I honestly don't think I have a favourite, I love both Geist and Kalei equally =D ... I lied. I favour Kalei over Geist. I mean... He's just a big puppy! I adore him. I'd love for the universe to give me a Kalei in my life. Besides that, I love Geist too, because even in solitude you'd need someone and he's there for that
OHH it's surprising to find someone who likes both love interests 😂 Honestly I think you have a point, Kalei is definitely the more lovable love interest but sometimes you just want someone who will chill with you in your darker/quiet moments and Geist is definitely there for that (for better or worse 😂) Thank you so much for playing!!! 🥰
Oh? Well, I guess it just shows I believe variety is the spice of life, though of course! I'm soo gonna play the other games I can get my hands on. I loved this one soo much as is!
oh how i love geist, i personally am not a social butterfly, staying inside all day away from everyone and rewatching comfort shows sounds like a dream to me. 1# geist lover 4ever
LMAOOO HONESTLY GEIST IS AN INTROVERT'S DREAM, a guy who will always be there to just hang out with you alone 😂😂😂 people give the man too much flak for no reason, smh!! (Thank you for playing!)
Okay so I finally sat my butt down and played through this and I have to say it was really immersive, mainly because of how good the writing is! I have to say, MC is the most MC as they managed to even make their own self-doubt fall in "love" with them which I find absolutely hilarious. But I do have to say how interesting it is that each of Geist's words were so carefully picked out and targeted that even me, as a relatively less-overthinking kind of person, began to think about all the things Geist's says.
I like the use of the VAs, I know that there are realistically only two VAs because of the relevancy of Geist and Kalei but I like to think MC can only "hear" these two characters because of the amount of impact they have. Like, Geist's voice being all smooth and his tendency to enunciate words really makes you focus on him and his slow cadence, like he drowns out everything that you don't put in any audio in the background signifying the outside world because MC has gotten used to desperately trying to block out Geist's words that, by consequence, they've blocked and isolated themselves from hearing the outside world as well.
So, having Kalei able to speak helps ground MC, especially when it actually stops Geist from speaking because now MC's thinking isn't clouded over negative thoughts but focusing on Kalei. I also like the duality of their voices, Kalei noticeably has an accent but his voice is bright, fun, expressive, and he talks in a pretty chill manner compared to Geist's more formal way of speaking. He's the direct opposite to Geist which is another way to visually set them apart, and I think it helps ground MC because MC doesn't really notice anyone, nobody has any art or even a name attached to them aside from Kalei and Geist so having them visual different makes it so that MC can starkly recognize them (and also the Hawaii somewhat music playing every time Kalei is on scene is so funny, I wonder if MC's mind is just playing that as Kalei's theme).
I didn't think Geist is much of a yandere, he only really shows it somewhat at the ending where you have to push or accept him. I know that yanderes aren't ALWAYS violent, they manipulate and hurt you so you can stay by their side, and their love is both painful and suffocating. Looking back, I do think Geist was showing his love in a backhanded way by isolating MC and making them dependent by beating their self-esteem and identity all while spinning a nice story of accepting the version of MC he managed to create by ruining the MC that would have never created him (an MC with no self-loathing thoughts).
The yandere-ness is subtle but no less toxic and I find it very interesting how Geist mellowed out, he'll never fully be away from MC and even if Kalei is in the picture. But Kalei will never live inside of MC's mind like Geist is and I think that could be Geist's ultimate petty victory over Kalei. That in the end, he'll always will be by MC even if they don't want to acknowledge it, they'll accept it.
OHH gosh, this was a very interesting read! Thank you for leaving such a long and insightful review~ (I'm sorry that it took me so long to reply!) I'm really glad you enjoyed the writing, and still felt immersed even if these aren't problems you usually struggle with 🤔
I agree, the VAs did an absolutely fantastic job 🤔 I really wanted this game to be voiced in particular, just because I knew that Geist's lines would be so much more impactful if read aloud. Regarding his lines, it was actually the VA's interpretation! I initially was envisioning him to sound a lot more cruel (almost bully-like), but Shaun's ended up reading the lines a lot more gentle and slow and close to the mic, which gave a much more "intimate" feeling, like you mentioned - and ended up fitting the character much better. I'm really grateful for his diligence in reading the script 😊
And ohh you noticed Kalei's accent!! Since he's Hawaiian, I did really want a Hawaiian VA (he uses Hawaiian pidgin sometimes too), and working with Noah was such a treat! I really concepted Kalei to be Geist's antithesis in basically every way 😂 (and I'm glad you enjoyed the ukelele tracks 😂😂😂 I couldn't help myself, when will I ever have the chance to use them again?? And they ended up fitting Kalei really well too)
And LOLLL yes, I wanted to experiment with kind of a different kind of yan with Geist! I actually did (half-jokingly) consider an ending or two where he somehow killed Kalei but it just felt so out of place LMAOOO and I thought that having a yan who exclusively plays on the MC's insecurities would be an interesting writing challenge. (And well, I do like soft yans myself in general, I describe most of mine as having the energy of sad wet dogs 🤣) Your interpretation of his character is spot-on, though - he does genuinely love the MC, and that's why he does what he does - he thinks that he's protecting their fragile self from a world that will shatter them (even though he's the reason they're so fragile in the first place.) And that "protectiveness" is no less toxic than pure "possessiveness."
🤣 Honestly I never thought of Geist having the ultimate victory of Kalei but honestly you're right 🤣 (the thought of Geist constantly third-wheeling the two of them makes me chuckle...) I mean, he did say he would never leave the MC... and he didn't lie 🤣
Thank you again for playing and taking the time to write up your thoughts, I really enjoyed looking through them! 🥰
So I wasn't being crazy whenever I heard the ukelele tracks, I kept replaying the scene where Kalei is and I'm thinking "The music is changing, this must be a significant character detail" lmao. And also I'm really amazed by the VAs dilligence! They really brightened up the experience and I have a new found appreciation for all the scenes now that I know, especially Geist's VA, I love his creative take because it really does speak to me from a narrative standpoint!
