I purchased this game for 30 euros expecting a polished experience, but unfortunately, it fell short. For an amateur project, the price feels steep compared to what’s delivered.
To add to the frustration, my interaction with the game’s community server left a bad taste in my mouth. After expressing a harmless personal opinion, I was met with condescension from others and removed from the server by the developer without any warning, despite being a paying customer. Developers should foster welcoming, inclusive spaces, especially when players support their work.
Overall, the combination of the game’s quality (in terms of CGs, character writing, and sprites is fine but could be better in terms of quality) and the unwelcoming community experience makes it hard to justify the price. I recommend potential buyers proceed with caution before committing. The community is not welcoming and it feels like if you don't agree with everything they say, they will remove you
Public record: This person posted this review immediately after being kicked from the Discord for being rude and insulting to other members (multiple times) regarding age and physical appearance after a warning, which is a clear violation of the started rule of being “nice, mature, and respectful”.
When I paid, I did not expect to be bullied or talked down to on the Discord server. I never directly insulted anyone or targeted anyone with my comments. However, simply because I expressed a personal opinion from a different age perspective, I was met with condescension and had my words picked apart, even when I wasn’t addressing anyone specifically. The escalation of this led to my removal from the server without warning being issued to the other members. It seemed one-sided and targeted.
I believe developers and their communities should try to retain respectful and open spaces where the other members don't continuously engage with needling and enforcing their opinions where it is not necessary, especially for paying customers. This experience left a sour taste, and it’s disappointing that the developer has chosen to respond by framing this situation entirely as my fault rather than addressing valid concerns about the game and its community management.
Overall there are other games in the market with a better pricepoint(regarding the quality of art and writing, it can be better as well, again the quality is not up to the mark) and community. 30 euros excessive for this combined experience. Additionally, the community felt like other than a fixed view point, diverse opinions were not valued or welcomed, that includes the opinions for the game itself as well.
this game is really interestingg. i can say its in my top 3 otome game bc.. it has unusual things. all of them i can say is dark. and this makes the game beautiful. i have finished sebastians routine and i am in julians right now. I wonder about other characters routine! This game should be more popularrrrrrr
I got the game a week before the big sale, so at first I felt bummed I did not get the good deal. But, after a couple of weeks of intensive experience playing through most of the routes including Alexander's, I'd say I am really glad I got to play this game.
Thanks, Arewar, for creating such a unique and thought provoking piece! The characters and the various storylines are still swimming in my head and I will need time to process them. It took me a while to decide to play this game because of all the warnings. The fact there are no happy endings do remove a bit of the satisfaction of getting one, and at the bottom of my heart I am still hoping to see at least some kind of resolution down the road. But all the messed up outcomes.. the failure for the characters to find their happiness even if they tried so hard... it resonates with my life experience and it was somehow... cathartic.
So, that makes me wonder what inspired Arewar to come up with such a concept and the stories?
I thought Brandon's route would be my favourite, but it turns out I loved Alexander's route the most by far! I would have never expected that when I started playing, and I think that is something to reflect on about myself. Am I taking this too seriously lol.
Love this game! Ngl Brandon's route was my favourite. Maybe I'm messed up, but I've seen others say the same lol. Hope there's happier endings in the sequel.
This game is a gut wrenching masterpiece; a masterpiece I dont think I could recommend to anyone in good conscious, but its one that I want to. The warnings are all legitimate. If there is a qarning listed on the character's route but you didnt experience it in your playthrough, I promise that its still in that characters route. It may not have shown up yet, but its there.
The main routes do not have happy endings, but i strongly encourage people play the what ifs. Not all of them have good endings either, but its worth doing for that sweet sweet lore and those moments of happiness.
The game reminded me a lot of Higurashi or Umineko, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Obsession reminds me of the "questions" ark and the goals of the next game remind me of the "answers" ark. Umineko in particular is a VN where there are no happy endings. Eventually, there are answers, but there is no real happy ending, and its still a horrific and mysterious and beautiful game.
I think Arewar did a fantastic job. This VN has consumed a solid 3 days of my life (and I'm still not finished) and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
A couple of spoilers following:
It wasn't actually the main routes that got me, it was the "what ifs". Quinn's in particular, where he ends up as one of Alexander's and says that Alexander loves him in ways that our main character couldnt, and was there to wipe the drunken tears and listen to his breakdowns and stories, and says "if Sebastian is anything like his brother, then Monika would find her happiness. All she has to do is let go." I read that and just sobbed (and sobbed again typing it out...). All of it is very good, but the what ifs are the little gems. Even the what ifs where the siblings end up happy and together (even if briefly in some scenarios) and running a mafia were some that I really enjoyed.
TLDR: it's a great game that I plan to go home and play some more. I want to recommend it to everyone...but maybe I'll wait until remembrance before I do.
Honestly it would feel downright unethical to recommend this game to anyone. That being said, I don't think I've enjoyed a visual novel this much since Our Life and for none of the same reasons other than it being obvious A LOT of love and effort went into this. IF you can handle the triggers then it will scratch an itch that rarely gets attention and that in itself makes for a fresh experience.
Oddly, this game did the opposite of trigger me--it felt therapeutic? I found MC in familiar situations to me, and for some reason getting the option to see the other choices only for it to inevitably unravel horribly made me feel more at peace with my own decisions.
Wow. This is... some ride. I haven't completed all the endings yet, but I have reached the last ending of the secret character and read the last chapter of Particles. There will be HEAVY spoilers in this review.
I'm a lover of horror-mance games (*cough* Boyfriend to Death *cough*) myself, so frankly, I don't find the game "too dark" at all. That said, I'm generally not a fan of "gore for gore's sake", so I'm very pleasantly surprised that this game gives purpose and proper explanation to the "darkness" manifested, and it actually spends time developing the personality of our various psycho "love interests".
About the love interests themselves... I like all of them except Sebastian. God, I'm just SICK of Sebby. He's everywhere and you can't get rid of him even if you're on another guy's route. Like, the others are bad too, but at least they have some self-awareness and are at least trying!
Quinn tries to be a good friend (and is one in several endings, such as when he protects Monika and apologizes for misjudging Sebby's character). Also, he's about the most decent character in the whole game, so I have a soft spot for him and am usually more forgiving of his flaws.
Julian tries to protect you (... yes, only in Sebby's route, I know). But he recognizes his own hypocrisy in his vigilante work and kind of, sort of, tries to believe in Monika even after she (accidentally) stabs him. I'm genuinely surprised that he acknowledges Ash as an inherent part of himself instead of blaming everything on his "evil twin".
Brandon tries to make things right by (generally) keeping his distance from Monika, and he seems somewhat remorseful about his sexual abuse of Monika, while acknowledging that he only regrets hurting her rather than doing anything "wrong". Yes, still screwed up, but again, at least the guy is self-aware!
Sebastian ... OH MY GOODNESS. Not only is the guy delusional (like every other love interest), disrespectful to Monika (like every other love interest except maybe Quinn), only cares about himself (like every other love interest except maybe Quinn), but worst of all, he's pathetic. I applaud every time Alexander opens his mouth and rips his twin to shreds. Like, damn it, listen to your brother and grow up!
Who said this game didn't have a happy ending? The ending where Monika calls him on his bullshit and shatters his fantasy, by pointing out how different she is from the "soulmate" he thinks he knows (based on diaries written years ago), is absolute gold. Destroy him, girl! Yes, Monika dies in the end, but at least it's relatively painless! (Wow, how low my standards for a happy ending have dropped after playing this game ...)
The only thing that surprised me and almost made me want to revise my impression of him ... is when he refrains from killing Julian after Julian has driven Monika insane, just because Julian claims that Monika loves him. I did not expect that, which made me like Sebastian a little ... just a little.
One more thing... I really, really like the overarching plot with the Ethereals! I enjoyed a great deal the dynamic between our Ethereal duo Lux and Quispe. I don't think I could get through some of Monika's ... more questionable decisions without their snarky comments. Also, while I fully understand why Monika is the way she is - and appreciate her as our very unlucky heroine - I am still relieved to have Lux as a "female" supporting character with a more outspoken personality and just good old common sense.
(Speaking of common sense ... I sincerely think the greatest irony of this game is that our otherworldly deities seem to have more common sense than our human characters!)
Obviously, this very fact is also part of the plot. This "cluster" of reality is deliberately made so messed up. My guess is that Monika is somehow connected to Allannia, and Casper is somehow connected to Allannia's banishment, and Allannia is being punished for whatever. But who knows?
Overall, I can't believe this is your first game. The project is very ambitious and well done. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us in Remembrance!
(Last point ... Even though I've bashed Sebby to a pulp with a club in this review, I don't really "hate" him. He's a fun character who embodies the "obsession" in the title, and I find his insanity both entertaining and frustrating :) Being able to evoke strong emotions in the reader is always a strength in my eyes, so once again, well done, Arewar!)
