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really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014



What is Rakuen?
Rakuen is a game that came out in May 2017, almost a year ago. It is an rpg maker game- WAIT DON'T GO IT'S GOOD I SWEAR.

While it is indeed an rpg maker game, with the inherent flaws contained within that engine, it is a really well done game that focuses on art, story, and music. The last point being the biggest one, as the game was lead by Laura "supershigi" Shigihara (url will contain music and character spoilers, though there may be some story spoilers if you search through her recent videos). You may be familiar with her if as the woman behind the Plants vs. Zombies ost way back when that was the hottest thing for a couple weeks. She also gained fame for being the creator of the song "Everything's Alright" from To the Moon, which was made by her friend Kan Gao, and recently helped him with his newly released game Finding Paradise a few months ago. Needless to say, she's been successful in terms of music and decided to try her hand at game development. The results of that, I will be showing off.

What's the spoiler policy?
Don't talk about anything we haven't seen. This game doesn't have much in gameplay, but makes up for it in beautiful music, art, and some good characters. As such, keep a lid on anything you know, and no wink wink nudge nudge either. No one likes that.

How good's the art?



I don't want to show off much from the future, but the first couple updates won't show off the games biggest strengths. So here's a little tease of some future goodness.

With all that said, let's jump in.





Update 1 - Boy Meets Yami
Update 2 - Boy Named ??? Meets Girl Named Sue
Update 3 - Boy Meets Uma



Update 4 - Boy Meets Leebles
Update 5 - Boy Meets Jacky
Update 6 - Boy Meets Morizora
Update 7 - Boy Meets Backtracking
Update 8 - Boy Meets Towel Cape Heroes



Update 9 - Winston Meets Boy
Update 10 - Winston's Love...
Update 11 - ...And Gemma's Light
Update 12 - Boy Meets Korshals



Update 13 - Tony's Forgotten Memory
Update 14 - Tony's Family
Update 15 - Tony's Children
Update 16 - Tony and Christina
Update 17 - Boy Meets Christina



Update 18 - Kisaburo Meets Kazuko
Update 19 - Boy Meets His Cousin
Update 20 - Boy Meets Monsieur
Update 21 - When Kazuko Met Kisaburo
Update 22 - Boy Meets Backtracking Again
Update 23 - Boy Meets...The Leeble Protection Agency!?



Update 24 - Sue Meets a Friend
Update 25 - Puchi Meets the Lonely Tree



Update 26 - Boy Meets the Stars
Update 27 - Boy and Sue Build a Little World



Update 28 - A Mother's Greatest Fear
Update 29 - A Mother's Longest Day
Update 30 - Boy Meets World
Update 31 - Sue's Tiny Planets
Bonus Update - Misc and Cut Content
Update 32 - Boy Meets His Hero

really queer Christmas fucked around with this message at 14:01 on May 18, 2018

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really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Reserved

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Update 1 - Boy Meets Yami





The Keepers (main menu)



Welcome to Rakuen! Though there is no intro video or anything of the like, we are greeted by a great menu song that I may or may not have listened to for hours. It's incredibly calming... yet has a sense of sadness to it.



That said, we can't sit here forever. Let us begin.



Storage Area





Our protagonist is this young boy in a hospital bed. He's just been woken up by some knocking at the door and this eerie red light.



No one responds to him, and so he tries to go back to sleep. A very sensible thing to do.







... Unless you're being watched by some creepy kid.

How'd you get in here?
Your door's unlocked man.
Oh.
Who are you?



Did you just move in or something?
No, I think I got here around the same time as you. But they never let me out of my room.
Oh... I'm sorry.
Eh, it's okay.
I sneak out at night when the nurses aren't watching.
Heh.



I promise.
So how long are you in here for?
I dunno... Mom says it could be a while.
Same here.
It gets really boring sometimes.
I know what you mean.

*Footsteps can be heard*



Sorry man, I gotta go.



Yeah?
Maybe I could visit you sometime.
It's not as boring when there's two.
You won't be able to get into my room.
I'm not even supposed to leave, remember?
Oh yeah...
But don't worry, I'll come visit you again.
I promise.



Yami?
Where'd you go?



Some time later...





Now we can move! It's really basic controls in this game, arrow keys to move, space/enter to perform an action, esc is the menu, etc. Though the "Q" key has a special use later...

Since we can move, let's go investigate the desk in our room.





We don't know the date, so its unclear how long ago this medication was administered. But as we are the only ones in the room, this was definitely given to us.



>The cabinet is empty



The front door is locked, presumably from the outside or Yami wouldn't have been able to get in. There's a door right next to us that leads to...



The bathroom of course! What else would be in a creepy perfectly normal hospital room?



Ah, now that we have light. We can do something important...



Fill the sink with water. We will be doing this...quite a few more times. Sometimes for mischief, other times to help people in need, and maybe other times just because we're a bored kid.

In order to progress, we need to check the door in the back of the room.



