Sorry for that lol, but the sudden change of atmosphere when he tried to blackmail investigate her, literally gave me chill👌 Where can I find men who support girl's hobbies this much like him, damnnnnn poor girl but I like this dynamic😔
Not Raku being the CURSED spiderman...(the spiderman dating sim that nobody asked for!)
And indeed, we all just want a man who will do our laundry, take care of our cat, play video games with us, and support us in our various extracurriculars ;)
this was by far one of the best visual novelI had ever played the characters and the animation was stunning, even the voice actors were amazing. I truly am amazed with this visual novel
Thank you so much for playing and for the incredibly kind comment!! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it :) The voice actors were so great! I was so lucky to work with them!
HELLO???? I gotta say I just came across this delectable vn (seeing the yandere tag ofc) and I finished it up in one go BECAUSE THIS WAS SO GOOD?? WTH??? I'M JUST SO AMAZED-- the voice acting, the art, the UI, the sound design??? Everything was just perfect and it felt so good that to hear out the duo's dynamic and dang. Raku's too wholesome, man /hj love them both so much
Thank you for this amazing game and I'm excited to see where you go with your other games!! Take care!
AWW thank you for such a sweet comment!! Indeed I only make the most wholesome games, Raku is just the most supportive (ex) bf a girl could ask for! Haha I'm deep in the trenches on my next game already, I'm excited to start talking about it! Thank you again for playing :)
All in all, I love both the suspense and romance, the fact that they both aren't necessarily evil or nice wholly is what gives them life/more in depth, even Raku is loveable <3
-spoilers-
I felt bad (literally cried a bucket) when I had to be mean to him especially the last resort act that Nelli did. The first thing I noticed that gave clues were the spider sticker on his jacket and that 'Kumo' part of Raku's name, turns out his entire name is related to spider.. I was like, no way, he is a spider?? That kiss was so sweet I couldn't turn him down even though it might have left a bad taste in mouth but it was okay because he helped! >w< i would be hyped for another story of this couple after their 'happily ever after'..! Great job!
I'm honored that your arachnophobia is now cured, may spiders bless your house and eat all of your insect pests (joking, but they are useful little creatures!) And aww, I'm so glad that you liked these two! I'm glad you were still surprised even if you picked up on some of the clues ;)
Thank you so much for playing!! Haha, I got a little attached to these two, so I'm working on a couple of follow-ups! They'll be even crazier than this one (and maybe they'll bring back your arachnophobia...) I hope you check them out when they release! ;)
i love the tutorial at the beginning! it's the first time i've seen that and i think it was a nice and helpful addition. the art is stellar!! and the writing!!!!! the story was super captivating and i loved exploring all 4 endings (especially the last one 👀). all in all i think this is an amazing vn and im super happy i decided to play it!!
Thank you so much for the compliments ☺️ I'm glad the tutorial was helpful, I wasn't sure about it since a lot of people seem to skip it, so I'm glad you pointed it out and found it helpful! I'm really happy you enjoyed it (especially that last ending 🤭)!!
Man I think this might be one of the last VNs I play..((another VN (that I was so excited for the update) wasn't supporting 32 and they said Ren'py isn't supporting 32 anymore-so sad for me)) I'm not saying I regret playing you game cuz I love your game (especially with the plot twists in the endings)
The art is AMAZING and the voice acting is INCREDIBLE and the ui is completely different from what I usually see (like the template yk). Like all the stuff was ORIGINAL. I'm just not use to not being able to scroll back to previous texts and when right clicking it doesn't go to save (but idk if this is a problem but then again you weren't testing on 32-I don't think it would matter anyways)
I probably can't play more of your games (ahem the sequel) in the future but this is a very good game!!!(and to all those who are just reading the comments go play it already)
Oh thank you so much for playing, I'm glad you enjoyed!! Thank you so much for the compliments :) As far as missing certain features/certain features being different Ren'py, it's because I actually built a custom framework in Unity? So the "S" shortcut opens up the save screen, while the right click function activates "screenshot" mode (but I did add in keybinds so that players can adjust these to their preference!) (I would like to include a rollback function, but with the animations it can be a little difficult...it's a work in progress!)
I had no idea that was the case for Ren'py! That's too bad ): I do really enjoy playing VNs myself, so it's a shame that they're getting a little less accessible. For me, I use Unity, so I plan on continuing to support 32-bit versions in the future, so you can continue playing my games if you want, haha!
I rarely makes comments but this one makes it worth it. Game went beyond my expectations annnd that plot twist !! 10/10.
The VA's did an excellent job as well and honestly had me simping over karamu even more lol. Overall, this game was chef's kiss. I'll def be on the lookout for future games done by you and ngl I would not mind if there was a sequel to this...after a good break ofc <3
Ahh I'm so honored!! Thank you so much! The VA was a "midway-through-production" decision and I am SO glad that I went through with it, their performances added so much!
I've got quite a few things cooking in the oven, including a Karamu sequel script ;) (Can't keep me away from game dev even when I said I would take a break!) Look forward to it!
Wow, this game was so well made that I couldn't believe it was for a jam. The animation, interface, sprites and even the voice acting were so polished. I especially enjoyed the way Rakuo was baring his soul to our protagonist and sharing all his intimate feelings. The angst was real.
Something else I liked is how you gently reveal more about the story and the characters as you go on and there are little hints scattered in the game to what happened. Also how neither character was as innocent as they seemed.
I am not sure what this says about me but I really found Rakuo adorable, especially how blushy he was during the kiss scene. It's so nice having a supportive boyfriend who would even help you get away with murder.
Aww thank you so much for the compliments! I'm glad you mentioned the more intimate moments; I was worried that those parts would be a little too boring for people mainly looking for horror! Most people just mention the plot twists, but those were actually some of my favorite parts to write!
Ahh I'm so glad!! I love writing intricate, slowly unfolding mysteries! This one was on the simpler side, but I'm glad that people picked up on the hints!
We stan a supportive partner (who accepts all of your flaws :) )!
THIS WAS SOOOOOOO GOOD AHHH. I wanted Nelli to kiss him the wholeee time, so I was glad I got the option at the end, also, loved the black protagonist, don't see it very often <3 <3. And excellent work on his spider design, I never would have guessed honestly, his face was the most terrifying part of it, seeing his four eyes move around was crazy. Amazing game, and excellent storytelling! 100/10 will def recommend!
Thank you for the compliments!! :) I'm really happy you had fun with it! (Haha, I'm glad that you enjoyed the kiss scene, even if there were some...ahem...complicating factors...)
I loved playing through this game! It's just the right amount of dark horror-romance and I'm not sure if it's morally appropriate to say I even loved their dynamic lol (in a writing perspective, of course)
But yes, I loved how both Nelli and Raku's characters were fleshed out in this short story. Thank you, Chattercap!
Haha, I would say that's exactly what I was going for...I want my players to love Nelli and Raku as characters...of course... ;)
Aww, thank you so much! Haha I was really trying to challenge myself with a "horror-romance" this time, so I'm glad that it turned out well (the balance of the genres was, admittedly, TOUGH)! Thank you for playing :)
* Everything is awesome. Where do I begin? Note: Being otome jam, I'm a sucker for "romance good end" which will always be my first go to number one priority. * Full voice acting = wow! Love both the love interest Raku, and main character Nelli's voices. Brilliant! * Animations - blinking, hair waving, rolling background with Raku wheels her bike. So immersive and wonderful! * Story - so engaging. I've so many questions - what happened to Sana? Why so protective of her backpack? Why break up with Raku in the first place - he seems so sweet. Okay, intense, but sweet. * User interface - not only is the UI awesome, but the ten billion customisable features within it. I could do a whole video on the UI alone.
Thank you so much for your impressions, Lila!! I really enjoyed watching the showcase (and your voice is so pretty and soothing)! Your compliments are too much, you're too kind!! :)
Thank you!! Haha, I do like doing things like that with unraveling mysteries! It's one of the reasons I like VNs as a storytelling format! Thank you for reading :)
Woweeee! I really enjoyed this game! Kind of was Team Raku all the way! Fantastic characterisation for him and Nelli. Really enjoyable experience. Great work!
