Love this game! I am in the middle of Sandra's (renamed to Forest) route right now and its so fun! 10/10 would recommend
For some reason in this route though, when there finishing the pottery, I find it so funny Doug is just like "...I like crackers..." This seriously has me cackling every time I swear
Oh, realised I forgot to reply, I'm so sorry!! I'm happy you enjoyed Sandra's route! (Forest is an amazing name by the way, I should definitely use it someday...)
Don't worry about the late reply. I honestly forgot about the fact I posted a comment in the first place lol. I honestly respect that though because I sometimes go into the kitchen and just grab a pack of crackers and sit down with them. Happy Thankgiving (depending on where you live at least, where I live its the night before at the time i'm writing this
Doug is literally the cutest!! Him accidentally punching Adriel in the face twice and Adriel getting up with a smile on his face was so funny. Amazing game! <3
That game was so cute and wholesome, I loved the cast of characters. So far I've played Sandras Route and I liked her though she did frustrate me there in that one scene but regardless her and Doug are super cute together.
Anyway great job on the game, as always it was very enjoyable and I love the message about how simplicity isn't a bad thing.
Hi Box, thanks for your feedback! And for Sandra, yes lol, sure, she's burnt-out, but she needs to learn how to communicate, this would have spared an unnecessary quiproquo!
And yes, simple things can be cute! Thanks again for your feedback (and the livestream, I started watching the VOD!)
What a sweet game!! The opening lines had me laughing so hard. A beautiful little game about coworkers, new friends, and finding a relationship that works for you!
Also the itch page is so beautifully designed?????
Hi, thanks a lot for your kind feeback! I'm glad you had fun with the whole protag selection feature, I did too! And yes, I wanted this game to be a way to let the player experience a variety of relationships you can have with an ace person, and portray all as positive!
(cries thanks for noticing the itch page I worked hard to make it look pretty)
This was super cute!! I still have to play Adriel's route but gosh, Sandra's route is really sweet and endearing 🥰
I loved how Sandra and Doug got to know each other better through their outings (the Barbie movie thing was adorable and hilarious xD) and it made me so happy that you could choose to have an ace romance between them 😭💞
I especially really like the fact that they mentioned (if you choose the romance route) "I'm not totally lovestruck but I love you and want to know you better". I don't see that a lot in romance and it made their relationship even more special in my eyes 💕
Hi Pri, thanks for trying this game out! I'm glad you had fun with Sandra's route (and would be curious to know your thoughts about Adriel's when/if you end up playing it loool, it is a vastly different one!).
Yes, that was the concept: getting to know your boring ace co-worker thanks to rendezvous, and it was funny to think of events and quirks to give the characters (the Barbie thing was calling to me, how could I refuse...). And yes, the idea of being able to have an ace romance was very important to me, as I wanted to create fluffy ace content, especially after The Day Being Ace Made Him Stronger lol
And yes, it didn't feel natural to have them be love-struck the way Peter and Amanda were in WTWBYA for example, so it felt natural to have them having a less intense approach to their feelings and letting the player imagine how they would grow! I was worried it would come off as unsatisfying though so I'm glad you appreciated it and that it made it special!
Thanks for playing and leaving your thoughts, Pri, I always appreciate them!!
Hi, I'll just use this comment to answer to the edit of your rating.
The first thing I'd like to contextualise is that both the game you compared to WTWBYA and your itch username were kept anonymous. I do not encourage anyone to take any action against you either. I fail to see how this is bullying. Similarly, you are not being silenced: your reviews are still there and nope, although you might feel like it, you are factually not being silenced. If you're allowed to critique games, we are also allowed to critique your reviews.
For the situation I mentioned in the thread, I am sorry, but what you wrote wasn't critique (what you did for Rendez-Doug wasn't either, but it was overall fine with me because you presented it as your opinion, rather than advice on what I should be doing), it was pure and cold slander, completely unaware of what the game is. This game specifically mentions, on its page, that it is one-minute long: what kind of character development do you expect to have in one minute? And how can you expect something similar to When The Wind Blew You Away, which is around 13k words? This kind of feedback is not helping, because you are not giving the dev advice to improve their own approach, you decide to criticise it because it doesn't cater to your tastes. It is okay to have tastes, we all do: but there is a difference between a game doing a poor job and a game just not doing what you enjoy. I'll use your review of Rendez-Doug as an example: you mentioned not enjoying that Sandra was using the expression "cottage core", because it was nothing but a trendy word not fitting the narrative. Well, this game happens nowadays and Sandra, in particular, is a graphic designer, who is well aware of aeshetics of the sort: it completely fits the narrative and is consistent with her character. For example, I'm working right now on a game set in the 19th century, and the protagonist of this game wouldn't use indeed an expression like "cottage core", just like Sandra wouldn't use the word "gibface" to insult someone. You may or may not like the expression "cottage core" to describe things, it is within your own rights: but now, how is this an actual flaw?
And I'm using this example to keep the other game relatively anonymous, because I personally didn't mind that much your review of Rendez-Doug, but this illustrates the main issue of the review you let to the dev: you did not even try to understand their approach. Even worse, by telling them to check actual "good" VNs, you're implying their game is factually bad. You advise them to read, I quote "well-written novels", assuming they don't. You oppose this game to "REAL" poetry. So, you indeed do not explicitly say that "I know better than you what good visual novel writing is", but this is what you're communicating.
You mention being surprised by my reaction because my games indeed do not condone "bullying", which is true, but my games also carry a lot of other messages. In When The Wind Blew You Away, for example, when Peter finds out that Amanda doesn't love fizzy bears anymore, he isn't mad at her because she doesn't correspond to the Amanda he used to know and appreciate. No, instead, he asks her what she likes, wanting to discover and appreciate the 17-yo girl Amanda has become for who she is, rather than for who she was, and ends up falling in love with her again.
But let's suppose it stopped there: you played a game, failed to judge it in a relevant manner and gave it a poor rating, well, I wouldn't have minded. We get one-star ratings all the time, and we do have our fair share of questionable feedback. However, I had two major problems with your critique of this game, because it didn't stop there. First of all, well, I really didn't appreciate the fact you used my game to tell another dev theirs is bad. My work encourages kindness and empathy, even when giving feedback. For example, you thought it was sad that Doug because he couldn't tell Sandra she sings bad (which Sandra already knows): Doug is just not rude enough to kill Sandra's enjoyment by leaving unrequired feedback, since Sandra isn't training, but just having fun. Admittedly, rating a game is different because we are exposed and indeed seeking feedback. But having a careful and respectul approach, when you critique something, is always a good thing. I'll use one of my own games as an example: here, you can find feedback a person gave me about the way I handled volume in one of my games, and I'll let you read the discussion. Do I sound angry because L. dared to criticise something about my work? No, not at all, because he considered me enough to phrase it politely, and to still look fairly at the overall experience. It's not about being hypocritical or sugarcoating things. I genuinely hate it when people use "honesty" as an excuse to be rude, "blunt" even to use a word you chose to use to qualify your review of the game in question after the dev had blocked you. Deciding to leave feedback without thinking of basic courtesy isn't honesty, it's just disrespecting the person you're giving feedback to. I do give feedback, and I am honest when I give it: however, one constant thing is that I CARE about the person I am reviewing and therefore explain my ideas, justify them and always leave room for contradiction. "Walking on egg shells" is just a sign of respect to the content you consumed.
