This visual novel may be short, but it's filled to the brim with soul. The sprites are a little stiff, but the CGs are lovely and the writing expressive. Silas has to be one of my favorite characters in any visual novel, and I found myself identifying with him in so many ways; holding back his thoughts and feelings, fighting down any human-like expression. It tore at my heart, and I found myself making sure the MC was as gentle with him as possible. I love "This, My Soul" a great deal. It most certainly deserves more attention and love.
I'm always pleasantly surprised by how many people seem to identify with Silas! I'm really glad he's resonated with people as a character... Thanks so much for the kind words. ♥
I just couldn't help crying when I reached the end .
The game opened the gates of a whole new world before my eyes because the way you approached the '' artificial intelligence'' was very unconventional to me . The story & the inetractions were both heratwarming and refreshing .
I definitly loved the CGs & the spirits , particularly Silas' . I also have a little obsession about the title of the game :Thismysoul , it's just very beautiful !
If I could wish for something to be added to the game , I think it would be more details about Silas's background story.
Overall , thank you for bringing such a beautiful game to the world , I can't wait to discover more of your creations .
Thank you so much for taking the time to review and leaving such compliments! I apologize I've taken so long to respond! :( Thanks really have to go to the wonderful dev team we put together for this project. Everyone did their part beautifully and I think players have really responded to that.
As far as Silas and his backstory - I actually DID include more in the first draft of the script (about his creator and his life with the corporation), but the way I wrote it ended up sounding too forced... To keep the dialogue natural - and to meet the Nanoreno deadline - I took out some of the details and left things vague.
I'm really flattered that the game moved you and Silas left you wanting to know more about him! ^^
Holy crap. Silas is too pure for this world. Where can I get an AI like Silas. My god, this vn succeeded pulled a few heart-string from me even though I'm not crying. Damn, the bundle of cuteness will be the end of me.
EDIT: Attention, this huge rant review is full of SPOILERS. Just saying. Also, I posted this from my phone and English is not native to me. (Also, there is a list of recommendations about other AIs at the end.)
'This My Soul' was one of the rare most satisfactory thing I experienced involving an AI.
At one moment, when Silas first displayed anger, I admit I facepalmed (because, who would build and AI with an emotion like anger? The recipe of anger simply defies the 3 Laws, and thus human's safety). That was how little faith I had regarding AI fiction when I first began to play this.
But then, it appeared that his anger was a factice display motivated by pressure and despair, a last resort tool to persuade humans in life and death situations - and I actually heaved a breath feeling all giddy again. Because, when an AI's character stop making sense, it's the narrator itself that feel unreliable. But you come out and build up a non-linear story with an android who completely makes sense, and is believable even when his already spaghetti code get messier. So seamlessly that you make it look easily done !...
If I wasn't already a long date AI junkie who've experienced all the tropes and some more, Silas would have torn my heart, made me melt, cry, question the definition of humanity, feel closer to him than to the rest of humanity, etc.
Silas' character is so alive that I'm (for what my opinion is worth) deeply and genuinely appreciative and respectful of your tastes. The details, especially, are very important for me emotionally, and his voice, especially his vulnerability, and his behavior all along the routes pulled at my heart in this visceral, raw way only innocent AIs do. I had to remind myself of the HAL9000, Ex Machina, and Blade Runner kind of AI to get a hold on my heart. (Ah these machines. They 'need' you to keep your marbles to be able to use a screwdriver at any second, and yet they make want nothing more than trust them unconditionally and protect their tiny bits of free-will with all your heart...♡)
What moves me more than anything, more even than getting the privilege to watch one grow through life as a person (a non-human one of course, but definitely a person of sorts), tentatively making their own unique and slow path toward genuine affection, perhaps event love... Well... what completely make me weak is is when one of them becomes different than the rest, realizes it vaguely and, afraid to be dismantled for that, tries his best to hide his ability to emote or have opinions around of humans, or at least do anything it can no feel non-threatening.
Watching Silas do his best to look uncaring, unfeeling and perfectly boring to the MC through the three-fourths of the game broke my heart.
Part of me understands why humans can't afford to have too sentient AI on Earth, and so, have to keep them in check — after all they had been made as tools because they were needed as such and allowing bots to become chaotic, if not completely rogue is like being masochistic... But on the other hand, some of them should have the right to become more as long as they can prove that they have a sense of empathy at least as reliable as their hard-coded laws. Or human safety protocols. ._. ... I just want to hug the bytes out of them. x_x
Even the potential 'miracle' (or corruption, depending how we view things) that happen to his inner workings, allowing him to force top priority of an external request above even his safety measures regarding humans can be explained. (By the shock of the the crash - with his body being old, the way his static run on his external shell sometimes and the possibility of a short circuit.) Oh, I admit that the tech in me was freaked out more than once by this bot. But after he reveals that he has been copiously tweaked by his chief maker, I could relax again: long as his software works along its initial design, I can appreciate about any quirk and feeling from an AI. Even a medication error is not the end of the world for an AI endowed with a complex empathetic system (I mean most bots can' always be perfect since they've been made and debugged by humans). Oh there was the possibility that his hardware had gained small liabilities, but even then his software would find a way to adjust and compensate, and the question was cleared as soon as he handled the MC with precise and gentle care. No really, I loved everything. Do you know how often I've had the privilege and luck to say something like that in a love story involving a female MC? Rarely enough to feel a strong desire to pay for This My Soul. (And that's something, considering that I'm currently broke.) And you made me design an android by the pronoun 'him'. I don't do that. Not because I'm not touched or loving them, but simply because the little that's transparent of their emotional matrix through their story usually don't warrant such a designation. A it (or a r-him or r-her or a h-it, even) thinks and emotes and can be complex. But a 'him or a 'her', in my world, has to develop their own recipe of feeling from reasoning alone to qualify. Ah I'm rambling. Sorry. Another point I grew afraid of at a point by the end was that the MC would only romantically want Silas if he was virile or physically stronger (something that would have made me felt alienated from her quicker than anything). But, in the end, she had a cue to shift the power balance just a bit, namely with the kiss. However, that's a daring thing to do. After all, for a character to touch a bot without looking like they're either: - abusing its program (well, the second Asimovian law of obedience or an equivalence), - looking for a sexbot (you have no idea how much my respect for the MC went up when she acknowledged and accepted her feelings for an android without wondering if he was built like a Ken. You.have.no.idea. That concern feel like the most pettiest thing ever in these relationships. — I mean, for the love of everything, they should either buy a toy or find themselves a sexbot dumb enough to be treated like an upgradable tool if that's the major concern) - or deluding themselves with the grotesque and chauvinist expectation that <i>the droid is magically going to get 'more human' out of love.</i> ... =___=
Well, to avoid that all, you have to be careful. As in go slowly, prove that the bot's AI is about 99% willing, etc. I'm sincerely grateful that you took care of this all, because falling into one of these tropes would have been a disheartening game over for me.
Also, in these kind of games, let admit it, we're there for the AI - the kind we that we can't get anywhere but in fiction yet - more than for the plot itself. And so there's always a moment I feel like saying to the MC "okay, push yourself, get aside just a minute, lemme, please, talk to him here". And that happen when the AI feels solid but the MC feels lacking a way or another and you know things are going to end very bad due to miscommunication. XD
But, to my surprised, despite of Silas being wonderful and pushing about 98% of my buttons... this frustration never happened to me in This My Soul. In the best routes, the MC was cute. Like really cute; and not passive enough to feel like a fool, or useless, or weak-willed. (Did I mention that I loved the fact she hasn't got an European appearance? This is rare and very welcome and made her even prettier, in a way. Beside it provides a artsy contrast with Silas' pale albino-like features.) I couldn't help but make a screenshot of her blushing face. ♡
So yeah, I'm very picky about my fictional AIs, but I'd rate This My Soul 9 out of 10, and Silas 9.99 out of 10, easily.
... One thing I missed a little, at the very end of the romance ending, was the absence of clue on the reaction of the two lab coats who were supposed to be there when she got out. If you had them present, they certainly that was because you had meant them to react to the scene? ...
It didn't have to be an expression of their opinion on Silas and the MC relationship, it didn't have to lampshade their future, it could just be a brief fleeting description just for the sake of fun. I'd be a little stunned and awkward in their place. ^^
Now, to adjust my initial comment before I played the game, I must say that the routes, the AI and certainly the graphics and sprites felt superior to those of the visual novel That Cheap and Sacred Thing. Probably because the AIs there weren't really the focus of the theme. I don't know. (Well, they were, but not really.)
