I just noticed that Noctisse's name is spelled, well, Noctisse. Is it intentional or for aesthetical purposes only? Since "tisser" means "to weave" in french. 👀
Oh that's a really cool fact! I'd like to pretend I did it intentionally but alas, it was just a play off the word noctis. I thought noctisse sounded a bit more feminine xD; that was it. But I really love learning about this! Thanks so much for sharing! <3
Hello Jen! I'm at chapter 4 atm, still not done with the game yet but since I'm a little bit confused I thought I could leave a comment so you could reexplain what I'm misunderstanding (spoilers ahead) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- In this chapter we finally learn Ilyon's real name (Caylis) but when we explore the Gamma constellation, Ritcher aludes to him feeling guilty for being unable to save Serci and Caylis back then, but isnt Caylis Krey's biological child? The one who was stillborn? Or was he talking about a different person completely? - Who's Riesha? A servant or a nanny I'm assuming? Since Krey's wife died from childbirth? (Unless I'm misremembering??)
I probably sound like a broken record at this point but I'm really enjoying this game despite being unable to play as often as I'd like. Also, Gulli and Ritcher's friendship is really wholesome, it's a shame it couldnt last due to circumstances they had no control over...
Thank you for your question! I'm glad you are so interested in the side characters and all the confusing twists of Ilyon's scattered memories.
Spoilers
Krey(elf) is actually Serci's(elf) brother. He's Ilyon's uncle who took him in after Serci and Ilyon's human father Cayden were killed by the Council, for their forbidden union. Krey's own wife and child died in childbirth, so Krey and Serci tried to save Ilyon by pretending he was Krey's child. This is why Krey bitter/neglectful towards Ilyon. To him, his unnatural existence of being a half elf, half human cost him everyone and was no replacement for his deceased wife and son. In one of the alternate reality, Caylis's cousin is still alive and he looks similair to Ilyon but with purple hair like Serci and Krey. Sorry it's been a long time since I looked at this story!
No problem, you deserve all the praise. I havent played much, only reached the part where we meet our guide yesterday. The story is well written and I love the "old anime"-esque aesthetic. Also, I appreciate you for giving us the option to be understanding/empathetic despite Ilyon's cynical nature, many people conflate being cynical and being mean unfortunately which limits my options in VNs sometimes. Have a lovely week-end Jen, I can't wait to play your other games. They've been on my To Be Played list for quite some time.
This was my first game so although I would've liked to go back and finish the two characters that didn't get finished (I had sprites and chapter 1 completed so it definitely felt bad not finishing them) I think I was too ambitious with how incredibly messy and inefficient my code/writing structure was. The two companions available have 6 endings each, so the 'two routes' still have 12 endings took me a lot time to complete. I'm sorry I never finished the others. To be transparent, I make free games as a fun hobby, so I don't see myself at this point having fun returning to this. I apologize for my mistake.
It's ok, thanks for clarifying. You made a very interesting game with cool characters, it makes me want to see other routes too. And thanks for answering my question.
The Thief and Bard Routes are completely finished. I've moved on to other projects atm, but I hope to someday and revisit this project in the future. Thanks for checking it out!
Thank you for the wonderful game, I've been enjoyed it so far but I decide not to give a review before having finished it. By the way, the is a problem for me. In this scene, the list just go on and I'm sure that there are choices that are hidden below the text frame and maybe the window can't even contain it, is there any way to fix this? I will appreciate it if you can help me and sorry for my bad English
Hi Liberia! Ah yes, I apologize that there are a few times in the game that its possible to collect too many items to display at once. When you use the items, they should drop from your inventory and you should be able to see the overflow ones take their spot. I think it has something to do with Renpy's built in menu option select. I'll consider working on this problem and see if I can come up with a solution. Thank you for pointing this out and for trying out my game. Also items do not stay with the player when you move to the next chapter (as their only purpose is for that chapter's puzzle), so there's no benefit to holding on to them. Best wishes~
One of my favourite games. The writing is pleasantly ornate and poetic, the music being a nice complement. The art has this surreal feeling, especially with the movement of the sprites. The faint blush is something I love also, giving a more meaningful feeling just because it isn't 'jumping' in your face. I like the story a lot, and would love to see more of Ilyon's childhood, as well as more of the others' backstories. And can I just say I ADORE Mikail and his dynamic with Ilyon, they just go so well together (not only romantically).
Edit: I forgot to say how much I love Ritcher's character design😭😭😭(and also everything else about him👀).
Oh and something I've noticed is that the skip button doesn't work on all scenes, is that something intentional?
Alsooo-I'm very curious about the heights of our mains (Ilyon, Keska, Mikail, Grei and Simion). Can I find this information anywhere?
