"Ahhh! What is this nonsense! Why does this kind of storyline even exist!?"
"I never imagined I'd feel so uncomfortable over a little frog."
"When I saw that there were no extra options, I literally cracked!"
"That damn old thief! No matter what field, they're always throwing blades at me!!"
"Seriously, what kind of mental state was the old thief in when they made this game and these branching options!!?"
"The worst part is that I wanted a refund, but it's already been over two hours!!"
"I hate this puzzle game! But the amazing story keeps pulling me back in, I can't stop playing!"
"Story? What story?"
"?? You're playing a puzzle game, and you're not interested in the story? Isn't that like having breakfast without miso soup!?"
"Ahem, what I meant was, I'll finish the game first, then I'll explore the story. Is there any pro player here who can explain what this game's story is about?"
"Based on the current walkthrough, here's the rough storyline:
"Ellen's health has been bad, and no one ever plays with her. Even her parents don't Love her."
"So one day, she... well, she did something to her parents, and then a demon came and ate them."
"The demon took Ellen to this forest, thanked her for feeding it, and gave her a house."
"Then Ellen became a witch."
The demon said... if Ellen helps it find more humans, it'll teach her a spell to heal sickness."
"It seems like the protagonist was tricked into coming here, and now our goal is to help her escape this house."
"So that's the deal! But... I feel like the story's a bit too simple?"
"It's just a game, how complex did you think the story would be?"
"Honestly, if we ignore the frog part, the overall experience has been great. It's a bit difficult, but if you're careful, you can figure out how to pass the levels."
"As a newbie playing a puzzle game for the first time, the pace is quite comfortable for me."
"I don't like horror elements, and I was still scared."
"If you don't like horror, why even play this game? You're just asking for trouble!"
"Who told you this was the first game released by Warrior of Love and Hope-sensei? Of course, I'm supporting it!"
"After reading everyone's discussions, I've calmed down, so I'm continuing with the game now."
"Wtf!? How did that guy upstairs recover so quickly!?"
"It's just a game! If I don't let morality get in the way, I won't be upset over something this small."
"!! Thanks to the big shots for their ideas! Now I feel much better about it!"
"Feeling better now +1, definitely in the mood to continue playing!"
"..."
———————————————————————
From these comments, it's easy to see the players' thoughts.
Compared to anime or light novels, games have a much stronger sense of immersion.
Of course, not everyone feels sad or upset about it.
After all, all the side stories are meant to serve the character, and nothing's more important than progressing through the game!
In fact, some of the sharper players began to frown slightly, sensing an issue with the story.
"Strange."
Looking at the screen, Kasumigaoka Utaha frowned slightly.
There was something odd about this part of the story.
Since the game set up the levels from the beginning, no matter what decisions you made, they were inevitable.
But...
"This too calm."
Even when she saw an option, was worried for a moment.
She hesitated whether or not to proceed with this choice.
However, the protagonist in the game showed no emotional reaction.
Even after the frog resisted, there was still the option to [Force it in]
If there had been a description of hesitation or doubt before that [Force it in] option, it would've felt more natural, right?
She noted down this strange point in her mind, but without hesitation, she proceeded with the option.
Utaha was filled with intense curiosity about this game.
She couldn't wait to see what kind of twist might await her.
"The story seems too simple?"
Had she seen this comment, Utaha would have scoffed.
Looking back at all of his works since debut, not a single one had a simple story.
For someone who excelled at telling stories, how could this story-driven puzzle game not have a deeper plan behind it?
The form in which the twist would appear was the part that interested her most.
Though it was already quite late, staying up late had become routine for her in high school.
She had no intention of resting until she saw the conclusion of the story.
As she progressed, she discovered a new "Witch's Diary."
———————————————————————
[Afterwards, I... did the same to all the visitors.]
[Then, they were all eaten by this house.]
[But still, it wasn't enough.]
———————————————————————
Looking at the text on the screen, Utaha furrowed her brows slightly.
Even though she knew this was perfectly normal for a witch, it still made her feel uncomfortable.
There was a suffocating sense of oppression.
She noted down the story and continued her exploration.
This stage was noticeably harder than the previous ones.
Even someone as sharp as Utaha had died several times before she succeeded.
"As the game progresses, the difficulty increases."
This gradual increase in difficulty was a highly satisfying experience for the players.
At least, with the somber story background and dark visuals, the sense of satisfaction made them feel less overwhelming.
Entering the next room, facing a crying statue, Utaha chose to speak to it.
Nothing special triggered, so she walked directly to a small door nearby...
Two hours later, it was already just past 2 AM.
Utaha let out a soft breath.
"This should be the final one, right?"
Playing such a game late at night was a real test of mental fortitude.
Even Utaha had been startled by the "strange" things that suddenly moved during the game.
"Strange."
Why was there a dead black cat in front of the door?
She felt a bit puzzled, but didn't dwell on it.
She pushed open the door and entered the witch's room.
When she saw the environment inside, even though she had long grown accustomed to the dark and gloomy art style, Utaha couldn't help but frown.
Blood was scattered everywhere, sending a chill down her spine.
The bed sheets, which should have been white, were now stained crimson with blood, an alarming sight.
She paused for a few seconds, then started exploring the room with the character.
———————————————————————
[There's a tipped-over cup on the floor.]
[The bed is covered in blood.]
———————————————————————
The bookshelf.
———————————————————————
[It holds several books about magic.]
[The mirror is foggy, and nothing can be seen.]
[The Witch's Diary]
———————————————————————
[Read] [Don't read]
———————————————————————
"This should be the final one, right?"
What kind of ending would it be?
With curiosity, Utaha chose to read.
———————————————————————
[The sickness will soon take my life.]
———————————————————————
'Is this "My" referring to the witch?'
Just like the black cat said earlier, if left unattended, she would die soon.
———————————————————————
[So...]
[I need to take her body.]
———————————————————————
At this moment, the game's background music turned dark and gloomy, filling her with an ominous sense of foreboding.