(NOTE FOR PLAYERS: I'll try to keep this review spoiler-free but not sure I'll manage, so maybe play it first before reading???? But for an overall opinion: it's excellent and probably will be a masterpiece when the game is fully done, just make sure to read the trigger warnings if necessary)
Okay, I finally played Arc 3 and can leave a comment about everything made so far! The reactions I had at the end of each arc:
Arc 1: oh, I wish we got a happier ending after everything we went through... (then, realising the concept before starting arc 2): oh, now we'll get happy endings! Arc 2: well, nope but... something bigger is going on, just go with the game Arc 3: what-the-hell?????
Okay, let's provide a more-refined account of what I think of your game! The first point I'd like to mention are the characters: they torment me! They make me feel a million of different things, going from love to horror. You managed to give them a lot of nuances, and in that regard, I'm really excited to see Arc 4 to see Gidget, especially considering what is suggested during arc 3. Same goes with Genzou: I loved him in arc 2 and had more twisted feelings about him in arc 3 (although I called out his attitude towards Orlam as soon as I started arc 1). Orlam really moved me during the "real-world" phase of arc 3 and horrified me at all the other moments. Regarding Bucks, we still know so little about her, but I can't help theorising about her. I also like Iggy's evolution, and really curious what arc 4 is going to be like. So, you really made a great job of the characters. Also, the story, so far, is good. The lack of control we have over it is frustrating, but this is inteded frustration, which shows the struggles and the pains of fixing problems or issues that have been going on for years. Also, the fact that we don't really have a choice and that, no matter what, we face death, reminds me of Greek tragedies' concept of fatum, and I'm really into... well, French classical tragedy, but it is inspired for Greek tragedy, so... in short, that's really my type of stuff and I loved it. The horror was a nice touch too. The way childhood is twisted by desires that come later... I think, the game really offers a real reflexion on sexuality, and you're clearly not kidding when you call it an "asexual horror game". It is really horrifying, and as an ace person, I was really disgusted and unsettled at some points (inn scene, Arc 2...). I really mean it: in terms of writing, you tackle the topic of sexuality in a way only an asexual person could and that really got me in. Of course, the art is amazing, at the same time cute and unsettling, which is perfect for a game about a twister wonderland.
So far, I'm loving it and really got into the game! Excited to see what's next!
(Also, I think you posted a tweet about wheter letting the player choose which arc to play or making them play in the inteded order: I really think the evolution of Iggy's character would be less striking if the game weren't played in the inteded order, if you need some feedback on that).
OMG??? This is such a wonderful and kind review ahhHHHHHhhh dkfjaldkfjas thank you so so so SO much for writing this up and for your lovely words and GNNNNNHH.ππ I'm so so so happy that you've enjoyed it so far (even despite being horrified ahahahah adksjflasd)
I'm really glad you like the characters, especially as, at this point, I think the chars need to be what really carry this whole thing hahaha. I've been having a lot of fun trying to interweave all these bits and pieces about them into the story to reveal more as it goes on. Also, like, every single one of them is also so problematic, and I like exploring that aspect, as well, much as it pains me at times.
Omg, I had never really thought about it that way with the Greek tragedy stuff... but you're right in that it does end up feeling quite helpless like that. Like destined for doom no matter what Iggy tries (for now, at least... π€)
NNNNNGH. This really just made my day, guh. Thank you so much!! And ah! Thank you for that bit of feedback. I am indeed at this point about 99.9% certain that I'm going to solidify the order of the arcs with the release of Arc 4, especially since Arc 4 really feels like the climax of all the middle arcs and will need that build-up from 2 to 3 to 4, so... at any rate, yeah! I'm glad to hear you are also of the same mind hahaha.
Great game, finished it in two nights, didn't really care for the art style at first, with all the character having big ears, but it did grow on me and eventually I started to like it a lot. I did kind of get a bit concern when I reached the first ending I guess you call it, do to it steering a little bit too close of justifying suicide to me, with the whole everyone is better off with me and then showing everyone (seemly) being happier because of it. Though once I got to act 2 those worries did disappear. Also was wondering how many acts you plan to have.
djfadklfja thank you very much!! π And thank you for playing! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Lol you aren't the first to say similar things about the art style π€£ I honestly think it's the biggest turn-off for this game. I'm glad you ended up liking it more eventually though π
Mrmrmrmrm, yeah, Arc 1 finishes on a very low, concerning note, I think mostly because I need to pick Iggy back up and get him to grow and develop leading into Arc 5 (with the arcs in between helping him reach that point). Well, at least that's my goal. Whether I'm successful in accomplishing that by the time this is all over, I'll leave up to the players to decide π
There will be five total arcs! So there will be one more "middle" arc (Arc 4), followed by the final arc (Arc 5).
Just to be sure, is there any NSFW actually depicted? I would like to stream this on twitch or record a video of it for youtube, but I need to make sure it isn't against TOS first re: NSFW. It looks fun!
Hey!!! Thanks so much for reaching out! And that sounds really fun and I'm so honored that you would want to play it ahhhhhh π
There's no actual NSFW! I consider this game like... an R-rated movie in my mind. So you won't find anything beyond what you'd find in an R-rated movie. For instance, there's zero nudity or anything like that. It's more some (purposefully uncomfortable) suggestive scenes that stop before they would reach the point of becoming NSFW, if that makes sense/helps? And there's also a few gory CGs, though they're a bit cartoony(?) considering my style.
If that's not enough of a description, I can also give you a more detailed break-down of the suggestive scenes (just email me at carrot(dot)patch(dot)games(at)gmail(dot)com) so you can feel completely safe! Also if it helps, there are already two full playthroughs people have made on YouTube and someone has streamed it on Twitch before (though the Twitch playthrough was admittedly only the first hour or so) and there haven't been any problems. But yeah, if you need any extra descriptions, just shoot me an email, and I'm happy to provide a breakdown, screenshots, etc. I wouldn't want you to go into anything nervous about something like that!
Well, I'm officially confused beyond belief. I played the game all the way through to a "wish I never existed" ending, but I have zero clue about how to reach arc 2 or 3, which I suspect I have NOT played yet. I have no idea whether I'm right, or what to do next. But if I AM right, this aspect of the game needs some SERIOUS further work.
Hey!! Thanks so much for playing! To start the next arcs, after you see the credits after what you just described, you'll see another scene, after which, you'll be given a choice to call one of your friends. This choice screen is what starts a new arc! Calling Genzou starts Arc 2, and calling Orlam starts Arc 3. I hope that helps!! π
Okay, finally found the time to pursue the rest of the arcs. And this is where I have to take a deep bow, hat humbly in hand, to salute what you have accomplished; in the age of a zillion visual novels where most of them only manage to focus on people fornicating (not that I have any issues with that - I'm maximally on board with any amount of fornication, the more twisted the better) you managed to make me CARE for these people. A lot. Well, okay, except kinda arc 3 - that dude has my sympathy but dang it, clicking "eat" took every single last ounce of my autistic completionist willpower. I do need to ask though - yes, I get that this is not really that kind of game and I'm perfectly fine with that, but... will there be at some point any sort of happy... er... ish... route/ending/option...? I've been taken down some roads here that affected me more than I expected, right in the feels, and I'd really appreciate being allowed to follow some of those routes to their substantially less grim completion... *puss-in-boots kitten eyes going "pleeeeeeeease?"*
Oh, gosh!! I'm so glad you continued to play and thank you so much for these lovely words! It just brightened my day so much~ π₯Ίπ I feel like the core of this game/story really depends so much on the characters and connecting with them in at least some way, shape, or form, so hearing that from you about them is honestly sending me through the roof and I'm having a hard time verbalizing my th-thoughts π€£ Though LOL I MEAN-... I don't blame you, that IS quite the Choice™ hahaha
Re: your question—though I can't give away too much, I can at least say there IS light at the end of the tunnel, I promise that much. I can't make these poor characters suffer literally forever. I want them to be happy, too hahahaha. It'll just take a little bit more pain to finally get there, especially as they need to take some deep, hard looks as themselves lol.
