aw man, not even spouwnerrig commented here 😭

Gladys porter should be called instead Rayna Porter (shorten it to Ray) so she can have a name pun as “Reporter”

15:22 orrrrr perhaps she could have been aiming for more but only managed to snag 500, makes sense right?

14:57 SPOILERS Interesting how the person who said their star performer couldn’t have done it is right because the star performer didn’t do it it was actually the person who said the star performer couldn’t do it! (yes I made this confusing on purpose)

I’m watching this again and I realized how old these characters were I thought McQueen was in his mid 20s Thought Finn was in his late 40’s

16:45 contempt of court reference. I think smith says it too and SPOILERS Yossarian/Mendirez is similar to Renwick Smith lol. Both say similar things,work for mobsters and don’t open up about the truth of the case until really late into the trial. And both had their trials interrupted by someone holding people at gunpoint/knifepoint (mendirez trial, Luciano. Smith trial, hemlock)

coming back to this series after a year lol and only now I truly took the time to appreciate ur storytelling.

peak game

Just started this and it’s so good

Oh yes, this game has a remarkable soundtrack. I think there's literally only one song I'm NOT a fan of, and I don't really the title, but it's the first one played when Mell and Nellie are introduced. For some reason that one was maybe too strangely and dissonantly upbeat for my ears, but...the rest of it is gold. I believe you have to finish the game first, but a music theater option will unlock that has the lyrics to the vocal songs, which there are so many languages represented, it's crazy. One of my favorites is "Giselle", I think it VERY accurately conveys her feelings for Michel and when you see the lyrics in English, it will probably bring a tear to the eye. Rose petals in tea? Oh yes, that's actually very much a thing. I've also seen rose petals that are candied by coating them in sugar. Roses are actually quite edible, oddly enough. And as a bit of trivia you may not know, strawberries are actually part of the rose family as well. If you remember the First Door, when Mell was trying to chat up The Girl, he mentioned that his grandfather had died while with a beautiful woman. Sounds like the story stuck, but of course, that was probably a happy thing for Mell's father. It left him above suspicion, and honestly, that's too good an outcome for him. Kind of wished Hayden had made more of a fuss, but I suppose coming up with that peaceful ruse indirectly benefitted Mell and Nellie. If a scandal tore the family apart, who knows what would have happened to them...and on THAT note, Hayden's decision also benefitted Morgana's plan for destroying the rest of the family at the height of their prosperity. Truly insidious.

Definitely one of the most heartbreaking parts of the entire game, especially for all of us rooting for Michel and Giselle. There's actually still a couple more doors to go, and none of it is easy, but it is very, very powerful and, I would argue, very important as a literary work and the messages it carries. This Door was rather difficult for me to read initially because, without going into detail, there are...a lot of parallels between Michel and Giselle's situation and my own life experiences. It's almost eerie, in fact. Seeing something that is so deeply buried within your own existence splattered all over the canvas of this game, like it's a portrait of the things you wish you could forget or take back. It's not easy to be confronted with that, as I think Michel and Giselle convey pretty well in the story... Being able to move past trauma is not easy, for the one who experienced it, or for those that love them and wish they could undo it. It's the worst feeling ever to not be able to help someone you care about in the way that you want to. But support is key, and it sometimes means more than you might realize. The scenes with Michel and Giselle might seem trite to some people, but I find them to be beautiful and more realistic than most portrayals of romance in fiction...and I appreciate the sense of optimism in the face of adversity that they carry. It is my fervent wish that whoever reads Fata Morgana will take these particular moments to heart.

