Finally finished part 1 and 2!! I wanted to wait until I was done playing both parts to leave a comment. I'm glad I could do it before the end of 2023, hehe.
BOY, WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN???? This is such a wonderful game in so many ways!!!
First of all, the art is GORGEOUS and don't even get me started on the animations and programming!!! Everything feels so cinematic, it's as if I was watching a movie, at times!! It makes the story so much more immersive and captivating, I honestly can't stress this enough, it's SO GOOD!!!
I especially love how you added tables at certain times, so that the characters' sprites would sit and eat together (or even just chat, like when Q is at the cafe working on his laptop and chatting with June). The spells and portals showing up was FUCKING AWESOME as well and, gosh, don't even get me started on the flying broom scene, it's so MAGICAL!!!
Something that I also love to death about this game is how it's mostly dialogue and there aren't as many descriptive parts; only when Q's describing a part of a flashback. I love when games AND books do this. It reminds me of this book called "The kiss of the spider woman", which is essentially a book that only has dialogue save for the last part. But when a visual novel does this? Gosh, it's even better. I just LOVE when visual novels make the most of the medium and make things so cinematic. It adds a certain flavor that's usually not there but, when it is, it makes everything better. I admit I'm biased, though lmao.
Now, let's talk about the characters. GOD, THE CHARACTERS. I love them SO MUCH!! They are all so unique, I love how you can tell who's talking even if you don't look at their sprites!! Their personalities are very distinct and, no pun intended, enchanting!! Even the characters that aren't supposed to be likeable are interesting; the lore is so rich that I want to know more about everyone!! Q, Milo and June are definitely my favorites, though. They're just too wonderful not to love.
Even with some things that would obviously not be possible for me to relate to, because SPOILERS, I found Q and Milo to still be really relatable in a whole lot of ways.
When it comes to Q, his social awkwardness, his struggles with self-confidence, his hate for crowded places and annoying people who pester him about being in a relationship and his fear of rejection rang very close to home.
When it comes to Milo, what can I say, I'm a big sucker for alchemy LMAO so I can't help but relate to their love of transmutation magic andtheir love of cheesecake! But I felt especially close to their wish for someone to love them as they are instead of forcing ideals and fantasies onto them. It's so true, sometimes people just want you to be someone you're not and I share Milo's view about preferring to be alone rather than with someone who can't accept them as they are.
Now, for the story... just, WOW. They had us on the first half, not gonna lie LMAO. I expected some drama but I was NOT prepared for what I experienced (and I mean this in the best way possible). It started all pretty wholesome with a little bit of magic here and there, a liiiitle big of drama... and then BOOM the first plot twist came around and I was just like "DID IT REALLY JUST WENT THAT ROUTE???". A lot of things started to make so much more sense after that and dksbgdksjgbjks words are not enough to express just how invested I am in the story because HOLY SHIT.
[WARNING, HUGE SPOILERS BELOW]
I love the way the 1st plot twist was done 'cause it's not out of nowhere. There were little hints given here and there throughout all of part 1 but not in a way that screams "I'm intentionally avoiding mentioning stuff to appear more mysterious" but rather "I'm just going to make you think Q's an introverted and stressed out programmer that's also most definitely going through grief and use awkward silences to make it seem like he's just nervous and clueless, but he actually knows more than he lets on". I FELL IN THE TRAP.
Now, T's introduction!!! Gosh, I won't deny that the cute interactions between him and Q made me smile a lot, but I also felt really bad for Q. As much as they loved each other, their relationship had a couple of red flags... especially on T's part. I feel like T most definitely loved Q in the same way Q loved him, but T seemed to be ashamed of how being seen as gay or bi might "damage his reputation", which, yeah... that's no bueno, T, my dude.
It's also so tragic how that's the last conversation they had too. It's no wonder Q fell into such deep despair. The way he also loses the "anime shine" in his eyes when he, presumably, falls into depression... god, it broke my heart in a million pieces.
Not to mention the OTHER plot twist about what the DATES meant all along!!! I was a bit confused about them, at first, but when it's revealed that it's the days that went by since T's death... jesus christ, I feel so bad for Q and want to hug him forever.
Also, this is probably obvious from the tweets I made of this game but, gosh, I'm all on board for the Q and Milo ship!!! I love them so much, their chemistry is so good!!! Their romantic scenes just put a huge smile on my face and I'm really looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops further!!
Not gonna lie, I'm usually not a big fan of the "will they won't they" trope when it's from BOTH sides; especially since it makes me react similar to June xD BUT, I think it works here because of Q's real identity and because of Milo's fear of people wanting them for someone they aren't.
I'm a bit crushed on the note that Q was basically hit like a ton of bricks when Milo said the word 'abominable'. I hope he still finds the courage to tell them the truth... though it's looking more and more like the big reveal will be accidental and I'm scared aaaaahhhh sdkjgbskjgb!!!
ANYWHO, this was a mega long comment LMAO but I just couldn't help but ramble on and on because of how much I loved the game. I'm looking forward to part 3!!
kkfsldkf;sd; what a wonderful comment, thank you so much for taking the time to write all of this, I'm so happy you enjoyed the story and found the characters relatable. 🥺💕 I've put a lot of my own experiences into the game so it always means a lot when they resonate with players. ^^
I'm glad you liked the animations! I'll admit I dropped the narration because I wasn't confident I could write it well and I've always felt a little self-conscious about it. 😅 So it warms my heart that you considered the lack of it something positive. ^^ It did force me to show all relevant actions and items on the screen (and it's a lot more work to draw and program all the additional assets) but I do like this format and I think it works well for the setting (with all the floating items and brooms and stuff).
Ah yes, the trap! 🤭 I always love reading about people's reactions when they first experience the twist lol. The best thing about Part One (IMO) is there are a lot of things that can be read differently based on how much you know about the plot. (so if you played it again, you could see some lines or even scenes in a completely different light) It was both a treat and a challenge to write, and I was constantly worried about slipping in too much info. 😅
Anyway! Thank you again for playing and for the sweet words, I can't express how happy it made me. 🥺💕 (and I hope you'll enjoy Part Three, too)
I finally caught up to the end of part 2!! I had to restart from the beginning because apparently I didn't save when i finished part 1???? which i don't quite understand bc i feel like i WOULD have saved when i finished part 1 but whatever lol I caught up eventually
Gotta say though! As little as she appears Iris is my favorite character now lol! Asshole characters are easy for me to glom on to (and the fact that she's named Iris certainly helps: she's the second character named Iris I've look at and gone "i like you despite knowing nothing greatly substantial about you") and her brief appearances were both funny but also I would so love to learn more about her haha (and I get the feeling she's related to Lawrence? which would make me side-eye her a little bc of Lawrence's, uh, conservative bratty behavior, but im hoping she doesn't share those sentiments based on what little i saw of her)
I love the bad endings you've got set-up! It was really interesting to see how far you'd take them! The scene of Milo's blood being shown under the ruins of Q's trap was also pretty impactful. Really felt like a "oh shit this is the consequence of my actions" kind of moment. Also Q doing questionable things like killing the homeless guy (I see where he comes into the plot now, RIP random NPC :'D) in order to keep his former allies from coming after him and protecting Milo a little more,,, very much like the intrigue and guilt on Q's conscience and how he struggles with that around those who've been treating him relatively decently
The quicks thing was interesting! I love that little world-building detail and how that explains Milo's butterfly attraction! I know it was discussed in canon a little but I wonder if Q's quirk relates to the bad endings and that's why he can't really realize the quick he has? Because his quirk is to pull himself back in time or something? Granted, I think that's stuff that's too OP to be a quirk based on how the cast described it but if Q DOES have a quirk im not sure what else to guess as i can't recall him activating anything out of the ordinary (except maybe the ability to get people to trust him even when he's doing and saying shady things gfjfgj)
and then T!! It was good to learn more about him! He was a question I had in my mind since part 1 so it was great to see more on him and his relationship with Q (and the fact their ship name could potentially be Q-T cracks me up). I think Milo is a much better partner for Q then T was, but definitely I can see why Q fell for T and why he was drawn to T and so heartbroken over his death. I was honestly expecting to end part 2 with seeing T somehow pop up and be like "hey guess what i've been in the magical society all this time and just disguised my body the same way you did so no one would guess im still alive" but alas TwT.