Gahhhh and thank you so much for your very nice review/rating, as well!! I'm just really really glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for playing!!!! π₯°
This game has to be one of my top 5 games ever, you can just feel the love the creator(s) put into this owo im absolutely engulfed in this beautifully written story and the art just ties it all together in a sweet bow ready to be unraveled, i cant wait for arc 4 and any other game plans you have in the future! I absolutely adore your work and cant wait to see what happens next!!! <3<3<3
jkdafjdasfdasdk THANK YOU π What a wonderful comment, it just made me tear up π Thank you SO MUCH for playing and for these lovely words—I'm so glad that you're enjoying the game and its story! I will keep working hard on the rest of the game!!
I haven't finished playing your current build yet (I'm right after encountering Gidget and reaching the castle), but I wanted to leave you a comment and let you know that I'm officially a fan of your project. (*κ¦ΰΊ΄κ³κ¦ΰΊ΅) I saw some of your posts on Twitter and there's just been something about your art that got me drawn to your game... It didn't want to leave my mind for days before I finally got around to playing it. And needless to say, it was a very nice surprise, since I ended up enjoying it way more than I thought I would.
I really like your writing and the way you present things, and I absolutely adore the sound/music design you implemented into the scenes (the eye/tongue action and Genzou's "imaginary" screams were top notch especially). A lot of the story elements feel very relatable, and you made it easy to emphasize with Iggy's mindset. That whole scene with Gidget was so intense and well presented, kudos for that.
Also, I don't know what it is, but I basically fell in love with Orlam after barely a couple of lines into his character introduction... so I'm very much looking forward to seeing what's in store with him further into the game. Why is it always the weirdos? xD
While I have no idea where Act 2 ends yet, I'm excited about your release of Act 3, too! Best of luck with everything! I'll be sure to give you more feedback once I get to the end, as well!
Oh, my gosh, thank you so much for this lovely comment!!! π Also to hear you say that about the art makes me want to cry! The art is probably what I'm most self-conscious of and also seems to be the major deterrent actually for most people LOL So to hear that it actually made you want to play is literally rending my heart into little pieces right now. Thank you so much for telling me π
LOL YOU'RE APPARENTLY NOT ALONE IN THE ORLAM LOVE. I feel like lately more and more people have been coming out of the woodwork to tell me they like him and it's cracking me up, so seeing you say this just sent me into a fit of ugly laughter. I mean, I also love him to bits, but he's definitely not the most likable or attractive character hahahaha so I admit I'm both surprised (and delighted) π€£ I'm glad he's getting some love though!! I hope you'll like Arc 3, then, once it's out, since he'll finally get the spotlight for a bit!!
Thank you SO SO MUCH for playing and for sharing your words and feedback! It really made my day reading this! And I hope you'll continue to enjoy the game as you play through the rest!!! π₯°
Well, your comment made my day in turn, so yay! :D Nothing better than spreading the indiedev love!
Hi again, Carrot! This time I have a question - where does Arc 1 end, specifically? I assumed Arc 1 goes up to the moment when we need to make the call, but after reading some other people's comments regarding Arc 2, and having them mention things I definitely haven't seen for myself, I'm currently wondering if I haven't missed something and jumped ahead in the story. Does Arc 1 have its own path and ending? If so, how can I access it in this current build? Or are there actually different endings for arcs depending on the choices?
I stayed up till 4am playing yesterday because I couldn't un-glue myself from this game, and managed to reach the end of Arc 2... wow, that was such a wild ride. The ending was so emotional. And all the flashbacks just broke my heart into pieces. ;w; Lovely presentation of scenes as always. I've barely started Arc 3 now, and holy shit, somebody give Orlam a hug. I love this broken ratman to bits and I'm so excited to explore his arc further.
Hey!! π Hmm Arc 1? You should see the credits for the first time (after the big-long ending sequence, etc.,), then Iggy wakes up again, has the deja vu-esque call with Hunar, and then you're given the option to call one of the friends. That's the "official" end of Arc 1, as each of these choices will then begin a new arc. Now I'm curious about what you've read that you haven't seen π¦ There really isn't anything "missable" in the game. There's the various deaths you can get, of course—if you make the right choices, you won't get a death scene, so technically you can miss the death scenes, and there's a few choices that lead to slightly different convos/turns of events (there's a choice on the pier in Arc 2, for example, that will change the convo that happens in the inn). But nothing major that will give you entirely new scenes, etc. (at least not yet).
Omfg though please sleep HAHAHAHA! Though that makes me really happy to hear all the same π I'm really glad you're enjoying it!! I went all-0ut with that freaking ending sequence for Arc 2 lol. BUT I HOPE YOU'LL LIKE ARC 3. It's a bit of a wild ride. And yes ffs somebody needs to care for and protect the ratman from all harm, it's t-t-true, he needs love. It would honestly prevent so much π
Oooh! I just went to double-check by playing the game from the beginning, and I think I now know where the confusion came from - the first time we get to choose who to call and only Genzou picks up. I thought THAT was the deciding choice for the routes (since only his route was released at the time and the other characters don't pick up even if you do call them, I simply assumed they would once you kept adding the arcs). So I've been still playing Arc 1 all this time while thinking it was Arc 2 already! ...Meaning that I need to call Genzou a 2nd time AFTER that whole adventure and ending to get on this route now! Oooh! I simply clicked on Orlam at this point and I noticed the prompt that it would start Arc 3, it didn't even cross my mind to double-check Genzou since I thought I already finished his arc. Now I see that I didn't. So I still have the whole Arc 2 ahead of me! @w@ Sorry for the confusion, everything makes sense now. xD I feel silly but also happy since this means I actually still have more content to explore than I thought, haha.
OK I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THAT. After thinking about what you said, I remembered that one of my beta testers had also gotten confused at first because of the two different call screens and not remembering which was which LOL So don't feel bad, and I apologize for the confusion!! But yeah, that just means you'll play the arcs in a different order, which is fine! That was my initial intention anyway, though probably when I release the next arc, I'm going to set the order in stone as by that point they'll form a nice rising crescendo into Arc 5 (and also then there won't be any more chance for confusion). So it's totally fine! And lol yes, now you actually have two whole arcs to play!! (And I'm glad also that I didn't mention any Arc 2 spoilers in my earlier reply lol π€£)
Lol OK that's a new one! π€£ I've had someone say it looks like Ed, Edd, and Eddy before, but never Rugrats. (I certainly hope none of the stuff that happens in this game ever happened on Rugrats, though omg...)