The other thing that really bugged me off is you deciding that this user wasn't open to critique and wasn't worth supporting because they blocked you. It is also a major theme of one of my games: everyone is allowed to send their own boundaries. For example, and I won't be too lengthy about it because you didn't like it, but in High School Lolita, Chloé starts healing after she starts setting boundaries and leaving the influence of her groomer. In When The Wind Blew You Away, when Peter explains not being ready to talk about the abuse he endured, trying to force him actually lowers his affection for you in terms of stats. Another game of mine, My Eternal Night with a Star, is about a woman not feeling ready to have her first sexual intercourse with her boyfriend, and such boyfriend proving his love by letting her set her boundaries and encouraging her in doing so. Another example? In He tasted like poison, an actual NSFW game I wrote, the main character is in emotional turmoil because he doesn't manage to set boundaries with the man he loves. This is a constant.
And in your case, this user was completely allowed to block you, and you deciding your feedback was so valuable them not considering it only means they don't want to improve displays indeed entitlement. If anything, this is narcissistic behaviour. And I'm happy for you that you enjoyed Rendez-Doug, but my point has never been about it anyway. I do think your review of Rendez-Doug isn't very relevant (Adriel as a gossiping antagonist for Sandra's route, for example, is a HORRIBLE narrative-design idea: how are players supposed to root for him in his route if he's meant to be such a mean-spirited character?). It was about you completely ignoring what the game you rated tried to do and using my game as a comparison. Which is quite contradictory on your part: for some reason, I would think highly enough of my work to refuse criticism of it, and yet, my point is that I don't think highly enough of my work to be used the way you did. Because I would never use my work that way, because I respect others and I fight for others to get respected. Maybe I'm overreacting, feel free to call me hysterical even, that my reaction is April Fools-worthy: this is pure indignation, I am indeed angry and saddened by the fact another developer, especially a developer who relesed their FIRST visual novel, got criticised so harshly and that my work was the blade of your "verbal guillotine".
I wanted to answer to this, and you're free to answer to, but I don't really see how we could pursue this discussion, as I don't see how you could change your ways, so it is highly probable that I won't answer after this. I wish you a nice day/evening.
Ahsjkdk this game, it's-- It's too cute-- I need to see the dentist from all this sugar 😭🤲🏻💞💞 The jokes all land so well too! I'm on call with my boyfriend and I kept needing to hold back my laughter shjdkdkd-- That was hard! He even commented on Doug's screaming sound effect! 😂😂✨
I also love all the references of your own games in this, Chim! You've really made your own universe fr 😁👌🏻✨💞
So yeah, enjoyed this to the moon and back! I relate so much with Adriel too! It's rare for me to find protags that's so close to me in personality, it's quite refreshing~ I'm a workaholic tho 🤭🤭
1000000/10 shipping Adriel with Doug! ADoug supremacy!! 💪🏻😤✨💞💞
I'm not sure when I can play Sandra's route ( my ADHD really makes it hard for me to play more than one full playthrough of a game in short intervals ahsjsls-- ), but I'm sure hers is as good as Adriel's, if not better! 🥰💞
Anyways~ Glad I decided to play this today! Been rough and this game's just the comfort I need. All the hugs are felt! Thank you so much for making Rendez-Doug, Chim! Looking forward to your next game 😁🤲🏻💞💞
I'm obsessed with Doug now tho, I want more of him and Adriel, ueee 😭😭💞💞💞
Aaaah, thanks for your feedback L, I appreciate it! I'm glad you found Adriel's route funny, wholesome and that it brought you comfort! Putting Wilhelm's scream was too funny to ignore, it felt very Doug for some reason!!
And sure, make sure to be in the right headspace to play Sandra when/if you want to do so, games are meant to be fun, not to be forced!
(And I can't promise anything, but I feel like Rendez-Doug, out of all my games, is the one for which writing DLC stories would be the easiest lol, I feel like it is so slice-of-life that I'd just need to think of random concepts to use these characters!)
Sob... this was so cute, Chim ahhhHHHHH. I played Adriel's route first, then took a break for din, then came back and played Sandra's route, and I loved them both so much??? And my heart just feels so light and fluffy now. As though it just had a nice relaxing day all cozy in some pillows and drinking some tea... or eating a "love apple" (<-- WTF DAKJSDLFASDFA) 😝
I DIGRESS THOUGH. This was absolute sweetness from start to end. Even the whole color palette of the game feels soft and airy, from the pink hue of everything, to the way you did the BGs with the almost dream-like way you filtered the images + the almost storybook quality of the way they look cut out. The UI is so cute too SOB how the save files look like miniature polaroids??? You're slaying me here. And ofc the music, as well! Every single peace felt like it just wanted to calm my soul, whether it was a more jaunty tune that made me smile or a melancholy peaceful tune that just calmed my nerves and made me feel at ease (like the main menu music that I'm listening to now as I write this lkdajfsd). And ofc the artwork????? Your style already has such a soft airy quality to it, which made it mesh so well with the fluffy vibe you already had going for this. All three of the main characters are just adorable and sweet and I love the balance of how they all look in each of the different scenes. I especially loved their couple of different outfits we got to see lkadjfa Especially Sandra's salsa outfit for some reason it looked so cute on her HELP
AND THEN OF COURSE THE STORY. Because that is the big meat of this sweet game. And not just one story but TWO!! Because Adriel's and Sandra's routes are both so different, so it really is like two games in one!
Adriel comes on a lot stronger than Sandra. You weren't lying when you said he was chaotic LOL He really is!! Seeing him say some of the silliest things and have the most random ideas for trying to cheer Doug up made me laugh so much. And I love how you can see Doug start out rather shy and reserved but over the course of the game start giving it back to Adriel just as much. It was really interesting also seeing the focus shift from making Doug feel better to then Doug himself helping Adriel get over his feelings of insecurity and not wanting to be a nuisance, which was something I could relate to a lot, even if it doesn't manifest itself in breaking things the way it did in Adriel's case. Seeing them both open up by the end and find someone they could rely on to help each other through their own issues was so sweet 😭💕 They also just played off of each other so well, their dynamics were always just a delight to read, with Adriel being so silly compared to Doug's much more down-to-earth approach.