All things considered, at least Q is slowly getting a new home with June + Wren and the rest and finding love with Milo (as messy as it's been so far with his, uh, previous employment). Very curious to see how you're going to wrap up the confrontation of Q vs. the very people he ran away from! Also,,, I'm so curious to know if there's a deeper reason why Milo is targetted (And why do I think it has to do with the fact they want to bring their teacher back to life? and - on that note - is that teacher actually Q's mother and it's actually his former leader (whom I noticed calls Q his "son") who has a vendetta against Milo for getting Q's mom/his wife killed? Maybe that's just a conspiracy theory but that would kind of answer a lot of the reoccurring questions I've had on why it's Milo in particular that got targeted (and on another note...maybe T's death has something to do with Milo's teacher and her death? Thoughts are being had here...))
Anyways!! Part 2 left me with a lot of thoughts as to the deeper workings of the plot but i loved the deeper look we got at Q and his former employment in particular! It was very fascinating to look at him and his rather flawed relationship with T and how to happens to reflect on Milo as his new love interest (and Milo's def a better match for Q in my mind haha), hope to see more :Dc
Thank you so much for playing and for the kind words 🥺💕 (you could've told me about the save, i'd have sent you a file to load 😅)
Aww, I'm happy to see some Iris appreciation 🥰 I had a lot of fun writing her bickering with Milo and some of her lines still crack me up every time. And the thing about Iris is, yes, she's mean but she also usually has a point. (and yes, she'll be back with more mean comments and some backstory) (though how much will depend on your school choice 🤔) (also, good eye, that's all I'm going to say 😏)
I'm happy you liked the bad endings! There'll be more (and worse 💕) ^^ I feel like the bad choices shape the story just as much as the good ones and they help you see a broader picture. I know most people don't want to see the bad endings for various reasons, but I love mine very much 🫠 (and I recommend getting at least a few to get a taste of what could've been ^^)
Wow, these are some THEORIES, i love them 🤭💕 I can't confirm nor deny if you're right or not, everything will be resolved in Part Three ^^ (hopefully, in a satisfying way) I will say though, that Reed calling Q 'son' has more to do with their positions than anything else (I think it's not uncommon for superiors to use it with their subordinates to shorten the gap or seem more compassionate).
Thank you again for taking the time to play and write this up, I'm happy you liked it 🥰 (also, could you put a spoiler warning on the comment? just in case someone wants to take a peek before playing 😅)
"WTF YOU DIDN'T TELL ME [REDACTED] WAS A JERKFACE????"
"HELP HOW CAN YOU MAKE US MAKE THIS CHOICE RIGHT OFF THE BAT???"
"Well ofc I am not making THAT choice"
"Omg Q really is so intense isn't he GOSH??? lkdjfads"
"OK this part is pretty cool"
"STOP BEING A JERKFACE SERIOUSLY"
"kiss them kiss them kiss them kiss them NOOOOO"
"DO I ASK FOR JUNE'S HELP??? I DON'T KNOW??? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO???"
"I need her help ljdsfkasd"
"OK warming up slight to [REDACTED] but still don't like how he treats Q,,,,,,,"
"Ummmmmmm ofc I will choose transmutation AS IF THERE'S ANOTHER CHOICE?"
"Omg who is this dude-bro dkljafsld"
"UM ofc I will pet the kitty"
"WHO IS THIS JERKFACE???"
"SOBBING SOBBING SOBBING DRUNK MILO"
"hlkdjflaksdjfLKFEJWLAKFJSDLKFjldskfjasldkfjadkj MILO IS SO CUTE IN THE HELP OMG MY HEART IS BEATING OS FAST????"
"Ohhhh the cute picture from Milo's past <3"
"OK I did kinda assume something like this would happen with [REDACTED]............. unsure how I feel. I feel very sad for Q but also that last scene was so heartbreaking so I am so conflicted adlkjfald"
"THAT'S THE END NOOOO????'
"WHAT ABOUT THE BALL??? I WANT TO SEE THE BALL??? fine make me wait... WEEP"
OK but seriously more actually coherent notes.
AND JUST IN CASE THERE WILL BE SOME VAGUE SPOILERS BELOW FOR ANYONE READING though I will try to keep from mentioning anything directly/in detail where possible to still keep it more vague:
...
....
....
....
OK. I did take my time with it a bit more as I wanted to make sure I didn't rush anything alkdjfad AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH??? Gosh this took me on so many trips. Ups and downs all over the place. MILO IS SERIOUSLY SUCH A CUTIE?? HOW COULD YOU MAKE US MAKE THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS?? I really enjoyed the choices that popped up in this part and am also so curious now how much things WOULD actually affect the story if I had picked other ones?? (but also I would be too heartbroken to choose some of them I think dlakfjds) I really enjoyed the further build up of Q's feelings for Milo. Especially like, how he also questions so much, especially after learning about the quirk, since it's true, he did make quite a big life-altering decision based on these feelings of his???? I thought the cover-up was so clever and I really enjoyed how you set all of that up, while also giving us so many more details about the world and magic in the process.
THE FLASHBACKS. Because of course we need to talk about those. I still cannot decide how I feel about T. On the one hand, some of the scenes with him and Q were quite cute, but on the other hand, it feels like he's just using Q, especially in some of the lines where he made Q promise not to see anyone else... it just felt a bit smarmy jdkfajda but maybe that's just me feeling very protective of Q. Though it makes complete sense to me why Q is so attached to him. Learning more about how isolated and cold their life is and how they really only have each other as any form of connection... I really enjoy these glimpses into all this stuff that's happening, THOUGH I STILL HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS?? LIKE WHAT IS EVEN THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL? WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO DO? WHY DO THEY HAVE THESE RECRUITS?? So I'm getting more and more curious about when a lot of these questions will finally be revealed lkadjfads and I definitely feel like this is not the last time that T will come up in general, especially given some of the vague-ness about what might have actually happened to him. Makes me all Curious and Piqued LKDAJFLSAD Mostly though I just really want to protect and love Q ------ AND LET HIM AND MILO BE HAPPY TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE SERIOUSLY SO CUUUUUTE. I LITERALLY ALMOST DIED AND HAD TO STOP AND BRING MY HANDS TO MY MOUTH DURING THE BED SCENE. MILO WAS LITERALY SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO CUTE IN THE BED I WEPT. godddddddddddd HAVING A MOMENT. I just. I think they are Neat LOL And of course I will use all my Power of Choice to ensure they are able to live Happily with each other as much as possible LOL
Loved also getting more insight into some of the other students and teachers and general goings-on in the society!! For instance, uh.... CRAP I forgot his name. The dude-bro in the transmutation lab LOL I enjoyed him (despite apparently not remembering his name...) I really want to learn and see even more of this behind-the-scenes type stuff as you've got this really amazing world and I'm just SO INTRIGUED about all of it AHHHHHHH.
Ok ok ok ,,,,, UMMMM THE PARTY. LOVED THE PARTY. Loved the cat. LOVED BEATING UP THAT GUY??? The mini games were a lot of fun in this part. Using the power of my Fingers to land punches HAHAH that was so great. Felt very justified (I will do anything in my power to protect Milo dlkajdslfka). The CGs were absolutely LOVELY in this part. I loved every single one of them. Music was EXCELLENT. Pacing was AMAZING. Godd I need to stop just shouting out random words or something I JUST REALLY LOVED IT OK???
I will try to bring this rambling to a stop.
EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY THIS. The characters are just absolutely lovable and your heart will get pulled from one way to the next. Some of the most amazing art I've ever seen. Gorgeous level of immersion. You will not want to stop the story and will cry when you reach the end of part 2 screen!! I'm really so so curious how my decisions are going to affect everything and I'm really hoping that I chose the right ones AHHHHHH. OH YEAH I LOVED WREN'S LITTLE PART IN THIS. The scene with him and Q in the chairs at the party was somehow very nice and I enjoyed it a lot. Also some of the lines there made me like.... ???? There is some history here??? That got me very Piqued, as well. (AND THEN I ALMOST DIED WHEN MILO SAT IN Q'S LAP ALDKJFALKSD)
Ok ok ok I kept rambling but seriously. Just an absolutely excellent new chapter and I'm SO SO SO EXCITED for the next (and last??? i will weep). I love these characters and story and world SO much!! 💕
Ghhhhhhghgh I loved the reactions, thank you for the laugh
🤭💕
I admit T is a bit of a jerk but I love him very much nonetheless, haha. 😅 He does care about Q (which I hope is evident in the game) but he's got his reasons for acting like he does. (and that includes being young and stupid lol) (Also, believe it or not, he used to be A LOT worse in the first versions of the script 🫠)
But I'm delighted that you enjoyed all the Milo content 🥺 Quaint is a love story at its core and what love story would it be if there were no moments that made your heart go "!!!!", right? ^^ So this is reassuring and it makes me very happy that you liked those scenes 💕
And don't worry, once you get past the cover-up thing, there are no objectively bad choices that would backfire later on. (not in part two, at least) The school choice is the most weighty of them all, and affects a lot of things along the way, some of the endings included. (and fun fact: I wouldn't call it canon, but I'd personally choose practical magic for Q ^^) (Also, I would encourage you to make those bad choices in a separate file if you have the time ^^ I like my bad endings just as much as the good ones 😏🤭)
Thank you for playing and for the wonderful comment, I'm very happy you liked it 🥰
Hi! I just played part 2 and wanted to leave my feedback!
So, first of all, I still enjoyed how interactive everything was (the fight was a particularly fun moment), how polished everything was: the music was great, the illustrations were beautiful (you outdid yourself with the lighting!), and the way the plot developed was very interesting too (literally, you set up the stalker during part 1 and I wasn't expecting this pay-off, it was so great and interesting)!
Now, I'll try to mention more things, but for anyone reading this, it's spoilers, haha! But for anyone reading this, PLAY IT, IT'S SO GOOD, IT'S AMAZING, IT'S POLISHED, IT'S BEAUTIFUL, AND THE PLOT!!!!!!!!! THE PLOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So:
- I really love how you tackled Milo's gender identity, and I enjoyed the way their backstory developed. Their conflict between a past they want to fix and a present in which they are whom they've been wanting to be was very interesting to read and play! You tackled the topic with grace and intelligence. I'll go further on LGBTQ+ issues when we tackle T's case!
- Regarding Milo, I have so many conflicted feelings about them as a love interest, aaaaah!!!! They make me squeak and giggle, but sometimes, they make me sometimes feel uncomfortable for some reason with the way they act with Q (the exam thing sends shivers down my spine frvgfb), and yet I want to protect them because they are precious and wholesome and charming and yet I wonder why they are a target, what have they done??????????
- Similar thoughts for T, gosh, I was so tormented!!!! I could tell he sincerely loved Q but that social norms prevent him to embrace this love. And YET, he is so horrible with him!! By never reciprocating his feelings, by being possessive because he still loves him and yet he would allow himself to sleep around and yet he stops doing so because he realises it's not the kind of relationship he wants with Q and that he wants more and yet he won't accept it?? I think you pinpointed perfectly the complications of "bi-curious" relationships!! You really twisted my feelings in the most painful yet relevant way!
- I LOVED Q. I can't emphasise it enough. I loved the reflections about blindly following orders you brought thanks to him in the bad endings! But, god???? The way he falls in love? It was so touching!!!! Really, his dedication to those he has feelings for, the way he perceives himself unworthy because of his indeed questionable actions... So, congrats, I do LOVE him!!!!!
- Special mention to June, I kinda enjoyed seeing her being mad at Q for not taking her advice. It kinda reminded me of my frustration when some friends would vent about the same problems and never actually apply the advice I give... I'll admit I never spoke as harshly as June, so it was kinda cathartic haha! And another mention for Vale, I r-really like him...
Overall, it was a STELLAR experience, and I had a lot of fun!!! The mystery goes broader, the tension is SO HIGH, I want to know more, I want to see all the endings! I explored all the scenes, all the variations because I was hooked, and didn't want to give up on the story and the characters already!!!!!!! And the conclusion wasn't as plot-twisty as the conclusion of the first part, but it was so sad (in a good way)!!!!!!!!! Aaaaah, congrats Hiro!!!!!!! If I could give a second 5-star rating for this, I would, but itch won't let me somehow which is unfair!!!!!!!! A steal, for all I can say!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for releasing this!!
EDIT: Also, I forgot to mention, but the mirroring between Q's fake death and T's death... Interesting... And now I have theories, aaah!!!!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the characters! I love them all dearly but I feel like it's sometimes hard to convey the exact reasons in writing. Especially with Q, I'm always worried if he's likable enough as an MC (and Part One didn't have much room to really show him as a character for obvious reasons). So I'm delighted by your feedback 💕
(And on the other hand, i wouldn't want to make them too perfect, either, because perfect characters aren't interesting, right? But the fact that you felt conflicted about some aspects of them probably means that I succeeded ^^)
I really appreciate that you took the time to explore the different choices, too! I wanted to make sure that each alternative path adds a little something to the story (even if most people won't see it). ^^
Thank you so much again for the wonderful words, it really means a lot 🥰
I didn't expect the plot twist at the end of part 1 👀 And I have to say, as cute as Milo is, when I first saw Wren I wished he was romanceable (I still somewhat do), I like him as a character, but I understand that the plot needs otherwise.
Well, you have me fully invested in the game! You do make awesome stories 💖
Yeah, the story kinda limits who Q can end up with 😅 (and Wren is very much married to his job, too). BUT there will be a chance to get closer to him as a friend later on, so I hope that's something at least. ^^
Hey! I downloaded the first part a while ago but, hey, my computer being what it is, I had bugs with it! So, I took the matter in my own hands, finally fixed my computer and now I can review this first part of Quaint!
First of all, I have to APPLAUDE how polished everything is! The art, the GUI, the animations (!!!!!!), this game really is a treat! Really, that was great! Also, I have to say the world-building is excellent!!!! The spellcasting system is simple enough for us to understand yet it seems flexible enough to create a variety of spells. It was very consistent and it really worked extremely well! Also, a "spy/sci-fi" universe mixed with a "wizarding school" one is a surprisingly good mix!
Now, regarding the characters, I really loved June! She's a funny support character, and I loved reading her text discussions with Q! Also, Milo was adorable (I'll admit I've been put off by the "touching hands to discharge" although not necessary and them withholding this information from us, but hypersensitivity, hehe). But I really grew attached to them, to their quirks (the "escape my date" scene was funny) and to their objectives regarding what we learn towards the end of the part. Now, Quentin. Q. I'll admit I've had a bit of trouble with his consistency at first: he kinda seemed to be the skeptical one, but he didn't question June regarding magical stuff and so on. I think I told you that when I review your demo a while ago? But now that I've been SHAKEN by the plot twist at the end of the first part (I screamed "OH NO!!!!!!! PLEASE, NO!!!!!!!!!"), him not questioning it makes MUCH more sense! I also enjoyed his hard-working yet easily-flustered personality. Thematically, I also liked how you treated the confusion created by non-binarism (to say that it's normal to be confused at first, but being confused isn't an excuse not to be respectful) and how you treated the matter of homosexual folks being assumed heterosexual (and therefore forced into heteronormativity). Q's discomfort really sounded true to me. Also, I really didn't see the plot twist come. I'm trying to leave this review relatively spoiler-free so I won't expand too much, but it has made me VERY excited and it really raises the stakes for what will happen! Gosh, I wish I already knew frhur"jenjzrsj
So, this was a great first part, very polished and very professional! You did an amazing work and I'm more than eager to play more of Quaint! (but of course, take all your sweet time, we do not condone crunch here!!!!)
EDIT: it seems like the first part was release a month ago... WHAT HAVE I BEEN FIGHTING WITH THIS WHOLE TIME THEN???????