I MADE AN ACCOUNT ON THIS SITE TO COMMENT THIS. I PLAYED IT ALL IN ONE SITTING AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH. THE ART IS SO NICE ABND THE CHARACTER S!! I LOVE THE WRITING!!! ! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHGRRRRRRRRGHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! ! I may be getting hyperfixitated on this. You should make a discord server for this game if u haven't already.
I eventually want to add a CG gallery into the game!! I think it's something I'll add once I finish all the arcs and release a complete version of the entire game. I may also do something like a downloadable art book or something in the future, too, just for funsies lol.
Oh, gosh!!! This just made my day!! I'm so happy you like it so much fkdjaksdlfasdf It really means so much to me!!!! It's always been such a dream that people would like my characters, so I feel like my heart is bursting!! ;u; I hope you'll continue to like it with the rest of the arcs! <333
Re: Discord, someone else also asked me about this recently, and I have started to look into it. It looks like it might take a bit of effort to get one up and running though, so I'm a bit nervous, since I'm just a solo dev. I think if I do get started on it, it will be after I release Arc 3, since right now I'm trying to power through to get development on it done ASAP!
Definitely looking forward to the next Arc! I'd been meaning to play this VN for a little while now and finally got around to it, and I'm really glad I did. The art is unique and lends a certain vibe to the whole thing the makes both the more comedic moments and horror moments really stand out. Maybe it's because of just how expressive it is. I'm also always appreciative of horror devs/writers who use content warnings and respect the players who make use of them. That said, the themes in this are Dark with a capital D so those warnings are definitely warranted!
Also, I love encountering ace characters in the wild and honestly Iggy makes me feel very seen. Being touch averse or uncomfortable with someone experiencing that sort of attraction to you is something I feel I rarely see depicted. (Sidenote, is Iggy designed with a white rabbit motif in mind? I'm curious!π )
AhhhHHHhhh, thank you so much for this really lovely comment!! And I'm so happy that you're enjoying the game so far!! Especially the comment about the art as honestly most of the time I feel super self-conscious about it LOL
And gah, thank you! It's something I'd really love to see more of, too. It feels like such unexplored territory, even though sometimes even I have to admit it feels weird to explore it in a horror game like this hahaha. But I just love making horror, so in the end, this was somehow born out of the abyss lol. (As to your question, tbh, I don't quite remember exactly, mostly because Iggy's original design came about like 4 years ago. Though considering how much Alice in Wonderland (and Alice in Wonderland derivative works) inspired my original ideas for this, I don't doubt that that was tumbling around in my mind as I was designing him whether I realized it or not lol.)
Thank you again for playing, and I hope you'll like the next arc when it's released!! <3
This game is like, everything I have been looking for recently, I love horror stories and also LGBT stories, and this game handles both so well, I really can't wait to see what the other arcs will have because I love the characters already and am in love with how this game writes the characters and their interpersonal conflicts.
Oh, gosh, this comment made me want to cry!! Thank you so much!! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the game and thank you for playing it! It really means so much!! <3 I'm the same way so that's probably the main reason why this game came into being in the first place LOL I'll keep working hard on the next arcs!! :))
Oh, no!!! I'm really sorry about that! :( I created the Linux build using the Ren'Py distribution compiler specifically for Linux, so I'm not sure what the problem could be. Would you be able to give me any more details on what exactly wasn't working? Then I can try to look into it and see if I can get the problem fixed. (I'm glad you're at least still able to run it on Wine, though!)
OK, scratch what I just said—I did a little bit of investigating and THINK I figured out what the problem is, so I've uploaded a new Linux build! Let me know if that one works if you want to give it a try! (Though if you've already started a different version on Wine, don't worry about it!!)
Oh, thank goodness!!! That makes me so glad to hear! Thank you so much for checking! Now I know other Linux users shouldn't have any problems (and I can make sure I don't repeat my same mistake for future releases!).
And, gah!! Your words are too much!! LOL Thank you SOOOO much!! I'm really glad that you enjoyed it! :'))) I will keep working hard and hopefully have Arc 3 out soon!
Ahhhh, thank you very much!!! I'm really happy that you like the art! :)) And well... yeah, I would say that's a pretty good way to describe it LOL Th-the pain train has left the station and is only going to keep speeding up until the end hahahaha.
Ahhhh, thank you very much!!! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far and it means a lot that you took the time to write this lovely comment!! :))) What you're talking about does, indeed, continue to happen for more choices in the future! It's a little tidbit that I had a fun time adding in hahaha.
I like how it does that everytime you make a wrong choice and choose to go back to the last choice, and it's also nice when in the second arc, you don't have the option to choose because Iggy already somewhat has a bad feeling towards one option, so he just
does the other option
or something
I think that makes sense. Anyways, I love this game :D
Dang, the writing got kicked up a notch since the last time! It's like the author is getting more comfortable with the characters.
The new graphics and CGs turned out great. There's so much more emotion packed into every frame. My favorite is Orlam's torturer CG - whoever said revenge is a dish best served cold has never seen the face and body language of a man driven mad from never-ending abuse.
I really love the juxtaposition between Gidget's 'love' for Iggy and Genzou's love. Gidget is so utterly, sexually obsessed with Iggy, she's turned herself into an object which she wrongly believes will get him to reciprocate. Heck, when he doesn't, she turns him into an object, believing that if he's forced to be as she is, his inexplicable (to her) unwillingness to 'love' her will be 'fixed'.
Genzou, however, loves Iggy for who he is. He knows that, in the event they do somehow get together, there will be no traditional intamacy, and he owns it. In a fantastic mirroring of Gidget's scene with Iggy, when Genzou kisses Iggy like Genzou has probably been dreaming of since high school, he quickly realizes what's wrong with his action, pulls back, and apologizes, leading to openness from both of them and an intimate moment which Iggy is comfortable with. Iggy. The ace in the room who's never gotten around to sorting out his feelings on sexuality.
I really love the number of clever, "this won't do what you think it'll do" choices in this arc - especially the ones which require you to have paid attention the first time 'round. Like how saying something which is very probably going to trigger Orlam is not how one stays alive when your life is in his hands, and he hasn't yet decided to prepare you for dinner. Though I love the exchange between Genzou and Orlam in that bad end - Orlam makes it as plain as day why he hates Genzou's guts, but even then, Genzou sees nothing wrong with it, dismissing it as "stuff kids do", while ignoring all he's put Orlam through as an adult. It just. Doesn't. Register with Genzou.
And before I forget, special shoutout for Wonderland Orlam's writing - the man has clearly been paying attention to the old books he's been reading in his spare time in the real world, and his torture tactics are frighteningly-good. And worse yet, it's only the second iteration of the time loop and he already knows things are repeating. He might even be manipulating things already via giving Gidget certain ideas about Iggy. I mean, how else could he have known how things played out at her tavern?
My one criticism is on the attempt at "dissonant serenity" in the music (i.e. peppy music playing over something horrifically-violent). Before I get into it, I want to acknowledge the fact the game likely is a low-budget affair - with cost savings greatly helped by the author being artist (a fantastic one IMHO), programmer, and writer - so there is an equally-likely chance there wasn't enough money to license or commission what the author wanted to put into the game, and not just in the areas I'm going to criticize. One can only work within their means.