>There is a sign on the door... it says "Storage Area 5B. Patients not allowed beyond this point."

*The phone begins to ring*

We head over to the phone to answer it.



Hello dear it's Mom.
Mom!!
Just wanted to let you know that my train was delayed, so I'm going to be a bit late.
Oh...
Okay.



It's okay, Mom, I understand.
But I'm off work this week, and I dropped off your Little Brother at Grandma's. So... We'll be able to spend lots of time together! We can play games, I'll read to you, it'll be like our own little party!
Thanks, Mom.
I love you.
I love you, too.

:unsmith:

side note: the mom does have a portrait, but we aren't going to see it until later





These Grey Walls (hospital)

No one told me I couldn't walk around...
Hah!
Okay wise guy, I've got a couple things to tell you. First of all, some good news. Your tests have come back, and it turns out things are looking pretty good. In fact, I think it might be okay for you to walk around the halls a bit today.
You mean...
I get to leave my room?
Indeed.



Not so fast... there's something else I need to talk to you about.
This morning, the cafeteria reported that a lot of food and drink was stolen from the kitchen. Since the wing was all locked up last night, we believe the thief might still be in the building somewhere. So can you take a moment to just check and see if any of your belongings were stolen?
Okay.



*A shiny blue spot has appeared on the desk*

Oh no...
It's gone!!!
: Doctor, they took it...
They took Rakuen!

Well thats the quickest ending to a game I've seen. Guess we gotta get the ending dlc by opening up elite lootboxes to find out what happens next.

What did they take?
Rakuen. It's my favorite book in the whole world...
My Mom reads it to me every night, it's very special.
Are you completely sure you didn't just misplace it?



After Mom finishes reading, she ALWAYS puts it back in the same place.
It's our tradition!
Okay, calm down.
What did your book look like?
Hmm... It has a brown cover...
It looks very old...
And there is a clasp made of silver with a hole for a key.
Silver clasp, eh?



Well I'm really sorry about this... I can only imagine how important it must have been to you. I want you to know that we'll be doing all we can to track down the thief.
Mom's gonna be so sad...



The portraits are really nicely done. I know that it's not something unique to this game, but the art is so bright and happy, that when the characters are upset it helps to hit those gut punches a bit better.

You know what...
What?
Since you're allowed to leave your room today, why don't you go talk to some of the othjer folks around the floor?
Who knows... maybe someone will be able to help you get your book back.



Next time... we'll follow her out the door and see who else is in this hospital.

really queer Christmas fucked around with this message at 03:05 on Apr 15, 2018

ultrafilter
Aug 23, 2007

It's okay if you have any questions.


Looks interesting.

SystemLogoff
Feb 19, 2011

End Session?

This game looks cute. I'll be following this.

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Update 2 - Boy Named ??? Meets Girl Named Sue



These Grey Walls (hospital)



Welcome back, when we last left off, we were still stuck in our room. Now, we have freedom to explore the hospital and get to meet new folks that aren't creepy nihlistic kids!

First off, let's see what our doctor has to say.



Nothing good yet, so let's get to sleuthing! Let's start with that person behind the counter.



A kid being stuck in a hospital room isn't the greatest, but it's not the worst thing in the world, doctor.





Moving on to the room below us lets us meet another patient.





Say hello to Tony... a very grumpy and upset old man.

Get out!
It figures... When I want visitors no one shows up... But when I need peace and quiet, every idiot in the world has to come to my room...
And where is that nurse with my coffee!!

Uh ok, let's leave before this old man rips us into two.



He'll just growl at your like a big angry bear.
I heard that ya little brat!
See what I mean...

Yikes... well only one thing to check before we continue our investigation.



If you touch that music box, I'll break your hands!

Jeez Tony! This kid is like 8! Maybe give him a break, yea?

Opening the cabinet next to the nurse lets us nab 5G! The bathroom is locked so lets head out.





The sign says "KEEP OUT: Only authorized personnel allowed beyond this point."

On the door knob is an electronic device with a keycode labelled "Closet 5C"... but it's not on.

Things are stymied for now, but there are more people to talk to.





What's up?
Hey, I don't think we've formally met... I'm Cora. It's probably pretty easy to remember me because I'm the only girl in my grade with a pink mohawk!
Whoa, cool!
And don't worry, my mom knows...
She's the one who let me do it!

:allears:

Welcome to my first use of the word adorable. It will be getting a lot of air time, as there is so much that just makes me "aww" in this game. There's several kid characters and they all feel real.

Anyways, it was nice meeting ya!
Nice meeting you too, Cora.
Oh hey! Some friends and I are working together to do something special for the people on our floor here in the hospital!
Like what?
I'll have more details later... but if you find anything cool you'd want to donate, come talk to me!
Okay!
I know a lot of folks feel powerless when they have to stay here...
But here's the way I see it...



...or 8 minutes!
...
Point is, I'm gonna do everything I can to make good use of my time. Time's precious you know! If I could help just one person here to feel happier, then it'd all be worth it.
...

