Community The Visual Novel Council | All Choices Lead To Here

ZKenir

❀ Child of Raikou ❀
May 10, 2019
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MG employees on twitter have always been like that for as long as I can remember, although initially they were less aggressive, I always thought and still think one day it'll come back and bite them in the ass in the form of someone at Valve getting pissed.
On one hand I understand as those are their income and livelyhood at stakes, on the other hand you don't really want to do that in public, venting among friends and collegues is normal and human, doing so publicly less so and usually has consequences.
 
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Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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Are they employees or contractors though?
Mostly freelancers, with a few employees among them.

However, MangaGamer stands out by how much noise their associates make when bans happen, compared to every other major player in this industry.
 

tetel

MetaMember
Jan 7, 2020
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Bokuten is back on Steam.

Finished Necrobarista recently (still recommending) and 428 (this one doesn't need more recommendations, probably - really enjoyed it although the side content was a slog, especially a second special episode was waaaaaaaaay too long). Now onto either Higurashi or Fata Morgana, can't really make up my mind.
 

Knurek

OG old coot
Oct 16, 2018
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Bokuten is back on Steam.

Finished Necrobarista recently (still recommending) and 428 (this one doesn't need more recommendations, probably - really enjoyed it although the side content was a slog, especially a second special episode was waaaaaaaaay too long). Now onto either Higurashi or Fata Morgana, can't really make up my mind.
Can your fragile male ego even handle Fata Morgana?
 
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Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
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Downunder.
I can't see the discount being applied, for some reason.




:dana_think:
 

ZKenir

❀ Child of Raikou ❀
May 10, 2019
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I can't see the discount being applied, for some reason.



:dana_think:

it's today when steam updates, look at the image, it says 8th August 1 PM EDT

I'd post those false, invalid reasons, but then I'd be banned for posting pornography.
:disapproval-blob: Mangagamer, really disappointed in you.
it's weird seems like they cannot admit they were wrong lmao
 
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Ascheroth

Ascheroth

Chilling in the Megastructure
Nov 12, 2018
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"The game was removed for false, invalid reasons. We found and fixed the valid issues and it's on sale again, but the accusations were totally false and invalid!"

That's a very disappointing blog post. Overall very unproffessional handling from MangaGamer, not a good look.
(I'm not really interested in this game itself, but this may or may not come back to haunt them or other VN publishers in general in the future. At the very least I'm going to take the "Valve randomly removed our game"-happenings with a grain of salt in the future.)
 
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Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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I'll third the disappointment at MangaGamer's PR statement.

It is not a good look to try to spin it like this, not when their culpability has been established beyond any doubt, and it is just going to come back and haunt them the next time a game is removed from Steam.
 
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ZKenir

❀ Child of Raikou ❀
May 10, 2019
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WanNyan ☆ à la mode! releasing on 3rd september (MG store), and Room N.9 is available today (MG store + Steam)

and


edit: removed link for potential NSFW
 
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Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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Room No. 9 is out on Steam and MangaGamer, but it sounds like they released the wrong version. It may be worth holding off for a little bit if you are planning on reading it:

 

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
878
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kinda confirmed

MangaGamer needs a better QA process.

Not just because of this, or because of the oversight resulting in the Bokuten ban, but also because they just pushed an update on Steam for Bokuten, where the CGs and thumbnails that had just been removed from the all-ages version would show up as blank images after the adult patch was applied. It seems like nobody tested the game before re-launching it on Steam.
 

ZKenir

❀ Child of Raikou ❀
May 10, 2019
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I wouldn't be too harsh on the bokuten blank images stuff, they were probably scrambling to get it back on Steam asap since they had momentum and that was an oversight, tbh I would have gotten the game back and then worried about it as well were I in their shoes.

Sometimes shit just happens tbh, if big companies can screw up it can happen to small ones as well.
 
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Ascheroth

Ascheroth

Chilling in the Megastructure
Nov 12, 2018
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I've started playing Clannad. So far so fun.
I've decided to do a blind playthrough first and see where I end up, and then use a walkthrough for the rest afterwards.
So far so fun. Lots of interesting characters. I think I even got used to the artstyle already.
 
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Ascheroth

Ascheroth

Chilling in the Megastructure
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Well I got to an ending. Looks like it's a bad one though 😅


I was having Tomoya help out with creating a Drama club with Nagisa, and even Sunohara joined in. They failed and then the rest of the school days seemed to be fast forward, with Tomoyo joining the Student Council but being unable to help either and then there were a few lines about a festival and then Nagisa got sick and it ended.
Welp. Didn't even get to meet Sunohara's sister (I remember it going full speed ahead right before the day she would come visit), Would have probably been fun. The character interactions in general are very good.