Getting into my criticism proper now, the music for the arc's ending cinematic isn't a half-bad pick, but it doesn't feel like the piece is well-synced with proceedings. It's a minor criticism, I will admit. However, the choice of a J-Pop-esque track for when Gidget summons her fans to aid in her objectification of Iggy just feels *wrong*. Like, it doesn't fit with Gidget's theme music, nor does it fit with the music for her town or her tavern. I definitely wouldn't say to go classical like the arc ending cinematic, but maybe find something from the time period or an era-adjacent contemporary song (if that makes any sense)?
Overall, a definite improvement over Arc 1. Can't wait for Orlam's Wild Ride, aka Arc 3. It's the one torturous ride that I won't want to get off - I want to see where Orlam goes, both however-loosely-hinged he actually is in reality and how utterly-unhinged and unchained he gets when in Wonderland for the third time (assuming arcs won't already start interacting with each other based on order played by that point).
This review just made my whole day, you have no idea. I'll probably come revisit it every time I need a motivation boost LOL So thank you so much for all the thought you put into this!!! It really really means so much, and I LOVE reading about your different thoughts and reactions to the various aspects of the game!! Particularly because I was pretty nervous about this arc, tbh. If your only gripe was that some of the music felt mismatched, then I couldn't be more happy hahahaha.
Yeah I have basically 0 money to spend on actually hiring or buying any sort of assets for this game, so anything I can't do myself (music, sound effects, etc.), I need to find via royalty-free options. For the most part this is usually fine and I actually am in love with the music I've found for this game (and it's even inspired me a lot and various aspects of the story, to boot), but there have been times where I haven't quite been able to find what I was looking for for a particular scene or aspect. I had a bit of a different idea for the Arc 2 ending cinematic at first but wasn't able to find the music I would have needed to make it work, so then I kind of had to re-brainstorm and re-work it. I'm still happy with how it turned out in the end, but I realize it does make a slight shift. For Gidget's song, I admit I used it less for the sound and more because the lyrics are creepy and perfectly match the situation LOL But this is great feedback in general! I'll try to maybe put a bit more thought into some of the selections. I have some good new stuff I've already found for Arc 3 that's already been a huge inspiration in figuring out some of the last story beats and that I hope will really be able to set the mood!!
Thank you so much again for all of these lovely words!! Though now I hope I'll be able to live up to your expectations for Arc 3 LOL I-it will admittedly be the most fUcKeD uP of the middle arcs and goes in some directions that will probably make people mad HAHAHAha... But I'm always unsure/nervous about whether I'll be able to recreate in game form what I have in my head with the same impact lol.
I finally got around to playing this for a longer bout of time, and it's wonderfully weird lol. It's not often you see a comic style like yours meeting darker themes, and I'm all for that stuff so I truly dig it. Well done Super Carrot!! <3 :)
Wow this was pretty great my theory is that when he wished to go back in time it worked so he didnβt stop existing because he had already made a wish.
Also why does he get so uncomfortable when it comes to sexual relationship stuff?
Thank you very much for playing, and I'm glad you like it so far!
As for your question, it will come up again as a topic in future arcs, as well, but Iggy is asexual (he just doesn't really understand it yet, so he's confused lol).
So I finally got around to play the first arc, and I'm very glad I did!
I really like the way everything comes together (art, music, writing, darkly comedic timing). And I think it's quite something that despite being set in a twisted wonderland, the most frightening part of this story by far (imo) are Iggy's troubled cast of friends.
I'm eager to see what the next arc will bring~ (and also curious about what longterm consequences the in-game choice might have as the story evolves)
Freaking amazing game! Can't wait for the next arc to be implemented. Really digging the framework of an adult fairy tale and the idea and consequences of said tale intersecting with what's supposed to be a children's fairy tale...or at least the setting for one.
I don't often use itch.io's optional review functionality when rating games, but I felt I needed to so I could get all my thoughts out without spoiling anything to those who haven't played the game.
Also, got an error when choosing the "Last Choice" option upon failing the last (second-to-last?) choice made while sailing:
While running game code:
File "game/7_thekiddiekruise.rpy", line 607, in <module>
NameError: name 'look1' is not defined
-- Full Traceback ------------------------------------------------------------
Full traceback:
File "7_thekiddiekruise.rpyc", line 607, in script
File "renpy/ast.py", line 1852, in execute
if renpy.python.py_eval(condition):
File "renpy/python.py", line 2249, in py_eval
return py_eval_bytecode(code, globals, locals)
File "renpy/python.py", line 2242, in py_eval_bytecode
return eval(bytecode, globals, locals)
File "game/7_thekiddiekruise.rpy", line 607, in <module>
NameError: name 'look1' is not defined
Windows-10-10.0.22000
Ren'Py 7.4.4.1439
Our Wonderland 1.0
Tue Dec 7 10:49:57 2021
Oh, gosh! Thank you so much for playing the game and for taking the time to write up all your thoughts—not only in this comment, but also in all the details in your review!! This really made my whole day! I absolutely love hearing what people think about the different aspects and characters or even just their thoughts as they're playing the game/experiencing the story. And I'm really happy that you enjoyed everything so much! I especially loved hearing what you think about the music, as I'd really hoped the music in the game would be effective in making the story more immersive (and it's also been a main point of inspiration even for me while working on the game, so it's pretty near and dear to my heart). Thanks also for the tips, as well—I'll definitely be thinking about them as I continue to work on the next arcs! As a heads up, there is actually a way to skip seen text—you need to press the CTRL key. But I realize now that this wasn't clear at all if you don't go into the Help section, so I'll think of a way to make this more clear from the get-go.
(Oh, and thank you for pointing out this game error you got! I'm pretty sure I know exactly where this is—it was a small thing I tweaked only a few days before the launch, and I must not have QA'd it enough afterwards to check for all possible choice combinations... I'll make sure to get this fixed in a future update!)
You made me fall in love with Easter, and now you've made me fall in love again with this new wonder.
I LOVE YOUR ART (Seriously, I love even the deaths LOL), the way you write the characters and their personalities, you make me love them even in their worst moments<3, and the terror and mystery is exquisite (^///^).
β Return to game
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Well, I've cried after first arc.... That is awesome game!
Omg........... I AM SORRY. I HOPE YOU'RE OK. But also thank you!!!! I'm glad you're enjoying the game so far! It really means a lot! π₯Ίπ
(NOTE FOR PLAYERS: I'll try to keep this review spoiler-free but not sure I'll manage, so maybe play it first before reading???? But for an overall opinion: it's excellent and probably will be a masterpiece when the game is fully done, just make sure to read the trigger warnings if necessary)
Okay, I finally played Arc 3 and can leave a comment about everything made so far! The reactions I had at the end of each arc:
Arc 1: oh, I wish we got a happier ending after everything we went through...
(then, realising the concept before starting arc 2): oh, now we'll get happy endings!
Arc 2: well, nope but... something bigger is going on, just go with the game
Arc 3: what-the-hell?????
Okay, let's provide a more-refined account of what I think of your game!
The first point I'd like to mention are the characters: they torment me! They make me feel a million of different things, going from love to horror. You managed to give them a lot of nuances, and in that regard, I'm really excited to see Arc 4 to see Gidget, especially considering what is suggested during arc 3. Same goes with Genzou: I loved him in arc 2 and had more twisted feelings about him in arc 3 (although I called out his attitude towards Orlam as soon as I started arc 1). Orlam really moved me during the "real-world" phase of arc 3 and horrified me at all the other moments. Regarding Bucks, we still know so little about her, but I can't help theorising about her. I also like Iggy's evolution, and really curious what arc 4 is going to be like. So, you really made a great job of the characters.
