Dear Me, I Was Review – A Watercolor Life Story Told Without Words – MonsterVine

Observe the story of a girl’s life from childhood by way of previous age, offered in a completely textual content-free format.

Dear me, I was…
Developer: Arc System Works
Value: $8
Platform: Nintendo Change 2, Nintendo Change (reviewed), PC, Android, iOS
MonsterVine was provided with a Change code for overview.

I was inquisitive about Dear Me, I Was when it was first introduced, however because it was a Change 2 unique, I didn’t have an opportunity to play it. Now that it’s arrived on different platforms, I was comfortable to lastly test it out.

It tells the story of an older lady wanting again at her life, which is advised in levels from her childhood as much as her later years. The factor that stands out first about this recreation is its artwork. It makes use of a watercolor sketchbook type presentation with rotoscoping animation, which supplies it fairly a novel and exquisite look. I particularly appreciated its use of colour, with some scenes being offered as black and white sketches, whereas the addition of colour brings a scene to life and emphasizes vital particulars. This sketchbook aesthetic isn’t only a whim, both, because it ties into the narrative as a result of primary character being an artist.

The important thing factor that stands out about Dear Me, I Was is that its story doesn’t embrace any textual content, however moderately depends totally on its visuals. That’s uncommon for a recreation like this, as a result of it’s additionally wholly targeted on its narrative, with solely minimal gameplay. Gameplay consists of minor interactions, resembling dragging a pencil throughout a clean sketchbook web page to make the artwork seem, clicking on meals to eat it, or urgent a button to have the characters take {a photograph}. It’s virtually like a visible novel, besides with out the “novel” half. As a visible novel fan, I don’t have an issue with video games which have little to no gameplay, however on this case, it virtually looks like it might have been higher if there have been no gameplay components included in any respect. The minor interactions don’t add a lot to the expertise.

In the meantime, the textual content-free presentation is a blended bag. On one hand, there are occasions when the story is difficult to observe. With no dialogue or narration to observe, it’s a must to have a look at the visuals and interpret what’s taking place, and there have been factors the place I felt like I was simply guessing. An argument, for instance, could be proven by way of visuals, however the purpose for the argument doesn’t come by way of as simply. Then again, it’s spectacular simply how a lot can be conveyed with out textual content. Meals scenes present the passage of time and the way the primary character’s life adjustments, folks’s expressions and physique language convey the temper of a scene, and context clues make it easier to piece collectively the fundamentals of the narrative, even when some particulars get misplaced alongside the way in which. It’s a really creative presentation, which I suppose is the purpose. I admire the endeavor, even when it didn’t all the time work for me.

As for the story itself, I’d describe it as a narrative about life and about valuing the folks round you. Some elements are cute, whereas others are emotional. It’s a tragic story at instances, albeit one with hope. Nonetheless, at lower than an hour to finish, the quick runtime, along with the constraints of its textual content-free format, made it troublesome for me to actually really feel connected to anybody within the story. Unhappy scenes made me really feel disappointment, particularly once they made me mirror alone life, however they lacked the affect they’d have had if I have been extra invested within the characters themselves. In the long run, the strengths of Dear Me, I Was come right down to its wonderful use of visuals and the way properly you may personally relate to the primary character’s story.

The Closing Phrase
Dear Me, I Was tackles the problem of telling a narrative with none textual content in any respect, and it does so with a good quantity of success. On the similar time, nevertheless, it lacks the affect its emotional moments really feel like they’re meant to have. General, it’s a brief chronicle of a girl’s life that may make you mirror in your connections with the folks round you.

MonsterVine Ranking: 3.5 out of 5 – Truthful