Then with Sandra, even though Sandra is also more extroverted than Doug, similar to Adriel, the way she shows it and the dynamic she has with Doug is so different. I enjoyed the different scenes we got to see with her, like the karaoke and dancing. Somehow with these two I got an even stronger platonic vibe than with Doug and Adriel. Which, to be honest, almost made me even softer, because it reminded me of how tough it is in general to find good new friends as an adult and how sweet it is when you do find someone you mesh with so well and can go out and do silly things with or even just crash at home and watch a Barbie movie. It was incredibly sweet...😭 Also I loved that Sandra could also be ace too??? So then it felt even more special like these two aces that found each other and could help each other through things ahhhHHHHHHHHHH THEY'RE TOO WONDERFUL I'LL CRY 💕
THAT REMINDS ME I HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE ACE IN THE ROOM YET LKADJFADFA It was both bittersweet and sad for me seeing the reason why Doug's wife had cheated on him... My heart broke for him so much, especially as having experienced someone leaving me for similar reasons (even if it hadn't gotten nearly to the point of marriage yet lkjdadfa but still). So that just made it even more heartwarming to me in both of the routes that Adriel and Sandra could be such a comfort to Doug, whether it was in showing that you can have love without sex as I went with in Adriel's route, or finding another ace to share your life with, as I went with in Sandra's route. It really left such a big smile on my face by the end and made my heart swell up lakdjfasd 💕
Overall this was just such a sweet and wonderful game that lets you connect to a "boring" but wonderful and sweet ace guy in two different ways (ok actually more than that because each route has at least 2+ options but so far I've only played 1 for each lkdjfad). It will definitely leave you with a smile and feeling full of love and peace afterwards 😊 (and perhaps wanting to also meet someone as sweet and nice as Doug yourself WEEP). ALSO ALL OF THIS MADE IN JUST A MONTH SERIOUSLY??? TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MCS WITH ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ROUTES???? HELLO???? CHIM, YOU AMAZE ME CONSTANTLY LMAO 🤣 Just a stupendous amount of creativity, skill, and love put into this and it shows so much!! 😭💕
Hi Carrot, thanks for your detailed feedback, I am so happy this game made your heart fluffy (for once loool).
YES IT WAS A BIT OF A HAZARD TO GET THE SAVE MENU TO LOOK LIKE POLAROIDS but in the end, it worked fine, hurra!! And I'm glad you appreciated the use of the music, the GUI etc.! I like you also appreciated the characters, I wanted the protagonists to fit with the overall pink-ish vibe of the game and to have Doug being just in earthy, comfortable but overall boring colours.
Writing the two routes was definitely a lot of work, as they had to feel different despite having the same premise and overall similar goals (MC connects with Doug through either love or friendship). Adriel definitely is chaotic and I had a lot of fun writing it and yet, yet, hide something more vulnerable about him behind his clown-like attitude! For Sandra, it's funny you saw the route as very platonic! It is meant to be flexible but I'll admit my personal headcanon is them in a throuple ace!Sandra dating Doug and Adriel being the hugging bestie! But I had a lot of fun writing these little "outings", not to say dates, or even rendez-vous, and showing different sides of Doug!
For Doug's arc, it is FELT lol; at the same time, you're kinda like "well, I can't forbid someone to have a sexual life just for my sake" but at the same time, it is heatbreaking, because you start fearing you'll never be enough: I hope this game showed that Doug, you, me, every ace person is enough, and that it's just a matter of meeting the right person, not to fix us *heavy looks at Lara* but to love us in ways which are authentic to us!
AND YES ONE MONTH (+) I RELEASED THE THREAD AND THE SWORD I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LOL; I'm overall very happy that you enjoyed the game and that it brought you comfort, and I hope the other variations/endings, if you decide to try them, bring you similar good feelings (my personal favourite is Adriel's friendship one haha)!
Thanks again for your kind, detailed and thoughtful feedback Carrot, I always appreciate it so so much!!
I just got my preferred ending. The rest endings remained at the stage of assumptions))
Speaking seriously, I once again read your VN and glad that it is as fresh and good as the very first one and the development of games did not turn into a conveyor.
I wish you to maintain your inspiration and take care of your health. And we (grateful players) will patiently wait for new projects to reflect and enjoy emotions.
Your words are very nice and kind, thank you so much! I'm always making sure to work on projects I feel passionate about indeed and to tell stories I want to tell! That's what gives it meaning to everything after all. I hope my future projects will remain as fresh, I know I'm working hard for it!!
Excellent how-to guide for any extrovert adoption! Absolutely recommended material if you're a bored extrovert looking for an introvert to adopt! Jokes aside, this was an incredibly sweet game about overcoming your troubles with the help of new friends (and love) and forging new memories with new connections.
Starting off with the overall aesthetic, I loved the slightly red-pink tone that was used for the backgrounds and GUI, as it evoked a very strong "vintage" vibe (while also being quite romantic and sweet!) The green and pink hues used in the costumes for Sandra and Adriel also married excellently with the red hues, generating a really nostalgic "spring" feel for the game (quite apt, as this really is a game about Doug's "rebirth" after his divorce). The recurring motif of "photographs" is also quite symbolic as well, representing Doug's old memories with his wife (with, of course, the torn photo on the cover representing his torn relationship with her) - and the new ones that he creates with his new friends. The sprite art is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous, these are some of the PRETTIEST characters from chim yet (the face rendering especially), and the ending CGs are all adorable (and very fitting that he is creating new photos - memories - with his new connections).
The writing is as engaging as always, with some truly poetic lines. All of the characters have VERY different voices, and that difference in voice really comes out well in the first person narration. The animations are SO lively and engaging, with perhaps the most animation that a chimeriquement game has seen yet??? And all of the characters have stunning chemistry with each other that's incredibly fun to read (particularly Adriel and Sandra - I'm sorry, Doug...)
The choice to present two main characters, each with differing storylines, is a VERY interesting one that I haven't seen in many games before (I can only count them on one hand, honestly). Besides their gender, Adriel and Sandra have completely different personalities that lead them to have completely different arcs when trying to comfort Doug. So although the general "conceit" of the game is the same between the two protagonists (comfort the boringest man in the office), they were basically two completely different games, if I'm being honest LOL
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I started off with Adriel's route. I have to admit, the entire start to his route caught me COMPLETELY off guard. Adriel is basically CHAOS incarnate, and his route reflects that LMAO At every turn, Adriel was doing and saying the most RANDOM things. But it really makes sense in hindsight! Essentially, in addition to other parallels that I'll discuss later, Adriel and Sandra both start off the route trying to do something fun with Doug to get his mind off his divorce. Adriel's way of doing this is to AGGRESSIVELY distract Doug - and also get him to "get out his feelings"...with COMBAT. It's a very funny, almost stereotypically "masculine" way of bonding, which is just hilarious when juxtaposed with the fact that Adriel asks for hugs like two seconds later and is probably the cuddliest and most openly affectionate guy you've ever met (and also has a much better self-care routine than Doug...).
While the first part of Adriel's route focuses on comforting Doug (first helping him to forget about his divorce troubles, and then comforting him through his asexuality concerns), in the second half Adriel's own troubles come to light. He's unable to focus on or dedicate himself to his work, and he worries about burdening his coworkers. Later on, his childhood traumas are revealed, as he worries about burdening Doug with his mess. The arc comes full circle when Doug comforts Adriel in the same (awkward) way that Adriel comforted him - with a rap battle, and then COMBAT. It's revealed that Adriel has suffered from ADHD, and Doug suggests that Adriel's boredom at his job might be because it's not a good fit for him. There's a very sweet "reciprocity" to the relationship as Adriel helped Doug realize things about himself, and, in turn, Doug helped Adriel realize that he needs to quit making social media posts about talking bacon.