Well, i think that is all, i wish you have a good time working on your projects and i hope many more people discover your games and art.
Thank you so much for playing my game and sharing some of your thoughts with me. Ritcher was a character that I never got a chance to explore in the original comic and I'm glad you liked his design. If you haven't seen my video I made working on sprite, you can get a better view of it. Sadly I had to export the animation at a lower framerate for the game, so I think some of the detail was lost.
There may have been somethings about Ilyon's childhood that are pretty vague in the game, as his childhood memories were very fragmented even before the ritual. Most of the adults in his life were not transparent with what was happening in attempt to protect him, but only caused him to speculate in isolation. If you have any more specific questions that you'd like clarified, I would be happy to give the factual presentation of events (as opposed to the fuzzy recollection of the protagonist.)
As far as heights of the characters go, I don't tend to write detailed character profiles like this anymore (such as height, birthdays ect) but somewhere out there there might be something I wrote back when I was working on the comics when height reference was more important. I seem to remember Ilyon as being 5'10", Mikail 5'8", Keska 5'6", Grei 5'2" and Simion 6'2". Or something close to that XD;; it was a 20 years ago. Dang. 20 years...!
Anyways thanks again so much and best wishes~ You made my day!
I actually saw a few of your yt videos yesterday, including the Ritcher one (of course i couldn't skip him), and also some of the 2021 designs. I finished all the endings and most of the dialogue options last night, but I totally forgot about the comic. I need to read it rigt away.
Thank you for the answer on their heights, it helps me picture them a lot better.
Oh wow! That's super awesome that you saw all the endings ;_; I appreciate you so much. I forgot to answer your other question about the skip function. I believe the only thing that I tried to disable skip on was the movie cutscenes because it was super easy to skip them by accidently clicking. I wonder if you don't mind me asking, what you thought of the different epilogues? I tried to make them different and equally fleshed out but I admit I was starting to get burnt out so I don't know how successful I was. Thanks again~
I don't mind at all, on the contrary, I really enjoy sharing my thoughts. I love how the style changes when you wake up, becoming more 'realistic', really emphasizing the fact that you're no longer dreaming. The different endings were really enjoyable, giving us different scenarios and letting us see more of the characters, which I truly appreciate, I can tell it was a lot of work (please remember not to overwork yourself). My favourites were Mikail's empathy endigs-I loved seeing more of his playful and domestic side; but also Keska's logic endings-I feel like I could relate to her reaction, not knowing if anything was real, if Ilyon would come for her, and bluntly telling him what was on her heart (besides, her dress was gorgeous).
Hi again Ancaa, I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. I also think that the empathy trait compliments Mikail very well, as it helps him feel needed and eases his insecurity issues. Also I think logical Ilyon helps Keska grow as well, she's a bit more cautious and less dependent when Ilyon is more pragmatic, but I think that helps her become more self-sufficient.
Really want to play this so bad, have been lurking it for months and months, but I want to wait until it's finished >.< I never play games unless they're finished to save myself the heartache and yearning LOL. I hope one day you come back to making it and finish it.
Hello allow me to welcome you to the life of completion only consumption. I will now bestow apon you the life line tool of vn searching. https://vndb.org/v You will soon find out that the life you have choosen is destined for hours of scrolling looking for completed works, free and paid. Good luck on your adventure commrade.
But seriously if you need any recomendations I can save you some time and give you some if you want lol.
Yep yep I already know about VNDB, I've been playing otomes since I was around the age of 9 and I'm going on 25 this year 😂😂 Played hundreds at this point that I'm a veteran and an old seasoned hag, even. 😂 Can even do some programming myself. Thank you for the thought though haha that's very kind of you. Yeah I just like to periodically check up on some games I was interested in and show support to the devs.
I've played Mikail (Romantic)-Logic and Keska (Romantic)-Empathy, and I gotta say, I really did enjoy this game. I'm currently playing through Mikail-Power as well, and it's made me appreciate how much your choice of stat changes the game. I also enjoyed the overall, uh, dream-like atmosphere (lol) , and your take on cynicism and overcoming it was something that appealed to me. Also, I really enjoyed the dynamics between the main character and his vassals, and I fuckign love Mikail and Keska.
(Spoilers below)
If I had to point out some flaws though, I'd say that chapter 2 can feel a bit repetitive. I get the feeling that that was the point but having to frequently backtrack and then run back again got annoying quite quickly. I prefer the castle and the puzzles it had as it was less tedious. Nothign else comes to mind though, sorry.
Hi sageleaf, I agree with your critique of chapter 2 and it's feeling of redundancy. I think in my original plans, I didn't expect players to visit all the rooms, (since only one key item and 3 items total are only necessary to light the hearths) but in actuality most players will want to make sure they aren't missing anything. I'm glad you still stuck through it and enjoyed the characters. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me :).
