soundless - A MODERN SALEM IN REMOTE AREA -

(If you're wondering why at least three people have called this review "funny", it's because I did a weird hackjob thing to "delete" a review without knowing if I could, and it was overall just a strange thing for somebody to do. It wasn't meant to be, but I agree it was funny of me. Anyways, I'm editing this again to restore the review. I was worried about seeming mean, but an actual review is more useful to everybody involved. I bear no ill will to the creators, but I want to share my opinion now.) I did not like this story. It left interesting ideas out to starve as it took on layers of increasingly absurd plot twists until it just lost me entirely. It is, however, to my understanding, this team's first visual novel. It's a very old game and it is literally free. It's clear some people enjoyed this story, and you might be one of them. If you've gotten this far, you might as well try it out. Still, I didn't like it.It's, uh, real interesting. It's definitely interesting. The story is more shocking than substantial. The twist leaves me feeling betrayed, and the characters put me in mind of Class Of '09, but without any of Class Of '09's intentionality. Characters were crude and easily hatable and lacked purpose in it. But I do just feel betrayed. The premise of a lonely outcast being declared sinful, suffering through religious trauma, and learning how to heal and process the world thereafter, very much intrigued me. What I received instead... wasn't that. I received an overdramatic grimdark caked in abusive icing. I feel like at some point we lost the plot. Maybe we should start over. I feel bad. I feel bad calling a free visual novel bad. I feel bad saying you "shouldn't play it" or whatever. It's free. It's short, I think (I haven't reached the end). The total cost is about as low as it gets. So try it. Maybe you'll disagree with me. Please do. I want you to see in this visual novel a beauty I couldn't. I do intend to finish this eventually. I might change my tune. I just found that this text failed to justify its most distinctive features, taking risks it couldn't reward, and crumbling in its own weight. But I'm against a bunch of reviews that disagree with me. So maybe see for yourself. It is free.

I don't know what to say about this game. What do you mean it's a denpa yuri visual novel and it's free? Just a standout piece of work in general, but especially as a denpa novel, even devoid of my personal bias towards yuri specifically. If you have enjoyed any prior denpa games, or even just visual novels as a medium, you owe it to yourself to try it. The presentation is fantastic, the story is well-crafted, and it manages to fit the denpa genre perfectly without being as derivative as most denpa games are, it is very much it's own thing and can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the genre, but at the same time, you can see the inspiration of the games that came before, and it's a fantastic balance to maintain. I have had this game in my library for a while, I regret not playing it sooner. I also have to say, the follow-up story was excellent as well, somehow striking a perfect balance between "explaining enough but not too much", "being more positive and hopeful while remaining grounded and faithful to the original" and also just generally doing a very good job of justifying its existence in a way I feel not many epilogues do. If you're still reading, just try it.

One of my favorite Denpa VNs, and one of my favorite VNs period. I originally found this game on itch.io after reading an old blog post from one of the creators talking about how they liked Subahibi. Was not disappointed, especially given it's freeware. Seeing that it's on steam is bringing me back to a time when I was sober and full of vigor. Now I'm less-than-sober and full of pastries. I don't remember too much about this game other than the ending and the fact that I enjoyed the hell out of it, but I do remember what life was like back when I first played it. I was 25 traveling to Mozambique with nothing but a pack of smokes and Toto, my pet Borzoi. As I approached the border of Maputo, I could feel a slight chill in the air. I reflexively brought my hands to my shoulders in a shiver. Looking up at the celestials I began to wonder: what kind of cruel creator would permit this kind of weather? My thoughts were interrupted by Toto's repeated barks, sensing someone -- or something -- around us. Then: the jingle of sleigh bells as some form of airborne centipede hovered above me. Its form was black as obsidian as it obscured the sun, casting hazy shadows directly into my mind. Next: a siren song so loud it seemed to be playing from inside my head -- "HO HO HO!". With fear and abject horror coursing through my veins, I took refuge in a nearby hut, hoping, praying that it would end. If I could tell you what happened next, believe me I would. The following morning I was awoken by some nearby villagers who found me lying face-down on the ground in a puddle of my own blood... and yet there were no visible wounds to be found anywhere on my body. The locals said I ate a bad plant, some sort of deliriant indigenous to the area, but I know what I saw. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I didn't sleep for 2 nights after that incident, kept awake by my own thoughts. My mind wandered day and night, and in the brief moments of clarity I found myself crouched in the corner of some dimly-lit room, tears streaming down my face as I shook uncontrollably. Slowly, very slowly, I began to forget all about that trip to Mozambique. My life went on and I changed. But every once in a while I'll wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, visions of that fateful day plaguing my mind. I fear I may never truly let go. 10/10 game, it really brings me back. I'll probably play the Steam version at some point. You should too, Delilah is goated.

this game means a lot to me

takes a bit to ramp up but the ending is absolutely worth it, especially seeing the epilogue with the conclusions of every character, highly recommend a read if you're interested in things like jonestown, mentally ill teenagers and, of course, yuri (in that case, make SURE to read through the epilogue)

you can always change and heal no matter what you've been through.

I forgot to write a review when I finished the game a month ago but the fact that I came back here just to do that should hopefully speak of how memorable the experience was. I went in blind and do not regret it in the slightest. Anyway #TeamClara