Game of the Month for April: Mystic Messenger

[alias_sqbr]

The game of the month for April is Mystic Messenger, a phone based dating and management sim that plays out in real time.

EDIT: OOPS WAIT I was going to post the game of the month question and then suggest Mystic Messenger. Sorry about this but now I've done it I don't feel like changing everything, so! By my fiat as mod we are having a month and a bit of Mystic Messenger. Democratic choice will return in June.

You stumbled upon an app called "Mystic Messenger" and downloaded it. Once you opened it up the app is connected to a mystic group chat with attractive guys. You are asked to join their secret party planning association called and the story begins...

The game involves joining group chats, answering emails, messages and phonecalls, all simulated within the game in real time.

Content notes: suicide, iffy portrayal of mental illness and alcoholism, implied eye injury, familial abuse, brainwashing and drugging, homophobia, racist stereotypes

I played it a while ago and wrote up my reactions, I overall enjoyed most of the routes I played but some aspects of it bothered me especially in the later routes. Also: I fell in love with the female LI but her route is ambiguously romantic at best ;_; And the real time aspect is very annoying if you're not willing to throw piles of money at the game. My full review

Have you played it? What did you think?

Comments

[icecheetah]

Literally today I was wondering if they've added anything new since I stopped playing after Ray's route was added. I just got so burned out.
I'd been writing an AU fanfic, set after the end of Jaehee's route, where that world had been hit by a milder version of the apocalypse depicted in Stand Still Stay Silent. I don't think I'd be able to return, even though there was one particular chapter I was really looking forwards to doing the art for.

Skimming your posts: You're not missing much in Another Story IMHO. I had grinded enough hourglasses to get both without spending money and... yeah bad portrayal of mental illness and, like, their writing for Zen got even worse.

I loved it at the time I played and I am still kinda attached to the characters but never again with that mechanic.

Also while I was playing some of the christmas and valentine's dlc art was replaced and This cg where Zen actually expresses the stress from that point in the story got replaced with this one where Zen appears to have spotted a weird bird.

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah reading a summary was enough for me to go hmmmm no I am done. I'm sorry you didn't get to finish your fanfic. I had vague plans for a

[icecheetah]

I think you didn't finish your statement here.
"I had vague plans for a "
But ah well I got to move onto other fandoms that I also love.

[alias_sqbr]

How weird, I wrote the full comment, it's even in my sent folder! Well, I'll repost it as a comment directly instead of using the email-to-comment thing, in case that was the problem.

So! I had vague plans for a post-Jaehee route story in a crossover with Dandelion but never got up the momentum to actually write it.

I did draw some Jaehee/MC art, which you reminded me to post to the comm. So thanks :)

[bluapapilio]

The real time aspect has stopped me from replaying it or playing some of the new stuff that came out (probably for the best?). I've always had sleep problems and playing through once nearly killed me. Definitely worth it at least once though despite that.

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, same, looking back over my old posts made me feel nostalgic but I just Cannot Deal with the idea of going through all that again. I think I might be able to replay some scenes from my history if I can get my account to transfer to my new phone? But that is also effort :)