Yes. You must part ways with your vassal at the catacomb door to complete chapter 3. At least temporarily. It's possible to reunite on the other side if you have confirmed either a friendship or romance (a special scene in the their room on the top floor of the castle should give you the option if your trust and/or attract is +30 and you have watched the previous 10point milestones) scenes continue to unlock up to 50 after confirming friendship or romance but are not required to complete the game to the good endings/epilogue. Hope that helps!
So when I first saw this banner I read Soul Onion and psychological fantasy and I was like, oh that sounds intriguing! I'm almost disappointed I got it wrong, but I'm curious enough to play now anyway. <3
Hello, the game is absolutely wonderful! The art has this unique, dreamy quality, and the writing absolutely tugs at your heartstrings. Both released thus far are incredible.
However, I would like to report a bug in Keska's route. In the thid time you visit her room, when she offers you a massage, clicking in the option "In that case, I'm looking forward to it" shows a Mikail scene.
Thank you so much for trying out my game. I'm sorry that you encounter that bug! Thank you for reporting it. I'm really happy to read that you enjoyed your time with the story and characters so far. I have a lot of plans for this project in the future~
Hello Again! Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. I love reading them. Please let me respond to your feedback point by point.
There may be spoilers in some of my answers~
1. I'm glad that you were able to enjoy the game as an experience despite it's many flaws in execution. I plan on leaving this version up even after I remake it, as I think it has it's own "charm" that may be lost in my attempt to refine it. I'm planning some pretty big narrative changes for the remake, so I think it will be interesting for someone like yourself to compare. There was a power imbalance that I am uncomfortable with, and I want to give the vassals more agency. I'm planning more character and relationship development outside of the ritual, before the epilogue so I hope that will help the reader to explore another side to the characters. To make room for this new expansion, relationship paths will be narrowed to two opposed to six.
2. I'm glad that you enjoyed Keska's character. As a creator and I mother, I feel like my characters are kind of like my children, so I can't favor one over the others. As far as the endings go, all of the empathy, power and logic routes share similar resolutions when it comes to Noctisse. In his empathy routes, Ilyon's companions attempt to "rescue" him from his complicated relationship with Noctisse. I suppose Ilyon made himself appear vulnerable enough to them that they felt inspired to "help" him. They probably also felt supported enough to act on their own personal grievances against Noctisse as well, considering she threatened them into the whole ritual thing to begin with. In his power routes, he takes more upon himself to challenge Noctisse directly and his logic routes, he cautiously tolerates Noctisse, deciding ultimately to bide his time. In all versions of the endings, Mikail does not like Noctisse and sees her as a threat to both himself and his cherished person. He's not the type of person to consider nuance. I'm sure he would personally rather she disappear forever regardless of Ilyon's chosen approach. I'm pleased you were able to pick up on that XD.
3. Thank you for pointing out the bug! I think there's a couple of those in Keska's path, since I made her path after Mikail's. I reused some of the scripts for an "outline" to follow and I must have accidentally left one of jumps to the wrong script. Sorry about that! Most of my friends are team Mikail, so I feel her path was not as well tested, lol.
4. The hearths in the tunnels are representative of destruction, reverence and preservation. The objects collected and used as fuel are representative of memories. Ilyon can only "destroy" the memories if his power is at a certain level. He can "revere" the memories if his empathy is high enough, and he can "preserve" them if his logic is at a certain level. Fueling the flame grants Ilyon a large bonus to that corresponding trait. I don't believe it's possible to have all three stats high enough at the same run through to use all three options, so at that point of the game, the player must commit to one trait of their two highest traits above the others.
5. My friend Kerry has composed all the music specifically for this game. She's played it extensively as I've been creating it, so she's very familiar with the story, themes and characters. We've also been friends for decades so she has a pretty good idea of how my brain works and my general sensibilities, lol. I feel like she always manages to nail the feeling I'm going for, even though I give her little to no direction. I'm really lucky to have her as a friend and composer!
Thank you again for this discussion, I enjoyed it ^^
Finished my first playthrough (Mikail, romantic, Empathy + I talked to him to the very end and did exactly what he suggested). Loved it, loved everything about it. The passion and all the thought that went into this, the aesthetics, the fact that the puzzles were easy enough even for me ;-), the fact that everytime I thought "oh, I've got this, I know what this game wants from me" I was soon proven wrong and I had to think about my answers and action. I was invested in the characters (in Mikail the most, of course), and I feel that I wouldn't be able to simply recreate the story that I have just experienced, which makes it unique. It also makes me look forward to the next unique story as I try again. I wonder what happens if I try to ascend through logic with Keska as a friend by my side. I'm not good with elegant complements (which is maybe why I could easily identify with Ilyon ;-) ), but I just wanted to say that you should be really proud of this game.
