#what a rich and complex and fascinating game that made me cry like a baby

[yellowocaballero]

Been a fan of your fics for YEARS. I was just telling my friend how despite how much I read fics I never actually love them, with some of your fics (especially TMA) as the exception. Felt the need to reread some of them and saw you reblogged some ISAT fanart. So. Any thoughts on ISAT you'd like to share?

Hope you have a wonderful day!! So happy I found your fics again!!

I avoided answering this for a while because I was trying to think of a way to cohesively and coherently vocalize my thoughts on In Stars and Time. I have given up because I don't want to hold everybody here all day and I have accepted that my thoughts are just pterodactyl screeching.

I love it so much. I have so much to say on it. It drove me bonkers for like a week straight. I have AUs. It's absolute Megbait. They're just a little Snufkin and they're having the worst experience of anybody's life. Ludonarratives my fucking beloved.

I am going to talk about the prologue.

The prologue is such a fascinating experience. You crack open the game and immediately begin checking off all of the little genre boxes: mage, warrior, researcher, you're the rogue...some little kid who's there for some reason...alright, you know the score. You're in yet another indie Earthbound RPG, these are your generic characters, let's get the ball rolling.

Except then you realize that these characters are people. You feel instantly how you've entered the game at its last dungeon, at the end of the adventure. They have their own in-jokes, histories, backgrounds, adventures. They get along well and they're obviously close, but not in a twee or unrealistic way. They have so much chemistry and spirit and life. I fell in love with them so quickly.

But Sif doesn't. Sif kind of hates them, because they will not stop saying the same damn thing. They walk the same paths, do the same things, make the same jokes, expect Sif to say the same lines. They keep referencing a Sif we do not see, with jokes we never see him make and heroic personality he never shows - they reference a Sif who is dead - and Sif can't handle that, so he kills them too.

They become only an exercise in tedious frustration. Sif button mashes through their dialogue, Sif mindlessly clicks the same dialogue options, Sif skips through the tutorial, Sif blows through the puzzles. Sif turns their world into a video game. Sif is playing a generic RPG. Sif forgets their names. They are no longer people with in-jokes, histories, backgrounds, adventures. They're the mage, the warrior, the researcher, and...some random kid.

I did not understand the Kid's presence at first. I had no idea what they contributed to the game. They didn't do anything. As a party member in a video game, they're a bit useless. Why is the Kid there?

Because Sif's life isn't a video game. Because the kid isn't 'the kid'. They're Bonnie. Bonnie, who the party loves. Why is Bonnie there? Because they love them. There is no room for Bonnie in the boring RPG that Sif is playing. And then you realize that Sif is wrong, and that they've lost something extremely important, and that they'll never escape without it.

Watching the prologue before watching ISAT gave ISAT the most unique air of dread and horror, because you crack open ISAT and you see the person Sif used to be. You realize that Sif used to be a person. Sif used to be the person who made jokes, who gave real smiles, who interacted with the world as if they are a part of it. And you know you are sitting down to watch Sif lose everything that made them a person, to lose everything that made them a member of this world, and turn them into a character in a video game who doesn't understand the point of Bonnie at all.

At the climax of the game, when the others realize that something is deeply wrong and that Sif physically cannot tell them, they realize that there is nothing they can do. So Bonnie declares snacktime. And for the first time they have snacktime.

What is snacktime? Classic JRPGs don't have snacktime. There's literally no point to a snacktime - not in a video game, and not in Sif's terrible life. It's not fixing this, because nothing can fix this. But Bonnie gives Sif a cookie and Sif eats it.

It's meaningless. It's a cutscene. It didn't save Sif and it didn't change a thing. It will make no difference in the end.

But it did make the difference. It made all of the difference in the world. Bonnie is a character who you really don't understand the point of before you realize that Bonnie was the entire point.

