Desperate Love Feast

Storyline

This is the best aspect of the game. First off, the twisted love coupled with horror is almost always a winning combination. In fact, the theme is the main reason I have such a high opinion about this game. Additionally, the mysteries which are present through the entire game and some psychological themes are brilliantly incorporated into the plot.

The story itself is absorbing, thrilling and uncertain until the end. I like the beginning, which is not so detailed like the introductions usually are. It forces players to wonder what truly happened and why, and that is a brilliant thing. I also like the way story progresses; it’s like a puzzle, with pieces which gradually and not in the specific order form the entire story.

What I love the most is the story’s creepiness. I played a lot of horror/creepy games because it’s my favorite genre, but I rarely encountered the games in which the story is way creepier than any amount of gore could ever be. It’s what makes the true horror atmosphere. The murders and Chihiro’s twisted obsession are giving me the chills, and that amazes me because not a lot of horror plots give me the true sense of eeriness. Also, I never had the feeling that anything was rushed, it was very nicely planned. I can say that this is one of the best horror storylines I have encountered so far.

Characters

I must say that I’m pleasantly surprised by the fact that “a classic hero” is not the main protagonist. I like the choice of a very young boy which doesn’t have almost anything special about him for a main character. It makes the game very realistic and somehow easier for a player to connect with the role. Additionally, it’s impossible not to sympathize with his role of a victim, thus he is a very likable character. The way he reacts to some things, for example the way he reacts to blood, the butchered dog, the creepy doll, is very realistic, just like the way he gradually gets used to the situation he is in. Takuma is one really enchanting character. The only flaw is the fact we don’t know a lot about him, except about his friendship with Chihiro and a girl named Mika.

On the other side, despite the story is short, it perfectly describes Chihiro. He makes a wonderful villain. The best thing about him is the fact that he is both a murderer and a victim. Chihiro provokes anger, disgust and sympathy. At first he appears to be a soulless monster but as the story develops he is shown to be a victim. He confuses me because I don’t know should I hate him or pity him. It’s wonderful because players tend to be sometimes sick of senseless villains with no reason to be evil except their wish to dominate. Chihiro is a really refreshing character. Seeing his tragic life makes me feel compassion for him, which is hard to pull off when it comes to villains. He is a masterpiece.

Graphics

A great atmosphere is created with just a couple of graphics and sometimes partially empty rooms but strangely enough, I think that adding more of them is not necessary. I like the decent, yet not over the top amount of gore but what I like the most are character’s faces, I love the style they are drawn in. I have just a few complaints. Some letters appear weird, for example the letters c and s continuously appear like they are slightly cropped. What bugged me the most is the lack of door animations, but it’s not anything that can’t be improved.

Atmosphere

I can’t pick what I should comment on the most. First off, the constant clock ticking adds the perfect amount of creepiness, as wells as the blood and Takuma’s comments. Also, the dog chasing Takuma gives me the thrill and the creeps I especially like. The doll was also the great addition and it’s one of the creepiest and the most disgusting things in the entire game. Seeing her makes me wish to slam the laptop shut which is exactly what one horror game should do. My favorite parts are the notes scattered around the game. The lines are creepy, something truly sick and mad. All those things make the perfect atmosphere, it’s really unique.

Endings

I love the multiple endings which can be achieved. It’s really creative and not easily encountered nowadays. It makes me wish to explore further, and prolongs the game. I have no complaints, as they fit the story perfectly. One thing saddened me though… I really didn’t wish Chihiro to die in the end. Maybe there is a chance for him to be revived. At least I had that feeling after I viewed the post credits scene.


Random things I disliked –
Despite the game is more of a visual novel, I still wish to see a battle or two around.

Random things I liked –
I loved the catchy title, it’s brilliant.
I adored the character’s names. It’s not really something so much important, but I do pay a lot of attention to it.
I think Shin is brilliant.
The dishes were really “creative”.
Takuma's lines after examining almost every object encourage exploration.

Overall impression –

Twisted, yet wonderful game which is able to satisfy even the strict “horror criteria”. It only takes a few hours to complete, and coupled with excellent atmosphere this game is a great choice for those who love horror and interesting, sad stories.