The House in Fata Morgana

Often times in equal parts is this game overly dour and depressing, and its pacing glacial and prose overwrought. It had been awhile since my last VN and I admit my tastes in media have changed quite a bit, so getting through this was somewhat of an ordeal. But, unlike many others with innumerable dead ends, recycled scenes and poorly thought out minigames, the linearity of Fata Morgana means you won't need to follow a guide (though there are annoying QTE-like choices that aren't properly signalled) and it is a pure reading experience, so I appreciated the ease of getting through it (esp for getting achievements naturally). Still, there are times I put it down for extended periods. The central mystery of who the protagonist is, why the haunted manor is the way it is and how all these threads of fate tie together is strong, and you realize there are yet mysteries within more mysteries, half-truths and tragic misunderstandings. The title of the game is a clue to this. Still, as compelling as the narrative is, the often recycled music and lack of scene variety (though what there is is generally excellent, as are the character designs) does little to propel you forward. You'll be confused, shocked, touched and elated all within a chapter, but it can be patience testing. Things will not be soon revealed until the very last lines are drawn over your screen. It is a *very* long title, even accounting for reading speed, and the included side stories means you have a very long read ahead of you. It is ultimately a confidently told story about humans at the very best and at their very worst, the horror of one's inescapable circumstances, of very real and fantastical curses, suffused in gothic dread. *Played the Dreams of the Revenants Edition on PS Vita

My first completed visual novel, great atmosphere, the story is top notch. The music is insane. I really liked the gothic style. 10 out of 10 Must play!

This starts off very promising, but after over 20 hours I gave up because it got too clever for its own good, and I got bored knowing that whatever the start of each episode, it would end in tragedy and horror. The characters were not sympathetic enough to care what happened to them and the twists and turns of the plot started to feel like fillers to extend the length of the novel. The devices used by the creators of the game to show the cruelties and frailties of us all were sound, but it became very depressing without any moments of happiness or joy to lighten the mood. I found the hero creepy and the two (?) heroines wishy washy. I know this will upset the fans of this vn who are into this style of novel, but I have read better in both hard copy and in games. Its not bad, but it was certainly not really to my taste and I don't think I am depressed enough to go back and finish it.

t to leave 5-stars, I don't actually want to write anything