Moving on to Sandra, the tonal whiplash I received from her route was INSANE. She is, on the whole, much calmer than Adriel LOL and, unlike Adriel, who refuses to face his problems, Sandra's are pretty much on full display from the get-go. She's a perfectionist and an overworker whose obsession with her work is leading her to feel burnt-out and discouraged. When she takes Doug out to comfort him (with karaoke), he's the one who ends up listening to her work troubles (and she listens to him about his ex). Afterwards, Sandra takes Doug out to salsa, and then they go to his house to watch a movie (as Doug recognizes that Sandra is burnt out, although she denies it) - throughout, they get to know one another, and Doug opens up about his wife. (The discussion of gifts before they're about to watch the movie is an interesting one, and I wonder if Doug is thinking about his relationship with his ex, and how he felt the need to "comply" with what was expected or reciprocate his wife's feelings and desires towards him. His discussion of their sex life did feel quite "business-like" and transactional - as opposed to his relationship with Sandra and Adriel, which is much more natural).)
The "main conflict" in Sandra's route peaks when she has a misunderstanding about his divorce, assuming that he cheated on his wife and that's why she left him. It's an understandable assumption, and although it's an unfair one, it shows that Sandra is flawed. They end up having an open and honest dialogue afterward where Doug tells the real story, and afterward Doug opens up to Sandra with his passion for pottery. Doug's simple passion for his art - without the need for any recognition or monetary gain - inspires Sandra and helps rekindle her artistic drive. In the meantime, Sandra also recognizes the beauty in Doug - how he is simple and normal, but there is beauty in the mundane. It parallels well with the Barbie movie that they watched (in which there is beauty found in everyone) - and comes full circle when the realization gives Sandra the mascot design that she needs for her work. I really liked the theme here, and I think that it's a poignant one - that there are things to appreciate in even the small, normal things in life. My favorite ending in the entire game is Sandra's romantic ending, in which she and Doug sell the plates that he has in his storage room - it's very fitting, as the plates were "memories," as Doug discussed. It really feels like a conclusive ending, as Doug moves on from the memories that he has with his wife so that he can forge new memories (and plates) with his new friend/partner.
It's very interesting, comparing the similarities and differences between the two routes! Both Adriel and Sandra introduce Doug to their interests (exercise for Adriel and salsa dancing for Sandra), and Doug also introduces them to his (pottery). Sandra takes Doug's pottery quite seriously and it's a nice bonding moment for the two of them, while the pottery is actually the catalyst for Adriel's "downturn" in his route. Doug's behavior also changes between the routes! In Sandra's route, Doug is a little quieter, calmer - more like his usual self. But in Adriel's, Doug is pretty openly affectionate and even touchy-feely (maybe Adriel infected him...) I do love how both routes heavily incorporate this theme of "friends supporting one another." In both routes the MC (Sandra/Adriel) support Doug, and Doug supports them in turn; they both share their interests with each other, and they both listen to each other's concerns. It's a really heartwarming dynamic in both routes, and a good example of what a real friendship should be like.
One thing that I really appreciated about the game is that, no matter what protagonist you pick, the protagonist that you didn't pick has a very strong role in the route! (With Adriel comforting Sandra in her route, and Sandra in Adriel's.) And, regardless of what happens, Sandra, Doug, and Adriel all become quite good friends. (The entire game has EXTREMELY strong thruple energy lolol) I also liked how the routes play out largely the same regardless of whether the relationship is ultimately platonic or romantic - it does emphasize that friendships can be just as strong as romances.
Chimeriquement is no stranger to tackling issues of asexuality in his games, and while it wasn't as much of a focal point here, I really liked the new perspective on the issue. Doug is an asexual man who was married to an allo woman who cheated on him because of their sexual incompatibility, although he tried his best to make it work. He partially blames himself for the divorce, and he worries about finding a relationship in the future. It's an understandable worry, manifesting out of his own experience. When he asks you whether it's a worry, you are given the choice to either say that sex doesn't matter or that sex does matter (and, in Sandra's case - you can also say that you're ace yourself). It acknowledges that sex can be important in a relationship - and a dealbreaker, even - without portraying romance purely through a rose colored lens. If you say that sex does matter, then you can't end up with Doug - quite a grounded portrayal that doesn't fall into "love conquers all" tropes. I do like how, regardless of what you choose, Doug is openly dating/pursuing relationships in all of the endings, either with you or someone else. Sex can be a dealbreaker, and dating as an asexual person can have its difficulties - but there are always fish in the sea; it's quite a hopeful conclusion, even without the "rose colored glasses." Moreover, you're still friends in the end (though you don't get the special friend or romance epilogues). (I also like how, in both routes, even if Doug's ex's concerns were acknowledged, the cheating was definitely not acceptable.)
Overall, this was an incredibly sweet game, and EXCEPTIONALLY cleverly constructed with the parallel routes. Neither is "mandatory," you can get a very full experience from just playing one or the other, but both play seamlessly into the themes of love, friendship, mutual support, making new memories, and the beauty in the small interactions that you have with friends (and sometimes lovers). Excellent game, would date Sandra again (wdym Doug was the LI)
Okay, more seriously, thanks for the very long comment, as if yor many comments during the beta-testing weren't enough already loool. But more seriously, thank you so much for all your kind words about the art, the GUI and the writing. You're completely right about the photograph theme, that's indeed about the forging of memories, which is a theme. While it's an obvious one considering Doug's arc, it's actually quite relevant to Adriel too (cf. the connection he makes between an event in his past and what happens in his route).
I'm glad the routes felt very different even with the same premise, trying to figure out how to make them two very different, it required a lot of thinking!
**** ooooh spoilers ****
Well, you're right with your analysis, you basically caught everything! I would just highlight that the way Adriel helps Doug getting rid of his pottery, if very different from the way Sandra does it in her romantic ending, is actually quite relevant: in Adriel's route, Doug is violently confronted with the fact he has to let them go. And his peaceful reaction to it is meant to show something about him: he has moved on, and the memories don't hurt anymore, unlike Adriel, who is still trying to escape from his feelings.
And yes, Adriel's relationship with Doug was meant to feel at first more "masculine", with bonding over things like "fighting", as I thought it would be an interesting contrast with the fact the two men are very cuddly (maybe it's me being bothered with the whole "men don't experience their emotions because they don't let them control them" thing we've been seeing more and more on social media).
For Sandra, exactly! There is also one theme about art and creation, and how to still feel passionate about what you create when things seem hopeless. And a common theme between the two routes is obviously finding meaning in the work place!
For the cheating thing, I wanted to offer a mature but still clear stance on it: Doug's wife position is understandable, as sex can indeed be an important part of a relationship for some, and I don't believe in the idea of everyone being able to separate love from sex, and don't believe that it is necessarily a bad thing. However, no matter what you experience, what you have to do is communicate (which Doug's wife actually did, but after cheating alas), and I wanted to make sure Sandra and Adriel, who have a different perspective on the matter than Doug, highlight the fact cheating is wrong!
Once again, thanks for your very kind words, I'm glad you appreciate the game! Let's get back to trauma now!!!!
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I love this! I love how their relationship progressed, and it made me feel giddy. 100/10!
Aaah, thank you so much for this lovely comment!! I'm glad you appreciated the game!
Love this game! I am in the middle of Sandra's (renamed to Forest) route right now and its so fun! 10/10 would recommend
For some reason in this route though, when there finishing the pottery, I find it so funny Doug is just like "...I like crackers..." This seriously has me cackling every time I swear
Oh, realised I forgot to reply, I'm so sorry!! I'm happy you enjoyed Sandra's route! (Forest is an amazing name by the way, I should definitely use it someday...)