Thank you!! Haha, "kind of Team Raku" was exactly the kind of feeling I wanted to leave the players with, so I'm glad it came across! Thank you again for the compliments :)
Such an amazing game, and I really love Nelli as an MC. I have to say, I already knew Raku was sus af the first time I laid eyes on him, but I couldn't see that twist coming a mile away, same with MC's motivations for doing the things she did.
Thank you so much!! I'm glad you enjoyed :) I'm so happy to hear that you liked Nelli, it means a lot as a creator when ppl enjoy your protagonist! I'm glad I managed to surprise you! Thank you again for playing!
Wow! The fact that this was made within the contraints of a jam is a testament to the developer's talent. The plot twist? The smooth animations? The BACKGROUNDS?! THE VOICE ACTING?!?
I have to say, if there's anything more I could ask from this game it would be to see another one expanding upon it!
WOAH I am beyond impressed that as a solo dev you did all the writing, art, animated parts and everything to put this piece together!!! LOVE the CGs awesome work!
I remember reading the script and getting chills with the dark ominous vibes, seeing it come together is really something! I was startled at the SFX of the bike falling and I appreciate the art details like Rakuo's bright blue eyes and his sweater with the cute spider on it hehe (I totally thought the aesthetic would be super dark and scary, the bright blues are nice and refreshing, makes the player more unsuspecting!)
The changing perspectives of the scenery are such a great touch too. And OMG his face rubbing against Nelli's hair made me squeamish haha wayyyy too close than an ex should be! The way his voice changes throughout the story was phenomenal as well Didn't expect Nelli to have red eyes and for Rakuo to look so nice and not as creepy as I read him as hahaha, so cool to experience the story in a different light!
Thank you so much for playing, Jaqui!!! I'm glad you enjoyed! Thank you for the script review too, it was very helpful (haha my players already picked up some of the hints I added on your suggestion!) It is really interesting seeing how the script evolves with the visuals and audio - Pilla in Paradise's script was already incredible, but it evolved SO much in the final product!
Haha I was WONDERING if someone would notice the hair rubbing...indeed, only the clingiest ex-bf...and yes, both VAs were really fantastic!! I loved working with them! (Ohh really? Haha, I did go for a "red" theme with Nelli and a "blue" one for Raku! Raku looked nicer?? I did try to give him a bit of a creepier vibe, but ah well, I think that his design does really fit Shay-ki's vocal delivery!)
Oh yeah, I really like his nice look at the beginning and ofc the creepiness of the gaze and what he’s saying/doing comes in later, it’s refreshing that he looks so nice 😄 shay-ki totally nailed it 💙
Thank you for all your suggestions as well, esp with the internal thoughts and the romance, it helped challenge me to push the script more and my editors loved the juicier emotional bits! 💕
Yoooo, I can't believe how good that was!!!!! Oh my god, I need more. I don't want to go into spoiler territory in the comment section but I need to talk about this. Aaaaah, I love Raku! And the twists... I saw them coming but in the best way.
The unconventional presentation was absolutely gorgeous by the way, I loved the choice to do basically all CGs. And the voice acting was so good too... Honestly, I have no critique, I am in love with this game. I just want to know more lore, and what happens after hahaha
You did an amazing job, and I am looking forward to any other projects from you!
Ahh thank you so much, Neff!! I'm so glad that you tried it out and enjoyed, that really means so much! Haha it was probably a little unrealistic for the jam and I'm not sure I'll do it again, but I'm glad that you enjoyed the presentation! I do want to experiment with more dynamic comic panel style formats...
Ohh I'm happy! I originally meant for this to be a standalone, but I'm fairly attached to the characters now, and I do want to give them a good arc...we'll see once I take a break, haha!
Thank you!! I'm looking forward to your future projects too, Duskbound was GREAT :)
the flow of the writing got me totally engrossed! I can't believe everything was made by one person the art was consistent and high quality as well, both characters are beautiful
I really enjoyed the voice acting - the actors did an awesome job :)
raku is adorable aaaaaa >< an early scene where he patched up nelli's wounds (not spoiler territory I hope) he was so meticulous and gentle about it 🥺 i love yandere men and he got me quick
the little dancing spiders were too cute :D
Technical feedback! maybe it's just me but I find it strange that the fast forward button is dark blue when unselected, usually I'd think the opposite other than that it's all perfect
Ahh thank you so much for the compliments!! I'm so happy you like the art; I've been trying very hard to improve the quality!
I love soft men and yanderes! I was worried that Raku would be too soft for the horror-romance enjoyers, so I'm glad that you liked him!
Ohh okay, I'll take that into consideration! Haha I never know what to do for these sorts of things, I suppose I thought dark = it's currently inactive, bright = it's currently active? But I also had the auto button icons switched at first too until someone pointed out that it should have been the opposite...I'm working on a few QOL fixes, so maybe I can include that in the next build!
thanks for being receptive to feedback :D ultimately it's up to your discretion
I was worried that Raku would be too soft for the horror-romance enjoyers, so I'm glad that you liked him!
not at all! 100% it plays into thrilling development later on
I LOVED how you then withheld key information until the perfect point. absolute graceful restraint in that make-it-or-break-it reveal scene. <spoiler>if I were Nelli I wouldn't know what I'd let myself do too, not knowing intentions... "cut the cameras deadass" when yk what happened 🤐</spoiler>
Actually obsessed with this!!
The pacing is excellent, have you written short stories in the past? Truly, the story felt like it moved at juuuuuuuuust the right speed. :)
I want to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE VOICE ACTORS, too!! They really brought the characters to life and made them both feel like real people. You definitely chose the right people for the job. Also I must have skipped over the bullet point where you mentioned that it was fully voiced; when Raku first spoke, I jumped hahaldasfj
I can tell you put a lot of love into this project, Chattercap, and I'm so happy you shared it with us!! also I really love yandere men 10/10 thank u for that
WOW, thank you so much!! I'm so happy that the pacing was good; this was actually my first time writing something really short-form like this, so I was worried about the pacing a lot!
YES the voice actors did AMAZING! They really added so much life to my script; I'm so grateful! Haha, SO many people reported getting the "voice acting jumpscare"! I hope it was a good one at least!
Aww, thank you! I'm really glad you played it!
I also have a soft spot for yanderes so you might see some more from me in the future
this looked so cool and i couldn't wait to play it as i went a little into the game and i found myself interested even more then i figured i would check back over here by chance and see what the spoilers were of what to watch out for. there i see it if your afraid of spiders and my heart sank im so glad i did not continue but i wish i could but i have arachnophobia bad. anyways for what i got to see i did like it and i wish you luck
Ugh I'm sorry to hear that!! I'm so glad that you looked at the content warnings; you definitely shouldn't play this game if you arachnophobia! Still, I'm so glad that you checked it out, and thank you so much for leaving a rating!
THANK YOU SO MUCH, I'm so happy to hear you say that! I am so happy that Zoe and Shay auditioned for me, the game wouldn't be the same without them! (Ah, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate a rating, if you feel so inclined!)
I loved this so much! The creeping dread, Raku's longing, Nelli's secrecy... oh man. It built into a twist (that had just a hint of foreshadowing) and I just... this was impressive and delightful and eerie. Thank you!
Thank you so much for playing!! I'm so glad when I heard that the twists catch people off guard! I'm like - "Got 'em!", haha! I'm so glad you enjoyed (and thank you for the recommendation!)
The technical parts of this visual novel are amazing it's pretty easy to read and interact. I guess the only two things which in my opinion are missing is a rollback and a skip seen text option but those two things not in the game doesn't negatively impact the game of course ^^
The arts are amazing and i love how lively you made it (because it's technically a sort of an animation lol) reminded me of "Nothing special" from Pempille.