8:57

Holy moly this video is beary long

It's amazing to hear someone mention Gargoyles. Sometimes I feel like the only person these days that remembers that show. It was brand new when I was a kid, and I remember being hooked on it. It was pretty deep for a cartoon, and even back then I appreciated a lot of the darker themes and all the references to Norse mythology and Shakespearean works. It's rare to hear someone mention it these days, so good on you. The whole fiasco with the villagers calls Higurashi to mind again. The concepts of solidarity and exclusion are on full display, which is quite the reversal for a place that prided itself on accepting anyone regardless of origin. But it goes to show how quickly people can change when put under duress, and it's always the weakest one or the odd one out that ends up the scapegoat. I imagine after everything Giselle had been through, that was probably the worst betrayal of all. There's no pain greater than having hope in something and being at a high point, then having it yanked out from under your feet like a carpet in a Looney Tunes episode. I'm glad that Michel and Giselle had their talk and were able to see past their preconceptions of one another. That fireplace scene was a pivotal moment in their story, and it felt really well-composed, and genuine. We're still missing Michel's side of the story in full, but it's a good start. And honestly, the scenes that follow are some of the most charming the game has to offer. How the two start to finally open up to one another is extremely adorable. It was stated at the beginning of the Door, but it's definitely not a fairytale romance, but one filled with a lot of ups and downs, but that's what makes it believable. No relationship of any kind is just perfect, without a hitch...and if one was portrayed that way (in reality or fiction) I would question it. But as people spend time together and adapt, the individuals change and the nature of the relationship does as well...and perhaps it might BECOME closer to "perfect" as time goes by. A note on names: all of the names here are French in origin, and while I am no expert on the language, I believe the brothers' names (Didier and Georges) are pronounced "DEE-dee-eh" and "JYOR-jyeh" (soft "g" sound)...something like that.

You can only see spouwnerring's other comment via newest comments

Yeah, this part of the story gets pretty heavy. It's difficult to read and there's a whole mess of emotions involved, but it's still important...and frighteningly realistic. I give mad props to the writing here for being able to tackle some very painful and unsettling topics with a palpable degree of tact? Tastefulness(?) if you could call it that, given the circumstances... Aaaaaaand this is just the tip of the iceberg. Giselle's situation was, I imagine, a somewhat common occurrence in her era. Women have virtually no power in society, and any time they are wronged, the men behind it all (especially those in power, like the nobility and clergy) can pretty much say whatever they want and make it the woman's fault. Utterly ridiculous. Victim-shaming at its "finest". If that doesn't get your blood boiling, I don't know what would. It also says something for Giselle's strength of character for trying to put on a mask of normalcy to conceal the pain she carries, effectively severing herself from her past and making a "new her" - reminds me a bit of the Reina/Rena thing in Higurashi. But this is also why we can feel sympathy for Giselle's plight, and maybe (once we see some more from his perspective) Michel's, too. The two of them really know next to NOTHING about one another. Talk about living in darkness, both literally and figuratively... Michel has nothing to go on but his mother's word, and as we saw, that's not really an unbiased opinion, most likely... And with Michel being so desperate to hide himself away and completely distrusting ANYONE, it's clear who he's going to believe. It's not right, but...he is also only human. Giselle hasn't done anything wrong, but at the same time, since she knows nothing about Michel...she seems to have hurt him in some way she never could have foreseen. Again, lack of communication leads to mutual misery. If Michel had the patience to sit down and talk with Giselle calmly, she probably would not have run off... But even he gets emotional at times. 1:46:00 - the "stabbing" here was metaphorical. She meant Michel's WORDS stabbed her in the heart earlier. 😅 Also, I'm not sure if the text log persists after you exit the game, but on the chance it does, you should take a look at it next time you load your save and scroll back a bit :)

16:29

1:55

I'm watching this lets play for the first time and it's pretty clear that "Mr. Krump" was actually Vex Vulper, pretending to be Mr. Krump. How didn't you figure it out?

Like I’m really surprised they didn’t use Vick Barrows ghost detector to find out the magatama was fake, felt like a good way to lead into it over randomly dropping and breaking