Also, the story, so far, is good. The lack of control we have over it is frustrating, but this is inteded frustration, which shows the struggles and the pains of fixing problems or issues that have been going on for years. Also, the fact that we don't really have a choice and that, no matter what, we face death, reminds me of Greek tragedies' concept of fatum, and I'm really into... well, French classical tragedy, but it is inspired for Greek tragedy, so... in short, that's really my type of stuff and I loved it.
The horror was a nice touch too. The way childhood is twisted by desires that come later... I think, the game really offers a real reflexion on sexuality, and you're clearly not kidding when you call it an "asexual horror game". It is really horrifying, and as an ace person, I was really disgusted and unsettled at some points (inn scene, Arc 2...). I really mean it: in terms of writing, you tackle the topic of sexuality in a way only an asexual person could and that really got me in.
Of course, the art is amazing, at the same time cute and unsettling, which is perfect for a game about a twister wonderland.
So far, I'm loving it and really got into the game! Excited to see what's next!
(Also, I think you posted a tweet about wheter letting the player choose which arc to play or making them play in the inteded order: I really think the evolution of Iggy's character would be less striking if the game weren't played in the inteded order, if you need some feedback on that).
OMG??? This is such a wonderful and kind review ahhHHHHHhhh dkfjaldkfjas thank you so so so SO much for writing this up and for your lovely words and GNNNNNHH.ππ I'm so so so happy that you've enjoyed it so far (even despite being horrified ahahahah adksjflasd)
"Arc 3: what-the-hell?????" --> LOLOL I mean...... yeah....... Arc 3 certainly goes places hahaha.
I'm really glad you like the characters, especially as, at this point, I think the chars need to be what really carry this whole thing hahaha. I've been having a lot of fun trying to interweave all these bits and pieces about them into the story to reveal more as it goes on. Also, like, every single one of them is also so problematic, and I like exploring that aspect, as well, much as it pains me at times.
Omg, I had never really thought about it that way with the Greek tragedy stuff... but you're right in that it does end up feeling quite helpless like that. Like destined for doom no matter what Iggy tries (for now, at least... π€)
NNNNNGH. This really just made my day, guh. Thank you so much!! And ah! Thank you for that bit of feedback. I am indeed at this point about 99.9% certain that I'm going to solidify the order of the arcs with the release of Arc 4, especially since Arc 4 really feels like the climax of all the middle arcs and will need that build-up from 2 to 3 to 4, so... at any rate, yeah! I'm glad to hear you are also of the same mind hahaha.
Thank you thank you again!! π
Great game, finished it in two nights, didn't really care for the art style at first, with all the character having big ears, but it did grow on me and eventually I started to like it a lot. I did kind of get a bit concern when I reached the first ending I guess you call it, do to it steering a little bit too close of justifying suicide to me, with the whole everyone is better off with me and then showing everyone (seemly) being happier because of it. Though once I got to act 2 those worries did disappear. Also was wondering how many acts you plan to have.
djfadklfja thank you very much!! π And thank you for playing! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Lol you aren't the first to say similar things about the art style π€£ I honestly think it's the biggest turn-off for this game. I'm glad you ended up liking it more eventually though π
Mrmrmrmrm, yeah, Arc 1 finishes on a very low, concerning note, I think mostly because I need to pick Iggy back up and get him to grow and develop leading into Arc 5 (with the arcs in between helping him reach that point). Well, at least that's my goal. Whether I'm successful in accomplishing that by the time this is all over, I'll leave up to the players to decide π
There will be five total arcs! So there will be one more "middle" arc (Arc 4), followed by the final arc (Arc 5).
Just to be sure, is there any NSFW actually depicted? I would like to stream this on twitch or record a video of it for youtube, but I need to make sure it isn't against TOS first re: NSFW. It looks fun!
Hey!!! Thanks so much for reaching out! And that sounds really fun and I'm so honored that you would want to play it ahhhhhh π
There's no actual NSFW! I consider this game like... an R-rated movie in my mind. So you won't find anything beyond what you'd find in an R-rated movie. For instance, there's zero nudity or anything like that. It's more some (purposefully uncomfortable) suggestive scenes that stop before they would reach the point of becoming NSFW, if that makes sense/helps? And there's also a few gory CGs, though they're a bit cartoony(?) considering my style.
If that's not enough of a description, I can also give you a more detailed break-down of the suggestive scenes (just email me at carrot(dot)patch(dot)games(at)gmail(dot)com) so you can feel completely safe! Also if it helps, there are already two full playthroughs people have made on YouTube and someone has streamed it on Twitch before (though the Twitch playthrough was admittedly only the first hour or so) and there haven't been any problems. But yeah, if you need any extra descriptions, just shoot me an email, and I'm happy to provide a breakdown, screenshots, etc. I wouldn't want you to go into anything nervous about something like that!
Okay cool, thank you! I'll just mark the stream/vid as age restricted then, and I'm sure everything will be fine :)
That sounds like it should be perfect!! Thanks so much again for your interest! I hope that you'll like the game! π₯°
Well, I'm officially confused beyond belief. I played the game all the way through to a "wish I never existed" ending, but I have zero clue about how to reach arc 2 or 3, which I suspect I have NOT played yet. I have no idea whether I'm right, or what to do next. But if I AM right, this aspect of the game needs some SERIOUS further work.
Hey!! Thanks so much for playing! To start the next arcs, after you see the credits after what you just described, you'll see another scene, after which, you'll be given a choice to call one of your friends. This choice screen is what starts a new arc! Calling Genzou starts Arc 2, and calling Orlam starts Arc 3. I hope that helps!! π
Oh, okay! Thanks!
Okay, finally found the time to pursue the rest of the arcs. And this is where I have to take a deep bow, hat humbly in hand, to salute what you have accomplished; in the age of a zillion visual novels where most of them only manage to focus on people fornicating (not that I have any issues with that - I'm maximally on board with any amount of fornication, the more twisted the better) you managed to make me CARE for these people. A lot. Well, okay, except kinda arc 3 - that dude has my sympathy but dang it, clicking "eat" took every single last ounce of my autistic completionist willpower. I do need to ask though - yes, I get that this is not really that kind of game and I'm perfectly fine with that, but... will there be at some point any sort of happy... er... ish... route/ending/option...? I've been taken down some roads here that affected me more than I expected, right in the feels, and I'd really appreciate being allowed to follow some of those routes to their substantially less grim completion... *puss-in-boots kitten eyes going "pleeeeeeeease?"*
Oh, gosh!! I'm so glad you continued to play and thank you so much for these lovely words! It just brightened my day so much~ π₯Ίπ I feel like the core of this game/story really depends so much on the characters and connecting with them in at least some way, shape, or form, so hearing that from you about them is honestly sending me through the roof and I'm having a hard time verbalizing my th-thoughts π€£ Though LOL I MEAN-... I don't blame you, that IS quite the Choice™ hahaha
Re: your question—though I can't give away too much, I can at least say there IS light at the end of the tunnel, I promise that much. I can't make these poor characters suffer literally forever. I want them to be happy, too hahahaha. It'll just take a little bit more pain to finally get there, especially as they need to take some deep, hard looks as themselves lol.