I'm so glad that you enjoyed your first play through. I spent a lot of time brewing over the characters and themes explored and I really hoped to create an overall introspective experience. I'm planning to go back and refine and focus my themes for clarity and impact. I hope you enjoy your next delve with Keska, and continue to watch this project grow in the future. Thank you again so much for trying out my game and taking the time to share your thoughts. It means a lot to me.
Ahhh I just finished my first playthrough (I went for a Mikhail+Romance+Logic route), and I think the best way to describe how I feel about Soul Union is just totally enamoured!! I really really love how you get to explore the map and poke around everywhere for clues, and it's awesome how the music and the art and the animation all come together to make a really immersive, beautiful, and mysterious experience. The characters are honestly the greatest too, and it's super fun to see their personalities shine through with their dialogue as they banter and interact with each other! I can't wait to try out Keska's route and eventually check out all the endings! :DDD
Also, I was wondering if it would be alright if I made fanart of Soul Union? I'll be sure to credit you if I post it, but it's totally cool if you say no too!
I'm so glad that you enjoyed what you've played so far and I hope you also enjoy Keska's route. I definitely want to revisit and develop this story and characters some more in the future. I would absolutely looove to see a fanart if you're so inclined! Thank you so much!!
Thank you so much for trying out the game. I'm so glad that you enjoyed it. I hope you will continue to follow these games as I continue to expand on this world.
I love this game so much. I don't even know how to begin, lol.
The art is amazing, and I love the little animations and the characters ( especially their design ). The story is very captivating, well-written and interesting. The music is so cool and good to listen to! It is an amazing work.
To be honest, at first I wasn't really keen of the game. But after I gave it a try... I am totally hooked on it.
This is an art piece, truly. <3
SPOILERS BELOW -
i just wanted to know; can you give a hint to how finish chapter 3 w/ Mikail? I am revisiting all the places over and over again, but I can't seem to find a option to go thru the gate with him. :( thx for the help !!
Thank you so much for your comment and im so glad that you gave my game a chance. I know theres endless choices with how you chose to spend your free time so im honored. As for your question about chapter 3...Spoilers
Because Mikail did not enter the ritual seeking enlightenment, he cannot pass through the door. If your friendship or romance bond is solid and confirmed, its possible to be reunited on the other side.
i got a bit scared that going thru the door would put an end in the relationship ( due to the warning that the relationship would reach an ending ), but if i understood correctly, that means that the relationship will just end in that "world", right?
I apologize if the warning was unclear. Allow me to clarify.* Spoilers*
Once you go through the door, your relationship bond is set. There are no more oppertunities past the door to increase bond. I hope that helps clarify. Let me know if you have any more questions or concerns.
I know I'm a little late to the party, but... can I just say, this is easily one of the best visual novels I've ever played. I won't lie, the primary reason that I got this game was because I had the opportunity to be gay; few are the opportunities where I can fully express my identity in a way I feel comfortable with - no scenes that were too heated, it just felt lovely!
But the game itself? Wow. Just astounding. At first I was baffled; why was I being asked questions that would ultimately lead nowhere? Baffled, but honestly a bit pleased as well; while visual novels should have an important aspect that shows that your choices matter, sometimes choices that DON'T matter can be just as refreshing, as reminders that sometimes actions simply end and that is that.
But that's the thing! The choices DID matter! They matter so much, because they subtly shape who Ilyon is; a calculating intellect? A seeker of power and influence? An emotionally-connected, empathetic man? Its honestly just incredible how the choices posed aren't ones that make me scratch my head and look up a walkthrough - they're the kind that leave me staring at the screen for 5 minutes, wondering what I would pick as a person and how I would want to proceed through this delve.
This game genuinely made me introspective, looking into core traits of both Ilyon and myself and wondering how they came to be; was there any way to change them? If different choices were made in the past, would that have changed things, too? Incredible, simply incredible.
Oh, and the icing on the cake, the soul contract characters. I'll be honest, I can't really speak about anyone but Mikail, but I will die for this thief who stole both mine and Ilyon's heart. He is so wonderfully grounded in reality; while Ilyon would stand there, saying "hmm yes, I do wonder on how something like this shaft might be a representation of my mind!" and Mikail would just be like "...okay, yeah, but lets be careful, the dirt is soft and the supports on this tunnel might not be stable." They just... balance each other out and they understand each other and ugh they're wonderful, I love love love them. The epilogue was fantastic, and I love the way the characters are designed. My run was Empathy with Romantic Bond Mikail, though I may go back and do something different one of these days!