With the Fifth Door, I really do love the subtle UI change to indicate the perspective of the current scene. It's not major, but a nice little touch. And honestly, this section of the game is kind of the longest portion overall, and is really the meat of the story (though there's still a lot more, and is kind of divided into some sub-stories that all loop back here). We were warned that things are not going to be pretty, though... Giselle is freaking great, honestly. And I love how much more curmudgeonly Michel is, too. Very much the Odd Couple here. This is definitely NOT the beautiful romance of the Fourth Door 😂 Normally I'm not a huge fan of the overly bubbly-type characters either because they usually end up being overbearing in some way, but Giselle doesn't, and is actually very endearing, especially contrasted with Michel's grumpy attitude. 2:27:30 Memory check time! Back in Door 1, the Girl was cleaning the library when Mell appeared and showed her a certain book (apparently some noble's diary), but it was horribly faded and written in a language other than English, but he was able to make out a few words here and there...sound familiar? I do want to point out one thing that I totally missed on my first playthrough. Without going into great detail and risk spoiling anything, I do want you to take note of some of Michel's behaviors in the coming segments...and if he does anything that seems "off", check your text log (the backlog of previous lines). That's all I will say for now. :)

Hi, does anybody still had the original apk? the new one isnt working for me and wont let me save, load, fast foward or even use the settings feature :(

Perhaps one way to interpret the curse's influence in Mell's situation is something like this: Since Mell was becoming a young adult and establishing his own identity, and based on his own admissions, he wanted to separate himself from the relationship he had with Nellie, which had become too close, too sheltered. As she was expected to find a husband and be married off, etc. etc., Mell likely figured that if he could find a suitable lady to woo, that might make his separation from Nellie easier on them both. He just "happened" to find that in the Girl. Again, this was not necessarily because he was actively LOOKING for someone, but perhaps the mansion/the curse had its hand in events, and tossed the Girl his way on a whim? Anyway, he obviously wanted to be closer to the Girl, then family bloodline drama ensues, and everything ends with the Girl running off and Mell eventually became a priest, which pretty much means that the Rhodes family bloodline ended there. So his wish to find someone (and in a way, for Nellie to find someone, even though it was Arthur, a person she hated) was granted - but that "someone" was his half-sister, and as a part of the ensuing chaos, the fate of the entire family was sealed. It might not be as chaotic as the second and third doors, but it still ended in a cascade of misfortune.

Some of these details might seem a bit obvious at this point, but it may be worth it to take stock and consider what we've been shown so far. Three doors, three different time periods, different places, different people... But all with some similar elements. The characters on which the tales have focused have all been young men in some pretty good circumstances, overall. Mell was nobility, and Jacopo was pretty much the same, just a "new breed" of noble, you might say. At least, he was from a powerful and well-to-do family. Yukimasa may not have been rich or powerful, but he could have become that way, being essentially second in command of a merchant ship and eventually to be married to the captain's daughter. He could very easily have risen to prominence himself in the near future. But all of these men destroyed their own happiness by their own hands. While I would say Mell's case was a bit more passive, in that it was his obsession with the Girl (who happened to be his half-sister) and his subsequent breakdown of communication with Nellie that led to his downfall, there is something to be said for passivity being just as bad as overt action in some cases. Yukimasa could have had a peaceful like, but his inner bloodlust came to the surface. The storm that shipwrecked him was ultimately at fault for his life falling apart initially, but perhaps that was a sort of comeuppance for his barbarity. At any rate, he had a second and even a third chance to stop the violence when first The Maid took him in, and then when the Girl brought him peace...but things kept getting worse and worse until it all fell apart and he lost everything. Jacopo, of course, forgot the importance of trust and interpersonal relationships, staking everything on attaining power and money. He was blind to his own failings and the damage his family had done to Maria's. Maybe he did want to help her when no one else would because she was a Campanella, but never trying to personally make up with her in some way probably helped to seal his fate. And when he couldn't trust the one person he SHOULD have trusted above all others, he lost everything, just like Mell and Yukimasa. And of course, the other thread in all this is that the Girl tends to be a significant catalyst in the lives of these men falling apart, through absolutely no fault of her own. Rather, she seems to be suffering even more than they do, and without a clear reason why. Anyway, welcome to the second act, I guess you could call it. This is where things get TRULY interesting.