Since it kind of ended right in the middle of things, I don't really have a good idea of what the "endgame" is going to be? Is it making sure Nagisa gets to realize her dream, have a happy school life and conquer whatever sickness she seems to have? Helping Tomoya patch up his family situation and getting him out of his rut at the same time?

About the other girls:
Tomoyo scenes so far have been great and hilarious, what with Sunohara trying to fight her and then prove she's actually a guy because he can't believe he could lose to a girl. Him challenging her with increasingly stupid "ploys" and then Tomoyo just demolishing him again and again while having great banter with Tomoya.

Kyou is also pretty amusing, violently so. Scenes with her have also been fun. And her pet Botan looks like a Pikkard.

Haven't had much interaction with her sister Ryou aside from her giving Tomoya handouts, trying to make him quit coming late and fortune telling sessions.

Then there's the weirdo in the library who I've only met once and don't even now the name yet. Curious about her though.

I've met Yukine once when Tomoya was sleeping in the resource room. The interaction between the too was also very fun.

And as for boys, I've met Yusuke and helped him out with his job and Sunohara tried to get an autograph with a ridiculous play after realizing he was previously a famous singer. Good scenes too.

Now to play the rest of it with a guide. There are a ton of different choices :sweaty-blob:
 

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
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Well I got to an ending. Looks like it's a bad one though 😅

[snip]

Now to play the rest of it with a guide. There are a ton of different choices :sweaty-blob:

If you enjoy the book-club experience, then you could read along with the Kazamatsuri book-club (using this walkthrough):



I haven't listened to this one yet, but their AIR and Planetarian book-clubs (and 07th Expansion book-clubs on another channel) have all been excellent.
 
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beep boop

MetaMember
Dec 6, 2018
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Now to play the rest of it with a guide. There are a ton of different choices :sweaty-blob:
Did you eventually get used to the art style?
I find it really difficult to look at, which has been one of the main reasons I never purchased the game (that and it being pricy!).
 
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Ascheroth

Ascheroth

Chilling in the Megastructure
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Did you eventually get used to the art style?
I find it really difficult to look at, which has been one of the main reasons I never purchased the game (that and it being pricy!).
Yep, pretty quickly actually. They all look a bit derpy, some more than others, and even more in some CGs from certain angles (the first Nagisa CG in the game you see less than 10 minutes in is probably by far the worst/weirdest looking one...).
But I don't really mind anymore.
 
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Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
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Downunder.
The character art in Kanon is probably the derpiest, although it's probably due to the fact that this was Key's first title. But like all Key's titles, there was a certain charm to it, obviously.

 

beep boop

MetaMember
Dec 6, 2018
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The character art in Kanon is probably the derpiest, although it's probably due to the fact that this was Key's first title. But like all Key's titles, there was a certain charm to it, obviously.

That one doesn’t look too bad!

Thanks for the replies. Keep hearing good things and that it’s a must read/play, so I’ll give it a shot. I was not really into 428’s look but that grew on me eventually as well, I suppose.
 
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Cacher

Romantic Storm
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That one doesn’t look too bad!

Thanks for the replies. Keep hearing good things and that it’s a must read/play, so I’ll give it a shot. I was not really into 428’s look but that grew on me eventually as well, I suppose.
See if you can play Little Busters as well. I love it and definitely recommend it to anyone.

Personally art style may be the least important factor on whether I want to play a VN. I usually look at premise, story, genre, staff members, or general receptions first. I can probably play any VN unless the art style is really unpleasant.
 
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beep boop

MetaMember
Dec 6, 2018
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See if you can play Little Busters as well. I love it and definitely recommend it to anyone.

Personally art style may be the least important factor on whether I want to play a VN. I usually look at premise, story, genre, staff members, or general receptions first. I can probably play any VN unless the art style is really unpleasant.
I'll keep it mind. Looks like it's on my wishlist already, but I haven't really given it much consideration. I've seen the title a few times and it always makes me think it's some other game. Really weird :face-with-stuck-out-tongue-and-winking-eye:
 
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Cacher

Romantic Storm
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I'll keep it mind. Looks like it's on my wishlist already, but I haven't really given it much consideration. I've seen the title a few times and it always makes me think it's some other game. Really weird :face-with-stuck-out-tongue-and-winking-eye:
Oh it certainly is not "some other game" after experiencing it. :cat-heart-blob:
 
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Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
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Downunder.
Little Busters is probably my favourite Key VN, with Summer Pockets probably in the second (also notable for the first Key VN in 1080p native res).

Really excited about Jun Maeda's new anime in October though. I enjoyed Charlotte, but I felt like it wasted its potential, somehow.
 
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Cacher

Romantic Storm
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Little Busters is probably my favourite Key VN, with Summer Pockets probably in the second (also notable for the first Key VN in 1080p native res).

