apparently the devs wanted to make a more traditional 3d-walking-around type game, but they didn't have the money. so instead the silver case became one of the most stylish VNs ever made. i could gush about the film window system for a while - i love its multimedia aesthetic and mix of portraits, video, and 3d architecture...

the story is so off the rails and hard to follow at points but each chapter has a real emotional core you can grab onto. a lot of them made me cry. at the heart of it is, of course, the infamous KILL THE PAST tagline, but i think it's interesting how that theme is explored through wildly different genres in each of the chapters.

i love the sequels as well, but i think if i was forced to pick a favorite it'd be this one, that started it all.