Aww, thank you so much for the sweet comment, I'm happy you enjoyed the game and liked the characters! 🥹💕 (The whole thing kinda hinges on whether you care what happens to them or not lol. 😅)
Q is a bit of a funny character because he puts on this mask when talking to others so the lines between how he presents and his actual personality are a little blurred. (But I hope the other things he says and does make more sense now, too. There are many little hints scattered throughout the game. ^^)
As for Part Two, it's already in the advanced stages of completion and should be ready to launch in the next two-three months. (ideally in time for Pride, but no promises here 😅) I can only hope it lives up to the hype, haha. ^^
Thank you so much once again, it makes me happy that you've found a moment to play despite the hurdles in your way. 🤭
Finally finished reading today! Here's some thoughts.
I can tell how much love you've been pouring into this... The attention to detail is like, genuinely heartwarming. The butterflies landing on Milo are probably my favorite example ahaha. That one sky scene was really beautiful as well! I was also really surprised that the load screen changes as you progress through the story!! It's a really nice touch.
I figured out the plot twist about 60% in, and was so excited to be right! I feel like you left just the right amount of clues that it was solvable, but not too obvious.
Milo ended up being my favorite. Them talking about reviving the dead while wearing the most stone-cold expression was probably the exact moment they really won me over haha.
I had an issue with fullscreen mode that caused the background to flicker to black at the end of every dialogue blip, almost like it was forcibly reloading it. I switched over to windowed mode and it went away. Just letting you know!
I can't wait to see where the story goes; I'll be looking forward to it!! :D
Thank you so much for giving it a try! I really did put a lot of work into it, so I really appreciate it. 🥰
So you figured it out, then! That's good, it probably means I did it right, haha. 😄 I think the balance between 'it's blatantly obvious what's going on' and 'that came out of the left field' is pretty hard to nail. (though I do love it when people are surprised by the end 🤭)
As for the screen flickering, it's most likely because of the display refresh rate of your pc. Some Ren'py games just cause this issue when in full-screen. Thank you for letting me know, though!
Anyway, thank you for the sweet comment, I hope that Part Two will not disappoint. 💕
Took me a bit more than I expected to finish the demo but man that plot twist. I was just about wondering if the guy outside of Q's window was the agent guy they were talking about when /that/ popped up as the last line instead and it's like,,, ahhHHHH I GET IT NOW
that poses the question though,,, who is Mr. Stalker I wonder??? One of the guys who can use magic and is sus of Q? Or a neutral party neither super secret government faction nor local magic gang? im curious of him now,,, esp. since i always tend to have a soft spot for potential neutral/third party factions,,,,,,,,,
there were definitely a lot of questions brought up in this that i can't wait to get answers for. Like why Milo in particular? Because they're trying to resurrect the dead? Also, T seems to be a past lover of Q's who's maybe dead? Or perhaps he was like Milo - someone Q had feels for but was his target in the end? gotta say it sounds like Q's job is less programmer and more a secret government agent which,,, in hindsight that all clicks together but not until after the reveal did i really guess that fjhfgjhgf
It was nice to see your cast in context though! Milo was different than I expected (i thought they'd be more of an outright prankster but instead they're pretty chill which, nice). I can't help but wonder if their butterfly attraction motif is a result of them having their teacher's magic since butterflies are commonly associated with life or if that passive ability has a deeper meaning (like perhaps being used to scout information as creations they made?). Wren was very fun to see! For some reason I thought Penny was going to be capable of communicating with the cast so i was surprised to see her hiss instead gfjhfghj but I def do love her and Wren and his little threat to Q not to hurt Milo (which, oof,, OOF,,, Q's screwed isn't he if he goes through with The Plan). And poor June too,,, dealing with all those Karens,,,
I really find it curious though that Milo seems to be, for lack of better words here, the star of the society,, like everyone loves them and wants to see the best for them but then there's Q with that kill order and it's like,,, oh,,,, if Q kills Milo he's going to get quite the reckoning lmao
a bit of rambling but i like the set-up you've got going here for the ramifications of what will happen if Q decides to kill Milo (meanwhile, I wonder what the repercussions will be for failing his job? Perhaps part 2 will explore that??) and also a little glimpse into what might be a bigger plot with magic society vs. Q's employers?
regardless,,, this was a very fun playthrough and i enjoyed all the art and work you put into it! It definitely feels like something you put your heart and soul into and I can't wait to see more of how the plot unravels now that the reason for Q's dilemma is out of the bag ^^
Thank you so much for playing and for writing this all out! It makes me very happy that you enjoyed it. 🥰
I'm delighted you've picked up on so many things in the plot and I can say you're on the right track for quite a few. 👀 (Part Two will address the majority of it, too, with different consequences for whatever choices are made along the way. 😏)
I'm glad you liked the cast! Milo is definitely not much of a prankster but rather someone who causes trouble by doing whatever the heck they want. (And they get away with it, too. 🤭)(At least most of the time.)
Anyway, thank you again, and I hope Part Two can meet your expectations when it comes out. 💕
I honestly love everything about this. The story? Fun! Intriguing! Cute! The characters? Extremely lovable! Adorable! Full of personality! This is like... everything you could want in a queer fantasy story tbh GODDDDD.
I had the pleasure of playing the demo before this, so I already had an idea of what I was diving into character-wise, but with part 1, it goes so much further, and I really got to learn more about the world and the characters (AND THE CUTE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN Q AND MILO). I love the setup of a mysterious secret magic society so much. And watching Q struggle but slowly learn things was so much fun, especially given his general belligerence to most things.
Favorite character is Milo hands down. THEY ARE SIMPLY TOO ADORABLE?? Every scene with them made me want to weep giant salty tears. And I love love LOVE the slow build-up of what's going on with them and Q. Also love that they're just so mysterious, too? Part 1 finally started to give us a few more details about them and their backstory, though I feel like there's still a whole lot left (and a whole lot of compliCATIONS left) in future parts djalfkdaj
The artwork is honestly gorgeous. The sprites are so full of life and emotion. They move so much! And all the expressions fit so perfectly well with the timed dialogue. It made it feel super immersive as I was reading. AND THE CGS!! God, they were so beautiful. I loved each and every one of them! Especially the ones with Milo,,, ;-; Like, overall, I would just say this whole game seeps with immersion. From the use of the sprites and their movements, to the sound effects, to the music—everything just feels very cinematic.
The mini games were also tons of fun!! I thought they were a really fun and creative way to bring in some interaction and actually feel like WE were learning some magic, too, which was really cool. (There's also a certain one I felt worked SO WELL as a surprise lead-in to a specific scene—it was done super well, especially after the way the previous mini games had gone. Just another aspect of how the game really immerses you!)
AND GAHHHHHH THE ENDING TO PART 1 I CAN'TTTTT. I was left slightly with my jaw agape, I will admit. WHAT A CLIFFHANGER LKADJFALSKD Gosh, now I'm already on pins and needles waiting to see what part 2 holds and what could possibly happen because it already feels like DRAMA CENTRAL (BUT DEAR GOD I WANT Q AND MILO TO BE ALL RIGHT ALDKJAFLD).
Anyway.... LOVE IT. ALL OF IT. EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY. If you like queer stories and magic and adorable fun characters, this will be right up your alley!!
Thank you so so so much for all the wonderful praise, it makes me happy beyond words that you found it fun and immersive, and that you liked the characters! 🥹💕
As for Part Two, I can say that there's still a lot to story to cover (and a lot to discover about Milo, so you're right about that ^^) and that it's probably my favorite among the three. There will be choices to be made and I promise that at least SOME of them will let both Milo and Q get out of it unscathed. ^^
← Return to game
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Finally finished part 1 and 2!! I wanted to wait until I was done playing both parts to leave a comment. I'm glad I could do it before the end of 2023, hehe.
BOY, WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN???? This is such a wonderful game in so many ways!!!
First of all, the art is GORGEOUS and don't even get me started on the animations and programming!!! Everything feels so cinematic, it's as if I was watching a movie, at times!! It makes the story so much more immersive and captivating, I honestly can't stress this enough, it's SO GOOD!!!
