Hello, I’m here from the Review Blitz—and also wanted to review something of yours, since I really appreciated your taking the time to review Only the Truth.
So, just out of pure curiosity, I have to ask, is there a reason why you phoneticized the Japanese katakana word for scyther instead of writing it as “Strike,” since ストライク is a Japanese phoneticization of the English word? Did you want to avoid any potential puns or misunderstandings that would come from naming the game Strike High (like, people thinking that the name of the high school meant the verb or noun “strike” and not the species name)? I thought the potential for wordplay could have been interesting, but I realize not everyone likes wordplay as much as I do.
Anyways, jumping into the game, this will pretty much be a play-by-play of my reactions to in-game events, with some additional thoughts here and there.
Playthrough 1
I decided to be a firebrand and stand up for Nightmare right away. So I hung out with her and Sickle. I also picked "no one" when Nightmare asked in the Truth game who I liked.
I liked some of the verbal nods to scyther physiology and culture, like these:
blood rushing to my face behind my exoskeleton
bow quickly, dropping forward to be supported by my scythes
I really liked this one in particular, as it was a double nod to Japanese culture (bowing) and also envisioning that in a way that involved scyther physiology.
A little bit preachy right away? I don't disagree, but it comes across a little heavy-handed to get this dismissive judgment before the player knows hardly anything about what the Code says.
Nightmare's comments about the Code not being "sacred" made me wince a little, as this could possibly be interpreted as a sledgehammery attack on any religion's sacred texts. (Like, it’s just a bunch of writings, what makes it “sacred”?) Just a few lines later, though, it seems the game isn't going there, but just saying human laws aren't sacred, therefore, why should the Code be sacred? So that was a relief to game isn’t attacking all forms of organized religion in the entire world.
I felt like the way that the player's thoughts change from "The Code is sacred, right?" to "I guess it is a pile of crap!" was pretty fast--realistically, it takes a long time for someone to reconsider and change deeply-ingrained beliefs that have been instilled in them since childhood.
I'm curious about whether the bigotry against scizor and the "wrongness" that the player feels is a comment on how a lot of Pokémon players don't like the scizor evolution?
Nightmare is a pretty cool character. I really like it that she is big enough to not hold a grudge against Razor. Like the player says, this shows her strength of character, not letting herself get caught up in grudges. Also, other than wanting to overthrow the Code, she is pretty chill, actually. In general, too, as a character I like her a lot.
During the truth game, I was actually kind of glad that there weren't a ton of choices for what the player says; it helped me feel like the player character has some personality that's not dependent on mine, and I wouldn't have known how to answer "Have you ever broken the Code" anyways.
(as the answer to helping lead the revolution): Good, because I can't see anyone as nervous about social acceptance as the player was to begin with making that kind of decision immediately.
I'd almost forgotten about the [truth] game.
So had I, actually!
Nightmare realized that not being with a human or being a scizor made her hate herself, it was the Code: Pretty big realization there.
Cool discussion of the convenience of pincers instead of scythes.
It was pretty fun that it was all the females that stayed standing when the guys sit down. (I decided sometime around the point when I was hanging with Sickle and Nightmare, and the other three characters were "the guys," that my character was female.)
The fight with Leader: saw that coming.
I thought it was really interesting that Shadowdart is enraged with the Leader for beating up Nightmare. Just a guess, I suppose that whatever path you choose, any and all of the students can be convinced that Nightmare's right about the Code, and to stand up for her?
Trying to get to my heart with flattery, eh?
Made me laugh out loud.
Are all the others really okay with this? (Sickle)
Well, the player character was looking at the guys' expressions, and it did NOT look like they were okay with it, but fell into that category of people who don't like something, but are not going so far as to do something about it. (Which is extremely common and a very human thing.) Maybe Sickle wasn't looking at everyone's faces?
Sickle is the loyal-to-the-hilt friend almost to the point that it consumes who she is. She does have a different personality than Nightmare, which is made clear in the game text (just wanting to live in peace without harassment), but the utter loyalty to Nightmare, wanting to stay with her and help her wherever Nightmare is, makes it feel like Sickle has nothing she wants for herself.
When Nightmare asks the player if you want to leave instead of stay and fight: I thought maybe there would be a choice here.