I also love the character designs ^^
Spoiler:
As for the story i really liked our spider boy Rakou i also felt really bad for him which i rarely do for Yandere characters
And our cold blooded murder Nelli is in my eyes relatable (not for killing tho) referring to her not wanting Rakou to deal with her problems/feeling like being too much.
I kinda had the feeling that we acted suspiciously but i didn't think that this shitty guy (forgot his name he is irrelevant anyways) killed our best friend and we kinda avenged her lol.
The story was all in all suspense which i liked :D
Thank you so much for playing!! I'm glad you enjoyed :) Unfortunately I'd like to include a rollback, but with the way I coded my VN framework it would be nearly impossible to implement/would increase the performance overhead too much...I hoped that making the log very accessible would help make up for it a bit, but I do use the rollback a lot in other titles, haha! Oh, there was a skip seen text option? Under the Settings menu under Text Options - "Skip Read Text" can be set to "All" or "Read."
Ohh, I've never heard of that one!! I'll have to check it out! I'm always trying to incorporate more natural animations to make everything a bit more lively!
Haha, I'm glad you enjoyed our morally grey leads! I'm happy that you were surprised!!
(Oh, if you don't mind, I'd really appreciate a rating, if you feel so inclined!)
loved this so mmuch!! the vibes, the details, the great characterization... all of it was just chef's 💋. the only thing i'd add is maybe an ending indicator because i had a hard time figuring out which ending i was missing but that's it really everything else was incredible!
THANK YOU!!! I'm so happy it was a good experience!! Ohh that's a good suggestion! I was thinking about it, but I ran too close to the deadline so it didn't get added...give me a few days to recuperate and I'll work on adding it, haha! Do you have any ideas of where would be a good place to add it? Under the Help section, or a separate button on the start menu, maybe?
(Oh, and if you don't mind, I'd really appreciate a rating, if you feel so inclined!)
Just rated! Ugh, sorry. I always forget because I use mobile and itch.io doesn't show ratings on mobile -_-
And it's no problem!! Lowkey I'm a dumbass and this is the first game I've ever seen with a walkthrough in the game itself which was very helpful thank you! I think for adding it in... maybe a check indicator in the Help menu after you've already experienced an ending? I know I've seen a standalone endings page in other VNs but I'm not sure what's best for Unity. Thank you for making this amazing game! Just graduated uni with a Bio-related degree myself so Nelli was very relatable to me haha xD
Even knowing the topics this game would touch, I was not prepared to what I encountered. After playing through the first two endings and learning the truth in the third... I was surprised! I did not see it coming, but it made sense.
I was expecting Karamu to be absolutely disturbing from moment one, but I have to admit I actually kinda felt a bit for him? Even with everything, he was pretty nice, and then seeing... you know. Well, I got a bit intrigued that's for sure!
All in all, this was a fantastic experience, with the wonderful animated art and amazing voice acting really enhancing it a lot! Piecing things together and seeing how things pan out was really fun. Amazing work!
yes it's the same as my rating but let me give you more engagement you deserve it
I was SO happy when I saw that you tried it, Flor!! Haha, I'm glad that you enjoyed it! Ohh, I'm happy that the story left you with that impression! Indeed - the somewhat mixed feelings/ambiguity was definitely what I was going for! Thank you for the compliments!! I did try to make Karamu a bit more polished than previous, so I'm glad it shone through!!
(AH if you don't mind, could you remove the spoilers from this comment though? I don't want people being spoiled too easily if they scroll down here!)
nonono I'm so happy you posted this here so I could reply!!!
Raku best boyfriend tbh! I loved playing this and everything about it was amazing! The twist was the best! Also, the UI was so satisfying to me, great work from the dev all around!
I have been so excited to play this game and I am genuinely blown away by the production quality!! I was constantly in awe of the art, voice acting & writing. I have ADHD so sometimes it takes me a while to really get into the groove of playing a game but I was HOOKED my brain was working so hard to try and piece together the little hints, thinking stuff like "wait, what does that mean" or "IS THIS FORESHADOWING" LMAO it was so so so fun to play through and after I got my first ending I knew I had to go back and find answers.
.
((( SPOILERS )))
I absolutely LOVED the plot twists! The writing building up to it left enough hints that I didn't feel betrayed as a player/reader for the sake of shock value, (which I feel happens a lot!) so that was great!! I had somewhat sussed out the twist for Nelli but not at all for Rakuo which was SO FUN omg I legitimately gasped when I saw his spider form.
I have to admit I don't often consume the yandere type of media because sometimes I find the writing a little too over the top but I looove how Rakuo was written. He was creepy but not so obscenely so that it felt uncomfortable to read even as a player. Both Rakuo and Nelli felt very real and were wonderfully complex characters :) I love them both!!!
I hope you are super proud of yourself, this game is AMAZING!!!!!! lovelovelovelovelove
AHHH I am so happy you managed to scrounge up a laptop so you could play, tief!! Thank you for trying it out! I'm glad that you enjoyed puzzling together the little hints! I really love creating little mysteries and leaving bread crumbs for the player to pick up, and I'm so happy when people pick up what I'm putting down and try to puzzle out what's happening!
Ohhh that's interesting! I'm always interested to find out what people suss out before it's revealed (if any - so far it's been a REAL mixed bag)! Haha I'm a bit squeamish so overly "hardcore" yanderes can be a bit too much for me! I worry that I made Raku a bit too soft for the die-hard yandere fans (I'm just a fan of soft/sentimental LIs), but I'm glad that most people seem to like him!
sdggdfhd THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I'm so honored you played!!!
Hi! This was a super enjoyable game! When I saw the warning saying, "Do not play if you are afraid of spiders." I was pretty worried, but I was alright throughout. There is one thing I noticed, though. I played through all the choices and followed the walkthroughs, but I think I only got 3/4 of the endings.
I say I think because I got 3 end cards: one with the dancing spiders, one where what I did was called cute, and one about being rescued. I don't know if I missed something or if this was intentional.
Either way, this was a really interesting game. The plot twists were shocking, and I love the characters. Thanks for making this! 💙
Ohh thank you for playing!! Yes, I hoped it wasn't too scary so that most people could enjoy it (I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat myself, haha!) I'm really glad you enjoyed it :)
Ahh I think that you missed Ending B! For this one you need to be as cruel to Raku as possible - the key choices are to tell him "You're suffocating" and "Be cruel" (while also being as neutral as possible on the other choices - don't give that man any hope, haha!)
But I did those. They just lead to him doing the reveal and if I picked the "run" option it would lead to the dancing spiders and if I did the pokey option it would lead to the "that's cute" ending.
Ugh, I'm not sure then...I don't think anyone else has run into this problem so far 🤔 that they've mentioned? If you would like you can email me at chattercap@gmail.com, and I'll mock up a save file that is saved right before that ending starts (when I get home). I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle for you 😂, but I'd hate it if you couldn't play that ending if you want to! (Edit: but this will only work on PC!)
Karamu is a game that plays with your expectations in a brilliant way. Very often I see games portraying yandere characters and focusing on their personality, 'passion', and the relationship dynamics they end up creating, but this game doesn't stop on that.
Before I started it, I thought it would restrain itself into simply dividing the couple into a "good side" and a "bad side" (of course the yandere being the bad side). But the plot is much more thicker than that, and each time I got a different ending, my mind would twist itself. "What?... Huh.... Why is this happening?... Huh?... Wait WHA... GASP!"
It's a incredible jigsaw puzzle that gives you hints that you will let pass by until the plot shoves it in your face and you feel "HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THIS BEFORE???????????????". It's beautifully intelligent, gently enticing, scary in a soft way.
sdgsgfddh Len your review is so kind, you're gonna make me cry...I'm really glad that you had this experience with it! As a writer I love writing stories that toy with people's expectations/leaves clues towards a larger mystery that coalesce near the end, so it makes me so happy to know that the story had the effect that I wanted!! "Beautifully intelligent, gently enticing, scary in a soft way" I'm gonna sob...I'm glad that there was a "soft scariness" to it, and it wasn't too scary for you! Even though I'm a horror fan admittedly I do get spooked by really "hard" horror too! And my aesthetic for the game was soft and melancholic, so I'm glad that it didn't become too spooky! Thank you so much for playing; it was so fun watching your reactions!!