ISAT is about comfort media. Why do we play the same video games over and over again? Why do we avoid watching the finale of our favorite shows? What is truly comforting: a story with no conflict, or a story where you always know what is about to happen? Do you want to live in a scary, uncontrollable world, or do you want to play Stardew Valley? Do you want a person or a character?

When I beat Earthbound for the first time (and if you don't know, the prologue/ISAT battle system is just Mother) and watched the ending cutscene where the characters part ways and say goodbye...I felt a little bit sad. I wanted them to be together forever. But that's something only characters could ever be.

[characteroulette]

and then I also did that ENTIRE questionnaire for Aglaé because he is the Game Kid I knew the least about.

Enjoy.

1. What is your OC’s favorite color?

  > Aglaé is fond of pinks. Pretty much every sweater or vest he's gotten is pink.

2. Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect?

  > BOOKS -- no, okay, Aglaé likes to collect pressed flowers, he has a special book for them.

3. What kind of things is your OC allergic to?

  > Good question. I never really think about allergies.

4. What kind of clothing does your OC wear?

  > Suit jackets, sweater vests, sweaters, and suit pants. Formal or casual formal clothes always. The more professional he looks, the less likely it is other people will randomly come over to talk to him.

5. What is your OC’s first memory?

  > The very first memory Aglaé can still recall is of his older sister laying beside him in bed, "reading" to him. He doesn't remember what the book was or what she was saying, but it's a very important memory to him.

6. What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite?

  > Aglaé likes bears and dogs and horses, but can't call any single one of them his favourite. He really doesn't like disobedient wolves who should just chill out god.

7. What element would your OC be?

  > If I had to pick, Aglaé would probably be either water or wood. He's the go with the flow type, but also incredibly stubborn once he gets going.

8. What is your OC’s theme song?

  > He's caged like an animal, eaten like a cannibal, but refuses to let the human in...

9. Do you have a faceclaim / voiceclaim for your OC?

  > Here's a weird faceclaim I thought of: Goro Akechi from P5. Personality-wise and looks-wise, I think it fits Aglaé quite well. Maybe even voice-wise... but I dunno I'm not very good at this stuff.

10. What deadly sin would best represent your OC?

  > Probably envy. He may be the target of envy, but he's also insanely jealous of others that are better and more accepted for showcasing their true colours and faces. (He may have accepted the beast, but that doesn't mean others have.)

11. What are your OC’s hobbies?

  > Aglaé will read all day all night he'll read through the goddamn apocalypse he'll read even after he's dead you cannot come between this boy and his books.

12. How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they?

  > Aglaé, outwardly, is the most patient person you'll ever meet. (Mostly because he's ignoring you while he's reading.) However, there are certain moments where his beast shows through and he'll get irritated enough to snap at you. He's good at keeping that beneath his beautiful mask, at least.

13. What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.?

  > Aglaé is a male, homosexual, French human being.

(alt. He's beauty and he's grace, he'll rip right through your face..)

14. What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods?

  > Aglaé likes very rich people foods, like escargot and caviar. However, his most favourite food is steak, medium rare. The more bloody, the better, actually. His least favourite foods tend to be sweets or light, airy desserts with little substance to them.

15. If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why?

  > Probably a bear. Because it could kill him at any moment, but it's a giant lumbering beast of beauty and he can relate to that.

16. What does your OC smell like?

  > Roses. He always smells like roses. (what the fuck do roses smell like someone with a nose that works please tell me)

17. How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job?

  > Aglaé is in school currently, a second year at the Boarding School. He's always sort of dreamed of being a librarian or the owner of a small book shop.

18. What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths?

  > Aglaé has a fear losing his ability to read in peace or at all. He's the weakest when it comes to socialisation skills (in that he can socialise, he just never feels the need to) while his strength lies in pure knowledge and language skills.

19. What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song?

  > Aglaé, as much as it is cliched, really likes classical compositions to listen to while he reads. Also good are arias in Latin, more Eastern sounding compositions, and video game soundtracks. That being said, his favourite song would probably be some good old Nordic metal. His sister is really into metal and got him into it, too.

