Manna for our Malices

I was skeptical when I accepted [i][b]Manna for our Malices[/b][/i] via Curator Connect. I didn't expect much of it at all, given how it looks. To put it bluntly; I'm simply no longer interested in playing a Visual Novel when I dislike the artwork, thus I was about to decline the offer at first. I already have plenty of bad Visual Novels, and I'm not eager to add more of them to my Steam library or to waste my time with them anymore. Even though I was sure that this is just another trash game, I still decided to give it a shot and, [i]to my own surprise[/i], I didn't regret it at all. The execution of the story and the decent writing totally took me by surprise. Judging by the store page, it's nothing I would have expected from this title at first or tenth glance. I assume that [i][b]Manna for our Malices[/b][/i] is only around one hour short if you use the guide right from the beginning, which I honestly wouldn't recommend doing, it really takes away the whole fun. It took me about three hours and around sixty deaths to finish everything the game had to offer and to obtain all achievements without using the guide. To die sixty times in three hours is something you would rather expect to experience in a soulslike, less in a Visual Novel. You have to die a lot in order to check if there are new options that may lead you to a different path or that offer new dialogue choices. It's fun trying to figure out how you could probably discover something new that might helps you to proceed with the story and to experiment with all available options. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1664927138 [b]Akagi Ai[/b] is your average student, she's attending classes and goes to school with her best friend [b]Aoi[/b] every morning. Aoi seems to have a crush on Akagi Ai, but don't get your hopes up; it's [b]not[/b] a Yuri game and romance is not part of the story, although the relationship between them does take a substantial role plotwise. After a rather uneventful school day, our first day ends abruptly when we get sneakily stabbed on our way home, and die for the very first, but certainly not for the last time. The story continues as we find ourselves once again at the beginning, waking up on the exact same day. The only difference this time is that the Aiko from the past, which just died, is now trapped in a time loop and the clueless Aiko of the present, that didn't die yet, are now able to mentally communicate with each other. The time loop of waking up in the morning, going to school, and getting murdered continues until you reach a true ending, meanwhile, one question remains; why is someone so obsessed to kill us? Repeating the same day, our goal is to find new clues, new clues give us new options, and new options lead us to new clues, revealing the truth more and more, which is the only way to break free from the time loop for good. Despite being darker, the setting heavily reminds me of the comedy movie [b][I]Groundhog Day[/i][/b] where the protagonist is also trapped in a time loop and awakes on the same day and time again and again until he finds a way to escape from his fate. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1664926696 The avatar sketches from the text box remind me of an RPG Maker horror game called [url=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iH5a7rP26u4/maxresdefault.jpg]Calm Falls[/url] released in 2002 in Germany by [b]Kelven[/b], which I really liked back then. Granted, I was seven years old, and it was probably not so hard to impress me. Maybe the feel of nostalgia is playing tricks on me but I really enjoyed the transmitted atmosphere in this Visual Novel. The artwork which was probably drawn in Paint, is jokingly bad, up to a point where the question comes up if someone even put any effort into drawing the characters. I basically have two left hands when it comes to drawing, but I think even I could have managed to draw better-looking character sprites. While the art style does look hideous, it kind of has a charm I can not really explain. It's quite similar to the feeling I have about child drawings in horror movies. They have something eerie attached to them [i]because[/i] they look amateurish and some low budget horror movies are more atmospheric merely because they are somewhat cheaply made. I do wonder if the [i]artist[/i] made the characters look like this out of intent or not. Since [i][b]Manna for our Malices[/b][/i] is extremely short and looks nothing like an appealing or enjoyable game at all, I think it would have been more appropriate to offer it for free or to sell it as a one-dollar game because if I'm completely honest with you here, I wouldn't have purchased it. I only gave it a chance because I was given a review copy and even now after playing and liking it, I still wouldn't pay more than $1. While I do recommend [i][b]Manna for our Malices[/b][/i] if you take an interest in the well-thought-out time loop theme, I'd also suggest waiting for a sale. [h3][quote]𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33853800/]𝐎𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐤𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞[/url] 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐑𝐏𝐆 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬[/quote][/h3]