Now I don't know what you usually like or weather you already have had those, but if your cup of tea is not mechanical slaves posing as human to reassure its chauvinist masters... ...I'd recommend the recent games The Turing Test, Portal Stories Mel - the poorly known movies Automata, Tau,I Am Mother, Her - the TV showsHumans- the short books The Dogcatcher (similar to this game with an android just every byte as virile yet lovable as Silas), Eros Philia Agape (xenofiction with key on focus on moral problems in the romance between a deluded human woman and an android who decides to stop lying. Batteries Not Required, Body Electric; The Android's Bride (C-Raptin is so cool he should be a reference), The Mad Scientist Daughter, and a few others decent ones I would still rather not disclose publicly. I wouldn't mind if anyone had recommendations for me, beside of the media I mentioned and the older classics. That's be very nice.
Wow. Sorry for the rant. It's the emotion... xD
PS : If you tell me you're neither working on the field or are not long time hobbyist about AIs, I'd say you're a HP. ...Which one can it be? I'm being a little curious and wouldn't mind to chat sometimes if you feel like it. No worry, I don't write long comments in chat. But if this question is intrusive, disregard it, please.
Also, if you ever write something else with an AI inside...by all means, I'd take it. I'm afraid that I've fallen deeply in love with your non-linear character building abilities!
I think I've read in a comment from you letting appear that you wouldn't dismiss the possibility of writing more about Silas. After this game, it might feel difficult to deliver something just as well-polished. About that, I'd like to say that this is not necessary or really expected. At this point, I'd dare to say that most of those who played the good or bad Affection Route would be glad to get to see the characters again, no matter how. Any form, and length, and almost any quality would make me very happy.
EDIT :
This is year later, and I can't forget this work; I want to promote it more widely (I already use it as a reference - online and even at work ^^;)
In fact, would it be okay for me to publish online fanfiction about This My Soul? I feel like it'd deserve its own fanbase.
(Time Capsule PS: if you one day, even 50+ years later, you don't want to keep this itch.io account, by all mean, please, don't remove this brilliant work from the web!)
Wow, I admire your passion for android/AI fiction and I'm really glad this game was able to scratch that itch for you! ;) I'll try my best, but I don't know if anything I say is going to do justice to such a long, well-thought-out comment!
It's wonderful to hear you enjoyed the AI aspect of the game in particular, since it's something I really wanted to approach in a certain way. I was mostly inspired by androids from film: Vision from the Avengers, David from Prometheus, Roy Batty from Blade Runner... I even borrowed quotes from the last (book and movie) for the ending titles. :) I've always been really enamored with the idea of these manmade creatures experiencing humanity and - in some cases - showing that they themselves can exemplify humanity's best traits... I'm glad I'm not the only one drawn to those types of stories!
Thanks so much for the recommendations (I'll definitely be checking out some of the romances you mentioned) and the kind words in your review. I'm sorry you had to wait so long for a reply. I admit I was a little intimidated, haha...
Sorry again for taking so much place from the comment page. I didn't mean it. It's just...I was feeling so exhilarated after playing and these were things I've always wanted to say about AIs, and after experiencing Silas... well it was too much emotion to keep silent.
^^ Again, thank you for building this! and for anything Silas related that may come to be in the far future. (If it's about this game, it could never be too short, too light and definitely never too sweet~after such a strongly moving plot, nothing about it could be called corny.)
I would also suggest that you try to put this game on Steam! I'm pretty sure there is an audience for it that'd be joyous to pay for something like it there.
(Sorry for being too intense. Just ignore me if necessary, I'd understand.) Intimidated? Says the one who wrote and coded one of the most meaningful and elegant visual novel in the world featuring an AI! ^^
This game is AMAZING. I am in such an emotional mess right now, I'm on the verge of tears because this game is that damn good. Well done! I absolutely loved the story and how effectively it was told. Usually I get bored whilst playing VN's but I was entertained constantly bc there was never a dull moment, something always felt at stake and I thoroughly enjoyed this mASTERPIECE! I've only done the romance route so far but I'm so happy and satisfied with that ending that I might just replay the same route again. Also, once more congrats on this stellar game!!
Ok so scifi is usually not my thing but I wanted to try something different and your story looked interesting. I AM SO GLAD THIS EXISTS! This story has changed my whole way of thinking of what I want from an experience and I totally fell in love with it. It is easily in my top favorites now. Silas and MC are so great and I loved all choice options and responses to your actions. Very well done <3
Thank you so much for making this game! I already played all three routes, and while I agree that the normal ending was a little lacking, I feel like it's sort of understandable - you as the player chose not to learn more about Silas, so it's your own fault that your journey with him is kind of awkward :)
The friendship and especially the romance however were beautifully written and rewarding. I also loved the romance ending, although it was a little strange for me that Silas and the main character had that whole romantic conversation apparently with the other two rescuers still in the room. I think adding just a few more lines where they are left alone would have made the ending feel smoother.
The CGs are also beautiful, and I'd love to tell you my favourite parts but I'd rather not post any spoilers here.
The characters body appearance seems a bit awkward and stiff... plus it's a little upsetting when the CGs had already been opened even when I haven't reached the certain events...
However, the interaction between MC and Silas is flowing lively and never I regret to repeat the reading of this vn :)
I started by playing the romance route and I have to say that I LOVE the interaction you can have with Silas, but not only that. It is very important for me to see the characters personality develop throughout the game, and you delivered. We could see Silas change little by little, and it was very satisfying to see. The story in itself is very interesting, I never thought I could fall in love with a robot, and yet because of your amazing story telling, I did. In my opinion, you are very talented and I really hope to see more games from you!
I got this when you first released it and I was blown away. Just finished playing it again and still am blown away by it. The development in this story, my own heart strings were yanked and pulled all over again only this time, I didn't cry like a baby with the "true" ending.
Strangely enough, I was more pulled into Silas than the MC, emotionally. I understand how he feels despite his programming and AI. It was like crafting my own emotional issues in the form of an android and I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to feel about it. If anything, I wish I could see how this relationship expands and if Silas learns more about himself, if at all. To see how the MC handles this ever-changing MAN that Silas has become.
This review really made my day. I think it's wonderful that you identified so strongly with Silas, and that his struggles made sense to you... I do imagine much more in terms of character growth for him in the future, but I'm content to let the story lie - as is - for now.
Thank you so much for the kind words and the support. They really mean a lot to me. T-T
This game was really well done! While the good ending was really heartwarming, I couldn't help but think of the worst possible outcome. If the company that produced androids found out that an android had overridden their 'human safety protocol', wouldn't that be really bad? The fact that Silas exists means machinery could 'go rogue', so to speak. I mean, in this case the overriding ended well but that'd be a huge liability.
Maybe I'm reading too much into it xD I do hope these two have their happy ending, though!
It would indeed be really bad if the company found out... I like to think that Silas and MC made a decent life for themselves on the run though. The universe is a huge place; easy to get lost in. So long as they didn't cause any trouble after getting away, I think they'd be fine. :)
And I'm not sure if this might help set your mind at ease or not, but... Silas didn't really 'go rogue' per se... You remember the blast that took out their first ship, the Spirit? It was strong enough to hurt MC severely and I believe she wonders at one point if it could be the root cause of Silas' malfunction. There is also a subtle moment in Silas' dialogue later on where he mentions that his creator... personalized him. MC ponders whether or not any illegal tinkering might have occurred, but it's only mentioned briefly. Either of these things could have made Silas the way he is; or possibly a combination of BOTH.
It's left ambiguous, and I think it works best without me trying to over-explain the exact hows and whys... but I think it's safe to say that Silas' circumstances are pretty unique. ^^
Thanks for the comment! I've been waiting to talk about this for a while, if you can't tell. Haha...
Wow. This was an emotional roller coaster from start to finish.
I started with the non-romance/non-friendship ending (because I like to do things the wrong way around), and I have to admit that while it was good, it wasn't amazing. Then I worked my way through the friendship and romance paths (in that order) and my mind was totally blown. The complexity of the characters and their relationship was masterful, and I loved how they called into question what humanity really means. During the romance path, when Silas starts talking about how he never had a choice, I swear you could hear my heart breaking.
That was a long-winded way of saying that I loved this game and hope to play many more from its creators!
LOL I play games the same exact way! To the point where I try to predict which romances I'll like the best (in games with more than one) and "save" those for last. xD
I really appreciate you taking the time to play all the way through each route and give us your thoughts! I'll be the first to admit that the non-romance/non-friendship end was something of a casualty to the time restraints of Nanoreno, so I'm glad to hear it was satisfying to you, even if it wasn't great. ^^' Thank goodness the other two routes left you with a good impression of the game!