20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do?

  > Nothing's that different, except for maybe a ton of new books to read, so Aglaé would just pour countless hours into reading every new book (or even slightly altered book) he could get his hands on.

21. What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves?

  > He thinks reading is an acceptable substitute for social interaction. Also he's rude as fuck in the most polite way possible if you try to talk to him and he doesn't know you. Pet peeve would definitely be someone trying to talk to him while he's trying to read.

22. What kind of student were they/would they be in high school?

  > Aglaé is that kid who shows up to every class but looks like he's never listening (since he's busy reading some book that's not the class text) and somehow gets better grades than you on every. Single. Test. You know the one.

23. What is a random fact about your OC?

  > Aglaé is actually very shy and a huge momma's boy (on top of that sister complex).

24. What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living?

  > He doesn't have all the time in the world, so he may as well spend it doing what he loves, your opinions be damned. Life is all a popularity contest, after all, and as long as you can coast somewhere in the middle, then you're allowed some leniency in ignoring people to read.

25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them?

  > Wildly, Aglaé was gonna be a girl at first, because Beauty and the Beast. But then I decided no, I wanted a male Beauty and female Beast and then made them siblings because I didn't want their romance plot. And now Aglaé and his sister are a combination of both Beauty and Beast who have to learn throughout the course of the story that their dual natures are acceptable and okay.

26. Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact and why?

  > His sister!! And his mom and dad but mostly his sister, Gaëlle, who is the light of his life and whom he'll always put his book down to pay attention to and talk to (that is a straight up lie but he will always prioritise listening to her over reading). The least important to him who still leaves an impact would either be Petel (for beast envy reasons) or Dante (for plot reasons).

27. What kind of childhood did your character have?

  > Aglaé grew up with his sister able to speak for him and inform others of exactly what he wanted, so he didn't talk very much even as a baby. His sister would attempt to read to him when they went to bed (whenever their mother was too busy working to do it herself) and got Aglaé fascinated in books. When Gaëlle started going to school, Aglaé would hole himself up in his room and cry from loneliness because he was a very dramatic child, but then Aglaé started going to school and shut himself up inside himself to cope. He got teased for being so pretty (and then teased about his sister coming in to save him) and Aglaé vowed never to cry or show weakness in front of anyone outside of his family ever again.

  And then his view on the world was skewed so irreparably that he fostered a beast inside who would gladly watch the world burn over the pages of his books.

28. What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions?

  > Aglaé will rub the corner of the page of his book if he's really into the story and nervous about where it's going. (Or, if he's still listening to the conversation going on around him and agitated about that.) If he doesn't have a book on hand, somehow, Aglaé will rub his thumb against his canines when he gets nervous. (Does reading count as an addiction?)

29. If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose?

  > "Here lies the most well-read beast that ever lived. Good job ruining that, assholes." (Sorry, I can't serious with these.)

30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why?

  > Aglaé hasn't really thought about who he'd marry, just about what his ceremony would be like. Obviously, he'd have his mother walk him down the aisle (as his father would no doubt be too weepy to function) while his sister would be his best man. It would be held outside with trees and rose petals everywhere and he'd wear a blue tux with a pink tie and he'll look fabulous and holy shit Aglaé you weren't kidding when you said you had this all planned out.

31. What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory?

  > The most traumatic thing for Aglaé would probably be the first nightmare he had about the beast living inside of him. From then on, if he was having a bad dream, he'd wake up overheated with all the covers thrown off. His favourite memories usually involve his sister, but he has one in particular of his mother and father singing him to sleep when he was being fussy that he holds near to his heart.

32. If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be?

  > Initially, Aglaé would request all the time and space in the world to read his books. But, after giving it some more thought, he'd instead want his sister and family's happiness.

33. Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why?