Absolutely loved this! It was such an enjoyable experience, the production value was off the charts! I adored how you used the comic-panel style, I've always been intrigued by it's usage in VNs but your minimal animations made it feel really dynamic too! And the lighting was spot-on too, the sprites melded perfectly with the background and was a delight to look at! The voice acting was very top-notch too, it felt very natural; they did an amazing job!
(Slight spoilers for people who haven't played it yet!)
As an avid consumer of Japanese media, I immediately got the hints from the title of the game and Raku's name, very ingenious, but when the first hint arrived I still went "No wayyyy" haha I really enjoyed the twist. I really enjoyed both Raku's and Nelli's characters, they both felt very real and interesting! Loved Nelli's kind and no-nonsense manner but she's willing to do what needs to be done for the people she cares about. Raku was creepy but also very dream-like. I really liked how he described his feelings for Nelli, it was very touching. Their shared memories were cute to read too, relationship goals!
Overall a top-notch game, I really enjoyed this, well done!
(Copy-pasting review as comment again because I'm not 100% sure which is better so just doing both asdfghjkll)
Thank you so much for playing, Yanny!! I do want to make a more animated comic-book style, but I'm glad it still seemed dynamic (it's definitely an area of improvement though, haha)! The voice actors were AMAZING! I was so lucky to be able to work with them!
(Oooooohhh I was HOPING some people would get the hints! Only a couple of people have picked up on it so far...I'm really glad to see that they weren't the only ones!)
I'm glad that you still thought their romance was relationship goals! While I was writing it, I was a bit conflicted myself, but I can't help but feel like they're cute together, haha! I'm also happy that you liked the confession sequence; I worry that people aren't as much of a sucker for incredibly sentimental dialogue as I am, but I can't help myself...
(I have no idea which is better either, but I'm happy that you posted here so I could reply! Thank you again for playing and for leaving me this review!!)
So... umm... Were on drugs when writing this? Because I couldn't believe what I was reading lol. That twist came out of nowhere, I had to pause for a few minutes because I started to laugh like a maniac. It was so random I loved it! Excellent creativity! Also, Raku is bae and I never imagined that I'd get turned on by something like that!
Uh I guess I'll take this as a compliment? There are actually quite a few hints leading up to the ending (I'd say around half of my players guessed at least one of the twists, if not both?) But thank you for playing and glad you enjoyed it, haha!
Sorry! I meant everything as a compliment! I just think it's hilarious when your ex does that! I wouldn't have guessed that plot twist in a million years! Sure, I did remember Raku praising Nelli for not killing a small spider, but I never would've guessed that!
Ahh okay, I'm glad! I was a little worried there for a second! I definitely think that was the more surprising twist, though a few people did manage to guess it (I was shocked that they did)!
(Oh oops by the way, would you mind removing the spoiler from your comment above? I don't want ppl getting spoiled too easily if they scroll down here!)
WOW! This is my first introduction to your work (I’ve yet to start Actala) and BOY OH BOY AM I EVER EXCITED FOR MORE CHATTERCAP PRODUCTIONS NOW. Remember when I said I loved a good clingy yandere ex-boyfriend? Well I maintain that point, and you totally delivered. 😁
Super enamoured by the visuals, the dynamism of everything having slight idle animation to it and the addition of comic-book-style panels was super fun to watch and very engaging, I found myself sort of just staring at it all quite a few times. (Big fan of the kitty peeking out from behind the bed in Ending A.) And I quite like this UI as well! I didn’t realize the potential Unity had for making such beautiful and dynamic VN’s, it never would have even crossed my mind, but you did an absolutely amazing job top to bottom on this! You make it look a lot easier than I’m sure it really is. 💙
And your writing too, the slow unravelling of different details and aspects of Nelli and Raku’s relationship to one another but also their own individual pasts and how it all snowballs with each passing ending was really fun to uncover with fresh eyes in each subsequent play-through.
MASSIVE props to Shay-Ki and Zoe for their PHENOMENAL voice acting, totally elevated this game into a whole new realm. I’m especially taken by Shay-Ki’s work here! He delivers the bone-chilling emotionality of Raku’s yandere personality so well.
⚠️ [MILD SPOILERS?]
My favourite line was Raku’s “But you don’t need me? You don’t even want me?”, the delivery was absurdly good. Actually, now that I think about it, that line is perhaps second only to Raku’s “What’s in the bag, Nelli?”... CHILLS. 😵💫
⚠️ [ACTUAL SPOILERS!]
I KNEW in my gut there was some kind of flesh in that yellow bag when she put it into the freezer in Ending A. I didn’t piece together it could have been Ji-Hoon, but I certainly had a feeling Nelli wasn’t as innocent an MC as we perhaps presumed her to be initially based on that small freezer detail alone. I love morally dubious MC’s, they always have a place in my heart.
I was also so glad we got a monster form reveal, total sucker for ‘em. 🕷🕸
AHHH thank you so much for playing snixiy, and for leaving me such a long review?!?! Haha I am glad that I satisfied your clingy yandere ex-boyfriend craving!
I'm so glad that it looks good!! I worry a lot about how much to move the characters so that you can still tell that they're moving without having them HEAVING like they've just run a marathon, haha! Honestly I still think Ren'py is the best for making VNs since it's optimized for it, but my animation software doesn't support it so I used Unity instead. It's definitely a bit of work to get everything up and running (though I was really new when I first coded my framework so I made it a lot harder than it should have been, honestly), but after that I do really like how flexible it is and how easy it is to port to mobile!
YES, Shay-ki and Zoe were both INCREDIBLE! It was my first time working with VAs, so I'm lucky that they were both so wonderful to work with! I'm hoping that I can work with more VAs in the future!
(Regarding the spoilers - I am SO glad you caught that little hint! I actually added it because my beta readers said that the ending twist was too abrupt! I was hoping that someone would catch it, haha!)
THE GAME IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. SAME GOES WITH THE PLOT.
I love the game so much. and I LOVE the effort you put in designing the character, animating it and even find VA for this game. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Looking forward to see your other games!
Thank you so much for playing!! I'm glad that you enjoyed it :) The VAs did SUCH an awesome job; I'm so lucky that I got to work with them! (I would really appreciate a rating, if you're willing!)
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Raku: You can't change canon event, Nelli---
Sorry for that lol, but the sudden change of atmosphere when he tried to
blackmailinvestigate her, literally gave me chill👌 Where can I find men who support girl's hobbies this much like him, damnnnnn poor girl but I like this dynamic😔I'M CRYING
Spoiler!
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Not Raku being the CURSED spiderman...(the spiderman dating sim that nobody asked for!)
And indeed, we all just want a man who will do our laundry, take care of our cat, play video games with us, and support us in our various extracurriculars ;)
this was by far one of the best visual novelI had ever played the characters and the animation was stunning, even the voice actors were amazing. I truly am amazed with this visual novel
Thank you so much for playing and for the incredibly kind comment!! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it :) The voice actors were so great! I was so lucky to work with them!
HELLO???? I gotta say I just came across this delectable vn (seeing the yandere tag ofc) and I finished it up in one go BECAUSE THIS WAS SO GOOD?? WTH??? I'M JUST SO AMAZED-- the voice acting, the art, the UI, the sound design??? Everything was just perfect and it felt so good that to hear out the duo's dynamic and dang. Raku's too wholesome, man /hj love them both so much
Thank you for this amazing game and I'm excited to see where you go with your other games!! Take care!