That got... suprisingly deepy for a conversation between two kids. Asking her what's up again, yields the following:

Sometimes I like to look for spare change around the hospital.
You'd be surprised how much is just laying around in cabinets and drawers!

I'm just working on my new painting...
How do you like my cat?
I gave her pink fur, heh heh heh.



Dude yeah! Chef Panky came out here earlier and he was NOT happy.

... Panky?

I guess the thief took a lot of food from the cafeteria kitchen.
How the heck did they get into the kitchen? You can't even get there from the cafeteria...
Believe me, I've tried!





Finally, some gossip!

>Tony

Just between you and me... I think Tony's hiding something.
he acts so grumpy all the time, but he's got this pretty little music box in his room that he guards with his life.
Why would a grumpy old dude like that have a sweet little music box?

>Sue

Sue's a sweetheart.
But she's obsessed.
Obsessed?
Yeah, I guess she had to move to the hospital before saying goodbye to her friend.
And that's pretty much all she talks about now.

>Jacky

Jacky's that guy over at the blood draw station.
He's cool.
A little weird...
... but cool.
If you ever need to know about anything technical, he's the guy to ask.

While we haven't met Jacky or Sue yet, we will very shortly. In fact Jacky is just right there.





Interested in learning about the Circulatory System? Platelets?



... Who seems to fit the definition of cool... but weird.

Ahem.



What's up?
Sometimes I like to contemplate things like... Why are there only two egg laying mammals in the world?
I'm sure many species could benefit from laying eggs!!
But so far, only the Platapus and Echidna families have hopped on that bandwagon.
Why, if I could lay eggs, I would be laying eggs all the time.



Uh... yeah... anyway. What else is up with Jacky?

In a world with so many new things to learn, no one needs to be bored.
For example, did you know that a neutron star is SO dense that a teaspoonful of its matter would weigh more than...
ALL THE PEOPLE ON EARTH!?!?!
I don't know what that means.
One day you will...
And then it will BLOW YOUR MIND!
...



Come here... I'll let you in on a little secret... Have you noticed anything... strange about this hospital?
Hmm...
Not really.
A while back, I started noticing cryptic little messages written all over the place. And last night, I saw someone go into that closet south of Tony's room, but... I was told that closet has been locked since before I started working here! I'm pretty sure they were not staff.

How does a storage closet stay closed for months at a time? No one needs to use storage in a hospital??

What did they look like?
I only saw them out of the corner of my eye, and for but a second... so unfortunately I could not say.





>Panky

The children love Chef Panky. If he notices someone is having a bad day, he'll give them ice cream.

I'm pretty sure he's just bribing them so they don't mock his name.

Ah ice cream, using the scientific secret of salt to lower the freezing point of ice in order to freeze the cream. Genius!

>Kisaburo

I knew Kisaburo back before his mind started going... We spoke often.
It's sad to see someone's mental condition deteriorate like that.
What do you mean?
Well, for example...
Recently, the staff found him outside digging in the mud again... He was on his hands and knees, making piles of mud using spoons he got from the kitchen...


I'm...not sure you should talk about a patient like that doctor.

But hey... maybe he knows something we don't. Maybe he was looking for...
BURIED TREASURE!
...

Jacky realizing he upset the boy and trying to make him feel better. :unsmith:

...or Jacky could believe he is actually searching for buried treasure. Could go either way, honestly.

>Danielle

Danielle is the purple-haired girl who hangs out in the cafeteria.
She sews the most marvelous plushies for the patients here!

And that's it for Jacky! Cool... but weird... but cool, is spot on, honestly.



Yeah. Apparently, the toliet in Sue's room is broken now. Can you do anything about it?
I'm a nurse, not a plumber. I don't even know HOW to fix a toliet.
Well someone has to do it. You know we're short staffed.
Fine. I'll go see if I can dig up some supplies.





And my stomach is growling! What I wouldn't give for a Peanut Chew Chew!

Ah, a hint at progress. Well, let's go follow the nurse in.





If you have to go, you should probably find a different bathroom.

Guess the nurse decided to use this as an excuse to take a break for the day. Don't worry, we aren't narcs. Let's talk to that man standing up next to that patient's bed.





What's up?
My wife's been asleep for months now.
But I still talk with her everyday, and sometimes I read to her.
I also heard that you created an entire set of armor out of paper!
That's quite impressive!



Have you noticed that some of the doors around here have electronic passcode devices? I've been told that those areas have long been closed off, even to the staff...
But recently, I noticed that one of the devices had been turned on.





>Sue

On occasion I've had to take Sue back to her room; she has a habit of walking around aimlessly on certain nights.

>Tony

I believe Tony hasn't talked with his family in a long while.

Shocking

It makes me sad to think that families can be torn apart just because people don't see eye to eye on something.

>Cora

I heard that Cora and her friends have been working on a special project to boost morale around the hospital.
Last I heard, they were calling themselves the "Towel Cape Heroes."