You did such an amazing job with the story, and also the thought of Geist being a consistent third wheeler in all of MC and Kalei's relationship is so funny to me. He'll have the last laugh but I know he's occupying those third wheel couple places and glaring pettily at Kalei like a disgruntled cat.
The dialogue and narrative is so realistic and I love how our negative and self-deprecating thoughts are personified into this "Geist" (Which I looked up and turns out it means ghost or mind/intellect) To be honest I was kind of put off by getting the bad ending because this game really hits home so I deliberately chose the better options
Ok so I tried out the other route out of curiosity and I'm glad that I did. It wasn't as scary as I thought but it definitely was not right. If Geist was real then he would have to answer some questions of mine cuz why is a grown man following me around and going into my home with not even a cent contributed to the rent #unemployedfinalboss lololol
In all seriousness this game was beautifully made and it really showed that life isn't all black and white but what you make it out to be. Oh and also the Voice Actors were absolutely superb.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 The real horror is having this unemployed bum sitting on my couch the whole time!!! (ngl I won't lie the implication that Geist is just third wheeling Kalei and the MC in Kalei's ending is so funny to me...)
And you got Geist's name exactly right! 🙌 (Honestly the name was so fitting that it was the only reason I gave him a German name when his VA is British LOLLL) And you aren't the first person who avoided Geist's ending like the plague (at least at first). I think that a lot of people expect it to be worse than it turns out to be 🤣 but I did want to convey that "giving in to Geist" isn't something that's really catastrophic, just... a bit lonely LOL
Thank you so much for playing and for taking the time to comment, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts (and agreed, the voice actors' performances for this game were just immaculate 🙏 I was so lucky to have the chance to work with them!)
If anything happen to Kalei, I will crash out- But seriously this is such an original use of the yandere trope. At first I was like he doesn't seem very active-OH I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING NOW, GET OUT OF MY HEAD. And Kalei moments were so sweet, I was swooning
OHHHH thank you so much for playing!! 🥹 (And I'm sorry for the late reply, I was BURNT OUT after otojam so I put replying to comments on hold for a bit!) I was worried that people would find Geist to be kind of a "passive" yandere but hopefully they got the "concept" after a while 😂 and honestly it was fun writing a yan who is mostly a catty jerk the entire time... I'm glad that you liked Kalei too, he's a sweetie and one of my favorite love interests that I've written 🥹 💦💦 Truly the emotional support extrovert that the world needs 😂
Thank you again for playing, and for taking the time to leave your thoughts!!! 🙇♀️
(I played this game 4 months ago but i forgot to comment here)
I simply loved it!!! It took me the past memory about meeting Geist before the school presentation to catch up with the fact that he is basically the materialization of MC´s anxiety and bad thoughts. As someone who had suffered with severe anxiety before and that is surronded by a few people who have sociel anxiety the most, i loved this game and how the creator adress this topic.
In my first play i chosed all the answers to fight against Geist and i felt my heart warming a little bit with the end were we got the chance to break out of our shell slowly and, even so, i liked the choice of the creator to show that Geist didn´t actually leaved completly but was mostly quiet since the MC started to try supress her bad thoughts to live a "better" life.
The other end, where we choose to listen to Geist and end up isolation ourselfs, also got a ton on me. I have fought against my anxiety and even "won" against my depression so i noticed that the MC seemed to be falling into a little depressive state after giving up on her fight to stand up against Geist. I love how everything was portrait and carefully adressed, it is an amazing job.
I also need to comment about the brillant Voice Actors that dubbed this game, i loved listening to it. Geist´s voice is amazing, showing his amusement with his sucessed attemps to manipulate the MC and his anger when they didn´t listened. Kalei´s voice made me feel warm inside with his playful demanor and lovely personality, i must admit that i am a little Kalei myself so i really loved his character in general and how he was able to help the MC thought it without judging or making it a big deal so they didn´t felt like they were "strange".
YOU PLAYED IT FOUR MONTHS AGO and still remembered it and took the time to come and comment??? 😭😭😭 For some reason that really warms my heart, thank you... (and I'm sorry for the late reply, I was crunching another game for about a month and it burnt me out hard, so I put answering comments on hold for a while!)
I'm really glad that you enjoyed the game, and that the writing resonated with your experience 🥹 I based it pretty heavily on my own experiences with anxiety, so I was a little worried that others wouldn't really understand it 🤣 so it really reassures me that players find it relatable! You caught onto Geist's identity pretty quickly, too 👀 I think that people who have had experiences with anxiety tend to "recognize" what Geist is faster than others!
And ohh your interpretations of the endings are really on point! Especially how you picked up on the MC's depression in Geist's ending 🤔 I think that sometimes people mistake depression as always being "sad," and they don't notice that chronic fatigue and a lack of energy are symptoms of depression as well, so I wanted to highlight that here 🙌 (Your compliments are really too sweet 🥲)
AND YES, the voice actors did an absolutely amazing job... I was so lucky to work with them both, and I swear that their performances are half the experience of playing the game 😭🙏 and 🤭 Kalei is definitely one of my favorite love interests that I've written (I need an emotional support extrovert like him, honestly...)
Thank you again for playing and taking the time to comment, I had a lot of fun reading your thoughts! 🥹
I like how this game handles anxiety and shows mental struggles in a metaphorical way. It made me see some of my negative thoughts in a different perspective. I could feel the protagonist's suffering in some scenes, it's portrayed very well. I think the characters are fairly complex and written with nuance. Kalei's personality is likable and his route was heartwarming. Geist's route was both realistic and sad to me, I found it interesting too.
(Thank you so much for commenting, and I'm sorry for the late reply 😢 I was pretty busy for a while so I put answering comments on hold for a little bit!)
I'm glad that you liked the game's concept, and that it helped reframe your own view of your negative thoughts too - I really wanted to make this game to help people externalize their own anxiety in a way, so it makes me happy whenever someone mentions that it helped them 😆 I'm glad that you found both endings to be interesting, too! I wanted to make Geist's route a bit more nuanced than a straightforward bad ending 🤔 (although I'm not sure if that made it any more fun to play through 😆)
Thank you again for playing and taking the time to comment!! 🤗
such a great depiction of social anxiety and its insidiousness!! Geist was so damn Brutal it even made me wince at times.
made me think a lot tbh. I know it can be triggering to those with history with negative self-talk but for me, it made me realize that my own form of social anxiety is so insidious that my own brain bypasses the intrusive thoughts and just go straight to the feelings and beliefs (ex. feeling like a burden or that people don't care abt me even tho I KNOW in my head COGNITIVELY that I'm surrounded by people who loves me).
