Sigh of the Abyss: Shadow Bonds

I want to like this, the world seems interesting, the art is better than sub-standard anime bishounen fair, but if I have to read about one more bard who likes to bang everything that breathes (especially one that induces my yick of adultery, which should have a warning, by the way), I'm going to pull out my hair. I'm sure if this world has/had half-elves, they'd all be rangers. I'm not against cliches or tropes, but one CAN use them better.

Originally I gave this a good review because I liked it as a free prologue, a taste of what's to come. However now that I've played Sigh of the Abyss I have to change my review. It says it's a prologue but it has no connection to the full game. The same characters are in the full game and they meet you for the first time. I was trying to figure out how Shadow Bonds relates to the full game but it doesn't. I bought Sigh of the Abyss based on my positive experience with Shadow Bonds but I don't think it gives a good representation as the full game is much much slower and doesn't have as interesting choices nor as interesting a story as this "prologue" does. Ultimately I can't recommend this as it fails at what it's supposed to do.

"Sigh of the Abyss: Shadow Bonds" isn't a game. It looks like an e-book dumped on Steam masquerading as a game, but it's not that either! This is an advert! This is just the "try before you buy" intro to some cringe fan-fiction, and the "author" expects you to pay money for the rest... imagine paying money for someone's high school anime club dropout fan-fiction. Ugh. This is never okay. There is no gameplay here because this is just an advert for a garbage high school anime club dropout fan-fiction e-book. It is full of cringey dialogue and amateur writing that would be rejected by any actual book publisher... leaving the "author" of this garbage to shove it onto Steam Direct. Here is the link to the actual demo publishing process that this author ignored to exploit the Steam store: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/store/application/demos In case you're interested (nope) this high school anime club dropout fan-fiction e-book that's being advertised is all about the author and his LGBTQIA+ friendly fantasy of having a bunch of various magical vampire boyfriends and girlfriends and totally getting to third base with all of his boyfriends and girlfriends. The writing, unsurpr…

and now I want to play more

beautifully crafted fantasy otome visual novel that immediately draws you in with its worldbuilding and atmosphere. Even though it’s only the prologue, it already sets a strong emotional and narrative foundation. The writing is elegant and immersive, filled with tension, mystery, and glimpses of something much deeper to come. The characters are intriguing, each introduced with enough personality and subtlety to make you want to know more about them. The art style is stunning, rich in detail and mood, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the story’s tone, creating a sense of wonder and unease at the same time. As a prologue, it’s short and leaves you wanting more, which can be both exciting and frustrating. You can tell the story is just getting started, but it already hints at high-quality storytelling and emotional depth. If the full version delivers on what the prologue promises, this could easily become one of the standout fantasy otome titles in recent years. Rating: 9/10

Wowie. Ok so I first played this months ago by downloading it on itch.io. As people can see by this review, I have also downloaded it on Steam, and the purpose of that was to get all of the achievements. Now that I've done so, I feel competent enough to write this review. If you love visual novels, PLAY THIS. If you love magic/fantasy, PLAY THIS. If you love romance, PLAY! THIS!! This is BY FAR one of THE BEST GAMES I'VE EVER PLAYED!! I am SO excited to play the full version (when I get the money to do so; it's not a matter of deciding if I will but when). So far I have seen clips of playthroughs on YT and it looks amazing! Ok, now I'm done gushing about the game! Time to get into the technical aspects of why this game is amazing: The art style: The art style is so beautifully unique and well-crafted. Every single frame reminded me of a painting. I am honestly in awe still. How did a game that's not mainstream (even though it deserves to be) get such amazing art? And I wouldn't be able to answer that question, but I don't think I need to. Cause 1) it doesn't matter and 2) I'm just glad it happened! And if you don't believe me, look at the trailer and screenshots (they spea…