AWW thank you for such a sweet comment!! Indeed I only make the most wholesome games, Raku is just the most supportive (ex) bf a girl could ask for! Haha I'm deep in the trenches on my next game already, I'm excited to start talking about it! Thank you again for playing :)
This cured my arachnophobia/hj
All in all, I love both the suspense and romance, the fact that they both aren't necessarily evil or nice wholly is what gives them life/more in depth, even Raku is loveable <3
-spoilers-
I felt bad (literally cried a bucket) when I had to be mean to him especially the last resort act that Nelli did. The first thing I noticed that gave clues were the spider sticker on his jacket and that 'Kumo' part of Raku's name, turns out his entire name is related to spider.. I was like, no way, he is a spider?? That kiss was so sweet I couldn't turn him down even though it might have left a bad taste in mouth but it was okay because he helped! >w< i would be hyped for another story of this couple after their 'happily ever after'..! Great job!
I'm honored that your arachnophobia is now cured, may spiders bless your house and eat all of your insect pests (joking, but they are useful little creatures!) And aww, I'm so glad that you liked these two! I'm glad you were still surprised even if you picked up on some of the clues ;)
Thank you so much for playing!! Haha, I got a little attached to these two, so I'm working on a couple of follow-ups! They'll be even crazier than this one (and maybe they'll bring back your arachnophobia...) I hope you check them out when they release! ;)
i love the tutorial at the beginning! it's the first time i've seen that and i think it was a nice and helpful addition. the art is stellar!! and the writing!!!!! the story was super captivating and i loved exploring all 4 endings (especially the last one 👀). all in all i think this is an amazing vn and im super happy i decided to play it!!
Thank you so much for the compliments ☺️ I'm glad the tutorial was helpful, I wasn't sure about it since a lot of people seem to skip it, so I'm glad you pointed it out and found it helpful! I'm really happy you enjoyed it (especially that last ending 🤭)!!
Man I think this might be one of the last VNs I play..((another VN (that I was so excited for the update) wasn't supporting 32 and they said Ren'py isn't supporting 32 anymore-so sad for me)) I'm not saying I regret playing you game cuz I love your game (especially with the plot twists in the endings)
The art is AMAZING and the voice acting is INCREDIBLE and the ui is completely different from what I usually see (like the template yk). Like all the stuff was ORIGINAL. I'm just not use to not being able to scroll back to previous texts and when right clicking it doesn't go to save (but idk if this is a problem but then again you weren't testing on 32-I don't think it would matter anyways)
I probably can't play more of your games (ahem the sequel) in the future but this is a very good game!!!(and to all those who are just reading the comments go play it already)
Oh thank you so much for playing, I'm glad you enjoyed!! Thank you so much for the compliments :) As far as missing certain features/certain features being different Ren'py, it's because I actually built a custom framework in Unity? So the "S" shortcut opens up the save screen, while the right click function activates "screenshot" mode (but I did add in keybinds so that players can adjust these to their preference!) (I would like to include a rollback function, but with the animations it can be a little difficult...it's a work in progress!)
I had no idea that was the case for Ren'py! That's too bad ): I do really enjoy playing VNs myself, so it's a shame that they're getting a little less accessible. For me, I use Unity, so I plan on continuing to support 32-bit versions in the future, so you can continue playing my games if you want, haha!
Thank you again for your kind comment!!
Alright Cappy, I’m going to be real with you. *Cracks fingers*. This was…
…DAMN GOOD. :)
Well done! <3 :D
Ohh thank you for playing, Tyme!! I'm glad you had fun <3 (sdfsdfsfgdg I liked the building of suspense LOL)
My pleasure! :) And yeah well, building of suspense is kind of my brand so gotta keep consistent I guess LMAO
this was so fun, I loved every second of it. <3
Aww thank you so much!! :) I'm glad you had fun!!
I love how there's an in-game guide. It's really helpful, thanks!
I'm glad it was helpful! :)
I really love it‼️<3
Aww, thank you so much!! Thank you for playing :)
Thank you for playing! :)
I rarely makes comments but this one makes it worth it. Game went beyond my expectations annnd that plot twist !! 10/10.
The VA's did an excellent job as well and honestly had me simping over karamu even more lol. Overall, this game was chef's kiss. I'll def be on the lookout for future games done by you and ngl I would not mind if there was a sequel to this...after a good break ofc <3
Ahh I'm so honored!! Thank you so much! The VA was a "midway-through-production" decision and I am SO glad that I went through with it, their performances added so much!
I've got quite a few things cooking in the oven, including a Karamu sequel script ;) (Can't keep me away from game dev even when I said I would take a break!) Look forward to it!
Wow, this game was so well made that I couldn't believe it was for a jam. The animation, interface, sprites and even the voice acting were so polished. I especially enjoyed the way Rakuo was baring his soul to our protagonist and sharing all his intimate feelings. The angst was real.
Something else I liked is how you gently reveal more about the story and the characters as you go on and there are little hints scattered in the game to what happened. Also how neither character was as innocent as they seemed.
I am not sure what this says about me but I really found Rakuo adorable, especially how blushy he was during the kiss scene. It's so nice having a supportive boyfriend who would even help you get away with murder.
Aww thank you so much for the compliments! I'm glad you mentioned the more intimate moments; I was worried that those parts would be a little too boring for people mainly looking for horror! Most people just mention the plot twists, but those were actually some of my favorite parts to write!
Ahh I'm so glad!! I love writing intricate, slowly unfolding mysteries! This one was on the simpler side, but I'm glad that people picked up on the hints!
We stan a supportive partner (who accepts all of your flaws :) )!
Thank you again for playing :D
THIS WAS SOOOOOOO GOOD AHHH. I wanted Nelli to kiss him the wholeee time, so I was glad I got the option at the end, also, loved the black protagonist, don't see it very often <3 <3. And excellent work on his spider design, I never would have guessed honestly, his face was the most terrifying part of it, seeing his four eyes move around was crazy. Amazing game, and excellent storytelling! 100/10 will def recommend!
Thank you for the compliments!! :) I'm really happy you had fun with it! (Haha, I'm glad that you enjoyed the kiss scene, even if there were some...ahem...complicating factors...)
OFC OFCC! And yes there wass >-<
Will we be seeing a continuation of this story at all? (If not, then ofc thats fine! Just want to know if I should be checking up at all!)
(Ahh yes!! Still in planning stages, but I am drafting some scripts for a prequel and a sequel! I got a little too attached to these characters!)
AHH YAY! Sorry I keep commenting, I really like this game :)
I loved playing through this game! It's just the right amount of dark horror-romance and I'm not sure if it's morally appropriate to say I even loved their dynamic lol (in a writing perspective, of course)
But yes, I loved how both Nelli and Raku's characters were fleshed out in this short story. Thank you, Chattercap!
Haha, I would say that's exactly what I was going for...I want my players to love Nelli and Raku as characters...of course... ;)
Aww, thank you so much! Haha I was really trying to challenge myself with a "horror-romance" this time, so I'm glad that it turned out well (the balance of the genres was, admittedly, TOUGH)! Thank you for playing :)
As I started replaying it more and more it just amazed me....wow Chattercap, u did an amazing job
Aww, thank you so much!! That's such a wonderful compliment :)
Dear Chattercap,
Wow, Karamu is amazing.
My first impressions:
* Full voice acting = wow! Love both the love interest Raku, and main character Nelli's voices. Brilliant!
* Animations - blinking, hair waving, rolling background with Raku wheels her bike. So immersive and wonderful!
* Story - so engaging. I've so many questions - what happened to Sana? Why so protective of her backpack? Why break up with Raku in the first place - he seems so sweet. Okay, intense, but sweet.
* User interface - not only is the UI awesome, but the ten billion customisable features within it. I could do a whole video on the UI alone.
Overall: I loved it! Play it right now!
Thank you so much for your impressions, Lila!! I really enjoyed watching the showcase (and your voice is so pretty and soothing)! Your compliments are too much, you're too kind!! :)
I liked that you had to replay the story to fully understand what was going on. Also thanks for the Post-Mortem, I enjoyed reading about the lore.
