Okay, wow. I already expected this to be good from the looks of it, but this is really INCREDIBLE!!! The writing is super immersive, the art is STUNNING, the voice acting is really well done, and I love the music too!! I really loved The Guide's ending! He and Bemelle are my favourite characters! This was so well made in every way.
this game is my #1 hyperfixation. talk to me about it and i will be rambling endlessly for hours. source: the gb patch games discord where i and a select few other fellow hyperfixates have gathered. although finished with no new content, this truly is a game i come back to at least once a year for the past six years it's been out.
every character is thoroughly developed and fleshed, every relationship sincere and thorough (and offering good endings to neutral, positive, or romantic relationships with all of the available characters without taking away from one another), the worldbuilding is fantastically well thought out and considered... it's crazy that only one person made this game. and released it for free.
this game does require a handful of replays to properly grasp, however, but i do think it's absolutely a must play for everyone. it's atmospherically horror enough to capture the psycho-horror vibe without relying on shock factor (there's a few "jump scares" that are moreso the characters being startled than the scream + png you typically get). it's very soft in that regard, though, so if you're looking for ddlc-esque topics then you won't find it here.
its story formula really fits well. the first half of the game sets the scene & builds the world, then the second half executes the characters & begins to flesh out the inner bits of what's going on in this story. the true ending pursues a third "half" in a way, where it completely brings the game together and recontextualizes the overarching story without taking away from the other characters involved.
everyone has their own struggle and life; everyone has their own purposes and origins. but that struggle brings them to this hellhole called sinnlos, and as kikka, you can help them learn to come to peace with that as much as themselves. including kikka--who realizes and comes to terms with a bit of herself in every ending. i can't think of a single flaw in the game. genuinely.
again, i recommend this game, and i hope everyone enjoys it as much as i did and still do. it's a genuinely lifechanging game for me.
hello, Okay I read every comments here about guide's story and endings... I swear I tried many things but I still can't get anything else than (SPOILERS!!) the ending where him and I die. I searched everything and anything but couldn't find a "good ending"... Please give me even once advice, I'm desesperate lol... xD
But for one tip, you have to get on the guide's path but once you're on it you can't be 100% fixated on him. That leads to Kikka making a more desperate choice at the end. Things are "better" if she stays more grounded. Trying to rack up affection points isn't a great plan with a man like him.
Hi. I'm a blind player who really wants to play this game. the self-voicing feature works, but i can't read any choices or menus, only the main story. Could you maybe help?
I'm sorry that doesn't work! I'm afraid I don't know why. We might be able to get it to work, but it could be a problem with the engine we made the game in.
it's worked perfectly in other games made in renpi. maybe you could add text/descriptions to the buttons and/or images. there might be some free tools here on itch to help, i found some, not sure if they'll be useful here.
I have a question. Does the Guide romance route have two alternates? I keep getting the one where he hugs you and we both end up in the water. Please help. I want a better ending with him! Great game, btw. I've been playing and replaying it for days!!
There is an alternate ending with the guide. If during his route you make a choice where Kikka doesn't feel interest/affection for him, she'll come to a different decision on how to handle the last moments of the story and it goes another way.
And there is an even more alternate ending you can get that highlights him, but it's through an entirely different path.
I'm not sure I've encountered a VN that has engrossed me as much as this one did. From my very first (highly unsuccessful) playthrough I knew I had to play and replay and replay this one until I unveiled the truth.
All of the characters are endearing in their own way, and also have human elements that can make them irritating, and yet I always felt a moral duty to try and get everyone across this darn lake in one piece.
I will proffer one piece of advice. Stick with this one, because no matter how many times you traverse this game there's something else lurking around waiting to be discovered. Explore every route, pay attention to those response options and prepare to die, die and die again!
An absolute corker of a game, one of the best VNs I've ever played.
I'm trying to get Lu's ending but I keep getting the one where he gets executed. As far as I know, there is another ending. Anyone know how to get that??
I got the True Ending where the secret of the Nixi is revealed to us and I must say, I'm not disappointed at all. I love how nuanced this game is. The guide was indeed right when he said that death wasnt always the worst outcome in some situations.
kjjdfkldaslkgh I'm screaming. I've tried to get the guide's route four or five times and I finally got a few different endings and did I just die in the best one? I got all four points and the cg with a scene longer than "go away and never come back" / "Okay, I guess I will" and everything... I am missing his top left cg though? Are all of his endings just going away and living or staying and dying?
When I picked this game to suffer, I didn't think I'd romantically suffer too. Excuse me while I go laugh and cry.
