nothing & nowhere

Having really enjoyed the previous game, Lynne, I was really excited about this game being a follow-up, and it did not disappoint me in the slightest. Tonally, the two games are completely different; the first game is a game about anxiety, and this game is about healing from it. The way I felt after coming to the end of this story definitely reflected that - Lynne has been a game that I've turned over in my brain a million times, wondering about the ending, and having now played nothing & nowhere, it feels like I can lay it to rest, in a way. I'm particularly impressed with how ebi-hime managed to keep the protagonist from being unlikeable; she's pessimistic and, dare I say, whiny, but rather than being annoyed by her I found myself really empathizing with her. I do think this was helped by playing the first game and knowing the protagonist's past; I don't know if I would have felt the same towards her had I not already known who she was. My one teeny-tiny gripe was the way that this VN broke from typical VN constraints - rather than using dialogue tags, and keeping narration separate from dialogue, it was basically just written as a novel shown on the textbox in chunks. It was a little jarring and took me time to get used to, but ultimately this wasn't a huge complaint and I do like seeing developers play with the typical VN format, even if I don't necessarily love the results. I've played a fair few of ebi-hime's other VNs up to this point (The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns, Empty Horizons, Once on a windswept night, and Blackberry Honey) with many of her others in my library and on my wishlist, but thus far I have to say Lynne and nothing & nowhere are probably my favorites.

A great follow up to Lynne, I'd recommend reading both!

This was a bit of an interesting tonal shift from its prequel, which may be jarring for some but I don't necessarily see it as a negative aspect of the work, the novel goes for something a little less heavy, a little more comforting, that still does a good job of exploring the emotional depth of its characters. The lack of a major conflict or any sort of tangible tension may be a turn-off for some, however, I feel like the kinder atmosphere fits nicely with the storytelling and message about healing the author was going for. Lynne was already complete on its own and in my opinion, its sequel simply added a new perspective to it without really taking away from the original story, there is a lot to enjoy here if you get past the initial shift in tone and meet the work in its own terms.

no

Loved Cora has a character. Feel like she really highlights the theme of growing as an individual but also still being held back in the past in some respects. Reading this after the first VN Lynne, I feel like it does a great job wrapping up the story, any of its previous questions, and the theme of continued growth.

Nothing & Nowhere feels calmer, more grounded, and more mature than Lynne. Its appeal is a lot different from Lynne's. It feels more like what I'd expect from ebi-hime, I guess. It's just... not as striking? [spoiler]It also makes some parts of Lynne's ending less ambiguous, which I guess is expected of a sequel, but I was fonder of my interpretation.[/spoiler] It's a worthwhile read, I'm just a little disappointed.

When I first started Nothing & Nowhere, I admit, I wanted to drop it. I found it boring and drawn out. But, I stuck with it, and just as I was about to stop cold, I struck gold. N&N isn't about the mystery, it's about the story. About a young girl taking a break after a breakdown. Reading feels like a break from reality in of itself, the atmosphere is perfect, and best enjoyed with a fresh cup of tea or coffee. It does start out slow, but trust me, it's worth it.

The free prequel to this game, 'Lynne', touched my heart at a time in my life where I could relate to the main heroine in an eerily similar manner. Now that I've grown and found this sequel, I'm happy to see that she's grown alongside me. I loved reading this, I found myself getting attached to the pair's dynamic. The music and art direction elevated this a lot, it was a welcome contrast compared to the first game. This game was very healing to my heart and angsty teen years, and I'm glad that the author decided to wrap up a proper conclusion for the girl, since I've grown attached to her a lot. I only have two complaints, which are somewhat spoilery (I don't reveal the girl's name however): 1. [spoiler]I wish the final conversation between the girl and Cora ended a lot better, it was so abruptly cut to an immediate credit roll that it took away the impact of the scene. I also wish it was implied they still keep in touch... but I understand why not.[/spoiler] 2. This is probably my poor memory about the first game but [spoiler]I'm surprised the girl's "old friend" was willing to be friends with her in the end, because I thought the girl had ruined that chance forever at the end of 'Lynne.'[/spoiler] In conclusion, ebi-hime is a fantastic writer and I'll be sure to keep an eye on more of her works. Also, I hope we get to see more of Cora too! (but no pressure <3)

Its a slow paced VN focused on only 2 characters exclusively and it takes it time to establish itself. While there were some parts I experienced as somewhat bland to read, its overall story and plot feels very rewarding, especially in the second half of the game. The writing is superb and while the visual are nothing too crazy, they tie together a very solid experience about strangers, living with strangers and the process of getting familiar

This really captures the feeling of being lost. Beautiful art.