Thank you!! Haha, I do like doing things like that with unraveling mysteries! It's one of the reasons I like VNs as a storytelling format! Thank you for reading :)
This was SO SO GREAT! That plot twist *chefs kiss*. Honestly the characters and story were so so good. Loved the voice acting too!
Thank you so much!! I'm glad you had fun with it :) The voice actors were AWESOME, thank you so much for saying so!!
Woweeee! I really enjoyed this game! Kind of was Team Raku all the way! Fantastic characterisation for him and Nelli. Really enjoyable experience. Great work!
Thank you!! Haha, "kind of Team Raku" was exactly the kind of feeling I wanted to leave the players with, so I'm glad it came across! Thank you again for the compliments :)
Such an amazing game, and I really love Nelli as an MC. I have to say, I already knew Raku was sus af the first time I laid eyes on him, but I couldn't see that twist coming a mile away, same with MC's motivations for doing the things she did.
Thank you so much!! I'm glad you enjoyed :) I'm so happy to hear that you liked Nelli, it means a lot as a creator when ppl enjoy your protagonist! I'm glad I managed to surprise you! Thank you again for playing!
Wow! The fact that this was made within the contraints of a jam is a testament to the developer's talent. The plot twist? The smooth animations? The BACKGROUNDS?! THE VOICE ACTING?!?
I have to say, if there's anything more I could ask from this game it would be to see another one expanding upon it!
Aww thank you Sylla, you're too kind!! I'm glad that you enjoyed it!! (dfgdg yes, Shay-ki and Zoe were INCREDIBLE!)
Hehe, let's say that I might be working on some scripts...we'll see...
WOAH I am beyond impressed that as a solo dev you did all the writing, art, animated parts and everything to put this piece together!!! LOVE the CGs awesome work!
I remember reading the script and getting chills with the dark ominous vibes, seeing it come together is really something! I was startled at the SFX of the bike falling and I appreciate the art details like Rakuo's bright blue eyes and his sweater with the cute spider on it hehe (I totally thought the aesthetic would be super dark and scary, the bright blues are nice and refreshing, makes the player more unsuspecting!)
The changing perspectives of the scenery are such a great touch too. And OMG his face rubbing against Nelli's hair made me squeamish haha wayyyy too close than an ex should be! The way his voice changes throughout the story was phenomenal as well
Didn't expect Nelli to have red eyes and for Rakuo to look so nice and not as creepy as I read him as hahaha, so cool to experience the story in a different light!
Thank you so much for playing, Jaqui!!! I'm glad you enjoyed! Thank you for the script review too, it was very helpful (haha my players already picked up some of the hints I added on your suggestion!) It is really interesting seeing how the script evolves with the visuals and audio - Pilla in Paradise's script was already incredible, but it evolved SO much in the final product!
Haha I was WONDERING if someone would notice the hair rubbing...indeed, only the clingiest ex-bf...and yes, both VAs were really fantastic!! I loved working with them! (Ohh really? Haha, I did go for a "red" theme with Nelli and a "blue" one for Raku! Raku looked nicer?? I did try to give him a bit of a creepier vibe, but ah well, I think that his design does really fit Shay-ki's vocal delivery!)
Oh yeah, I really like his nice look at the beginning and ofc the creepiness of the gaze and what he’s saying/doing comes in later, it’s refreshing that he looks so nice 😄 shay-ki totally nailed it 💙
Thank you for all your suggestions as well, esp with the internal thoughts and the romance, it helped challenge me to push the script more and my editors loved the juicier emotional bits! 💕
Yoooo, I can't believe how good that was!!!!! Oh my god, I need more. I don't want to go into spoiler territory in the comment section but I need to talk about this. Aaaaah, I love Raku! And the twists... I saw them coming but in the best way.
The unconventional presentation was absolutely gorgeous by the way, I loved the choice to do basically all CGs. And the voice acting was so good too... Honestly, I have no critique, I am in love with this game. I just want to know more lore, and what happens after hahaha
You did an amazing job, and I am looking forward to any other projects from you!
Ahh thank you so much, Neff!! I'm so glad that you tried it out and enjoyed, that really means so much! Haha it was probably a little unrealistic for the jam and I'm not sure I'll do it again, but I'm glad that you enjoyed the presentation! I do want to experiment with more dynamic comic panel style formats...
Ohh I'm happy! I originally meant for this to be a standalone, but I'm fairly attached to the characters now, and I do want to give them a good arc...we'll see once I take a break, haha!
Thank you!! I'm looking forward to your future projects too, Duskbound was GREAT :)
the flow of the writing got me totally engrossed! I can't believe everything was made by one person the art was consistent and high quality as well, both characters are beautiful
I really enjoyed the voice acting - the actors did an awesome job :)
raku is adorable aaaaaa >< an early scene where he patched up nelli's wounds (not spoiler territory I hope) he was so meticulous and gentle about it 🥺
i love yandere men and he got me quickthe little dancing spiders were too cute :D
Technical feedback! maybe it's just me but I find it strange that the fast forward button is dark blue when unselected, usually I'd think the opposite other than that it's all perfect
Ahh thank you so much for the compliments!! I'm so happy you like the art; I've been trying very hard to improve the quality!
I love soft men
and yanderes! I was worried that Raku would be too soft for the horror-romance enjoyers, so I'm glad that you liked him!Ohh okay, I'll take that into consideration! Haha I never know what to do for these sorts of things, I suppose I thought dark = it's currently inactive, bright = it's currently active? But I also had the auto button icons switched at first too until someone pointed out that it should have been the opposite...I'm working on a few QOL fixes, so maybe I can include that in the next build!
thanks for being receptive to feedback :D ultimately it's up to your discretion
not at all! 100% it plays into thrilling development later on
I LOVED how you then withheld key information until the perfect point. absolute graceful restraint in that make-it-or-break-it
revealscene. <spoiler>if I were Nelli I wouldn't know what I'd let myself do too, not knowing intentions... "cut the cameras deadass" when yk what happened 🤐</spoiler>Actually obsessed with this!! The pacing is excellent, have you written short stories in the past? Truly, the story felt like it moved at juuuuuuuuust the right speed. :)
I want to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE VOICE ACTORS, too!! They really brought the characters to life and made them both feel like real people. You definitely chose the right people for the job. Also I must have skipped over the bullet point where you mentioned that it was fully voiced; when Raku first spoke, I jumped hahaldasfj
I can tell you put a lot of love into this project, Chattercap, and I'm so happy you shared it with us!!
also I really love yandere men 10/10 thank u for thatWOW, thank you so much!! I'm so happy that the pacing was good; this was actually my first time writing something really short-form like this, so I was worried about the pacing a lot!
YES the voice actors did AMAZING! They really added so much life to my script; I'm so grateful! Haha, SO many people reported getting the "voice acting jumpscare"! I hope it was a good one at least!
Aww, thank you! I'm really glad you played it!
I also have a soft spot for yanderes so you might see some more from me in the futurethis looked so cool and i couldn't wait to play it as i went a little into the game and i found myself interested even more then i figured i would check back over here by chance and see what the spoilers were of what to watch out for. there i see it if your afraid of spiders and my heart sank im so glad i did not continue but i wish i could but i have arachnophobia bad. anyways for what i got to see i did like it and i wish you luck
Ugh I'm sorry to hear that!! I'm so glad that you looked at the content warnings; you definitely shouldn't play this game if you arachnophobia! Still, I'm so glad that you checked it out, and thank you so much for leaving a rating!
Great game, this is legitimately the best visual novel voice acting I´ve ever seen :o
THANK YOU SO MUCH, I'm so happy to hear you say that! I am so happy that Zoe and Shay auditioned for me, the game wouldn't be the same without them! (Ah, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate a rating, if you feel so inclined!)
I loved this so much! The creeping dread, Raku's longing, Nelli's secrecy... oh man. It built into a twist (that had just a hint of foreshadowing) and I just... this was impressive and delightful and eerie. Thank you!