Gahhhh and thank you so much for your very nice review/rating, as well!! I'm just really really glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for playing!!!! π₯°
This game has to be one of my top 5 games ever, you can just feel the love the creator(s) put into this owo im absolutely engulfed in this beautifully written story and the art just ties it all together in a sweet bow ready to be unraveled, i cant wait for arc 4 and any other game plans you have in the future! I absolutely adore your work and cant wait to see what happens next!!! <3<3<3
jkdafjdasfdasdk THANK YOU π What a wonderful comment, it just made me tear up π Thank you SO MUCH for playing and for these lovely words—I'm so glad that you're enjoying the game and its story! I will keep working hard on the rest of the game!!
I haven't finished playing your current build yet (I'm right after encountering Gidget and reaching the castle), but I wanted to leave you a comment and let you know that I'm officially a fan of your project. (*κ¦ΰΊ΄κ³κ¦ΰΊ΅) I saw some of your posts on Twitter and there's just been something about your art that got me drawn to your game... It didn't want to leave my mind for days before I finally got around to playing it. And needless to say, it was a very nice surprise, since I ended up enjoying it way more than I thought I would.
I really like your writing and the way you present things, and I absolutely adore the sound/music design you implemented into the scenes (the eye/tongue action and Genzou's "imaginary" screams were top notch especially). A lot of the story elements feel very relatable, and you made it easy to emphasize with Iggy's mindset. That whole scene with Gidget was so intense and well presented, kudos for that.
Also, I don't know what it is, but I basically fell in love with Orlam after barely a couple of lines into his character introduction... so I'm very much looking forward to seeing what's in store with him further into the game. Why is it always the weirdos? xD
While I have no idea where Act 2 ends yet, I'm excited about your release of Act 3, too! Best of luck with everything! I'll be sure to give you more feedback once I get to the end, as well!
Oh, my gosh, thank you so much for this lovely comment!!! π Also to hear you say that about the art makes me want to cry! The art is probably what I'm most self-conscious of and also seems to be the major deterrent actually for most people LOL So to hear that it actually made you want to play is literally rending my heart into little pieces right now. Thank you so much for telling me π
LOL YOU'RE APPARENTLY NOT ALONE IN THE ORLAM LOVE. I feel like lately more and more people have been coming out of the woodwork to tell me they like him and it's cracking me up, so seeing you say this just sent me into a fit of ugly laughter. I mean, I also love him to bits, but he's definitely not the most likable or attractive character hahahaha so I admit I'm both surprised (and delighted) π€£ I'm glad he's getting some love though!! I hope you'll like Arc 3, then, once it's out, since he'll finally get the spotlight for a bit!!
Thank you SO SO MUCH for playing and for sharing your words and feedback! It really made my day reading this! And I hope you'll continue to enjoy the game as you play through the rest!!! π₯°
Well, your comment made my day in turn, so yay! :D Nothing better than spreading the indiedev love!
Hi again, Carrot! This time I have a question - where does Arc 1 end, specifically? I assumed Arc 1 goes up to the moment when we need to make the call, but after reading some other people's comments regarding Arc 2, and having them mention things I definitely haven't seen for myself, I'm currently wondering if I haven't missed something and jumped ahead in the story. Does Arc 1 have its own path and ending? If so, how can I access it in this current build? Or are there actually different endings for arcs depending on the choices?
I stayed up till 4am playing yesterday because I couldn't un-glue myself from this game, and managed to reach the end of Arc 2... wow, that was such a wild ride. The ending was so emotional. And all the flashbacks just broke my heart into pieces. ;w; Lovely presentation of scenes as always. I've barely started Arc 3 now, and holy shit, somebody give Orlam a hug. I love this broken ratman to bits and I'm so excited to explore his arc further.
Hey!! π Hmm Arc 1? You should see the credits for the first time (after the big-long ending sequence, etc.,), then Iggy wakes up again, has the deja vu-esque call with Hunar, and then you're given the option to call one of the friends. That's the "official" end of Arc 1, as each of these choices will then begin a new arc. Now I'm curious about what you've read that you haven't seen π¦ There really isn't anything "missable" in the game. There's the various deaths you can get, of course—if you make the right choices, you won't get a death scene, so technically you can miss the death scenes, and there's a few choices that lead to slightly different convos/turns of events (there's a choice on the pier in Arc 2, for example, that will change the convo that happens in the inn). But nothing major that will give you entirely new scenes, etc. (at least not yet).
Omfg though please sleep HAHAHAHA! Though that makes me really happy to hear all the same π I'm really glad you're enjoying it!! I went all-0ut with that freaking ending sequence for Arc 2 lol. BUT I HOPE YOU'LL LIKE ARC 3. It's a bit of a wild ride. And yes ffs somebody needs to care for and protect the ratman from all harm, it's t-t-true, he needs love. It would honestly prevent so much π
Oooh! I just went to double-check by playing the game from the beginning, and I think I now know where the confusion came from - the first time we get to choose who to call and only Genzou picks up. I thought THAT was the deciding choice for the routes (since only his route was released at the time and the other characters don't pick up even if you do call them, I simply assumed they would once you kept adding the arcs). So I've been still playing Arc 1 all this time while thinking it was Arc 2 already! ...Meaning that I need to call Genzou a 2nd time AFTER that whole adventure and ending to get on this route now! Oooh! I simply clicked on Orlam at this point and I noticed the prompt that it would start Arc 3, it didn't even cross my mind to double-check Genzou since I thought I already finished his arc. Now I see that I didn't. So I still have the whole Arc 2 ahead of me! @w@ Sorry for the confusion, everything makes sense now. xD I feel silly but also happy since this means I actually still have more content to explore than I thought, haha.
OK I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THAT. After thinking about what you said, I remembered that one of my beta testers had also gotten confused at first because of the two different call screens and not remembering which was which LOL So don't feel bad, and I apologize for the confusion!! But yeah, that just means you'll play the arcs in a different order, which is fine! That was my initial intention anyway, though probably when I release the next arc, I'm going to set the order in stone as by that point they'll form a nice rising crescendo into Arc 5 (and also then there won't be any more chance for confusion). So it's totally fine! And lol yes, now you actually have two whole arcs to play!! (And I'm glad also that I didn't mention any Arc 2 spoilers in my earlier reply lol π€£)
frothing at the mouth rn im so excited for arc 3
*ch-chokes* I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THIS BUT ALSO I'M SO NERVOUS, NO LIE. Thank you ππ
OF COURSE!!! i love your game so much, and im glad that you were happy at my comment hehehe :D
oh my god look what i've found ( in the meantime adding myself to the waiting queue for Arc 3~
EeeeEEEEE thank you so much for playing and I'm glad you like! ππ Really excited (and ridiculously nervous lol) to release Arc 3 soon!!! π
this art style reminds me of the rugrats a bit lol
Lol OK that's a new one! π€£ I've had someone say it looks like Ed, Edd, and Eddy before, but never Rugrats. (I certainly hope none of the stuff that happens in this game ever happened on Rugrats, though omg...)
Ironically!
I once heard that cartoonists were so overworked that to relieve stress, they drew fake scenes of the Rugrats being abused by their families lol.
But nothing reached your beautiful level of gore; ).