That's adorable Cora.

That's all Winston has to say. He's not very talkative, which is a bit understandable as he's likely very tired.

Checking the counter reveals...





...that his wife may not be waking up. :smith:

Heading to the bathroom reveals that it's locked but does seem to get the attention of the other patient.





I... um...

To be fair, we don't even know why we're going in there. Other than it's a game and progress is behind that door.





Ok, lets go talk to Sue.



Well...
I guess...?
Yeah I get it... we all gotta go sometimes.
But I can't let just anyone use our bathroom... it is a girl's room ya know!
Gosh... it looks like you really gotta go though...

Our boy is apparently a great actor to not reveal he has his own bathroom.

Hmm...
Well... how 'bout this. See that jar next to me?



Yup!
That's my marble collection.
I'm missing some though... I was carrying a bunch of them around in my pocket, and I'm pretty sure some fell out... If you could find me just one, I'd let you use our bathroom whenever you want. Do you think you could do that for me?
I'll try my best!
Thank-you. The last place I was playing was with Danielle in the cafeteria. So you might wanna check around there.

And with that, we have a new goal.



Heading back into the hallways, lets first check on the rest of the rooms and talk to other patients.







It's good to see you walking around again.

Awww. Kisaburo was the one that Jacky said had mental degredation. So that he remembers us is really cool.



What's up?
It seems these days it's getting harder and harder to find the words.
Either that, or people just aren't listening.
But you know, if it's my time to leave this world, then I'm ready to go.
I just want to make sure I say the things I need to say before it's too late.
What are you drinking?
Hah. Does it smell that bad? It's a new kind of tea I've been experimenting with.
The nurses don't seem too thrilled about me drinking "experimental things"...
But I don't care. Folks here don't seem thrilled with a lot of the things I do.
...



I've been telling the nurses for a long time that someone has been sneaking around here after hours.
I heard they were stealing food from the cafeteria kitchen... Which means they obviously have some way of getting into parts of the hospital that we patients don't have access to.
What, were they crawling through the vents? You'd have to be pretty small to fit through there.

It uh... wasn't us, I swear! We just got control of the boy this morning!





I'm not one for gossip.

Wow, the first person to not wanna blab about everyone else here. That's it for Kisaburo, though his room has some interesting things like 5G in the cabinet next to the empty bed.





It is my recommendation to begin administering antipsychotic medication. Please refer to the list of hallucinations and delusions.

>Page 2 (torn)
10-21: Was found climbing ladder in construction zone 5b. When questioned, replied that he intended to make a hole in the ceiling.
10-28: Was found in the yard digging in the mud. Completely unresponsive when questioned. Appeared to be unaware of location/time.
11-2: Carrying bags of...

That's it for Kisaburo, lets check out that last room. It's where Yami's staying.



And it's locked as expected. Guess the kid tries to flee constantly. Let's talk to that wondering doctor.



Who, potentially drops a hint alongside that key. There's four lockers in this room, one contains 5G, the rest nothing but scrubs, as it is a hospital.









With that locked off, only one other place to check.





The cafeteria! First off let's check these plushies next to us.



It looks like there's something underneath one of the toys... You found a Snowy Marble!

Now we can go back and talk to Sue, but first let's talk to the people in the cafeteria.





My vision is really bad.
Get it outta here, Danielle!
Yeah, yeah whatever. Panky is the WORST!!

A nice introduction to both of them, before we've even said a word to either. Let's start with Danielle.



What's up?
I'm just finishing up a batch of plushies. My goal is to make one for all the patients on the floor. Even old cranky men like Tony and Panky.
Eh! I heard that!
Good!



Don't tell anyone I told you this, but... You know how some of the doors around here have those electronic lock box things on them? I heard that they keep the password somewhere behind the reception desk that's across from Kisaburo's room. What do you think is beyond those doors?
You mean you haven't been there?
What? No, of course not... I'm just a volunteer.



Hmm, not really a fan tbh.



OK JEEZ YES I LOVE THEM.



Aren't they the best?? I have like 4 of them at home.
If all goes well, I'll have lucky number 5 by the end of the year.





Ah, we found the town gossip.

>Winston

Have you noticed... Winston's wife doesn't have her wedding band on. Don't you think that's a little strange? I mean, Winston is still wearing his...

Oh man, I really hope they weren't having issues before she went into the coma. :smith:

>Tony

I know Tony seems like the biggest grump on the planet, but I can tell that he's just a bit lonely.
I bet if you brought him some coffee he'd open up to you a bit.

More future goals to add to the list.

>Sue

Sue didn't used to be so poor. But I heard that her father drank a bit too much, and gambled away all their savings.

Jesus Christ Danielle, maybe have a bit more tact about telling an 8 year old that.

And with that, we bid adieu to Danielle. Let's see what that lady has to say.



Just a progress blocker then. Let's talk to Panky and see what the chef has for us.