I especially love how you added tables at certain times, so that the characters' sprites would sit and eat together (or even just chat, like when Q is at the cafe working on his laptop and chatting with June). The spells and portals showing up was FUCKING AWESOME as well and, gosh, don't even get me started on the flying broom scene, it's so MAGICAL!!!
Something that I also love to death about this game is how it's mostly dialogue and there aren't as many descriptive parts; only when Q's describing a part of a flashback. I love when games AND books do this. It reminds me of this book called "The kiss of the spider woman", which is essentially a book that only has dialogue save for the last part. But when a visual novel does this? Gosh, it's even better. I just LOVE when visual novels make the most of the medium and make things so cinematic. It adds a certain flavor that's usually not there but, when it is, it makes everything better.
I admit I'm biased, though lmao.Now, let's talk about the characters. GOD, THE CHARACTERS. I love them SO MUCH!! They are all so unique, I love how you can tell who's talking even if you don't look at their sprites!! Their personalities are very distinct and, no pun intended, enchanting!! Even the characters that aren't supposed to be likeable are interesting; the lore is so rich that I want to know more about everyone!! Q, Milo and June are definitely my favorites, though. They're just too wonderful not to love.
Even with some things that would obviously not be possible for me to relate to, because SPOILERS, I found Q and Milo to still be really relatable in a whole lot of ways.
When it comes to Q, his social awkwardness, his struggles with self-confidence, his hate for crowded places
and annoying people who pester him about being in a relationshipand his fear of rejection rang very close to home.When it comes to Milo, what can I say, I'm a big sucker for alchemy LMAO so I can't help but relate to their love of transmutation magic
andtheir love of cheesecake! But I felt especially close to their wish for someone to love them as they are instead of forcing ideals and fantasies onto them. It's so true, sometimes people just want you to be someone you're not and I share Milo's view about preferring to be alone rather than with someone who can't accept them as they are.Now, for the story... just, WOW. They had us on the first half, not gonna lie LMAO. I expected some drama but I was NOT prepared for what I experienced (and I mean this in the best way possible). It started all pretty wholesome with a little bit of magic here and there, a liiiitle big of drama... and then BOOM the first plot twist came around and I was just like "DID IT REALLY JUST WENT THAT ROUTE???". A lot of things started to make so much more sense after that and dksbgdksjgbjks words are not enough to express just how invested I am in the story because HOLY SHIT.
[WARNING, HUGE SPOILERS BELOW]
I love the way the 1st plot twist was done 'cause it's not out of nowhere. There were little hints given here and there throughout all of part 1 but not in a way that screams "I'm intentionally avoiding mentioning stuff to appear more mysterious" but rather "I'm just going to make you think Q's an introverted and stressed out programmer that's also most definitely going through grief and use awkward silences to make it seem like he's just nervous and clueless, but he actually knows more than he lets on". I FELL IN THE TRAP.
Now, T's introduction!!! Gosh, I won't deny that the cute interactions between him and Q made me smile a lot, but I also felt really bad for Q. As much as they loved each other, their relationship had a couple of red flags... especially on T's part. I feel like T most definitely loved Q in the same way Q loved him, but T seemed to be ashamed of how being seen as gay or bi might "damage his reputation", which, yeah... that's no bueno, T, my dude.
It's also so tragic how that's the last conversation they had too. It's no wonder Q fell into such deep despair. The way he also loses the "anime shine" in his eyes when he, presumably, falls into depression... god, it broke my heart in a million pieces.
Not to mention the OTHER plot twist about what the DATES meant all along!!! I was a bit confused about them, at first, but when it's revealed that it's the days that went by since T's death... jesus christ, I feel so bad for Q and want to hug him forever.
Also, this is probably obvious from the tweets I made of this game but, gosh, I'm all on board for the Q and Milo ship!!! I love them so much, their chemistry is so good!!! Their romantic scenes just put a huge smile on my face and I'm really looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops further!!
Not gonna lie, I'm usually not a big fan of the "will they won't they" trope when it's from BOTH sides; especially since it makes me react similar to June xD BUT, I think it works here because of Q's real identity and because of Milo's fear of people wanting them for someone they aren't.
I'm a bit crushed on the note that Q was basically hit like a ton of bricks when Milo said the word 'abominable'. I hope he still finds the courage to tell them the truth... though it's looking more and more like the big reveal will be accidental and I'm scared aaaaahhhh sdkjgbskjgb!!!
ANYWHO, this was a mega long comment LMAO but I just couldn't help but ramble on and on because of how much I loved the game. I'm looking forward to part 3!!
Awesome work, Hiro!!
kkfsldkf;sd; what a wonderful comment, thank you so much for taking the time to write all of this, I'm so happy you enjoyed the story and found the characters relatable. 🥺💕 I've put a lot of my own experiences into the game so it always means a lot when they resonate with players. ^^
I'm glad you liked the animations! I'll admit I dropped the narration because I wasn't confident I could write it well and I've always felt a little self-conscious about it. 😅 So it warms my heart that you considered the lack of it something positive. ^^ It did force me to show all relevant actions and items on the screen (
and it's a lot more work to draw and program all the additional assets) but I do like this format and I think it works well for the setting (with all the floating items and brooms and stuff).Ah yes, the trap! 🤭 I always love reading about people's reactions when they first experience the twist lol. The best thing about Part One (IMO) is there are a lot of things that can be read differently based on how much you know about the plot. (so if you played it again, you could see some lines or even scenes in a completely different light) It was both a treat and a challenge to write, and I was constantly worried about slipping in too much info. 😅
Anyway! Thank you again for playing and for the sweet words, I can't express how happy it made me. 🥺💕 (and I hope you'll enjoy Part Three, too)
[Spoiler warning below]
I finally caught up to the end of part 2!! I had to restart from the beginning because apparently I didn't save when i finished part 1???? which i don't quite understand bc i feel like i WOULD have saved when i finished part 1 but whatever lol I caught up eventually
Gotta say though! As little as she appears Iris is my favorite character now lol! Asshole characters are easy for me to glom on to (and the fact that she's named Iris certainly helps: she's the second character named Iris I've look at and gone "i like you despite knowing nothing greatly substantial about you") and her brief appearances were both funny but also I would so love to learn more about her haha (and I get the feeling she's related to Lawrence? which would make me side-eye her a little bc of Lawrence's, uh, conservative bratty behavior, but im hoping she doesn't share those sentiments based on what little i saw of her)
I love the bad endings you've got set-up! It was really interesting to see how far you'd take them! The scene of Milo's blood being shown under the ruins of Q's trap was also pretty impactful. Really felt like a "oh shit this is the consequence of my actions" kind of moment. Also Q doing questionable things like killing the homeless guy (I see where he comes into the plot now, RIP random NPC :'D) in order to keep his former allies from coming after him and protecting Milo a little more,,, very much like the intrigue and guilt on Q's conscience and how he struggles with that around those who've been treating him relatively decently
The quicks thing was interesting! I love that little world-building detail and how that explains Milo's butterfly attraction! I know it was discussed in canon a little but I wonder if Q's quirk relates to the bad endings and that's why he can't really realize the quick he has? Because his quirk is to pull himself back in time or something? Granted, I think that's stuff that's too OP to be a quirk based on how the cast described it but if Q DOES have a quirk im not sure what else to guess as i can't recall him activating anything out of the ordinary (except maybe the ability to get people to trust him even when he's doing and saying shady things gfjfgj)
and then T!! It was good to learn more about him! He was a question I had in my mind since part 1 so it was great to see more on him and his relationship with Q (and the fact their ship name could potentially be Q-T cracks me up). I think Milo is a much better partner for Q then T was, but definitely I can see why Q fell for T and why he was drawn to T and so heartbroken over his death. I was honestly expecting to end part 2 with seeing T somehow pop up and be like "hey guess what i've been in the magical society all this time and just disguised my body the same way you did so no one would guess im still alive" but alas TwT.