OMG, this game is really a masterpiece of the masterpieces!!! I so gotta bow down to you for the so very many and complicated choices! O o O
I only accept the best (happy) ending as true ending, so really thank you so very much for it!!! Bad endings break my heart, especially types like yours - it hurts so much that I wanna hurt myself physically - to somehow lessen my terrible heartache... ╥﹏╥...
Btw, it's such a pity that it's so short! How I wish it could be far more longer - I would really really really love to see their romance continuation story! (☆▽☆) + (¯﹃¯) ~
Lastly, thank you so very much for sharing your game; so very glad to have come across and played it!!! (*^▽^*)
o.O Ah, don't say such things!! Lol, thank you for the kind words and yes, I might have liked to make the game longer, but then we would have had to answer a lot of awkward questions:
How will the rest of society accept their relationship?
Won't the company that bought Silas' commission want him back since he's technically their property?
Will Silas' malfunctions not get worse over time?
How would MC and Silas... uh... consummate their love?
Would they?
Haha, I decided pretty early on that I wanted the players to be able to imagine the answers to all of those questions on their own. I hope the element of unknown will keep people thinking about this little game of mine longer. ;) Thanks so much for leaving a comment!
1. How will the rest of society accept their relationship?
2. Won't the company that bought Silas' commission want him back since he's technically their property?
3. Will Silas' malfunctions not get worse over time?
4. How would MC and Silas... uh... consummate their love?
5. Would they?
☆
1. Like the two lab coats do in the friendship ending; with pity, condescending patience, and awkwardness. Probably thinking 'how pathetic, she must have been very lonely to consider a tinman a friend' or 'yepee, yet another self deluded dreamer who think its machine feel anything for her' and sometimes, 'she's probably crazy and dangerous'.
2. Absolutely. So they have to elope. ˆˆ And to scavenge from bot facilities, rerout power sources, and live in shady hacker dens to sleep and work.
Or Silas can decide to be transfered into the MC's home computer (granted that those exist and hers have enough space to store him, live or powered off) the time for those who search him forget about him, when he can then be transfered into a new body (buying a bare bone discount shell of his base model could do).
Or the MC can make a huge bet while Silas is not online by buying him with a loan shark's money or by selling her house and taking a ridiculous hugebank credit. The fact her mental health may depend on it + Silas is too quircky to do reliable work for them but it still had cost them a lot + the MC is willing to return them their money and take judiciary responsibility for the tin, would convince them to sell, no? Silas can make a lot of relatively shady money to pay the dept, afterward. I'm sure there are more than one or two ways for a creative girl and a solid bot to do that.
3. Very probably. And that could be the plot of another story: how will Silas readjust his human safety protocols to fit among humans and bots now that he knows he can do it?
4 and 5. Five routes. One: Physically. Who cares if he is built like a Ken? I don't remember the MC complaining that Silas had a dry mouth or that he tasted toxic or motor oil. Two: pink plastic bunnies. Third: electricity and music tingles XD. Fourth *blushes*: harmless code tweaking for happiness loops (self combust from shame). Fifth: they play poker and chess. The Ace way.
This was wonderful! I got all(?) three endings and I suspect there was additional content in the middle I could have seen if I had tried different answers but I didn't have the heart to choose the ones that felt dehumanizing, haha. Maybe later...
I really liked the attention put into the details and logic of his 'malfunctions' and how he finds ways of reinterpreting protocol to begin to make choices and has mixed feelings about doing so, particularly the argument about her going back to cryo-sleep. That was awesome and so well written and thought out!
I think my 'favorite' ending was the sad one, because it had such a bite to it (I got a little choked up), but I'm glad the happy one existed too.
Ah, that's really great! I'm glad you enjoyed the game enough to get all the different endings! ^^
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH for mentioning the events surrounding his malfunctions. I tried really hard to keep those things consistent and recurrent without shoving them down the players' throats. xD I wasn't sure how successful I was at striking a balance with it, so I'm super excited and relieved to hear that it worked for you, at least, hahaha...
God this game played with my heartstrings. I cried after, and I got the happy ending, haha. Please continue to make games, especially if they are like this. I love the kinda constant question of Silas' humanity. It reminds me a bit of a VN that I cant remember the name of that also includes androids learning to love. Its always been an interesting concept to me... What humanity is, and what can have emotion.
Anyway, it was an awesome game, thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Haha, I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed it! Android love is a huge guilty pleasure of mine and I was happy to explore it here... The idea that humanity might have to be redefined if AI ever becomes advanced enough has always been super fascinating to me after seeing movies like Ex Machina, Prometheus, and Blade Runner, so I'm happy I got to share that with everyone. :)
I had a lot of fun with this visual novel and I think it was great for being free. While I didn't think as highly of it as I think I would have had I gotten a better ending, I still had fun with it on a livestream on my youtube channel...
Feel free to watch my first and only experience with this VN here:
Hello! I'm actually the writer of This, My Soul and I'm really appreciative that you took the time to play through this whole Nanoreno project of ours! :) Er, while I certainly wish you had enjoyed it more than you seem to have, I can definitely see why it wasn't to your taste.
Part of it might possibly have been because you got locked into the non-romance path pretty early on, and I think it's the friendship and romance paths that have been the most popular? I admit I put a little less polish and effort into that route than the others, as most of the potential players seemed like they would be more interested in the romance... but that's my own fault and yours is still a totally valid way of playing through the game. A little less emotionally fulfilling, though, as you could see... :/
The other two paths (particularly the romance route) also contain more information regarding Silas himself and WHY he is the way he is. Again, this is a bit unfulfilling for players only interested in the non-romance route, but I pretty much figured that anyone playing that path would be uninterested in getting to know Silas and figuring out what his mysteries were. He is, as Angel kept helpfully pointing out, a robot, lol.
I still really enjoyed your stream though! I was pretty embarrassed at times, but it made me laugh at others. Thanks again for taking the time to do this and I'll work to improve on my content in the future!
Wow, thanks for the comment Lee. Now I'm maybe curious enough to try it again and maybe try to be a little more ummm "dumb" I guess and be more romantic towards what seems to be a heartless and emotionless robot lol.
Don't get me wrong, i think I had a lot of fun with this VN, but I think the ending in particular was just ehhh unsatisfying, at least with the route I took. I have a feeling that you are right and that if I had gotten a different ending, it would probably have led to a less unsatisfied climax on my part and i likely would have given it much higher score then basic 5 out of 10. Let's put it this way, the first hour or two of my reading I'd probably put at about an 8, then it felt like it kinda dragged on and on hour number 2 to 3.5 or so, then the ending just didn't feel worth it all and took down what probably started off as an 8 initially (or perhaps even higher if it had a REALLY good ending)
Anyhow great job, please don't feel discouraged at my initial score because for a free visual novel, it is really good and also really well written. If you have any other VN's you'd like me to look at (even if they cost money), please let me know! I'd love to read more from you, and perhaps will try this one again in the future right here on my channel!
i got the Tears Ending first and my heart's literally broken rn lol. Btw, is it possible to get all of the CG's (Kiss CG 'n stuff) but DONT get the Romantic/Happy End? Because if Tear's supposed to be the romantic end, that'd be even more heartbreaking considering that they're not together ._. I'd appreciate it if someone could explain this to me :)
Second request, could someone explain me how to get the other endings? I just can't seem to get them and i didnt find and walktroughs in the internet..
(Sry that i'm just asking questions, once i got all of the endings i'll write a proper review of the game, but first i want to enjoy full-game-experience haha :D)
Haha, there's just one CG that is only unlockable in the Romantic End. You can technically get the kiss scene and still get the "Tears in the Rain" ending which is the Friendship end. It's just a friendship with romantic seasoning ;) This is part of why I avoided simply labeling the endings in the game as normal, friendship, romance, etc... There's a lot of grey area and depending on how you play, your "friendship" with Silas could potentially unfold more romantically than the happy, romantic ending!
But regardless, the happiest ending is called "Do Androids Dream?" and it sounds like you were right on track until the very end where you have to:
------- SPOILERS -------
Put off going back into cryogenic sleep until the last possible moment and then make sure you ask Silas to promise you that he'll be there when you wake up. The sneaky android will take matters into his own hands if you don't...
To get the "normal" end or the non-romance/non-friendship one, just go back to sleep right away and make sure you DON'T ask about Silas immediately after you're rescued.