You need something?
What's up?
Did ya hear? They finally stocked the vending machine out in the hospital hall with Peanut Chew Chews. The Shift Leader was in here the other day beggin' us to do it!
Guess It's not just kids who like 'em, eh?
Anyway... I used to work for a big fancy restaurant. Pay was good, but I didn't really enjoy it.



Oh yeah... someone came in here and took a bunch of food and drinks. Ain't no way they got in here through the cafeteria. See that metal door up there? It comes down after hours and NO one gets through that. So I bet they somehow got into the backspace.
The backspace?
Yeah... it's a network of colsed off passageways. Half-built rooms, storage closets, you know. The aftermath of... well yeah. It's crazy back there.





>Danielle

Don't tell her I said this, but... Danielle's got a heart of gold. She spends her free time comin' in here and sewing toys for all the patients. And REALLY don't tell her I said this... She's a bit of a crazy cat lady.
I HEARD THAT!
Eh, what can I say? It's true!
Yeah... it is.

Aww, that's adorable.

>Kisaburo

If that Kisaburo comes in here one more time "borrowing" my stuff, I swear...
Borrowing?
Oh yeah... He took all my soup ladles! Andf for what? To go digging in the mud outside to look for "buried treasure." I feel bad for the guy though... it's never easy when one starts losing their mind like that... Must be even tougher for his family.
...

>Jacky

Jacky's a smart guy. Sometimes I think he's on another planet, but if there's one thing we can talk about, it's food. Of course, we have different methods. He's all science, he cooks with his brain.
I cook with my heart.

Well that's everyone on the floor! Next time, we'll give the marble to Sue and see what's inside that bathroom.

really queer Christmas fucked around with this message at 05:34 on Apr 19, 2018

ultrafilter
Aug 23, 2007

It's okay if you have any questions.


really queer Christmas posted:

10-21: Was found climbing ladder in construction zone 5b. When questioned, replied that he intended to make a hole in the ceiling.

That is a perfectly valid reason to be climbing a ladder.

Junpei
Oct 4, 2015
Probation
Can't post for 11 years!
...so far I can't tell if this an RPG made in RPG Maker, or a VN made in RPG Maker (ala. the original Corpse Party).

cant cook creole bream
Aug 15, 2011
I think Fahrenheit is better for weather

ultrafilter posted:

That is a perfectly valid reason to be climbing a ladder.

How else would you do it? Jumping really high?

Ilove the colorful artstyle and the cute Characters of this game. Will definetly follows this. I might even play it myself at some point.

cant cook creole bream fucked around with this message at 18:10 on Apr 16, 2018

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Update 3 - Boy Meets Uma



These Grey Walls (hospital)



Last we left off, we had met everyone in our wing of the hospital. We found Sue's marble and were going to give it to her so she'll let us go in her bathroom because, uh... well I'm sure it'll make sense.









You give the Snowy Marble to Sue.

:siren: :siren:

Tiny Planets



Snow world?
Shhhh...
Can you keep a secret?
Yes.
These aren't just marbles, you know...
They're little world! All of these are tiny planets...
With tiny people living inside!
That's why it's so important for me to find them all... This swirly-white marble is a snow world. It's snowing all the time here! I know that might sound boring...
But it's not!



What kinds of parties?
Snowman dance parties!
I love dancing!
Me too!
Oh!



But if we went there, we wouldn't freeze. The snowmen make a magical drink that can keep a person warm!
So we could dance with them, and never get too cold!
That sounds great!
Thanks for helping me. I feel better now that they're back with me.
My name's Sue... it's nice to meet another kid around here. Oh yeah... and feel free to use our bathroom anytime you want.
If you find any more of my marbles, do you think you could bring them to me?
Of course.
Thanks so much.

As someone who loves the snow, I'd totally party with some snowmen. Though their drugs would likely give you a brainfreeze...

Also, we are definitely going to be giving all the marbles to Sue. I think the last two are optional which are drat near criminal. These scenes are some of the best in the game.



These Grey Walls (hospital)



Anyway, we can now talk to Sue about the same topics that everyone else got. One more quick ask and answer session before progressing.

What's up?
Did you make your hat? I can only make two things out of folding paper: A box and a crane.
That's still pretty good.
Heh thanks for sayin' that.
Have you been on the roof before? There are plants growing up there.
I miss my friend so much. If she was here, we'd go up there together.

If you recall, Cora said Sue was obssessed about her friend, though this is our first real show of that.



Not really. I heard that they stole food from the cafeteria. It makes me wonder...
What if that person was just hungry, and couldn't find food anywhere else?
I feel bad for them.

Interesting that she's the first person who brings that line of thinking up.





>Winston

Winston's wife's been in a coma for a long time. The doctors don't know when or if she's gonna wake up...
It's really sad, you know. Sometimes I hear Winston say things to her, even though she's asleep...
He apologizes a lot, and asks, "can you hear me?"

Combine this with her wedding ring not being on... makes for some upsetting implications.

