Scarlet Hollow

TL;DR: Even if conversational games are not your cup of tea I recommend you give episode 1 a try (it's free!). You may love it nonetheless. I don't normally enjoy conversational games. Most often I just feel like they should have just been comics/books/movies instead. However, I was eager to try Scarlet Hollow just on the basis of Abby Howard's work. I like her art and her writing, so I figured even if this was one of her comics in game form it would still be pretty cool. But I was not prepared to love it so much. It is all I hoped for and more. The art and the story sit just on the edge between whimsical and creepy, scary without taking itself too seriously. The dialogues are rich and well-written, and not a single line feels like filler. The art is, as I expected, really, really good. The story is getting interesting, with new threads opening continuously and dragging me in. And on top of that the soundtrack: I've practically been listening to it on a loop since I finished episode 1.

I'm not sure how far I have got being a slow reader, but so far its got a great creepy atmosphere, I love the artwork, and I cannot predict the plot, even though being set in a mining town should give some sort of clue. Throw in a creepy nasty family, some strange ancient stones, and a bunch of monsters, its got more twists and turns than a maze! You need to save often, as I suspect many of your choices will have a definite effect on how the plot unfolds, how long you live, and whether you leave town alive or not, and frequent saves will make it easier to backtrack and take a hopefully life-saving alternate route. You get to chose how you play your character. You can be as unpleasant as you want, as mystical as you want, as embarrassing as you want, as nosy as you want, or just plain aggravating. The goal is to survive the week in a particularly strange town without something killing you, until you can go home after your aunt's funeral. Definitely enjoying this, and I would like to think I might make it to the end of the week alive, but so far, perhaps not so good. This game/VN has a lot of replayability. One of the best I have ever played/read. There is hours of entertainment here if this is your thing!

This is the best visual novels I've played in years. The story isn't complete yet, but what's here is excellent, with fun characters, a fascinating world with interesting lore and monsters, and a perfect blend of horror and humor. The game had me hooked from very early on, and when I reached the end of what's out so far I was hungry for more. The music and artwork are really good and combine to make a gripping atmosphere. Characters are well drawn and expressive, changing their expressions in reaction to things being said and things happening around them. I feel really attached to Stella and Gretchen, her dog. There are five characters you can pursue a romantic relationship with, each with their own likes and dislikes. Which brings us to traits and choice. At the beginning of the game, you pick two traits, and they change what options you have at your disposal when it comes time to make the many choices you'll be making, which also changes what other characters think about you. All of the different traits are useful at different times. This customization and these choices mean there's a lot of replay value, even when all the chapters aren't out yet. On my first playthrough, I selected to be able to talk to animals, and this led to some funny interactions. Speaking of character customization, among the genders you can choose at the start, the game lets you play as a nonbinary character, being one of very few games I've found with that option. There's also a NB character you can romance, which is also quite rare. Overall, I highly recommend Scarlet Hollow. You can tell from even just the first few minutes of the game that a lot of time, effort, and love was put into this project. If you're still on the fence, download the first chapter for free and give it a try. You'll almost certainly be hooked.

Scarlet Hollow is full of gorgeous artwork that pulls the player through the type of story that works best in a video game medium. Difficult decisions with tragic consequences hit harder when the audience has to make those decisions and live with the fallout. The cast of characters feel like fleshed out people and they respond organically to the way the player interacts with them. Highly recommend this innovative and affecting game.