Souten Mirror Incident (SF Suspense ADV) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This is an article introducing "The Souten Mirror Incident," a game submitted to the 14th WoodyCon.
This is an exploration adventure where you must escape from a trapped mansion using a "celestial mirror" that connects the past and future, separated by 10 years.
This work incorporates many elements of mystery and suspense.

The game took about an hour and a half to complete (until the title screen changed and the ending was reached).

Game Overview

Trapped in a Western-style mansion, the protagonist Mirai discovers a "sky mirror" in her room that allows her to communicate with a girl named Kako who appears to be in the same room.
According to a book in the room, the "Tenkyo" (Heavenly Mirror) is said to have the power to see through to the other side, even across a period of 10 years.
To escape the mansion, Mirai works with Kako to solve the mysteries.

The game itself is a fairly standard exploration adventure.
You'll get hints on what to do next, so you should be able to make quick progress.
There are some puzzles to solve, but they aren't very difficult.

Review (no spoilers)

I struggled a bit to reach the final ending, but I managed to get there somehow.
My impression was that it was a suspenseful adventure that very skillfully incorporated sci-fi elements.

The game itself isn't particularly difficult.
There might be a few points that take some effort to find, but basically, it's a level that can be cleared by thoroughly searching every nook and cranny.

With 100 save slots available, you should have plenty of slots left even if you save frequently.
Although it uses a multi-ending system, it's thoughtfully designed to prompt you to save before branching points.
You won't need to start over after clearing the game, so it's a user-friendly design in that respect.

My impression of the content was that I found the exchanges between Mirai and Kako, which highlighted the generational gap, to be interesting.
There were many references to current events, and I often felt nostalgic, thinking, "Ah, that happened too."
Given the current topic of the coronavirus, and the fact that there seem to be few works that incorporate so much current events like this, it felt refreshing.

As the game nears its end, the suspense intensifies, and you begin to realize that it's not just a simple science fiction story.
In the climax, you'll realize that seemingly insignificant conversations, staging, and even subtle inconsistencies that players barely notice are all carefully calculated plot points.

I think players who enjoy mystery novels and detective stories will find this quite addictive.

Strategy Notes (Contains Spoilers)

I'll be writing some strategy notes on points that I felt some players might find a little challenging.
Please be aware that this may not be suitable for those who wish to complete the game on their own.

- Find a magnet to attach to a fishing rod
The magnet is located on the skeleton figurine in the upper right corner of the warehouse at the starting point.

- It can lead to a bad ending or a normal ending.
Let's load the data and go back to that scene again.
There should be more new options available.

- It ends with "TRUE END Souten"
Obtain the mirrors from the drawer in the attic room on the 4th floor of the "Omote-tsuka" building.
The key to the drawer is in the drawer in the bedroom on the "front stack" side.
To enter the bedroom in the "front room," remove the three balls used in the mechanism in the study in the "back room," and activate the mechanism in the same way.
Incidentally, the last diary entry is also in the bedroom on the "front" side.
Once the conditions are met, the save screen will display the message, "I think you've finished exploring the mansion."