Ghost Economy (VNRPG demo)

Quirky, inventive, moody, earnest, and at times horny AF; it is well worth the time to take a stroll with the fantastic artwork, fascinating characters, and thoughtful storytelling in this slice of a much deeper--and darker--pie.

It's unlike any visual novel I've played before. I didn't know you could make them do the things that Millard does with his art. Now I have a far more discerning eye!

Now THIS is how you do a prototype!

tl:dr
Crow's artwork and wordplay mesh together atop an excellently selected score to deliver an impactful and gripping story that leaves you wanting more. There's a surprising amount of effort and polish for what is basically a one-person show. You need to play this, do yourself  the favour and give it a look.

First off, out the gate, Millard Crow knows how to write. The characters are fleshed out and feel real, not like some two-dimensional caricatures, and the world isn't some perfect squeaky clean fantasy. It's authentic, and down to earth, with all of its flaws and blemishes intact. You'll be taken around the word on a guided tour from various perspectives courtesy of Crow's pen and excellent usage of language. Next up, this is clearly a labor of passion. Blood, sweat, and tears went into this and it shows. The multiple items that are animated drawing focus to what is important or emphasizing key moments are beautiful and the character designs are fantastic. (some more literally than others) There is amazing polish here and the effects on display are used sparingly and with purpose. It's honestly so very great to experience such good design. The musical selection is no slouch either. Each song selected captures the moment with near perfection and helps to meld the parts of this work into a single cohesive experience.

But what about the story itself? There's fancy writing for sure, but is it any good!? No, it's not good. It's great. Seriously, Crow is an accomplished author with a number of novels under the belt. This prototype pulls from a novel of the same name and Crow's experience as a writer shows quite clearly. The narrative structure and the character growth and development are believable and naturally drive the story forward as our protagonists interact and confront each other and the world they inhabit.

If you've made it this far then download it. Just do it. You'll be happy you did. I've played games based on book series in the past, I have never before had a game make me purchase a book. I'm holding a hardback copy of "Ghost Economy" right now and that's the highest praise I could give a game. It effected my real-world behaviour.