So what happened was it articulated the thought process behind those negative self-feelings I have which kinda helped me in addressing them.
tl;dr Gonna have fun telling people I had realizations about self-perception and insecurity from a YANDERE VN LMFAOO
(Thank you so much for playing, and I'm sorry for the late reply! I was taking a break from answering comments since I released another game recently and I was getting a bit overwhelmed...)
I'm really glad it was thought provoking 🤭 (of course I like any kind of feedback, but as a thinker myself I'm always especially touched when my games make people think!) I agree with you - of course the guttural fear that anxiety induces is bad, but the worse part is how it gradually shapes your beliefs about the world and about yourself 🤔 because fear can be fought - but when you start truly believing that you're better off alone, then that's a much more difficult enemy to resist.
🤭🤭🤭 I'm very touched, and I'll take that as a win!!! Thank you again for taking the time to leave your thoughts, I really loved reading them 🥹
ahhhh welcome & thank you for taking the time to reply!! <33
I found Mind Mind Mind through a completely different path that I didn't even realize that you were also the one who created The Perfect Woman!! :00 (which I played almost a month earlier? and also yapped abt)
omggg u put out such bangers 🫶🫶
Also just realized that my comment didn't talk abt Kalei. WHICH IS A CRIME so just wanted to mention that Kalei was SO CUTE. I want to lift him up and present him to the world like Simba. He was just so soft and wholesome and gentle w the MC the entire timee I'm soo?? Aurghh.
Such a great depiction of that popular kid who is also genuinely kind, sensitive, and considerate. I also just love how his insecurities were also depicted without it turning into an oppression Olympics w the MC and was given equal care and thought.
🙏🙏🙏 I'M GLAD THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME YOUR INNER GEIST (just imagine if you went through all of that only for Kalei to completely avoid you after you tried to make a move... I would become a hermit after that...)
(I am so sorry 😭😭😭 And somehow I'm so touched that you tried to play the game a year later???
I've actually been working on an Android/Web port for the game that will port it to a new engine! I'm just waiting on some additional assets. I think that it will probably clear up any issues that you have..? I'll post an update post here/on my various socials when it's up! Again, I'm so sorry that you haven't been able to play all this time 😭 and thank you for checking back in!)
(I'm also sorry for the late reply fghfg I've been a bit overwhelmed lately so I put off responding to my comments for a little while!)
Bueno, definitivamente AMÉ a Kalei. Por otro lado pues...Sí, Geist no es nada más ni nada menos que esa voz interna, esos pensamientos intrusivos, y toda la negatividad que nos consumé. Me encantó su personaje en el sentido de que pues... está bien desarrollado para la función que debía desempeñar. Y su final fue justo lo que esperaba. Nice game!
(¡Muchas gracias por jugar! Siento mucho la tardanza en responder, últimamente he estado bastante agobiada... ¡y espero que mi texto no resulte extraño! ¡Estoy usando un traductor!)
Me alegra mucho que te haya gustado Kalei, es uno de mis personajes románticos favoritos 🥰 Sobre todo porque tenía que equilibrar lo terrible que es Geist 😂 Un buen personaje...uninterésamorosohorrible😂😂😂(creoqueprobablementenovolveréacrearuninterésamorosotanhorriblecomoél...).Graciasdenuevoporjugaryportomarteeltiempodedejartuscomentarios🥰
I was terrified by the fact i found myself agreeing and nodding along to geist like.. i think thats bad but internally i was like' well yeah hes right, people just tolerate me-'
NOOOOOOOOOOOO 😭 It's understandable... I think a lot of people have similar thoughts - I definitely struggle with those types of anxieties sometimes, even now. I hope that you can overcome these worries 😢 and recognize that you're really a wonderful person, and people are lucky to be friends with you!
oouuu... gosh first of all i absolutely loved kalei he's such a supportive and sweet presence in this game, there couldn't have been a better person to give our mc a little push 😭 geist is SUCH a clever analogy too! even though i had to begrudgingly push through some of his dialogue (like omg let me romance this sweet man in peace thank u very much ?? so much sass and for what) its sooo accurate and in touch with some of my experiences with negative self talk!! really hit the nail on the head with social panic, isolation, and end-of-the-world speeches. it says a lot that i can now play through something like this and roll my eyes HARD at his rhetoric while also feeling the moments and understanding how real those spirals are. really loved the shift of his intentions at the end of kalei's route, it almost makes me like him <3 (/silly). much much love creator thank you!!!
(Thank you so much for playing, and I'm sorry for the late reply 🥹 I released another game recently and it fried my brain so I had to put answering comments on pause for a bit...)
I'm so glad that you liked Kalei, out of all of the love interests I've written he's one of my favorites 🥰 (probably because he's the only one without something seriously wrong with him 🤣) I really wrote him as a supportive presence to balance out Geist's nuclear-level toxicity LOL
And oh thank you for saying that!! 🥹 Honestly if people come out of the game saying "Geist needs to stfu so I can romance Kalei in peace" then I'd say that my mission was accomplished... I'm happy that you were able to see your experiences in Geist too. It's comforting for me to see that a lot of players hear Geist and say "I see what you are, and I won't listen to your BS!" 😆 It makes me feel as if yelling at Geist is a coming of age ritual that we all share...