  > If you hurt his sister, Aglaé will personally hunt you down and kill you. No remorse, either. You had it coming for managing to hurt his very capable and strong sister. Other than that, Aglaé wouldn't bother attempting to kill someone because life is the best equaliser of all pettiness.

34. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually?

  > Aglaé will only go to social gatherings if forced. When there, he sits or stands in the corner and reads his books without looking up once. Unless his sister is there, then they both stand in the corner (or she wanders and he follows her mostly).

35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories?

  > Aglaé has a pretty good imagination, but prefers to be engrossed in a book rather than daydreaming. If you can get him going about his favourite books, however, then he'll talk too fast for his mind to keep up and start skipping words and you'll see he gets invested in the stories he likes.

36. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain?

  > Aglaé just wants to be left out of this mess, mostly. He needs a better outlet for the beast roaring inside him, sometimes living in peace with that thing just doesn't do it. In the end, Aglaé is willing to sacrifice his habitual keeping himself on the outside as he realises he's invested in these people and cares for them enough to want to help.

37. What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do?

  > I guess normal people don't read as obsessively as Aglaé does...? It's hard to say, Aglaé is probably the most normal of the kids.

38. What would your character do with a million dollars?

  > Give it all to his parents. They deserve it.

39. What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can?

  > The family refrigerator holds leftovers from last night's dinner (of seafood mornay pie), a half-full bottle of grape juice that Gaëlle started and Aglaé is planning on finishing (he traded her the rest of his breath mints for this), and other foods kept in the fridge like milk, eggs, butter. His floor is mostly clean, save a few books that were overspilled from his nightstand, which is brimming with books and has just enough space for his alarm clock. There are a few pastry packaging wrappers in his trashcan from last night's reading adventure.

40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with?

  > Aglaé would prefer not to, but Nat and Gaëlle forced him I guess. He wears his normal formal-casual wear and hangs out with Damon, Nicu, Charon, Diane, Jonathan (how the hell did they convince him to go, too??), and Vektoria at the school dance I guess? He mostly stands in the corner reading while watching Gaëlle dance with Charon, Diane, and Vektoria. But Jonathan is there to make snarky comments with and Damon stands by him once or twice to make some conversation and Nicu and Nat go over to check up on him frequently enough, so he guesses it wasn't that bad.

41. What does your character do when they’re angry? Why?

  > Aglaé tends to grin when he's angry. Y'know, like a really furious but still trying to be polite grin. He'll start speaking up, his words openly hostile and his tone even and calm. If you can draw the beast out of him, that's when you'll need to run.

42. Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from?

  > Aglaé has what look to be claw marks that go down his chest. He won't explain where he got them from. Hm.

43. What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said?

  > I dunno, does calling Petel an unrefined and untrained wolf count?

44. How does your character react to / accept criticism?

  > On the inside, he'll be calling you a moron if it was unwarranted or if he thinks it has no basis. If it's critique on something he actually feel he needs to improve on, he'll listen attentively and take mental notes in order to use later. (Of course, whether or not he uses this critique to exacerbate the issue waits to be seen..)

45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza?

  > Aglaé would probably be pretty okay with pineapple on pizza. It's not the best, but he can eat it. (Gaëlle, on the other hand...)

46. Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works?

  > Aglaé, being Aglaé, would definitely research into that shit and then put the doll up on display in his room on a shelf. Because why not be a weirdo with that stuff.

47. Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle?

  > Aglaé has doodled before (on those rare occasions where the teacher confiscates his books in class) and he's not terrible, but not as good as Dante is. He liked doodling how the beast inside of him looked and called it his friend, so that teacher never took his book away from him again.

48. What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult?

  > Aglaé's parents are attentive, well-meaning, but fairly busy with work. His mother, whenever she managed to make the time for it, would read to him and his sister before bed. His father was always there to bandage any scrapes or cuts that Aglaé and his sister got while they were playing in the yard (or with Damon and Nicu). I'm.. not sure how that shows through on Aglaé, but. /shrugs

49. Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush?

