Under the Stars is a wonderfully tender fairy tale about loneliness, growing up, and finding your place in the world - with people who understand you. It's a melancholic story that pulls at your heartstrings with its earnest heartfeltness.
The art is lovely, oftentimes painted in blues and pinks that give it a very ethereal, fairytale-like quality. The sprites are wonderfully expressive. I love the GUI, which also evokes that storybook feel, and the BGM is well-chosen, perfectly suiting the atmosphere and mood. The writing is incredibly poetic, painting the world and the characters just as much as the visuals (of course, it's a len game, how could it not be beautifully poetic...)
The characters, despite their differences, are all wonderful and likeable in their own ways (well, except Saruva). Dulari is deeply introspective, a gentle person who worries more for others than herself. Ezekiel is a big ball of sunshine. Leon is somber and melancholic, but at the same time he's very conscientious towards others. The jester is mysterious but never appears outright villainous - they always seem to be hiding something. Dulari's parents appear a bit less, but I appreciated the nuance in their portrayal - neither is a perfect ruler or a perfect partner, but you can tell that they try to be good parents.
===SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT===
I loved both of the "main routes." They share a similar structure, but I liked how well they showed Dulari's differing dynamics with Ezekiel and Leon. I like how the portrayal of the relationships are pretty much up to reader interpretation - whether they interpret them to be platonic or romantic. Even in the third ending, it's clear that the relationships between the three are as strong as ever - be it friendship, love, or anything else.
Each route really centers around Dulari having to adapt to how the "complexities of the adult world" are changing her friendships. She has been friends with both Ezekiel and Leon for a long time, and once upon a time those friendships were simple and easy. However, as they get older, Dulari feels guilty that Ezekiel is pressured to stay by her side and protect her; she wants him to have a life of his own. At the same time, Dulari's relationship with Leon is shaken by the death of his mother and his downward spiral into mourning. Over the course of the route, she has to navigate and overcome these "adult troubles," and in turn Ezekiel and Leon recognize Dulari's own struggles and support her in their own way.
Saruva as a villain is INCREDIBLY fitting. He is a wonderful contrast to Dulari. Saruva, like Dulari, appears to be a person who is "searching for someone" - a person for him. However, unlike Dulari, he does not see people as people - instead, he views them as "objects." He does not care about or respect the queen's feelings, he only cares that she loves him. He treats Iris as a tool and a form of entertainment. On the other hand, Dulari is conscious and sensitive to the people around her - almost overly so, and each route ends with her coming to a genuine understanding with her "love interest" - one that is tender, gentle, and wholly unselfish. At the end, it really feels like Saruva's toxic, solitary obsession is pitted against the understanding love between Dulari and Ezekiel/Leon.
On a more "societal" level, Saruva is also a good contrast to Dulari. Both Saruva and Dulari are nobles - privileged people who stand above the masses. However, Saruva is selfish, delighting in his wealth and privilege, partying all day with no care for the people. On the other hand, while Dulari is also privileged, she accepts it and seems to care genuinely for her people, worrying about fulfilling her duties to the kingdom. In the secret route, she even takes the time to understand Iris - that jester who is mocked and dismissed by everyone.
While the first two routes are good, I think that the game TRULY becomes something special with the addition of the secret route. Up until then, Dulari's "coming of age" mainly centers around understanding her own feelings, growing more confident in herself, and understanding the people around her. She is confronted with "the complicated feelings that the world of adults has," but she's not seriously challenged. In Iris' route, that changes. Iris is a person who was ripped from their childhood and their idyllic childhood dreams and thrust into a world in which they were mocked and used, subject to the whims of a selfish king; they hate the monarchy, and with good reason. At this point, Dulari is forced to confront the realities of her own privileges - how good her life has been, despite being born under the Star of Solitude. And despite this, she chooses to do her best - to reach out and offer kindness and understanding to someone who is even more unfortunate than she. It's a powerful statement about growing up, and a lesson that is useful to many - that growing up is about accepting harsh realities, showing gratitude for your blessings, and spreading good in the world however you can, even if you know that the world won't change so easily. I really appreciate that, in this route, you learn the "jester's" name - Iris. In that way, Dulari truly makes an effort to know and understand this person.
Overall, this is such a lovely game that I would recommend to just about everyone. Truly lencore! Fantastic work!