Thank you again for playing and taking the time to leave your thoughts! Comments like this really mean the world to me 🥹
hi! i downloaded this game from itch.io first and then i think i came across a bug? anyways i read the comments to fix it but i only saw a single person that came across the same issue as me. the game just stops when our character says that they are excited for monday. i can still save and load or click other stuff but i am just stuck there. anyways then i tried to download it from steam because i thought that maybe i downloaded the wrong thing somehow but it still does the same :( i dont know why. i deleted all the save data aswell and tried again and again but i just cant play it further and I AM SO INTERESTED IN ROMANCING KALEI </3
ACK I'm really sorry 😭 Unfortunately I don't have any suggestions for you other than what you've already tried, I have no idea why that's happening 😭😭😭
I will note that I have plans to port the game to Android (and Web if possible) in the next few months! In doing so, I'll be porting the game to a new engine - it's very likely that the new version will work for you. I'll post an update here when I have the new build uploaded (though I completely understand if you don't want to wait around for that 😅) Again, I'm so sorry, and thank you so much for wanting to play the game 😭
Aww that sucks but its ok!! I'm looking forward to playing it in the future if i can that is lol. Still i can say that the characters and the game overall is very well done from the little i saw! I liked the little animations and voice acting. I'll check out your other games and i am looking forward to the new version of this game! Good luck on your new projects <3
i got the giest route and let me just say that hes literally the voice you hear inside of your head. like i never thought mc would have been THIS relatable, this is such a good game i love it!!
Due to how mad Geist made me, I don't have the heart to play his route. I was literally arguing with him through the screen the whole time.
Other than that, great game. As someone who suffers from severe general and social anxiety, it hit home. I loved the dialogue and Kalei was such a sweetheart. It made me reflect on how much I intentionally isolate myself socially due to overthinking and rumination. Ya know, just bad b things lol
but as a sidenote: I like to call Geist my personal demon. I played this game called After Party, and literally same thing. Suggest everyone to check it out if they haven't already.
😂 Honestly you're not the first person to tell me they couldn't bear to go through Geist's route, and I don't blame you... (I actually would be very curious to see how many people actually played through it if I could ever implement something like that...) (And I won't lie, I am glad that "Geist is not a very good love interest" seems to be a universal experience 🤣)
Thank you so much for playing!!! I'm really glad that it hit the right beats and was accurate to your experience. For me, social anxiety used to be like this neverending whirlpool of fear and guilt, and it was only after I started talking to myself "as another person" that I realized, "Hey... this isn't a good or rational thing to do, actually..."
YOUR PERSONAL DEMON 🤣 very accurate description... (And ohh I haven't heard of that one, but it looks very neat 🤔)
Wow.. What a wonderful game. I've only done my first playthrough but I'll definitely be replaying it! Though.. i should take a break before trying out Geist's path aha- It was so nice to play something i could actually relate to.. and the dialogue is so, so well written!! I'd gush about Kalei and Geist's writing all day if i could.
I'd like to think we all have a little Geist in our head and its comforting to know we aren't entirely alone in those feelings. Mc's dialogue where they finally snap at him was kinda eye opening in a way? I still struggle with taking the necessary steps of reaching out and doing the things i want to do because I'm too afraid. But they were right. If you never try and push through what makes you uncomfortable, you'll always be stuck in that listless loop of letting your fear control you. And i don't want that to be my life forever.
There's so much i want to say about this tbh but i don't know how to put it all into words. This is my first time playing one of your games and i can't wait to try the others. Thank you for this experience :'')
AHH thank you so much for playing, and for taking the time to comment! 🥰 I'm really glad you enjoyed it and that it resonated with you 🥹 I based a lot of the game on my experiences when I was younger, so it's really nice to hear that others have had similar experiences. (Understandable that you need to take a break before playing Geist's route 😂 Somehow it's a bit like walking into the lion's den...)
I think so too! Sometimes the Geist is a little quieter, and sometimes he says different things, but I think that everyone (or at least most people) struggles with that little voice of self doubt. And when you start listening to him, it's hard to break out of that loop of fear. But seeing his face clearly is the first step 💪 and sometimes that's all you need to start changing yourself! (I'm rooting for you 💪💪💪 I still struggle with fear too, and some days are better than others. But every step is another step forward 😊)
Thank you again for your kind words 🥹 All of my games are a little different, but I hope you enjoy them when you check them out!
AHH I'm honored that you're interested 😭 I do plan on releasing an Android version sometime soon that should have most of the features except for the 2D animations! (I'll also upload it on Web if it fits!) Unfortunately it will require recoding the entire game, so I've been prioritizing putting together the demos of a couple other projects before I work on MMM's mobile port. But rest assured that it's on my radar! I'll post an announcement when it's updated 😊
Thanks for your interest! 😊 Unfortunately I underwent a game engine change after making MindMindMind! MMM is made in Godot, while my new games are made in Ren'py. Unfortunately I didn't include achievement support in my Godot games, but I do plan for my future games to have Steam achievements 🫡 (and I'm glad to know that's a feature that players are interested in!)
geist does not let up omg 😭 he hurt my feelings so many times </333 i lovedd playing this, both routes were so beautiful i was so immersed in the storyline because i felt i could rlly put myself in mc's shoes 🥹 ty for this lovely vn
😂😂😂 HE REALLY DOES NOT someone needs to come and put some tape over his mouth for a SECOND! And YOU PLAYED BOTH ROUTES, I'm so touched 🥹 I'm glad that you found the MC relatable!! Thank you so much for playing 😊
← Return to game
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
I honestly don't think I have a favourite, I love both Geist and Kalei equally =D ... I lied. I favour Kalei over Geist. I mean... He's just a big puppy! I adore him. I'd love for the universe to give me a Kalei in my life. Besides that, I love Geist too, because even in solitude you'd need someone and he's there for that
OHH it's surprising to find someone who likes both love interests 😂 Honestly I think you have a point, Kalei is definitely the more lovable love interest but sometimes you just want someone who will chill with you in your darker/quiet moments and Geist is definitely there for that (for better or worse 😂) Thank you so much for playing!!! 🥰
Oh? Well, I guess it just shows I believe variety is the spice of life, though of course! I'm soo gonna play the other games I can get my hands on. I loved this one soo much as is!
oh how i love geist, i personally am not a social butterfly, staying inside all day away from everyone and rewatching comfort shows sounds like a dream to me. 1# geist lover 4ever
LMAOOO HONESTLY GEIST IS AN INTROVERT'S DREAM, a guy who will always be there to just hang out with you alone 😂😂😂 people give the man too much flak for no reason, smh!! (Thank you for playing!)