Maybe someday! I'm glad you like it. Horror is my favorite genre to play personally, but I also like making people happy so right now our next major project is a very pleasant game, haha.
I swear I the guide to romance him but instead he falls in the water and me, Margaret, and the guide survives and the game ends. I need help please!!!!
Go past the part where he falls in and when the Guide leaves you and Margret alone, decide to go over and see what's going on with the guide instead of staying with her.
I'm happy it worked out! For Margret's last CG, you need to spend your time with her, be understanding towards her, make sure she doesn't die, and only lose one person (Bem or Lu, but not both) on the first night. On the second night you need to help the guide when he's in trouble on the shore, then eventually, choose to stick behind with Margret and survive the second night with her.
Such a wonderful game! I loved every second of it! The characters, the story, the music, the art... it was all so beautiful!
I must say, The Guide and Bemelle are my favorite characters. Love them both!
On my playthrough, Bemelle was the only one left (Kikka died as well). Playing the other routes made realize how bad I am at this and that I would probably die in the first five minutes if I was in their position lol
The bonus scenes were hilarious and made me want to see more of Lu's and The Guide's relationship.
Anyway, great job with the game! This was really a special one.
Ohh my god memory unlocked! I played this game back when I didn't really made lists to keep track of what I have played, commented or had money to pay tributes and save the link. Point is, totally forgot. But it was hella good! I now remeber neing very emotional about it. So glad I found it again.
Oh no, I'm an absolute wreck. This game is stunningly beautiful. Everything felt so fragile: the characters, any moments of relief, everything. I was scared the entire time, just knowing we couldn't all make it. And with no true 'good' ending, it felt like there weren't any right or wrong choices, just ones you have to accept.
This game is such an experience. The art, the writing, the music, the voices, the atmosphere. I feel so torn... highly recommend haha.
This story is amazing, but i don't see the reason saving Lu. I don't know if you intend to make him unsympathetic or if it's just me anyways it's really good especially the heart to heart talk between Bemelle and Kikka. They have a good dynamic and i love them also Margret is awesome. Sadly can't let the Guide die instead of someone else.
whereas i've owned this game for years and have the pride of helping fund it (even if just by a few bucks; heck, the only reason i haven't subbed to patreon is b/c i have a personal hate for subscriptions), i still feel the pressing need to mention how absolutely incredible this game is.
the storyline is incredibly compelling, with a solid hook. at first, i shrugged it off, thinking it was just "one of those games"; and then, i was completely proven wrong.
warning // spoilers //
the voice acting is tremendous. i can't imagine any of the characters without it. these choices were perfect. kikka's voice has a sense of familiarity, bemelle's ties in the "bastard" personality perfectly, margret gives the curt, whimsical feel of her character, the guide's offers a smooth, stoic, and surreal feel that deeply contrasts his emotions (honestly my favorite), and lu really hits home with the meek and insecure voice.
the art is breath-taking. it brings so much vivid life and color that i could drone on for days about all of the ways it went right. the lighting is beautiful, the emotions perfect, the texture wondrous.
the storyline ties it all together. the rich vocabulary ties it all together with a novel's disposition. its timing, emphasis, the shocking plot twists, the way that you can notice so many more foreshadowing and details once playing it through... and then again. i fawn over the guide and lu's set-up and characterization; it really pulls you in for a parasocial relationship, and tricks you into the false sense of security and humanity. there's still so much more to show that it's truly the backbone of it all.
i play this game from time to time, and i will continue to recommend it to others. i cannot stop fawning over the perfection of it, and it's an incredible shame that it's so criminally underrated.
20/10
if you can, play the game, support the devs. it's too good to be free. i wonder if, one day, there'll be more content than just the bonuses and previous story.
this was such a fun ride, i loved the plot and the CGs. I've only played through lu and the guide's route but i can't seem to get the other endings of guide's route (spoilers) except for the one where MC reaches land and they never meet again :v 10/10
i'm honestly in shock that this game is free! it's amazing. i spent an afternoon with it and unlocked every ending, i believe (or at least every CG). for anyone wondering, the order i went in was margret, bemelle, lu, and then the guide, which i honestly feel was great for unlocking the ~ lore ~ in a more metered way (minor spoilers, but the guide's endings basically ONLY made sense because i'd already played lu's). even though i saw some of the bigger plot points coming, the way they were revealed were still fun + shocking! and i definitely didn't predict them all. 10/10 :)
I managed to make it with Lu, Bemelle, and the Guide. I saved my boys!! I kept playing until I saved them, I was shocked whenever they died because it was so sudden.
Great game, really powerful storytelling. I think the background music is just amazing too, the way it switches between tones really highlights whats happening in the story. Loved it, truly.
