Hello Sandpixie, thanks for checking in on us!! We've been working hard to get the update wrapped and I'll have some exciting progress updates up on Patreon in the next few days!! If I remember correctly, I believe I have about 5000 words of the update written now, it just needs a few more scenes and then to get implemented into the game. Thank you for your patience and support!! 💕
I really love this game but i have a problem or i dont understand very well, if i get right the update is for reading the new chapter of cailean but i tried to dowland the new update and i don't see it, like when i finish chapter 1, it ends at that point, could help me?
Hi Erecarter! Are you still having this issue? Can you tell me a bit more about what happens when you play through Cailean's route and get to chapter 2? Thank you for bringing this up! I hope we can help you out!!
Hi, yes i still have the problem, i just played from the start and when i get to the end of episode 1, un the screen it says that's the end of the game, thank you for your help
Would you mind emailing your log.txt file to us? You should be able to find it directly in the game folder. Let us know if you have trouble finding it.
it'd be cute if Cailean started emoting with his tail more. It seems within the physical abilities of his tail, but since it's more fish I don't know how much of his tail movements is subconsciously attuned to his mood/feelings. How his tail is drawn rn says to me he's either emoting is reserved because of how he's normally treated, or he's simply keeping his tail tucked in to keep it from getting stepped on...
But like maybe if he gets comfortable around Sawyer they'll notice his tail swishes around just a bit more when he's content or happy. And/or mayyybe he'd at least wrap his tail around Sawyer as like a gesture of affection (like a kind of hug/embrace/cuddle) or maybe as a gesture of protectiveness (Like if Tre for example acted aggressive toward Sawyer again and Cailean glares and rings his tail around them like a shield implying "don't touch")?
idk I want Cailean's tail to have a bit more attention drawn to it since you can't really see it in the game and honestly if I was Sawyer I'd be so interested in it.
Thanks for playing and commenting!! 💕 We'd definitely like to add some little animations like this to the character sprites at some point in the future. Cailean's tail might be a little lower priority because it's often hidden behind the text box or offscreen, but we're definitely considering it!! Other animations we'd like to do include movement for Cailean's ears and Nikolai's face feathers, and additional poses for characters that don't have a lot of potential for casual motion, such as Deka and Vivietta.
I don't think we'll be able to put it in the game, but you could write that scene idea in a fanfic!! I would love to read it, it sounds very cute! (You can also check out what other people have written here!!) ✨ Thank you so much!!
I'm on the Mac version, trying to run the dlc. It can't open the dialogue window and it claims I don't have tkinter. I have tkinter. I have re-downloaded everything and it refuses to run the dialogue window. Any help would be great.
I'm passing this on to the programming half of the team. We've seen this issue reported at least once before but since we don't have a Mac to test on, we haven't been able to address it. I'm so sorry about the trouble. D: I'll ask her if there's a way we can patch it for you.
I think the missing persons are trapped between planes, that the humans accidentally crossed into the 'monster' world, and the 'monsters' crossed accidentally into the human world. I think this is because of us going back and forth from the human and 'monster' world, that the Unsight isn't working as effectively anymore. I think that our school is in on it as well, like they're hiding some secrets. 🤨
Hey quick question, I'm using the itch app for the computer and I'm wondering if the update is sent automatically (?) ? Because I got an email, and I see in chrome the update notes but in the itch app it just says to launch (when usually there's a download update.)
Yes, if you're using the itch desktop app and one of the supported builds of Monstrata, then itch will download any updates automatically. c: (There are a few older builds that it will not do this for, which have been removed from the page.)
As I understand it, this is because we update the game through itch.io's assistant, butler, rather than by adding completely new builds to the page. That may be why it updates automatically for Monstrata, but may not do the same for other itch.io games where the developers have chosen not to do that.
Thank you for playing!! Let us know if you have more questions!!
I just played through for the first time without the DLC (which I'm now going to get) and honestly I'm blown away with the depth that's just in the first two chapters! I'll have to play again with different choices and whatnot. Really great game! Please keep up the great work! <3
Thank you so much for playing and supporting us by getting the DLC!! We really appreciate you commenting on the depth of the story and hope that you continue to enjoy the game as it's updated and you try other paths through it!! Thank you!! <3
Just finished playing...I was so hooked on Elsie and I thought things was going pretty good until Mom called and the mysterious letter appeared..What else can happen??????? Oh right my room mate coming into room...OKAY i am 10000% intrigued!!!! I rate 400 thumbs up!!!!!!!
Finished the new content some minutes ago. Not all routes, just 3.
Okay, something is definitely not right in this dimention. I know I expected that kind of behavior from Nikolai, but Elsie and Cailean? That's just weird, and I don't like it. And now our roommate, too?