Finally finished the game + Alexander DLC. Addictive! Great from start to end!
The warings do not lie. When it get's dark, it can get really dark, the horror aspects are emphasised rather than romantised. But despite how gruesome and tragic and hopeless the routes felt, the charater exporation and the mystery/meta plot , I felt, made it worth it.
-Spoilers-
Sebastian was exactly the pushy stalker I'd hoped to see. Was pleasantly surprised by Quinn, Alexander and Unlockable Guy/V. Julien was indeed different in other routes compared to his own which took some interesting turns. Brandon, idk what to think of him. And Monika, it's understandable why she behaves the way she does, even if it's frustrating at times, as dealing with real trauma can be. All of them need therapy. They won't get it. Lots of complicated feelings exactly what I wanted out of this game.
Playing Sebastians route for the first time was like "he's weird (as many obssessive stalker yandere tend to be) but he's got a cute little kitty, he can't be that bad :)" and later in the game "everyone is sus but casper, cats can do no wrong (denial)" to "90% sure it's an eldritch horror."
-Spoiler over-
Was really exitied to see the Remebrance Demo. Although after donating and looking through your Patreon I read that the backgrounds would use AI generated images? It's a pity, I can't support the project in that case. Wish you good luck anyhow.
I love this game, it's so angsty and hopeless and nasty. I love Quinn with my whole heart (even if he does off you in one ending, hehe) also, I went in to this expecting Julien to be the worst based off of your commentary and was surprised to find him pretty reasonable, at least compared to the other characters. Like he's definitely not a good person but I actually understand why he does what he does and I do agree with some of his ideals... to an extent XD It's been a little while since I played his route but from what I can remember it was mostly the 'other' guy who was real fucked up. But anyways, ramble over, great game! :P
So, I’ve played through the demo and I’m considering buying the full game + DLC, but $35 is a little much for my budget at the moment. Could someone please explain why it’s still tagged as ‘in development’? It seems like the full game was released sept 19, 2023. Is that inaccurate?
I ask because I would hate to spend that much money on an unfinished game. So many games on itch are unfinished and doomed to remain that way. This doesn’t seem to be one of them, but I’m confused.
Hello! I just bought this game and I've been enjoying it very much. My one suggestion would be to change the description slightly on Brandon's route. I think it's more than a 'significant' amount of content regarding the cocsa/csa/child abuse: it is approximately the entire route and almost all of the sex scenes in said route. I think 'significant' would have been fine wording had it been about 50%-- or even 70%-- of the route and then the last part ~30% of the route focused on the MC as she was dealing with the after-effects and possible reconnections with Brandon during her college time, but the oldest they get in route is around 15.
In order to avoid spoilers, I would call it a backstory route set prior to the time period of Sebastian's route more than anything else. This way, it would be much clearer that there would be very little content of them interacting as adults given that clearing one of Sebastian's endings is a requirement to unlock Brandon's route in the first place.
That said, I did enjoy the route very much as I felt it very clearly portrayed how such relationships develop, the imbalances of power and expectations, as well as how inner family politics affect the entire unit. It's just a suggestion of wording so that those who are expecting any sort of meaty interaction between the two of them as adults don't hold their breath. On the whole, the warnings for scenes were very accurate and I appreciate and recognize the overall care given to this game. It's a very interesting game and I'm glad to have paid for it.
I love this game, i truly do, but i have NEVER hated characters so fucking much in a story. Like, OH MY GOD, Sebastian is a fucking delusional psycho that has ZERO respect for you and ZERO shame for what he does. Quinn is fucking dumb, and always convinces the mc that Sebastian "isn't that bad". Brandon, well, it's common sense why he's bad(still better than Sebastian tho, he actually respects you, even if Very little). The only one that's even a little decent is Julian, and even that I'm not certain actually, since I haven't finished his route. I won't even talk about how dumb the mc is oml.
Overall, this game is really good, AND it has a lot of endings and content, which is always good! It really shows me that yanderes really shouldn't be romanticized lmao.
I get trying to experience fantasy that wouldn’t necessarily be a good idea in real life, but I struggle to understand why yandere is so popular.
I agree entirely that yandere shouldn’t be romanticized, but it seems to be the only thing available if you’re female, like men, and want adult (not necessarily even sex, just more grown up) content.
It makes me sad that I have to consume content with only unhealthy/abusive relationships, but it’s that or nothing.
I actually really liked Julian in the demo. He reminded me of people I’ve known who seemed really spiky on the outside, but are actually good people who have become treasured friends. So Arewar’s comment below is deeply unsettling. :(
Having said that, Particles of Reality is great as psychological horror, just not as romance.
I’ll straight up say this for any future readers: If you are not a yandere AND horror fan, do not buy Obsession. This will not be a pleasant experience. The demo is a full representation of what you should expect from ALL OF THE CHARACTERS regardless of your initial impression.
NONE of the characters in this game are ‘treasured friends’. Not even the girls. They are all very bad, insane people. That is the full intention.
Julian is arguably one of the WORST, not the best. (I have since realized I should have ‘cracked’ the masks of Julian and Alexander a lot more early on in the game. My first game, lessons learned!) Julian’s mask is “I am a sane, normal man and my life depends on you believing that complete lie.”
The “safest” (and I say this with HEAVY sarcastic quotes) characters are going to be Quinn and Alexander’s DLC. And I define ‘safest’ as the ones who traumatize the MC the least.
Obsession is 80% horror and 20% romance for crazy yandere lovers. 0% healthy. 0% happy.
Remembrance will (probably, current estimation) be like 60%/40% of the same ratio.
Hey ! I've been trying your game and I have one or two suggestions on the content warnings.
First of all I think you should mention when a specific trigger is visible on CG or if it just written, because seeing something gore on screen for example could be worth than just having a written description of it.
Also I think there should be a content warning for what happens in ending 1 of Sebastian's route, something about the kind of wound that is inflicted on the MC and/or maybe something about the state she finds herself in afterwards.
Also you know the warning that appears on screen before NSFW scenes ? Maybe you could do something similar before violent scenes, that way we could know when to expect them and brace ourselves lol.
That's all I noticed for now I think. I don't know what to think of the game so far but it has me intrigued !
Goodness that was a lot. I went in prepared for it to get dark and you all certainly did not hold back. For anyone curious READ THE WARNINGS, they are there for a reason. And there are tons of warnings EVERYWHERE, so don't ignore them.
Probably the darkest game I've played, but I was hooked and I must applaud how much "story" went into this game. A lot of VNs will have a pretty set path so even when you pick different answers you don't really stray from a story line too much. This one, each ending is wildly different. You guys really put so much work into this!
My only hope: please for the love of goodness give Quinn at least one happy ending at some point. I will pay anything you ask, I love him with my entire soul. His route actually took me the longest to get through because I was just so sad playing it. This poor boy has been through so much and I just need him to be happy. I AM INVESTED. But seriously, you have really made such a roller coaster of a game 👍
While I was enjoying the base game, I do think the wording should be changed on Brandon's patch. I went into it thinking it would have references to underage sexual trauma as part of the mc's backstory but the descriptions and visuals were actually so graphic and written in such a sexual way that I was actually uncomfortable having the patch on my computer. It seems like almost all of that patch is focusing on the graphic sexuality of underage characters in a way that I did not find clear beforehand and would not have been comfortable with had I known.
The sexual content was also not text-only in my opinion. There was nothing explicit (from as far as I played in the patch) but there were illustrations. I'm not trying to start a fight but I want others to be aware that some of it felt like it was written to be titillating instead of traumatic and there are visual elements to it as well that were not disclosed.
To clarify to anyone reading this, I want to specifically lay out the content. I have tried to be as clear as possible regarding it and I have no intention of not disclosing anything.
There is 1 CG of 5 year old Brandon & Monika playing dolls together. (Nothing sexual happening here. It’s kids playing a game. I think it’s honestly cute.)
There is 1 CG of teenage Brandon lying over Monika without his shirt on (Monika is fully dressed). There is no nudity or sex act depicted.
I don’t personally see any issue with these images? But that is exactly what is in the game in regards to Brandon & Monika as children/together.
But this kind of discomfort is why the patch is separate from the game and fully skippable. You can delete it at any time.
There absolutely is a lot of sexual abuse and warped intimacy between the siblings before the age of 18 in text form, which is listed on his warnings panel.
If anyone feels a specific warning should be added to the screen that is absent, I fully welcome suggestions.
The patreon page with the patch links specifically states: “This route contains a significant amount of content around child abuse, child sexual abuse, and text-only sexual content with teenagers.”
Definitely one of the darkest games of this genre ever (at least that I've come across), but WELL WORTH this price 100% (for anybody on the fence about it). This game has hours upon hours worth of content and some of the most heinous stories ever that really tickle that deep dark itch for anybody looking to you know, just casually scar themselves mentally and emotionally at a fictional heroine's expense.