I just did two playthroughs with Bemelle and have gotten two separate endings, one where we were distant and one where we were together a lot. I'm curious if there's two endings for every LI (like one good one bad)? I'm not sure I have it in me to try to hunt for every CG but I definitely want to do all the Bemelle and Guide ones at the minimum.
I just came here after the reference in Our Life! these little references to you other games give me life haha! I might just need to replay this game ~
Amazing experience ! The atmosphere, the voices, the designs was so good that I felt I was in Kikka's shoes, from the very beginning until the end ! Timed choice was very stressful but made everything so REAL ! I was completely in the game ! When it was finally over and we succedeed to survive with the guide and Lu, it actually took me several minutes to slow down my heartbeat.
About the characters, I found the Guide is really intriguing and really well written !... Even if Lu was my favorite, I didn't go for the romance side, I was more focused on survival haha !
Thank you for this great thriller ! Highy recommended !
Thank you for the kind comment! I'm so glad you had a good time trying to make your way across the lake. And it's nice to hear you found the characters to be interesting ^^.
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AFTER A WHOLE WEEK OF FINISHING THIS GAME,,,I AM STILL OBSESSED
this is so incredible and terrifying, each choice has a consequence
I was not expecting that to be a one of the bonus scenes 🤣. this game was awesome and I'm glad I got the chance to play it. great job to all!
Okay, wow. I already expected this to be good from the looks of it, but this is really INCREDIBLE!!! The writing is super immersive, the art is STUNNING, the voice acting is really well done, and I love the music too!! I really loved The Guide's ending! He and Bemelle are my favourite characters! This was so well made in every way.
this game is my #1 hyperfixation. talk to me about it and i will be rambling endlessly for hours. source: the gb patch games discord where i and a select few other fellow hyperfixates have gathered. although finished with no new content, this truly is a game i come back to at least once a year for the past six years it's been out.
every character is thoroughly developed and fleshed, every relationship sincere and thorough (and offering good endings to neutral, positive, or romantic relationships with all of the available characters without taking away from one another), the worldbuilding is fantastically well thought out and considered... it's crazy that only one person made this game. and released it for free.
this game does require a handful of replays to properly grasp, however, but i do think it's absolutely a must play for everyone. it's atmospherically horror enough to capture the psycho-horror vibe without relying on shock factor (there's a few "jump scares" that are moreso the characters being startled than the scream + png you typically get). it's very soft in that regard, though, so if you're looking for ddlc-esque topics then you won't find it here.
its story formula really fits well. the first half of the game sets the scene & builds the world, then the second half executes the characters & begins to flesh out the inner bits of what's going on in this story. the true ending pursues a third "half" in a way, where it completely brings the game together and recontextualizes the overarching story without taking away from the other characters involved.
everyone has their own struggle and life; everyone has their own purposes and origins. but that struggle brings them to this hellhole called sinnlos, and as kikka, you can help them learn to come to peace with that as much as themselves. including kikka--who realizes and comes to terms with a bit of herself in every ending. i can't think of a single flaw in the game. genuinely.
again, i recommend this game, and i hope everyone enjoys it as much as i did and still do. it's a genuinely lifechanging game for me.
I really liked this game. It has beautiful art and a nice, dark atmosphere. Great to play on a rainy afternoon.
Lu .·´¯`(>▂<)´¯`·.
can you make this a little more blind accessible, as im not able to play the game properly?
hello, Okay I read every comments here about guide's story and endings... I swear I tried many things but I still can't get anything else than (SPOILERS!!) the ending where him and I die. I searched everything and anything but couldn't find a "good ending"... Please give me even once advice, I'm desesperate lol... xD
Hi! You can try following either of the guides on Steam. One is vaguer and the other is more exact-
https://steamcommunity.com/app/782340/guides/#scrollTop=0
But for one tip, you have to get on the guide's path but once you're on it you can't be 100% fixated on him. That leads to Kikka making a more desperate choice at the end. Things are "better" if she stays more grounded. Trying to rack up affection points isn't a great plan with a man like him.
just curious, but when/if will this game becom accessible?
I'm sorry, I don't know. It's not something we can do this year, though.
Hi. I'm a blind player who really wants to play this game. the self-voicing feature works, but i can't read any choices or menus, only the main story. Could you maybe help?
I'm sorry that doesn't work! I'm afraid I don't know why. We might be able to get it to work, but it could be a problem with the engine we made the game in.
it's worked perfectly in other games made in renpi. maybe you could add text/descriptions to the buttons and/or images. there might be some free tools here on itch to help, i found some, not sure if they'll be useful here.