Its a complexe game with a time warp (Rocky Horror Picture Show would be proud) & of course Bill Murray Groundhog Day). It has a few ending but they way to find is long, because you need the right choices at the right time or you stuck in eternity, its a Trial & Error but its good for achievement hunters & people who these repeating storys where you need to find the trick to get out & find the well hidden endings. Maybe this game is made by Aliens (INSIDEr JOKE)

[b]''If anyone finds this, it means my plans didn't work out and I'm already dead; but if I can somehow go back to the beginning of all this...'' - The Butterfly Effect[/b] [i]Manna for our Malices[/i] is a Choices Matter Visual Novel that was virtually completed solo by [b]John Ohno[/b] where he devised the story, the character art, used among others the [u]freesound.org[/u] for the sound effects, assisted with the music & I believe did coding in Ren'Py so even though this isn't a high standard Visual Novel it still is an admirable achievement for a first time release. The plot is of our main Female Protagonist [i]Akagi Ai[/i] who, after a day at school that leads to detention, mysteriously dies on the journey home. Bizarrely, Akagi Ai wakes up to the start of the day before her death happened with her [u]future self[/u] as a guiding voice. (Think [b]The Butterfly Effect[/b] movie and you are on the right track to this plot) As each recurring day progresses there are Multiple Choices that branch off into routes that unravel more of the story which, in turn, gets updated in the [Notes] of the Ingame Menu. [b]I'd strongly suggest reading each of the Note updates as it will help uncover the complete story stage by stage and can be useful if you get caught in the loop of the choices with no progress as I had been![/b]. [i]Akagi Ai[/i] has her 4 classmates & 1 playing Hokey from school(!) who feature in the Choices and, thankfully, there is the [back] option in the Ingame Menu if any of the choices don't progress you that allows you to retrace your steps to choose alternatives. I have to admit the routes are tricky where you will find yourself repeating or being caught in a loop due to the parameters of the school day's choices leading to dead ends so trial & error is essential in this and does lead to self high 5's when you figure ways out of the maze's choices! You only have to look at my playtime to see how much time was spent experimenting with the routes over 3 days though I should add I was caught up in chats too so I'd realistically say if you try solving this with [b]no Guides[/b] you can expect around 4 - 4.5 hours maximum as a playtime [u]IF[/u] you use elimination notes to work out which are dead ends and which progress the plot. I would hint at following the choices in sequence each replay as 1 day of uncovering routes will successfully lead to the 2nd & 3rd day's routes having extra choices. [i]Haha then again I may just be useless at solving these routes & players who regularly play these style of Choices Matter VNs may figure it out easily![/i] The art isn't as hi-spec as seen elsewhere in this genre though it has its own appeal by being both colourful and aesthetically pleasing to the eye with its character movements & gestures alongside a unique touch of adding a character sketch to the left of the text representing the current talking character. The individual scene's looping music can be considered retro (think early gameboy Mario with its high pitch sound) but after a few replays it can quickly become a grinding annoyance to your poor ears so if this applies to you I'd suggest lowering the Music and Effects volume in the [Prefs]! There is a [Q Save] and [Q Load] option within the Ingame menu [u]BUT[/u] it does also Autosave so the great thing of Ren'Py is you don't really need to hit [Save] even though it is there on the Ingame menu because you can [Load] from the menu and select from the bottom [A] for Autosaves or [Q] for Quicksaves! Overall, Manna for our Malices has its funny moments that help lighten the mood to what can be seen as a heavy sci-fi horror plot with a mix of Good & Bad Ending Achievements (15 in total) and, even though it doesn't have outstanding art or music/effects, if you can overlook this then you will have an entertaining & somewhat surreal plot to burrow your way through! Personally I think some players may be discouraged by the price especially in comparison to other cheaper alternatives in this genre but it is an average cost in my opinion. [u]I'd warn that there is a lot of swearing/profanity throughout the game so if you are easily offended by this you may want to avoid this.[/u] ~~~Liked what you see? You can find more at [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32839633/]Have a word [/url]~~~