Ahahaha, I like that it was expected of Nikolai. Well, they surely all have their reasons, right? c: Thank you for playing, and I hope the next update will answer some questions and be more satisfying for you! <3
MAN! I just played the new update and I love it - just a bit salty that I couldn't say that it was a date :( but it doesn't really matter cus the PLOT THICKENS!
I finished this demo a few hours ago, and honestly this is one of the best things i've ever read-i forgot that it was a demo and i was very sad because i was so into it, i wanted to play moore. 😛
It is very true that each character will give the player a different perspective on things in the game. Each character has their own charm, i can't choose a favorite! I can't wait for updates!
P.S. My first language isn't English, sorry for any mistakes 😅
P.S. 1. Are you planning on including CG's in further stages of development?
Yes, I'm so sorry about the delay. The summer was very difficult for us as we both lost our jobs and a lot of other life stuff has been going on. We are still working on it, though! Thank you for your patience!
Hey, future Paytron here. I am in love with this game! So much so that I bought the Deka pin right after finishing chapter 1! I read something about your discord, how can I get in on that so I can be updated on the games progress? Also Deka is my cute boi. Good job with the game and good luck going forward!!!
Whenever i play games like these i sometimes find myself bored and just skip through texts but this game it just kept me entertained from beginning to end . i love all the characters they're all truly unique and its hard to just pick one!
This is such a nice comment, thank you so much!! I always beat myself up about my writing not being good enough, so it's really nice to hear that people like it. <3
Don't worry about picking a favorite yet! You probably will choose one as you learn more about them~ <3
where do i even start, the animation really gives a difrent dynamic to the characters that makes them come to life, its really a good aspect, the backgrounds are so nice as well, i would like to ask the devs if they are considering making cg s, i feel with this art style the cgs would as be hella cute, but i understand that they would also take alot of time.
the music is also a plus for me its so nice and i feel like its fits the game quite nicely. i like how they were able to express dekas emotion just through his eyes
i have just two little problems as someone already mentions the side characters are a little flat in terms of design, and not to spoil much but on a certain characters route, when they are writing on a whiteboard its really hard to see whats written, although its a cool feature to have a personalised hadwritting, maybe add a background to the letters so that they pop out abit.
Yes, we are planning to add CGs! As you said, it unfortunately is a lot of work to add them and the lead dev is pretty consistently swamped with work. So they are slow in coming, but they are coming! <3 We're so glad you love the music and art style though!!! <3
Yeah, we're hoping to improve the side character art in the future, but at the moment we're in a very "just get it done and out there!" kind of mindset, so a lot of things have been neglected. One day, though! We would really love for all of them to get sprites one day, but we can't promise this yet.
Thank you for pointing out the bit about the handwriting being hard to read! I will look into this, maybe we can find something more legible to use.
Elsie is a lot of fun to write, she definitely has her own spunk and style. I can't wait for you to learn even more about her!! <3 Thank you for your support!!!
I personally think that this visual novel is pure awesome. We would love to see more games like this. Here's some subjective compliments.
What Makes this Very Good
The Artwork - It's one of the things that amused me for real about this game. The art style is gorgeous, the lighting and shapes is visibly wonderful, the colors are stunning even if it's contrasted. Most art with contrasted colors do not balance very well. But this one did. And this one did great. Overall, the artwork is awesome and I stan.
Characters - This one is obvious. And is kinda related to the previous point. The main character [Sawyer] snaps at times but still lovable and lowkey kinda relatable at my point of view. The others are diverse and adorable. I'm in love with each individual. They're a colorful set of characters that are special in each of their own way.
Writing and Story - Some parts are heartwarming and flustering, some makes you laugh, some sad, I'm lovin' it. The roller coaster this visual novel gave me isn't bad at all. Some visual novels made me cringe but this one made me content. The story unravel in a decent pace unlike some vns. It made me enjoy taking my time reading it. The writing style is comfortable to read. And bonus points for interesting plot.
Animation - We. Need. More. Visual. Novels. With. Animation. Yes, I know the animation is very simple but it added much more life into the characters. The blinking, the lip sync. Who says we need a lot, exaggerated, complex animation anyways? All of that already gives much more appeal to the characters. Lord, I love it.
Customization - Let's start by how you can change the main character's appearance [Sawyer]. I see quite an amount of visual novels defaulting their characters as white/pale especially in the anime ones though I don't really care but having the same skin color as your character made it feel much more personal. Love it. And as someone whose gender is as wobbly as jelly, the pronoun option is a big bonus for me. Not just she or he or they, but it provided alternate pronous like ze, zie, hir, etc. That'll be a big bonus for others. The authors are certainly not ignorant alright. *insert heart emoji*
Last but not least...