...By different, I mean, like, Intellect Ilyon with Romantic Bond Mikail, there's no way I could ever bring myself to put Ilyon with anyone but Mikail haha
Oh, and if I do that, you know what? I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything! I know I'm not the normal audience for a visual novel with romance elements; if I find a love interest (while there was no such choice in this one, I will admit to being soft for the childhood-friends-to-lovers trope lol), I latch on to them and don't let go. All of the other routes are now sacrilege and I will genuinely, honestly feel horrible and guilty if I play a different romance route - indicative of severe emotional issues? Almost certainly! But I can't help it; I find my fulfillment in visual novels with one character, and often just leave it there. The issue, of course, is that I often feel like I'm... missing out, somehow? Like, I don't WANT to pursue the other routes, but I almost feel like I have to. This game? Didn't even consider it for a second. Mikail and Mikail only, and it amazes me that the creator of this game has even more routes to choose from, Mikail's just felt so fantastic and whole, and when I completed the route I genuinely felt like I did it; I had no feelings of disappointment that I wouldn't know every route, I felt happy and content and would gladly do it again just for fun.
Anyway, yeah, this comment ended up being more of a rambling expression of my love than anything; I am so amazed by this game, it is easily in my top 5 visual novels of all time. And I'm picky! I need things to be at least a little gay, that already removes, like, 90% of all visual novels! I am so glad you made this game, and I often go back just to play over certain scenes again and see Mikail and Ilyon being dorks with each other.
*SPOILERS, MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*
Okay, so like, this has been bothering me a bit and I genuinely spent an hour looking for a way to bring Mikail through The Door(tm) with me in the Catacombs because I couldn't bear the thought of leaving him behind. Is there a way to bring him as well? I know, I know, I should be happy with the Epilogue, but a part of me is sad that it seems like Mikail ended up hurt when Ilyon walks through The Door(tm) without him. Unless, of course, The Door(tm) is meant to represent something different from what I thought? I dunno, i'd be glad to hear from anyone!
hi there and thanks so much for taking the time to share your experiences and thoughts about the characters, story and game. Truly this is why I am making these games ^_^. Im going to jump straight into spoilers so I dont forget to address your questions! Be warned spoilers ahead!
The garden, tunnels and fortess are loose references to persona, ego and shadow. Ilyons outer mask of a calm and rational person, his understanding of himself as a person who has always desired to escape his sense of helplessness and his shame of being born somewhat a freak of nature. The door is representative of his minds eye opening to beyond his sense of self. Mikail in his current reality cannot follow him through the door because he is not seeking enlightenment, but was coerced into the ritual. Yet somehow their bond transcends the singular reality and another Mikail who was searching for enlightenment and choose to be there was able to help Ilyon beyond the door. He didnt become a different person, so he has somewhere in himself that same desire to find a higher meaning to his life and existence in the version that didnt pass the door, he just never pursued it. It becomes a curious question, at what point does decisions and experiences completely change who you are? In the case of power, empathy or logic, ilyon is still a variation of himself. But when his parents and cousin live, there is a different person "Caylis" whom Mikail does not recognize. Yet somehow both Caylis and Ilyon ended up in the ritual so maybe they are not so different lol. I'll let you decide ^_~
Wow, that is honestly awesome! As I suspected, the areas are significant aspects to his character, I was at least correct with my thoughts on the Garden haha; but everything else is very enlightening, and I'm glad to know that there is so much thought put into this that I am finding myself quite ignorant! You have, perhaps inadvertently, convinced me to play through the game again hahaha - I love this game and the symbolism it provides, I will definitely play through it again and probably obsess over details again. Thank you for the response, you did fantastic!
Oh i forgot to mention, if you are only wanting to play mikails story i reccommend giving his friendship routes a chance as well. I strongly believe that friendships can be just as deep as romantic bonds and I tried very much to make all 6 possible endings with each companion unique, satisifying and reveal different aspects of their character. I made sure to enable the skip function everywhere i could XD.
Haha, I will certainly consider it without a doubt! Mikail's story is so fascinating to me, i would love to delve into it with a new or altered perspective! When I play Soul Union once more, I will have many playthroughs to consider hahaha
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I just noticed that Noctisse's name is spelled, well, Noctisse. Is it intentional or for aesthetical purposes only? Since "tisser" means "to weave" in french. 👀
Oh that's a really cool fact! I'd like to pretend I did it intentionally but alas, it was just a play off the word noctis. I thought noctisse sounded a bit more feminine xD; that was it. But I really love learning about this! Thanks so much for sharing! <3
Hello Jen!
