With Eyes of Ice

Je ne m'attendais pas à grand chose en lançant le jeu. A la base je l'avais acheté parce que le nom d'un personnage, Pétur, m'avait interpellé et fait beaucoup rire. J'ai eu tord de le sous-estimer. Mon Dieu les émotions que m'a procuré ce jeu. Le décor est très bien planté, les personnages sont humains, vivants, maîtrisés et très bien écrits. Ils ont tous leurs défauts et leurs qualités. Les dialogues et les descriptions sont évocateurs. Les sprites ainsi que les illustrations sont assez nombreuses et sympathiques, de même que les OSTs. Le jeu a été fait dans des conditions de live stream et doublé par nos bons soins (à ma soeur et moi). Je félicite chaleureusement Ebi-Hime, pour une histoire très prenante et qui m'aura fait pleurer toutes les larmes de mon corps à la fin ! I wasn't expecting much from this game. I only bought it because some character, named Pétur, made me laugh (lol). I was SO wrong to underestimate this piece. My gosh, this emotional rollercoaster of game. The set is well described, the characters are very human, lively and well-written. They all have flaws and qualities within them. Sprites and illustrations are cute and numerous, as well as the OSTs. I did the game with my sister on twitch and we voiced all the protagonists ! (Shout out to Kristofer who made me laugh so hard) My sincere and most warm congratulations to Ebi-Hime, who brought us a gripping story, who made me cry all the tears i had left in my body at the end.

A masterfully written tragedy. From the first moments, the tension builds and builds, and you can see the crash coming but struggle to look away, until it all spills over in one horrible climax. My only specific criticism would be that the age gap in relationship with the doctor is a bit wide, but it is explained in a way that makes sense for it to exist; also, Greta's fascination with him makes sense for her age and even moreso in the time period in which the story takes place. Also, the soundtrack does feel a bit limited, and is frequently used even when the tone of a song doesn't exactly match the tone of a scene, it just happens to be the best fit from the small soundtrack. I would have preferred to just let the scenes breathe without music in those instances. However, those complaints I have really are minor in the grand scheme of things. I would like to say many more positive things about the story, but it's hard to do so without giving some of the excitement of reading it yourself away. Overall, With Eyes of Ice is a great visual novel, and the best work I've experienced from ebihime thus far (although, sample size of 2). 8/10

A very interesting visual novel with some fun characters, I liked Kai best out of the potential love interests since he's a cute blorbo, but the childhood friend blorbo and the tired doctor blorbo are good too. The side characters really stand out in this one. My favorite character in this Otome game VN is an old lady. That's how you know ebi-hime is really cooking.

This is my first time playing a kinetic visual novel. The main reason I love playing visual novels is due to having the choice to control the story and seeing the different branches of how the story could turn out but this has none of that nor any gameplay of any sort and so I picked this up out of curiosity Music: was ok but its was really repetitive to the point I had to lower the BGM volume as it got annoying at some point since the same bgm would be replayed for a majority of the game. Art: was decent, I liked how many CGs we got. Some of the backgrounds were gifs/slighlty animated (like the snow for example) but they ended up being glitchy so was not a fan. Characters: I dont think any of these characters are strictly black or white they all had their likeable and unlikeable aspects at the same time (with the exception of Kai who is an absolue cinammon roll!) Even the 'villain' of this story in my opinion is just a victim and while I sympathised with her I also did not approve of her actions. Story/plot: I liked the story setting and it taking place in Iceland. I ended up learning all sorts of stuff such as badstofas, skyr, carroway herbs and so on which I ending up googling since I was unfamilar with them (its a shame there was no glossary in the game as most visual novels do). The actual plot was also well written so even with no gameplay actually involved, I wasnt bored. When the climax of the story hit, I was clutching my pearls in shock. I was shook at the turn of events this story took. [spoiler] idk if this counts as a spoiler but I'm sad there was no romance in the game [/spoiler] I just really wish this turned into non-linear game so I could choose to end up with best boi Kai :( [spoiler] I was devastated how dirty they did him, my boy did not deserve to die like that :( I just want him to have a happy ending ugh [/spoiler] Overall I'd rate this a 6/10 I do recommend playing this if you dont mind some slighlty dark themes.