Music - Honestly, I could listen to the soundtrack of this visual novel all day long while laying on the dry grass, reading a novel. I'm in love with it. The soundtrack mesmerizes everything about this visual novel, making me feel a little more welcome to the atmosphere at some point. I love how it complemented the story and atmosphere well. Making me feel warm in the heart. It's a great choice.
What Makes this Not Really That Good (but still good)
Unnecessary Side Characters Looked Low on Quality - Tho I don't really care that much about it. But subjectively, more effort could be put in it and less too-rough brush strokes I guess. But it's not a big deal.
Only One Chapter - This visual novel IS so good and I don't want it to end but I guess it did. Though, I know this is a BIG job and lotsa work needed to be done for this visual novel and we'll support the creator always thou! Looking forward for future updates aaaaaaaaaa
Wow, I can't even begin to compete with the amazing in-depth review this is, but I will say that I am strongly considering printing it out and hanging it on our wall. Thank you so much, wow, I'm just totally speechless. I hope that we can continue to impress you as we update it. <3
It's going okay! We've had a lot of personal life stuff going on over the summer and haven't had much chance to work on it. We'll be releasing it gradually as we get new pieces completed. Thank you for checking in!
Sorry about not getting back to you sooner on this! I will pass this on to the lead developer and see if we can figure it out. (We don't have a Mac to test on, unfortunately, so stuff like this slips through the cracks.)
I love these characters, the artwork, the setting, the story, the worldbuilding. Everything. Every character is unique in interesting but likeable ways. Elie and Vivi are my favorite, but Niko is a close third.
I've been checking for updates every couple of days, I am so hooked.
I gotta say as well, major props to how the creator is so involved the community, always responding to comments and questions, and in such an amiable manner.
Knowing the game is being made by such attentive and friendly developers gives me hope. Can't wait for the game, great job with this story guys. Seriously.
Thank you so much!! We're glad you love the world and characters, and we hope we will continue to impress you. <3
Aaaa, I feel so bad now ahaha, you praised us so much for being really involved and then I didn't reply to this comment for 3 months! We've had a lot going on lately, I'm so sorry, I will try to be better in the future. </3
Anyway, thank you so much for your support! Seriously, it means a lot to us. <3
Hello! I'm glad you like it!! <3 You can find Vivietta by talking to Elsie and then turning her down to hang out. <3 Thanks for playing and commenting! <3
I went out with everyone except for the bunny girl so far and I really like learning about the world form everyone's persepectives!!! Everyone seems reallly cute, looking forward to the next update! <333 take care of yoursel(f)ves. (ps. I really love the music!!It really adds to the scenes, and the general atmosphere of a different world)
I'm looking forward to it and of course!!! <3 <3 (And I skipped Elsie partly because I thought she was saying what her friend was saying and wasn't really interested in her for that, reason, but it's also because I hadn't gotten to her yet. When I actually talked to her she seemed cute, and i kind of like the dynamic so far. I just haven't had anytime to go back to play yet!)
Sassy pretty dolls are always great lol. But no, mostly because she is like a privileged robot that can cheat her way to a better life but she tries to be a normal living being and want to be respected despite the discriminating rules of the world's order and how she implies that because of that, her kind is getting more rare and probably almost extinct. And also how she points out that some kind of people are hanging out in a certain area and it just gives more understanding of the social class that was going on. Or maybe I just liked a character that hates literally everyone lol.
Yeah, Vivietta is a lot of fun in her sassiness. c: I feel like she also has a unique perspective on the world's class system, and it's cool to see other people experience that too!!
Friend recommended, made an account just to review it <3. -Spoilers ahead?>
I loved the direction of the plot. It didn't feel hurried but you get a lot in the first chapter and enough to leave you curious. That's good writing, IMHO. I can see in what general direction you're going with the mystery but I've never read a story in this environment. It's fresh. One thing, I suppose this is a personal preference with the five senses, but I've noticed the Protagonist comments mostly on visual aspects (save for the coffee sampling). Which is usually fine but I remember all the hand grabbing after the dates and in my head I'm screaming "WHAT DO THEIR HANDS EVEN FEEL LIKE" (ex. Elsie's either feels super furry or like peach fuzz, Niko's feels like leather or scaly, idk). Even after the drinking games with the protagonist and loveinterest, I kept wondering how is what's happening bw them possible? Isn't he like half her size? Do they all share similar anatomical structures to humans? Although that's treading on R18 content. Which if you decided to sell as an extra separately, I would happily purchase.
There was a comment about ballet somewhere in there and I remember thinking "But idk what his feet look like".
What else... oh, would you possibly add more hairstyles in the future?
Wow, thank you for making an account just to review our game!! And thank you for the really sweet and well thought-out comments!