I hope the true romantic ending will help heal you're broken heart, at least a little! ^^ Thanks so much for leaving a comment, and if you do decide to finish the other routes, please let us know what you think! Bad or good, I always appreciate feedback.
i love just everything about this game! The art, the writing, even the fact it made me cry. I'm very glad I got Do Androids Dream before Tears or there would have been even more crying! I delayed writing this, trying to think of like...helpful stuff? Or better phrasing? But you've successfully reduced me to "I love this android" and some intermixed sobbing!
fantastic work, i loved this one! The dialogue from kyndle was loads of fun, and i often had trouble picking what i wanted to say because they were all great options. I got the Do Androids Dream ending first, and it was incredibly heart-wrenching.. or at least, i thought it was, until I got the friendship ending. Had i gotten that ending first, I probably would have burst into tears live on stream. Silas is a really fun character as well, and I loved how he grew over the story!
First I got the Tears ending, then finally I managed Android Dream ending. It...was...so...CUTE. flipping loved it, especially the Dream ending, though it took me three tries to find it. Thank you for making this!
Ownnn in love with this game (and in love with Silas too <3), I really enjoyed to play and even after one day that I finished to play, still can't get out of my mind! Perfect!!
I've not played it yet (as it's still donwloading)...but something tells me that I'm going to love the bits out of this game.
And now that I read the other comments, my feeling is a little further confirmed. So...have some stars already: 🌠🌟
By the way, say, could you make it possible for us to give money (so that I can get the game to be displayed under the "owned" category on my page)
PS: Oh, would you happen to know the visual novel entitled "This Cheap and Sacred Thing"? Has it been any form of inspiration for this game, or did you just decide to write an über game with a robot just because?
Haha, thanks for checking it out. ^^ I haven't played that game, actually. I'd never even heard of it tbh, but when I googled, I was pleasantly surprised by all the praise. I may have to check it out later!
Ah, I sympathize with you wanting your games all listed neatly in one place (I'm pretty particular about that kind of thing myself), but I can't accept money for this game, unfortunately. Everyone who worked on this game did so for free, and I wouldn't feel right unless we split any revenue/donations equally... And that's just not practical considering the small amount we would get. Splitting 10-20$ a month between 6-7 people for the foreseeable future is just not a good use of my time right now.... :( Sorry.
I hope despite this you will enjoy the game anyway! Thanks again!
Really, really good! This leaves me wanting more from this author! I want more! Give me! Give me! Give me! I love the story, I love the pacing, and I really love a certain android!
!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M IN MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS GAME! Holy crap, this is (hands down) one of the BEST visual novel games I've played. Wonderfully written, beautifully paced, the art-style is excellent, the MUSIC was stellar -- gah, there's no end to the amount of fantastic things I have to say about this! Huge thanks to everyone involved for making something so great. I also have to say that the characterization was SO GOOOOD. I just really, really enjoyed this.
This game is just so, wow. The writing, the art, the character development, all of it was beautiful. I can't help but replay a few times because of the variety of responses, teasing Silas was really fun. The happy ending left me speechless, in a good way of course.
I would love to see what would have happened after they returned to civilisation, I doubt that everyone would approve of their relationship. Not to mention how some people would probably be paranoid if they knew that an android was able to ignore his programming. But I don't want their happy ending to be ruined so I'm glad the game ends there haha.
Yep, I think there would definitely be some lasting repercussions to them reaching the new planet together, you're absolutely right. I would have loved to explore that deeper (and figure out a way to give them a happy ending in SPITE of the powers against them) but I ran out of time, unfortunately, haha... I'm hoping that the ending in the game is satisfying enough on its own, despite the lingering questions.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! Glad you liked it! ^^
I absolutely loved the pacing of this, and the options had a lot of character in them and it was really fun to read the responses to each one. I want you to know that I am in love with this android?? And nothing can stop me. I also really love the design of the main character!
I'm happy that I took the time to give this visual novel a shot because this is definitely a splendid one, indeed. The phase to build up a relationship between the main characters felt just right; it was not forceful yet not too slow. I believe some VNs that missed to put balance into. As there were a lot of chances to of us, players, to pick choices much given than I had imagined which made me very happy because letting us be interact like that makes it feel more we are Kyndel. DAMN THAT AUDIO VISUAL RECORD--
I'm happy you did too! ^^ I'm glad you thought the pacing of the relationship was all right, since that was probably the part I struggled the MOST with writing... Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Haha, I haven't written a walkthrough, per se, but the different endings are pretty easy to get:
The best way to get all three endings in one playthrough is to shoot for the romance most of the way through. Be kind to him and avoid picking any options that remind him he's not human. Treating him like he's a person is the most important thing to keep in mind and it should build his "Like" stat high enough that it'll keep all of the paths open to you.
SPOILERS:
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Toward the end, when Silas fixes up the pod, you should agree to use it immediately in order to get the friendship and nonromance endings. After you wake up, choose the option that says something like "You haven't heard anyone say it that way in a long time," for the nonromance end. To get the friendship ending, choose the option that asks about what happened to Silas instead.
For the romance, you should try to avoid using the pod as long as you can. It'll start an argument with him, which is how you'll know you're on the right track. Just before you use the pod - this is key - MAKE HIM PROMISE to be there when you wake up. And you should be good!
Hi! I was really interested in playing this game (both the full and demo versions) but i can't seem to start it up on either versions. I have a mac btw. Thank you!!
Hm... Are you using the 2.0 version, by any chance? If so, I'm not sure what the issue is exactly, but I'll ask my programmer what can be done about it first thing in the morning. So sorry about the inconvenience. :(
Decided to send you another reply, so that you'd receive the notification: we've got a separate download available now for mac users that SHOULD fix the problem. ^^ Again, sorry about that!
I absolutely adored this and it's just as fantastic as I expected it to be. Fantastically stellar job all around. I only wish it were longer, but as zombiebunny aptly stated that's only 'cause it was so good!
Is there anywhere I can donate? I would have gladly paid for this game and I want to help support you! I looked at your profile and all that jazz, but I didn't see anywhere to donate. :(
Ah, that's really generous of you! I won't be accepting donations for this game, unfortunately, since it was really just for fun (and it wouldn't have been possible without my teammates!), but if you want, you can follow me on my various social medias and support my other projects! I may also set up a patreon or something similar in the future... :)
Your feedback really means a lot to me. Thanks so much. ♥
Loved it! I got two of the endings. The tears one, and the one where he's there 'after.' :D I don't think I'll try for the third, I'll just stick to the "after" one.
Yay! Thanks so much for the kind words! Since the story is so linear and since the whole thing revolves around one character, and one relationship, I tried my best to include some variety with dialogue options to keep things interesting. I'm super glad it worked for you. :D
This was worth the wait! Especially given the time constraint, it's impressive what the team has pulled together. I agree with those who wish it was longer, but that's the magic of good VNs: you always wish they were longer.
Just finished, and I'm here "Oh, I want to see these two after all of this..." in the romance ending. I mean, Silas SHOULD be decomissioned... I'm almost certain that Silas and the character would have to run lol
Wonderful work, especially for a game made so quickly! I only wish it was longer so we could learn more about Silas and his creator and what happens to everyone in the end, but then, a little mystery is the spice of life - and games too.
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This visual novel may be short, but it's filled to the brim with soul. The sprites are a little stiff, but the CGs are lovely and the writing expressive. Silas has to be one of my favorite characters in any visual novel, and I found myself identifying with him in so many ways; holding back his thoughts and feelings, fighting down any human-like expression. It tore at my heart, and I found myself making sure the MC was as gentle with him as possible. I love "This, My Soul" a great deal. It most certainly deserves more attention and love.
I'm always pleasantly surprised by how many people seem to identify with Silas! I'm really glad he's resonated with people as a character... Thanks so much for the kind words. ♥
I just couldn't help crying when I reached the end .The game opened the gates of a whole new world before my eyes because the way you approached the '' artificial intelligence'' was very unconventional to me . The story & the inetractions were both heratwarming and refreshing .
I definitly loved the CGs & the spirits , particularly Silas' . I also have a little obsession about the title of the game :Thismysoul , it's just very beautiful !
If I could wish for something to be added to the game , I think it would be more details about Silas's background story.
Overall , thank you for bringing such a beautiful game to the world , I can't wait to discover more of your creations .
Thank you so much for taking the time to review and leaving such compliments! I apologize I've taken so long to respond! :( Thanks really have to go to the wonderful dev team we put together for this project. Everyone did their part beautifully and I think players have really responded to that.
As far as Silas and his backstory - I actually DID include more in the first draft of the script (about his creator and his life with the corporation), but the way I wrote it ended up sounding too forced... To keep the dialogue natural - and to meet the Nanoreno deadline - I took out some of the details and left things vague.