But yeah, I am thoroughly enjoying this story and all the crazy paths. Characters are fantastic; art is great. Just hands down this is one of my favorite visual novels, especially when I'm not feeling in a particularly sappy mood.
Wow I've spent days dedicated to this game, few games make me as curious and addicted as this! I was a bit confused and there was too much information for my brain, but I think I understood the basics enough to understand the story and what's going on behind it all. I love all the boys, each with their problems and flaws, but due to the circumstances you understand a lot. I think the boy I was least attached to was Quinn and my fav one will always be Sebastian, my poor boy. (I also like Brandon a lot in a certain way, I hope that's not weird to say LOL)
Can't wait for the DLC with Alex, I looooove that boy, but something tells me that his route is going to give me a lot of headaches, even though he's a lot of fun and all.
I think this visual novel has done some permanent damage to my mental health, but I'm not regretting reading it. I'm rooting for Brandon no matter what. And I have to say that I really hate Sebastian, Either because he's triggering some bad memories from my own past, and because he's so sure of himself. He doesn't see any wrongness in his own actions, he has almost no regrets.
PS Alexander is fine though, I liked him, but I guess it is only because he doesn't have his own route...yet ;)
i want some happy routes. quinn is by far my favorite. such a sweet cinnamon roll. he genuinely loves the MC and feels the sweetest. i wanna know what makes him different.
will there be sequel? or update? i want to know what happens in particles reality, i finished chapters 5 and im left hanging not knowing whats next. also i love brandon's route the most hahahah... sigh..
I’m still in the planning phase for Remembrance, so specifics TBD, but progress will be made with the overarching story that will lead to some positive endings.
Hey I purchased the game and when I unzip the file, the game folder is empty? I was able to download it once before with no problem but I'm currently using a new laptop.
I haven’t gotten any reports like this before and I’ve double-checked the current versions, both which have the appropriate content in the ‘game’ folder. All I can suggest is try to redownload it.
This game needs more content warnings. i dont know what it would say though meaby something like "WARNING THIS GAME IS MORE FUCKED UP THAN YOU THINK" i am completely fine with all of the cw's but i still got traumatized from the level of well i dont know i'm crying while writing this.
so to summarize games not for me but other wise it is a 7/10
Edit update - Added to the intro warning screen XD
If you got past the…
“There is an excessive amount of violence and abuse”
“This game is suitable for no one”
Viewer discretion is required
“… will not be surprised WHEN this content offends you”
And the full trigger warnings list per route………..
Somehow I doubt “this is more f’ed than you expect” would have stopped you. XD
To any player in all seriousness, I don’t want to upset people. That’s why the warnings exist and are presented from the very start of the game, and are also a part of the demo.
If anyone wants to suggest verbiage to add to the warning screens that would have prepared/informed them better or trigger warnings that may have been missed, I’m always happy to add them.
Suggestions/discussion welcomed to ArewarGames@gmail.com or Discord.
I wouldn't bother if I ever you. It's like customers in a restaurant, who are thoroughly warned that the dish is EXTREMELY spicy and should be eaten with CAUTION. They order it anyway, burn their tongues and then cry, asking to talk to the manager :)
Does this game have minors in yk what portrayal? Because i read in your update that there is a scene but it's not in the warnings of this game page. I would not feel comfortable if there would be something like that unless it's just a mention but not scenes.
Not sure what ‘yk’ means but let me know if this doesn’t answer the question.
The demo does include some of this, so if you aren’t sure if the game is for you, please do play the demo first! What you see in the demo is very reflective of the game.
The demo also displays all warnings for every character on their route trigger warning page.
For all routes except Brandon:
In terms of content with minors, throughout the entire game there are REFERENCES to the main character’s childhood, which contained some dubious consent / sexual abuse from her biological brother who is 1 year older than her. That began around the age of 14 for her.
In the same manner, one of Quinn’s route paths also includes some historical references of him and his much younger sibling also being sexually abused by their stepfather.
By ‘references’, I mean these topics are verbally discussed in a historical manner during present day conversations with limited detail.
There are no active present-day descriptive scenes or CGs related to any form of sexual abuse of any minors. Everything is historic events.
However, Brandon’s route is different.
Brandon’s route specifically is excluded from the base game because his route takes place during some of those events. There are some scenes regarding their abusive relationship described in text (no CGs).
Brandon’s route is completely 100% optional and not included in the base game for that exact reason. So if that kind of content isn’t for you, you can entirely skip it without missing anything important in the overarching narrative.
If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m also available in Discord or email if you want to discuss it further in depth.
I think what would help would be a warning saying something to the extent of "Mc will usually die" or something like that would have been good enough for me.
When a game lists out more than a dozen warnings, which include SUICIDE, MURDER, GUN VIOLENCE, etc. You should be able to put together that this is a violent game in which the MC will likely be a victim of said violence. Like. There are so many TWs and the game says multiple times that there are no good endings.
"THIS GAME IS SUITABLE FOR NO ONE", "EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE" and detailed list of warnings per route wasn't enough for you?)) lol You sound like someone who will always find a reason to complain...
True answer is, likely no warning would have been enough. I am good with every warning but, the way they were put to gather was simply to much for me to handle.
There's one thing I wanted to ask. Does Alexander has a soulmate as well? And if he finds her, is there a chance that his "religion" will go through some changes?
Hi. The file only unlocks in the full paid version of the game. If you have that, ensure the file is placed in the Particles of Reality folder specifically named “game”, not the main folder. If it’s neither of those, reach out to ArewarGames@gmail.com for further support.
This VN is such a breath of fresh air when it comes to plot structure. I'm used to interactive fiction where my choices only add flavor text or influence the ending without significantly altering the story's development. But here most choices actually have entire branching paths, and I had so much fun exploring them.
I gotta admit that I approached this VN very cautiously because some content warnings are my personal triggers. Surprisingly, it didn't make me uncomfortable but felt rather cathartic. Also, even though Sebastian represents the archetype I dislike, he somehow ended up being my favorite (Quinn is a very close second).
So you see, this VN managed to surprise me in so many ways. What an amazing work, I can't wait to see more of the story!
Sorry, not anytime soon! Probably not for at least a year, and if there was a sale sooner than that it wouldn’t be more than ~10-15% at most. Many reviews (on Itch & Steam) have said the game is well worth the current price and it’s had steady supporters on Patreon throughout its development!
Alright, I am going to go ahead and buy it!! I just played the demo, and it captivated me already, I just wanted to ask if this 1 payment plus Patreon guarantee like free future updates, because it seems like you are already planning a sequel
Note that the Patreon is on hiatus until November, I’m taking a celebratory break because it was 18 months of work! :) I’ll post an announcement when it reopens, so follow the game, twitter, tumblr or discord for news.
Those who join the Patreon get a free key if they pay the sale price in membership fees. They can also play content as its developed - typically there is 1 monthly release - along with other perks.
That patreon rule applies to all content related to Particles of Reality, DLC or sequels. It is cumulative for each key obtained this way.
The next world “Remembrance” is expected to be equivalent in length, content, and price when released, but that will be in 2025. Development will begin probably Feb/March 2024.
The DLC Alexander’s route will likely be charged as a DLC, but it will be a small price, like $5 USD or so depending on how long the route becomes. Both TBD. Development for Alexander starts in November.
Any content updates to Obsession (like a new side story or What If) beyond that would be from player requests in Discord/Patreon and would be free. Currently, there are no plans, but I’m always open to suggestions or requests.
Holy moly that was a fucking roller coaster. Thanks a bunch for creating this, especially considering it's such a dark otome visual novel that spans 20+ hours of gameplay is incredibly rare. I've been searching for something like this for years, so major kudos to you!
Heads up for (SPOILERS) in my super long review!
Sebastian: Initially, Sebastian's route didn't click with me. I was surprised because I usually love yandere characters. His route started off strong, which put me off. I also kinda pissed with the MC at first with her sense of danger lol. However, when the story branches, I was instantly hooked by Sebastian's crazy stories. Like, this dude is a mess, and even a therapy can’t fix him. He’s completely delulu and hypocritical and it's amusing how everyone interacting with him ends up going crazy. His twin, Alexander, is my favorite side character in his route. I like his role in Sebastian’s route is being the sane person with a horrible personality.Despite Sebastian not being in his right mind, Alexander always tries to support him. I was disappointed that Isabella didn't have more screen time; I love her badass and sweet attitude. I could imagine her and the MC being best friends.
Julian: Okay so, before his route, I didn't like Julian in Sebastian's route because of his obnoxious behavior. I expected his route to be similar to Sebastian's but more irritating. Hoo boy I was so wrong. I actually enjoyed Julian's route more than Sebastian's. It felt refreshing, maybe because he's easier to talk to than a wall (Sebastian). I was particularly pleased with the MC's behavior in his route. For whatever bad things Julian has done is merely a child’s play to her and it’s hilarious. And she’s cooperative and calm with his behavior which is super surprising to me (i guess that she’s super into Julian but still-). And I know this is weird but I kinda like Brandon and Julius get along lol. The Ethereals' frustration in this route is comical; imagine being so frustrated watching a girl ignore all the red flags. I was disappointed that we didn't get to learn more about Ash; I was hoping for a dedicated route for him.