I confess, I do struggle with properly describing things in my writing, that's totally on me. I'll try to keep an eye on it in the future, (and maybe crack open some of those writing books I have...) so thank you very much for pointing it out!
I am confused about your comment on Nikolai's height, maybe it's some impression the writing or art gives that implies he is very small? But actually he is about 5'6"! Which, as he would tell you, is tall for an alkonost. XD
I'll definitely keep your comments in mind when we do more edits on this chapter and for future chapters!!
Regarding hair styles: Currently there are no plans to change the character customizer, but that could change depending on future funding!!
Thank you so much for playing and leaving this awesome comment!! <3
My bad, I misread. Was visualizing alkonosts as feathery dwarves :D.
And nah I don't see your writing as lacking or flawed. It's great. I was just thinking of what helped immerse me in previous books. Everyone's different though :)
Aww, that's nice of you to say! But if there is something I should be doing to improve my work, then I appreciate it being pointed out!! Immersion is a key aspect of good games-- and good storytelling, for that matter!
I must say that I thouroughly enjoyed playing through the current content, the writing is remarkable and the characters seem to be very well written, and to top it off the art is gorgeous. If the next release is as good as this one I will surely be looking forward to it.
Wow, thank you so much!!! <3 We will do our best to make the next chapter even better than this one!! Thank you so much for playing and leaving this lovely comment!! ;0;
I really enjoyed playing this! The characters and story are well written and I am very much looking forward to further chapters! The mystery aspects were especially well done and left me genuinely curious to see what's going on next.
Wow, thank you so much!! I really appreciate hearing that the mystery aspects were good, since mystery is notoriously hard to write and I have no experience with it, so that's very reassuring!! Thank you for playing, commenting, and rating!! <3
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hello hello! how are things coming along? can we expect an update sometime soon? ^^
Hello Sandpixie, thanks for checking in on us!! We've been working hard to get the update wrapped and I'll have some exciting progress updates up on Patreon in the next few days!! If I remember correctly, I believe I have about 5000 words of the update written now, it just needs a few more scenes and then to get implemented into the game. Thank you for your patience and support!! 💕
I really love this game but i have a problem or i dont understand very well, if i get right the update is for reading the new chapter of cailean but i tried to dowland the new update and i don't see it, like when i finish chapter 1, it ends at that point, could help me?
It still just a demo, they are working as fast as they can, but i totally understand its a beautiful game.
Thank you so much for your support!!✨💕
Hi Erecarter! Are you still having this issue? Can you tell me a bit more about what happens when you play through Cailean's route and get to chapter 2? Thank you for bringing this up! I hope we can help you out!!
Hi, yes i still have the problem, i just played from the start and when i get to the end of episode 1, un the screen it says that's the end of the game, thank you for your help
Could you grab a screenshot of the in-game About page, to make sure you're on the correct version number? Should look like this.
Yes, i have that version number but i don't why i can't see the chapter 2 of Cailean and i can't add the image, but i have that version.
Would you mind emailing your log.txt file to us? You should be able to find it directly in the game folder. Let us know if you have trouble finding it.
Email to: contact@astralore.com
it'd be cute if Cailean started emoting with his tail more. It seems within the physical abilities of his tail, but since it's more fish I don't know how much of his tail movements is subconsciously attuned to his mood/feelings. How his tail is drawn rn says to me he's either emoting is reserved because of how he's normally treated, or he's simply keeping his tail tucked in to keep it from getting stepped on...
But like maybe if he gets comfortable around Sawyer they'll notice his tail swishes around just a bit more when he's content or happy. And/or mayyybe he'd at least wrap his tail around Sawyer as like a gesture of affection (like a kind of hug/embrace/cuddle) or maybe as a gesture of protectiveness (Like if Tre for example acted aggressive toward Sawyer again and Cailean glares and rings his tail around them like a shield implying "don't touch")?
idk I want Cailean's tail to have a bit more attention drawn to it since you can't really see it in the game and honestly if I was Sawyer I'd be so interested in it.
Thanks for playing and commenting!! 💕 We'd definitely like to add some little animations like this to the character sprites at some point in the future. Cailean's tail might be a little lower priority because it's often hidden behind the text box or offscreen, but we're definitely considering it!! Other animations we'd like to do include movement for Cailean's ears and Nikolai's face feathers, and additional poses for characters that don't have a lot of potential for casual motion, such as Deka and Vivietta.
I don't think we'll be able to put it in the game, but you could write that scene idea in a fanfic!! I would love to read it, it sounds very cute! (You can also check out what other people have written here!!) ✨ Thank you so much!!
I LOVE IT!
unfortunately I don't have money to donate/contribute......
but,I hope that you'll continue to make this wonderful game!