>Cora

Cora's one of the older kids, so she's more brave. Don't tell her I told you this, but... Cora told me that she's been to parts of the hospital that kids aren't supposed to go to...
I think she's even seen the staff room!



Shhhhhhh!
Sorry...
What do they keep in there?
Lots of diet soda.

>Danielle

Danielle said she is going to make me a new toy! I haven't had a new toy in a long time, so I'm very excited.

She better, considering she's gossiping about this poor kid.

Sue's now out of things to talk about so let's see what's in this vaunted bathroom.





...Ok a bathroom just having a special boarded up room is uh, worth investigating. Sadly, we don't have anything to take down the boards. So that area is locked off for now.



First we need to mark our territory.



Then check the toliet because of course!

*sound of toliet flushing*



My real life experience tells me, dude no it was in the toliet. But my video game experience tells me, all the cool kids do it.



And that was the key the doctor was talking about. Not sure why he has the key to the bathroom, but we know where our next objective is!









Tony's bathroom has a red light instead. Probably has to do with that giant switch on the wall.



Yes, I'm going to keep doing that. No, there is no point.





5C Power Supply. DO NOT TAMPER WITH THIS DEVICE.

As a young boy, we don't under stand the word "Not".

>Pull Lever Down

The power is now on! However, we don't know the passcode to get past the door anyway. One of the patients mentioned the receptionist desk having the code though...



The shift leader is angrily standing in our way though. She was pretty hungry though, maybe we should get her something to eat?



You received Peanut Chew Chews.

We have the vending machine's last candy item. We are now the most powerful person in the whole hospital.



You offered her a Peanut Chew Chews.



Wow...Thank-you. I haven't eaten anything all day. I guess they won't mind if I go take a short break.



Score! Time to check behind the counter.



>Upper Shelf

An assortment of books and pamphlets line the shelves. A news paper clipping is sticking out from between two of the books.
19 March (JNR) - Already strapped for resources, hospitals are unable to accomodate new patients.

>Middle Shelf

Several years worth of medical journals.

>Lower Cabinet

Folders filled with medical forms. A laminated card is clipped to the back of one of the folders. Closet 5C Passcode: 1721

Jackpot! Now to head back to the closet door and see what's inside.





Storage Area



Uhhhhhhhhhhh. We should find an adult... but we're a brave kid. Let's keep exploring.



Please begin transfer of medical supplies to the 2nd floor storage wing immediately... Someone has etched something into the edge of the bulletin board. It says:



Strange people, weird messages, no lights. Nothing bad could possibly happen from continuing to explore. Let's check the journal next to the lamp.

Someone's weathered journal. We weren't able to keep everyone alive, but we tried our best.

Ah good, we've upgraded from weird to creepy messages.



>Upper Shelf

An assortment of books and pamphlets line the shelves. A newspaper clipping is sticking out from between two of the books.
14 March (JNR) - The NSA said the number of people exposed to radiation was expected to rise. Workers in protective clothing scanned people arriving at evacuation centres for radioactive exposure.

Wait, I didn't sign up for a post-apocalyptic game.

>Middle Shelf

Several years worth of medical journals.

>Lower Cabinet.

Folders filled with medical forms. It looks like there's something beneath the folders. You found a Key: Small Cabinet

That'll be for the cabinet next to the bookshelf, and the last thing to examine in this room.



There is a laminated card laying at the bottom of the drawer: Exit 5C Passcode: 2954

With that, we can follow that strange man into the next room.







The scooby doo chase sequence will have to be put on hold until we can open the next door.



Now that the lights are on, we know that there's going to be a box puzzle. *booing is heard from the crowd*

The only interesting thing to examine is this note to the side.



Please make sure all personal materials are removed before then.



Well, lets get to box pushing.









Pulling the level unlocks the door on the other side of the room.



And here's the side area. A side area to a storage closet that we are several rooms deep, for the record.

Opening the locker reveals a lab coat and scrubs. But also...



Progress!







... The hell kind of storage closet are we in?

Investigating the doors reveal we need a key card to open them. So let's check the desk.



>Folder 1
A construction contract for the rebuilding of the 3rd floor, wing 2B.

a winged 2B, huh? There's probably fan art of that out there.

>Folder 2

You received a Card Key.
Joji, remember to remove the card key when you're done this, okay? We can't just go leaving doors open... I don't wanna get in trouble again.

>Folder 3

You found 5G.

We found progress, and some money. These are now my favorite of folders.

Well, we've got only one card key, and there's two doors to the north of us. So, let's check the other one first.





The desk has bills and tax forms on them, while the locker contains our 2nd key card!



As we were reminded, we need to remove the card key to use it again. I forgot about this my first time through and spent quite a bit of time wandering the hospital trying to figure out what to do. Alcohol may have been involved

Moving on, we can now insert the two card keys in the doors on the left to check out that locker which contains...