I'm at chapter 4 atm, still not done with the game yet but since I'm a little bit confused I thought I could leave a comment so you could reexplain what I'm misunderstanding (spoilers ahead)
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- In this chapter we finally learn Ilyon's real name (Caylis) but when we explore the Gamma constellation, Ritcher aludes to him feeling guilty for being unable to save Serci and Caylis back then, but isnt Caylis Krey's biological child? The one who was stillborn? Or was he talking about a different person completely?
- Who's Riesha? A servant or a nanny I'm assuming? Since Krey's wife died from childbirth? (Unless I'm misremembering??)
I probably sound like a broken record at this point but I'm really enjoying this game despite being unable to play as often as I'd like. Also, Gulli and Ritcher's friendship is really wholesome, it's a shame it couldnt last due to circumstances they had no control over...
Hi Nootellix,
Thank you for your question! I'm glad you are so interested in the side characters and all the confusing twists of Ilyon's scattered memories.
Spoilers
Krey(elf) is actually Serci's(elf) brother. He's Ilyon's uncle who took him in after Serci and Ilyon's human father Cayden were killed by the Council, for their forbidden union. Krey's own wife and child died in childbirth, so Krey and Serci tried to save Ilyon by pretending he was Krey's child. This is why Krey bitter/neglectful towards Ilyon. To him, his unnatural existence of being a half elf, half human cost him everyone and was no replacement for his deceased wife and son. In one of the alternate reality, Caylis's cousin is still alive and he looks similair to Ilyon but with purple hair like Serci and Krey. Sorry it's been a long time since I looked at this story!
Aww see? That's what happens when I play on and off, I inevitably get things mixed up. 😩
Thanks for clearing that up and have a nice day!
Hey, for a game with two unfinished routes, I think it's pretty polished. Don't sell yourself short. Take care. :)
Hi Nootellix,
Thanks for your understanding and well wishes! You, too. Take care!
No problem, you deserve all the praise. I havent played much, only reached the part where we meet our guide yesterday. The story is well written and I love the "old anime"-esque aesthetic. Also, I appreciate you for giving us the option to be understanding/empathetic despite Ilyon's cynical nature, many people conflate being cynical and being mean unfortunately which limits my options in VNs sometimes.
Have a lovely week-end Jen, I can't wait to play your other games. They've been on my To Be Played list for quite some time.
Is the game complete with all routes or was it abandoned with only two complete routes?
Hi Drelopi,
This was my first game so although I would've liked to go back and finish the two characters that didn't get finished (I had sprites and chapter 1 completed so it definitely felt bad not finishing them) I think I was too ambitious with how incredibly messy and inefficient my code/writing structure was. The two companions available have 6 endings each, so the 'two routes' still have 12 endings took me a lot time to complete. I'm sorry I never finished the others. To be transparent, I make free games as a fun hobby, so I don't see myself at this point having fun returning to this. I apologize for my mistake.
It's ok, thanks for clarifying. You made a very interesting game with cool characters, it makes me want to see other routes too. And thanks for answering my question.
Is the game still in-development or is finished/completed?
Hi There,
The Thief and Bard Routes are completely finished. I've moved on to other projects atm, but I hope to someday and revisit this project in the future. Thanks for checking it out!
Thank you for elaborating.
Thank you for the wonderful game, I've been enjoyed it so far but I decide not to give a review before having finished it. By the way, the is a problem for me. In this scene, the list just go on and I'm sure that there are choices that are hidden below the text frame and maybe the window can't even contain it, is there any way to fix this? I will appreciate it if you can help me and sorry for my bad English
https://imgur.com/cbXgQTz
Hi Liberia! Ah yes, I apologize that there are a few times in the game that its possible to collect too many items to display at once. When you use the items, they should drop from your inventory and you should be able to see the overflow ones take their spot. I think it has something to do with Renpy's built in menu option select. I'll consider working on this problem and see if I can come up with a solution. Thank you for pointing this out and for trying out my game. Also items do not stay with the player when you move to the next chapter (as their only purpose is for that chapter's puzzle), so there's no benefit to holding on to them. Best wishes~
One of my favourite games. The writing is pleasantly ornate and poetic, the music being a nice complement. The art has this surreal feeling, especially with the movement of the sprites. The faint blush is something I love also, giving a more meaningful feeling just because it isn't 'jumping' in your face. I like the story a lot, and would love to see more of Ilyon's childhood, as well as more of the others' backstories. And can I just say I ADORE Mikail and his dynamic with Ilyon, they just go so well together (not only romantically).
Edit: I forgot to say how much I love Ritcher's character design😭😭😭(and also everything else about him👀).
Oh and something I've noticed is that the skip button doesn't work on all scenes, is that something intentional?
Alsooo-I'm very curious about the heights of our mains (Ilyon, Keska, Mikail, Grei and Simion). Can I find this information anywhere?