That's okay! You can contribute by telling your friends about it, too!
Thank you so much for your support!! We'll do our best!! <3
I love how “phone calls with your mother” is a feature. Imma get this now.
Please enjoy having many phone calls with your mother, haha! We hope you like the game!! Thank you for commenting!! <3
I'm on the Mac version, trying to run the dlc. It can't open the dialogue window and it claims I don't have tkinter. I have tkinter. I have re-downloaded everything and it refuses to run the dialogue window. Any help would be great.
I'm passing this on to the programming half of the team. We've seen this issue reported at least once before but since we don't have a Mac to test on, we haven't been able to address it. I'm so sorry about the trouble. D: I'll ask her if there's a way we can patch it for you.
Thank you for your support!!!
Yay!
I'm so happy that there was an update!
I think the missing persons are trapped between planes, that the humans accidentally crossed into the 'monster' world, and the 'monsters' crossed accidentally into the human world. I think this is because of us going back and forth from the human and 'monster' world, that the Unsight isn't working as effectively anymore. I think that our school is in on it as well, like they're hiding some secrets. 🤨
Or I might be completely wrong. 😅
But I can't wait to figure out what's going on. 😃
Wow, I'm living for all these theories!! Obviously I can't answer any of them yes or no, but I love hearing about them!!
Thank you so much for playing and for sharing your thoughts, they're so great!! <3
Hey quick question, I'm using the itch app for the computer and I'm wondering if the update is sent automatically (?) ? Because I got an email, and I see in chrome the update notes but in the itch app it just says to launch (when usually there's a download update.)
Yes, if you're using the itch desktop app and one of the supported builds of Monstrata, then itch will download any updates automatically. c: (There are a few older builds that it will not do this for, which have been removed from the page.)
As I understand it, this is because we update the game through itch.io's assistant, butler, rather than by adding completely new builds to the page. That may be why it updates automatically for Monstrata, but may not do the same for other itch.io games where the developers have chosen not to do that.
Thank you for playing!! Let us know if you have more questions!!
Ohh!! Okay thank you <33
I just played through for the first time without the DLC (which I'm now going to get) and honestly I'm blown away with the depth that's just in the first two chapters! I'll have to play again with different choices and whatnot. Really great game! Please keep up the great work! <3
Thank you so much for playing and supporting us by getting the DLC!! We really appreciate you commenting on the depth of the story and hope that you continue to enjoy the game as it's updated and you try other paths through it!! Thank you!! <3
Just finished playing...I was so hooked on Elsie and I thought things was going pretty good until Mom called and the mysterious letter appeared..What else can happen??????? Oh right my room mate coming into room...OKAY i am 10000% intrigued!!!! I rate 400 thumbs up!!!!!!!
AHH thank you so much!!! <3 <3 There's so much going on, right? It seems like the excitement is starting to ramp up!!
Thank you so much for playing!! We hope you'll enjoy the future updates as well!! <3 <3 <3
Finished the new content some minutes ago. Not all routes, just 3.
Okay, something is definitely not right in this dimention. I know I expected that kind of behavior from Nikolai, but Elsie and Cailean? That's just weird, and I don't like it. And now our roommate, too?
Ahahaha, I like that it was expected of Nikolai. Well, they surely all have their reasons, right? c: Thank you for playing, and I hope the next update will answer some questions and be more satisfying for you! <3
Wow!
This is so exciting!
I'm looking forward for more!
Thank you so much!! We already have the next part written, so hopefully there will be more soon~ <3
Wahhhh please moarrrr!
I need more Dekaaaaaaaa! D:
Loved the demo :D
Thank you so much!!! There's a new update now; I hope you will like it!!!
MAN! I just played the new update and I love it - just a bit salty that I couldn't say that it was a date :( but it doesn't really matter cus the PLOT THICKENS!
Thank you for the update :D
I finished this demo a few hours ago, and honestly this is one of the best things i've ever read-i forgot that it was a demo and i was very sad because i was so into it, i wanted to play moore. 😛
It is very true that each character will give the player a different perspective on things in the game. Each character has their own charm, i can't choose a favorite! I can't wait for updates!
P.S. My first language isn't English, sorry for any mistakes 😅
P.S. 1. Are you planning on including CG's in further stages of development?
Oh my god, that's so sweet of you to say!!! Wow... <3
Well, if you want to play more, there is an update out now!! And, to answer your question, it even includes the first CG... c: <3
(Also, no worries, your English is fine! <3 I wouldn't have guessed it was your second language!)
The first chapter was amazing! I really like the premise of the story as it sounds super interesting! Also, the art was just beautiful x
Cailean is my favorite of the bunch! I hope to see more of this game in the future!