All things considered, at least Q is slowly getting a new home with June + Wren and the rest and finding love with Milo (as messy as it's been so far with his, uh, previous employment). Very curious to see how you're going to wrap up the confrontation of Q vs. the very people he ran away from! Also,,, I'm so curious to know if there's a deeper reason why Milo is targetted (And why do I think it has to do with the fact they want to bring their teacher back to life? and - on that note - is that teacher actually Q's mother and it's actually his former leader (whom I noticed calls Q his "son") who has a vendetta against Milo for getting Q's mom/his wife killed? Maybe that's just a conspiracy theory but that would kind of answer a lot of the reoccurring questions I've had on why it's Milo in particular that got targeted (and on another note...maybe T's death has something to do with Milo's teacher and her death? Thoughts are being had here...))
Anyways!! Part 2 left me with a lot of thoughts as to the deeper workings of the plot but i loved the deeper look we got at Q and his former employment in particular! It was very fascinating to look at him and his rather flawed relationship with T and how to happens to reflect on Milo as his new love interest (and Milo's def a better match for Q in my mind haha), hope to see more :Dc
Thank you so much for playing and for the kind words 🥺💕 (you could've told me about the save, i'd have sent you a file to load 😅)
Aww, I'm happy to see some Iris appreciation 🥰
I had a lot of fun writing her bickering with Milo and some of her lines still crack me up every time. And the thing about Iris is, yes, she's mean but she also usually has a point. (and yes, she'll be back with more mean comments and some backstory) (though how much will depend on your school choice 🤔) (also, good eye, that's all I'm going to say 😏)
I'm happy you liked the bad endings! There'll be more (and worse 💕) ^^
I feel like the bad choices shape the story just as much as the good ones and they help you see a broader picture. I know most people don't want to see the bad endings for various reasons, but I love mine very much 🫠 (and I recommend getting at least a few to get a taste of what could've been ^^)
Wow, these are some THEORIES, i love them 🤭💕
I can't confirm nor deny if you're right or not, everything will be resolved in Part Three ^^ (hopefully, in a satisfying way)
I will say though, that Reed calling Q 'son' has more to do with their positions than anything else (I think it's not uncommon for superiors to use it with their subordinates to shorten the gap or seem more compassionate).
Thank you again for taking the time to play and write this up, I'm happy you liked it 🥰
(also, could you put a spoiler warning on the comment? just in case someone wants to take a peek before playing 😅)
Rough summary of my reactions for Part 2:
"OMG FLASHBACKS. FINALLY SEEING [REDACTED.]"
"WTF YOU DIDN'T TELL ME [REDACTED] WAS A JERKFACE????"
"HELP HOW CAN YOU MAKE US MAKE THIS CHOICE RIGHT OFF THE BAT???"
"Well ofc I am not making THAT choice"
"Omg Q really is so intense isn't he GOSH??? lkdjfads"
"OK this part is pretty cool"
"STOP BEING A JERKFACE SERIOUSLY"
"kiss them kiss them kiss them kiss them NOOOOO"
"DO I ASK FOR JUNE'S HELP??? I DON'T KNOW??? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO???"
"I need her help ljdsfkasd"
"OK warming up slight to [REDACTED] but still don't like how he treats Q,,,,,,,"
"Ummmmmmm ofc I will choose transmutation AS IF THERE'S ANOTHER CHOICE?"
"Omg who is this dude-bro dkljafsld"
"UM ofc I will pet the kitty"
"WHO IS THIS JERKFACE???"
"SOBBING SOBBING SOBBING DRUNK MILO"
"hlkdjflaksdjfLKFEJWLAKFJSDLKFjldskfjasldkfjadkj MILO IS SO CUTE IN THE HELP OMG MY HEART IS BEATING OS FAST????"
"Ohhhh the cute picture from Milo's past <3"
"OK I did kinda assume something like this would happen with [REDACTED]............. unsure how I feel. I feel very sad for Q but also that last scene was so heartbreaking so I am so conflicted adlkjfald"
"THAT'S THE END NOOOO????'
"WHAT ABOUT THE BALL??? I WANT TO SEE THE BALL??? fine make me wait... WEEP"
OK but seriously more actually coherent notes.
AND JUST IN CASE THERE WILL BE SOME VAGUE SPOILERS BELOW FOR ANYONE READING though I will try to keep from mentioning anything directly/in detail where possible to still keep it more vague:
...
....
....
....
OK. I did take my time with it a bit more as I wanted to make sure I didn't rush anything alkdjfad AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH??? Gosh this took me on so many trips. Ups and downs all over the place. MILO IS SERIOUSLY SUCH A CUTIE?? HOW COULD YOU MAKE US MAKE THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS?? I really enjoyed the choices that popped up in this part and am also so curious now how much things WOULD actually affect the story if I had picked other ones?? (but also I would be too heartbroken to choose some of them I think dlakfjds) I really enjoyed the further build up of Q's feelings for Milo. Especially like, how he also questions so much, especially after learning about the quirk, since it's true, he did make quite a big life-altering decision based on these feelings of his???? I thought the cover-up was so clever and I really enjoyed how you set all of that up, while also giving us so many more details about the world and magic in the process.
THE FLASHBACKS. Because of course we need to talk about those. I still cannot decide how I feel about T. On the one hand, some of the scenes with him and Q were quite cute, but on the other hand, it feels like he's just using Q, especially in some of the lines where he made Q promise not to see anyone else... it just felt a bit smarmy jdkfajda but maybe that's just me feeling very protective of Q. Though it makes complete sense to me why Q is so attached to him. Learning more about how isolated and cold their life is and how they really only have each other as any form of connection... I really enjoy these glimpses into all this stuff that's happening, THOUGH I STILL HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS?? LIKE WHAT IS EVEN THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL? WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO DO? WHY DO THEY HAVE THESE RECRUITS?? So I'm getting more and more curious about when a lot of these questions will finally be revealed lkadjfads and I definitely feel like this is not the last time that T will come up in general, especially given some of the vague-ness about what might have actually happened to him. Makes me all Curious and Piqued LKDAJFLSAD Mostly though I just really want to protect and love Q ------ AND LET HIM AND MILO BE HAPPY TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE SERIOUSLY SO CUUUUUTE. I LITERALLY ALMOST DIED AND HAD TO STOP AND BRING MY HANDS TO MY MOUTH DURING THE BED SCENE. MILO WAS LITERALY SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO CUTE IN THE BED I WEPT. godddddddddddd HAVING A MOMENT. I just. I think they are Neat LOL And of course I will use all my Power of Choice to ensure they are able to live Happily with each other as much as possible LOL
Loved also getting more insight into some of the other students and teachers and general goings-on in the society!! For instance, uh.... CRAP I forgot his name. The dude-bro in the transmutation lab LOL I enjoyed him (despite apparently not remembering his name...) I really want to learn and see even more of this behind-the-scenes type stuff as you've got this really amazing world and I'm just SO INTRIGUED about all of it AHHHHHHH.
Ok ok ok ,,,,, UMMMM THE PARTY. LOVED THE PARTY. Loved the cat. LOVED BEATING UP THAT GUY??? The mini games were a lot of fun in this part. Using the power of my Fingers to land punches HAHAH that was so great. Felt very justified (I will do anything in my power to protect Milo dlkajdslfka). The CGs were absolutely LOVELY in this part. I loved every single one of them. Music was EXCELLENT. Pacing was AMAZING. Godd I need to stop just shouting out random words or something I JUST REALLY LOVED IT OK???
I will try to bring this rambling to a stop.
EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY THIS. The characters are just absolutely lovable and your heart will get pulled from one way to the next. Some of the most amazing art I've ever seen. Gorgeous level of immersion. You will not want to stop the story and will cry when you reach the end of part 2 screen!! I'm really so so curious how my decisions are going to affect everything and I'm really hoping that I chose the right ones AHHHHHH. OH YEAH I LOVED WREN'S LITTLE PART IN THIS. The scene with him and Q in the chairs at the party was somehow very nice and I enjoyed it a lot. Also some of the lines there made me like.... ???? There is some history here??? That got me very Piqued, as well. (AND THEN I ALMOST DIED WHEN MILO SAT IN Q'S LAP ALDKJFALKSD)
Ok ok ok I kept rambling but seriously. Just an absolutely excellent new chapter and I'm SO SO SO EXCITED for the next (and last??? i will weep). I love these characters and story and world SO much!! 💕
Ghhhhhhghgh I loved the reactions, thank you for the laugh 🤭💕
I admit T is a bit of a jerk but I love him very much nonetheless, haha. 😅 He does care about Q (which I hope is evident in the game) but he's got his reasons for acting like he does. (and that includes being young and stupid lol) (Also, believe it or not, he used to be A LOT worse in the first versions of the script 🫠)
But I'm delighted that you enjoyed all the Milo content 🥺 Quaint is a love story at its core and what love story would it be if there were no moments that made your heart go "!!!!", right? ^^ So this is reassuring and it makes me very happy that you liked those scenes 💕
And don't worry, once you get past the cover-up thing, there are no objectively bad choices that would backfire later on. (not in part two, at least) The school choice is the most weighty of them all, and affects a lot of things along the way, some of the endings included. (and fun fact: I wouldn't call it canon, but I'd personally choose practical magic for Q ^^) (Also, I would encourage you to make those bad choices in a separate file if you have the time ^^ I like my bad endings just as much as the good ones 😏🤭)
Thank you for playing and for the wonderful comment, I'm very happy you liked it 🥰
Hi! I just played part 2 and wanted to leave my feedback!
So, first of all, I still enjoyed how interactive everything was (the fight was a particularly fun moment), how polished everything was: the music was great, the illustrations were beautiful (you outdid yourself with the lighting!), and the way the plot developed was very interesting too (literally, you set up the stalker during part 1 and I wasn't expecting this pay-off, it was so great and interesting)!
Now, I'll try to mention more things, but for anyone reading this, it's spoilers, haha! But for anyone reading this, PLAY IT, IT'S SO GOOD, IT'S AMAZING, IT'S POLISHED, IT'S BEAUTIFUL, AND THE PLOT!!!!!!!!! THE PLOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So:
- I really love how you tackled Milo's gender identity, and I enjoyed the way their backstory developed. Their conflict between a past they want to fix and a present in which they are whom they've been wanting to be was very interesting to read and play! You tackled the topic with grace and intelligence. I'll go further on LGBTQ+ issues when we tackle T's case!
- Regarding Milo, I have so many conflicted feelings about them as a love interest, aaaaah!!!! They make me squeak and giggle, but sometimes, they make me sometimes feel uncomfortable for some reason with the way they act with Q (the exam thing sends shivers down my spine frvgfb), and yet I want to protect them because they are precious and wholesome and charming and yet I wonder why they are a target, what have they done??????????
- Similar thoughts for T, gosh, I was so tormented!!!! I could tell he sincerely loved Q but that social norms prevent him to embrace this love. And YET, he is so horrible with him!! By never reciprocating his feelings, by being possessive because he still loves him and yet he would allow himself to sleep around and yet he stops doing so because he realises it's not the kind of relationship he wants with Q and that he wants more and yet he won't accept it?? I think you pinpointed perfectly the complications of "bi-curious" relationships!! You really twisted my feelings in the most painful yet relevant way!
- I LOVED Q. I can't emphasise it enough. I loved the reflections about blindly following orders you brought thanks to him in the bad endings! But, god???? The way he falls in love? It was so touching!!!! Really, his dedication to those he has feelings for, the way he perceives himself unworthy because of his indeed questionable actions... So, congrats, I do LOVE him!!!!!
- Special mention to June, I kinda enjoyed seeing her being mad at Q for not taking her advice. It kinda reminded me of my frustration when some friends would vent about the same problems and never actually apply the advice I give... I'll admit I never spoke as harshly as June, so it was kinda cathartic haha! And another mention for Vale, I r-really like him...
Overall, it was a STELLAR experience, and I had a lot of fun!!! The mystery goes broader, the tension is SO HIGH, I want to know more, I want to see all the endings! I explored all the scenes, all the variations because I was hooked, and didn't want to give up on the story and the characters already!!!!!!! And the conclusion wasn't as plot-twisty as the conclusion of the first part, but it was so sad (in a good way)!!!!!!!!! Aaaaah, congrats Hiro!!!!!!! If I could give a second 5-star rating for this, I would, but itch won't let me somehow which is unfair!!!!!!!! A steal, for all I can say!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for releasing this!!
EDIT: Also, I forgot to mention, but the mirroring between Q's fake death and T's death... Interesting... And now I have theories, aaah!!!!
Ahhhh, thank you so much for the sweet comment 🥺💕
I'm so glad you enjoyed the characters! I love them all dearly but I feel like it's sometimes hard to convey the exact reasons in writing. Especially with Q, I'm always worried if he's likable enough as an MC (and Part One didn't have much room to really show him as a character for obvious reasons). So I'm delighted by your feedback 💕
(And on the other hand, i wouldn't want to make them too perfect, either, because perfect characters aren't interesting, right? But the fact that you felt conflicted about some aspects of them probably means that I succeeded ^^)
I really appreciate that you took the time to explore the different choices, too! I wanted to make sure that each alternative path adds a little something to the story (even if most people won't see it). ^^
Thank you so much again for the wonderful words, it really means a lot 🥰
I didn't expect the plot twist at the end of part 1 👀 And I have to say, as cute as Milo is, when I first saw Wren I wished he was romanceable (I still somewhat do), I like him as a character, but I understand that the plot needs otherwise.
Well, you have me fully invested in the game! You do make awesome stories 💖
Ahh, thank you, it really means a lot 🥰
Yeah, the story kinda limits who Q can end up with 😅 (and Wren is very much married to his job, too). BUT there will be a chance to get closer to him as a friend later on, so I hope that's something at least. ^^
Hey! I downloaded the first part a while ago but, hey, my computer being what it is, I had bugs with it! So, I took the matter in my own hands, finally fixed my computer and now I can review this first part of Quaint!
First of all, I have to APPLAUDE how polished everything is! The art, the GUI, the animations (!!!!!!), this game really is a treat! Really, that was great!
Also, I have to say the world-building is excellent!!!! The spellcasting system is simple enough for us to understand yet it seems flexible enough to create a variety of spells. It was very consistent and it really worked extremely well! Also, a "spy/sci-fi" universe mixed with a "wizarding school" one is a surprisingly good mix!
Now, regarding the characters, I really loved June! She's a funny support character, and I loved reading her text discussions with Q! Also, Milo was adorable (I'll admit I've been put off by the "touching hands to discharge" although not necessary and them withholding this information from us, but hypersensitivity, hehe). But I really grew attached to them, to their quirks (the "escape my date" scene was funny) and to their objectives regarding what we learn towards the end of the part.
Now, Quentin. Q. I'll admit I've had a bit of trouble with his consistency at first: he kinda seemed to be the skeptical one, but he didn't question June regarding magical stuff and so on. I think I told you that when I review your demo a while ago? But now that I've been SHAKEN by the plot twist at the end of the first part (I screamed "OH NO!!!!!!! PLEASE, NO!!!!!!!!!"), him not questioning it makes MUCH more sense! I also enjoyed his hard-working yet easily-flustered personality.
Thematically, I also liked how you treated the confusion created by non-binarism (to say that it's normal to be confused at first, but being confused isn't an excuse not to be respectful) and how you treated the matter of homosexual folks being assumed heterosexual (and therefore forced into heteronormativity). Q's discomfort really sounded true to me.
Also, I really didn't see the plot twist come. I'm trying to leave this review relatively spoiler-free so I won't expand too much, but it has made me VERY excited and it really raises the stakes for what will happen! Gosh, I wish I already knew frhur"jenjzrsj
So, this was a great first part, very polished and very professional! You did an amazing work and I'm more than eager to play more of Quaint! (but of course, take all your sweet time, we do not condone crunch here!!!!)
EDIT: it seems like the first part was release a month ago... WHAT HAVE I BEEN FIGHTING WITH THIS WHOLE TIME THEN???????