Manna for our Malices is a Visual Novel that heavily focuses on having a ton of choices and making you think a little on what to do next. It took me around 2 hours to complete the game, but I also looked at the Guide in the End cause i was stuck and didnt know what to do anymore. If you actually play it completely without the Guide and you are able to get the Good Ending in your first try Congrats :) . If you enjoy VNs with a lot of choices and dont just want to read a Story then this Game could be great for you. I havent played many VNs that were like this one so it is quite special and something different, for when you actually want to think a little and not just be amused by the Story. The Art and Music really are nothing special and if you are one of the people that need great Graphics in all your Games you might want to pass this one. However if you dont really mind that much and care mostly about the Story I can definately recommend this Game. It has a good Translation and your typical Visual Maker Hud and Menu. If you can, get it in a Sale, or if you really like this kind of VN it will probably also be good for you for the full Price. Check out my Currator Page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34401214/

Manna for our Malices might look like a troll game at first, with its wacky visual design and over-the-top dialogue, but it's actually a rather cool time-looping mystery game. Our comically foul-mouthed, Japanese schoolgirl protagonist, Ai, will die dozens of times, only to wake up at the beginning of the same day. If you guide her well, on every loop she'll learn new information, that will bring her closer to uncovering the meaning behind her situation and being able to break the cycle. While the characters and writing are exaggerated and the game ironically repeats many anime/VN cliches, the core experience is quite fun and intelligent. You'll be going through the same events and interactions many times, constantly uncovering new paths and finding clues, that will guide you to more and more outlandish conspiracies hiding under the facade of the sleepy town. It's fun to read and somewhat intuitive, at least until you reach the final few "puzzles" that will can should lead you to the true ending - that was the only moment when I had to consult the walkthrough. The production qualities are pretty low, but also quite deliberate - the characters still show a decent amount of personality despite the very simple sprites and the general, junky feel of the game fits the style of its writing. The end effect is strangely engaging and satisfying to play through, as this kind of bite-sized VN experience (it should take you around two hours to complete if you don't get stuck too often). I didn't think I'd be worth anything when I first saw it on Curator Connect, but if you can get past its eccentricities, I think it's quite worth picking up - even for the full asking price of $5, but especially on sale. ------------- PS If you're interested in other quality Western VNs, check out [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32980295/]my curator page[/url].

It is like groundhog day of a japanese student girl's day. It is a visual novel with basic art drawings and littel animation but lots of text. The music is pretty. If you are into visual novels this game might be for you.

I'm surprised at how much I actually like this so far. It's a visual novel horror version of Groundhog Day. I'm sure I was butchering the names but I really enjoyed following the story up to the point I'm at right now. You basically die at the end of every day and then the next day you try to make choices that will result in you not dying the next day. So, you may have ate lunch in the classroom yesterday. Tomorrow maybe try the library. Yesterday you cleaned up after class. Maybe tomorrow you try leaving instead. I can see how this could possibly branch out into many, many permutations. I'm excited to see where it goes. If you're curious or you just want to see the game in action, feel free to check out my videos. I've only done one so far but there will be a series as soon as I get some more recorded: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_ugVRvbdY4

