Fractured storytelling.. (chapter 4 spoilers)

Having read a bit more now, I do like the lore, and I found the background stories of the allies emotionally resonant, so actually this could have been a really good story. And one thing I definitely did expect from this app is good writing and good storytelling.

BUT.

The way the story is told is so fractured that the emotional investment built up in the ally stories is subsequently lost. The story feels strangely "timeless", you can't tell where you are in the timeline or how much time has passed between various events. A lot of the scenes (both main story and ally scenes) start with a sentence including the words "one day" - adding to the feeling that everything is happening at random, disconnected points in time - which makes character and relationship development arcs difficult. It also lowers emotional stakes, a lot.

Also, I don't understand why in some scenes you are only allowed to choose one specific ally. I just played the first party scene, and I'm not interested in Iridessa and had no option to take anyone else, so I had to go alone. So.. am I supposed to believe that none of the other people in my house who I've been building a relationship with and have a high ally level with thought of telling me about this party that's happening IN MY HOUSE? None of the three (!) people I have already snogged wanted me to be there? And, somehow, I have also not been aware that a huge party was being prepared IN MY HOUSE?

OK...

And because all the scenes are so short and disjointed, we also don't really get a feeling for what the MC's everyday life is actually like. It's a university, but so far we've seen very little learning going on. Then this new girl arrives and we all go drinking wine in the middle of the morning / day? 🤔

It's also difficult to get a feel for the MC, they are far too flippant in how they behave and speak, given what they've been through and all the complexity of their current situation. There is practically no inner life to the MC. The allies even feel a lot deeper than our MC.

Speaking of allies.. it's disappointing that they are all so same-y. Yes, they differ in terms of personality and looks, but they are all MC's fellow students from the same house. Not even someone from a different house. Or - gasp! - a professor. Now that would have been an interesting path to explore. Also, while I enjoyed the romance arcs so far, they too have been very similar - the 3 ones I played at least. There was always scene 1 where a problem is presented, then scene 2 where MC and LI work on it together but don't quite succeed, then scene 3 where the issue is resolved and MC gets a kiss. Niel, Cato and Talyn have all had this exact same arc. And then, after all that emotional build-up - nothing.

Le sigh..

I'm not giving up yet, in fact I did buy a pack to support the app for the sake of my old Choices nostalgia, but.. my expectations have been lowered significantly.