Thank you so much!! We really appreciate your support. <3
There is a new update out now!! And the next update after that will be Cailean's, so please look forward to it! <3
Hi is anything happening with the game?
Yes, I'm so sorry about the delay. The summer was very difficult for us as we both lost our jobs and a lot of other life stuff has been going on. We are still working on it, though! Thank you for your patience!
oh gosh that's terrible! have you managed to find something else?
The lead dev (valeatory) has! Me, I'm still working on that... ;~;
I hope you find something too D:
Thank you <3 <3 <3
Hey, future Paytron here. I am in love with this game! So much so that I bought the Deka pin right after finishing chapter 1! I read something about your discord, how can I get in on that so I can be updated on the games progress? Also Deka is my cute boi. Good job with the game and good luck going forward!!!
Thank you so much!!! We really appreciate your support!!! (And I'm really sorry about that difficulty you emailed me about!)
The discord can be found right here: https://discord.gg/KxUgAp8 Hope to see you there!!
No worries!! Im still super pumped!! Thanks for the discord lynk!!
Whenever i play games like these i sometimes find myself bored and just skip through texts but this game it just kept me entertained from beginning to end . i love all the characters they're all truly unique and its hard to just pick one!
This is such a nice comment, thank you so much!! I always beat myself up about my writing not being good enough, so it's really nice to hear that people like it. <3
Don't worry about picking a favorite yet! You probably will choose one as you learn more about them~ <3
THIS IS AWESOME!!!!KUDOS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED
where do i even start, the animation really gives a difrent dynamic to the characters that makes them come to life, its really a good aspect, the backgrounds are so nice as well, i would like to ask the devs if they are considering making cg s, i feel with this art style the cgs would as be hella cute, but i understand that they would also take alot of time.
the music is also a plus for me its so nice and i feel like its fits the game quite nicely. i like how they were able to express dekas emotion just through his eyes
i have just two little problems as someone already mentions the side characters are a little flat in terms of design, and not to spoil much but on a certain characters route, when they are writing on a whiteboard its really hard to see whats written, although its a cool feature to have a personalised hadwritting, maybe add a background to the letters so that they pop out abit.
(so far my favorite character is Cailean)
THANK YOU!! <3 <3
Yes, we are planning to add CGs! As you said, it unfortunately is a lot of work to add them and the lead dev is pretty consistently swamped with work. So they are slow in coming, but they are coming! <3 We're so glad you love the music and art style though!!! <3
Yeah, we're hoping to improve the side character art in the future, but at the moment we're in a very "just get it done and out there!" kind of mindset, so a lot of things have been neglected. One day, though! We would really love for all of them to get sprites one day, but we can't promise this yet.
Thank you for pointing out the bit about the handwriting being hard to read! I will look into this, maybe we can find something more legible to use.
(Cailean is a good boy, excellent choice. <3)
I don't know what happened but I fell for Nikolai so hard. Love the sassy boy sm.
You know what. Same.
Nikolai is the worst but he is also my favorite and I too, do not know how this happened.
Thank you so much for playing and commenting. <3
Awww! I love Deka! He's so adorable and sweet :)
This is really a great game!
Thank you so much!!! We really appreciate your support and kind words. <3 Deka is very good c: <3 <3
I just finished playing the most actual version.
The game has very original story and lore.
Plus few interesting and well-designed characters to meet, interact with, befriend... and maybe something more...
Elsie is my favourite so far. She is super cute
i'm waiting for more :)
Thank you so much!
Elsie is a lot of fun to write, she definitely has her own spunk and style. I can't wait for you to learn even more about her!! <3 Thank you for your support!!!
I personally think that this visual novel is pure awesome. We would love to see more games like this. Here's some subjective compliments.
The Artwork - It's one of the things that amused me for real about this game. The art style is gorgeous, the lighting and shapes is visibly wonderful, the colors are stunning even if it's contrasted. Most art with contrasted colors do not balance very well. But this one did. And this one did great. Overall, the artwork is awesome and I stan.
Characters - This one is obvious. And is kinda related to the previous point. The main character [Sawyer] snaps at times but still lovable and lowkey kinda relatable at my point of view. The others are diverse and adorable. I'm in love with each individual. They're a colorful set of characters that are special in each of their own way.
Writing and Story - Some parts are heartwarming and flustering, some makes you laugh, some sad, I'm lovin' it. The roller coaster this visual novel gave me isn't bad at all. Some visual novels made me cringe but this one made me content. The story unravel in a decent pace unlike some vns. It made me enjoy taking my time reading it. The writing style is comfortable to read. And bonus points for interesting plot.