When the three of them leave together, I suspect maybe I didn't get the "best" ending--it feels like we're giving up (which we are) and this is not really what I was hoping would happen, which was for the school environment to change. I guess that's not too surprising because you did mention something about needing to talk to all the characters, and I only talked with the girls--but I was only actually given a choice of who to talk to twice, so it was a little surprising that there weren't more opportunities to make choices of who to talk to (I think I made only three choices in the game).
It's a neat story, I like the theme of taking a stand against bullying, but I feel less than satisfied with the "give up and go live in peace in the wild" ending . . .
Which brings me to my second playthrough.
Playthrough 2
I pick Razor and Stormblade, since Stormblade interests me the most out of the three guys, and stay around with Stormblade when Razor goes off to hunt. I thought his perspective on Razor bullying Shadowdart was really interesting--that Razor wasn't doing it for the sake of being mean, but because he was having a hard time himself. This also makes a lot of things about Shadowdart make sense: that he is paying attention and trying hard in class, and going to the gym, alone--this is all probably to compensate for his small size. [Later edit: NOPE, there was still more to it than that!]
Aww, it was really sweet how the player was proactive right away about wanting to help Stormblade help Razor find a better way to deal with his feelings, and also bringing up the idea of trying to reconcile the other two guys with Shadowdart. I like it!
Hmm, so Shadowdart wants to become the next Leader? Especially based on my last playthrough, I really wonder what his reasons are and what he thinks about the Code.
"Among" is correct (which you probably know anyways); it stuck out to me, but as an example of a colloquialism, what a person would actually say (in their thoughts, in this case), I feel like it's justifiable.
Whatever happens, I'll still have your back
Awww, so kind. This is really a warm fuzzy kind of game, isn't it?
So, this time, when I get to this line
In the corner, I notice Shadowdart giving the Leader a hard stare,
based on my previous playthrough, and what I just heard from Stormblade, I'm really seeing this guy in a new light. In my first playthrough, I pegged him as "the serious, studious type" at first, but then started to wonder whether he was kind of a mean guy who agreed with the bigotry of the Code. Now, it seems like it's probably the opposite, he probably is giving the Leader a hard stare because he disagrees.
Sickle; her scythe is trembling in rage
Should it just be singular, or plural? They all have two, after all.
Keeping a lower profile this time because I want a chance to talk to Shadowdart; I pick "stay silent." I like it that the game doesn't condemn me for it, but says that Nightmare probably wouldn't want that (but you feel bad). This helps make it feel like the player isn't being herded into any one particular response.
Picking "the guys" at the next choice for the same reason, but I wonder if this is a mistake (laughs) and I need to talk to both genders?
...The Leader is a bully and a hypocrite.
Yep, not pulling his punches here at all.
Awwwwww, Stormblade standing up for Shadowdart!
. . . But Shadowdart really has a chip on his shoulder, huh.
Following Shadowdart at the next choice: Stormblade is really sweet, but I am intrigued by Shadowdart and this is what I was angling for since earlier.
Wow, Shadowdart planning to challenge and defeat the Leader! Pretty ambitious--and also, he's really good! So much for him being the underdog just because he is small!
One comment on a detail I noticed a bit more this playthrough, I like what you do with the characterization through little movements--like Sickle glancing at Nightmare while she is staring down Leader, or the way Leader's eyes flicker after her when they are all filing outside.
Keeping in mind variety, I pick "check on Nightmare" at the next choice (after the fight). Maybe there's a way to bring the two cliques together to all band against the Leader?
It's nice seeing Razor change his mind about bullying Shadowdart. If only things in real life were that easy.
I'm really glad [player] got us to actually talk about it.
Awwwwww.
I love the repeated "I've got your back," this time the player addressing Razor when he says he wants to apologize to Shadowdart. Warm fuzzies abounding here.
The scene where Razor finally apologizes to Shadowdart was really touching.
But . . . again, Nightmare and Sickle leave. Still haven't gotten the ideal ending I'm sure is out there somewhere; I guess after all I really do need to talk to both the guys and the girls more evenly. But still, it was interesting to play through again and see what was going on with the guys, and at least get the three of them reconciled. Having seen that part of the plot, now I at least feel like there's hope that Shadowdart can defeat the Leader someday and change scyther society for the good, because he's obviously really strong.