This story was really interesting

Ebi-hime is one of the most riveting writers I've ever had the pleasure to read. Her stories always, without fail, either make me smile, despair, or think, and "With Eyes of Ice" had me doing all three. [spoiler] Though mostly I was staring aghast at the screen and feeling Greta's fear of Steina...and absolutely mourning for Kai, who deserved none of this [/spoiler] I can't say much for the gameplay--it's a linear VN. I do think it could have benefited from choices and routes [spoiler] where maybe you could avoid the grim ending [/spoiler] but I think such a thing would be better as a separate release, an alternate version of the story. I wanted more, but I'm happy with what I got. Still...I wish there had been more to the final scene. [spoiler] An after-credits scene would have been exquisite. But there is something called "Fragments" that unlocks after completing the story, so I'll have to see what that's all about. [/spoiler] I own every one of Ebi's Steam releases, and each game is usually better than the last. I look forward to the rest of the year's releases, and any that may catch me by surprise. Keep up the fantastic work, Ebi-hime!

the thing is that i really really enjoyed this vn. it is beautifully written and engaging, i like the characters, every story beat and hook got me interested and emotionally invested, i was thinking about it when i wasn't reading it and thinking about how badly i want to know what's going to happen next and how i wish i could back to it. it was a really good read. but also, when i finished it, i was kind of struck by this sense of like.... anticlimax i suppose. like, the actual climactic scene is very intense and very emotional and big, but i mean the ending gave me a sort of sense of aimlessnes and uncertainty, it was a bit sudden and short and i can't help thinking something to the vein of 'that's it?'. it felt like too small of an ending for all we had just seen happen. and i just wasn't sure what i was meant to take away from this story or why this story was told and for what, even though i could gleam any number of potential ideas or themes from the story, it doesn't really commit to any of them. and to be clear, it's fine from a story to just be atmospheric, just be based entierly on vibes, not every story needs a moral or a message or theme, and honestly i wasnt initially even going to read this because i don't care for otome but ebi hime's writing is good enough that i deeply enjoyed this anyway and that already speaks volumes. but i do feel this sense of incompleteness or absence of something bigger, of a deeper meaning, that feels like it should be there, that prevents this from being the kind of masterwork i know ebi hime can pill off. anyway you might notice i still reccomend this and have an overal positive rating. because again it's still a worthwhile read and buy and i think everyone should buy all of ebi-hime's VNs always.