Well, i think that is all, i wish you have a good time working on your projects and i hope many more people discover your games and art.
<3
Hi Ancaa,
Thank you so much for playing my game and sharing some of your thoughts with me. Ritcher was a character that I never got a chance to explore in the original comic and I'm glad you liked his design. If you haven't seen my video I made working on sprite, you can get a better view of it. Sadly I had to export the animation at a lower framerate for the game, so I think some of the detail was lost.
There may have been somethings about Ilyon's childhood that are pretty vague in the game, as his childhood memories were very fragmented even before the ritual. Most of the adults in his life were not transparent with what was happening in attempt to protect him, but only caused him to speculate in isolation. If you have any more specific questions that you'd like clarified, I would be happy to give the factual presentation of events (as opposed to the fuzzy recollection of the protagonist.)As far as heights of the characters go, I don't tend to write detailed character profiles like this anymore (such as height, birthdays ect) but somewhere out there there might be something I wrote back when I was working on the comics when height reference was more important. I seem to remember Ilyon as being 5'10", Mikail 5'8", Keska 5'6", Grei 5'2" and Simion 6'2". Or something close to that XD;; it was a 20 years ago. Dang. 20 years...!
Anyways thanks again so much and best wishes~ You made my day!
I actually saw a few of your yt videos yesterday, including the Ritcher one (of course i couldn't skip him), and also some of the 2021 designs. I finished all the endings and most of the dialogue options last night, but I totally forgot about the comic. I need to read it rigt away.
Thank you for the answer on their heights, it helps me picture them a lot better.
<3
Oh wow! That's super awesome that you saw all the endings ;_; I appreciate you so much. I forgot to answer your other question about the skip function. I believe the only thing that I tried to disable skip on was the movie cutscenes because it was super easy to skip them by accidently clicking. I wonder if you don't mind me asking, what you thought of the different epilogues? I tried to make them different and equally fleshed out but I admit I was starting to get burnt out so I don't know how successful I was. Thanks again~
I don't mind at all, on the contrary, I really enjoy sharing my thoughts. I love how the style changes when you wake up, becoming more 'realistic', really emphasizing the fact that you're no longer dreaming. The different endings were really enjoyable, giving us different scenarios and letting us see more of the characters, which I truly appreciate, I can tell it was a lot of work (please remember not to overwork yourself). My favourites were Mikail's empathy endigs-I loved seeing more of his playful and domestic side; but also Keska's logic endings-I feel like I could relate to her reaction, not knowing if anything was real, if Ilyon would come for her, and bluntly telling him what was on her heart (besides, her dress was gorgeous).
Hi again Ancaa, I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. I also think that the empathy trait compliments Mikail very well, as it helps him feel needed and eases his insecurity issues. Also I think logical Ilyon helps Keska grow as well, she's a bit more cautious and less dependent when Ilyon is more pragmatic, but I think that helps her become more self-sufficient.
this game looks so beautifully done omg i can't wait to play it :
Thank you for taking a look at my work. I hope you do get a chance to play it and let me know what you think <3 Best wishes
Really want to play this so bad, have been lurking it for months and months, but I want to wait until it's finished >.< I never play games unless they're finished to save myself the heartache and yearning LOL. I hope one day you come back to making it and finish it.
Hello allow me to welcome you to the life of completion only consumption. I will now bestow apon you the life line tool of vn searching. https://vndb.org/v You will soon find out that the life you have choosen is destined for hours of scrolling looking for completed works, free and paid. Good luck on your adventure commrade.
But seriously if you need any recomendations I can save you some time and give you some if you want lol.
Yep yep I already know about VNDB, I've been playing otomes since I was around the age of 9 and I'm going on 25 this year 😂😂 Played hundreds at this point that I'm a veteran and an old seasoned hag, even. 😂 Can even do some programming myself. Thank you for the thought though haha that's very kind of you. Yeah I just like to periodically check up on some games I was interested in and show support to the devs.
OOOOOF You are in worse shape than me lol!
LMFAO FACTS I have completely surrendered myself to this life of visual novels 😂
You too shall get shackled in to this life. 😈I've played Mikail (Romantic)-Logic and Keska (Romantic)-Empathy, and I gotta say, I really did enjoy this game. I'm currently playing through Mikail-Power as well, and it's made me appreciate how much your choice of stat changes the game. I also enjoyed the overall, uh, dream-like atmosphere (lol) , and your take on cynicism and overcoming it was something that appealed to me. Also, I really enjoyed the dynamics between the main character and his vassals, and I fuckign love Mikail and Keska.
(Spoilers below)
If I had to point out some flaws though, I'd say that chapter 2 can feel a bit repetitive. I get the feeling that that was the point but having to frequently backtrack and then run back again got annoying quite quickly. I prefer the castle and the puzzles it had as it was less tedious. Nothign else comes to mind though, sorry.