I'm really flattered that the game moved you and Silas left you wanting to know more about him! ^^
Holy crap. Silas is too pure for this world. Where can I get an AI like Silas. My god, this vn succeeded pulled a few heart-string from me even though I'm not crying. Damn, the bundle of cuteness will be the end of me.
EDIT: Attention, this
huge rantreview is full of SPOILERS. Just saying. Also, I posted this from my phone and English is not native to me. (Also, there is a list of recommendations about other AIs at the end.)'This My Soul' was one of the rare most satisfactory thing I experienced involving an AI.
At one moment, when Silas first displayed anger, I admit I facepalmed (because, who would build and AI with an emotion like anger? The recipe of anger simply defies the 3 Laws, and thus human's safety). That was how little faith I had regarding AI fiction when I first began to play this.
But then, it appeared that his anger was a factice display motivated by pressure and despair, a last resort tool to persuade humans in life and death situations - and I actually heaved a breath feeling all giddy again.
Because, when an AI's character stop making sense, it's the narrator itself that feel unreliable.
But you come out and build up a non-linear story with an android who completely makes sense, and is believable even when his already spaghetti code get messier. So seamlessly that you make it look easily done !...
If I wasn't already a long date AI junkie who've experienced all the tropes and some more, Silas would have torn my heart, made me melt, cry, question the definition of humanity, feel closer to him than to the rest of humanity, etc.
Silas' character is so alive that I'm (for what my opinion is worth) deeply and genuinely appreciative and respectful of your tastes.
The details, especially, are very important for me emotionally, and his voice, especially his vulnerability, and his behavior all along the routes pulled at my heart in this visceral, raw way only innocent AIs do. I had to remind myself of the HAL9000, Ex Machina, and Blade Runner kind of AI to get a hold on my heart. (Ah these machines. They 'need' you to keep your marbles to be able to use a screwdriver at any second, and yet they make want nothing more than trust them unconditionally and protect their tiny bits of free-will with all your heart...♡)
What moves me more than anything, more even than getting the privilege to watch one grow through life as a person (a non-human one of course, but definitely a person of sorts), tentatively making their own unique and slow path toward genuine affection, perhaps event love... Well... what completely make me weak is is when one of them becomes different than the rest, realizes it vaguely and, afraid to be dismantled for that, tries his best to hide his ability to emote or have opinions around of humans, or at least do anything it can no feel non-threatening.
Watching Silas do his best to look uncaring, unfeeling and perfectly boring to the MC through the three-fourths of the game broke my heart.
Part of me understands why humans can't afford to have too sentient AI on Earth, and so, have to keep them in check — after all they had been made as tools because they were needed as such and allowing bots to become chaotic, if not completely rogue is like being masochistic... But on the other hand, some of them should have the right to become more as long as they can prove that they have a sense of empathy at least as reliable as their hard-coded laws. Or human safety protocols. ._. ... I just want to hug the bytes out of them. x_x
Even the potential 'miracle' (or corruption, depending how we view things) that happen to his inner workings, allowing him to force top priority of an external request above even his safety measures regarding humans can be explained. (By the shock of the the crash - with his body being old, the way his static run on his external shell sometimes and the possibility of a short circuit.) Oh, I admit that the tech in me was freaked out more than once by this bot. But after he reveals that he has been copiously tweaked by his chief maker, I could relax again: long as his software works along its initial design, I can appreciate about any quirk and feeling from an AI.
Even a medication error is not the end of the world for an AI endowed with a complex empathetic system (I mean most bots can' always be perfect since they've been made and debugged by humans).
Oh there was the possibility that his hardware had gained small liabilities, but even then his software would find a way to adjust and compensate, and the question was cleared as soon as he handled the MC with precise and gentle care.
No really, I loved everything.
Do you know how often I've had the privilege and luck to say something like that in a love story involving a female MC? Rarely enough to feel a strong desire to pay for This My Soul. (And that's something, considering that I'm currently broke.)
And you made me design an android by the pronoun 'him'. I don't do that. Not because I'm not touched or loving them, but simply because the little that's transparent of their emotional matrix through their story usually don't warrant such a designation. A it (or a r-him or r-her or a h-it, even) thinks and emotes and can be complex. But a 'him or a 'her', in my world, has to develop their own recipe of feeling from reasoning alone to qualify.
Ah I'm rambling. Sorry.
Another point I grew afraid of at a point by the end was that the MC would only romantically want Silas if he was virile or physically stronger (something that would have made me felt alienated from her quicker than anything). But, in the end, she had a cue to shift the power balance just a bit, namely with the kiss.
However, that's a daring thing to do.
After all, for a character to touch a bot without looking like they're either:
- abusing its program (well, the second Asimovian law of obedience or an equivalence),
- looking for a sexbot (you have no idea how much my respect for the MC went up when she acknowledged and accepted her feelings for an android without wondering if he was built like a Ken. You.have.no.idea. That concern feel like the most pettiest thing ever in these relationships. — I mean, for the love of everything, they should either buy a toy or find themselves a sexbot dumb enough to be treated like an upgradable tool if that's the major concern)
- or deluding themselves with the grotesque and chauvinist expectation that <i>the droid is magically going to get 'more human' out of love.</i> ... =___=
Well, to avoid that all, you have to be careful. As in go slowly, prove that the bot's AI is about 99% willing, etc.
I'm sincerely grateful that you took care of this all, because falling into one of these tropes would have been a disheartening game over for me.
Also, in these kind of games, let admit it, we're there for the AI - the kind we that we can't get anywhere but in fiction yet - more than for the plot itself. And so there's always a moment I feel like saying to the MC "okay, push yourself, get aside just a minute, lemme, please, talk to him here". And that happen when the AI feels solid but the MC feels lacking a way or another and you know things are going to end very bad due to miscommunication. XD
But, to my surprised, despite of Silas being wonderful and pushing about 98% of my buttons... this frustration never happened to me in This My Soul. In the best routes, the MC was cute. Like really cute; and not passive enough to feel like a fool, or useless, or weak-willed. (Did I mention that I loved the fact she hasn't got an European appearance? This is rare and very welcome and made her even prettier, in a way. Beside it provides a artsy contrast with Silas' pale albino-like features.) I couldn't help but make a screenshot of her blushing face. ♡
So yeah, I'm very picky about my fictional AIs, but I'd rate This My Soul 9 out of 10, and Silas 9.99 out of 10, easily.
... One thing I missed a little, at the very end of the romance ending, was the absence of clue on the reaction of the two lab coats who were supposed to be there when she got out. If you had them present, they certainly that was because you had meant them to react to the scene? ...
It didn't have to be an expression of their opinion on Silas and the MC relationship, it didn't have to lampshade their future, it could just be a brief fleeting description just for the sake of fun. I'd be a little stunned and awkward in their place. ^^
Now, to adjust my initial comment before I played the game, I must say that the routes, the AI and certainly the graphics and sprites felt superior to those of the visual novel That Cheap and Sacred Thing. Probably because the AIs there weren't really the focus of the theme. I don't know. (Well, they were, but not really.)
Now I don't know what you usually like or weather you already have had those, but if your cup of tea is not mechanical slaves posing as human to reassure its chauvinist masters...
...I'd recommend the recent games The Turing Test, Portal Stories Mel - the poorly known movies Automata, Tau, I Am Mother, Her - the TV shows Humans - the short books The Dogcatcher (similar to this game with an android just every byte as virile yet lovable as Silas), Eros Philia Agape (xenofiction with key on focus on moral problems in the romance between a deluded human woman and an android who decides to stop lying. Batteries Not Required, Body Electric; The Android's Bride (C-Raptin is so cool he should be a reference), The Mad Scientist Daughter, and a few others decent ones I would still rather not disclose publicly.
I wouldn't mind if anyone had recommendations for me, beside of the media I mentioned and the older classics. That's be very nice.
Wow. Sorry for the rant. It's the emotion... xD
PS : If you tell me you're neither working on the field or are not long time hobbyist about AIs, I'd say you're a HP. ...Which one can it be? I'm being a little curious and wouldn't mind to chat sometimes if you feel like it. No worry, I don't write long comments in chat. But if this question is intrusive, disregard it, please.
Also, if you ever write something else with an AI inside...by all means, I'd take it. I'm afraid that I've fallen deeply in love with your non-linear character building abilities!
I think I've read in a comment from you letting appear that you wouldn't dismiss the possibility of writing more about Silas. After this game, it might feel difficult to deliver something just as well-polished. About that, I'd like to say that this is not necessary or really expected. At this point, I'd dare to say that most of those who played the good or bad Affection Route would be glad to get to see the characters again, no matter how. Any form, and length, and almost any quality would make me very happy.