Brandon: First, I appreciate you for putting his route as an option and not a requirement to access the secret route. Even though I could have avoided his route after encountering this "Trash" character in the previous two routes, my perfectionism got the better of me, and I decided to brave it. I kept hoping to find some tiny bit redeeming qualities in Brandon, maybe some glimpse of decency beneath his fucked up behavior. But— Sigh… He turned out to be the biggest red flag of a love interest in the history of otome games I've played. The fact that he's the MC's actual blood-related brother and still pursues of doing, that, despite feeling guilty, he DOESN’T STOP. He’s manipulative, egotistical, selfish and annoyingly possessive. Yes, his traumatic past in the mafia explains why he sucks. But the moment when he claims to care about the MC, I said “Fuck this guy! He only thinks about himself and his d*ck, not HER!” It's disheartening to see the MC's background reveal itself in this light. I ended up learning more about the MC than Brandon throughout the story. I must say, I impressed you got the guts for making him a route.
Quinn: Quinn's route was the one I looked forward to after dealing with those three psychopaths. Surprisingly, his route was shorter than the others, which disappointed me. After playing his route, I felt a strong desire to hug him tightly after all the hardships he endured. Sebastian was super fucking annoying in this route. I could tolerate him in other routes because he was up against other psychopaths rivals, but Quinn??? Even Brandon was decent in this route, he even respected him! When Sebastian said those cruel things to Quinn like none of his business, that drew the last line for me. I was super pissed lol, Quinn deserves so much better. Maybe because his route was shorter, I felt like I still didn't learn enough about him. Perhaps he's just a very private person, but compared to the others, his bond with the MC felt lacking. His side stories was very nice to see, and I loved the banter between him and Julius.
V: I'll refer to him as V since I don't know much about him, which makes sense since his route is in the DLC. My first impression of him was... pity. I guessed he's trapped in a time-loop between realities, which is incredibly distressing. His situation seems more depressing than other MCs experiencing time-loop stories I've read. I don’t know if I’m wrong, but but from what I’ve gathered reading his route, he’s experiencing countless of time loops and since there’s other worlds/realities, he also experienced that too for another gazillion times. If that’s true, then holy shit this man desperately needs closure, something more peaceful than death. I’m actually excited to see his route latter because this man looks tired and just need some rest. No wonder he always orders black coffee lol.
MC: Before passing judgment on this girl, let's quickly review her background and why she acts this way. She grew up isolated, lacking social experience, and suffered abuse from her mother and brother, leading to a strong but strange attachment to them. Her brother was her only friend, her sole reliance. Her father know her situation but didn’t do shit. Manipulated from a young age, she still struggles to discern right from wrong. Yeah… From this, I could say this girl is a survivor. Given her past, it's a miracle her personality is as pleasant as it is. At first, I found her frustrating, wondering how she could be blind to all the red flags. It’s like watching her dancing through traps blindfolded. Then I thought maybe it's a trope of the game, so I tried to ignore my irritation and see how things played out. It honestly entertaining to watch how miserable she is. Then came Julius's route. Initially, I thought she was just infatuated, but when she witnessed his crime without a flinch, I was surprised. Then I thought, oh, this time it wasn't her friends and she's from a mafia so she's used to see this. Maybe I missed something about her? The Brandon route solidified my understanding of her character. It painted a clearer picture of her for me. One thing that frustrated me was her failure to learn from her past mistakes. She understood the consequences but didn't try to avoid them. And... I pity for her being oblivious by that.
Once again, thank you for creating this game. It's a rare gem in the otome genre, and I eagerly await more. Even though it's not finished, I'm satisfied with the depth and complexity of the story. Reading this VN was like watching a dumpster fire drama with no hope of a good outcome (thanks Sebby). I'm particularly looking forward to Alexander's and V's routes, especially Alexander's because he's my favorite character in the game. Both of them have the potential to be great LIs, but given this game's nature... well, we'll see about that.
My hopes for the next story? Hm... I'd love to see more of Isabella; she has a fantastic personality. Also, in future installments, I hope the MC develops a stronger sense of observation and a backbone.
This was great to read, thanks for the in depth review! I love hearing people’s viewpoints.
To clarify a couple things on upcoming content:
Alexander will have a route in Obsession as DLC bonus content. It won’t add to the Particles overarching story plot. Coming early 2024.
V’s route is done for Obsession, there’s no more! You just get the introduction and snippets. He’ll be a huge focus in Remembrance with a full route.
Isabella will be a bigger character in the next world Remembrance as well.
In Remembrance, Monika will have an entirely new background. No more mafia & abuse. She will be a lot stronger and smarter of a person! I know it was a rough ride alongside her in Obsession for so long. I got tired of it too! :D
Remembrance is the sequel. It will start development in 2024 (after Alexander in Obsession is released) and likely complete in 2025. Patreon members can play as it’s developed. (Patreon will reopen in November, I’m on a hiatus currently!)
This game is amazing, love the writing. If I could make a request, it'd be the ability to change the pronouns of the player character. It'd make all the boys and non-binary people very happy 🙂
Edit - There’s no need to downvote someone for simply making a request! I always welcome any and all feedback and requests of any kind, even if I choose not to fulfill them in the end. I don’t want anyone getting hate for expressing those opinions or hesitating to make them in the future.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Unfortunately, I’m sorry to say this is not a feature that will be coming to PoR for two big reasons:
A) Because it’s quite too late in development for that. It would be a ton of rework, not to mention the sprite and CG updates that would be a costly expense, and many adult scenes would need to be fully rewritten. The expense alone is a blocker as PoR hasn’t broken even in development costs yet.
B) Monika being a cis female is actually a very significant fact in Brandon’s route and a critical plot-point in her history and upbringing. I won’t elaborate for spoiler purposes, but essentially Brandon’s entire route would have to be rewritten.
In general, although it’s common for otome games, PoR isn’t intended to be a fully self-insert type of game. The MC is her own person who’s personality is very unique and specific to her situation. She does a lot of things that most people would not do!
I will keep this in mind in the future if I develop any new games though! Thanks for playing~
Thank you for protecting your story and not betraying yourself to satisfy some group of people. It's a shame some people can't undestand that the pronouns choice would completely change the plot and the story wouldn't come out as it was planned by the author.
Been waiting for this game since the first demo, bought it on release and devoured it on my days off work, finished it already.
It has given me trust issues and a dislike of cats (white cats, specifically).
Signs of a brilliant game!
Btw, the letters from Quinn still end in cQuinn, except the letter in the what if scenario. There are a few grammar mistakes but nothing detrimental to my enjoyment of the game. Example - on one of the side stories (I think it was a mini story? I should have kept a record, sorry!) one of the lines refers to the MCs therapist as 'the kid shrinks', I believe it's supposed to be the kid's shrink lol Just a little typo that gave me the giggles
do u have to buy the game in order to access the brandon patch? bc i followed the instructions (downloaded the file & moved it to the "game" folder) but i still can't find brandon's route.
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I purchased this game for 30 euros expecting a polished experience, but unfortunately, it fell short. For an amateur project, the price feels steep compared to what’s delivered.
To add to the frustration, my interaction with the game’s community server left a bad taste in my mouth. After expressing a harmless personal opinion, I was met with condescension from others and removed from the server by the developer without any warning, despite being a paying customer. Developers should foster welcoming, inclusive spaces, especially when players support their work.
Overall, the combination of the game’s quality (in terms of CGs, character writing, and sprites is fine but could be better in terms of quality) and the unwelcoming community experience makes it hard to justify the price. I recommend potential buyers proceed with caution before committing. The community is not welcoming and it feels like if you don't agree with everything they say, they will remove you
Public record: This person posted this review immediately after being kicked from the Discord for being rude and insulting to other members (multiple times) regarding age and physical appearance after a warning, which is a clear violation of the started rule of being “nice, mature, and respectful”.
When I paid, I did not expect to be bullied or talked down to on the Discord server. I never directly insulted anyone or targeted anyone with my comments. However, simply because I expressed a personal opinion from a different age perspective, I was met with condescension and had my words picked apart, even when I wasn’t addressing anyone specifically. The escalation of this led to my removal from the server without warning being issued to the other members. It seemed one-sided and targeted.
I believe developers and their communities should try to retain respectful and open spaces where the other members don't continuously engage with needling and enforcing their opinions where it is not necessary, especially for paying customers. This experience left a sour taste, and it’s disappointing that the developer has chosen to respond by framing this situation entirely as my fault rather than addressing valid concerns about the game and its community management.