[h1]Story[/h1] This is a very short mystery horror-themed visual novel in which you play as a ♀️ (1st person) that got stuck in a time loop, so be prepared to use the skip button. :) It all starts in a typical school scene but swiftly takes some dark turns. [b]Gameplay[/b] The gameplay felt really interactive, which made the story feel longer than it actually was. There are many choices of which almost all of them are important either directly or indirectly (on the next loop). The 1 good ending isn’t exactly a walk through the park (or it wasn’t for me at least). Furthermore, there are 3 bad endings, so please make different saves frequently. Also, routes aren’t always what they seem like, so don’t be scared of the ‘bad routes’ either. Even though there is a character that has feelings for you, don’t expect any romance, because the main protagonist doesn’t return them. [b]Language[/b] No problems with the English whatsoever. [h1]Characters[/h1] The story clearly does a lot to the characters. The whole experience makes the protagonist evolve in perspective and knowledge. Her inner thoughts are also expressed. The other characters are all very expressive mainly because of their art. [h1]Art[/h1] The characters’ style was anime-themed but definitely could use an upgrade. The lines are really missing some flow (and some slight differences in their line widths can do wonders too). Their colors are good though, in contrast to the profile pictures of the characters. I suggest giving those at least some background color or colored layer over them (e.g. in the color of their hair), then you recognize the character that’s talking more easily. [h1]Music[/h1] The instrumental music wasn’t present as much as usual. You’ll have to spend some story in silence from time to time, which made the tension (and my adrenaline :b) even higher. The music that you do hear is only of a small catalog, but it didn’t bother me at all since you skip your way through most of the repeats anyway. [h1]Sexual Content[/h1] Nothing to see here. :b [h1]Summary[/h1] [table] [tr] [th]Story[/th] [td]😃[/td] [/tr] [tr] [th]Characters[/th] [td]🙂[/td] [/tr] [tr] [th]Art[/th] [td]😒[/td] [/tr] [tr] [th]Music[/th] [td]😐[/td] [/tr] [tr] [th]Sexual content[/th] [td]/[/td] [/tr] [/table] [b]Would I buy it again?[/b] Although I probably wouldn’t have been triggered to buy it since the art isn’t exactly seductive, I was completely sucked into the story. Since the price is so cheap (€2.39 in Belgium), it was worth it to me and so I would probably buy it. I do really hope the developer practices line fluency a bit more. ;) If you liked this review, please feel free to check out my other [url=https://shortcake111.github.io/reviews/html/reviews]reviews[/url]. ^.^ You can also follow my [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32328624/]curators page[/url].

The artwork is charming and the story is a bit repetitive due to being stuck in a sort-of time loop. Thankfully there is a guide to complete the game so you won't get stuck. It brings awareness to black vans which is a throwback.

Recommending, but just barely. Yes, the art is next level of atrocious (especially on Shironeko, holy moly), but it's functional, and let's be honest - we play such games for the story. And the story is the reason why I'm sort of recommending it. It starts out a little slow. The first time loop is just some weird shenanigans to introduce the characters; it works, but don't expect fireworks. But then the plot kicks in. You try new things, you unlock new branching paths, you learn new information, you witness new events. And that part of the game is very engaging. Luckily, it's the part of the game that's the longest! There's quite a bit to discover, and if you've fully explored a certain event branch, the game politely prevents you from entering it again - that way you're always moving forward. And everything stays pretty cool until you reach the final parts of the game. To keep things short: it's possible to lock yourself in a literal loop, and it seems like it's a glitch; although the dev claims it isn't. The closer to the end you get, the less sense your actions and the world's reactions to them make. The ending in particular feels completely nonsensical and there's no way I would've been able to reach it without a guide. There's also another problem. The whole story feels like it's written by a weeby teen who's interested in Japan as a whole, including Japanese society and history, and can't help but showcase that knowledge for no real reason. It's kind of like when I got my sailor's papers when I was 16 and simply had to put in all sorts of useless sailing jargon in the story I was writing at the time. It's a bit embarrassing. Still, this hypothetical "weeby teen" that wrote this story (I have no idea if the author is a teen, or a weeb) also has pretty keen storytelling sense. And there are some tense, great moments, and the web of intrigues that the game presents is rather well-constructed - without being ridiculous. According to the achievement stats, 60% of all players have seen the ending. I'd say that's quite a good number. So if you think you can stomach the art style and don't mind some potential jank - check this out, out of curiosity if nothing else. You won't regret it. [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/42922988/]Curator page[/url]