  > Aglaé isn't the fondest of sweets, but does like mints and gum. He's never experienced a sugar rush, really, but he has had a caffeine rush (and subsequently crashed from that) because Damon introduced him to soda (and then his father let him try coffee). Aglaé, when caffeined up, gets really twitchy and can read about three times faster than his normal speed, so he flies through books that way. The crash is terrible, though, so he only resorts to caffeine reading if he absolutely has to.

50. If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count?

  > Aglaé would definitely try to avoid it somehow, trying to find a cure or trying to charm his way out of this scenario. When that wouldn't work, he'd probably break down crying and beg to at the very least see his sister again before he died.

[momobage]

Mystic Messenger Review: 2D phone calls

Mystic Messenger (수상한 메신저) is a South Korean otome game (乙女ゲーム) or female oriented visual novel game made by Cheritz. The goal of the game is to choose the appropriate responses through group chats, phone calls, and text messages to establish a romantic relationship with one of the five available love interests. As the player progresses through different character routes, the story unfolds and the deep secrets within the RFA organization becomes revealed.

The game was released in July 2016 and I started playing in late August after seeing a few screenshots and fanart on Twitter. Like most games, I didn’t know anything about the gameplay or characters, but the art was pretty and I never played a Korean mobile game before. So I thought I’d give it a try! Although I never thought I would enjoy playing a dating game this much, Mystic Messenger left an impression that typically isn’t found in other otome games.

Main gameplay: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

The gameplay for Mystic Messenger is simple, addictive and very interesting. It is available in both Korean and English, making it easy for anyone to navigate through. There are not any extra game functions, like puzzles or levels since the game is strictly story-based. It is similar to reading a choose your own adventure book. Unlike other dating games, you progress through the game because it synchronizes with the player’s time zone. I think this aspect of the game is very unique and keeps the players wanting more. Even if you are not currently in the app, your phone will still receive notifications from the characters (see image below). It creates a real emotional connection with the characters. Even if you were feeling lonely or a bit bored, there would be someone who checks up on you and ask how you are feeling. I think most people would like that companionship that might be difficult to find in real life. Plus, having a cute character call them and sweet things is always nice, even if they are two-dimensional.

When I started playing the game, I first chose the character I liked the most and went through the route blindly. However, after realizing that there were multiple ending routes, I looked up some walkthroughs to make sure I didn’t play the same route twice. If you are really determined to collect everything perfectly, all the photos and different routes, then walkthroughs will be very helpful. I recommend looking at Otome Obsessed and Otome Dreamworld since their walkthroughs for Mystic Messenger are easy to understand and very detailed. But I think if you really want to know the characters and understand the story it’s better to play at your own pace.

Like most games, it is free to play, but does have a “currency” called hourglasses which can make phone calls, unlock a conversation or an entire day in advanced. This feature is helpful for people who end up missing a lot of chats due to busy schedules or they want to sleep and cannot look at their phone every one to two hours (see image above). Sadly, I have no self-control and spent even more money buying hourglasses to finish routes in advance. I think in the four months I played, in total I spent a little more than $500 in total on Mystic Messenger hourglasses and related merchandise. There were many benefits to buying official merchandise such as getting special interviews with voice actors, official soundtracks, all the members phone calling cards and more. But I regret buying fan-made merchandise when I really didn’t need it… but they are very well made, so I can’t help it! You would think I learned my lesson by now, but clearly mobiles games make me a bit crazy with money [deeply sighs].

Overall, the gameplay is very simple and fun for anyone to enjoy. The interaction with the characters and the amazing voice clips make the relationships feel so natural and authentic. It makes each experience really meaningful. There are some minor flaws like some jokes are too repetitive and the reaction choices are not the most ideal. However, that could just be the Korean to English translations.