And LMAOOO, that's part of the Doug charm ✨
Don't worry about the late reply. I honestly forgot about the fact I posted a comment in the first place lol. I honestly respect that though because I sometimes go into the kitchen and just grab a pack of crackers and sit down with them. Happy Thankgiving (depending on where you live at least, where I live its the night before at the time i'm writing this
Haha, I'm French, and Thanksgiving isn't really something we celebrate, but thank you! I hope you have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow!
Super cute game! I enjoyed learning more about the characters! Thanks for making it!
Hi, thanks a lot! I'm glad you appreciated the game!!
Doug is literally the cutest!! Him accidentally punching Adriel in the face twice and Adriel getting up with a smile on his face was so funny. Amazing game! <3
Aaaah, thank you so much for the kind words, I'm glad you appreciated the game! I had a lot of fun writing the dyanmics between Doug and Adriel!
That game was so cute and wholesome, I loved the cast of characters. So far I've played Sandras Route and I liked her though she did frustrate me there in that one scene but regardless her and Doug are super cute together.
Anyway great job on the game, as always it was very enjoyable and I love the message about how simplicity isn't a bad thing.
Hi Box, thanks for your feedback! And for Sandra, yes lol, sure, she's burnt-out, but she needs to learn how to communicate, this would have spared an unnecessary quiproquo!
And yes, simple things can be cute! Thanks again for your feedback (and the livestream, I started watching the VOD!)
What a sweet game!! The opening lines had me laughing so hard. A beautiful little game about coworkers, new friends, and finding a relationship that works for you!
Also the itch page is so beautifully designed?????
Thank you so much for making this!!!
Hi, thanks a lot for your kind feeback! I'm glad you had fun with the whole protag selection feature, I did too! And yes, I wanted this game to be a way to let the player experience a variety of relationships you can have with an ace person, and portray all as positive!
(cries thanks for noticing the itch page I worked hard to make it look pretty)
This was super cute!! I still have to play Adriel's route but gosh, Sandra's route is really sweet and endearing 🥰
I loved how Sandra and Doug got to know each other better through their outings (the Barbie movie thing was adorable and hilarious xD) and it made me so happy that you could choose to have an ace romance between them 😭💞
I especially really like the fact that they mentioned (if you choose the romance route) "I'm not totally lovestruck but I love you and want to know you better". I don't see that a lot in romance and it made their relationship even more special in my eyes 💕
Hi Pri, thanks for trying this game out! I'm glad you had fun with Sandra's route (and would be curious to know your thoughts about Adriel's when/if you end up playing it loool, it is a vastly different one!).
Yes, that was the concept: getting to know your boring ace co-worker thanks to rendezvous, and it was funny to think of events and quirks to give the characters (the Barbie thing was calling to me, how could I refuse...). And yes, the idea of being able to have an ace romance was very important to me, as I wanted to create fluffy ace content, especially after The Day Being Ace Made Him Stronger lol
And yes, it didn't feel natural to have them be love-struck the way Peter and Amanda were in WTWBYA for example, so it felt natural to have them having a less intense approach to their feelings and letting the player imagine how they would grow! I was worried it would come off as unsatisfying though so I'm glad you appreciated it and that it made it special!
Thanks for playing and leaving your thoughts, Pri, I always appreciate them!!
Hey, I enjoyed this a ton! <3
Thanks for creating such well thought out characters. I appreciated the variety.
I also decided to leave you a more thorough review for you, if that's OK. (:
Hi, I'll just use this comment to answer to the edit of your rating.
The first thing I'd like to contextualise is that both the game you compared to WTWBYA and your itch username were kept anonymous. I do not encourage anyone to take any action against you either. I fail to see how this is bullying. Similarly, you are not being silenced: your reviews are still there and nope, although you might feel like it, you are factually not being silenced. If you're allowed to critique games, we are also allowed to critique your reviews.
For the situation I mentioned in the thread, I am sorry, but what you wrote wasn't critique (what you did for Rendez-Doug wasn't either, but it was overall fine with me because you presented it as your opinion, rather than advice on what I should be doing), it was pure and cold slander, completely unaware of what the game is. This game specifically mentions, on its page, that it is one-minute long: what kind of character development do you expect to have in one minute? And how can you expect something similar to When The Wind Blew You Away, which is around 13k words? This kind of feedback is not helping, because you are not giving the dev advice to improve their own approach, you decide to criticise it because it doesn't cater to your tastes. It is okay to have tastes, we all do: but there is a difference between a game doing a poor job and a game just not doing what you enjoy. I'll use your review of Rendez-Doug as an example: you mentioned not enjoying that Sandra was using the expression "cottage core", because it was nothing but a trendy word not fitting the narrative. Well, this game happens nowadays and Sandra, in particular, is a graphic designer, who is well aware of aeshetics of the sort: it completely fits the narrative and is consistent with her character. For example, I'm working right now on a game set in the 19th century, and the protagonist of this game wouldn't use indeed an expression like "cottage core", just like Sandra wouldn't use the word "gibface" to insult someone. You may or may not like the expression "cottage core" to describe things, it is within your own rights: but now, how is this an actual flaw?
And I'm using this example to keep the other game relatively anonymous, because I personally didn't mind that much your review of Rendez-Doug, but this illustrates the main issue of the review you let to the dev: you did not even try to understand their approach. Even worse, by telling them to check actual "good" VNs, you're implying their game is factually bad. You advise them to read, I quote "well-written novels", assuming they don't. You oppose this game to "REAL" poetry. So, you indeed do not explicitly say that "I know better than you what good visual novel writing is", but this is what you're communicating.
You mention being surprised by my reaction because my games indeed do not condone "bullying", which is true, but my games also carry a lot of other messages. In When The Wind Blew You Away, for example, when Peter finds out that Amanda doesn't love fizzy bears anymore, he isn't mad at her because she doesn't correspond to the Amanda he used to know and appreciate. No, instead, he asks her what she likes, wanting to discover and appreciate the 17-yo girl Amanda has become for who she is, rather than for who she was, and ends up falling in love with her again.
But let's suppose it stopped there: you played a game, failed to judge it in a relevant manner and gave it a poor rating, well, I wouldn't have minded. We get one-star ratings all the time, and we do have our fair share of questionable feedback. However, I had two major problems with your critique of this game, because it didn't stop there. First of all, well, I really didn't appreciate the fact you used my game to tell another dev theirs is bad. My work encourages kindness and empathy, even when giving feedback. For example, you thought it was sad that Doug because he couldn't tell Sandra she sings bad (which Sandra already knows): Doug is just not rude enough to kill Sandra's enjoyment by leaving unrequired feedback, since Sandra isn't training, but just having fun. Admittedly, rating a game is different because we are exposed and indeed seeking feedback. But having a careful and respectul approach, when you critique something, is always a good thing. I'll use one of my own games as an example: here, you can find feedback a person gave me about the way I handled volume in one of my games, and I'll let you read the discussion. Do I sound angry because L. dared to criticise something about my work? No, not at all, because he considered me enough to phrase it politely, and to still look fairly at the overall experience. It's not about being hypocritical or sugarcoating things. I genuinely hate it when people use "honesty" as an excuse to be rude, "blunt" even to use a word you chose to use to qualify your review of the game in question after the dev had blocked you. Deciding to leave feedback without thinking of basic courtesy isn't honesty, it's just disrespecting the person you're giving feedback to. I do give feedback, and I am honest when I give it: however, one constant thing is that I CARE about the person I am reviewing and therefore explain my ideas, justify them and always leave room for contradiction. "Walking on egg shells" is just a sign of respect to the content you consumed.