Aww, thank you so much for the sweet comment, I'm happy you enjoyed the game and liked the characters! 🥹💕 (The whole thing kinda hinges on whether you care what happens to them or not lol. 😅)
Q is a bit of a funny character because he puts on this mask when talking to others so the lines between how he presents and his actual personality are a little blurred. (But I hope the other things he says and does make more sense now, too. There are many little hints scattered throughout the game. ^^)
As for Part Two, it's already in the advanced stages of completion and should be ready to launch in the next two-three months. (ideally in time for Pride, but no promises here 😅) I can only hope it lives up to the hype, haha. ^^
Thank you so much once again, it makes me happy that you've found a moment to play despite the hurdles in your way. 🤭
Can someone please explain HOW to get 8th CG,?
The CGs unlock as you progress the story. There are nine slots, but the last one is empty. Sorry for the confusion. 😅
Oh... Okay. Good luck with this project, we will wait for the whole story :3
Thank you, I appreciate it 💕
Finally finished reading today! Here's some thoughts.
I can tell how much love you've been pouring into this... The attention to detail is like, genuinely heartwarming. The butterflies landing on Milo are probably my favorite example ahaha. That one sky scene was really beautiful as well! I was also really surprised that the load screen changes as you progress through the story!! It's a really nice touch.
I figured out the plot twist about 60% in, and was so excited to be right! I feel like you left just the right amount of clues that it was solvable, but not too obvious.
Milo ended up being my favorite. Them talking about reviving the dead while wearing the most stone-cold expression was probably the exact moment they really won me over haha.
I had an issue with fullscreen mode that caused the background to flicker to black at the end of every dialogue blip, almost like it was forcibly reloading it. I switched over to windowed mode and it went away. Just letting you know!
I can't wait to see where the story goes; I'll be looking forward to it!! :D
Thank you so much for giving it a try! I really did put a lot of work into it, so I really appreciate it. 🥰
So you figured it out, then! That's good, it probably means I did it right, haha. 😄
I think the balance between 'it's blatantly obvious what's going on' and 'that came out of the left field' is pretty hard to nail. (though I do love it when people are surprised by the end 🤭)
As for the screen flickering, it's most likely because of the display refresh rate of your pc. Some Ren'py games just cause this issue when in full-screen. Thank you for letting me know, though!
Anyway, thank you for the sweet comment, I hope that Part Two will not disappoint. 💕
(obligatory spoilers warning here but !!!)
Took me a bit more than I expected to finish the demo but man that plot twist. I was just about wondering if the guy outside of Q's window was the agent guy they were talking about when /that/ popped up as the last line instead and it's like,,, ahhHHHH I GET IT NOW
that poses the question though,,, who is Mr. Stalker I wonder??? One of the guys who can use magic and is sus of Q? Or a neutral party neither super secret government faction nor local magic gang? im curious of him now,,, esp. since i always tend to have a soft spot for potential neutral/third party factions,,,,,,,,,
there were definitely a lot of questions brought up in this that i can't wait to get answers for. Like why Milo in particular? Because they're trying to resurrect the dead? Also, T seems to be a past lover of Q's who's maybe dead? Or perhaps he was like Milo - someone Q had feels for but was his target in the end? gotta say it sounds like Q's job is less programmer and more a secret government agent which,,, in hindsight that all clicks together but not until after the reveal did i really guess that fjhfgjhgf
It was nice to see your cast in context though! Milo was different than I expected (i thought they'd be more of an outright prankster but instead they're pretty chill which, nice). I can't help but wonder if their butterfly attraction motif is a result of them having their teacher's magic since butterflies are commonly associated with life or if that passive ability has a deeper meaning (like perhaps being used to scout information as creations they made?). Wren was very fun to see! For some reason I thought Penny was going to be capable of communicating with the cast so i was surprised to see her hiss instead gfjhfghj but I def do love her and Wren and his little threat to Q not to hurt Milo (which, oof,, OOF,,, Q's screwed isn't he if he goes through with The Plan). And poor June too,,, dealing with all those Karens,,,
I really find it curious though that Milo seems to be, for lack of better words here, the star of the society,, like everyone loves them and wants to see the best for them but then there's Q with that kill order and it's like,,, oh,,,, if Q kills Milo he's going to get quite the reckoning lmao
a bit of rambling but i like the set-up you've got going here for the ramifications of what will happen if Q decides to kill Milo (meanwhile, I wonder what the repercussions will be for failing his job? Perhaps part 2 will explore that??) and also a little glimpse into what might be a bigger plot with magic society vs. Q's employers?
regardless,,, this was a very fun playthrough and i enjoyed all the art and work you put into it! It definitely feels like something you put your heart and soul into and I can't wait to see more of how the plot unravels now that the reason for Q's dilemma is out of the bag ^^
Thank you so much for playing and for writing this all out! It makes me very happy that you enjoyed it. 🥰
I'm delighted you've picked up on so many things in the plot and I can say you're on the right track for quite a few. 👀 (Part Two will address the majority of it, too, with different consequences for whatever choices are made along the way. 😏)
I'm glad you liked the cast! Milo is definitely not much of a prankster but rather someone who causes trouble by doing whatever the heck they want. (And they get away with it, too. 🤭)(At least most of the time.)
Anyway, thank you again, and I hope Part Two can meet your expectations when it comes out. 💕
woah, this looks awesome!! I love the art style!!!
thank you, it means a lot 😊
Oooh, been a while
It sure has! ^^ This game is already three years in the making so I'm very happy I can finally show it off. 🥰
looks neat so far!
Thank you very much! 🥰
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC GAME!
I honestly love everything about this. The story? Fun! Intriguing! Cute! The characters? Extremely lovable! Adorable! Full of personality! This is like... everything you could want in a queer fantasy story tbh GODDDDD.
I had the pleasure of playing the demo before this, so I already had an idea of what I was diving into character-wise, but with part 1, it goes so much further, and I really got to learn more about the world and the characters (AND THE CUTE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN Q AND MILO). I love the setup of a mysterious secret magic society so much. And watching Q struggle but slowly learn things was so much fun, especially given his general belligerence to most things.
Favorite character is Milo hands down. THEY ARE SIMPLY TOO ADORABLE?? Every scene with them made me want to weep giant salty tears. And I love love LOVE the slow build-up of what's going on with them and Q. Also love that they're just so mysterious, too? Part 1 finally started to give us a few more details about them and their backstory, though I feel like there's still a whole lot left (and a whole lot of compliCATIONS left) in future parts djalfkdaj
The artwork is honestly gorgeous. The sprites are so full of life and emotion. They move so much! And all the expressions fit so perfectly well with the timed dialogue. It made it feel super immersive as I was reading. AND THE CGS!! God, they were so beautiful. I loved each and every one of them! Especially the ones with Milo,,, ;-; Like, overall, I would just say this whole game seeps with immersion. From the use of the sprites and their movements, to the sound effects, to the music—everything just feels very cinematic.
The mini games were also tons of fun!! I thought they were a really fun and creative way to bring in some interaction and actually feel like WE were learning some magic, too, which was really cool. (There's also a certain one I felt worked SO WELL as a surprise lead-in to a specific scene—it was done super well, especially after the way the previous mini games had gone. Just another aspect of how the game really immerses you!)
AND GAHHHHHH THE ENDING TO PART 1 I CAN'TTTTT. I was left slightly with my jaw agape, I will admit. WHAT A CLIFFHANGER LKADJFALSKD Gosh, now I'm already on pins and needles waiting to see what part 2 holds and what could possibly happen because it already feels like DRAMA CENTRAL (BUT DEAR GOD I WANT Q AND MILO TO BE ALL RIGHT ALDKJAFLD).
Anyway.... LOVE IT. ALL OF IT. EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY. If you like queer stories and magic and adorable fun characters, this will be right up your alley!!
This comment has turned me to mush, help 😭
Thank you so so so much for all the wonderful praise, it makes me happy beyond words that you found it fun and immersive, and that you liked the characters! 🥹💕
As for Part Two, I can say that there's still a lot to story to cover (and a lot to discover about Milo, so you're right about that ^^) and that it's probably my favorite among the three. There will be choices to be made and I promise that at least SOME of them will let both Milo and Q get out of it unscathed. ^^
Thank you again, this really means a lot! 💕