The final card key! That was exciting wasn't it? This is the first major gameplay section and...it kinda blows to be honest. As to be expected, rpg maker games aren't going to produce interesting gameplay unless you do something neat with turn based style fights. This game, being half visual novel, tries to still have some kinda gameplay investment for the player- with mixed results. Considering sections like these die off over the course of the game, I feel like the devs did notice this and started sticking to their strengths- for the better in my opinion.

Regardless, the scooby doo chase can now recommence.







Oh jeez, again? How much longer will we have to do this?



The boy agrees.

*A blue light begins shining on the desk*







Uhhhhhhhhhhh, we should go find that adult now.



Who are you?
Oh, I'm no one important. But if you want to call me something, you can call me Uma.



Fish Heads

Are you the one who's been stealing food from the cafeteria?
Did you take our book?
Heh. I guess you kinda caught me red handed...
Why would you steal from a hospital?
I'm hungry. Down on my luck. What do you want me to say, kid?
Wait...



For now. Not much of a home, but it beats sleeping on the streets, heh.
Oh...
I'm sorry you don't have a real home...
Eh, you get used to it after a while. So kid, are you hungry? I've got a bit of fish head left from last week if you'd like.

... week old fish wouldn't just smell, I'm pretty sure your gut would just explode from the contact.

Uh...
... That's okay.
But thank-you.



I'm really sorry I took your book. Please... take it back and forgive me for my lapse in judgement.
It's okay...
I do weird things when I'm hungry, too.

You received Rakuen.

And I promise that as soon as I get back on my feet, I'll pay the Chef back for all the food I took. I just need some time to figure things out...
I understand.
Oh! One more thing... If I tell you a secret about this hospital, will you promise not to tell the staff that I'm here?
Okay. I promise.





Ahh giving a kid an unsolveable riddle as a secret. The oldest trick in the book. Except this one is uh, really easy.

...?

... Well, easy to an adult I guess.





Would you believe me if I said we talked to a magical old man hobo?

I...
Um...
Well I don't know how you got in here, but this area is off limits.
Anyways, come with me... Your Mom is here.





Tell me a Story






:unsmith:



Will you read Rakuen to me, Mom?
Of course I will.





One Wish









At first, the Boy was very afraid.





For it has been said that Morizora would grant one wish to anyone who was able to complete his challenges.



He fought evil spirits... visited many lands...





A ride on his magical boat. The Boy was now able to sail away, finally reuniting with his tribe and all those he loved... In the beautiful world...



really queer Christmas fucked around with this message at 22:46 on Apr 17, 2018

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

I won't be updating daily anymore, I just wanted to get to the story bit because I was having issues with videos. I will try and stick to 2 or 3 a week though, depending on circumstances.

cant cook creole bream
Aug 15, 2011
I think Fahrenheit is better for weather
That book story has basically no tension curve. "Everyone was gone, so the boy did some favors for a demigod. He fought some, befriended others and finally followed the other guys. The end." You'd think that the book would go a bit more into detail, but maybe the mother is reading the abridged version.
While the characters are cute so far, I'll admit that the gameplay looks a bit tedious.

By the way, I just noticed that Cora's hair has the form and color of the paintbrush in her hand. :3:

And the solution of the riddle is a tooth.

Nah, that was the first thing I thought of, but it''s obviously A mirror. And definitely not a reflection. Screw you, Gaunter O'Dimm.

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

cant cook creole bream posted:

That book story has basically no tension curve. "Everyone was gone, so the boy did some favors for a demigod. He fought some, befriended others and finally followed the other guys. The end." You'd think that the book would go a bit more into detail, but maybe the mother is reading the abridged version.
While the characters are cute so far, I'll admit that the gameplay looks a bit tedious.

By the way, I just noticed that Cora's hair has the form and color of the paintbrush in her hand. :3:

And the solution of the riddle is a tooth.

Nah, that was the first thing I thought of, but it''s obviously A mirror. And definitely not a reflection. Screw you, Gaunter O'Dimm.

This game is a good lp game. The parts worth experience from the game (art, characters, writing, music) can easily be gotten without having to deal with the part that isn’t worth experiencing- the gameplay.

Though, as mentioned, things will eventually pick up.

Also, I didn’t notice that about Cora! :3:

Gloomy Rube
Mar 4, 2008



My only problem with this LP is how you talk about it being an RPG maker game as though that were a bad thing!

Anyway, I've had this game on my wishlist for a while and so far it looks extremely cute :3:

Mraagvpeine
Nov 4, 2014

I won this avatar on a technicality this thick.
This is a charming game.

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Gloomy Rube posted:

My only problem with this LP is how you talk about it being an RPG maker game as though that were a bad thing!

Anyway, I've had this game on my wishlist for a while and so far it looks extremely cute :3:

Haha, I’m being a bit hyperbolic. I’ve played and seen lps of rpg maker games, but I know they aren’t for everyone and the engine itself has a lot of limitations. The game being either 640x480 or upscaled full screen, is one of them.

Mraagvpeine posted:

This is a charming game.