I am in love with Kalei, wish the universe would give me a guy like that
FGHFG THANK YOU, I'm glad you liked him 🥰 (manifesting the universe to give you your own Kalei!!!)
Kalie is the type of boyfriend I'd want
HONESTLY same... 🤝🤝🤝
Okay so I finally sat my butt down and played through this and I have to say it was really immersive, mainly because of how good the writing is! I have to say, MC is the most MC as they managed to even make their own self-doubt fall in "love" with them which I find absolutely hilarious. But I do have to say how interesting it is that each of Geist's words were so carefully picked out and targeted that even me, as a relatively less-overthinking kind of person, began to think about all the things Geist's says.
I like the use of the VAs, I know that there are realistically only two VAs because of the relevancy of Geist and Kalei but I like to think MC can only "hear" these two characters because of the amount of impact they have. Like, Geist's voice being all smooth and his tendency to enunciate words really makes you focus on him and his slow cadence, like he drowns out everything that you don't put in any audio in the background signifying the outside world because MC has gotten used to desperately trying to block out Geist's words that, by consequence, they've blocked and isolated themselves from hearing the outside world as well.
So, having Kalei able to speak helps ground MC, especially when it actually stops Geist from speaking because now MC's thinking isn't clouded over negative thoughts but focusing on Kalei. I also like the duality of their voices, Kalei noticeably has an accent but his voice is bright, fun, expressive, and he talks in a pretty chill manner compared to Geist's more formal way of speaking. He's the direct opposite to Geist which is another way to visually set them apart, and I think it helps ground MC because MC doesn't really notice anyone, nobody has any art or even a name attached to them aside from Kalei and Geist so having them visual different makes it so that MC can starkly recognize them (and also the Hawaii somewhat music playing every time Kalei is on scene is so funny, I wonder if MC's mind is just playing that as Kalei's theme).
I didn't think Geist is much of a yandere, he only really shows it somewhat at the ending where you have to push or accept him. I know that yanderes aren't ALWAYS violent, they manipulate and hurt you so you can stay by their side, and their love is both painful and suffocating. Looking back, I do think Geist was showing his love in a backhanded way by isolating MC and making them dependent by beating their self-esteem and identity all while spinning a nice story of accepting the version of MC he managed to create by ruining the MC that would have never created him (an MC with no self-loathing thoughts).
The yandere-ness is subtle but no less toxic and I find it very interesting how Geist mellowed out, he'll never fully be away from MC and even if Kalei is in the picture. But Kalei will never live inside of MC's mind like Geist is and I think that could be Geist's ultimate petty victory over Kalei. That in the end, he'll always will be by MC even if they don't want to acknowledge it, they'll accept it.
OHH gosh, this was a very interesting read! Thank you for leaving such a long and insightful review~ (I'm sorry that it took me so long to reply!) I'm really glad you enjoyed the writing, and still felt immersed even if these aren't problems you usually struggle with 🤔
I agree, the VAs did an absolutely fantastic job 🤔 I really wanted this game to be voiced in particular, just because I knew that Geist's lines would be so much more impactful if read aloud. Regarding his lines, it was actually the VA's interpretation! I initially was envisioning him to sound a lot more cruel (almost bully-like), but Shaun's ended up reading the lines a lot more gentle and slow and close to the mic, which gave a much more "intimate" feeling, like you mentioned - and ended up fitting the character much better. I'm really grateful for his diligence in reading the script 😊
And ohh you noticed Kalei's accent!! Since he's Hawaiian, I did really want a Hawaiian VA (he uses Hawaiian pidgin sometimes too), and working with Noah was such a treat! I really concepted Kalei to be Geist's antithesis in basically every way 😂 (and I'm glad you enjoyed the ukelele tracks 😂😂😂 I couldn't help myself, when will I ever have the chance to use them again?? And they ended up fitting Kalei really well too)
And LOLLL yes, I wanted to experiment with kind of a different kind of yan with Geist! I actually did (half-jokingly) consider an ending or two where he somehow killed Kalei but it just felt so out of place LMAOOO and I thought that having a yan who exclusively plays on the MC's insecurities would be an interesting writing challenge. (And well, I do like soft yans myself in general, I describe most of mine as having the energy of sad wet dogs 🤣) Your interpretation of his character is spot-on, though - he does genuinely love the MC, and that's why he does what he does - he thinks that he's protecting their fragile self from a world that will shatter them (even though he's the reason they're so fragile in the first place.) And that "protectiveness" is no less toxic than pure "possessiveness."
🤣 Honestly I never thought of Geist having the ultimate victory of Kalei but honestly you're right 🤣 (the thought of Geist constantly third-wheeling the two of them makes me chuckle...) I mean, he did say he would never leave the MC... and he didn't lie 🤣
Thank you again for playing and taking the time to write up your thoughts, I really enjoyed looking through them! 🥰
So I wasn't being crazy whenever I heard the ukelele tracks, I kept replaying the scene where Kalei is and I'm thinking "The music is changing, this must be a significant character detail" lmao. And also I'm really amazed by the VAs dilligence! They really brightened up the experience and I have a new found appreciation for all the scenes now that I know, especially Geist's VA, I love his creative take because it really does speak to me from a narrative standpoint!
You did such an amazing job with the story, and also the thought of Geist being a consistent third wheeler in all of MC and Kalei's relationship is so funny to me. He'll have the last laugh but I know he's occupying those third wheel couple places and glaring pettily at Kalei like a disgruntled cat.
The dialogue and narrative is so realistic and I love how our negative and self-deprecating thoughts are personified into this "Geist" (Which I looked up and turns out it means ghost or mind/intellect) To be honest I was kind of put off by getting the bad ending because this game really hits home so I deliberately chose the better options
Ok so I tried out the other route out of curiosity and I'm glad that I did. It wasn't as scary as I thought but it definitely was not right. If Geist was real then he would have to answer some questions of mine cuz why is a grown man following me around and going into my home with not even a cent contributed to the rent #unemployedfinalboss lololol
In all seriousness this game was beautifully made and it really showed that life isn't all black and white but what you make it out to be. Oh and also the Voice Actors were absolutely superb.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 The real horror is having this unemployed bum sitting on my couch the whole time!!! (ngl I won't lie the implication that Geist is just third wheeling Kalei and the MC in Kalei's ending is so funny to me...)