I do feel some compassion for Jacopo, even after all he did and how horrible he was, because at least he realized it in the end...though it was too late to make a difference. It doesn't change what he did and how absolutely idiotic he was acting, but at least feeling some genuine remorse is a step in the right direction. I also don't really have any serious hatred for Maria, either. She kind of got the short end of the stick, basically having her family destroyed by another family she trusted and, as a woman in this era and in her circumstances, she basically had no choice but to do what she did to survive...and by some twist of fate perhaps, she was able to turn her misfortune into a chance for revenge, and executed it pretty damn flawlessly. Mad props for that. It's just unfortunate that the Girl had to be used as the crux of a lot of her scheming and got broken as a result. It's kind of what Jacopo deserves though, in a way. He was a mastermind in the business world, pulling various strings and manipulating others to get what he wanted. And in the end, he was betrayed by someone he trusted who happened to be every bit as good as manipulating as he was...maybe even better. Even though he survived his wounds physically, in a mental or spiritual sense, Jacopo died with Maria that day... definitely a case of mutual annihilation, if an unconventional one.

(2:33:52) OBJECTION! 🫵

Quite the gripping plot we've found ourselves in, no? Jacopo just digging himself into a deeper and deeper hole, all because of his own insecurities, effectively. As I like to say, small dogs bark loudest. It's definitely true that, in the environment he was raised and the ideas he was indoctrinated with, things like power, prestige, and respect are all paramount. Once he got the idea in his head (thanks also to Maria) that the Girl was betraying him, it became impossible to stop that line of thinking, and by then, events were already totally out of control. It's another case like with Higurashi, where a simple effort at communicating would have solved almost everything before it became irreparable, but Jacopo's inability to think rationally due to his pride stopped him, and the Girl's quiet and demure disposition left her unable to even consider opposing him. The paranoia kept mounting in Jacopo's mind, and the one person he SHOULD have trusted is pushed further away. It also goes to show how much that outing on their honeymoon meant to the Girl...and that apparently the occasion did not hold quite the same significance for Jacopo, or to the same degree. Otherwise, surely he would begin to piece the truth of her letters together. Instead, he more readily remembers things like the exposition and who of his business partners might be having this phantom affair with his wife. I want to believe the best of people, but...Jacopo's priorities do make it hard sometimes. The fact he's this torn up, I believe, means he does care, but good lord, he could be better at showing it. And Maria..oh God, Maria. Yes, an excellent Machiavellian villain. She had the perfect setup to ruin the Bearzatti family from within, since Jacopo was so insecure he could only bring himself to trust her...and the Girl, who was unable to make friends, clung tightly to the one seemingly kind hand that was extended to her. Too bad that hand was connected to an absolute psychopath. But it does make for some great dramatic storytelling.

As you may recall, the line that this Michel person speaks to Giselle about taking furniture and selling it in the nearby village whilst in the mirror world is something the Maid tried telling Bestia to do in the Second Door...not that he understood at the time. Apparently, stealing and reselling furniture is an "in" thing to do. Sounds like some kind of open-world RPG trope. Glad I'm not the only one kind of hoping for a Maria/Girl romance subplot. Maria is definitely one character I appreciate, being able to speak her mind and not tolerate any BS from the other maids, and she has a pretty unique perspective on everything going on in the mansion. She's kind of the one bright spot in this segment, that seems (intentionally) so devoid of emotion and humanity. Personality-wise, she's the total opposite of Javi, but she serves a similar thematic purpose in enhancing the core story that's at play. The interactions between Maria and the Girl are pretty cute, too. Jacopo definitely does not win any awards for Decent Human of the Ever... His absolutely abrasive nature is almost comical at times, and he very much is a terrible person, judging from his actions. I was just thinking that he reminds me a lot of Satoko's uncle, Teppei, from Higurashi. He is totally built to be hateable, and seems to have zero redeeming qualities. I won't try to excuse his behavior, but it is worth considering what made him that way. Just like with Yukimasa, you have to wonder: could he have been born with a predisposition towards being a horrible person, or did something make him that way? If you follow the clues provided so far, you should probably be able to figure out where he's from, and what else is associated with that country, and that might answer some questions about his obsession with various aspects of machismo... The seed of goodness IS there, but it's buried deeply in the gaping black abyss of his soul. It's also interesting that this Door takes a small piece of Door 2 and drags it into the light a bit more, being this concept of "culture shock". The story takes place in America, most likely New York City, and both Jacopo and the Girl are from other countries. Both have to adapt to their environment, and one another's origins, leading to a chaotic blend of cultures all around. In that respect, Jacopo acting the way he does can be partially attributed to him adjusting (or maladjusting) to his life here, and also the Girl trying to adjust to living with him, and being in a new environment. It's more overt than the secretive way Yukimasa and Pauline's experiences out of their country were portrayed, but it's a similar concept. Being in a new place with new people can be scary for everyone involved, and it's hard to grasp the meaning behind someone's words and gestures. And in Jacopo's case, he's likely been in America much longer, and has his own interpretations of local customs, which only adds to the Girl's confusion...and probably helps paint a darker image of him in the reader's mind. The Girl's perhaps generous perception of Jacopo's actions could indeed be her trying to be accepting of their differences and interpreting things in a more positive light.