I MADE AN ACCOUNT ON THIS SITE TO COMMENT THIS. I PLAYED IT ALL IN ONE SITTING AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH. THE ART IS SO NICE ABND THE CHARACTER S!! I LOVE THE WRITING!!! ! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHGRRRRRRRRGHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! ! I may be getting hyperfixitated on this. You should make a discord server for this game if u haven't already.
Are u ever going to upload all the CGs anywhere? i'd love to see them without the text box.
I eventually want to add a CG gallery into the game!! I think it's something I'll add once I finish all the arcs and release a complete version of the entire game. I may also do something like a downloadable art book or something in the future, too, just for funsies lol.
Oh, gosh!!! This just made my day!! I'm so happy you like it so much fkdjaksdlfasdf It really means so much to me!!!! It's always been such a dream that people would like my characters, so I feel like my heart is bursting!! ;u; I hope you'll continue to like it with the rest of the arcs! <333
Re: Discord, someone else also asked me about this recently, and I have started to look into it. It looks like it might take a bit of effort to get one up and running though, so I'm a bit nervous, since I'm just a solo dev. I think if I do get started on it, it will be after I release Arc 3, since right now I'm trying to power through to get development on it done ASAP!
Definitely looking forward to the next Arc! I'd been meaning to play this VN for a little while now and finally got around to it, and I'm really glad I did. The art is unique and lends a certain vibe to the whole thing the makes both the more comedic moments and horror moments really stand out. Maybe it's because of just how expressive it is. I'm also always appreciative of horror devs/writers who use content warnings and respect the players who make use of them. That said, the themes in this are Dark with a capital D so those warnings are definitely warranted!
Also, I love encountering ace characters in the wild and honestly Iggy makes me feel very seen. Being touch averse or uncomfortable with someone experiencing that sort of attraction to you is something I feel I rarely see depicted. (Sidenote, is Iggy designed with a white rabbit motif in mind? I'm curious!π )
AhhhHHHhhh, thank you so much for this really lovely comment!! And I'm so happy that you're enjoying the game so far!! Especially the comment about the art as honestly most of the time I feel super self-conscious about it LOL
And gah, thank you! It's something I'd really love to see more of, too. It feels like such unexplored territory, even though sometimes even I have to admit it feels weird to explore it in a horror game like this hahaha. But I just love making horror, so in the end, this was somehow born out of the abyss lol. (As to your question, tbh, I don't quite remember exactly, mostly because Iggy's original design came about like 4 years ago. Though considering how much Alice in Wonderland (and Alice in Wonderland derivative works) inspired my original ideas for this, I don't doubt that that was tumbling around in my mind as I was designing him whether I realized it or not lol.)
Thank you again for playing, and I hope you'll like the next arc when it's released!! <3
This game is like, everything I have been looking for recently, I love horror stories and also LGBT stories, and this game handles both so well, I really can't wait to see what the other arcs will have because I love the characters already and am in love with how this game writes the characters and their interpersonal conflicts.
Oh, gosh, this comment made me want to cry!! Thank you so much!! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the game and thank you for playing it! It really means so much!! <3 I'm the same way so that's probably the main reason why this game came into being in the first place LOL I'll keep working hard on the next arcs!! :))
Unable to run the Linux build :/ gonna have to run it via Wine so it's ok but still :(
Oh, no!!! I'm really sorry about that! :( I created the Linux build using the Ren'Py distribution compiler specifically for Linux, so I'm not sure what the problem could be. Would you be able to give me any more details on what exactly wasn't working? Then I can try to look into it and see if I can get the problem fixed. (I'm glad you're at least still able to run it on Wine, though!)
OK, scratch what I just said—I did a little bit of investigating and THINK I figured out what the problem is, so I've uploaded a new Linux build! Let me know if that one works if you want to give it a try! (Though if you've already started a different version on Wine, don't worry about it!!)
Hey, that new Linux build works ! (for me at the very least, on Mint 20.3) I mean, i've already finished the game but yeah it works :D
Btw amazing game, DDLC-tier, can't wait for arc 3 :)
ps : the ace representation i never knew i needed uwu
Oh, thank goodness!!! That makes me so glad to hear! Thank you so much for checking! Now I know other Linux users shouldn't have any problems (and I can make sure I don't repeat my same mistake for future releases!).
And, gah!! Your words are too much!! LOL Thank you SOOOO much!! I'm really glad that you enjoyed it! :'))) I will keep working hard and hopefully have Arc 3 out soon!
P.S.: *weeps* my heart <3
digging the art style, this is going to be a wild ride, isn't it...
Ahhhh, thank you very much!!! I'm really happy that you like the art! :)) And well... yeah, I would say that's a pretty good way to describe it LOL Th-the pain train has left the station and is only going to keep speeding up until the end hahahaha.
So I'm continuing to play through the entire game (I'm still at the first arc) because I forgot to play it for a while
and the fact that if you choose to go back to the last choice you make, it says something about how you feel like you've made a choice before
that kind of scared me
but it's also interesting
I'm assuming the same thing wouldn't happen if you loaded a save before a choice since that's before you make any choice at all
but it's amazing and I love it
anyways
this might happen for only the choice with which direction to go but I still love that concept
so yeah this game is amazing so far :D
Ahhhh, thank you very much!!! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far and it means a lot that you took the time to write this lovely comment!! :))) What you're talking about does, indeed, continue to happen for more choices in the future! It's a little tidbit that I had a fun time adding in hahaha.
I hope you'll continue to enjoy the game!!
I know that I'll enjoy it :D
I like how it does that everytime you make a wrong choice and choose to go back to the last choice, and it's also nice when in the second arc, you don't have the option to choose because Iggy already somewhat has a bad feeling towards one option, so he just
does the other option
or something
I think that makes sense. Anyways, I love this game :D
My review of Arc 2 - unmarked spoilers below!
Dang, the writing got kicked up a notch since the last time! It's like the author is getting more comfortable with the characters.
The new graphics and CGs turned out great. There's so much more emotion packed into every frame. My favorite is Orlam's torturer CG - whoever said revenge is a dish best served cold has never seen the face and body language of a man driven mad from never-ending abuse.
I really love the juxtaposition between Gidget's 'love' for Iggy and Genzou's love. Gidget is so utterly, sexually obsessed with Iggy, she's turned herself into an object which she wrongly believes will get him to reciprocate. Heck, when he doesn't, she turns him into an object, believing that if he's forced to be as she is, his inexplicable (to her) unwillingness to 'love' her will be 'fixed'.
Genzou, however, loves Iggy for who he is. He knows that, in the event they do somehow get together, there will be no traditional intamacy, and he owns it. In a fantastic mirroring of Gidget's scene with Iggy, when Genzou kisses Iggy like Genzou has probably been dreaming of since high school, he quickly realizes what's wrong with his action, pulls back, and apologizes, leading to openness from both of them and an intimate moment which Iggy is comfortable with. Iggy. The ace in the room who's never gotten around to sorting out his feelings on sexuality.
I really love the number of clever, "this won't do what you think it'll do" choices in this arc - especially the ones which require you to have paid attention the first time 'round. Like how saying something which is very probably going to trigger Orlam is not how one stays alive when your life is in his hands, and he hasn't yet decided to prepare you for dinner. Though I love the exchange between Genzou and Orlam in that bad end - Orlam makes it as plain as day why he hates Genzou's guts, but even then, Genzou sees nothing wrong with it, dismissing it as "stuff kids do", while ignoring all he's put Orlam through as an adult. It just. Doesn't. Register with Genzou.