And you got Geist's name exactly right! 🙌 (Honestly the name was so fitting that it was the only reason I gave him a German name when his VA is British LOLLL) And you aren't the first person who avoided Geist's ending like the plague (at least at first). I think that a lot of people expect it to be worse than it turns out to be 🤣 but I did want to convey that "giving in to Geist" isn't something that's really catastrophic, just... a bit lonely LOL
Thank you so much for playing and for taking the time to comment, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts (and agreed, the voice actors' performances for this game were just immaculate 🙏 I was so lucky to have the chance to work with them!)
If anything happen to Kalei, I will crash out- But seriously this is such an original use of the yandere trope. At first I was like he doesn't seem very active-OH I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING NOW, GET OUT OF MY HEAD. And Kalei moments were so sweet, I was swooning
OHHHH thank you so much for playing!! 🥹 (And I'm sorry for the late reply, I was BURNT OUT after otojam so I put replying to comments on hold for a bit!) I was worried that people would find Geist to be kind of a "passive" yandere but hopefully they got the "concept" after a while 😂 and honestly it was fun writing a yan who is mostly a catty jerk the entire time... I'm glad that you liked Kalei too, he's a sweetie and one of my favorite love interests that I've written 🥹 💦💦 Truly the emotional support extrovert that the world needs 😂
Thank you again for playing, and for taking the time to leave your thoughts!!! 🙇♀️
(I played this game 4 months ago but i forgot to comment here)
I simply loved it!!! It took me the past memory about meeting Geist before the school presentation to catch up with the fact that he is basically the materialization of MC´s anxiety and bad thoughts. As someone who had suffered with severe anxiety before and that is surronded by a few people who have sociel anxiety the most, i loved this game and how the creator adress this topic.
In my first play i chosed all the answers to fight against Geist and i felt my heart warming a little bit with the end were we got the chance to break out of our shell slowly and, even so, i liked the choice of the creator to show that Geist didn´t actually leaved completly but was mostly quiet since the MC started to try supress her bad thoughts to live a "better" life.
The other end, where we choose to listen to Geist and end up isolation ourselfs, also got a ton on me. I have fought against my anxiety and even "won" against my depression so i noticed that the MC seemed to be falling into a little depressive state after giving up on her fight to stand up against Geist. I love how everything was portrait and carefully adressed, it is an amazing job.
I also need to comment about the brillant Voice Actors that dubbed this game, i loved listening to it. Geist´s voice is amazing, showing his amusement with his sucessed attemps to manipulate the MC and his anger when they didn´t listened. Kalei´s voice made me feel warm inside with his playful demanor and lovely personality, i must admit that i am a little Kalei myself so i really loved his character in general and how he was able to help the MC thought it without judging or making it a big deal so they didn´t felt like they were "strange".
YOU PLAYED IT FOUR MONTHS AGO and still remembered it and took the time to come and comment??? 😭😭😭 For some reason that really warms my heart, thank you... (and I'm sorry for the late reply, I was crunching another game for about a month and it burnt me out hard, so I put answering comments on hold for a while!)
I'm really glad that you enjoyed the game, and that the writing resonated with your experience 🥹 I based it pretty heavily on my own experiences with anxiety, so I was a little worried that others wouldn't really understand it 🤣 so it really reassures me that players find it relatable! You caught onto Geist's identity pretty quickly, too 👀 I think that people who have had experiences with anxiety tend to "recognize" what Geist is faster than others!
And ohh your interpretations of the endings are really on point! Especially how you picked up on the MC's depression in Geist's ending 🤔 I think that sometimes people mistake depression as always being "sad," and they don't notice that chronic fatigue and a lack of energy are symptoms of depression as well, so I wanted to highlight that here 🙌 (Your compliments are really too sweet 🥲)
AND YES, the voice actors did an absolutely amazing job... I was so lucky to work with them both, and I swear that their performances are half the experience of playing the game 😭🙏 and 🤭 Kalei is definitely one of my favorite love interests that I've written (I need an emotional support extrovert like him, honestly...)
Thank you again for playing and taking the time to comment, I had a lot of fun reading your thoughts! 🥹
I like how this game handles anxiety and shows mental struggles in a metaphorical way. It made me see some of my negative thoughts in a different perspective. I could feel the protagonist's suffering in some scenes, it's portrayed very well. I think the characters are fairly complex and written with nuance. Kalei's personality is likable and his route was heartwarming. Geist's route was both realistic and sad to me, I found it interesting too.
(Thank you so much for commenting, and I'm sorry for the late reply 😢 I was pretty busy for a while so I put answering comments on hold for a little bit!)
I'm glad that you liked the game's concept, and that it helped reframe your own view of your negative thoughts too - I really wanted to make this game to help people externalize their own anxiety in a way, so it makes me happy whenever someone mentions that it helped them 😆 I'm glad that you found both endings to be interesting, too! I wanted to make Geist's route a bit more nuanced than a straightforward bad ending 🤔 (although I'm not sure if that made it any more fun to play through 😆)
Thank you again for playing and taking the time to comment!! 🤗
such a great depiction of social anxiety and its insidiousness!! Geist was so damn Brutal it even made me wince at times.
made me think a lot tbh. I know it can be triggering to those with history with negative self-talk but for me, it made me realize that my own form of social anxiety is so insidious that my own brain bypasses the intrusive thoughts and just go straight to the feelings and beliefs (ex. feeling like a burden or that people don't care abt me even tho I KNOW in my head COGNITIVELY that I'm surrounded by people who loves me).
So what happened was it articulated the thought process behind those negative self-feelings I have which kinda helped me in addressing them.
tl;dr Gonna have fun telling people I had realizations about self-perception and insecurity from a YANDERE VN LMFAOO
(Thank you so much for playing, and I'm sorry for the late reply! I was taking a break from answering comments since I released another game recently and I was getting a bit overwhelmed...)