EDIT :
This is year later, and I can't forget this work; I want to promote it more widely (I already use it as a reference - online and even at work ^^;)
In fact, would it be okay for me to publish online fanfiction about This My Soul? I feel like it'd deserve its own fanbase.
(Time Capsule PS: if you one day, even 50+ years later, you don't want to keep this itch.io account, by all mean, please, don't remove this brilliant work from the web!)
Wow, I admire your passion for android/AI fiction and I'm really glad this game was able to scratch that itch for you! ;) I'll try my best, but I don't know if anything I say is going to do justice to such a long, well-thought-out comment!
It's wonderful to hear you enjoyed the AI aspect of the game in particular, since it's something I really wanted to approach in a certain way. I was mostly inspired by androids from film: Vision from the Avengers, David from Prometheus, Roy Batty from Blade Runner... I even borrowed quotes from the last (book and movie) for the ending titles. :) I've always been really enamored with the idea of these manmade creatures experiencing humanity and - in some cases - showing that they themselves can exemplify humanity's best traits... I'm glad I'm not the only one drawn to those types of stories!
Thanks so much for the recommendations (I'll definitely be checking out some of the romances you mentioned) and the kind words in your review. I'm sorry you had to wait so long for a reply. I admit I was a little intimidated, haha...
Sorry again for taking so much place from the comment page. I didn't mean it. It's just...I was feeling so exhilarated after playing and these were things I've always wanted to say about AIs, and after experiencing Silas... well it was too much emotion to keep silent.
^^ Again, thank you for building this! and for anything Silas related that may come to be in the far future. (If it's about this game, it could never be too short, too light and definitely never too sweet~after such a strongly moving plot, nothing about it could be called corny.)
I would also suggest that you try to put this game on Steam! I'm pretty sure there is an audience for it that'd be joyous to pay for something like it there.
(Sorry for being too intense. Just ignore me if necessary, I'd understand.)
Intimidated? Says the one who wrote and coded one of the most meaningful and elegant visual novel in the world featuring an AI! ^^Thank you. <3
This game is AMAZING. I am in such an emotional mess right now, I'm on the verge of tears because this game is that damn good. Well done! I absolutely loved the story and how effectively it was told. Usually I get bored whilst playing VN's but I was entertained constantly bc there was never a dull moment, something always felt at stake and I thoroughly enjoyed this mASTERPIECE! I've only done the romance route so far but I'm so happy and satisfied with that ending that I might just replay the same route again. Also, once more congrats on this stellar game!!
Thanks so much! Glad the pace kept you invested!
Is Queen's Crown ever returning? If so, when and how much will it cost?
Give us the game!
Ok so scifi is usually not my thing but I wanted to try something different and your story looked interesting. I AM SO GLAD THIS EXISTS! This story has changed my whole way of thinking of what I want from an experience and I totally fell in love with it. It is easily in my top favorites now. Silas and MC are so great and I loved all choice options and responses to your actions. Very well done <3
High compliments! Thank you! :D
Thank you so much for making this game! I already played all three routes, and while I agree that the normal ending was a little lacking, I feel like it's sort of understandable - you as the player chose not to learn more about Silas, so it's your own fault that your journey with him is kind of awkward :)
The friendship and especially the romance however were beautifully written and rewarding. I also loved the romance ending, although it was a little strange for me that Silas and the main character had that whole romantic conversation apparently with the other two rescuers still in the room. I think adding just a few more lines where they are left alone would have made the ending feel smoother.
The CGs are also beautiful, and I'd love to tell you my favourite parts but I'd rather not post any spoilers here.
AWWW i actually cried for all three routes, man it was touching ! and i love their interactions asorogijprg thank you! it was an enjoyable game~ <3
The characters body appearance seems a bit awkward and stiff... plus it's a little upsetting when the CGs had already been opened even when I haven't reached the certain events...
However, the interaction between MC and Silas is flowing lively and never I regret to repeat the reading of this vn :)
I started by playing the romance route and I have to say that I LOVE the interaction you can have with Silas, but not only that. It is very important for me to see the characters personality develop throughout the game, and you delivered. We could see Silas change little by little, and it was very satisfying to see. The story in itself is very interesting, I never thought I could fall in love with a robot, and yet because of your amazing story telling, I did. In my opinion, you are very talented and I really hope to see more games from you!
I got this when you first released it and I was blown away. Just finished playing it again and still am blown away by it. The development in this story, my own heart strings were yanked and pulled all over again only this time, I didn't cry like a baby with the "true" ending.
Strangely enough, I was more pulled into Silas than the MC, emotionally. I understand how he feels despite his programming and AI. It was like crafting my own emotional issues in the form of an android and I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to feel about it. If anything, I wish I could see how this relationship expands and if Silas learns more about himself, if at all. To see how the MC handles this ever-changing MAN that Silas has become.
Overall....I loved it so much, I'd pay you.
This review really made my day. I think it's wonderful that you identified so strongly with Silas, and that his struggles made sense to you... I do imagine much more in terms of character growth for him in the future, but I'm content to let the story lie - as is - for now.
Thank you so much for the kind words and the support. They really mean a lot to me. T-T
This game was really well done! While the good ending was really heartwarming, I couldn't help but think of the worst possible outcome. If the company that produced androids found out that an android had overridden their 'human safety protocol', wouldn't that be really bad? The fact that Silas exists means machinery could 'go rogue', so to speak. I mean, in this case the overriding ended well but that'd be a huge liability.
Maybe I'm reading too much into it xD I do hope these two have their happy ending, though!
It would indeed be really bad if the company found out... I like to think that Silas and MC made a decent life for themselves on the run though. The universe is a huge place; easy to get lost in. So long as they didn't cause any trouble after getting away, I think they'd be fine. :)
And I'm not sure if this might help set your mind at ease or not, but... Silas didn't really 'go rogue' per se... You remember the blast that took out their first ship, the Spirit? It was strong enough to hurt MC severely and I believe she wonders at one point if it could be the root cause of Silas' malfunction. There is also a subtle moment in Silas' dialogue later on where he mentions that his creator... personalized him. MC ponders whether or not any illegal tinkering might have occurred, but it's only mentioned briefly. Either of these things could have made Silas the way he is; or possibly a combination of BOTH.
It's left ambiguous, and I think it works best without me trying to over-explain the exact hows and whys... but I think it's safe to say that Silas' circumstances are pretty unique. ^^
Thanks for the comment! I've been waiting to talk about this for a while, if you can't tell. Haha...
Wow. This was an emotional roller coaster from start to finish.
I started with the non-romance/non-friendship ending (because I like to do things the wrong way around), and I have to admit that while it was good, it wasn't amazing. Then I worked my way through the friendship and romance paths (in that order) and my mind was totally blown. The complexity of the characters and their relationship was masterful, and I loved how they called into question what humanity really means. During the romance path, when Silas starts talking about how he never had a choice, I swear you could hear my heart breaking.
That was a long-winded way of saying that I loved this game and hope to play many more from its creators!
LOL I play games the same exact way! To the point where I try to predict which romances I'll like the best (in games with more than one) and "save" those for last. xD
I really appreciate you taking the time to play all the way through each route and give us your thoughts! I'll be the first to admit that the non-romance/non-friendship end was something of a casualty to the time restraints of Nanoreno, so I'm glad to hear it was satisfying to you, even if it wasn't great. ^^' Thank goodness the other two routes left you with a good impression of the game!
Thank you very much for the feedback!
I really enjoyed it, but there was one cg in the gallery I did not get but was shown anyway, which felt a little bit spoilery. The bgm was relaxing!
Ah, sorry about that! I hope that didn't ruin the experience for you!
OMG, this game is really a masterpiece of the masterpieces!!! I so gotta bow down to you for the so very many and complicated choices! O o O
I only accept the best (happy) ending as true ending, so really thank you so very much for it!!! Bad endings break my heart, especially types like yours - it hurts so much that I wanna hurt myself physically - to somehow lessen my terrible heartache... ╥﹏╥...
Btw, it's such a pity that it's so short! How I wish it could be far more longer - I would really really really love to see their romance continuation story! (☆▽☆) + (¯﹃¯) ~
Lastly, thank you so very much for sharing your game; so very glad to have come across and played it!!! (*^▽^*)
o.O Ah, don't say such things!! Lol, thank you for the kind words and yes, I might have liked to make the game longer, but then we would have had to answer a lot of awkward questions:
Haha, I decided pretty early on that I wanted the players to be able to imagine the answers to all of those questions on their own. I hope the element of unknown will keep people thinking about this little game of mine longer. ;) Thanks so much for leaving a comment!