after this and then next up. TURNABOUT BAKESHOP TAILS ABUSE IN COURT LEGENDS OF LIABILITY and THE DARK AGE OF LOVE

"Just what the hell is happening in this trial?" *Plan V.*

is it me or is this game just better dual destinies?

thing i will never understand about vulper is how tf did he NOT immediately assume brisbane had the card? like duh he was the rightful owner ofc he had it. bro legit checked up the KRUMP and GROSSBERG leads before brisbane. L + Bozo Alert + Ratio'd (he is very very rich)

Why isnt there any comment here, what is this?

5:12 "A lot of tape and a little patience make all the difference." - The Penguin

The number of times Salon was said instead of Saloon lmao

El bailador it's different in geno, is easy and sad you just killed all (in this zone), that's because him no fight you

Such an underrated game, WE NEED A SEQUEL AS WELL PLEASE

I guess the question at the end is: did Yukimasa come to feel some sort of genuine regret for his actions? Or was he merely suffering from a guilty conscience and using Pauline and the Girl to validate his existence before ultimately bringing calamity down upon them both? Based on the final hint at the end from the Maid, it sounds like the only one laughing in the end was Yukimasa himself...but people who live by the sword tend to die by it and all that, so who knows how much longer he might have survived, or what personal anguish he might have felt. Or perhaps, after getting revenge on the rest of the village, he chose to end his own existence. None can say. It all calls to mind, once again, the question of how much of an individual's personality is shaped by their circumstances, and how much of it is more innate (nature vs. nurture). Are there genuinely "evil" people in the world that are simply born that way? Or does something mold them into the "monster" they become? Door 2 does seem to leave that question hanging a bit, though it definitely feels like we are meant to BELIEVE Yukimasa was always this way at his core, from the very start...but this is, of course, not the whole story of his entire life, but merely the portion of it that seems to pertain to the mansion and his time there. There's plenty left to speculate on, for both of the first two doors, really, but the tale must continue... And it won't be the last time we're faced with such existential dilemmas, either.

