Just hit 100% this morning--all CG, endings, routes cleared, etc. Visual novels are the only games I ever 100%, haha.
So, when I first started this, I liked it more than Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly. That is still partially true, but now that I've finished Ashen Hawk, I think that BB was more satisfying overall. The art and music were great in both, but BB just gave more answers, and seemed more complete.
That being said...
Gameplay:
-The flowchart is pretty unique to these two games, and it makes navigating to specific scenes for different routes very easy. However, this game is, like BB, 90% common route, meaning the different routes are predominantly toward the end of the game, and in the endings themselves. This is where I prefer VNs like Code: Realize, Hakuoki, etc., as you have some common route early on, but then the story branches into very different routes for each love interest. They each have their own larger story. I guess some might prefer the Psychedelica way of doing it, but that's the biggest downside of the two games for me. It just means the endings feel like a forced "here, take your pick of a character whose ending you want to see, but with very little development of a relationship with the main character."
Story:
-I like the story--the premise is interesting. However, I don't feel like I ever got a full scope of the story and conflict. There are some prevalent characters (not love interests or routes) who we are never given an explanation about. They're obviously tie-ins to BB (not obvious as first, but eventually), and they have active roles in the story, but there is never a HOW or WHY they're in this world/game.
Love Interests:
-I enjoyed most of the characters in this game, but some of the love interests become less desirable as you get further in the game because...reasons. Lugus is supposed to be the canon route, and I really liked him. Levi's an interesting character too, but, again...there are some routes that...yeah. Hugh is the enigma, and his path ends up not being all that clear, either, but I liked him as a character.
Main Character:
-Jed is an incredibly likable MC in a lot of ways. She's hardworking, has believable struggles and worries, and is refreshingly not a weak damsel. She can be a bit dense, having acted as a man her entire life and never expecting to be able to have really deep relationships with people, but she shows growth.
Endings:
-I enjoyed the True/Heroine ending for the most part. The Travelers and Links ending(s) were also good. Lavan's was okay. Pretty much all of the others were disappointing, felt contrived, or just didn't give the characters a good ending (and by good, I don't necessarily mean happy).
Relation to Black Butterfly:
-So, the tie-ins here aren't really until late game, and really only in the True/Heroine ending. There are similar themes, like memory loss, alternate realities/intermediate worlds, kaleidoscopes, etc., throughout the game, but most of that stands on its own in AH.
-There are some characters that you eventually realize are a tie-in to BB but, like I said above in the Story section, you're never really told how or why they came to be there. I was disappointed that it was never cleared up, and just left me with more questions about them in the end.
Overall, I enjoyed the game, but I'm eager to get back to VNs that just do it better.