1. How will the rest of society accept their relationship?
2. Won't the company that bought Silas' commission want him back since he's technically their property?
3. Will Silas' malfunctions not get worse over time?
4. How would MC and Silas... uh... consummate their love?
5. Would they?
☆
1. Like the two lab coats do in the friendship ending; with pity, condescending patience, and awkwardness. Probably thinking 'how pathetic, she must have been very lonely to consider a tinman a friend' or 'yepee, yet another self deluded dreamer who think its machine feel anything for her' and sometimes, 'she's probably crazy and dangerous'.
2. Absolutely. So they have to elope. ˆˆ And to scavenge from bot facilities, rerout power sources, and live in shady hacker dens to sleep and work. Or Silas can decide to be transfered into the MC's home computer (granted that those exist and hers have enough space to store him, live or powered off) the time for those who search him forget about him, when he can then be transfered into a new body (buying a bare bone discount shell of his base model could do).
Or the MC can make a huge bet while Silas is not online by buying him with a loan shark's money or by selling her house and taking a ridiculous hugebank credit. The fact her mental health may depend on it + Silas is too quircky to do reliable work for them but it still had cost them a lot + the MC is willing to return them their money and take judiciary responsibility for the tin, would convince them to sell, no? Silas can make a lot of relatively shady money to pay the dept, afterward. I'm sure there are more than one or two ways for a creative girl and a solid bot to do that.
3. Very probably. And that could be the plot of another story: how will Silas readjust his human safety protocols to fit among humans and bots now that he knows he can do it?
4 and 5. Five routes. One: Physically. Who cares if he is built like a Ken? I don't remember the MC complaining that Silas had a dry mouth or that he tasted toxic or motor oil. Two: pink plastic bunnies. Third: electricity and music tingles XD. Fourth *blushes*: harmless code tweaking for happiness loops (self combust from shame). Fifth: they play poker and chess. The Ace way.
:}
This was wonderful! I got all(?) three endings and I suspect there was additional content in the middle I could have seen if I had tried different answers but I didn't have the heart to choose the ones that felt dehumanizing, haha. Maybe later...
I really liked the attention put into the details and logic of his 'malfunctions' and how he finds ways of reinterpreting protocol to begin to make choices and has mixed feelings about doing so, particularly the argument about her going back to cryo-sleep. That was awesome and so well written and thought out!
I think my 'favorite' ending was the sad one, because it had such a bite to it (I got a little choked up), but I'm glad the happy one existed too.
Ah, that's really great! I'm glad you enjoyed the game enough to get all the different endings! ^^
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH for mentioning the events surrounding his malfunctions. I tried really hard to keep those things consistent and recurrent without shoving them down the players' throats. xD I wasn't sure how successful I was at striking a balance with it, so I'm super excited and relieved to hear that it worked for you, at least, hahaha...
Cheers!
God this game played with my heartstrings. I cried after, and I got the happy ending, haha. Please continue to make games, especially if they are like this. I love the kinda constant question of Silas' humanity. It reminds me a bit of a VN that I cant remember the name of that also includes androids learning to love. Its always been an interesting concept to me... What humanity is, and what can have emotion.
Anyway, it was an awesome game, thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Cheers!
Haha, I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed it! Android love is a huge guilty pleasure of mine and I was happy to explore it here... The idea that humanity might have to be redefined if AI ever becomes advanced enough has always been super fascinating to me after seeing movies like Ex Machina, Prometheus, and Blade Runner, so I'm happy I got to share that with everyone. :)
Thanks for leaving a comment! ~ ♥
I had a lot of fun with this visual novel and I think it was great for being free. While I didn't think as highly of it as I think I would have had I gotten a better ending, I still had fun with it on a livestream on my youtube channel...
Feel free to watch my first and only experience with this VN here:
Hello! I'm actually the writer of This, My Soul and I'm really appreciative that you took the time to play through this whole Nanoreno project of ours! :) Er, while I certainly wish you had enjoyed it more than you seem to have, I can definitely see why it wasn't to your taste.
Part of it might possibly have been because you got locked into the non-romance path pretty early on, and I think it's the friendship and romance paths that have been the most popular? I admit I put a little less polish and effort into that route than the others, as most of the potential players seemed like they would be more interested in the romance... but that's my own fault and yours is still a totally valid way of playing through the game. A little less emotionally fulfilling, though, as you could see... :/
The other two paths (particularly the romance route) also contain more information regarding Silas himself and WHY he is the way he is. Again, this is a bit unfulfilling for players only interested in the non-romance route, but I pretty much figured that anyone playing that path would be uninterested in getting to know Silas and figuring out what his mysteries were. He is, as Angel kept helpfully pointing out, a robot, lol.
I still really enjoyed your stream though! I was pretty embarrassed at times, but it made me laugh at others. Thanks again for taking the time to do this and I'll work to improve on my content in the future!
- Lee Almonte aka Agashi
Wow, thanks for the comment Lee. Now I'm maybe curious enough to try it again and maybe try to be a little more ummm "dumb" I guess and be more romantic towards what seems to be a heartless and emotionless robot lol.
Don't get me wrong, i think I had a lot of fun with this VN, but I think the ending in particular was just ehhh unsatisfying, at least with the route I took. I have a feeling that you are right and that if I had gotten a different ending, it would probably have led to a less unsatisfied climax on my part and i likely would have given it much higher score then basic 5 out of 10. Let's put it this way, the first hour or two of my reading I'd probably put at about an 8, then it felt like it kinda dragged on and on hour number 2 to 3.5 or so, then the ending just didn't feel worth it all and took down what probably started off as an 8 initially (or perhaps even higher if it had a REALLY good ending)
Anyhow great job, please don't feel discouraged at my initial score because for a free visual novel, it is really good and also really well written. If you have any other VN's you'd like me to look at (even if they cost money), please let me know! I'd love to read more from you, and perhaps will try this one again in the future right here on my channel!
Hey,
i got the Tears Ending first and my heart's literally broken rn lol. Btw, is it possible to get all of the CG's (Kiss CG 'n stuff) but DONT get the Romantic/Happy End? Because if Tear's supposed to be the romantic end, that'd be even more heartbreaking considering that they're not together ._. I'd appreciate it if someone could explain this to me :)
Second request, could someone explain me how to get the other endings? I just can't seem to get them and i didnt find and walktroughs in the internet..
(Sry that i'm just asking questions, once i got all of the endings i'll write a proper review of the game, but first i want to enjoy full-game-experience haha :D)
Greetings,
komae :)
Haha, there's just one CG that is only unlockable in the Romantic End. You can technically get the kiss scene and still get the "Tears in the Rain" ending which is the Friendship end. It's just a friendship with romantic seasoning ;) This is part of why I avoided simply labeling the endings in the game as normal, friendship, romance, etc... There's a lot of grey area and depending on how you play, your "friendship" with Silas could potentially unfold more romantically than the happy, romantic ending!
But regardless, the happiest ending is called "Do Androids Dream?" and it sounds like you were right on track until the very end where you have to:
------- SPOILERS -------
Put off going back into cryogenic sleep until the last possible moment and then make sure you ask Silas to promise you that he'll be there when you wake up. The sneaky android will take matters into his own hands if you don't...To get the "normal" end or the non-romance/non-friendship one, just go back to sleep right away and make sure you DON'T ask about Silas immediately after you're rescued.I hope the true romantic ending will help heal you're broken heart, at least a little! ^^ Thanks so much for leaving a comment, and if you do decide to finish the other routes, please let us know what you think! Bad or good, I always appreciate feedback.
I love it that makes me wonder how could you just give it away as a free game (not that I complain though). Thanks so much!
Definitely look forward to anything comes from you in the future!! ^^
You are very sweet. :) Thanks so much for playing and taking the time to leave a comment!~ ♥
That's true! I think the creators deserve to be paid, even if it's just a little.
I usually included it when I payed for their next commercial game, that'll be Queen's Crown for Agashi ;)
Thank for the idea. If I can affort the other VN, I'll do that too.
i love just everything about this game! The art, the writing, even the fact it made me cry. I'm very glad I got Do Androids Dream before Tears or there would have been even more crying! I delayed writing this, trying to think of like...helpful stuff? Or better phrasing? But you've successfully reduced me to "I love this android" and some intermixed sobbing!