I'm writing this before finishing the whole video so maybe some questions you will answer yourself before the end, but here goes with a big dose of history and context (obviously spoilers for Door 2): If you remember from the flashbacks at Pauline's hometown, A LOT of hints were given, such as Yukimasa and Pauline's dad both sharing the same home country, where fish is a very common food, and while the dad missed his homeland, he mentioned he couldn't see any officials there and thus had to resort to writing long letters. Also, the dress Yukimasa made for Pauline was a local tailor's take on the traditional dress of his homeland. If you look closely, it resembles a kimono, but with different sleeves and a trim around the neck - it's even held together by an obi, the sash worn with a lot of traditional Japanese clothing. All this culminates in the scene where Yukimasa and the dad are staring out at the sea, wishing they could set foot on their homeland, but are unable to do so. See, for centuries under shogunate rule, Japan forbade outsiders from entering the country, or for any interaction with foreigners - except the Dutch, who were allowed to trade with them. Even those who left the country of their own will were not permitted back in - hence the "long letters" and such from Captain Asama to the magistrate. This would also make it clear that Pauline comes from the Netherlands, given the two countries' trade partnership. The reason Yukimasa was labeled "a beast" by the locals after shipwrecking is because of how disparate his appearance was from theirs, not to mention how terrible he must have looked after being shipwrecked. For reference, he washed ashore in Spain...and no one there would have ever conceivably seen a Japanese person before. This is actually a reversal on a popular belief in Japan that likely arose around this time in history, which was actually mentioned once in Higurashi, being the "aka oni" or "ao oni" - red demons or blue demons, respectively. The belief is that these "creatures" that attacked villages and stole food and such were actually Westerners who were shipwrecked and washed up in Japan. Their lighter skin made them easier to sunburn, which would make them appear reddish...or their being emaciated and dehydrated would make their blue veins pop out. Hence the stories. Yukimasa's case is merely exploring the exact opposite, where a person of Japanese descent washed up in the West. His "strange sword" was also a big clue, but left largely to the imagination. But his insistence that it felt like "it belonged to him" and he couldn't be torn from it would mean that, however odd either he or the sword were, they were a matched set. His shadowy appearance was a narrative trick - we are told from the beginning he is a beast, and who or whatever insists on showing these things to the "Master" wanted them to believe it wholly. The reason for his garbled speech early on is because he couldn't yet speak Spanish (until the Maid taught him), and the part with Pauline also having garbled speech in her death scene is because she was likely speaking Dutch, which Yukimasa would have forgotten due to his injuries, causing him to default to Japanese. Hence, the languages all around were not compatible, leading to a communication breakdown. Further, since Pauline is half-Japanese herself, she appears as another "Bestia" to Yukimasa because he has forgotten even the face of his beloved - the similarities in their appearance (and how he clearly has only seen the Caucasian locals in recent memory) allows for this narrative "trick" to apply to Pauline as well.

I randomly find this Chanel

Why does this game have so much slowdown for me? Cause I start getting huge slowdown in snowdin and onwards, so how do I fix it?

2:10:40 I can't wait until you get to Umineko, though I get it's a large undertaking that will require no small time investment. When you do, I think you will find that there is actually a large number of parallels between it and this game, which in my mind, makes both of them all the more intriguing. For my part, I read Fata Morgana not long after finishing Umineko and chose to read it on a whim, and it definitely continued to scratch that certain itch for bizarre horror/mystery-type fiction with some great characterization and plenty of mind-screwing... Also, as we are nearing the second door's climax, now would be a good time to organize your thoughts for this chapter and see what new details you might be able to piece together. This is actually far more insidious than Door 1, and there is a lot more room for theorizing, I think. Either way, I believe you will rather enjoy the conclusion. Till next time!

46:30 The Girl exhibits the hallmarks of traditional human albinism, which is brought about by a defect in an enzyme that helps produce melanin (which in turn is responsible for skin and hair pigmentation). Not only does this lead to a lack or total absence of skin and hair color, the red eyes are part and parcel with the condition. Those with this condition do often have issues with vision, and are also susceptible to sunburns and infections more easily than those without, and we've seen these things with both Door 1 and 2's Girls so far. Naturally, this is not something that the medical world could explain at the time, so it was much easier to label those with the condition as "witches" or "possessed" or some such, rather than trying to be empathetic. It's actually somewhat uncommon for a child to be born this way when a parent has the genetic markers, as it is a recessive trait - it's more likely that neither parent had the condition. Door 1's Girl was, therefore, a rare case.

8:53 Is that wot she calls it?