:yeah:

I’ve got another update ready...but it’s kinda heavy so I’m going to wait in hopes we hit another page.

As well, I went back and edited the sprites to line up with the text. It was bugging me and didn’t look good, if that was bothering anyone.

Araxxor
Oct 20, 2012

My disdain for you all knows no bounds.
If you're worried about flooding the thread with too many images on one page, you can shove updates onto the test poster and put a link to it.

ultrafilter
Aug 23, 2007

It's okay if you have any questions.


really queer Christmas posted:

I’ve got another update ready...but it’s kinda heavy so I’m going to wait in hopes we hit another page.

We need 22 more replies for the next page, and so far there's just not a lot to talk about. Go ahead and use the test poster.

Zoe
Jan 19, 2007
Hair Elf
Everyone is so likeable and cute so far, I hope nothing bad happens to them. :ohdear:

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

This game is loving adorable.

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

I didn't think to use the test poster! Thanks guys!

Update 4 - Boy Meets Leebles

SystemLogoff
Feb 19, 2011

End Session?

This game better not have the kid die at the end :argh:

It's way too cute.

Junpei
Oct 4, 2015
Probation
Can't post for 11 years!
I don't trust Yami.

Eyepatch + black hair + name is Japanese for "darkness" or "shadow" is not a good sign.

Is the name Rakuen Japanese as well? What does it mean if so?

Materant
Jul 22, 2010

see, what you don't understand is he now has

THE MANLIEST MUSTACHE

it defies physics


Junpei posted:

I don't trust Yami.

Eyepatch + black hair + name is Japanese for "darkness" or "shadow" is not a good sign.

Is the name Rakuen Japanese as well? What does it mean if so?

"Rakuen" means paradise, synonymous with Eden.

That's... probably not a good comparison to draw with the terminally ill kid, is it? :smith:

Ashsaber
Oct 24, 2010

Deploying Swordbreakers!
College Slice
Huh, Uma really is a literal magic hobo, it seems.

cant cook creole bream
Aug 15, 2011
I think Fahrenheit is better for weather
Steam suggested that I may like this game. So yeah, I bought it.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Nissin Cup Nudist
Sep 3, 2011

Sleep with one eye open

We're off to Gritty Gritty land




Please don't be a dying kid's fever dream

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Update 5 - Boy Meets Jacky

We enter the caves and meet new creatures and characters.

really queer Christmas fucked around with this message at 02:09 on May 2, 2018

limeicebreakers
May 1, 2017

NO HOLDS BARD!

Man, I hope we get to see Sue's friend soon. (And not just hear about her in passing!)

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.
Oh my god the sapling and its feet are so cute, I love this game.

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

limeicebreakers posted:

NO HOLDS BARD!

Man, I hope we get to see Sue's friend soon. (And not just hear about her in passing!)

In case people didn’t know, both of those gifs are clickable for sound. As well as a couple other gifs from the second update.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

limeicebreakers posted:

NO HOLDS BARD!!!

fixed

limeicebreakers
May 1, 2017

really queer Christmas posted:

In case people didn’t know, both of those gifs are clickable for sound. As well as a couple other gifs from the second update.

Oh huh. I'll have to check that out later! That's what I get for reading on mobile...

EDIT: That's sick.

limeicebreakers fucked around with this message at 23:53 on Apr 19, 2018

Tenebrais
Sep 2, 2011

limeicebreakers posted:

Man, I hope we get to see Sue's friend soon. (And not just hear about her in passing!)

I'm kind of picking up a sense that we're more likely to hear about her passing...

This game looks very sweet, and also very melancholy. I'm liking it!

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Update 6 - Boy Meets Morizora

We meet Morizora and are given a quest to help the land.

limeicebreakers
May 1, 2017

really queer Christmas posted:

Hey little dude, is that like, your Mom?
Yes.
Moms are totally cool.

:allears:

Now that I look back on it, that whole sequence was a long string of fetch quests. The charming dialogue badshrooms distracted me. :argh:

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Update 7 - Boy Meets Backtracking

Today, our mom lets us get an axe.

limeicebreakers posted:

:allears:

Now that I look back on it, that whole sequence was a long string of fetch quests. The charming dialogue badshrooms distracted me. :argh:

The caves are the gameplay at its near peak. The left hand distracting you with good dialogue, pretty art, and cute characters, while the right hand grabs its tax of fetch quests. On Monday, we'll see the gameplay...at its absolute worst.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

Can't wait to see all the new friends we'll make with our new axe.

cant cook creole bream
Aug 15, 2011
I think Fahrenheit is better for weather

Really Pants posted:

Can't wait to see all the new friends we'll make with our new axe.

Why would we need other friends if we have an axe friend?


This game really is one of those games which feels best in LP format. The gameplay can be a bit tedious. Luckily, we will mostly Just see the good parts.

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really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Really Pants posted:

Can't wait to see all the new friends we'll make with our new axe.
Extremely minor spoiler from future update:

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