Alright, we'll see what we can do! Thank you.
This is an exceptionally good game. I played it like 5 months ago and I am STILL thinking about it. The little "easter egg" stories were a nice touch.
Absolute stunner of a game. So stinking thought provoking and gritty. I keep replaying and replaying.
Spoilers!
I have a question. Does the Guide romance route have two alternates? I keep getting the one where he hugs you and we both end up in the water. Please help. I want a better ending with him! Great game, btw. I've been playing and replaying it for days!!
There is an alternate ending with the guide. If during his route you make a choice where Kikka doesn't feel interest/affection for him, she'll come to a different decision on how to handle the last moments of the story and it goes another way.
And there is an even more alternate ending you can get that highlights him, but it's through an entirely different path.
ohhh!! Thank you so much! I can't wait to replay.
love it thank you
creepy
I'm not sure I've encountered a VN that has engrossed me as much as this one did. From my very first (highly unsuccessful) playthrough I knew I had to play and replay and replay this one until I unveiled the truth.
All of the characters are endearing in their own way, and also have human elements that can make them irritating, and yet I always felt a moral duty to try and get everyone across this darn lake in one piece.
I will proffer one piece of advice. Stick with this one, because no matter how many times you traverse this game there's something else lurking around waiting to be discovered. Explore every route, pay attention to those response options and prepare to die, die and die again!
An absolute corker of a game, one of the best VNs I've ever played.
Love this game <3
Somebody help TwT
I'm trying to get Lu's ending but I keep getting the one where he gets executed. As far as I know, there is another ending. Anyone know how to get that??
Searching "lake of voices walkthrough" shows several achievement guides/walkthroughs!
I got the True Ending where the secret of the Nixi is revealed to us and I must say, I'm not disappointed at all. I love how nuanced this game is. The guide was indeed right when he said that death wasnt always the worst outcome in some situations.
any chance on releasing the music used in this game? Its really amazing i really wanna listen to it outside of the game.
You can use RPA Extract. It's here on Itch.io. It will extract all the game's assets, including the soundtrack.
kjjdfkldaslkgh I'm screaming. I've tried to get the guide's route four or five times and I finally got a few different endings and did I just die in the best one? I got all four points and the cg with a scene longer than "go away and never come back" / "Okay, I guess I will" and everything... I am missing his top left cg though? Are all of his endings just going away and living or staying and dying?
When I picked this game to suffer, I didn't think I'd romantically suffer too. Excuse me while I go laugh and cry.
In just wondering... Will you ever make a game like this again? I really enjoy these types of games the one with horror and stuff :'))
Maybe someday! I'm glad you like it. Horror is my favorite genre to play personally, but I also like making people happy so right now our next major project is a very pleasant game, haha.
So amazing.
I wish there were more games like this. Like seriously I need more games like this
I love it so much!
But can someone help me get lu's good ending???
I swear I the guide to romance him but instead he falls in the water and me, Margaret, and the guide survives and the game ends. I need help please!!!!
Go past the part where he falls in and when the Guide leaves you and Margret alone, decide to go over and see what's going on with the guide instead of staying with her.
OH MY GOD THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!
ALSO THE ENDING WAS AMAZING I LOVED IT!!
Can I also get a tip on how to get Margaret last cg???
I'm happy it worked out! For Margret's last CG, you need to spend your time with her, be understanding towards her, make sure she doesn't die, and only lose one person (Bem or Lu, but not both) on the first night. On the second night you need to help the guide when he's in trouble on the shore, then eventually, choose to stick behind with Margret and survive the second night with her.
Thank you so much!!! 💕💕💕
Such a wonderful game! I loved every second of it! The characters, the story, the music, the art... it was all so beautiful!
I must say, The Guide and Bemelle are my favorite characters. Love them both!
On my playthrough, Bemelle was the only one left (Kikka died as well). Playing the other routes made realize how bad I am at this and that I would probably die in the first five minutes if I was in their position lol
The bonus scenes were hilarious and made me want to see more of Lu's and The Guide's relationship.
Anyway, great job with the game! This was really a special one.
Ohh my god memory unlocked! I played this game back when I didn't really made lists to keep track of what I have played, commented or had money to pay tributes and save the link. Point is, totally forgot. But it was hella good! I now remeber neing very emotional about it. So glad I found it again.
Honestly, Kikka is so great, kind and stoic. Can protect you. Strict but never harsh.
Move aside, other potential bachelors/ette!! I will date Kikka!