Really excited about Jun Maeda's new anime in October though. I enjoyed Charlotte, but I felt like it wasted its potential, somehow.
I read some bad impressions of Charlotte so have never watched it. Maybe I will watch it one day.
 

Knurek

OG old coot
Oct 16, 2018
2,437
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The character art in Kanon is probably the derpiest, although it's probably due to the fact that this was Key's first title. But like all Key's titles, there was a certain charm to it, obviously.

I mean, you're technically right, but both Moon. and One are pretty much proto-Key.
 
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Ascheroth

Ascheroth

Chilling in the Megastructure
Nov 12, 2018
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I read some bad impressions of Charlotte so have never watched it. Maybe I will watch it one day.
Charlotte was very disappointing.
It's not technically bad - it looks good, has good characters, great interactions and an interesting story, good music, etc. But it's so much wasted potential.
It's basically a 13 episode anime where they spend the first half on fun slice-of-life and character stuff and then suddenly cram 2 seasons worth of plot into the remaining half (with the last episode having a season's worth of material on its own).
Probably a bit exaggerated, but hopefully you get the idea.
 
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Cacher

Romantic Storm
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Charlotte was very disappointing.
It's not technically bad - it looks good, has good characters, great interactions and an interesting story, good music, etc. But it's so much wasted potential.
It's basically a 13 episode anime where they spend the first half on fun slice-of-life and character stuff and then suddenly cram 2 seasons worth of plot into the remaining half (with the last episode having a season's worth of material on its own).
Probably a bit exaggerated, but hopefully you get the idea.
Heh... Sounds like it should have made into a VN rather than anime then. 🙁
 
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ZKenir

❀ Child of Raikou ❀
May 10, 2019
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I’m only at chapter 5 of the first route but the text of Baldr Sky wothout a background window that makes it readable is making me go blind
 

Exzyleph

Dark Eroge Lord
Oct 9, 2018
878
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I’m only at chapter 5 of the first route but the text of Baldr Sky wothout a background window that makes it readable is making me go blind
Hey, it could be worse:
This was a bug affecting the pirated release of Photonmelodies. It was funny to see people out themselves by complaining about it
 

ZKenir

❀ Child of Raikou ❀
May 10, 2019
3,312
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For some reason I never had issues with Muv-Luv, Baldr Sky is killing my eyes though
 

ZKenir

❀ Child of Raikou ❀
May 10, 2019
3,312
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Oh I didn't know about that, problem is I am really liking Baldr Sky so far, but the text especially when Rain is talking with yellowish/black background is a pain, it's a pain also when other characters talk though.

I'm going at a slower pace than I'd be going because of this...
 

Cacher

Romantic Storm
Jun 3, 2020
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Oh I didn't know about that, problem is I am really liking Baldr Sky so far, but the text especially when Rain is talking with yellowish/black background is a pain, it's a pain also when other characters talk though.

I'm going at a slower pace than I'd be going because of this...
Maybe try reading the log? Haven't played Baldr Sky so can't say it work.
 

Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
4,149
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Downunder.
the text especially when Rain is talking with yellowish/black background is a pain, it's a pain also when other characters talk though.
Perhaps consider modifying the font customisation options? I set mine with bold, light outline and shadows. You will probably need to mix and match depending on preference and/or screen resolution. Ideally, I'd like to be able to use custom fonts here like Key's VNs, but alas.

Additionally, you can change the text colours for the main characters by modifying the RGB sliders individually if yellow against black isn't your thing.
 
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Cacher

Romantic Storm
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Finished building my physical VN library on Steam. Whew, that's tons of work. I can't directly install some titles as they do not support win10, so I installed them through VirtualBox. Hence, those are not included in the library.




First Row
  • Aiyoku no Eustia
  • Aka
  • Akatsuki no Goei ~Principal-tachi no Kyuujitsu~
  • Akatsuki no Goei ~Tsumibukaki Shuumatsuron~
  • Ayakashibito
  • Bullet Butlers
Second Row
  • Chocolat ~maid cafe ”curio”~”Re-order”~
  • Cho Dengeki Stryker (Available on Steam)
  • Chrono Belt ~Ayakashibito & Bullet Butlers Crossover Disc~
  • Daibanchou -Big Bang Age-
  • Daiteikoku
  • G-senjou no Maou
Third Row
  • Hikari no Valusia ~What a Beautiful Hopes~
  • Kikouyoku Senki Tenkuu no Yumina
  • Kikouyoku Senki Tenkuu no Yumina FD -ForeverDreams-
  • Manatsu no Yoru no Yuki Monogatari
  • Memoria
  • Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru
Fourth Row
  • Pretty x Cation
  • PriministAr
  • Renai 0 Kilometer
  • Riddle Joker (Coming to Steam)
  • Schwarzesmarken: Junkyousha-tachi
  • Schwarzesmarken: Kouketsu no Monshou
Fifth Row
  • Seisai no Resonance
  • Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo
  • '&' - Sora no Mukou de Sakimasu you ni -
  • Te to Te Try On!
  • Tenmon Dokei no Aria
  • Tokyo NECRO
Sixth Row
  • White ~Setsunasa no Kakera~
  • Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na -Brighter than Dawning Blue-
  • Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na -Moonlight Cradle-

Now to decide what to play. I bought all these games over the years to encourage myself learning Japanese, and now I should be able to read at least 80%-90% of each. Some of them are WIP (eg. Riddle Joker, Pretty x Cation) and some of them (eg. Sharin no Kuni, G-sen) are read through fan translation years ago. I will probably experience them again in the original language.
 