Thank you so much for playing!! I'm so glad when I heard that the twists catch people off guard! I'm like - "Got 'em!", haha! I'm so glad you enjoyed (and thank you for the recommendation!)
Thank you for the game! It's a treat.
The technical parts of this visual novel are amazing it's pretty easy to read and interact. I guess the only two things which in my opinion are missing is a rollback and a skip seen text option but those two things not in the game doesn't negatively impact the game of course ^^
The arts are amazing and i love how lively you made it (because it's technically a sort of an animation lol) reminded me of "Nothing special" from Pempille.
I also love the character designs ^^
Spoiler:
As for the story i really liked our spider boy Rakou i also felt really bad for him which i rarely do for Yandere characters
And our cold blooded murder Nelli is in my eyes relatable (not for killing tho) referring to her not wanting Rakou to deal with her problems/feeling like being too much.
I kinda had the feeling that we acted suspiciously but i didn't think that this shitty guy (forgot his name he is irrelevant anyways) killed our best friend and we kinda avenged her lol.
The story was all in all suspense which i liked :D
Take care ^^
Thank you so much for playing!! I'm glad you enjoyed :) Unfortunately I'd like to include a rollback, but with the way I coded my VN framework it would be nearly impossible to implement/would increase the performance overhead too much...I hoped that making the log very accessible would help make up for it a bit, but I do use the rollback a lot in other titles, haha! Oh, there was a skip seen text option? Under the Settings menu under Text Options - "Skip Read Text" can be set to "All" or "Read."
Ohh, I've never heard of that one!! I'll have to check it out! I'm always trying to incorporate more natural animations to make everything a bit more lively!
Haha, I'm glad you enjoyed our morally grey leads! I'm happy that you were surprised!!
(Oh, if you don't mind, I'd really appreciate a rating, if you feel so inclined!)
I see :O
It's also a yandere game so you might like it ^^
And i don't mind giving it a rating ^^
loved this so mmuch!! the vibes, the details, the great characterization... all of it was just chef's 💋. the only thing i'd add is maybe an ending indicator because i had a hard time figuring out which ending i was missing but that's it really everything else was incredible!
THANK YOU!!! I'm so happy it was a good experience!! Ohh that's a good suggestion! I was thinking about it, but I ran too close to the deadline so it didn't get added...give me a few days to recuperate and I'll work on adding it, haha! Do you have any ideas of where would be a good place to add it? Under the Help section, or a separate button on the start menu, maybe?
(Oh, and if you don't mind, I'd really appreciate a rating, if you feel so inclined!)
Just rated! Ugh, sorry. I always forget because I use mobile and itch.io doesn't show ratings on mobile -_-
And it's no problem!! Lowkey I'm a dumbass and this is the first game I've ever seen with a walkthrough in the game itself which was very helpful thank you! I think for adding it in... maybe a check indicator in the Help menu after you've already experienced an ending? I know I've seen a standalone endings page in other VNs but I'm not sure what's best for Unity. Thank you for making this amazing game! Just graduated uni with a Bio-related degree myself so Nelli was very relatable to me haha xD
Haha, most people don't rate actually, so I'm just so grateful when people take the time to do it!
Ohhhh this is a very good idea! Thank you so much for the suggestion, I'll look into adding it there!
(And AHH same! I'm a science gal so Nelli's interests are close to my heart, haha!)
Even knowing the topics this game would touch, I was not prepared to what I encountered. After playing through the first two endings and learning the truth in the third... I was surprised! I did not see it coming, but it made sense.
I was expecting Karamu to be absolutely disturbing from moment one, but I have to admit I actually kinda felt a bit for him? Even with everything, he was pretty nice, and then seeing... you know. Well, I got a bit intrigued that's for sure!
All in all, this was a fantastic experience, with the wonderful animated art and amazing voice acting really enhancing it a lot! Piecing things together and seeing how things pan out was really fun. Amazing work!
yes it's the same as my rating but let me give you more engagement you deserve itI was SO happy when I saw that you tried it, Flor!! Haha, I'm glad that you enjoyed it! Ohh, I'm happy that the story left you with that impression! Indeed - the somewhat mixed feelings/ambiguity was definitely what I was going for! Thank you for the compliments!! I did try to make Karamu a bit more polished than previous, so I'm glad it shone through!!
(AH if you don't mind, could you remove the spoilers from this comment though? I don't want people being spoiled too easily if they scroll down here!)
nonono I'm so happy you posted this here so I could reply!!!Oh shoot I didn't even think of the spoilers, I'll make them disappear!!
Raku best boyfriend tbh! I loved playing this and everything about it was amazing! The twist was the best! Also, the UI was so satisfying to me, great work from the dev all around!
Haha, right?! Who wouldn't want a boyfriend who's willing to do the things he does? Thank you so much for playing, Lacy!! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I have been so excited to play this game and I am genuinely blown away by the production quality!! I was constantly in awe of the art, voice acting & writing. I have ADHD so sometimes it takes me a while to really get into the groove of playing a game but I was HOOKED my brain was working so hard to try and piece together the little hints, thinking stuff like "wait, what does that mean" or "IS THIS FORESHADOWING" LMAO it was so so so fun to play through and after I got my first ending I knew I had to go back and find answers.
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((( SPOILERS )))
I absolutely LOVED the plot twists! The writing building up to it left enough hints that I didn't feel betrayed as a player/reader for the sake of shock value, (which I feel happens a lot!) so that was great!!
I had somewhat sussed out the twist for Nelli but not at all for Rakuo which was SO FUN omg I legitimately gasped when I saw his spider form.
I have to admit I don't often consume the yandere type of media because sometimes I find the writing a little too over the top but I looove how Rakuo was written. He was creepy but not so obscenely so that it felt uncomfortable to read even as a player. Both Rakuo and Nelli felt very real and were wonderfully complex characters :) I love them both!!!
I hope you are super proud of yourself, this game is AMAZING!!!!!! lovelovelovelovelove
AHHH I am so happy you managed to scrounge up a laptop so you could play, tief!! Thank you for trying it out! I'm glad that you enjoyed puzzling together the little hints! I really love creating little mysteries and leaving bread crumbs for the player to pick up, and I'm so happy when people pick up what I'm putting down and try to puzzle out what's happening!
Ohhh that's interesting! I'm always interested to find out what people suss out before it's revealed (if any - so far it's been a REAL mixed bag)! Haha I'm a bit squeamish so overly "hardcore" yanderes can be a bit too much for me! I worry that I made Raku a bit too soft for the die-hard yandere fans (I'm just a fan of soft/sentimental LIs), but I'm glad that most people seem to like him!
sdggdfhd THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I'm so honored you played!!!
Hi! This was a super enjoyable game! When I saw the warning saying, "Do not play if you are afraid of spiders." I was pretty worried, but I was alright throughout. There is one thing I noticed, though. I played through all the choices and followed the walkthroughs, but I think I only got 3/4 of the endings.
I say I think because I got 3 end cards: one with the dancing spiders, one where what I did was called cute, and one about being rescued. I don't know if I missed something or if this was intentional.
Either way, this was a really interesting game. The plot twists were shocking, and I love the characters. Thanks for making this! 💙
Ohh thank you for playing!! Yes, I hoped it wasn't too scary so that most people could enjoy it (I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat myself, haha!) I'm really glad you enjoyed it :)
Ahh I think that you missed Ending B! For this one you need to be as cruel to Raku as possible - the key choices are to tell him "You're suffocating" and "Be cruel" (while also being as neutral as possible on the other choices - don't give that man any hope, haha!)
But I did those. They just lead to him doing the reveal and if I picked the "run" option it would lead to the dancing spiders and if I did the pokey option it would lead to the "that's cute" ending.
Ugh, I'm not sure then...I don't think anyone else has run into this problem so far 🤔 that they've mentioned? If you would like you can email me at chattercap@gmail.com, and I'll mock up a save file that is saved right before that ending starts (when I get home). I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle for you 😂, but I'd hate it if you couldn't play that ending if you want to! (Edit: but this will only work on PC!)