Oh no, I'm an absolute wreck. This game is stunningly beautiful. Everything felt so fragile: the characters, any moments of relief, everything. I was scared the entire time, just knowing we couldn't all make it. And with no true 'good' ending, it felt like there weren't any right or wrong choices, just ones you have to accept.
This game is such an experience. The art, the writing, the music, the voices, the atmosphere. I feel so torn... highly recommend haha.
This game made me so anxious and in my first playthrough I lost literally everyone except Bemelle omfg 10/10 great game
This story is amazing, but i don't see the reason saving Lu. I don't know if you intend to make him unsympathetic or if it's just me anyways it's really good especially the heart to heart talk between Bemelle and Kikka. They have a good dynamic and i love them also Margret is awesome. Sadly can't let the Guide die instead of someone else.
whereas i've owned this game for years and have the pride of helping fund it (even if just by a few bucks; heck, the only reason i haven't subbed to patreon is b/c i have a personal hate for subscriptions), i still feel the pressing need to mention how absolutely incredible this game is.
the storyline is incredibly compelling, with a solid hook. at first, i shrugged it off, thinking it was just "one of those games"; and then, i was completely proven wrong.
warning // spoilers //
the voice acting is tremendous. i can't imagine any of the characters without it. these choices were perfect. kikka's voice has a sense of familiarity, bemelle's ties in the "bastard" personality perfectly, margret gives the curt, whimsical feel of her character, the guide's offers a smooth, stoic, and surreal feel that deeply contrasts his emotions (honestly my favorite), and lu really hits home with the meek and insecure voice.
the art is breath-taking. it brings so much vivid life and color that i could drone on for days about all of the ways it went right. the lighting is beautiful, the emotions perfect, the texture wondrous.
the storyline ties it all together. the rich vocabulary ties it all together with a novel's disposition. its timing, emphasis, the shocking plot twists, the way that you can notice so many more foreshadowing and details once playing it through... and then again. i fawn over the guide and lu's set-up and characterization; it really pulls you in for a parasocial relationship, and tricks you into the false sense of security and humanity.
there's still so much more to show that it's truly the backbone of it all.
i play this game from time to time, and i will continue to recommend it to others. i cannot stop fawning over the perfection of it, and it's an incredible shame that it's so criminally underrated.
20/10
if you can, play the game, support the devs. it's too good to be free. i wonder if, one day, there'll be more content than just the bonuses and previous story.
I read what u wrote. Ill give a go to this game
lakes are scary
YES
this was such a fun ride, i loved the plot and the CGs. I've only played through lu and the guide's route but i can't seem to get the other endings of guide's route (spoilers) except for the one where MC reaches land and they never meet again :v 10/10
i'm honestly in shock that this game is free! it's amazing. i spent an afternoon with it and unlocked every ending, i believe (or at least every CG). for anyone wondering, the order i went in was margret, bemelle, lu, and then the guide, which i honestly feel was great for unlocking the ~ lore ~ in a more metered way (minor spoilers, but the guide's endings basically ONLY made sense because i'd already played lu's). even though i saw some of the bigger plot points coming, the way they were revealed were still fun + shocking! and i definitely didn't predict them all. 10/10 :)
This game was incredible. I'm enjoying going through and seeing different endings. I love the characters.
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the rest of the endings.
I managed to make it with Lu, Bemelle, and the Guide. I saved my boys!! I kept playing until I saved them, I was shocked whenever they died because it was so sudden.
Great game, really powerful storytelling. I think the background music is just amazing too, the way it switches between tones really highlights whats happening in the story. Loved it, truly.
I just did two playthroughs with Bemelle and have gotten two separate endings, one where we were distant and one where we were together a lot. I'm curious if there's two endings for every LI (like one good one bad)? I'm not sure I have it in me to try to hunt for every CG but I definitely want to do all the Bemelle and Guide ones at the minimum.
Thank you so much for playing! I'm really glad you enjoyed what you've done so far.
I just came here after the reference in Our Life! these little references to you other games give me life haha! I might just need to replay this game ~
Amazing experience ! The atmosphere, the voices, the designs was so good that I felt I was in Kikka's shoes, from the very beginning until the end ! Timed choice was very stressful but made everything so REAL ! I was completely in the game ! When it was finally over and we succedeed to survive with the guide and Lu, it actually took me several minutes to slow down my heartbeat.
About the characters, I found the Guide is really intriguing and really well written !... Even if Lu was my favorite, I didn't go for the romance side, I was more focused on survival haha !
Thank you for this great thriller ! Highy recommended !
Thank you for the kind comment! I'm so glad you had a good time trying to make your way across the lake. And it's nice to hear you found the characters to be interesting ^^.