Animation - We. Need. More. Visual. Novels. With. Animation. Yes, I know the animation is very simple but it added much more life into the characters. The blinking, the lip sync. Who says we need a lot, exaggerated, complex animation anyways? All of that already gives much more appeal to the characters. Lord, I love it.
Customization - Let's start by how you can change the main character's appearance [Sawyer]. I see quite an amount of visual novels defaulting their characters as white/pale especially in the anime ones though I don't really care but having the same skin color as your character made it feel much more personal. Love it. And as someone whose gender is as wobbly as jelly, the pronoun option is a big bonus for me. Not just she or he or they, but it provided alternate pronous like ze, zie, hir, etc. That'll be a big bonus for others. The authors are certainly not ignorant alright. *insert heart emoji*
Last but not least...
Music - Honestly, I could listen to the soundtrack of this visual novel all day long while laying on the dry grass, reading a novel. I'm in love with it. The soundtrack mesmerizes everything about this visual novel, making me feel a little more welcome to the atmosphere at some point. I love how it complemented the story and atmosphere well. Making me feel warm in the heart. It's a great choice.
Unnecessary Side Characters Looked Low on Quality - Tho I don't really care that much about it. But subjectively, more effort could be put in it and less too-rough brush strokes I guess. But it's not a big deal.
Only One Chapter - This visual novel IS so good and I don't want it to end but I guess it did. Though, I know this is a BIG job and lotsa work needed to be done for this visual novel and we'll support the creator always thou! Looking forward for future updates aaaaaaaaaa
Lotsa love, Anon.
Wow, I can't even begin to compete with the amazing in-depth review this is, but I will say that I am strongly considering printing it out and hanging it on our wall. Thank you so much, wow, I'm just totally speechless. I hope that we can continue to impress you as we update it. <3
hows it going? will the game be released once its done or are you gonna release chapters gradually?
It's going okay! We've had a lot of personal life stuff going on over the summer and haven't had much chance to work on it. We'll be releasing it gradually as we get new pieces completed. Thank you for checking in!
Is chapter 2 available yet
Not yet, but we will hopefully be releasing a new update in September!! <3
FYI, the DLC installer for the glasses doesn't work on my Mac:
Error I get is:
Sorry about not getting back to you sooner on this! I will pass this on to the lead developer and see if we can figure it out. (We don't have a Mac to test on, unfortunately, so stuff like this slips through the cracks.)
sadly, I get that a lot.
I love these characters, the artwork, the setting, the story, the worldbuilding. Everything. Every character is unique in interesting but likeable ways. Elie and Vivi are my favorite, but Niko is a close third.
I've been checking for updates every couple of days, I am so hooked.
I gotta say as well, major props to how the creator is so involved the community, always responding to comments and questions, and in such an amiable manner.
Knowing the game is being made by such attentive and friendly developers gives me hope. Can't wait for the game, great job with this story guys. Seriously.
Thank you so much!! We're glad you love the world and characters, and we hope we will continue to impress you. <3
Aaaa, I feel so bad now ahaha, you praised us so much for being really involved and then I didn't reply to this comment for 3 months! We've had a lot going on lately, I'm so sorry, I will try to be better in the future. </3
Anyway, thank you so much for your support! Seriously, it means a lot to us. <3
Will part 1 of chapter 2 be available here?
It will! We're trying to get the next part of chapter 2 done first if we can, though! c: Thanks for checking in! <3
I love how cozy this game is! Any news on when the next update is?
Thank you!!! We're hoping to have an update out for beta-tier patrons sometime this week, and the public version out a few weeks after that!! <3
hi hi I like the music and the mouth movements :D how do I find the new character??
Hello! I'm glad you like it!! <3 You can find Vivietta by talking to Elsie and then turning her down to hang out. <3 Thanks for playing and commenting! <3
oooh I see! ok :D
Love the game so far! Can't wait for the next update.
Thank you so much!! We'll try to have the next update out soon! Thanks for playing and commenting!! <3
I really like the game so far and i am really excited for the rest of it, keep up the good work! I was wondering though, is Nikolai a harpy?
Thank you!! We'll do our best!! <3
Nikolai is an alkonost!! They're similar to harpies, but they're from Russian mythology! <3 Thank you for playing and leaving us a lovely comment! <3
I went out with everyone except for the bunny girl so far and I really like learning about the world form everyone's persepectives!!! Everyone seems reallly cute, looking forward to the next update! <333 take care of yoursel(f)ves.
