Nami no Iro - The Color of the Waves

It's been a while since I've last been so pleasantly surprised by a VN, such an unknown one too on top of that! <3 Overall the VN (in particular the first half, but also the setting and some general themes) has strong Higurashi influences in terms of writing style and presentation, and in my opinion truly managed to master what I love about that VN series so much - the unsettling and even nerve-wrecking atmosphere is very well-executed! The premise appears vague at first, so I had no idea what to expect, however the story eventually gains complexetiy and revolves around specific themes (difficult to say more without spoiling lol). I enjoyed the writing a lot, it does a great job at engrossing storytelling, and handles horror, denpa & mysteries (as well as their reveals) in a captivating manner; to me the major plot twists managed to be unpredictable yet made perfect sense without feeling too abrupt or absurd. The narrative structure is lovely too with its highly unreliable and deceptive nature. It's obvious that high attention was paid to details, for example sometimes the writing felt a bit exaggerated and silly, however even that turned out to have purpose... Only minor flaw is …

Nami no Iro - The Color of the Waves is a deeply atmospheric psychological horror visual novel that blends emotional storytelling, surreal mystery, and unsettling psychological tension into an experience that feels both haunting and intensely personal. Developed by Dulkha315 and published by WhiteLodgeGames, the game follows Mugen Takebara, a young man who returns to the isolated town of Inonaki after years away despite remembering very little about his childhood there. What initially appears to be a quiet reunion with his cousin Sora slowly evolves into a disturbing journey through fragmented memories, emotional trauma, and increasingly surreal horrors that blur the line between reality and hallucination. The game’s strongest feature is easily its atmosphere. From the opening moments, Inonaki feels strange and emotionally suffocating in a way that is difficult to fully explain. The rural setting carries a constant sense of isolation, with quiet streets, uncomfortable silences, and unsettling conversations creating tension long before the story openly embraces horror. Rather than relying entirely on jump scares or graphic imagery, the game builds fear slowly through uncertainty, e…

I wish I could have given this a day 1 glowing review to convince more people to try it, but I was late. This is a game from one guy on ren'py and it's very charming. I'm probably a bit over halfway through but I had to leave a review to tell you that $2.50 is robbing the guy because he put in a lot of work. Nice ost, nice pacing, good mysteries try it you have nothing to lose. EDIT: I just finished this and I can assure you its worth 15 hours of your time. It might be a little rough around the edges at first glance but there is some seriously good storytelling in there that I will remember for years.

I honestly don't remember where I found this VN or when I added it to my steam wishlist prior to it's release, but I am so glad I got to experience this story. Present day post game: I did it, I read, nay, I consumed the second part. All I can say is wow, what an amazing visual novel. Do not glance at the art and think that this is some meh amateur work. The story and plot are extremely well written and it such a ride that I wish I could experience it knowing nothing. I am stunned the soundtrack, writing, and sprites were all done by one person. You really did a stellar job. I shall be shouting this VN out to anyone that will listen for the foreseeable future. Lynch would have really enjoyed this were he still alive today. I got this on sale but at full price it is totally worth. I just finished volume 1, really enjoying this vn so far. The english translation could use some editing but it doesn't make it hard to understand the plot.

One of the things that really gets to me about this psychological/horror VN is that it focus more on atmosphere and emotional tension than cheap jumpscares. The game creates a constant feeling of unease from the very beginning that kept me thinking about it for days after I finished playing. Whenever you think you understood something, recognize you can truly solve one of the mysteries or maybe starting to think which one of the characters is beyond some of the patterns, the game abruptly change direction and leave you speechless, always giving you that tingling sense of unease and keeping you under pressure. Keeping in mind that only one person did everything, from the soundtrack, to the characters sprites, to the developing makes it even more of a masterpiece, and really gives you the effort, time and passion that this person have put into this massive work of art. Having played also the demo version on itch.io, when I saw it on steam I had to buy it. It is truly a game made by heart and I really hope that this guy gets the recognition that he deserves.

Usually I don't write reviews but this VN deserves more attention and it is sad that it hasn't popped off yet. I picked it up on sale but it is worth the full prize. First of all it's important to note that this is a completely linear story, there are no choices or different routes (like in most VNs) except for one at the very end. This is not a detrement to the experience just something you should know, that this VN is much closer to a book than a game, even more so than other VNs. The writing is really well done and made me feel with the characters while also being engaging as I was contemplating how the mytery would unfold. The characters feel and act distinct and realistic, they have their flaws and complexity and don't fall into classic tropes. I also didn't see the twist at the end coming, at least not fully. When it comes to the art, first I was put off by it as it looked kinda low quality but it really grew on me and now I appreciate the art for its uniquess and the eerie vibe that fits the story perfectly. The music, ambience and sound effects are also excellently integrated and help being immersed in the story. Its not the absolute best VN I have ever read but one …