[h1]Dude, this is so cutting![/h1]
I had so much fun playing this game. Well, that's not quite a surprise to me, seeing as I was already predisposed to like it as soon as I read the description: "90s outcast movies" quirky, but oh so human, supernatural characters, "a dark coming-of-age story" against the backdrop of looming apocalypse, comicbook style visuals...But beyond that initial hook of 90s nostalgia, loads of pop culture references and familiar tropes I found much more - a careful look at depression, loneliness and alienation, being stuck in a loop with no exit, themes of free will vs destiny, choices and responsibility, and a central heartwarming relationship between two unlikely protagonists.
[i][b]Gloom and Doom[/b][/i] is the first visual novel of [i]Neo Tegoel Games[/i], a 'one-man band' developer who wrote, designed, coded it, made art. It's obvious when you play it how much care went into this, but most importantly, that translated into a very good visual novel. I won't even add "for a first-time creator." It's just very good. Period.
Of course, your immediate enjoyment will depend on how well you respond to that initial hook I mentioned. As a lover of all things [b]pop culture[/b], this was like a catnip to me. It was fun catching all the references and recognising tropes. And there are a lot of them: from movies, music, games, TV shows, comics. I mean, the heroine is called Wynona like the queen of 90s cool. You will argue with a ghost about horror movies, not to mention about the merits of 2D vs 3D games. You will lament the slow dying of the music album format. The most fun I had was the movies and games trivia quiz hosted by the 'Goth Team Rocket'.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2371754934
Be prepared for a lot of familiar [b]character tropes[/b]: a nerd and a cheerleader, dumb jock bullies, an outsider etc. Even angels and other supernatural characters are not exempt and have many human quirks. Archangel Michael is a dudebro jerk executive, Angel of Wisdom a cool skateboarder; there's an earnest and overzealous Angel of Justice, then Angel of Mercy, a perfect girl love interest for a brooding antihero. Lucia, a gender-bent Lucifer, is a cheerful female best buddy (with a touch of riot grrrl?) With a shortish blond hair, she reminds me of Lucifer from Vertigo comics, just infinitely more fun than the brooding male counterpart. The VN is aware of these tropes and often pokes fun at them in a bit of meta commentary (the role of the female LI e.g.)
As can be seen, there're a lot of Western media [b]influences[/b] which was to me, after all the exposure to Japanese VN tropes, refreshing to came back to. Besides the aforementioned film inspirations, it reminds me of some supernatural TV shows I used to watch. Also, as a big fan of Vertigo comics like Sandman and Lucifer, I was happy to encounter similar beats and story points. But even more, this supernatural story with quirky characters, lots of humour and going against Heaven and Hell gave me such Good Omens vibes at times.
This is all very fun for sure, but it would ring hollow without the good [b]writing[/b] that ties it all together. In fact, these references are sometimes used to make a point the story is trying to convey. And generally, the writing is just very engaging and fun. Exposition is handled well, flowing naturally from the dialogue, but always infused with humour and self-awareness. But most importantly, there's a lot of diving into characters' inner thoughts making them come alive and feel real.
For all the supernatural shenanigans going on, this is essentially a character drama driven by conversations and relationship between [b]two protagonists[/b] (think of Before Sunrise, noted as inspiration). [i]Gloom[/i] is an ancient wraith who's spent 400 years trying to atone one 'bad' choice by killing lots of demons so that he can finally go back to Heaven. He's very good at killing, he kills everything, but doesn't like it. He's that brooding antihero archetype, rough around the edges, but with a heart of gold and a strong sense of justice. [i]Wynona[/i] is a teenage girl, a loner all her life, suffering from depression, convinced she's the Doom Bringer who will bring hell on earth. She's equipped with a good dose of cynicism and teen angst almost embodying Generation X as seen in 90s movies. She's tried just about every way imaginable to kill herself, as an act of self-sacrifice, finally hoping that a killer ghost would be able to do it. But, alas, the killer ghost doesn't like to be used as a suicide tool even though this is the final kill that will get him to Heaven. We follow them separately at first, getting to know them and when they finally meet, it's an incredibly fun and meaningful encounter that jumpstarts their quest.
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Their dynamic is the best part of the game with fun banter that reveals clashing of the old and new generation and develops slowly into a real heartwarming relationship that changes them both. They're very relatable characters, different on the surface, but actually very similar. Both feel lonely and alienated, unable to find their place, stuck in an endless cycle with no exit, making choices that don't really matter and struggling to take destiny into their own hands. The game often changes perspectives between the two and that is essential for revealing their inner voices and doubts. The most potent scenes are Gloom talking to furniture and projecting his own condition onto it and Wynona's obsession with windows that represent all the different lives she could've been born into, but hasn't.
These are all some heavy themes this VN tackles. One the surface they're talked about casually with a healthy dose of black humour, especially depression and suicide ideation. But underneath all that, these issues are handled thoughtfully, with care and a lot of heart. There's a warning for this when you start the game and later the credits offer links to suicide prevention helplines. This is narrated by a side character you can save from jumping by lending a listening ear and earning the most satisfying achievement in the game.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2371412980
The themes of helplessness, having no control over circumstances and self-fulfilling prophecies are reflected in the game's [b]choice system[/b]. Like I said, characters feel like they've been dealt "pointless choices that don't actually change anything." And that's exactly how I've felt at times while playing. There's a lot of choices ranging from those that don't have any influence on the ending you'll get (but are fun nonetheless) to obvious story choices. In between are those that look insignificant, but actually add up in the end. They reflect the point the story is trying to make: lots of small deeds make a difference; and even if your choices don't change the world, they change who you are.
There are 7 [b]endings[/b] in the game and despite the numerous choices, navigating them isn't confusing. I got the canonical ending on my first playthrough and that one is truly the most satisfying. It's of decent length with good, steady pacing that picks up towards the end with quite a bit of action made alive by some cool animations.
Speaking of [b]visuals[/b], they are of refreshing 90s comicbook style not often found in VNs and a welcome change from the usual anime style.
If you like supernatural stories, comics, pop culture, you're gonna love this. And even if you don't, underneath all that is a story that deals with universal issues everybody can relate to.
[h3][quote][b]Reviewed by [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/40848670/]Drugoja In The Dreaming[/url][/b][/quote][/h3]
[b]Curator copy via [i]Otome Sekai[/i][/b]