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Ascheroth

Ascheroth

Chilling in the Megastructure
Nov 12, 2018
5,119
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Speaking of organising library folders, I used @Ascheroth 's build of SteamGrid to automate stuff recently, and this got a laugh out of me.
Lol.
That reminds me I still haven't made a proper pull request for that :grimacing-face:
 
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Knurek

OG old coot
Oct 16, 2018
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Finished building my physical VN library on Steam. Whew, that's tons of work. I can't directly install some titles as they do not support win10, so I installed them through VirtualBox. Hence, those are not included in the library.




First Row
  • Aiyoku no Eustia
  • Aka
  • Akatsuki no Goei ~Principal-tachi no Kyuujitsu~
  • Akatsuki no Goei ~Tsumibukaki Shuumatsuron~
  • Ayakashibito
  • Bullet Butlers
Second Row
  • Chocolat ~maid cafe ”curio”~”Re-order”~
  • Cho Dengeki Stryker (Available on Steam)
  • Chrono Belt ~Ayakashibito & Bullet Butlers Crossover Disc~
  • Daibanchou -Big Bang Age-
  • Daiteikoku
  • G-senjou no Maou
Third Row
  • Hikari no Valusia ~What a Beautiful Hopes~
  • Kikouyoku Senki Tenkuu no Yumina
  • Kikouyoku Senki Tenkuu no Yumina FD -ForeverDreams-
  • Manatsu no Yoru no Yuki Monogatari
  • Memoria
  • Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru
Fourth Row
  • Pretty x Cation
  • PriministAr
  • Renai 0 Kilometer
  • Riddle Joker (Coming to Steam)
  • Schwarzesmarken: Junkyousha-tachi
  • Schwarzesmarken: Kouketsu no Monshou
Fifth Row
  • Seisai no Resonance
  • Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo
  • '&' - Sora no Mukou de Sakimasu you ni -
  • Te to Te Try On!
  • Tenmon Dokei no Aria
  • Tokyo NECRO
Sixth Row
  • White ~Setsunasa no Kakera~
  • Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na -Brighter than Dawning Blue-
  • Yoake Mae yori Ruri Iro na -Moonlight Cradle-

Now to decide what to play. I bought all these games over the years to encourage myself learning Japanese, and now I should be able to read at least 80%-90% of each. Some of them are WIP (eg. Riddle Joker, Pretty x Cation) and some of them (eg. Sharin no Kuni, G-sen) are read through fan translation years ago. I will probably experience them again in the original language.
If the VM supports multiple hard drive images you can pass on as a cli argument you should still be able to add each game to steam. Alternatively just copy the VM exe with a a separate name for each game and add that.
 
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Cacher

Romantic Storm
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Nice effort! Did you 'shop your own cover images? I would love to see some of these in SteamGridDB.

Speaking of organising library folders, I used Ascheroth 's build of SteamGrid to automate stuff recently, and this got a laugh out of me.

Lol! I did use Steamgrid but did not use the automated function. Just downloading the banners one by one.

Regarding this library, I just use those from VNDB, Amazon JP or directly from google search. I don't know how to use photoshop or else I would have made a better banner for Manatsu no Yoru no Yuki Monogatari as the original cover art is horizontal.
If the VM supports multiple hard drive images you can pass on as a cli argument you should still be able to add each game to steam. Alternatively just copy the VM exe with a a separate name for each game and add that.
Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking if I should add the VM launcher as separate games to the library. Maybe I will do it later.

================================================================================================
On a separate note, I launched Memoria (by Purple Software) and totally did not expect a miliary-themed 2D-animated cutscene showing up. I thought I allocated the wrong launcher lol. Couldn't stop hitting the steam screenshot button as well.


 
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AHA-Lambda

MetaMember
Oct 9, 2018
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I'm going to cross post as it's kinda a VN

Anyone else played Necrobarista? This game is weird and not in a positive charming way, despite all reviews i've read to that end.

Story makes no sense, feels like it's being rushed and as if the game started with an introduction missing.
Plus mechanically nothing has been explained either. I'm not sure what the significance of these text stories are, or the word choice thing, or the memories section of the main menu.