I'm really glad it was thought provoking 🤭 (of course I like any kind of feedback, but as a thinker myself I'm always especially touched when my games make people think!) I agree with you - of course the guttural fear that anxiety induces is bad, but the worse part is how it gradually shapes your beliefs about the world and about yourself 🤔 because fear can be fought - but when you start truly believing that you're better off alone, then that's a much more difficult enemy to resist.
🤭🤭🤭 I'm very touched, and I'll take that as a win!!! Thank you again for taking the time to leave your thoughts, I really loved reading them 🥹
ahhhh welcome & thank you for taking the time to reply!! <33
I found Mind Mind Mind through a completely different path that I didn't even realize that you were also the one who created The Perfect Woman!! :00 (which I played almost a month earlier? and also yapped abt)
omggg u put out such bangers 🫶🫶
Also just realized that my comment didn't talk abt Kalei. WHICH IS A CRIME so just wanted to mention that Kalei was SO CUTE. I want to lift him up and present him to the world like Simba. He was just so soft and wholesome and gentle w the MC the entire timee I'm soo?? Aurghh.
Such a great depiction of that popular kid who is also genuinely kind, sensitive, and considerate. I also just love how his insecurities were also depicted without it turning into an oppression Olympics w the MC and was given equal care and thought.
DID ANYONE KISS KALEI???? WHAT HAPPENS?!?! IS IT TOO AWKWARD? SOMEONE TELL ME PLS!!!!
Never mind, my inner Geist couldn't hold me back from kissing Kalei! :D (I'm so relieved it wasn't awkward afterwards)
🙏🙏🙏 I'M GLAD THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME YOUR INNER GEIST (just imagine if you went through all of that only for Kalei to completely avoid you after you tried to make a move... I would become a hermit after that...)
I loved everything about this
🥹🥹🥹 AW thank you so much, that's so sweet!!!
it's been one year and i still can't play this game bc it doesn't progress beyond "I look forward to Monday" even on steam ahshahhad
(I am so sorry 😭😭😭 And somehow I'm so touched that you tried to play the game a year later???
I've actually been working on an Android/Web port for the game that will port it to a new engine! I'm just waiting on some additional assets. I think that it will probably clear up any issues that you have..? I'll post an update post here/on my various socials when it's up! Again, I'm so sorry that you haven't been able to play all this time 😭 and thank you for checking back in!)
(I'm also sorry for the late reply fghfg I've been a bit overwhelmed lately so I put off responding to my comments for a little while!)
Bueno, definitivamente AMÉ a Kalei. Por otro lado pues...Sí, Geist no es nada más ni nada menos que esa voz interna, esos pensamientos intrusivos, y toda la negatividad que nos consumé. Me encantó su personaje en el sentido de que pues... está bien desarrollado para la función que debía desempeñar. Y su final fue justo lo que esperaba. Nice game!
(¡Muchas gracias por jugar! Siento mucho la tardanza en responder, últimamente he estado bastante agobiada... ¡y espero que mi texto no resulte extraño! ¡Estoy usando un traductor!)
Me alegra mucho que te haya gustado Kalei, es uno de mis personajes románticos favoritos 🥰 Sobre todo porque tenía que equilibrar lo terrible que es Geist 😂 Un buen personaje... un interés amoroso horrible 😂😂😂 (creo que probablemente no volveré a crear un interés amoroso tan horrible como él...). Gracias de nuevo por jugar y por tomarte el tiempo de dejar tus comentarios 🥰
I was terrified by the fact i found myself agreeing and nodding along to geist like.. i think thats bad but internally i was like' well yeah hes right, people just tolerate me-'
NOOOOOOOOOOOO 😭 It's understandable... I think a lot of people have similar thoughts - I definitely struggle with those types of anxieties sometimes, even now. I hope that you can overcome these worries 😢 and recognize that you're really a wonderful person, and people are lucky to be friends with you!
Hearing geist talking to the mc is like hearing my mind speaking to me
Geist crawled inside your brain because he loves you so much, and it's cozy in there... 😚
oouuu... gosh first of all i absolutely loved kalei he's such a supportive and sweet presence in this game, there couldn't have been a better person to give our mc a little push 😭 geist is SUCH a clever analogy too! even though i had to begrudgingly push through some of his dialogue (like omg let me romance this sweet man in peace thank u very much ?? so much sass and for what) its sooo accurate and in touch with some of my experiences with negative self talk!! really hit the nail on the head with social panic, isolation, and end-of-the-world speeches. it says a lot that i can now play through something like this and roll my eyes HARD at his rhetoric while also feeling the moments and understanding how real those spirals are. really loved the shift of his intentions at the end of kalei's route, it almost makes me like him <3 (/silly). much much love creator thank you!!!
(Thank you so much for playing, and I'm sorry for the late reply 🥹 I released another game recently and it fried my brain so I had to put answering comments on pause for a bit...)
I'm so glad that you liked Kalei, out of all of the love interests I've written he's one of my favorites 🥰 (probably because he's the only one without something seriously wrong with him 🤣) I really wrote him as a supportive presence to balance out Geist's nuclear-level toxicity LOL
And oh thank you for saying that!! 🥹 Honestly if people come out of the game saying "Geist needs to stfu so I can romance Kalei in peace" then I'd say that my mission was accomplished... I'm happy that you were able to see your experiences in Geist too. It's comforting for me to see that a lot of players hear Geist and say "I see what you are, and I won't listen to your BS!" 😆 It makes me feel as if yelling at Geist is a coming of age ritual that we all share...
