[h1][b][i]NOTE: Day and Night is the second part of Keeper series, the first one being Sun and Moon. You can find my review for it [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/futabatian/recommended/1097670?snr=1_5_9__402] here[/url] [/i][/b][/h1]
OK, the last time I had a proper weekend was not as recently as I would like. So, yeah, you can imagine how “much” energy I have these days. However, I willingly sacrificed quite a lot of my sleep hours this week to complete the game properly. Call me crazy, but text-based adventures are my big weakness. Also, I have two copies – one on mobile (bought it myself on the very day of release) and one on Steam (received free of charge for reviewing, big thanks to Hosted Games, as always).
I will not lie – the previous installment had issues. Some races were stronger/more balanced (my poor, poor kitsune girl…), the story featured some overused tropes and pacing issues, and several characters got just too much attention (yes, Astrid, I am talking about you again!) compared to others. However, it was still interesting enough to keep me reading and completing multiple playthroughs with all available romantic interests – and there are a lot of them! When the demo for Day and Night was released on the official website – I think almost a year ago, or even more? – I immediately jumped into it. And was not disappointed either. There were hints at very curious and important events, and romances got good development too. And now the day has finally come to see how all of them will work out in the full game. Was I impressed, intrigued, annoyed, or even unhappy after completing it? Well, let us dive right into the review to find out!
[h1]Pros (a.k.a. Lucy Approves)[/h1]
I think the best part about this series is [u]the humor[/u]. No, really, the joke about OTP and shipping kept me smiling for at least 5 minutes. Sometimes the author tries too much to stay in line with zoomer things (for example, the part about livestreaming inside a dream was wee bit cringy), but all in all, there are a lot of nice funny scenes and lines in each chapter.
I can also easily say that there is a bunch of [u]good plot twists and mysteries[/u] that just keep coming and coming at you, and I cannot in good conscience say that any of them were dull or too predictable – which is a big plus.
Another thing that I am very keen on is the [u]quality of world building[/u]. Brynn Chernosky, as always, pays a lot of attention to magic theory, some important cultural aspects, different races and their special features, and even classes at the magic school. I think that a lot of thought went into the protagonist’s curriculum for various professions you can select, and descriptions for each subject is a really nice touch overall.
[u]Characters stayed as charming as they were in the first game[/u], and their constant bickering is a lot of fun to read. And to take part in, of course. I really got a feeling of living in a dorm with lots of quirky people. Oh, and we can finally get our own pet! Guess which one I went for? [i](No, really, try to guess, I will be happy to discuss it in the comments.)[/i] As far as [u]romance[/u] is concerned, I dare say it has improved. Maybe because the relationship has been steady for some time, or maybe because you get more scenes with your partner, but I can see some interesting developments – secrets, drama, hot/cute dates, etc. I even almost got into a love triangle (of sorts?). Romance suffers a bit from the general story flow and the way it is presented – which I will talk about below, - but I cannot say that it was badly written or cliché. Quite the opposite. So far, I have completed only Leon’s route, but I will be moving to others soon enough [i](well, when I finish several more playthroughs of the first game as there was no save feature at the time I did previous ones…bummer)[/i].
[h1]Cons (a.k.a. Lucy Disapproves)[/h1]
At the same time, my main complaint remains the same as before - [u]the style of writing[/u]. It has improved in some aspects, but I still do not like how the story jumps from one event to another, and then another, and then another. Sometimes it looks more like entries in a diary rather than a consistent flow. Also, more often than not, the author focuses on dialogues and actions, while most descriptions just stay in the background. I can even say that they feel disconnected - like, there is an island with dialogue and another one with the background; and I do not feel that they actually support each other. Also, some scenes end too abruptly – I do not feel any real consequences after them. And a lot of information being thrown at me at once can feel confusing too.
Maybe it is just nitpicking, but…I do not know, the text just feels really dry for me at times. Even more so when it comes to politics. And boy is there lots of this through the whole story! If the first part – Keeper of Sun and Moon – just set the scene for interactions between parties and politicians, the second one starts exploring them to the fullest, even too much at times. And it would be alright as part of the lore, but my issue here is that the protagonist is right in the center of all this mess, and literally every chapter you are barraged with more and more information about political affairs. No, it is pretty logical from the plot point of view – after all, you are THE Keeper, one of the most important figures in the magi world. But do I like politics? Heck no! Do I want to take part in it? Double heck no! So, yeah, between the somewhat dry text and lots of political stuff, I found myself skipping some paragraphs entirely. At the same time, for some reason, the author is specifically really good at describing food and fancy decorations, so these parts were always a delight, no complaints here.
Another thing worth mentioning is that [u]there are occasional typos/missing words and coding issues[/u]. For example, in one scene you will see two reactions from the same character. I am sure that it is not an intended part of the text – it would look too strange to have two similar interactions with the same person right after another in one scene, both of which are reactions to the same thing. By the way, I have noticed this curious moment even in the demo version released long time ago, so no idea why it has not been fixed yet.
[h1]Verdict (a.k.a. Lucy Has Finally Finished Her Spiel)[/h1]
At first glance, it might seem that I am disappointed with how the second game turned out. But it is not quite true. I think I am actually satisfied with most new parts – except for the heavy political ones, - but also still annoyed by the older drawbacks that have come to the surface again. Still, take my complaints with a grain of salt – I tend to dislike writing styles that present scenes in a rapid successions rather than exploring them to the fullest (like a theater performance). Keeper series do feel dry to me in this aspect at times, but it does not mean it will be the same for you.
On the bright side, there is a solid story with a lot of interesting plot lines and mysteries that will keep you glued to the screen until the very last chapter. Characters are also very endearing, and there is a good variety to their personalities. You will definitely find somebody to fall in love with. And the world of magic itself is really well-written and diverse.
So, overall, I can and will recommend Keeper of the Day and Night to fans of text-based adventures.
[i][b]P.S. By the way, demo for the third game in the series is already available on the Choice of Games Forum. It is just a draft version with several short scenes, but it will help you get the idea of what is coming.[/b][/i]
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