[h1][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34294631/] Follow Far2close - Visual Novel Playthroughs Curator Page [/url][/h1] [b]With Eyes of Ice[/b] Developer: ebi-hime Publisher: ebi-hime [h1]Intro:[/h1] The rural landscapes of Reykjahlíð and Mýrakot can be lonesome and isolating, especially when the populations are small. Community is all you have and word easily goes around, companionship can be hard when you're the black sheep in the village. Gréta Egilsdóttir's only family passes away and her only option is to stay in Mýrakot as a housekeeper for Nataníel Jóhannsson and his pregnant wife, Steina. As time goes on, tensions arise between Gréta and Steina, as she assumes that Gréta will steal Nataníel. With each passing day, Steina's paranoia elevates and her mistreatments become more aggressive. Upon first contact, Steina had some warmth and comfort, but Gréta sees the coldness in her eyes the longer she stays. [h1]Pros:[/h1] [b]1.[/b] The story was well done and there were some parts where I thought, "There's a lot of dialogue, maybe this segment could've been shortened down." The keyword there is that I thought, until I realized everything after finishing. Everything was an underlying pattern straight from the beginning. Ragna, Reykjahlíð, Mýrakot, and everything else was vital. Ragna was looked down upon in Reykjahlíð due to them thinking she was a witch. She did everything she could to support Gréta until her passing. Nataníel offers to take in Gréta in the smaller village of Mýrakot, where her occupation is to be the housekeeper so Gréta would have a roof over her head. Upon her first week at the Jóhannsson house, she sees that Steina and Nataníel have a curious relationship despite being married. Nataníel is often away on doctor duties or shut in his workshop and whenever the two are in the same room, Steina tends berate him endlessly. As the months go on, Steina's pregnancy progresses and so does Steina's anger. [spoiler]Steina was kind to Gréta at first, but her jealousy got to best of her resulting in threats and physical abuse that starts from a prick of the palm to strangling. Winter arrives and Steina's pregnancy is in it's final months. Nataníel takes off for work despite Steina's protests that he stay in case she gives birth and does not want inexperienced children to handle it. Nataníel entrusts Kai, the neighbor who delivered Gréta, to stay. During the night, Steina gives birth, but the baby is dead. Steina's single reason to keep going is gone. She murders Kai in his sleep and attempts to do the same to Gréta, but Gréta evades and runs off into the piling snow.[/spoiler] The story uses community (or lack thereof), and human emotions to a high extent. The product of growing up in various situations can affect someone in their adult life, back then and to this day. Ebi-hime gets that down to the very core with her characters in this isolated story. [b]2.[/b] The characters are written well and mesh together to give constant foreshadowing. Nataníel growing up to defy his father and help EVERYBODY, but the cost of his relationships. Gréta experiencing many hardships, but trying her best and treasuring the small amount of friends she possesses. KAI IS A GOOD, RELIABLE BOY and his family is extremely wholesome. The part where I said where it could've been shorter was when Gréta is having dinner at Kai's place and it shows the big family being wholesome with each other the whole time. Not anymore, that scene was an excellent showing of a normal family.[spoiler] Except Kristofer, I hate that guy, but he had some good qualities.[/spoiler] Even the small family Kai and Gréta ran into on the way to Mýrakot was a good family. This story isn't about good people though, it's about how terrible they can be. Steina, STEINA, my GOD. I am conflicted on her. She is an [spoiler]EXTREMELY troubled woman due to her TERRIBLE upbringing, but I CAN'T fully blame her. She escaped a hellhole just to be in another where she might not be abused, but she is neglected. Married out of duty not out of love. Steina just NEVER had a good thing happen. Even with her affair with Kristofer, the one guy that woos every woman in the village, is simply betrayed by him. PASS THE CONTROLLER BOYS, LET ME LOVE STEINA.[/spoiler] Nataníel is a good man, but flawed. [spoiler] Both girls saw him as an angel, but unfortunately, Steina felt disposed of. Nataníel is married to his work and has no intention of loving or having a family. This put Steina in a predicament that a simple affectionate action could've fixed.[/spoiler] Gréta's childhood friend, Petur is a good boy as well, he's a little passive and shy, but he cares for Gréta and acts on it when pushed in the right direction. Even Petur's father, Magnus, can push Petur in the right direction. He may be strict and distant, but his cares about his family. [b]3.[/b] The art by [url=https://x.com/kimiyotosan]Kimiyotosan[/url] is wonderful and I heavily enjoyed how handsome Nataníel is, how cute Gréta gets when flustered, and how beautiful Steina is ([spoiler]or threatening.[/spoiler]) The sprites have a lot of life to them and there's a large amount of wonderful CGs to look upon. [b]4.[/b] The music by [url=https://x.com/CrysetBase]CrysetBase[/url] is great. I like how "A Place to Belong" sounds fitting for Gréta and Petur, as they're just young teens just going about their life. "Saying Goodbye" is a wonderful solemn piano track and it went well with [spoiler]Steina's background[/spoiler]. "The White Darkness" is my favorite as it just brought so much tension and the vocal hymns added greatly to it. The title track, "With Eyes of Ice" is my second favorite. Love the instruments on it, especially when the drum first enters and an intense melody come together. [b]5.[/b] Of course, the fragments are much appreciated and they a great deal to the characters. It opens opportunities where it might have intruded if they were in the main story. Having it separate was a good decision. Also reading Ebi's notes are always a treat. [h1]Neutrals:[/h1] [b]1.[/b] While I would put the pacing on a couple scenes involving the prologue and Kai's big family as a negative, I saw how she followed up on each of them to display the differences in how people are treated compared to the main three (Gréta, Nataníel, and Steina). I could tell she wanted to emphasize these interactions for later in the story. [h1]Conclusion[/h1] After thinking hard, I don't believe I can put down any negatives that would interfere with your enjoyment of this. Ebi-hime has delivered an intense character driven story where amazingly the antagonist stole the entire show. It is a tragedy that you can't stop looking at, and it genuinely made me wish things could have gone better for everyone. [h1]Score:[/h1] 10/10 MASTERPIECE