Thank you again for playing and taking the time to leave your thoughts! Comments like this really mean the world to me 🥹
hi! i downloaded this game from itch.io first and then i think i came across a bug? anyways i read the comments to fix it but i only saw a single person that came across the same issue as me. the game just stops when our character says that they are excited for monday. i can still save and load or click other stuff but i am just stuck there. anyways then i tried to download it from steam because i thought that maybe i downloaded the wrong thing somehow but it still does the same :( i dont know why. i deleted all the save data aswell and tried again and again but i just cant play it further and I AM SO INTERESTED IN ROMANCING KALEI </3
can somebody help me please
ACK I'm really sorry 😭 Unfortunately I don't have any suggestions for you other than what you've already tried, I have no idea why that's happening 😭😭😭
I will note that I have plans to port the game to Android (and Web if possible) in the next few months! In doing so, I'll be porting the game to a new engine - it's very likely that the new version will work for you. I'll post an update here when I have the new build uploaded (though I completely understand if you don't want to wait around for that 😅) Again, I'm so sorry, and thank you so much for wanting to play the game 😭
Aww that sucks but its ok!! I'm looking forward to playing it in the future if i can that is lol. Still i can say that the characters and the game overall is very well done from the little i saw! I liked the little animations and voice acting. I'll check out your other games and i am looking forward to the new version of this game! Good luck on your new projects <3
i got the giest route and let me just say that hes literally the voice you hear inside of your head. like i never thought mc would have been THIS relatable, this is such a good game i love it!!
(I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATENESS, this comment got caught up in itch's filter and I didn't see it until now...)
I'm so glad that you enjoyed the game and found the MC relatable 🥹 Thank you for playing!!!
Due to how mad Geist made me, I don't have the heart to play his route. I was literally arguing with him through the screen the whole time.
Other than that, great game. As someone who suffers from severe general and social anxiety, it hit home. I loved the dialogue and Kalei was such a sweetheart. It made me reflect on how much I intentionally isolate myself socially due to overthinking and rumination. Ya know, just bad b things lol
but as a sidenote: I like to call Geist my personal demon. I played this game called After Party, and literally same thing. Suggest everyone to check it out if they haven't already.
😂 Honestly you're not the first person to tell me they couldn't bear to go through Geist's route, and I don't blame you... (I actually would be very curious to see how many people actually played through it if I could ever implement something like that...) (And I won't lie, I am glad that "Geist is not a very good love interest" seems to be a universal experience 🤣)
Thank you so much for playing!!! I'm really glad that it hit the right beats and was accurate to your experience. For me, social anxiety used to be like this neverending whirlpool of fear and guilt, and it was only after I started talking to myself "as another person" that I realized, "Hey... this isn't a good or rational thing to do, actually..."
YOUR PERSONAL DEMON 🤣 very accurate description... (And ohh I haven't heard of that one, but it looks very neat 🤔)
Wow.. What a wonderful game. I've only done my first playthrough but I'll definitely be replaying it! Though.. i should take a break before trying out Geist's path aha-
It was so nice to play something i could actually relate to.. and the dialogue is so, so well written!! I'd gush about Kalei and Geist's writing all day if i could.
I'd like to think we all have a little Geist in our head and its comforting to know we aren't entirely alone in those feelings.
Mc's dialogue where they finally snap at him was kinda eye opening in a way? I still struggle with taking the necessary steps of reaching out and doing the things i want to do because I'm too afraid. But they were right. If you never try and push through what makes you uncomfortable, you'll always be stuck in that listless loop of letting your fear control you. And i don't want that to be my life forever.
There's so much i want to say about this tbh but i don't know how to put it all into words. This is my first time playing one of your games and i can't wait to try the others. Thank you for this experience :'')
AHH thank you so much for playing, and for taking the time to comment! 🥰 I'm really glad you enjoyed it and that it resonated with you 🥹 I based a lot of the game on my experiences when I was younger, so it's really nice to hear that others have had similar experiences. (Understandable that you need to take a break before playing Geist's route 😂 Somehow it's a bit like walking into the lion's den...)
I think so too! Sometimes the Geist is a little quieter, and sometimes he says different things, but I think that everyone (or at least most people) struggles with that little voice of self doubt. And when you start listening to him, it's hard to break out of that loop of fear. But seeing his face clearly is the first step 💪 and sometimes that's all you need to start changing yourself! (I'm rooting for you 💪💪💪 I still struggle with fear too, and some days are better than others. But every step is another step forward 😊)
Thank you again for your kind words 🥹 All of my games are a little different, but I hope you enjoy them when you check them out!
Okay so I may have social anxiety. Geist's input is a little too close to home and now I wanna fight him.
💪💪💪 (Same honestly)
the reviews are making me MAAADD curious and invested but no android 💔 I was wondering if there would be an android version released soon or later??
AHH I'm honored that you're interested 😭 I do plan on releasing an Android version sometime soon that should have most of the features except for the 2D animations! (I'll also upload it on Web if it fits!) Unfortunately it will require recoding the entire game, so I've been prioritizing putting together the demos of a couple other projects before I work on MMM's mobile port. But rest assured that it's on my radar! I'll post an announcement when it's updated 😊
OMGGG THANK YOUUU <33 goodluck and hopefully everything goes well, I'll be patiently waiting and looking forward to it!!! love your works xx
Do you think you'll ever add achievements to your steam release?
Thanks for your interest! 😊 Unfortunately I underwent a game engine change after making MindMindMind! MMM is made in Godot, while my new games are made in Ren'py. Unfortunately I didn't include achievement support in my Godot games, but I do plan for my future games to have Steam achievements 🫡 (and I'm glad to know that's a feature that players are interested in!)
No problem ^^ that's a shame actually I would've loved to have 100%
I'm always interested in achievements in any title, it's one of the main reasons I personally play and/or purchase.
loveee the representation of anxiety! made me sing the song of doechiii <3 thhank you for the game!
I had NO IDEA that doechii wrote that song 😆😆 Making that my headcanon for geist's background music now LOL Thank you so much for playing!!! 🥰
geist does not let up omg 😭 he hurt my feelings so many times </333 i lovedd playing this, both routes were so beautiful i was so immersed in the storyline because i felt i could rlly put myself in mc's shoes 🥹 ty for this lovely vn
😂😂😂 HE REALLY DOES NOT someone needs to come and put some tape over his mouth for a SECOND! And YOU PLAYED BOTH ROUTES, I'm so touched 🥹 I'm glad that you found the MC relatable!! Thank you so much for playing 😊
wowie!!!! loved this, ,, wonderful representation of anxiety ^_^
OH thank you so much!!!! 🥹 I'm really glad you liked it!! 😆