Also . . . . . . . . . is there actually romance in this game? If it’s there, but I’m missing it, I’m sure it's partly my fault, because I picked (in my first playthrough) that I don't like anyone romantically. Based on my two playthroughs, it seems like the point of the game is to overthrow the evil and hateful Leader (as well as maybe helping the guys resolve their problems) so all of the characters can live together happily. So, it seems like it's more like a friendship game than anything. And that's totally cool, too! But I am frankly a little bit curious about whether there are any endings where the player gets together with someone, and what those are like.
Playthrough 3, I want to find a better ending to this game!
I haven't ever picked "Shadowdart" for the first choice, so I'll try that this time and see what happens. (Yes, I am pretty much just flailing around, still, not trying things systematically.)
Whoa, fear of death and being close to people making you fear death more, this is some really interesting stuff that Shadowdart is spouting!
And, again, Shadowdart not pulling his punches at all calling the Leader a "filthy hypocrite" and declaring he wants to replace him. Love it. Also the next line:
good for him that he's got career plans, I guess?
Hilarious.
His take on the Code is interesting. In my previous playthroughs, I feel like I never learned much about what the Code actually says, so it's interesting to hear that Shadowdart has this point of view about Nightmare, saying she broke the Code but should be given a second chance. Part of what makes it interesting is that he doesn't fall into any extreme--he's not condemning Nightmare, but he also isn't totally defending Nightmare. I feel like his character is an example of someone who is conservative and values tradition, but isn't demonized for it. So, the fact that this bit of dialogue is here makes me feel like the game isn't totally pushing the more extreme positions (Nightmare's), like revolution, or if something isn't working for you, just get rid of it, or codes and laws should always be questioned (/overthrown), or you can never tell someone they did something wrong. A lot of times in real life I hear people making blanket statements like "All organized religions promote bigotry and prejudice," which I find really disturbing. The Code has some parallels with religion (being seen as sacred) which I found troubling (because it seems most of the time that the Code has a lot of problems and is promoting bigotry), so I'm glad that there's another point of view present in the game and it's not a black and white "The Code (religion) is evil and must be done away with."
I enjoyed the scene of bonding with Shadowdart by training together with him.
Shadowdart's hard stare at the Leader's comment about the Code making sense--absolutely, it makes sense now--though I suspected a bit of even by the end of playthrough 1 (where I didn't talk to him), and a lot more in my second playthrough.
Picked "stand up" this time, wondering if maybe that will help.
Shadowdart, though, looks disgusted with me. Yeah, he really didn't like me dunking on the Code, huh?...Maybe I should've thought about that. I promised to train with him today, hadn't I?
OOPS. I stepped away from the game prior to this choice to eat dinner and came back after, so I'd forgotten about promising Shadowdart to train with him. Maybe this was not such a good choice for Shadowdart's path. >.>
Shadowdart and Razor and Stormblade apparently talking
Well, maybe that's good? I can't recall if that happened in my first playthrough (the last time I shared detention with Nightmare).
Do scizors have lips?
Hm, so detention goes differently when I talked to Shadowdart prior to it. Some interesting insight from Nightmare here about Shadowdart not being crazy about the Code in the past.
Description of Shadowdart in the past: hmm. So he seems like he's a lot more serious and focused now, and not insecure anymore. I'm a little skeptical, because it's hard for me to imagine a secure person who tries to cover up his insecurity by acting ostentatious suddenly becoming secure in himself, and focused on an important goal like this, in whatever length of time it's been, without some sort of watershed event in his life . . . and I can't really imagine being bullied by Razor and taking to training by himself would give him that sort of mature sense of security in who he is.
So after you left Shadowdart became obsessed with the Code
. . . hmmm indeed.
I'll stop and note here that it was interesting that the game just took it for granted that humans understand pokemon speech. I wonder if maybe that's because the game is about anthropomorphized scythers? It still stood out to me as a little strange, though (mostly familiar with Pokemon gameverse, where only some rare exceptions can talk with Pokemon).
The question about who I like:
Well, I started out talking with Shadowdart (though, I may have totally derailed and had a train crash), so I guess I'll pick that?
Yeah, Nightmare is less than enthusiastic about that, understandable since she just said it was not likely that she and Shadowdart would like each other anytime soon. I feel like I'm making a bunch of wrong choices in this playthrough, but Nightmare's response cracked me up anyways.
Having stood up for Nightmare once already in this playthrough, I'm of course not going to change my mind now, so the question about whether to join her and Sickle is a no-brainer.
