The Priestess, the Shepherd and the doom of Patras (DEMO)

FIRST OF ALL, the formatting of the game page and the game itself is so aesthetic; I love how nice it is to look at the soft color palette. 

I'm excited to see more of the story as the demo updates! Tragic romance slays, especially with the synopsis establishing a dramatic irony that Comaetho and Melanippus are going to fight an uphill battle to keep their relationship. 

Where's the rest of the game Chim, I was starting to get invested lsdfsdfskdfj (jkjk, take your time 🫶)

I liked the setting! It was interesting to learn a bit about the priestess's duties and rituals! The game feels sweet and cozy thanks to the soft color palette and the budding romance makes it seem almost like the beginning of a shōjo manga (with sparkles and everything fskfldkflsk). And now I'm patiently waiting for the doom to destroy everything 🙏

(also the line about the stepson was too funny fjksdjflskdjfs)

I highly enjoyed this Yanette AU, looking forward to seeing chimeriquement's roster of Yanette AUs expand in the future /s

More seriously, the start to this game is absolutely gorgeous! It does a fantastic job of drawing you into the world and setting up future developments. 

The start menu is beautiful, with the soft lighting as the leads are cast in purple-hued shadow. The entire aesthetic of the game is gorgeous, and the soft, painterly pastel style used for the CGs and sprites is lovely, dreamlike, and romantic. I also loved the use of particle effects, which contributed to the dreamlike atmosphere. (Considering where this story goes, I'm sure that this "fairytale-like atmosphere" will contrast well with the "doom of Patras" later on!) I really love the purple/peach color palette used for the GUI; it's really romantic and also contrasts well with the pastel colors used for the artwork. 

One of the biggest strengths about the writing is how naturally and efficiently information about the characters' backgrounds and motivations are seamlessly integrated into the narrative without seeming out of place. For instance, Comaetho's training of Cassiopeia naturally transitions into her reflecting on her own experience training as a priestess and the heavy expectations laid upon her. Even before Comaetho's interaction with her parents, the player is introduced to the difference between her and Melanippus' social statuses because they meet while Melanippus comes to perform his first sacrifice: his clear lack of experience with the entire affair communicates how relatively impoverished his family is compared to the people Comaetho usually interacts with, while also emphasizing the respect people in this culture hold for the gods. The two leads are also both lacking relationship experience/much experience with the opposite sex - conveyed through Comaetho's job, and Melanippus' complete lack of shame when undressing in front of the priestess. 

The demo does a good job of characterizing the leads and establishing their dynamic. While Comaetho appears to be a soft person, there is a hidden "hardness" to her, as she sees nothing wrong with ruthlessly gutting a cow - she has grown up learning to make such sacrifices, after all. At first you might expect Comaetho to be sheltered and naive, having been confined to the role of priestess for her entire life, but as you play you get the impression that she is actually the more worldly one between herself and Melanippus. From the start, it's clear that Melanippus is the softer, more naive of the two. He's a "country" boy, lacking knowledge about the rituals and customs of the city. At the same time, he's kind and compassionate, unable to bear the sight of his loved ones in pain. And, upon seeing the cow, Comaetho hyperfixates on Melanippus' kindness, and not on the cow's suffering - highlighting her own lack of empathy. Still, despite their differences, the two have an adorable dynamic, with a clear mutual interest in one another and a bumbling, awkward chemistry. The demo does a good job of setting them up as a couple that you want to support. 

MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE PLOT BEYOND THE DEMO

I also think that the sacrifice of the cow rather brilliantly reflects and foreshadows the events of the story later on, and, in particular, the attitudes of the two leads towards the carnage. Comaetho is the "aggressor" - the one who sows the violence and chaos, who holds no regret or sadness for the violence that she has wrought. Melanippus, on the other hand, is filled with grief, and yet he is also complacent. He is saddened by the violence, but does nothing about it. While Comaetho holds the sword, Melanippus sits, covered in blood, and mourns (and, in the end, accepts the cow's death). 

Overall I really enjoyed this introduction to the story, and I'm looking forward to the carna--I mean, the continuation of this love story!