It’s been a while since the release of Ambre. To celebrate this, here is
some kind of “making of” on our devblog with lot of concept art. I hope it will be enlightening.
EDIT : And if you want to download the OST for free, go on
drop a word on Kimino’s Soundcoud (he’s the one who did the music),
I’m sure it’ll motivate him he has just uploaded it
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Mini_Moshi wrote:That was amazing!
I had a feeling something was off when he took her to his house just like that and she stayed there for so long. However, I never saw that twist coming. I think one of the reasons I didn't was because I was feeling so uncomfortable about the possibly pedobear stuff going on that I didn't manage to think too deeply about anything. I'm surprised I didn't stop reading to be honest, but I guess the story really draws you in. I'm glad I didn't, obviously. Not many visual novels stay with you, but I think I will remember this one for a long time. I really enjoyed it. I'm really tired and english is my second language, but I'm hoping my comment is understandable.
I’m glad you didn’t stop halfway too, I don’t want anyone to think of Ambre as a pedobear story, that’s not very glorious for us (though it’s part of the game) X’). Anyway, thank you very much for your kind words.
facades wrote:The plot and method used to get the story across is awesome!
I'm really so impressed by the way you played with different POVs (viewing the story from fantasy vs truth), and how the exact same lines of dialogue could be used to portray totally different things depending on how much the reader understands what's going on in reality. For example, I don't remember the exact line of dialogue, but I think it was " This is just a dream right? You'll still be a little girl tomorrow right?" Can be interpreted that he regretted his crime performed on a minor, and it can also be interpreted that he really wished that she would not return to her world of delusions and insanity.
I'm not really perceptive, so I didn't realise there was a twist until she visited the doctor. I was appalled that a doctor would call a little child sterile. Then I started to realise that something wasn't exactly right. There were a few thoughts going through my head about her condition, such as "Why doesn't he just tell her the truth or try other methods than just repeat what he does in each cycle?" or "Why don't they get professional help?" But you addressed both of them well in mentioning that her condition was so severe, other methods and even a psychiatrist couldn't help.
Two more random thoughts after playing the game : 1) I didn't know that the inability to have children can drive someone that mad. 2) we seriously should stop watching TV and getting our minds poisoned. Or maybe it takes just that little bit more discernment to distinguish fantasy from reality.
On the overall, the game was cute, and then weird, and then heartbreaking, but ultimately one-of-a-kind.
Someone once said on the Internet that toying with the reader like that is lying and therefore not a good thing and I was doing it wrong. Since there is really no rule in narration (with classic literature as with visual novel), I think that can be refreshing when the narrator is unreliable, so that readers can discover new things with different POV, instead of seeing the author trying to create more and more twists that doesn’t always make sense in the end. But well, true, this technique is not fair. I hope it’s interesting enough /o/.
About your two random thoughts : of course, media and sterility don’t directly make anyone go mad, we agreed, but media have an influence on our minds and it’s important to take that with a little distance. I saw young girls being unhappy because they were unable to take the happiness the media are selling us with a grain of salt. So, I wasn’t telling that media are dangerous and that the world is black and white, I just wanted to remind that cultural norms aren’t that obvious and shouldn’t be followed without thinking a little, that’s all.
Ambre is only a bit more weak-minded than others, but she’s not that different from some real girls that do their best to believe they’re satisfied conforming to some society absurd rules when they don’t seem happy at all (but then I can’t judge, everyone makes choices).
Well, anyway, I’m glad you enjoyed the story =)
philip wrote:Just finished the story. Found it to be very well done, if ultimately sad and depressing. And like some of the other posters, I was at first disturbed with the way the story was progressing; the relationship with what I first understood to be a young girl. But as the story unfolds it becomes apparent what the truth really is. All in all, a carefully crafted and engaging tale.
The story is not very cheerful, I know, it’s more like an
utsuge (I like to write depressing stories, maybe it’s because of that)… But thanks for playing it
!