(ps. I really love the music!!It really adds to the scenes, and the general atmosphere of a different world)
Thank you so much!! We'll try to have the next update out within a month or so!! Thank you for your support and caring!! <3 <3 <3
(Out of curiosity, did you skip Elsie because she didn't interest you or because you just haven't gotten to her yet? c: <3 )
Thank you for playing and commenting!!! <3
I'm looking forward to it and of course!!! <3 <3
(And I skipped Elsie partly because I thought she was saying what her friend was saying and wasn't really interested in her for that, reason, but it's also because I hadn't gotten to her yet. When I actually talked to her she seemed cute, and i kind of like the dynamic so far. I just haven't had anytime to go back to play yet!)
I'm glad that you found that she was fun to hang out with after all!! I hope you'll continue to like everyone in the future updates!! <3 c:
Vivietta makes me a lot more interested in the universe omg. I'm so excited for more content!
Wow, that's awesome!!! What about Vivietta interests you? c: Thanks for replaying!!!
Sassy pretty dolls are always great lol. But no, mostly because she is like a privileged robot that can cheat her way to a better life but she tries to be a normal living being and want to be respected despite the discriminating rules of the world's order and how she implies that because of that, her kind is getting more rare and probably almost extinct. And also how she points out that some kind of people are hanging out in a certain area and it just gives more understanding of the social class that was going on. Or maybe I just liked a character that hates literally everyone lol.
Yeah, Vivietta is a lot of fun in her sassiness. c: I feel like she also has a unique perspective on the world's class system, and it's cool to see other people experience that too!!
Thanks for playing again. c: <3
Is the game finished?!!=))
Not completely, but the first chapter is!!! Thanks for checking in again!! <3
Hmmmmmm
Indeed! What can I do for you today, MegaSaberEXE? <3
WAIT YOU MADE Astrum Dare!!!!!!!! HIIIIIIIIIII, thanks for the new game!
YEAH WE DID!!! With a couple of our friends!!
Hey there!!! <3 I hope you like this game too!! <3 c:
Friend recommended, made an account just to review it <3. -Spoilers ahead?>
I loved the direction of the plot. It didn't feel hurried but you get a lot in the first chapter and enough to leave you curious. That's good writing, IMHO. I can see in what general direction you're going with the mystery but I've never read a story in this environment. It's fresh. One thing, I suppose this is a personal preference with the five senses, but I've noticed the Protagonist comments mostly on visual aspects (save for the coffee sampling). Which is usually fine but I remember all the hand grabbing after the dates and in my head I'm screaming "WHAT DO THEIR HANDS EVEN FEEL LIKE" (ex. Elsie's either feels super furry or like peach fuzz, Niko's feels like leather or scaly, idk). Even after the drinking games with the protagonist and loveinterest, I kept wondering how is what's happening bw them possible? Isn't he like half her size? Do they all share similar anatomical structures to humans? Although that's treading on R18 content. Which if you decided to sell as an extra separately, I would happily purchase.
There was a comment about ballet somewhere in there and I remember thinking "But idk what his feet look like".
What else... oh, would you possibly add more hairstyles in the future?
Thank you, beautiful work xoxo
Wow, thank you for making an account just to review our game!! And thank you for the really sweet and well thought-out comments!
I confess, I do struggle with properly describing things in my writing, that's totally on me. I'll try to keep an eye on it in the future, (and maybe crack open some of those writing books I have...) so thank you very much for pointing it out!
I am confused about your comment on Nikolai's height, maybe it's some impression the writing or art gives that implies he is very small? But actually he is about 5'6"! Which, as he would tell you, is tall for an alkonost. XD
I'll definitely keep your comments in mind when we do more edits on this chapter and for future chapters!!
Regarding hair styles: Currently there are no plans to change the character customizer, but that could change depending on future funding!!
Thank you so much for playing and leaving this awesome comment!! <3
My bad, I misread. Was visualizing alkonosts as feathery dwarves :D.
And nah I don't see your writing as lacking or flawed. It's great. I was just thinking of what helped immerse me in previous books. Everyone's different though :)
Aww, that's nice of you to say! But if there is something I should be doing to improve my work, then I appreciate it being pointed out!! Immersion is a key aspect of good games-- and good storytelling, for that matter!
Also omg tiny alkonosts.
I must say that I thouroughly enjoyed playing through the current content, the writing is remarkable and the characters seem to be very well written, and to top it off the art is gorgeous. If the next release is as good as this one I will surely be looking forward to it.
Keep up the good work!
Wow, thank you so much!!! <3 We will do our best to make the next chapter even better than this one!! Thank you so much for playing and leaving this lovely comment!! ;0;
I really enjoyed playing this! The characters and story are well written and I am very much looking forward to further chapters! The mystery aspects were especially well done and left me genuinely curious to see what's going on next.
Wow, thank you so much!! I really appreciate hearing that the mystery aspects were good, since mystery is notoriously hard to write and I have no experience with it, so that's very reassuring!! Thank you for playing, commenting, and rating!! <3