Hm, so now "check on Nightmare with Sickle" is the only choice. Also no choice but to stay and hang out with Sickle. At least I've gotten slightly more variety in who I've talked with than in my first playthrough? Still haven't talked with Razor or Stormblade.
Hmm, but having talked to Shadowdart makes the scene go differently this time, as the player brings up that Shadowdart hates the Leader. . . . But I still get that dialogue about running off together with them. I guess I'm headed for that same ending again. It doesn't seem to make as much sense to me this time to run away with the two of them, since I didn't hang out with them all the time, and in fact I never talked with Sickle until that conversation in the forest.
But, oh, hey, this time my answer changed due to having talked with Shadowdart.
Shadowdart's expression darkens
Yeah, those two do not get along.
Shadowdart cares if it's a fair duel--shows he has values.
I almost ask if he's even sure he could beat him on his own at all, but I don't want to offend him....I have a feeling he'd react badly.
Good thinking, player.
There's only one problem here, and it's you…I’m not following anything!
Shadowdart is pretty awesome in this scene. The descriptions of the duel between him and the Leader are great, too.
Shadowdart may not have meant to give the signal. That’s interesting. Sounds like him. I’m not a big fan of using violence to defeat evil people in power, but still, it was pretty satisfying seeing Nightmare jump in.
…And Shadowdart is the only one who’s not happy. Unfortunate, but it makes sense given his personality.
Shadowdart leaves: …huh. That leaves everyone else to throw the Code out the window; I guess he can’t become Leader and stay and uphold his (fairer) interpretation of the Code with a bunch of people who just ganged up on the previous Leader and drove him out. He’s right, there’s nothing for him here. So much for playing his storyline! . . . But at least I finally got a better ending, with almost everybody happy.
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Overall: I liked all of the artwork, both the pokemon artwork and the backgrounds looked really nice. I did wish there was just a tiny bit more difference among the scythers, though: in my first playthrough, I thought that Leader and Razor looked kind of similar (though, they're not really that similar), and I still think that Razor and Sickle look similar--similar head shape and coloring, seems kind of a "standard" scyther appearance (color, shape, and size), but with male versus female features. In context, it seems like they’re almost never in the same scene, though, so it’s not a big problem.
So, with this being a tongue-in-cheek, deliberately tropey high school dating friendship sim, comparisons with Hatoful Kareshi are inevitable (true confession, yes, I played that game (free version) . . . the only visual novels I have ever played are the ones making fun of dating visual novels, that one and this one, and I just now learned that Hatoful Kareshi also started as an April Fool’s joke).
In Sutoraiku High, I could easily see the personality types that the characters fell into—Nightmare wants to start a revolution, Sickle is sweet and loyal,
Dreamcatcher Stormblade is spacey but sweet,
Shadowblade Shadowdart is a serious (studious) lone wolf type, and Razor is the cool, popular guy (but a bit of a bully). Obviously, with this being a fairly short visual novel, it’s not possible to put a ton of characterization into these characters to make them really three-dimensional, but I did feel like they weren’t totally stereotypes, and for the most part, they all had multiple sides to their personalities, and at least a little bit of something giving them depth. For example,
Dreamblade Stormblade isn’t merely spacey, and sweet, and uncomfortable with conflict, he also put some actual thought into why he stuck with Razor even though he knew what Razor was doing was wrong, and it wasn’t a selfish motive to keep hanging with the popular guy, but out of a feeling that Razor needed someone to be there for him. Shadowdart was also kind of complex (and maybe also a little bit unbalanced??), and if in my second playthrough I thought I understood what his deal was, after my third playthrough, now I’m not so sure. (Why
did he become so obsessed with the Code?) The only one that seemed to me somewhat lacking in personality was Sickle, which I touched on above. So, anyways, with the characters in Hatoful Kareshi, in contrast, being really extreme and playing their tropes to the hilt, I think that Sutoraiku High totally blows it out of the water both in terms of characterization and having an actually meaningful plot. The only thing, really, that Hatoful Kareshi does better is being totally wacky and absurd (a human girl romancing the pigeons . . . because if you fail to get a pigeon boyfriend, the human species will be deemed a hopeless lost cause and will be ethnically cleansed).
Obviously I had a lot of fun playing this and trying to figure out how to get a better ending; I’d love to see another April Fool’s project like this again someday in the future. :)
