Shii's Gravedigger - The Good People - (Free, Short, Multi-Ending RPG) Introduction and Review

I played "Shii's Gravedigger - The Good People," a short, multi-ending RPG created by Sarari Hayami.
This game features distinctive pixel art graphics and chiptune background music, giving it a retro feel reminiscent of the Famicom (NES).
The game offers a high degree of freedom, allowing for immoral choices, and its design encourages players to explore and discover various endings.

The difficulty level was relatively easy, and it took about an hour to complete and collect all 14 endings.

Game Overview (No Spoilers)

This is the story of Erin, a gravedigger girl who has been chosen as this year's sacrifice, and how she tries (or doesn't try) to avoid being burned at the stake.
With a limited time remaining until the festival, Erin's actions will lead to various outcomes.
While it is an RPG and therefore includes combat, I would say it leans more towards being an adventure game.

There are several ways to avoid being sacrificed.
I'll give you a few examples, but the simplest one is to "kill all the members of the settlement."
Killing them all would prevent them from being sacrificed, so this is also one possible option.
There are many other methods available.

Whether it's the elderly or children, the option to "kill" is presented without mercy, giving the game a subtly decadent atmosphere.
Depending on your choices, you can reach some endings within the first few minutes, which makes you want to try out all sorts of different actions.

There are no random encounters, but battles are in the standard turn-based command battle style.
Since there is no level-up system, you will need to use items you acquire and strengthen your character with equipment.
While there are some very strong enemies, there are no enemies that are absolutely impossible to defeat.

Review (no spoilers)

I was able to complete all the endings.
There is a time limit, but I think it's well-balanced so you'll almost never run out of time.

While there was a somewhat bleak atmosphere, I suppose it's understandable that those designated as sacrifices by those in power would be treated poorly, so I didn't get the impression that the residents were completely insane.
Since I'm playing by trial and error at first, I don't know what the right approach is.
However, there were almost no obstacles that prevented me from doing what I wanted, so I experienced very little stress from the game, and my motivation to explore remained high.

There are many endings, but collecting them all wasn't too difficult, and it wasn't a chore.
Since you can sometimes deduce the branching triggers from the ending, you'll want to try out different options.
I didn't encounter many troublesome aspects, so I recommend that anyone who is drawn to the game's atmosphere give it a try.

Review (contains spoilers)

I was able to see all the endings without any problems.

The first ending I saw was, as expected, a massacre of the residents.
Because I had put off exploring the cemetery, I was busy slaughtering the residents on my own.
The strongman and drunken old man were formidable opponents, but by using the defensive Ankh to solidify your defenses, you can significantly reduce the damage you take.
However, since Drunken Fist seems to inflict damage that ignores defense, I couldn't reduce the damage.
However, the damage to the other man can be significantly reduced, which makes things much easier.
Basically, you should be able to win by using area-of-effect magic and using first aid when your HP drops to around 200-300.
Later, when I learned that Erin (the fairy) would join our party, I despaired, realizing that all of this suffering was unnecessary.

I was able to find most of the endings using information from the game, but I couldn't figure out END 3 and END 8.Author's walkthrough pageI saw it.
It seems that to reach END8, you just needed to lose a battle against some fairy, which I had overlooked.
It would have been quicker if we had lost to strong opponents like Mellow, but due to the preconceived notion that fairies = Bowa, we fought hard against Bowa and lost (both of us just kept using the defensive button).
Even though I should have lost, the game recorded a victory, and Erin (the fairy) joined my party, allowing the game to continue from there.
I suppose they're assuming that no player will lose at this point.
Added on November 18, 2022: This was a bug, not a feature, and has been fixed in the latest version.

The only thing that gave me a bit of trouble was figuring out where to put the poison in the well.
I threw two mushrooms into the blue flame, but nothing happened, so I just forgot about it.
I remember being so excited when I finally got it after finding the third one and throwing it in.
Unfortunately, the story didn't unfold in a way that would allow for poisoning.

The idea that burning something at the stake will bring rain is likely a form of artificial rain, where a large-scale fire or similar event is used to induce rainfall afterward.
In the final scene of END14, after the two Erins return to their original forms, was it just a coincidence that it started raining before they were burned at the stake?

Furthermore, Rhiannon's true identity has not yet been revealed.
Since Erin (the gravedigger) senses a similar aura to herself, we can infer that she is probably a fairy.
Although it's a game that can be completed in a short amount of time, the reason why it makes you want to think about it in various ways is, I think, due to the presence of the game's world itself and the charm of the characters that appear in it.