Do you like Desgames!? (Free Adventure) Introduction and Review

This is an article introducing "Do You Like Desgames!?", a free adventure game created with RPG Maker MV by Fuyuki-sama.
Previous workIt's time for the game!I enjoyed the previous game so much that I decided to play this one too.
Please be aware that this contains graphic and shocking scenes, including depictions of bloodshed.

The playtime was approximately two hours (until the final bonus room was unlocked).

Game Overview (No Spoilers)

Kanata, a boy who lost his best friend in an accident, is tricked by a suspicious fortune teller into buying a strange doll, and is forced to participate in a devilish death game that grants wishes.
In that space, there were three other boys who had been brought together under similar circumstances.
Only one person's wish can be granted, but Kanata, who doesn't really want to participate in the game, strives to ensure everyone survives.
Will the four of them be able to escape safely, or...?

The game is basically a linear adventure.
Along the way, there are exploration, puzzle-solving, and short action sequences.
The difficulty level isn't high, but the game is tense because failure often leads to an immediate game over.
As explained at the beginning of the game, it's safest to save frequently as you progress.

A steel beam crossing (whether it's a tribute to Kaiji or not is unclear)

An explanation will be given before each mini-game, so please read it carefully.
The same applies to the puzzles; hints are provided for everything, so you shouldn't get too lost.
Many objects can provide some kind of information when examined, so try to examine as many as possible.

Review (no spoilers)

Happy End、True End共に辿り着いてクリアしました。
The difficulty level isn't high, so I think you'll be able to watch it smoothly.
I'm afraid that discussing the story content will inevitably lead to spoilers, so I'll probably stick to innocuous impressions in this section.

It pains me to see those cute boys suffer such terrible things, but I know that's what I'm going to be playing, so it's not a problem.
I felt that the character development for each individual was just right—not too much, not too little.

The UI and graphics are elaborate, and particularly memorable scenes are enhanced with event illustrations and voiceovers.
I imagine it's difficult to give voices to child characters, but the voice actors were all so skilled that it didn't feel unnatural at all, which I thought was amazing.
The overall design gave me a very luxurious impression, so I imagine it must have cost a lot of money and effort (though that's probably just a silly guess).

It's a high-quality adventure game that can be completed in about two hours, so if you're interested, why not give it a try?

Thoughts and screenshots included (spoiler alert)

Now, from here on, I'll write without considering spoilers, and I'll include screenshots and other images.
It is recommended that you do not read this before playing.

When I first played, I thought the roads being impassable was simply due to the event's setting.
However, looking back on it now, I think it was probably because my best friend had been in such a terrible accident.
I think this might also be a depiction of Kanata's generally upright and virtuous conduct.

This has absolutely nothing to do with the main story, but there were so many interesting parody names in the background materials that I couldn't help but take a look.
I can't help but laugh at things like Matsuya becoming Umeya, BOOK OFF becoming BOOK ON, and Saizeriya becoming Saizerian.

This mask... sent shivers down my spine, but it doesn't seem to have any direct connection to the previous game, so it's probably something like a symbol of the game master in this series.
一見すると可愛らしいお面ですが、そこはかとない不気味さを感じてしまいます。

It's a small detail, but the way the burden of Touya's presence is conveyed to the player is a nice touch.
I think that properly linking the story's setting with the game's setting is a way to prevent players from feeling any sense of incongruity.

The riddle was easy for the other characters to answer, but for Michi, it was a clever trap.
The riddle is so closely tied to one's own wishes that it's difficult to answer correctly, which is what makes Aki so annoying.

Perhaps he volunteered to take on the longest distance because basketball is his specialty.
Of course, it probably also has the implication of repaying a debt to Kanata and the others.
However, Aki's actions shook my inner turmoil, and I failed before I could even see the results.
The reason he looks somewhat refreshed might be because he has acknowledged his own weakness—the possibility that he might fail again even if he tries again.
It felt like he was saying, "I couldn't do my best, but you guys do your best."

No matter which of the four had their wish granted, I think the outcome would have ultimately left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
Aki probably foresaw that she would be unable to bear the pangs of conscience, and that the outcome would be far from happy.

Personally, I think a "Happy End" might be considered a happy ending in terms of the events that occurred.
Since his best friend who died in an accident has come back to life, objectively speaking, it's a happy ending, isn't it?
Even if Aki had actually impersonated Subaru, if Kanata couldn't have known that, then whether she was the real Subaru or not wouldn't really matter.
However, I don't think it was a very happy ending, as I believe the fact that he sacrificed the lives of the other three people torments Kanata.

Kanata is good at many things, but it's kind of cute that he's tone-deaf.
I liked how the tone-deafness was expressed through the font.

I think this is the conclusion.
自己犠牲によって誰かを助けても、助けられた側はずっと引っかかりを感じるでしょう。
It might just be self-satisfaction on the part of the person who did the saving.
And even if one survives at the expense of others, I think that with a normal mental state, one would feel guilt and suffer.

Aki had been teasing the four of them the whole time, but this scene was the only one where it seemed like she was genuinely annoyed.
The design, which is half boy and half girl, evokes the duality of a demon.

If you compare what you've lost with what you've gained, they might not be worth it at all.
However, for those of them who had suffered deep emotional wounds, the feeling that they didn't want to lose the comrades they had fought alongside was probably stronger, even if it meant letting go of 15 years of their lives.
If you consider this the end, it might not be a happy ending, but considering the rest of their lives, I think it's good that they were able to move forward relatively soon.
If they're satisfied for the time being, then let's call it a happy ending.

This time, Kanata didn't particularly want Subaru to be revived, yet he got caught up in the death game, which I felt was really unfortunate.
If the devil is someone who places great importance on contracts, then perhaps one could have escaped by strongly asserting from the beginning that it was a contract they did not agree to.
However, I think everyone secretly harbored the thought, "If only my wish could really come true...", so they probably ended up getting caught up in the game without much thought.
Of course, Aki probably targeted them with those things in mind.