This game has a simple premise of five kids being trapped in a school due to supernatural means and trying to escape. The gameplay is straightforward: Five students split in two teams, you cannot decide which group is comprise of which. Each group explores a different route. It's supposed an RPG but is probably as minimal as an RPG can get before becoming a VN. Gameplay is a bit reminiscent of graphic adventures like Shadowgate, but far more simplified. (look at this, go here, then go back here. etc) You slowly unlock more to explore as you make progress.

Despite such starkness, this is nice approach to gameplay with all more advanced mechanics typically seen in RPGs/adventure games complete thrown out By keeping it simple and interactive with just a few ways you can interact with the game: -Moving around (WASD) and examining objects (space) -choice A or choice B on dialogue prompts (with unknown outcomes) -Time passing unfolds scripted events (you can wait or you can hurry) -some puzzles mention items. You might have them and use them or you might chose not to.

All of these things combined together bring out a formula for a game to do very good job in fooling the player into thinking that they are causing things to happen when they are not necessarily doing it. They are bumping the script along in ways they don't quite detect. (Far more interesting and engaging than clicking a mouse or pressing space to advance a VN) Quite nice for a game that hinges heavy on narrative. You just feel far more engaged in everythings as you figure out a way to 'turn a page'

I loved this game for both it's design and it's setting. But the best design choice of all of the -Rebuilt- version is the original PC-98 musical score that has been retained. It is a glorious one for the system! :D