Hey author,
I enjoyed you game and will likely buy it once it's finished. But I really have to tell you about an issue I had with the game:
THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS:
When I started out, I got really frustrated that absolutely nothing about the world was explained. There was talk about the Overshadow, essence, ghosts - and it was not explained for a long time what those are. It sometimes felt more like a weird fever dream than a story. I was searching, if it was book two or got an explanation in the menu or it it's maybe an established universe that doesn't need explanation. Everything got explained eventually but much too late in the story. If you were going for "I don't explain anything and the reader should discover it themselves" unfortunately that didn't work out for me. This works best if the MC doesn't know as well, but here the MC has always been part of the world and knows what's going on, just the reader is kept in the dark. I will give you some points about what information would have been nice to have earlier (because I know as the author you know this and may lose focus about how it is for readers that know nothing):
- What is the Overshadow? It gets explained when you are in the void (I think), which is much too late. I was asking myself if it's a fancy word for the Underworld and if all dead go there. But then why are there humans? How can a king sent troops there? Since it's a more abstract concept than Underworld, it needs explanation early on.
- Essence/Chaos: I didn't have any idea for a long time what those are. The only explanation you get early about essence it locked behind the choice to make light in your room. I didn't do that the first playthrough. Than you get some when talking to Lotár about him wanting essence and that he has Chaos, but you have essece on mass. I still didn't know what those mean and was more confused than enlightened.
- Ghosts. For me it was not clear for a long time that MC is a ghost. It did get mentioned that they died a first time. But really, that could mean anything. Did someone bring them back? Are they a zombie, did time get reversed, whatever. What does it mean to be a ghost, what does it look like? Are they shine-through? How can people instantly tell that you are a ghost?
- Summoner: You get early on that MC is a summoner, but only later what that means. Also that you are and why you are special got explained later, but this is the leas issue for me.
I think a Glossary with explanation of those points would be enough to make the story much clearer. Or maybe in in-game explanation that is not only available with certain choices. Once you know what's going on, it's much easier to enjoy the game.
That said, I enjoyed the characters and played it with 3 different ROs so far. I hope to get more and looking forward for the whole thing.