Well... first of all: Thanks to the devs. I've barely seen a game that gives me so much to think about and keeps me occupied - not only emotional but also on several other levels.
I guess I better start right off. For the superficial simplicity of the game it gives me way more joy than most other games actually can - Yeah I know it's a visual novel, but I rather stick to the term "game" even though it's wrong, yes.
Even though I want to stick this to the game, but I guess by going a bit off I am not doing anything wrong, because lots of things on the outside still matter, or to say, are affected by the things inside. It has brought me to a lot of stuff to think about, even about my very own life, and I guess that's the point where this really kicks in. It's not just about telling a story, it's also about giving the player some kind of rambling, affecting him emotional as well, in order to make it meaningful and therefore the player careful about his actions. I was pretty much frustrated about some things that turned out bad, even though I made the "wrong" (I don't really see a "wrong" thing here, because the ends are only ends to this particular slice of Hisaos Life) decision before - and by choosing a different path the next time I was pretty much surprised.
I yet have to finish all arcs, and I am far from being done here. But I guess that's okay - first of all, yeah, thanks for the Skip-Mode. It's good that I don't have to read things I've already witnessed again - which gets me straight to the point to say it's more fun to play again, because I'm not put in front of an obstacle which gives me time for second thoughts about replaying.
Aside from that - everything else is perfectly fine to me as well. I know that this sounds like I'd be only scratching the surface, but to be honest - I don't find much to bother, aside of two things.
1.) I sometimes engaged situations where I thought that Hisao seems a bit off. His emotions are clearly expressed via his thoughts and his words mostly careful chosen, so I get the impression of his self-control. But on the other hand, when he's in the hospital after running towards Lilly at the airport, I dunno. It's somewhat off to me - well maybe I'm a bit more emotional on that, but I think if I was on Hisaos place - and see Lilly again, I'd be crying like a little girl, so... maybe showing a bit more of expression, instead of just saying and thinking, would give him more life, even though the player's behind it with all of his emotions - so it's more of a neutral thing, not really bad.
2.) The second is more likely neutral as well. Even though you engage a single person, I'd be happy to see how the other girls were doing in the time between. I know that would raise lots of opportunities and stuff, but it would at least minimize this "odd" feeling of being all alone with the person you chose. But as I said, I think it's more neutral because of the focus. You just change priorities - and to be honest, spending more time with stuff you don't care about wouldn't be good either. So it's okay to me.
Aside from that - yeah, there's nothing which makes me mad at all. To be honest, everything is okay with the game, even the bad endings. And this is were the rest comes of - which might doesn't interest you as much, but I feel the need to tell you.
Being somewhat disabled myself, as stated in the forums before, I felt much resemblance to my own personal situation as well - yet on a different basis. Being autistic (Asperger's Syndrome) I still could see similiarities to my own life. When I got my diagnosis, not long ago, it was a somewhat hard thing for me to get through. Even though having a name for "what's wrong" doesn't change anything, you yet start to change your point on view on the matter. I need to take a bit more space in order to explain myself.
I often felt that I was the reason things didn't turn out well in my life and that things, like hypersensitivity, are just because I wasn't able to "man up". Even though there's no possibility to change it, as far as I know by now, I always felt like being a sissy for not ignoring it. I somewhat thought of myself as being normal, just like Hisao did before he had his heart attack - even though there was always the feeling of being "different" from others, which Hisao probably never dealt with.
But once I had my diagnosis, I somehow "arrived" and finally got the missing tile in my personal puzzle. And yet it caused new concerns. "Will I ever be able to have a lasting relationship?" "Will I be able to start a family?" "Can I ever do something big?" - I guess that's just a normal thing, because you might be afraid of being unable to do things which seem to be so natural for others.
But the more I've played the game, the more I felt like I was perfectly normal. Unique, like everyone else, and not reduced to the things which stop me from doing something. And having the NPCs saying: "It's only an elephant as long as you make it one" finally broke my chains. I came to the conclusion that there will be things, which are a problem to me, but not to other people, as well as there are problems for other ones which aren't problems to me.
It showed me that I can do things, like other people, but on my own way. It will take time and effort to find out how, but I see the chance for it now. I don't need to be afraid of what's coming up, as long as I don't go with an attitude like "Oh no, my Asperger's a problem here yada yada" - of course I probably won't ever feel comfortable around lots of strangers or be able to recognize a face of someone else easily (I am able to, but it needs lots of time), but that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy my life.
To cut short on this point: Thank you. Just... thank you for showing me this.
If I had a wish... well, probably more visual novels coming from you guys - even though I almost feel bad for saying: "WORK MORE". Oh... and even though if you guys would sell it, I'd be more than happy to pay for it. 60 Bucks aren't causing any concerns when I face the sheer quality of Katawa Shoujo.
Oh, and please, make more images like this one:
Hanakos such a sweetheart - and so thankful over something seemingly so little - it always brings me to the edge of crying. It's simply beautiful - even though I get the feeling that "beautiful" doesn't even nearly describes that feeling I get.
