Aroma

Speed running through this game was fun.

It's a bit disjointed and unfocused at times, but I got surprisingly invested in the characters and overall story. I'd say there's three main (sub)plots and I only didn't care for one of them? [spoiler]School: okay. Teenager assassin: mehh. Young adult: great.[/spoiler] The vibes don't change much and little happens, so if you don't like the beginning I'd say don't bother (despite the ending which I loved but probably isn't worth it) but I'd say give it a chance!

Aroma, created by Oyashiro.dev and NTWL and published by Oyashiro.dev, is a small-scale visual novel that relies more on mood and subtle emotional storytelling than on spectacle or complex mechanics. It places players in the middle of a quiet, introspective narrative centered on a group of young people dealing with the uncertainties of adolescence in a bleak, vaguely Eastern European setting. Rather than pushing dramatic twists upfront, the game unfolds gradually, allowing its characters and atmosphere to take the lead, which gives the experience a grounded and sometimes uncomfortably intimate tone. The narrative is built around everyday interactions that slowly reveal deeper layers of each character. Conversations feel natural, often meandering in a way that mirrors real-life dialogue, and this design choice helps establish a sense of authenticity. The characters are not exaggerated personalities but rather believable individuals with insecurities, regrets, and conflicting desires. As the story progresses, their relationships shift in subtle ways, and the player’s choices influence how certain situations play out. These decisions do not radically alter the plot, but they do chang…

Overall, it's not bad. Free stuff can't be blamed too much. The game runs pretty fast, and the graphics are acceptable. The logic of choosing actions gives non-obvious ending options, which is perhaps the single biggest drawback. A guide to help!

Я не любитель виз. новелл, но эта достаточно лайтово мне зашла. Автору респект за творчество

is not something very good