The other thing that really bugged me off is you deciding that this user wasn't open to critique and wasn't worth supporting because they blocked you. It is also a major theme of one of my games: everyone is allowed to send their own boundaries. For example, and I won't be too lengthy about it because you didn't like it, but in High School Lolita, Chloé starts healing after she starts setting boundaries and leaving the influence of her groomer. In When The Wind Blew You Away, when Peter explains not being ready to talk about the abuse he endured, trying to force him actually lowers his affection for you in terms of stats. Another game of mine, My Eternal Night with a Star, is about a woman not feeling ready to have her first sexual intercourse with her boyfriend, and such boyfriend proving his love by letting her set her boundaries and encouraging her in doing so. Another example? In He tasted like poison, an actual NSFW game I wrote, the main character is in emotional turmoil because he doesn't manage to set boundaries with the man he loves. This is a constant.
And in your case, this user was completely allowed to block you, and you deciding your feedback was so valuable them not considering it only means they don't want to improve displays indeed entitlement. If anything, this is narcissistic behaviour. And I'm happy for you that you enjoyed Rendez-Doug, but my point has never been about it anyway. I do think your review of Rendez-Doug isn't very relevant (Adriel as a gossiping antagonist for Sandra's route, for example, is a HORRIBLE narrative-design idea: how are players supposed to root for him in his route if he's meant to be such a mean-spirited character?). It was about you completely ignoring what the game you rated tried to do and using my game as a comparison. Which is quite contradictory on your part: for some reason, I would think highly enough of my work to refuse criticism of it, and yet, my point is that I don't think highly enough of my work to be used the way you did. Because I would never use my work that way, because I respect others and I fight for others to get respected. Maybe I'm overreacting, feel free to call me hysterical even, that my reaction is April Fools-worthy: this is pure indignation, I am indeed angry and saddened by the fact another developer, especially a developer who relesed their FIRST visual novel, got criticised so harshly and that my work was the blade of your "verbal guillotine".
I wanted to answer to this, and you're free to answer to, but I don't really see how we could pursue this discussion, as I don't see how you could change your ways, so it is highly probable that I won't answer after this. I wish you a nice day/evening.
Ahsjkdk this game, it's-- It's too cute-- I need to see the dentist from all this sugar 😭🤲🏻💞💞 The jokes all land so well too! I'm on call with my boyfriend and I kept needing to hold back my laughter shjdkdkd-- That was hard! He even commented on Doug's screaming sound effect! 😂😂✨
I also love all the references of your own games in this, Chim! You've really made your own universe fr 😁👌🏻✨💞
So yeah, enjoyed this to the moon and back! I relate so much with Adriel too! It's rare for me to find protags that's so close to me in personality, it's quite refreshing~ I'm a workaholic tho 🤭🤭
1000000/10 shipping Adriel with Doug! ADoug supremacy!! 💪🏻😤✨💞💞
I'm not sure when I can play Sandra's route ( my ADHD really makes it hard for me to play more than one full playthrough of a game in short intervals ahsjsls-- ), but I'm sure hers is as good as Adriel's, if not better! 🥰💞
Anyways~ Glad I decided to play this today! Been rough and this game's just the comfort I need. All the hugs are felt! Thank you so much for making Rendez-Doug, Chim! Looking forward to your next game 😁🤲🏻💞💞
I'm obsessed with Doug now tho, I want more of him and Adriel, ueee 😭😭💞💞💞
Oh well, a guy can dream! ✨💞
Aaaah, thanks for your feedback L, I appreciate it! I'm glad you found Adriel's route funny, wholesome and that it brought you comfort! Putting Wilhelm's scream was too funny to ignore, it felt very Doug for some reason!!
And sure, make sure to be in the right headspace to play Sandra when/if you want to do so, games are meant to be fun, not to be forced!
(And I can't promise anything, but I feel like Rendez-Doug, out of all my games, is the one for which writing DLC stories would be the easiest lol, I feel like it is so slice-of-life that I'd just need to think of random concepts to use these characters!)
You're welcome! That and more! And yeah, the scream being used was iconic! I love it! 😂👌🏻✨💞
Will do! Thank you for understanding 😁🤲🏻💞💞
( Omg, that's so trueee!! I'm holding out my hopes then! 👁️👁️🤲🏻✨💞💞 )
Sob... this was so cute, Chim ahhhHHHHH. I played Adriel's route first, then took a break for din, then came back and played Sandra's route, and I loved them both so much??? And my heart just feels so light and fluffy now. As though it just had a nice relaxing day all cozy in some pillows and drinking some tea... or eating a "love apple" (<-- WTF DAKJSDLFASDFA) 😝
I DIGRESS THOUGH. This was absolute sweetness from start to end. Even the whole color palette of the game feels soft and airy, from the pink hue of everything, to the way you did the BGs with the almost dream-like way you filtered the images + the almost storybook quality of the way they look cut out. The UI is so cute too SOB how the save files look like miniature polaroids??? You're slaying me here. And ofc the music, as well! Every single peace felt like it just wanted to calm my soul, whether it was a more jaunty tune that made me smile or a melancholy peaceful tune that just calmed my nerves and made me feel at ease (like the main menu music that I'm listening to now as I write this lkdajfsd). And ofc the artwork????? Your style already has such a soft airy quality to it, which made it mesh so well with the fluffy vibe you already had going for this. All three of the main characters are just adorable and sweet and I love the balance of how they all look in each of the different scenes. I especially loved their couple of different outfits we got to see lkadjfa Especially Sandra's salsa outfit for some reason it looked so cute on her HELP
AND THEN OF COURSE THE STORY. Because that is the big meat of this sweet game. And not just one story but TWO!! Because Adriel's and Sandra's routes are both so different, so it really is like two games in one!
Adriel comes on a lot stronger than Sandra. You weren't lying when you said he was chaotic LOL He really is!! Seeing him say some of the silliest things and have the most random ideas for trying to cheer Doug up made me laugh so much. And I love how you can see Doug start out rather shy and reserved but over the course of the game start giving it back to Adriel just as much. It was really interesting also seeing the focus shift from making Doug feel better to then Doug himself helping Adriel get over his feelings of insecurity and not wanting to be a nuisance, which was something I could relate to a lot, even if it doesn't manifest itself in breaking things the way it did in Adriel's case. Seeing them both open up by the end and find someone they could rely on to help each other through their own issues was so sweet 😭💕 They also just played off of each other so well, their dynamics were always just a delight to read, with Adriel being so silly compared to Doug's much more down-to-earth approach.