Overall there are other games in the market with a better pricepoint(regarding the quality of art and writing, it can be better as well, again the quality is not up to the mark) and community. 30 euros excessive for this combined experience. Additionally, the community felt like other than a fixed view point, diverse opinions were not valued or welcomed, that includes the opinions for the game itself as well.
this game is really interestingg. i can say its in my top 3 otome game bc.. it has unusual things. all of them i can say is dark. and this makes the game beautiful. i have finished sebastians routine and i am in julians right now. I wonder about other characters routine! This game should be more popularrrrrrr
I got the game a week before the big sale, so at first I felt bummed I did not get the good deal. But, after a couple of weeks of intensive experience playing through most of the routes including Alexander's, I'd say I am really glad I got to play this game.
Thanks, Arewar, for creating such a unique and thought provoking piece! The characters and the various storylines are still swimming in my head and I will need time to process them. It took me a while to decide to play this game because of all the warnings. The fact there are no happy endings do remove a bit of the satisfaction of getting one, and at the bottom of my heart I am still hoping to see at least some kind of resolution down the road. But all the messed up outcomes.. the failure for the characters to find their happiness even if they tried so hard... it resonates with my life experience and it was somehow... cathartic.
So, that makes me wonder what inspired Arewar to come up with such a concept and the stories?
I thought Brandon's route would be my favourite, but it turns out I loved Alexander's route the most by far! I would have never expected that when I started playing, and I think that is something to reflect on about myself. Am I taking this too seriously lol.
Love this game! Ngl Brandon's route was my favourite. Maybe I'm messed up, but I've seen others say the same lol. Hope there's happier endings in the sequel.
This game is a gut wrenching masterpiece; a masterpiece I dont think I could recommend to anyone in good conscious, but its one that I want to. The warnings are all legitimate. If there is a qarning listed on the character's route but you didnt experience it in your playthrough, I promise that its still in that characters route. It may not have shown up yet, but its there.
The main routes do not have happy endings, but i strongly encourage people play the what ifs. Not all of them have good endings either, but its worth doing for that sweet sweet lore and those moments of happiness.
The game reminded me a lot of Higurashi or Umineko, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Obsession reminds me of the "questions" ark and the goals of the next game remind me of the "answers" ark. Umineko in particular is a VN where there are no happy endings. Eventually, there are answers, but there is no real happy ending, and its still a horrific and mysterious and beautiful game.
I think Arewar did a fantastic job. This VN has consumed a solid 3 days of my life (and I'm still not finished) and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
A couple of spoilers following:
It wasn't actually the main routes that got me, it was the "what ifs". Quinn's in particular, where he ends up as one of Alexander's and says that Alexander loves him in ways that our main character couldnt, and was there to wipe the drunken tears and listen to his breakdowns and stories, and says "if Sebastian is anything like his brother, then Monika would find her happiness. All she has to do is let go." I read that and just sobbed (and sobbed again typing it out...). All of it is very good, but the what ifs are the little gems. Even the what ifs where the siblings end up happy and together (even if briefly in some scenarios) and running a mafia were some that I really enjoyed.
TLDR: it's a great game that I plan to go home and play some more. I want to recommend it to everyone...but maybe I'll wait until remembrance before I do.
Everyone stay safe and play games responsibly!
Honestly it would feel downright unethical to recommend this game to anyone. That being said, I don't think I've enjoyed a visual novel this much since Our Life and for none of the same reasons other than it being obvious A LOT of love and effort went into this. IF you can handle the triggers then it will scratch an itch that rarely gets attention and that in itself makes for a fresh experience.
Oddly, this game did the opposite of trigger me--it felt therapeutic? I found MC in familiar situations to me, and for some reason getting the option to see the other choices only for it to inevitably unravel horribly made me feel more at peace with my own decisions.
Time to unpack this game in therapy
Wow. This is... some ride. I haven't completed all the endings yet, but I have reached the last ending of the secret character and read the last chapter of Particles. There will be HEAVY spoilers in this review.
I'm a lover of horror-mance games (*cough* Boyfriend to Death *cough*) myself, so frankly, I don't find the game "too dark" at all. That said, I'm generally not a fan of "gore for gore's sake", so I'm very pleasantly surprised that this game gives purpose and proper explanation to the "darkness" manifested, and it actually spends time developing the personality of our various psycho "love interests".
About the love interests themselves... I like all of them except Sebastian. God, I'm just SICK of Sebby. He's everywhere and you can't get rid of him even if you're on another guy's route. Like, the others are bad too, but at least they have some self-awareness and are at least trying!
Quinn tries to be a good friend (and is one in several endings, such as when he protects Monika and apologizes for misjudging Sebby's character). Also, he's about the most decent character in the whole game, so I have a soft spot for him and am usually more forgiving of his flaws.
Julian tries to protect you (... yes, only in Sebby's route, I know). But he recognizes his own hypocrisy in his vigilante work and kind of, sort of, tries to believe in Monika even after she (accidentally) stabs him. I'm genuinely surprised that he acknowledges Ash as an inherent part of himself instead of blaming everything on his "evil twin".
Brandon tries to make things right by (generally) keeping his distance from Monika, and he seems somewhat remorseful about his sexual abuse of Monika, while acknowledging that he only regrets hurting her rather than doing anything "wrong". Yes, still screwed up, but again, at least the guy is self-aware!
Sebastian ... OH MY GOODNESS. Not only is the guy delusional (like every other love interest), disrespectful to Monika (like every other love interest except maybe Quinn), only cares about himself (like every other love interest except maybe Quinn), but worst of all, he's pathetic. I applaud every time Alexander opens his mouth and rips his twin to shreds. Like, damn it, listen to your brother and grow up!
Who said this game didn't have a happy ending? The ending where Monika calls him on his bullshit and shatters his fantasy, by pointing out how different she is from the "soulmate" he thinks he knows (based on diaries written years ago), is absolute gold. Destroy him, girl! Yes, Monika dies in the end, but at least it's relatively painless! (Wow, how low my standards for a happy ending have dropped after playing this game ...)
The only thing that surprised me and almost made me want to revise my impression of him ... is when he refrains from killing Julian after Julian has driven Monika insane, just because Julian claims that Monika loves him. I did not expect that, which made me like Sebastian a little ... just a little.
One more thing... I really, really like the overarching plot with the Ethereals! I enjoyed a great deal the dynamic between our Ethereal duo Lux and Quispe. I don't think I could get through some of Monika's ... more questionable decisions without their snarky comments. Also, while I fully understand why Monika is the way she is - and appreciate her as our very unlucky heroine - I am still relieved to have Lux as a "female" supporting character with a more outspoken personality and just good old common sense.
(Speaking of common sense ... I sincerely think the greatest irony of this game is that our otherworldly deities seem to have more common sense than our human characters!)
Obviously, this very fact is also part of the plot. This "cluster" of reality is deliberately made so messed up. My guess is that Monika is somehow connected to Allannia, and Casper is somehow connected to Allannia's banishment, and Allannia is being punished for whatever. But who knows?
Overall, I can't believe this is your first game. The project is very ambitious and well done. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us in Remembrance!
(Last point ... Even though I've bashed Sebby to a pulp with a club in this review, I don't really "hate" him. He's a fun character who embodies the "obsession" in the title, and I find his insanity both entertaining and frustrating :) Being able to evoke strong emotions in the reader is always a strength in my eyes, so once again, well done, Arewar!)
<3 love the detailed breakdown! thanks! and glad you enjoyed!! :D
Finally finished the game + Alexander DLC. Addictive! Great from start to end!
The warings do not lie. When it get's dark, it can get really dark, the horror aspects are emphasised rather than romantised. But despite how gruesome and tragic and hopeless the routes felt, the charater exporation and the mystery/meta plot , I felt, made it worth it.
-Spoilers-
Sebastian was exactly the pushy stalker I'd hoped to see. Was pleasantly surprised by Quinn, Alexander and Unlockable Guy/V. Julien was indeed different in other routes compared to his own which took some interesting turns. Brandon, idk what to think of him. And Monika, it's understandable why she behaves the way she does, even if it's frustrating at times, as dealing with real trauma can be. All of them need therapy. They won't get it. Lots of complicated feelings exactly what I wanted out of this game.
Playing Sebastians route for the first time was like "he's weird (as many obssessive stalker yandere tend to be) but he's got a cute little kitty, he can't be that bad :)" and later in the game "everyone is sus but casper, cats can do no wrong (denial)" to "90% sure it's an eldritch horror."
-Spoiler over-
Was really exitied to see the Remebrance Demo. Although after donating and looking through your Patreon I read that the backgrounds would use AI generated images? It's a pity, I can't support the project in that case. Wish you good luck anyhow.
