Sing for Me, Night Birds (Free Horror Novel) - Introduction and Review

This is an introduction and review article for the free horror visual novel game "Sing for Me, Night Bird" by Amagaeru/Kyokou Seizosha.
This is a folkloric horror story that deals with the theme of resurrection of the dead.

I first learned about the work through Tsukishiki's blog "Just kidding ~Room No. 2~"in,Introduction article for this workIt all started when I read it and became interested (more precisely, when I shared that article).post(I learned about it through this.)

It was in two parts, and I completed it in about two hours in total.
(It will probably be at a slightly faster pace, with Part 1 being just under an hour and Part 2 being about an hour.)

Game Overview

The story unfolds through the dialogues between Nishimachi, a student who frequently visits the school of Hodaka, a teacher with a somewhat mysterious air about him.
Nishimachi hears that Hotaka is from an abandoned village where the "secret art of resurrection" is said to have been practiced, and he eagerly tries to find out more about it.
Hodaka stubbornly refuses to talk, but when Nishimachi presses him to at least tell him why the village became abandoned, he reluctantly begins to speak.

The first part, set in the present day, features a screen layout consisting of character portraits and message windows.
Although the number of lines per sentence is fixed at three, the writing style and the vertical format give the story a calm and composed atmosphere.
There is only one branching point near the end of the game, which leads to two different endings.

Once you finish reading the first part, you'll be able to read the second part, which is set in the past.
In the second part, there are no character portraits, and the screen is filled with text, giving it a more novel-like feel.
In the second part, there are no choices; it's a single, linear path.

The settings are perfectly adequate, making for a comfortable reading experience.
Furthermore, even without saving, you can start reading from the title screen, beginning with one of the finely divided chapters.
The titles assigned to each chapter are only visible on this screen or when saving, so it might be a good idea to take a look at them once.

Review (no spoilers)

I read and finished both parts one by one.
I was captivated by the realistic setting and depiction of the story, which deals with the theme of resurrection of the dead.
The first part was well-crafted and enjoyable as a gloomy horror novel.
If you watch the beginning after seeing the ending, it makes perfect sense; the story is structured in a way that makes perfect sense.

The second part delves deeper into the characters from the first part and is even more somber in tone.
The story makes sense because the events of the first part are connected to the past that is revealed in the second part.

The writing style is generally calm and composed, with a fair amount of descriptive text.
The writing style was profound and made for a very engaging read.
(As an aside, this is the first time I've ever encountered the word "oni-tai" (demon fetus).)

Unlike typical folklore horror stories, the story doesn't actually involve visiting the village; instead, it unfolds entirely through dialogue in a single room.
Because there are few characters and no scene changes, I felt that the story was structured to naturally focus on and explore the two main characters.
The length of the story, which concludes before it starts to feel repetitive, also left a good impression.

The production is meticulous but not flashy, but because the main topic is "resurrection of the dead," I was intrigued and kept engaged until the very end.
If you're interested in the subject matter or feel that the atmosphere of the work suits you, why not give it a try?

*However, as mentioned in the description on the download site, please be aware that it contains depictions of bloodshed, violence, abuse, and grotesque imagery, which may be offensive to some viewers.

Review (contains spoilers)

From this point onward, the following contains opinions that relate to the ending of the game, so please be aware of spoilers if you read this before playing the game.

When I first read the beginning of the first part, I thought, "I wonder if something like that happened," but upon rereading it, I realized it was foreshadowing the ending of the story.
Moreover, the content remains consistent regardless of which choice is made, which I thought was also an interesting point.

I think it's significant that one of the options in response to "I want to meet you" is "I can't meet you" rather than "I don't want to meet you."
We can only speculate about what Hodaka meant by "we can't meet."
However, judging from his subsequent words and actions, it seemed to me that he felt he couldn't face anyone after letting Tsugumi die.
As evidenced by his words, "I should have done this sooner," Hodaka's choice of this option suggests he regrets past mistakes.

At the same time, I found the part that seemed to test my resolve for Nishimachi quite interesting.
Nishimachi boasted that he was prepared to do anything to revive his brother, but he seemed unsure even about whether he could memorize the ritual's steps.
Furthermore, it appears he lacked the resolve to kill someone and prepare a corpse.
I get the feeling that Hotaka had some idea that Nishimachi wasn't truly prepared.
However, since Hodaka chose to end everything, it seems that it didn't matter to him whether Nishimachi succeeded or not.

Throughout history, those who have attempted to resurrect the dead have generally met unsatisfactory end, and it seems this outcome was no exception.
If you choose "I want to see you," you will receive a reward in an even clearer form.

In the second part, the scene where they witness the resurrection of the dead right before their eyes made me feel sorry for Hodaka.
If someone had an experience like that when they were little, it's understandable that they might develop some kind of problem.
The scene where I witnessed my grandfather punishing my father is another example of this.

I haven't often seen scenes of the dead being resurrected depicted in such detail, but it's understandable that it would be such a creepy scene if you actually witnessed it.
After all, it would be horrifying if a corpse that you actually saw die a little while ago suddenly rose up and claimed to be your mother.
To my father, who seemed possessed by something, it might have looked like a resurrection, but I think it's understandable that it would appear terrifying to a small child.

I think it was unfortunate for Hodaka that his grandfather left behind such a curse in his final moments.
Because of this, I'm constantly plagued by the obsessive feeling that the Princess Goddess is watching me, so I think my grandfather's actions were a heavy responsibility.
The fact that the amount of water is decreasing year after year means that it will eventually disappear anyway, so I think it's a grave sin to leave instructions to watch over Hotaka without releasing it from its responsibility.

I'm not saying Hodaka is entirely blameless, but I think the reason he became so warped is likely due to these kinds of experiences in his childhood.

The last sentence of Part Two makes perfect sense regardless of which option you choose at the end of Part One.
If you choose the route where you "cannot meet," it means that you will die too, so you will be able to meet soon. If you choose the route where you "want to meet," it means that you will be able to revive them and meet.

Personally, I think the "cannot meet" route is more fitting as an end to a long-standing tradition.
In the "I want to see you" route, the character tries to repeat the same mistake without learning their lesson, only to be met with an unexpected counterattack, which made it feel like a bad ending.
If the "they can't meet" route is chosen, it might offer some solace to Tsugumi, as it means she's been given a new life.