Then with Sandra, even though Sandra is also more extroverted than Doug, similar to Adriel, the way she shows it and the dynamic she has with Doug is so different. I enjoyed the different scenes we got to see with her, like the karaoke and dancing. Somehow with these two I got an even stronger platonic vibe than with Doug and Adriel. Which, to be honest, almost made me even softer, because it reminded me of how tough it is in general to find good new friends as an adult and how sweet it is when you do find someone you mesh with so well and can go out and do silly things with or even just crash at home and watch a Barbie movie. It was incredibly sweet...😭 Also I loved that Sandra could also be ace too??? So then it felt even more special like these two aces that found each other and could help each other through things ahhhHHHHHHHHHH THEY'RE TOO WONDERFUL I'LL CRY 💕
THAT REMINDS ME I HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE ACE IN THE ROOM YET LKADJFADFA It was both bittersweet and sad for me seeing the reason why Doug's wife had cheated on him... My heart broke for him so much, especially as having experienced someone leaving me for similar reasons (even if it hadn't gotten nearly to the point of marriage yet lkjdadfa but still). So that just made it even more heartwarming to me in both of the routes that Adriel and Sandra could be such a comfort to Doug, whether it was in showing that you can have love without sex as I went with in Adriel's route, or finding another ace to share your life with, as I went with in Sandra's route. It really left such a big smile on my face by the end and made my heart swell up lakdjfasd 💕
Overall this was just such a sweet and wonderful game that lets you connect to a "boring" but wonderful and sweet ace guy in two different ways (ok actually more than that because each route has at least 2+ options but so far I've only played 1 for each lkdjfad). It will definitely leave you with a smile and feeling full of love and peace afterwards 😊 (and perhaps wanting to also meet someone as sweet and nice as Doug yourself WEEP). ALSO ALL OF THIS MADE IN JUST A MONTH SERIOUSLY??? TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MCS WITH ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ROUTES???? HELLO???? CHIM, YOU AMAZE ME CONSTANTLY LMAO 🤣 Just a stupendous amount of creativity, skill, and love put into this and it shows so much!! 😭💕
Hi Carrot, thanks for your detailed feedback, I am so happy this game made your heart fluffy (for once loool).
YES IT WAS A BIT OF A HAZARD TO GET THE SAVE MENU TO LOOK LIKE POLAROIDS but in the end, it worked fine, hurra!! And I'm glad you appreciated the use of the music, the GUI etc.! I like you also appreciated the characters, I wanted the protagonists to fit with the overall pink-ish vibe of the game and to have Doug being just in earthy, comfortable but overall boring colours.
Writing the two routes was definitely a lot of work, as they had to feel different despite having the same premise and overall similar goals (MC connects with Doug through either love or friendship). Adriel definitely is chaotic and I had a lot of fun writing it and yet, yet, hide something more vulnerable about him behind his clown-like attitude! For Sandra, it's funny you saw the route as very platonic! It is meant to be flexible but I'll admit my personal headcanon is
them in a throupleace!Sandra dating Doug and Adriel being the hugging bestie! But I had a lot of fun writing these little "outings", not to say dates, or even rendez-vous, and showing different sides of Doug!For Doug's arc, it is FELT lol; at the same time, you're kinda like "well, I can't forbid someone to have a sexual life just for my sake" but at the same time, it is heatbreaking, because you start fearing you'll never be enough: I hope this game showed that Doug, you, me, every ace person is enough, and that it's just a matter of meeting the right person, not to fix us *heavy looks at Lara* but to love us in ways which are authentic to us!
AND YES ONE MONTH (+) I RELEASED THE THREAD AND THE SWORD I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LOL; I'm overall very happy that you enjoyed the game and that it brought you comfort, and I hope the other variations/endings, if you decide to try them, bring you similar good feelings (my personal favourite is Adriel's friendship one haha)!
Thanks again for your kind, detailed and thoughtful feedback Carrot, I always appreciate it so so much!!
I just got my preferred ending. The rest endings remained at the stage of assumptions))
Speaking seriously, I once again read your VN and glad that it is as fresh and good as the very first one and the development of games did not turn into a conveyor.
I wish you to maintain your inspiration and take care of your health. And we (grateful players) will patiently wait for new projects to reflect and enjoy emotions.
Hi Malia, thanks for your feedback!
Your words are very nice and kind, thank you so much! I'm always making sure to work on projects I feel passionate about indeed and to tell stories I want to tell! That's what gives it meaning to everything after all. I hope my future projects will remain as fresh, I know I'm working hard for it!!
Excellent how-to guide for any extrovert adoption! Absolutely recommended material if you're a bored extrovert looking for an introvert to adopt! Jokes aside, this was an incredibly sweet game about overcoming your troubles with the help of new friends (and love) and forging new memories with new connections.
Starting off with the overall aesthetic, I loved the slightly red-pink tone that was used for the backgrounds and GUI, as it evoked a very strong "vintage" vibe (while also being quite romantic and sweet!) The green and pink hues used in the costumes for Sandra and Adriel also married excellently with the red hues, generating a really nostalgic "spring" feel for the game (quite apt, as this really is a game about Doug's "rebirth" after his divorce). The recurring motif of "photographs" is also quite symbolic as well, representing Doug's old memories with his wife (with, of course, the torn photo on the cover representing his torn relationship with her) - and the new ones that he creates with his new friends. The sprite art is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous, these are some of the PRETTIEST characters from chim yet (the face rendering especially), and the ending CGs are all adorable (and very fitting that he is creating new photos - memories - with his new connections).
The writing is as engaging as always, with some truly poetic lines. All of the characters have VERY different voices, and that difference in voice really comes out well in the first person narration. The animations are SO lively and engaging, with perhaps the most animation that a chimeriquement game has seen yet??? And all of the characters have stunning chemistry with each other that's incredibly fun to read (particularly Adriel and Sandra - I'm sorry, Doug...)
The choice to present two main characters, each with differing storylines, is a VERY interesting one that I haven't seen in many games before (I can only count them on one hand, honestly). Besides their gender, Adriel and Sandra have completely different personalities that lead them to have completely different arcs when trying to comfort Doug. So although the general "conceit" of the game is the same between the two protagonists (comfort the boringest man in the office), they were basically two completely different games, if I'm being honest LOL
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I started off with Adriel's route. I have to admit, the entire start to his route caught me COMPLETELY off guard. Adriel is basically CHAOS incarnate, and his route reflects that LMAO At every turn, Adriel was doing and saying the most RANDOM things. But it really makes sense in hindsight! Essentially, in addition to other parallels that I'll discuss later, Adriel and Sandra both start off the route trying to do something fun with Doug to get his mind off his divorce. Adriel's way of doing this is to AGGRESSIVELY distract Doug - and also get him to "get out his feelings"...with COMBAT. It's a very funny, almost stereotypically "masculine" way of bonding, which is just hilarious when juxtaposed with the fact that Adriel asks for hugs like two seconds later and is probably the cuddliest and most openly affectionate guy you've ever met (and also has a much better self-care routine than Doug...).
While the first part of Adriel's route focuses on comforting Doug (first helping him to forget about his divorce troubles, and then comforting him through his asexuality concerns), in the second half Adriel's own troubles come to light. He's unable to focus on or dedicate himself to his work, and he worries about burdening his coworkers. Later on, his childhood traumas are revealed, as he worries about burdening Doug with his mess. The arc comes full circle when Doug comforts Adriel in the same (awkward) way that Adriel comforted him - with a rap battle, and then COMBAT. It's revealed that Adriel has suffered from ADHD, and Doug suggests that Adriel's boredom at his job might be because it's not a good fit for him. There's a very sweet "reciprocity" to the relationship as Adriel helped Doug realize things about himself, and, in turn, Doug helped Adriel realize that he needs to quit making social media posts about talking bacon.