Alright, I'll do that. I'm a bit of a completionist, so if it'll let me get that ending, I'm more than happy.
Karamu is a game that plays with your expectations in a brilliant way. Very often I see games portraying yandere characters and focusing on their personality, 'passion', and the relationship dynamics they end up creating, but this game doesn't stop on that.
Before I started it, I thought it would restrain itself into simply dividing the couple into a "good side" and a "bad side" (of course the yandere being the bad side). But the plot is much more thicker than that, and each time I got a different ending, my mind would twist itself. "What?... Huh.... Why is this happening?... Huh?... Wait WHA... GASP!"
It's a incredible jigsaw puzzle that gives you hints that you will let pass by until the plot shoves it in your face and you feel "HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THIS BEFORE???????????????". It's beautifully intelligent, gently enticing, scary in a soft way.
10/10 fr
sdgsgfddh Len your review is so kind, you're gonna make me cry...I'm really glad that you had this experience with it! As a writer I love writing stories that toy with people's expectations/leaves clues towards a larger mystery that coalesce near the end, so it makes me so happy to know that the story had the effect that I wanted!! "Beautifully intelligent, gently enticing, scary in a soft way" I'm gonna sob...I'm glad that there was a "soft scariness" to it, and it wasn't too scary for you! Even though I'm a horror fan admittedly I do get spooked by really "hard" horror too! And my aesthetic for the game was soft and melancholic, so I'm glad that it didn't become too spooky! Thank you so much for playing; it was so fun watching your reactions!!
<333
Absolutely loved this! It was such an enjoyable experience, the production value was off the charts! I adored how you used the comic-panel style, I've always been intrigued by it's usage in VNs but your minimal animations made it feel really dynamic too! And the lighting was spot-on too, the sprites melded perfectly with the background and was a delight to look at! The voice acting was very top-notch too, it felt very natural; they did an amazing job!
(Slight spoilers for people who haven't played it yet!) As an avid consumer of Japanese media, I immediately got the hints from the title of the game and Raku's name, very ingenious, but when the first hint arrived I still went "No wayyyy" haha I really enjoyed the twist. I really enjoyed both Raku's and Nelli's characters, they both felt very real and interesting! Loved Nelli's kind and no-nonsense manner but she's willing to do what needs to be done for the people she cares about. Raku was creepy but also very dream-like. I really liked how he described his feelings for Nelli, it was very touching. Their shared memories were cute to read too, relationship goals! Overall a top-notch game, I really enjoyed this, well done!
(Copy-pasting review as comment again because I'm not 100% sure which is better so just doing both asdfghjkll)
Thank you so much for playing, Yanny!! I do want to make a more animated comic-book style, but I'm glad it still seemed dynamic (it's definitely an area of improvement though, haha)! The voice actors were AMAZING! I was so lucky to be able to work with them!
(Oooooohhh I was HOPING some people would get the hints! Only a couple of people have picked up on it so far...I'm really glad to see that they weren't the only ones!)
I'm glad that you still thought their romance was relationship goals! While I was writing it, I was a bit conflicted myself, but I can't help but feel like they're cute together, haha! I'm also happy that you liked the confession sequence; I worry that people aren't as much of a sucker for incredibly sentimental dialogue as I am, but I can't help myself...
(I have no idea which is better either, but I'm happy that you posted here so I could reply! Thank you again for playing and for leaving me this review!!)
So... umm... Were on drugs when writing this? Because I couldn't believe what I was reading lol. That twist came out of nowhere, I had to pause for a few minutes because I started to laugh like a maniac. It was so random I loved it! Excellent creativity! Also, Raku is bae and I never imagined that I'd get turned on by something like that!
Uh I guess I'll take this as a compliment? There are actually quite a few hints leading up to the ending (I'd say around half of my players guessed at least one of the twists, if not both?) But thank you for playing and glad you enjoyed it, haha!
Sorry! I meant everything as a compliment! I just think it's hilarious when your ex does that! I wouldn't have guessed that plot twist in a million years! Sure, I did remember Raku praising Nelli for not killing a small spider, but I never would've guessed that!
Ahh okay, I'm glad! I was a little worried there for a second! I definitely think that was the more surprising twist, though a few people did manage to guess it (I was shocked that they did)!
(Oh oops by the way, would you mind removing the spoiler from your comment above? I don't want ppl getting spoiled too easily if they scroll down here!)
Oops! Sorry! Removed the spoiler. I can't believe people guessed it!
Oh agh sorry to ask again, but the spoiler from the edit to the first comment too!
WOW! This is my first introduction to your work (I’ve yet to start Actala) and BOY OH BOY AM I EVER EXCITED FOR MORE CHATTERCAP PRODUCTIONS NOW. Remember when I said I loved a good clingy yandere ex-boyfriend? Well I maintain that point, and you totally delivered. 😁
Super enamoured by the visuals, the dynamism of everything having slight idle animation to it and the addition of comic-book-style panels was super fun to watch and very engaging, I found myself sort of just staring at it all quite a few times. (Big fan of the kitty peeking out from behind the bed in Ending A.) And I quite like this UI as well! I didn’t realize the potential Unity had for making such beautiful and dynamic VN’s, it never would have even crossed my mind, but you did an absolutely amazing job top to bottom on this! You make it look a lot easier than I’m sure it really is. 💙
And your writing too, the slow unravelling of different details and aspects of Nelli and Raku’s relationship to one another but also their own individual pasts and how it all snowballs with each passing ending was really fun to uncover with fresh eyes in each subsequent play-through.
MASSIVE props to Shay-Ki and Zoe for their PHENOMENAL voice acting, totally elevated this game into a whole new realm. I’m especially taken by Shay-Ki’s work here! He delivers the bone-chilling emotionality of Raku’s yandere personality so well.
⚠️ [MILD SPOILERS?]
My favourite line was Raku’s “But you don’t need me? You don’t even want me?”, the delivery was absurdly good. Actually, now that I think about it, that line is perhaps second only to Raku’s “What’s in the bag, Nelli?”... CHILLS. 😵💫
⚠️ [ACTUAL SPOILERS!]
I KNEW in my gut there was some kind of flesh in that yellow bag when she put it into the freezer in Ending A. I didn’t piece together it could have been Ji-Hoon, but I certainly had a feeling Nelli wasn’t as innocent an MC as we perhaps presumed her to be initially based on that small freezer detail alone. I love morally dubious MC’s, they always have a place in my heart.
I was also so glad we got a monster form reveal, total sucker for ‘em. 🕷🕸
AHHH thank you so much for playing snixiy, and for leaving me such a long review?!?! Haha I am glad that I satisfied your clingy yandere ex-boyfriend craving!
I'm so glad that it looks good!! I worry a lot about how much to move the characters so that you can still tell that they're moving without having them HEAVING like they've just run a marathon, haha! Honestly I still think Ren'py is the best for making VNs since it's optimized for it, but my animation software doesn't support it so I used Unity instead. It's definitely a bit of work to get everything up and running (though I was really new when I first coded my framework so I made it a lot harder than it should have been, honestly), but after that I do really like how flexible it is and how easy it is to port to mobile!
YES, Shay-ki and Zoe were both INCREDIBLE! It was my first time working with VAs, so I'm lucky that they were both so wonderful to work with! I'm hoping that I can work with more VAs in the future!
(Regarding the spoilers - I am SO glad you caught that little hint! I actually added it because my beta readers said that the ending twist was too abrupt! I was hoping that someone would catch it, haha!)
THE GAME IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. SAME GOES WITH THE PLOT.
I love the game so much. and I LOVE the effort you put in designing the character, animating it and even find VA for this game. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Looking forward to see your other games!
Thank you so much for playing!! I'm glad that you enjoyed it :) The VAs did SUCH an awesome job; I'm so lucky that I got to work with them! (I would really appreciate a rating, if you're willing!)