And before I forget, special shoutout for Wonderland Orlam's writing - the man has clearly been paying attention to the old books he's been reading in his spare time in the real world, and his torture tactics are frighteningly-good. And worse yet, it's only the second iteration of the time loop and he already knows things are repeating. He might even be manipulating things already via giving Gidget certain ideas about Iggy. I mean, how else could he have known how things played out at her tavern?
My one criticism is on the attempt at "dissonant serenity" in the music (i.e. peppy music playing over something horrifically-violent). Before I get into it, I want to acknowledge the fact the game likely is a low-budget affair - with cost savings greatly helped by the author being artist (a fantastic one IMHO), programmer, and writer - so there is an equally-likely chance there wasn't enough money to license or commission what the author wanted to put into the game, and not just in the areas I'm going to criticize. One can only work within their means.
Getting into my criticism proper now, the music for the arc's ending cinematic isn't a half-bad pick, but it doesn't feel like the piece is well-synced with proceedings. It's a minor criticism, I will admit. However, the choice of a J-Pop-esque track for when Gidget summons her fans to aid in her objectification of Iggy just feels *wrong*. Like, it doesn't fit with Gidget's theme music, nor does it fit with the music for her town or her tavern. I definitely wouldn't say to go classical like the arc ending cinematic, but maybe find something from the time period or an era-adjacent contemporary song (if that makes any sense)?
Overall, a definite improvement over Arc 1. Can't wait for Orlam's Wild Ride, aka Arc 3. It's the one torturous ride that I won't want to get off - I want to see where Orlam goes, both however-loosely-hinged he actually is in reality and how utterly-unhinged and unchained he gets when in Wonderland for the third time (assuming arcs won't already start interacting with each other based on order played by that point).
This review just made my whole day, you have no idea. I'll probably come revisit it every time I need a motivation boost LOL So thank you so much for all the thought you put into this!!! It really really means so much, and I LOVE reading about your different thoughts and reactions to the various aspects of the game!! Particularly because I was pretty nervous about this arc, tbh. If your only gripe was that some of the music felt mismatched, then I couldn't be more happy hahahaha.
Yeah I have basically 0 money to spend on actually hiring or buying any sort of assets for this game, so anything I can't do myself (music, sound effects, etc.), I need to find via royalty-free options. For the most part this is usually fine and I actually am in love with the music I've found for this game (and it's even inspired me a lot and various aspects of the story, to boot), but there have been times where I haven't quite been able to find what I was looking for for a particular scene or aspect. I had a bit of a different idea for the Arc 2 ending cinematic at first but wasn't able to find the music I would have needed to make it work, so then I kind of had to re-brainstorm and re-work it. I'm still happy with how it turned out in the end, but I realize it does make a slight shift. For Gidget's song, I admit I used it less for the sound and more because the lyrics are creepy and perfectly match the situation LOL But this is great feedback in general! I'll try to maybe put a bit more thought into some of the selections. I have some good new stuff I've already found for Arc 3 that's already been a huge inspiration in figuring out some of the last story beats and that I hope will really be able to set the mood!!
Thank you so much again for all of these lovely words!! Though now I hope I'll be able to live up to your expectations for Arc 3 LOL I-it will admittedly be the most fUcKeD uP of the middle arcs and goes in some directions that will probably make people mad HAHAHAha... But I'm always unsure/nervous about whether I'll be able to recreate in game form what I have in my head with the same impact lol.
I finally got around to playing this for a longer bout of time, and it's wonderfully weird lol. It's not often you see a comic style like yours meeting darker themes, and I'm all for that stuff so I truly dig it. Well done Super Carrot!! <3 :)
Ahhhh, thank you so much!! Both for playing and for your wonderful words! It really means a lot!! <3 :))
Wow this was pretty great my theory is that when he wished to go back in time it worked so he didnβt stop existing because he had already made a wish.
Also why does he get so uncomfortable when it comes to sexual relationship stuff?
Thank you very much for playing, and I'm glad you like it so far!
As for your question, it will come up again as a topic in future arcs, as well, but Iggy is asexual (he just doesn't really understand it yet, so he's confused lol).
XD yea I thought so thanks for replying cya next update
So I finally got around to play the first arc, and I'm very glad I did!
I really like the way everything comes together (art, music, writing, darkly comedic timing). And I think it's quite something that despite being set in a twisted wonderland, the most frightening part of this story by far (imo) are Iggy's troubled cast of friends.
I'm eager to see what the next arc will bring~ (and also curious about what longterm consequences the in-game choice might have as the story evolves)
Oh, thank you so much for playing and for this lovely comment!! You've really made my day! :)
And I'm really glad that you're enjoying it so far!
nice
Oh, thank you very much! And also for your rating! :)
Freaking amazing game! Can't wait for the next arc to be implemented. Really digging the framework of an adult fairy tale and the idea and consequences of said tale intersecting with what's supposed to be a children's fairy tale...or at least the setting for one.
I don't often use itch.io's optional review functionality when rating games, but I felt I needed to so I could get all my thoughts out without spoiling anything to those who haven't played the game.
Also, got an error when choosing the "Last Choice" option upon failing the last (second-to-last?) choice made while sailing:
Oh, gosh! Thank you so much for playing the game and for taking the time to write up all your thoughts—not only in this comment, but also in all the details in your review!! This really made my whole day! I absolutely love hearing what people think about the different aspects and characters or even just their thoughts as they're playing the game/experiencing the story. And I'm really happy that you enjoyed everything so much! I especially loved hearing what you think about the music, as I'd really hoped the music in the game would be effective in making the story more immersive (and it's also been a main point of inspiration even for me while working on the game, so it's pretty near and dear to my heart). Thanks also for the tips, as well—I'll definitely be thinking about them as I continue to work on the next arcs! As a heads up, there is actually a way to skip seen text—you need to press the CTRL key. But I realize now that this wasn't clear at all if you don't go into the Help section, so I'll think of a way to make this more clear from the get-go.
(Oh, and thank you for pointing out this game error you got! I'm pretty sure I know exactly where this is—it was a small thing I tweaked only a few days before the launch, and I must not have QA'd it enough afterwards to check for all possible choice combinations... I'll make sure to get this fixed in a future update!)
Looking forward to the next arc. I like the themes, curious to see how the story is developed
Thank you so much!! That means the world to me, and I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far! Thanks for giving my little game a try! :)
BROOOO i loved your game Easter, because of the artstyle and the game dynamics, and NOW THIS??? Carrot Patch. Carrot Patch.
Oh, gosh! Thank you so much!! That really means a lot! I hope you'll like this one as much as Easter! :)
You made me fall in love with Easter, and now you've made me fall in love again with this new wonder.
I LOVE YOUR ART (Seriously, I love even the deaths LOL), the way you write the characters and their personalities, you make me love them even in their worst moments<3, and the terror and mystery is exquisite (^///^).
I'm already dying for ARC 2!
<3<3<3<3
Thank yoooooou! :') You're always so sweet! Thank you so much for supporting my games and characters! I'm working hard on the next arcs!!
Yaaay<3