Moving on to Sandra, the tonal whiplash I received from her route was INSANE. She is, on the whole, much calmer than Adriel LOL and, unlike Adriel, who refuses to face his problems, Sandra's are pretty much on full display from the get-go. She's a perfectionist and an overworker whose obsession with her work is leading her to feel burnt-out and discouraged. When she takes Doug out to comfort him (with karaoke), he's the one who ends up listening to her work troubles (and she listens to him about his ex). Afterwards, Sandra takes Doug out to salsa, and then they go to his house to watch a movie (as Doug recognizes that Sandra is burnt out, although she denies it) - throughout, they get to know one another, and Doug opens up about his wife. (The discussion of gifts before they're about to watch the movie is an interesting one, and I wonder if Doug is thinking about his relationship with his ex, and how he felt the need to "comply" with what was expected or reciprocate his wife's feelings and desires towards him. His discussion of their sex life did feel quite "business-like" and transactional - as opposed to his relationship with Sandra and Adriel, which is much more natural).)
The "main conflict" in Sandra's route peaks when she has a misunderstanding about his divorce, assuming that he cheated on his wife and that's why she left him. It's an understandable assumption, and although it's an unfair one, it shows that Sandra is flawed. They end up having an open and honest dialogue afterward where Doug tells the real story, and afterward Doug opens up to Sandra with his passion for pottery. Doug's simple passion for his art - without the need for any recognition or monetary gain - inspires Sandra and helps rekindle her artistic drive. In the meantime, Sandra also recognizes the beauty in Doug - how he is simple and normal, but there is beauty in the mundane. It parallels well with the Barbie movie that they watched (in which there is beauty found in everyone) - and comes full circle when the realization gives Sandra the mascot design that she needs for her work. I really liked the theme here, and I think that it's a poignant one - that there are things to appreciate in even the small, normal things in life. My favorite ending in the entire game is Sandra's romantic ending, in which she and Doug sell the plates that he has in his storage room - it's very fitting, as the plates were "memories," as Doug discussed. It really feels like a conclusive ending, as Doug moves on from the memories that he has with his wife so that he can forge new memories (and plates) with his new friend/partner.
It's very interesting, comparing the similarities and differences between the two routes! Both Adriel and Sandra introduce Doug to their interests (exercise for Adriel and salsa dancing for Sandra), and Doug also introduces them to his (pottery). Sandra takes Doug's pottery quite seriously and it's a nice bonding moment for the two of them, while the pottery is actually the catalyst for Adriel's "downturn" in his route. Doug's behavior also changes between the routes! In Sandra's route, Doug is a little quieter, calmer - more like his usual self. But in Adriel's, Doug is pretty openly affectionate and even touchy-feely (maybe Adriel infected him...) I do love how both routes heavily incorporate this theme of "friends supporting one another." In both routes the MC (Sandra/Adriel) support Doug, and Doug supports them in turn; they both share their interests with each other, and they both listen to each other's concerns. It's a really heartwarming dynamic in both routes, and a good example of what a real friendship should be like.
One thing that I really appreciated about the game is that, no matter what protagonist you pick, the protagonist that you didn't pick has a very strong role in the route! (With Adriel comforting Sandra in her route, and Sandra in Adriel's.) And, regardless of what happens, Sandra, Doug, and Adriel all become quite good friends. (The entire game has EXTREMELY strong thruple energy lolol) I also liked how the routes play out largely the same regardless of whether the relationship is ultimately platonic or romantic - it does emphasize that friendships can be just as strong as romances.
Chimeriquement is no stranger to tackling issues of asexuality in his games, and while it wasn't as much of a focal point here, I really liked the new perspective on the issue. Doug is an asexual man who was married to an allo woman who cheated on him because of their sexual incompatibility, although he tried his best to make it work. He partially blames himself for the divorce, and he worries about finding a relationship in the future. It's an understandable worry, manifesting out of his own experience. When he asks you whether it's a worry, you are given the choice to either say that sex doesn't matter or that sex does matter (and, in Sandra's case - you can also say that you're ace yourself). It acknowledges that sex can be important in a relationship - and a dealbreaker, even - without portraying romance purely through a rose colored lens. If you say that sex does matter, then you can't end up with Doug - quite a grounded portrayal that doesn't fall into "love conquers all" tropes. I do like how, regardless of what you choose, Doug is openly dating/pursuing relationships in all of the endings, either with you or someone else. Sex can be a dealbreaker, and dating as an asexual person can have its difficulties - but there are always fish in the sea; it's quite a hopeful conclusion, even without the "rose colored glasses." Moreover, you're still friends in the end (though you don't get the special friend or romance epilogues). (I also like how, in both routes, even if Doug's ex's concerns were acknowledged, the cheating was definitely not acceptable.)
Overall, this was an incredibly sweet game, and EXCEPTIONALLY cleverly constructed with the parallel routes. Neither is "mandatory," you can get a very full experience from just playing one or the other, but both play seamlessly into the themes of love, friendship, mutual support, making new memories, and the beauty in the small interactions that you have with friends (and sometimes lovers). Excellent game, would date Sandra again (wdym Doug was the LI)
comment too long, i'm not reading ciao
Okay, more seriously, thanks for the very long comment, as if yor many comments during the beta-testing weren't enough already loool. But more seriously, thank you so much for all your kind words about the art, the GUI and the writing. You're completely right about the photograph theme, that's indeed about the forging of memories, which is a theme. While it's an obvious one considering Doug's arc, it's actually quite relevant to Adriel too (cf. the connection he makes between an event in his past and what happens in his route).
I'm glad the routes felt very different even with the same premise, trying to figure out how to make them two very different, it required a lot of thinking!
**** ooooh spoilers ****
Well, you're right with your analysis, you basically caught everything! I would just highlight that the way Adriel helps Doug getting rid of his pottery, if very different from the way Sandra does it in her romantic ending, is actually quite relevant: in Adriel's route, Doug is violently confronted with the fact he has to let them go. And his peaceful reaction to it is meant to show something about him: he has moved on, and the memories don't hurt anymore, unlike Adriel, who is still trying to escape from his feelings.
And yes, Adriel's relationship with Doug was meant to feel at first more "masculine", with bonding over things like "fighting", as I thought it would be an interesting contrast with the fact the two men are very cuddly (maybe it's me being bothered with the whole "men don't experience their emotions because they don't let them control them" thing we've been seeing more and more on social media).
For Sandra, exactly! There is also one theme about art and creation, and how to still feel passionate about what you create when things seem hopeless. And a common theme between the two routes is obviously finding meaning in the work place!
For the cheating thing, I wanted to offer a mature but still clear stance on it: Doug's wife position is understandable, as sex can indeed be an important part of a relationship for some, and I don't believe in the idea of everyone being able to separate love from sex, and don't believe that it is necessarily a bad thing. However, no matter what you experience, what you have to do is communicate (which Doug's wife actually did, but after cheating alas), and I wanted to make sure Sandra and Adriel, who have a different perspective on the matter than Doug, highlight the fact cheating is wrong!
Once again, thanks for your very kind words, I'm glad you appreciate the game! Let's get back to trauma now!!!!