Just wanted to say, I'm digging your reading of Bestia so far! I always imagined him having a quality something like Liam O'Brien's work in the English dub of Ergo Proxy (great philosophical and existential anime, btw) and you kinda hit that point here, so good job! I think you already got the feeling but, yeah, the game doesn't really tell us specifically where the mansion is...but if you follow the clues and do a bit of research perhaps, you should be able to figure it out. I'll toss you a bone for Door 1 and say that the major clues were things like the attention on Shakespeare's popularity, the Globe Theater, the craftsman's Scottish accent, the coming war, and the weather...so the answer you should arrive at is "England". But then, the Maid mentions in Door 2 that she wanted to plant orange trees (yes, the fruit), which are not exactly amicable with England's climate, instead preferring somewhere warmer and sunnier (also mentioned in Door 2, as opposed to Door 1 where it was often raining) so...what's up with that? Not to mention, it's also been almost a century since Door 1.... Even so, I like that Door 1's Girl ended with her hair being cut off and Mell saying "your hair will grow back"...and this time, we have the Girl with short hair, as if it has just recently begun to do so, in spite of the sizeable time difference. Clever detail, that. 2:06:03 Colorblindness, hm... 😁 Wasn't that a joke with Satoko not knowing the difference between broccoli and cauliflower? I also think that the Second Door was a bit stronger than the First. It's a different flavor, but I think it better illustrates some of the ideas the game overall tries to present, and does so much more overtly, violently, if you will. It's a great appetizer, in any case, and highlights some of the best and worst humanity has to offer, through it's alternately brutal and tender depictions of the various characters interacting...another emotional rollercoaster to be sure. Enjoy!

Well, it sounds like Mell's optimism didn't pan out... How swiftly everything in his life turned upside down! Peace and prosperity are fragile things, and a single chance meeting can have a ripple effect with some drastic consequences, as we saw with The Girl. No one really deserved such an outcome, as most of what happened was beyond their control. No one can control how and into what life they are born, after all. If there really is a curse on the mansion and all who come to dwell within it, I'd say it struck a sound blow on the Rhodes family. But yay, Second Door time! It's probably my favorite door, and it has some elements that really remind me of the twists and turns and mind-bending of Higurashi. I do want to point out that the choices in this game can be important, and some do lead to bad endings. There is also one that requires a correct choice *within a time limit*, so...I would suggest saving once in a while just to be safe. I flubbed that timed one and got set back a bit. 😅

you be surprised that the forth case will come in the future.

How about it! I just saw Visual Novelty's LP of this case, and there are two ways of presenting the autopsy report and the photograph. To the best of my memory, I can not recall a game with this amount of flexibility.

Glad to see you are fully engaged with the game :) Take my word for it, it only gets better from here! On my first playthrough, I actually liked this chapter a bit less than the future ones, but it is by no means bad or anything... I've come to appreciate it a lot more, but it's only the tip of the iceberg (and I believe this chapter was the entire contents of the demo when the game was in development, and it shows that the team one-upped themselves many times as the game progresses). Enjoy!

1:50:00 It's a difficult question, whether Mell or Nellie was "right" or "wrong" in the theatre scene... Leaving aside the marriage business and family politics for a moment, I would say Mell was justified in being angry with Nellie for her behavior towards the Girl. If you frame it from the perspective of a family member having issues with who you are romantically involved with, and that family member totally bypasses you in order to attack your significant other, I'd say that's valid reason to get pissed. Maybe not necessarily to the point of hitting your family member, but at least any grievances should be between them and you, not taking cheap shots at the love interest because of their station or whatever. Making a scene in public like that especially is not beneficial for anyone. We don't really know Mell's opinion of Arthur, but at least Mell didn't try and attack him at any point, regardless of how much of a scumbag he clearly is. (Also, Arthur is not a cousin, so you don't have to feel unnecessarily uncomfortable for that 😆) And on that note, considering the topic of the forced marriage... Yeah, that's definitely BS and I side with Nellie. At least from a modern standpoint, it's kind of unthinkable to disregard someone's feelings and force them into marriage, at least in many cultures. We do have to remember that, in this time period, people had shorter life expectancies and thus were usually getting married and having kids at a younger age, so it kind of comes with the territory? Especially in an aristocratic family, trying to make inroads with others of high society. It's sad but true that daughters of such families were often looked at only as a means of how they could serve the house by marrying them off to someone that could increase the family prestige, etc...and of course, this still happens today in some circles. But I digress. Nellie absolutely has every right to be furious at this development. Though I don't think taking it out on Mell was the right way to go about it, even if he knew ahead of time. In reality, both siblings still have some maturing to do, and clearly there is a need to communicate better. And we saw in Higurashi what happens when you don't~