue, though sometimes simple, carries sincerity and occasional poignancy, especially when paired with the evocative soundtrack that underscores each scene with gentle piano and ambient sounds of the ocean. Structurally, She is Mermaid follows the traditional format of branching narratives familiar to visual novel fans. Player choices determine which heroine’s story the protagonist pursues, and each route leads to its own ending. The game encourages multiple playthroughs, and discovering each path helps reveal the full scope of the narrative and its world. This structure also strengthens its themes: each route is a different interpretation of the same summer, filtered through different emotions and experiences. The endings range from heartwarming to wistful, and while they never reach the emotional extremes of more dramatic visual novels, their subtlety leaves a lingering impression. The game’s word count—around 160,000 words—provides enough depth for character development without overstaying its welcome, making it accessible even to those new to the genre. From a technical standpoint, the game performs smoothly on PC, with clear menus and upgraded visuals compared to its console version. The interface is simple and clean, emphasizing readability and accessibility. The music, composed with a mix of serene melodies and gentle rhythms, perfectly matches the mood of the story—never intrusive, always complementing the scenes with a soothing undertone. The sound design, paired with the ambient seaside effects, reinforces the feeling of being immersed in a peaceful summer world. The voice acting deserves special mention for its quality and expressiveness, giving each heroine a personality that feels genuine and distinct. If the game has a weakness, it lies in its predictability and pacing. The story’s emotional beats are tender but familiar, and players looking for deep mystery or complex plot twists may find it too straightforward. Some translations can feel slightly awkward in phrasing, which might break immersion momentarily, though these moments are infrequent. Nevertheless, the sincerity of the narrative and the consistency of its tone make up for these small shortcomings. It is not a story meant to surprise—it is a story meant to comfort, to remind players of fleeting youth, lost summers, and the unspoken emotions that linger long after the waves have receded. Ultimately, She is Mermaid is a beautiful, understated experience that captures the fleeting warmth of summer and the gentle ache of nostalgia. It doesn’t try to reinvent the visual novel formula but instead refines it, delivering a heartfelt story wrapped in a serene and immersive atmosphere. Its combination of endearing characters, strong presentation, and thematic cohesion make it a worthwhile journey for anyone who appreciates romance stories with a touch of fantasy and reflection. Like the tides it so lovingly depicts, She is Mermaid ebbs and flows with emotion—never loud or showy, but quietly powerful in its simplicity. It’s the kind of story that lingers softly in memory, much like the last days of summer itself. Rating: 7/10

這遊戲的BUG感覺太多了,我買來後按照官方的做法改語言還是一直無法遊玩, 一直跳出錯誤提示 而且遊戲錯誤後也無法關閉,弄到我要一直重開機 到最後自己用改地區的程式總算打開了幾次遊戲 除此之外遊戲下載後還莫名存了奇怪的音樂到收藏庫,音樂也刪不掉 遊戲都還沒開始怎麼玩我已經一肚子氣了

主人公が科学ヲタを自称してる割に、人魚という非科学的なものに出会った後も目の前の不思議への向き合い方がズレてるように感じてしまう 物語は悪くないけど、所々スクリプトが壊れてるのか、文章と音声の不一致がしばしば見受けられるのが残念 不一致の際には大抵『］』←の記号が台詞の切れ目っぽいところに現れてるので、雑なデバッグだったのかなぁってのが見えてしまう 絵も個性的で悪くないと思うし、ギャグは古典的っぽいけど個人的にはツマラナイってほどではなかったので、今からでもデバッグしてほしいなぁと思います(；・∀・) 文章と音声の不一致などあるけど進行不可ってほどには壊れてないので、絵や声が好みなら遊んでみては？って感じですね

暴力移植导致人机交互非常差，对触屏设备简直是灾难级 选项提示不够明显，选项直接扔在文本框里也是天才设计 没有快速存档读档，窗口大小不可调…… 从剧情来说，前期有点无聊，中期中规中矩，后期倒是还可以 设定比较老套？看到一半基本就能猜到结尾了 Steam这超级阉割版不玩也罢

不建议购买。。。玩完发现一堆CG没遇到，刷了好几遍，去b站搜才发现是steam版删完了 ns版8个结局+番外，到steam版删的只剩4个结局了 番外没了，live2d也没了，CG一样，只有背景重置了。。。我第一次看到这种重置背景删剧情的骚操作 但我想想还是换成推荐吧，毕竟对于10块钱来说倒也还算可以？

世界上的一切并不会顺心如意.

游戏流程大概6小时，女主青梅竹马人鱼，画风挺古老的，不过女主上半身立绘挺好看。剧情前期基本都是日常，后期才慢慢揭示真相，登场人物中尤其平坦子的身份十分炸裂。男主的内心戏十分多，大部分时间都是在看男主的自言自语。 游戏相关方面，有些BUG，有时候语音会缺失。游戏有选项，但大部分选项不会影响剧情推进，只会作剧情补充。只有后续几个选项会影响结局的走向。 最后，我只想吐槽一句，女主的尾巴也太难看了，配色难看也就算了，还有小黑点，稍微美化一下也好。