I love this game, it's so angsty and hopeless and nasty. I love Quinn with my whole heart (
even if he does off you in one ending, hehe) also, I went in to this expecting Julien to be the worst based off of your commentary and was surprised to find him pretty reasonable, at least compared to the other characters. Like he's definitely not a good person but I actually understand why he does what he does and I do agree with some of his ideals... to an extent XD It's been a little while since I played his route but from what I can remember it was mostly the 'other' guy who was real fucked up. But anyways, ramble over, great game! :PSo, I’ve played through the demo and I’m considering buying the full game + DLC, but $35 is a little much for my budget at the moment. Could someone please explain why it’s still tagged as ‘in development’? It seems like the full game was released sept 19, 2023. Is that inaccurate?
I ask because I would hate to spend that much money on an unfinished game. So many games on itch are unfinished and doomed to remain that way. This doesn’t seem to be one of them, but I’m confused.
Thank you for your help! :)
Thank you for letting me know. I really appreciate it.
I just forgot to update the tag, it’s fixed now! It’s complete and released!
it is indeed finished but to fully understand the endings we have to wait for the new game
I love this game
Hello! I just bought this game and I've been enjoying it very much. My one suggestion would be to change the description slightly on Brandon's route. I think it's more than a 'significant' amount of content regarding the cocsa/csa/child abuse: it is approximately the entire route and almost all of the sex scenes in said route. I think 'significant' would have been fine wording had it been about 50%-- or even 70%-- of the route and then the last part ~30% of the route focused on the MC as she was dealing with the after-effects and possible reconnections with Brandon during her college time, but the oldest they get in route is around 15.
In order to avoid spoilers, I would call it a backstory route set prior to the time period of Sebastian's route more than anything else. This way, it would be much clearer that there would be very little content of them interacting as adults given that clearing one of Sebastian's endings is a requirement to unlock Brandon's route in the first place.
That said, I did enjoy the route very much as I felt it very clearly portrayed how such relationships develop, the imbalances of power and expectations, as well as how inner family politics affect the entire unit. It's just a suggestion of wording so that those who are expecting any sort of meaty interaction between the two of them as adults don't hold their breath. On the whole, the warnings for scenes were very accurate and I appreciate and recognize the overall care given to this game. It's a very interesting game and I'm glad to have paid for it.
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve updated the patreon page with these requested details and word choices.
I love this game, i truly do, but i have NEVER hated characters so fucking much in a story. Like, OH MY GOD, Sebastian is a fucking delusional psycho that has ZERO respect for you and ZERO shame for what he does. Quinn is fucking dumb, and always convinces the mc that Sebastian "isn't that bad". Brandon, well, it's common sense why he's bad(still better than Sebastian tho, he actually respects you, even if Very little). The only one that's even a little decent is Julian, and even that I'm not certain actually, since I haven't finished his route. I won't even talk about how dumb the mc is oml.
Overall, this game is really good, AND it has a lot of endings and content, which is always good! It really shows me that yanderes really shouldn't be romanticized lmao.
The only one that’s even a little decent is Julian, and even that I’m not certain actually, since I haven’t finished his route.
\nervous-eye-shift
Ummmmmmmmmmmm……….
XD
I get trying to experience fantasy that wouldn’t necessarily be a good idea in real life, but I struggle to understand why yandere is so popular.
I agree entirely that yandere shouldn’t be romanticized, but it seems to be the only thing available if you’re female, like men, and want adult (not necessarily even sex, just more grown up) content.
It makes me sad that I have to consume content with only unhealthy/abusive relationships, but it’s that or nothing.
I actually really liked Julian in the demo. He reminded me of people I’ve known who seemed really spiky on the outside, but are actually good people who have become treasured friends. So Arewar’s comment below is deeply unsettling. :(
Having said that, Particles of Reality is great as psychological horror, just not as romance.
I’ll straight up say this for any future readers: If you are not a yandere AND horror fan, do not buy Obsession. This will not be a pleasant experience. The demo is a full representation of what you should expect from ALL OF THE CHARACTERS regardless of your initial impression.
NONE of the characters in this game are ‘treasured friends’. Not even the girls. They are all very bad, insane people. That is the full intention.
Julian is arguably one of the WORST, not the best. (I have since realized I should have ‘cracked’ the masks of Julian and Alexander a lot more early on in the game. My first game, lessons learned!) Julian’s mask is “I am a sane, normal man and my life depends on you believing that complete lie.”
The “safest” (and I say this with HEAVY sarcastic quotes) characters are going to be Quinn and Alexander’s DLC. And I define ‘safest’ as the ones who traumatize the MC the least.
Obsession is 80% horror and 20% romance for crazy yandere lovers. 0% healthy. 0% happy.
Remembrance will (probably, current estimation) be like 60%/40% of the same ratio.
Thank you for the clarification. Now I’m even sadder, but this is good to know.
Hey ! I've been trying your game and I have one or two suggestions on the content warnings.
First of all I think you should mention when a specific trigger is visible on CG or if it just written, because seeing something gore on screen for example could be worth than just having a written description of it.
Also I think there should be a content warning for what happens in ending 1 of Sebastian's route, something about the kind of wound that is inflicted on the MC and/or maybe something about the state she finds herself in afterwards.
Also you know the warning that appears on screen before NSFW scenes ? Maybe you could do something similar before violent scenes, that way we could know when to expect them and brace ourselves lol.
That's all I noticed for now I think. I don't know what to think of the game so far but it has me intrigued !
Good luck in your development.
Thanks for the feedback!
Good callout on the missing warning. I’ll add ‘mutilation’ to Sebastian’s warning list next time there’s an update.
The suggestion for a violent CG warning is a good idea, so I’ve added that option to Remembrance, the sequel currently under development.
But that’s be a pretty big update to Obsession, so I won’t be able to add that feature anytime soon.
i love the dark theme, and i enjoyed this game quite a bit.I also bought the dlc.... I'll be looking for more of your games too
Goodness that was a lot. I went in prepared for it to get dark and you all certainly did not hold back. For anyone curious READ THE WARNINGS, they are there for a reason. And there are tons of warnings EVERYWHERE, so don't ignore them.
Probably the darkest game I've played, but I was hooked and I must applaud how much "story" went into this game. A lot of VNs will have a pretty set path so even when you pick different answers you don't really stray from a story line too much. This one, each ending is wildly different. You guys really put so much work into this!
My only hope: please for the love of goodness give Quinn at least one happy ending at some point. I will pay anything you ask, I love him with my entire soul. His route actually took me the longest to get through because I was just so sad playing it. This poor boy has been through so much and I just need him to be happy. I AM INVESTED. But seriously, you have really made such a roller coaster of a game 👍
While I was enjoying the base game, I do think the wording should be changed on Brandon's patch. I went into it thinking it would have references to underage sexual trauma as part of the mc's backstory but the descriptions and visuals were actually so graphic and written in such a sexual way that I was actually uncomfortable having the patch on my computer. It seems like almost all of that patch is focusing on the graphic sexuality of underage characters in a way that I did not find clear beforehand and would not have been comfortable with had I known.
The sexual content was also not text-only in my opinion. There was nothing explicit (from as far as I played in the patch) but there were illustrations. I'm not trying to start a fight but I want others to be aware that some of it felt like it was written to be titillating instead of traumatic and there are visual elements to it as well that were not disclosed.
To clarify to anyone reading this, I want to specifically lay out the content. I have tried to be as clear as possible regarding it and I have no intention of not disclosing anything.
There is 1 CG of 5 year old Brandon & Monika playing dolls together. (Nothing sexual happening here. It’s kids playing a game. I think it’s honestly cute.)
There is 1 CG of teenage Brandon lying over Monika without his shirt on (Monika is fully dressed). There is no nudity or sex act depicted.
I don’t personally see any issue with these images? But that is exactly what is in the game in regards to Brandon & Monika as children/together.
But this kind of discomfort is why the patch is separate from the game and fully skippable. You can delete it at any time.
There absolutely is a lot of sexual abuse and warped intimacy between the siblings before the age of 18 in text form, which is listed on his warnings panel.
If anyone feels a specific warning should be added to the screen that is absent, I fully welcome suggestions.
The patreon page with the patch links specifically states: “This route contains a significant amount of content around child abuse, child sexual abuse, and text-only sexual content with teenagers.”
Definitely one of the darkest games of this genre ever (at least that I've come across), but WELL WORTH this price 100% (for anybody on the fence about it). This game has hours upon hours worth of content and some of the most heinous stories ever that really tickle that deep dark itch for anybody looking to you know, just casually scar themselves mentally and emotionally at a fictional heroine's expense.
But yeah, I am thoroughly enjoying this story and all the crazy paths. Characters are fantastic; art is great. Just hands down this is one of my favorite visual novels, especially when I'm not feeling in a particularly sappy mood.
Wow I've spent days dedicated to this game, few games make me as curious and addicted as this! I was a bit confused and there was too much information for my brain, but I think I understood the basics enough to understand the story and what's going on behind it all. I love all the boys, each with their problems and flaws, but due to the circumstances you understand a lot. I think the boy I was least attached to was Quinn and my fav one will always be Sebastian, my poor boy. (I also like Brandon a lot in a certain way, I hope that's not weird to say LOL)
Can't wait for the DLC with Alex, I looooove that boy, but something tells me that his route is going to give me a lot of headaches, even though he's a lot of fun and all.