Characters: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥

In the entire game, there is a total of eight important characters; five are dateable and the other three are for support, context and drama. Within the five, each character has a unique personality that is somewhat stereotypical. (From left to right in the photo above) Yoosung Kim is a college student who likes to play video games. Zen (Hyun Ryu) is an actor who is very good looking and flirtatious. 707 (also known as Seven and Luciel Choi) is a genius hacker who has a quirky personality. Jumin Han is a rich businessman who loves his cat too much. Jaehee Kang is Jumin’s serious assistant who never has a day off. However, as you progress and really get to know them, you learn of their other hobbies, dreams and other sides of their personality that is not show to the public. This aspect of each character makes them very relatable and realistic. It’s not just about how cute or funny they appear to be, but that they have complex thoughts which creates an honest connection.

Artistically, I really love how each character’s designs reflect their personality based on colours and clothing style without even starting the game. They style of colouring also is not too bright and does not overly exaggerate their features. Like other otome games, there are illustrated CG photos that are sent to you throughout group messages and visual story chapters (see above). These photos help better visualize what is exactly happening in the scene or are just funny images from the characters. I really love the emotion each photo shows, from humor to angst, from love to sorrow, it completes the whole dating experience. You can’t help but fall in love with these characters! However, in the new event stories that got released (For Christmas and Valentines specifically), they changed the illustration artist. I know other people have their own opinions but I don’t think it accurately portrays the characters I love. But I don’t hate the style, it is still very good, I just think it suits a different type of game.  

Other than design, each character’s personality is special and intriguing especially after getting to know them. For example, although Zen can be narcissistic and always look for compliments, he often calls the player for a boost of confidence because he feels insecure about his acting ability. He worries whether his fans like his performances or just his face. This type of insecurity is so common and relatable to anyone that it easily touches my heart. The selection for voice actors is also contributes to the authenticity. While some of the actors like Yongwoo Shin (Jumin) and Yeong Seon Kim (707) have previously voiced and sung for other Drama CD’s and anime dubs, Korean voice acting is still not as popular as Japanese voice acting. Therefore, I really appreciate the work they accomplished with Mystic Messenger. The character’s voices are so important to each conversation and help form a deeper relationship with the player. Some of the phone conversations are incredibly moving and thoughtful. I remember crying after completing each ending because it was either so sweet or so sad. Especially for Zen and Jumin, since they are my favourites, I really felt hurt whenever they were upset or stressed. I wanted to hug each of them and tell them everything was going to be okay. One of Zen’s phone conversations, to this day, always makes me cry like a baby (Erizu on Youtube has an animated sketch video of the phone call that emphasizes how wonderfully sweet Zen can be).

Story: 4/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

While the character artwork is the first thing I notice in any game, it is not as important as story. The entire story behind Mystic Messenger is without a doubt amazing. Besides the adorable and comedic parts, the story is also complex, suspenseful, and dramatic. The amount of diversity due to the difference choices and routes available never makes you bored even when playing the same routes over and over again. I don’t want to spoil too much of this story since it is so interesting, but I applaud how modern this game is compared to others. Since this is a Korean dating game, that is specifically directed towards a female audience, it is extremely wonderful that they added the choice to date another female. Although in the original route you are more best friends than lovers, in the other events you become much closer and kiss on the cheek. It does not seem that revolutionary compared to western media. But for an Asian game whose audience is largely straight or from countries where gay marriage is not legal yet, it is a step forward. Introducing LGBT relationships into media other than dramas and TV shows also brings equality, especially to players of typical otome games.

Overall: 4.33/5 ♥♥♥♥♡

Mystic Messenger will always have a special place in my heart. Despite the few criticisms I have, they do not compare to the wonderful adventure I’ve experienced and the relationships I’ve created with these characters. I think this game, made me value each character’s personality much more since their backstories were so captivating. It helped me understand other characters from different games better and even people in real life. I encourage other beginners to play Mystic Messenger because it is a good introduction to otome games that is constantly interesting and easy to follow. The connections with each character contributed to my current obsession with loveable characters with complex backstories and fascinating storylines.