Kimmy

I’ve had this in my library ever since getting it in the January 2017 Humble Monthly, and I was initially drawn to the unique crayon-like art style. Up until the point where I installed and launched the game, I honestly had no idea what kind of game it was. It’s a VN starring young kids (maybe 4-10 y/o). It’s a story about a little girl, the titular Kimmy, making friends with other kids around her neighborhood by playing games and conversing with them. The whole game is probably 1-2 hours. While the overarching plot was heartfelt, there was no gameplay at all, which is to be expected from a VN, but would have been nice since the main way that you’re building relationships in Kimmy is by playing games with other kids. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the dialogue with the characters (kids) at all, which is make-or-break important for a VN. So, by the end of it, I was honestly just ready for it to be over. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’m glad I played it, and I really don’t think I could even say I enjoyed it. I would not recommend.

I don't usually care for Visual Novels, because I prefer games in which you actually [i]do[/i] something, and honestly, I didn't know that that's what this was before I started playing, but I did enjoy it. The first thing you're likely to notice is the childish visual style, and as you're playing, the tone and dialogue match this perfectly. In fact, at first, I started wondering if I'd somehow gotten myself involved in playing a kids' game. Rest assured: that's just the game doing a great job of getting you into the mindset of the characters; it's setting you up to knock you right on the floor. As the story progresses, things get gradually darker as you get clearer and clearer glimpses into what kind of life Kimmy has at home. It becomes abundantly clear to the player what's going on... or so I'd thought; I called a few plot points here and there, but there were still some pretty big surprises. It's not a happy game - it sets out to crush your soul - but it deals with the subject matter pretty well while still being pretty sensitive to people's triggers. A game like this lives and dies by the quality of its writing, and aside from one very specific nitpick, I'd say that it does a great job with it.

This game is deceptively deep. I thought it was just gonna be a light hearted VN about kids but instead it covered topics of bullying, neglect, and other social stigmas. I actually really enjoyed it and hope more people discover it especially those that are younger because it's really well done. Also the music was great. I want a soundtrack!

Kimmy is a visual novel-style game about friendship, emotional vulnerability, and loss. Over the game's 3-hour span, the gameplay and story range from wholesome fluff to dark realism. I highly recommend Kimmy. It made me smile, and it made me cry. From the beautiful soundtrack and art to the wonderful story, it's worth every penny.

Going in for a short game I'd get over with in an hour and a half or so, it all began with a bit of a wholesome aesthetic. I thought I had this VN pinned down in the first few minutes, but damn, was I so wrong. I did not imagine I would be so moved at the end. Dialogue is surprisingly engaging, a story about kids playing freely while the adult world holds them at bay. You need to explain the *right* rules of every game you tell a character you'd like to play, which seems like a disconnected mechanic at first. But those rules are boundaries, short and swift explorations of bonds, an introduction to socialization. It's sort of a parallel inversion of the adult world, completely full of rules that no one explains, weird and complicated, their lack of transparecy a motive for anger and sadness among the kids. But they play, and in that moment, they understand each other, and whatever the grown-ups think is irrelevant.

What the ♥♥♥♥

A very short Visual Novel. The art style is unique, and fitting. You'll need some knowledge of some older games like hop scotch and kick the can to make it through the game quickly. Turn the speed up to fast so you can have text load immediately and buzz right through it all. I liked this game. Kimmy's a kid that's shy and is going through a rough time at home, and you're there to help her make friends. There's a underlying idea here in the game that playing games is something that's going to help out when times are rough. Games serve as an escape, but when it comes to running away from problems... Well, you can only run for so long. Dialog isn't great between the kids, and the interaction between them doesn't make finding them to play games very appealing. That's a real weak point when the game relies on dialog. Thankfully towards the end of the game dialog starts to take a strong turn. The downside is the game takes a far more depressing turn than I expected. It just gets... dark. I'd say the ending is pretty dang sad, and if you're the emotional type you might want to go look at kittens or something at the end.

This game encapsulates a wonderful phrase from Mr. Fred Rogers, "We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say, 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes." I'm so glad I took the time to enjoy this game. What a great reminder to look for someone who needs kindness. Especially that weird little girl that walks around town in a ratty nightgown! <3

10/10 would cry again

8/10 - A short visual novel. Finished it for about 2 hours. - I love the illustrations. Very cute and unique! - Good story - Interesting conversations throughout the entire game - The ending tho........ PART 2 WHEN???