I think this visual novel has done some permanent damage to my mental health, but I'm not regretting reading it. I'm rooting for Brandon no matter what. And I have to say that I really hate Sebastian, Either because he's triggering some bad memories from my own past, and because he's so sure of himself. He doesn't see any wrongness in his own actions, he has almost no regrets.
PS Alexander is fine though, I liked him, but I guess it is only because he doesn't have his own route...yet ;)
Here's my full review for the current version
https://www.tumblr.com/tigermousse/740764612439490560/particles-of-reality-obses...
This game is deliciously unhinged.
I'm still making my way through it, but I have so many questions about where it is headed.
And skimming through and seeing Alexander is a future route!? But how will sweet, obsessive Sebastian handle that? I just...oof.
Looking forward to more beautiful nightmares. And maybe, just maybe a bit of hope in the future. Though these bad ends are exquisite.
i want some happy routes. quinn is by far my favorite. such a sweet cinnamon roll. he genuinely loves the MC and feels the sweetest. i wanna know what makes him different.
will there be sequel? or update? i want to know what happens in particles reality, i finished chapters 5 and im left hanging not knowing whats next. also i love brandon's route the most hahahah... sigh..
Yes! Patreon members can play the content as it’s developed over at https://www.patreon.com/arewar
Currently, Alexander’s route for Obsession is under development. Once that is complete, development for the sequel Remembrance will begin.
Sorry, will Remembrance have some good endings or will it be like Obsession?) And will Alexander have his route in Remembrance?
I’m still in the planning phase for Remembrance, so specifics TBD, but progress will be made with the overarching story that will lead to some positive endings.
Hey I purchased the game and when I unzip the file, the game folder is empty? I was able to download it once before with no problem but I'm currently using a new laptop.
I haven’t gotten any reports like this before and I’ve double-checked the current versions, both which have the appropriate content in the ‘game’ folder. All I can suggest is try to redownload it.
This game needs more content warnings. i dont know what it would say though meaby something like "WARNING THIS GAME IS MORE FUCKED UP THAN YOU THINK" i am completely fine with all of the cw's but i still got traumatized from the level of well i dont know i'm crying while writing this.
so to summarize games not for me but other wise it is a 7/10
Edit update - Added to the intro warning screen XD
If you got past the…
Somehow I doubt “this is more f’ed than you expect” would have stopped you. XD
To any player in all seriousness, I don’t want to upset people. That’s why the warnings exist and are presented from the very start of the game, and are also a part of the demo.
If anyone wants to suggest verbiage to add to the warning screens that would have prepared/informed them better or trigger warnings that may have been missed, I’m always happy to add them.
Suggestions/discussion welcomed to ArewarGames@gmail.com or Discord.
I wouldn't bother if I ever you. It's like customers in a restaurant, who are thoroughly warned that the dish is EXTREMELY spicy and should be eaten with CAUTION. They order it anyway, burn their tongues and then cry, asking to talk to the manager :)
Does this game have minors in yk what portrayal? Because i read in your update that there is a scene but it's not in the warnings of this game page. I would not feel comfortable if there would be something like that unless it's just a mention but not scenes.
Not sure what ‘yk’ means but let me know if this doesn’t answer the question.
The demo does include some of this, so if you aren’t sure if the game is for you, please do play the demo first! What you see in the demo is very reflective of the game.
The demo also displays all warnings for every character on their route trigger warning page.
For all routes except Brandon:
In terms of content with minors, throughout the entire game there are REFERENCES to the main character’s childhood, which contained some dubious consent / sexual abuse from her biological brother who is 1 year older than her. That began around the age of 14 for her.
In the same manner, one of Quinn’s route paths also includes some historical references of him and his much younger sibling also being sexually abused by their stepfather.
By ‘references’, I mean these topics are verbally discussed in a historical manner during present day conversations with limited detail.
There are no active present-day descriptive scenes or CGs related to any form of sexual abuse of any minors. Everything is historic events.
However, Brandon’s route is different.
Brandon’s route specifically is excluded from the base game because his route takes place during some of those events. There are some scenes regarding their abusive relationship described in text (no CGs).
Brandon’s route is completely 100% optional and not included in the base game for that exact reason. So if that kind of content isn’t for you, you can entirely skip it without missing anything important in the overarching narrative.
If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m also available in Discord or email if you want to discuss it further in depth.
By yk i meant graphic images of minors in a non pg way. But if it's just mentions/references and no imagery then i want to check the full game out.
And i did play the demo a while ago but when i tried to play it again it never let me. I can just load my saves but if i hit start it crashes.
Zero images of minors in questionable situations in any of the routes, no worries there!
If you get the latest version and still hit that error, try this: Go to the Settings screen and click the “Reset Nav” button, then try again.
If you still get an error after that, please send me a screenshot at ArewarGames@gmail.com and I’ll look into it! Thx!
I think what would help would be a warning saying something to the extent of "Mc will usually die" or something like that would have been good enough for me.
When a game lists out more than a dozen warnings, which include SUICIDE, MURDER, GUN VIOLENCE, etc. You should be able to put together that this is a violent game in which the MC will likely be a victim of said violence. Like. There are so many TWs and the game says multiple times that there are no good endings.
"THIS GAME IS SUITABLE FOR NO ONE", "EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE" and detailed list of warnings per route wasn't enough for you?)) lol
You sound like someone who will always find a reason to complain...
True answer is, likely no warning would have been enough. I am good with every warning but, the way they were put to gather was simply to much for me to handle.
There's one thing I wanted to ask. Does Alexander has a soulmate as well? And if he finds her, is there a chance that his "religion" will go through some changes?
Alexander is getting a route DLC that will start development next month, so these questions might be answered there. :)
I am not able to access Brandon's route even though I downloaded the patch and moved it into the game folder :/
Hi. The file only unlocks in the full paid version of the game. If you have that, ensure the file is placed in the Particles of Reality folder specifically named “game”, not the main folder. If it’s neither of those, reach out to ArewarGames@gmail.com for further support.
It's a pity that the author isn't accepting new signups on patreon at this time. I would gladly support this brilliant project.
Update: We’re open now!
Aww! Thank you! I’m just on hiatus in October to celebrate the release and take a long overdue break. :D
The Patreon and development resumes Nov 1st. I’ll post an announcement when it’s open.
This game is just incredible! I agree with other reviews that it's a breath of fresh air! Please, don't stop creating amazing games like this)
This VN is such a breath of fresh air when it comes to plot structure. I'm used to interactive fiction where my choices only add flavor text or influence the ending without significantly altering the story's development. But here most choices actually have entire branching paths, and I had so much fun exploring them.
I gotta admit that I approached this VN very cautiously because some content warnings are my personal triggers. Surprisingly, it didn't make me uncomfortable but felt rather cathartic. Also, even though Sebastian represents the archetype I dislike, he somehow ended up being my favorite (Quinn is a very close second).
So you see, this VN managed to surprise me in so many ways. What an amazing work, I can't wait to see more of the story!
do you ever plan on putting this on sale anytime soon, I wanna get it but the 30-dollar price is looking heavy ngl
Sorry, not anytime soon! Probably not for at least a year, and if there was a sale sooner than that it wouldn’t be more than ~10-15% at most. Many reviews (on Itch & Steam) have said the game is well worth the current price and it’s had steady supporters on Patreon throughout its development!
Alright, I am going to go ahead and buy it!! I just played the demo, and it captivated me already, I just wanted to ask if this 1 payment plus Patreon guarantee like free future updates, because it seems like you are already planning a sequel
Note that the Patreon is on hiatus until November, I’m taking a celebratory break because it was 18 months of work! :) I’ll post an announcement when it reopens, so follow the game, twitter, tumblr or discord for news.
Those who join the Patreon get a free key if they pay the sale price in membership fees. They can also play content as its developed - typically there is 1 monthly release - along with other perks.
That patreon rule applies to all content related to Particles of Reality, DLC or sequels. It is cumulative for each key obtained this way.
The next world “Remembrance” is expected to be equivalent in length, content, and price when released, but that will be in 2025. Development will begin probably Feb/March 2024.
The DLC Alexander’s route will likely be charged as a DLC, but it will be a small price, like $5 USD or so depending on how long the route becomes. Both TBD. Development for Alexander starts in November.
Any content updates to Obsession (like a new side story or What If) beyond that would be from player requests in Discord/Patreon and would be free. Currently, there are no plans, but I’m always open to suggestions or requests.
Okay but I absolutely love Quinn with my whole heart and need him to be happy at all times!
Oh, I can't wait for Alexander's route!
Holy moly that was a fucking roller coaster. Thanks a bunch for creating this, especially considering it's such a dark otome visual novel that spans 20+ hours of gameplay is incredibly rare. I've been searching for something like this for years, so major kudos to you!