Loooool.... That's amazing, thank you!
fantastic work, i loved this one! The dialogue from kyndle was loads of fun, and i often had trouble picking what i wanted to say because they were all great options. I got the Do Androids Dream ending first, and it was incredibly heart-wrenching.. or at least, i thought it was, until I got the friendship ending. Had i gotten that ending first, I probably would have burst into tears live on stream. Silas is a really fun character as well, and I loved how he grew over the story!
Ah, I'm glad you enjoyed it! If you can, please send me a link to your stream. I'd love to watch it! Thanks so much. ^^
First I got the Tears ending, then finally I managed Android Dream ending. It...was...so...CUTE. flipping loved it, especially the Dream ending, though it took me three tries to find it. Thank you for making this!
You're welcome! I'm really glad you liked it enough to try for different endings. ^^ Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Ownnn in love with this game (and in love with Silas too <3), I really enjoyed to play and even after one day that I finished to play, still can't get out of my mind! Perfect!!
To say that the story stuck with you even after you finished playing it is a wonderful compliment. ^///^ Thank you so much!
I've not played it yet (as it's still donwloading)...but something tells me that I'm going to love the bits out of this game.
And now that I read the other comments, my feeling is a little further confirmed. So...have some stars already: 🌠🌟
By the way, say, could you make it possible for us to give money (so that I can get the game to be displayed under the "owned" category on my page)
PS: Oh, would you happen to know the visual novel entitled "This Cheap and Sacred Thing"? Has it been any form of inspiration for this game, or did you just decide to write an über game with a robot just because?
Haha, thanks for checking it out. ^^ I haven't played that game, actually. I'd never even heard of it tbh, but when I googled, I was pleasantly surprised by all the praise. I may have to check it out later!
Ah, I sympathize with you wanting your games all listed neatly in one place (I'm pretty particular about that kind of thing myself), but I can't accept money for this game, unfortunately. Everyone who worked on this game did so for free, and I wouldn't feel right unless we split any revenue/donations equally... And that's just not practical considering the small amount we would get. Splitting 10-20$ a month between 6-7 people for the foreseeable future is just not a good use of my time right now.... :( Sorry.
I hope despite this you will enjoy the game anyway! Thanks again!
I sure will. Thank you for your answer. :)
Really, really good! This leaves me wanting more from this author! I want more! Give me! Give me! Give me! I love the story, I love the pacing, and I really love a certain android!
Eee! Thank you so much! ^///^ If you haven't already, feel free to check out the demo of my main, flagship title, "Queen's Crown."
This visual novel is soooo cute! Hands down
!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M IN MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS GAME! Holy crap, this is (hands down) one of the BEST visual novel games I've played. Wonderfully written, beautifully paced, the art-style is excellent, the MUSIC was stellar -- gah, there's no end to the amount of fantastic things I have to say about this! Huge thanks to everyone involved for making something so great. I also have to say that the characterization was SO GOOOOD. I just really, really enjoyed this.
Gah! That's such high praise! I think I speak for the whole team when I say we're super happy you enjoyed it! Thank you! ~
This game is just so, wow. The writing, the art, the character development, all of it was beautiful. I can't help but replay a few times because of the variety of responses, teasing Silas was really fun. The happy ending left me speechless, in a good way of course.
I would love to see what would have happened after they returned to civilisation, I doubt that everyone would approve of their relationship. Not to mention how some people would probably be paranoid if they knew that an android was able to ignore his programming. But I don't want their happy ending to be ruined so I'm glad the game ends there haha.
Yep, I think there would definitely be some lasting repercussions to them reaching the new planet together, you're absolutely right. I would have loved to explore that deeper (and figure out a way to give them a happy ending in SPITE of the powers against them) but I ran out of time, unfortunately, haha... I'm hoping that the ending in the game is satisfying enough on its own, despite the lingering questions.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! Glad you liked it! ^^
I absolutely loved the pacing of this, and the options had a lot of character in them and it was really fun to read the responses to each one. I want you to know that I am in love with this android?? And nothing can stop me. I also really love the design of the main character!
Haha... I'm sure he loves you too. ;)
And yes, thank you! The design is all thanks to our wonderful sprite artist, TarunaRei!
I'm happy that I took the time to give this visual novel a shot because this is definitely a splendid one, indeed. The phase to build up a relationship between the main characters felt just right; it was not forceful yet not too slow. I believe some VNs that missed to put balance into. As there were a lot of chances to of us, players, to pick choices much given than I had imagined which made me very happy because letting us be interact like that makes it feel more we are Kyndel.
DAMN THAT AUDIO VISUAL RECORD--
I'm happy you did too! ^^ I'm glad you thought the pacing of the relationship was all right, since that was probably the part I struggled the MOST with writing... Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I think you dd a great job at it so no worries ^^
hiya, is there perhaps a walkthrough? i wanna get all the endings :D
Haha, I haven't written a walkthrough, per se, but the different endings are pretty easy to get:
The best way to get all three endings in one playthrough is to shoot for the romance most of the way through. Be kind to him and avoid picking any options that remind him he's not human. Treating him like he's a person is the most important thing to keep in mind and it should build his "Like" stat high enough that it'll keep all of the paths open to you.
SPOILERS:
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.
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Toward the end, when Silas fixes up the pod, you should agree to use it immediately in order to get the friendship and nonromance endings. After you wake up, choose the option that says something like "You haven't heard anyone say it that way in a long time," for the nonromance end. To get the friendship ending, choose the option that asks about what happened to Silas instead.
For the romance, you should try to avoid using the pod as long as you can. It'll start an argument with him, which is how you'll know you're on the right track. Just before you use the pod - this is key - MAKE HIM PROMISE to be there when you wake up. And you should be good!
Enjoy!
Hi! I was really interested in playing this game (both the full and demo versions) but i can't seem to start it up on either versions. I have a mac btw. Thank you!!
Hm... Are you using the 2.0 version, by any chance? If so, I'm not sure what the issue is exactly, but I'll ask my programmer what can be done about it first thing in the morning. So sorry about the inconvenience. :(
Decided to send you another reply, so that you'd receive the notification: we've got a separate download available now for mac users that SHOULD fix the problem. ^^ Again, sorry about that!
No need to be sorry! Thank you so much for looking in to it! I just downloaded it right now and it seemed to start up fine. I can't wait to play it :)
I absolutely adored this and it's just as fantastic as I expected it to be. Fantastically stellar job all around. I only wish it were longer, but as zombiebunny aptly stated that's only 'cause it was so good!
Eee! Thanks so much. ♥ Really happy you enjoyed it!
Is there anywhere I can donate? I would have gladly paid for this game and I want to help support you! I looked at your profile and all that jazz, but I didn't see anywhere to donate. :(
Ah, that's really generous of you! I won't be accepting donations for this game, unfortunately, since it was really just for fun (and it wouldn't have been possible without my teammates!), but if you want, you can follow me on my various social medias and support my other projects! I may also set up a patreon or something similar in the future... :)
Your feedback really means a lot to me. Thanks so much. ♥
Loved it! I got two of the endings. The tears one, and the one where he's there 'after.' :D I don't think I'll try for the third, I'll just stick to the "after" one.
Haha, good choice! ;) I tend to stick with happy endings too.
Aaaah! Finally I was able to play! And it made me soooo happy I don't even... hnnn I loved it so much!
I can't really say much more than after playing the demo, since all the things I liked in it, I like them in the full version even more, of course.
Now, I really like how pervert you can be if you want, or how childish sometimes, for the matter. Sometimes the dialogues really made me laugh!
And of course, the ending was so cool! I love open endings that leave you space for interpretation, so I won't complain about how you dealt with it!
So happy right now... Thank you for the wonderful game!
Yay! Thanks so much for the kind words! Since the story is so linear and since the whole thing revolves around one character, and one relationship, I tried my best to include some variety with dialogue options to keep things interesting. I'm super glad it worked for you. :D
This was worth the wait! Especially given the time constraint, it's impressive what the team has pulled together. I agree with those who wish it was longer, but that's the magic of good VNs: you always wish they were longer.
^///^ Thanks so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
Just finished, and I'm here "Oh, I want to see these two after all of this..." in the romance ending. I mean, Silas SHOULD be decomissioned... I'm almost certain that Silas and the character would have to run lol
But really. I loved it! Great game! <3
Very astute! I'm also pretty sure they cut out of there quick in the romance end... but what do I know, really? ;)
Thanks so much for your patience and I'm super glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderful work, especially for a game made so quickly! I only wish it was longer so we could learn more about Silas and his creator and what happens to everyone in the end, but then, a little mystery is the spice of life - and games too.
Thanks so much! You were very patient with us, so I hope it was worth the wait.