Heads up for (SPOILERS) in my super long review!
Sebastian: Initially, Sebastian's route didn't click with me. I was surprised because I usually love yandere characters. His route started off strong, which put me off. I also kinda pissed with the MC at first with her sense of danger lol. However, when the story branches, I was instantly hooked by Sebastian's crazy stories. Like, this dude is a mess, and even a therapy can’t fix him. He’s completely delulu and hypocritical and it's amusing how everyone interacting with him ends up going crazy. His twin, Alexander, is my favorite side character in his route. I like his role in Sebastian’s route is being the sane person with a horrible personality.Despite Sebastian not being in his right mind, Alexander always tries to support him. I was disappointed that Isabella didn't have more screen time; I love her badass and sweet attitude. I could imagine her and the MC being best friends.
Julian: Okay so, before his route, I didn't like Julian in Sebastian's route because of his obnoxious behavior. I expected his route to be similar to Sebastian's but more irritating. Hoo boy I was so wrong. I actually enjoyed Julian's route more than Sebastian's. It felt refreshing, maybe because he's easier to talk to than a wall (Sebastian). I was particularly pleased with the MC's behavior in his route. For whatever bad things Julian has done is merely a child’s play to her and it’s hilarious. And she’s cooperative and calm with his behavior which is super surprising to me (i guess that she’s super into Julian but still-). And I know this is weird but I kinda like Brandon and Julius get along lol. The Ethereals' frustration in this route is comical; imagine being so frustrated watching a girl ignore all the red flags. I was disappointed that we didn't get to learn more about Ash; I was hoping for a dedicated route for him.
Brandon: First, I appreciate you for putting his route as an option and not a requirement to access the secret route. Even though I could have avoided his route after encountering this "Trash" character in the previous two routes, my perfectionism got the better of me, and I decided to brave it. I kept hoping to find some tiny bit redeeming qualities in Brandon, maybe some glimpse of decency beneath his fucked up behavior. But— Sigh… He turned out to be the biggest red flag of a love interest in the history of otome games I've played. The fact that he's the MC's actual blood-related brother and still pursues of doing, that, despite feeling guilty, he DOESN’T STOP. He’s manipulative, egotistical, selfish and annoyingly possessive. Yes, his traumatic past in the mafia explains why he sucks. But the moment when he claims to care about the MC, I said “Fuck this guy! He only thinks about himself and his d*ck, not HER!” It's disheartening to see the MC's background reveal itself in this light. I ended up learning more about the MC than Brandon throughout the story. I must say, I impressed you got the guts for making him a route.
Quinn: Quinn's route was the one I looked forward to after dealing with those three psychopaths. Surprisingly, his route was shorter than the others, which disappointed me. After playing his route, I felt a strong desire to hug him tightly after all the hardships he endured. Sebastian was super fucking annoying in this route. I could tolerate him in other routes because he was up against other psychopaths rivals, but Quinn??? Even Brandon was decent in this route, he even respected him! When Sebastian said those cruel things to Quinn like none of his business, that drew the last line for me. I was super pissed lol, Quinn deserves so much better. Maybe because his route was shorter, I felt like I still didn't learn enough about him. Perhaps he's just a very private person, but compared to the others, his bond with the MC felt lacking. His side stories was very nice to see, and I loved the banter between him and Julius.
V: I'll refer to him as V since I don't know much about him, which makes sense since his route is in the DLC. My first impression of him was... pity. I guessed he's trapped in a time-loop between realities, which is incredibly distressing. His situation seems more depressing than other MCs experiencing time-loop stories I've read. I don’t know if I’m wrong, but but from what I’ve gathered reading his route, he’s experiencing countless of time loops and since there’s other worlds/realities, he also experienced that too for another gazillion times. If that’s true, then holy shit this man desperately needs closure, something more peaceful than death. I’m actually excited to see his route latter because this man looks tired and just need some rest. No wonder he always orders black coffee lol.
MC: Before passing judgment on this girl, let's quickly review her background and why she acts this way. She grew up isolated, lacking social experience, and suffered abuse from her mother and brother, leading to a strong but strange attachment to them. Her brother was her only friend, her sole reliance. Her father know her situation but didn’t do shit. Manipulated from a young age, she still struggles to discern right from wrong. Yeah… From this, I could say this girl is a survivor. Given her past, it's a miracle her personality is as pleasant as it is. At first, I found her frustrating, wondering how she could be blind to all the red flags. It’s like watching her dancing through traps blindfolded. Then I thought maybe it's a trope of the game, so I tried to ignore my irritation and see how things played out. It honestly entertaining to watch how miserable she is. Then came Julius's route. Initially, I thought she was just infatuated, but when she witnessed his crime without a flinch, I was surprised. Then I thought, oh, this time it wasn't her friends and she's from a mafia so she's used to see this. Maybe I missed something about her? The Brandon route solidified my understanding of her character. It painted a clearer picture of her for me. One thing that frustrated me was her failure to learn from her past mistakes. She understood the consequences but didn't try to avoid them. And... I pity for her being oblivious by that.
Once again, thank you for creating this game. It's a rare gem in the otome genre, and I eagerly await more. Even though it's not finished, I'm satisfied with the depth and complexity of the story. Reading this VN was like watching a dumpster fire drama with no hope of a good outcome (thanks Sebby). I'm particularly looking forward to Alexander's and V's routes, especially Alexander's because he's my favorite character in the game. Both of them have the potential to be great LIs, but given this game's nature... well, we'll see about that.
My hopes for the next story? Hm... I'd love to see more of Isabella; she has a fantastic personality. Also, in future installments, I hope the MC develops a stronger sense of observation and a backbone.
And lastly, a heartfelt sentiment: FUCK THAT CAT!
This was great to read, thanks for the in depth review! I love hearing people’s viewpoints.
To clarify a couple things on upcoming content:
Alexander will have a route in Obsession as DLC bonus content. It won’t add to the Particles overarching story plot. Coming early 2024.
V’s route is done for Obsession, there’s no more! You just get the introduction and snippets. He’ll be a huge focus in Remembrance with a full route.
Isabella will be a bigger character in the next world Remembrance as well.
In Remembrance, Monika will have an entirely new background. No more mafia & abuse. She will be a lot stronger and smarter of a person! I know it was a rough ride alongside her in Obsession for so long. I got tired of it too! :D
Remembrance is the sequel. It will start development in 2024 (after Alexander in Obsession is released) and likely complete in 2025. Patreon members can play as it’s developed. (Patreon will reopen in November, I’m on a hiatus currently!)
This game is amazing, love the writing. If I could make a request, it'd be the ability to change the pronouns of the player character. It'd make all the boys and non-binary people very happy 🙂
Edit - There’s no need to downvote someone for simply making a request! I always welcome any and all feedback and requests of any kind, even if I choose not to fulfill them in the end. I don’t want anyone getting hate for expressing those opinions or hesitating to make them in the future.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Unfortunately, I’m sorry to say this is not a feature that will be coming to PoR for two big reasons:
A) Because it’s quite too late in development for that. It would be a ton of rework, not to mention the sprite and CG updates that would be a costly expense, and many adult scenes would need to be fully rewritten. The expense alone is a blocker as PoR hasn’t broken even in development costs yet.
B) Monika being a cis female is actually a very significant fact in Brandon’s route and a critical plot-point in her history and upbringing. I won’t elaborate for spoiler purposes, but essentially Brandon’s entire route would have to be rewritten.
In general, although it’s common for otome games, PoR isn’t intended to be a fully self-insert type of game. The MC is her own person who’s personality is very unique and specific to her situation. She does a lot of things that most people would not do!
I will keep this in mind in the future if I develop any new games though! Thanks for playing~
Thank you for protecting your story and not betraying yourself to satisfy some group of people. It's a shame some people can't undestand that the pronouns choice would completely change the plot and the story wouldn't come out as it was planned by the author.
Been waiting for this game since the first demo, bought it on release and devoured it on my days off work, finished it already.
It has given me trust issues and a dislike of cats (white cats, specifically).
Signs of a brilliant game!
Btw, the letters from Quinn still end in cQuinn, except the letter in the what if scenario. There are a few grammar mistakes but nothing detrimental to my enjoyment of the game. Example - on one of the side stories (I think it was a mini story? I should have kept a record, sorry!) one of the lines refers to the MCs therapist as 'the kid shrinks', I believe it's supposed to be the kid's shrink lol Just a little typo that gave me the giggles
Thanks for the notes! I’ll have these fixes in the next update.
Anyone who finds any typos/bugs etc - send me a quick email to ArewarGames [at] gmail or post on the Discord. Screenshots help a lot as well! Thx
do u have to buy the game in order to access the brandon patch? bc i followed the instructions (downloaded the file & moved it to the "game" folder) but i still can't find brandon's route.
Yes, you must purchase the full game. It will not unlock in the demo.
Who is that guy? Lmao