Hi sageleaf, I agree with your critique of chapter 2 and it's feeling of redundancy. I think in my original plans, I didn't expect players to visit all the rooms, (since only one key item and 3 items total are only necessary to light the hearths) but in actuality most players will want to make sure they aren't missing anything. I'm glad you still stuck through it and enjoyed the characters. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me :).
Spoiler ahead
Yes. You must part ways with your vassal at the catacomb door to complete chapter 3. At least temporarily. It's possible to reunite on the other side if you have confirmed either a friendship or romance (a special scene in the their room on the top floor of the castle should give you the option if your trust and/or attract is +30 and you have watched the previous 10point milestones) scenes continue to unlock up to 50 after confirming friendship or romance but are not required to complete the game to the good endings/epilogue. Hope that helps!
okay. omg i was thinking way too hard into it! thank you!!!
So when I first saw this banner I read Soul Onion and psychological fantasy and I was like, oh that sounds intriguing! I'm almost disappointed I got it wrong, but I'm curious enough to play now anyway. <3
Oh Soul Onion does sound like a very interesting title lol. The font I chose definitely could have been cleaner. Thanks for checking it out anyway 😉
How do I open this on linux?
I apologize in advance, as I don't use Linux so I'm not sure if this works but doing a google search I found this. https://appuals.com/how-to-play-renpy-visual-novels-on-a-linux-machine/ Hope it's helpful!
tysm!
Hello, the game is absolutely wonderful! The art has this unique, dreamy quality, and the writing absolutely tugs at your heartstrings. Both released thus far are incredible.
However, I would like to report a bug in Keska's route. In the thid time you visit her room, when she offers you a massage, clicking in the option "In that case, I'm looking forward to it" shows a Mikail scene.
Anyway, this has been an amazing read!
Hi Isawrites,
Thank you so much for trying out my game. I'm sorry that you encounter that bug! Thank you for reporting it. I'm really happy to read that you enjoyed your time with the story and characters so far. I have a lot of plans for this project in the future~
I played your game:
Oh gosh, thank you so much for taking the time to try out my game. Your review was very generous! Best wishes~
Hello Again! Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. I love reading them. Please let me respond to your feedback point by point.
There may be spoilers in some of my answers~
1. I'm glad that you were able to enjoy the game as an experience despite it's many flaws in execution. I plan on leaving this version up even after I remake it, as I think it has it's own "charm" that may be lost in my attempt to refine it. I'm planning some pretty big narrative changes for the remake, so I think it will be interesting for someone like yourself to compare. There was a power imbalance that I am uncomfortable with, and I want to give the vassals more agency. I'm planning more character and relationship development outside of the ritual, before the epilogue so I hope that will help the reader to explore another side to the characters. To make room for this new expansion, relationship paths will be narrowed to two opposed to six.
2. I'm glad that you enjoyed Keska's character. As a creator and I mother, I feel like my characters are kind of like my children, so I can't favor one over the others. As far as the endings go, all of the empathy, power and logic routes share similar resolutions when it comes to Noctisse. In his empathy routes, Ilyon's companions attempt to "rescue" him from his complicated relationship with Noctisse. I suppose Ilyon made himself appear vulnerable enough to them that they felt inspired to "help" him. They probably also felt supported enough to act on their own personal grievances against Noctisse as well, considering she threatened them into the whole ritual thing to begin with. In his power routes, he takes more upon himself to challenge Noctisse directly and his logic routes, he cautiously tolerates Noctisse, deciding ultimately to bide his time. In all versions of the endings, Mikail does not like Noctisse and sees her as a threat to both himself and his cherished person. He's not the type of person to consider nuance. I'm sure he would personally rather she disappear forever regardless of Ilyon's chosen approach. I'm pleased you were able to pick up on that XD.
3. Thank you for pointing out the bug! I think there's a couple of those in Keska's path, since I made her path after Mikail's. I reused some of the scripts for an "outline" to follow and I must have accidentally left one of jumps to the wrong script. Sorry about that! Most of my friends are team Mikail, so I feel her path was not as well tested, lol.
4. The hearths in the tunnels are representative of destruction, reverence and preservation. The objects collected and used as fuel are representative of memories. Ilyon can only "destroy" the memories if his power is at a certain level. He can "revere" the memories if his empathy is high enough, and he can "preserve" them if his logic is at a certain level. Fueling the flame grants Ilyon a large bonus to that corresponding trait. I don't believe it's possible to have all three stats high enough at the same run through to use all three options, so at that point of the game, the player must commit to one trait of their two highest traits above the others.
5. My friend Kerry has composed all the music specifically for this game. She's played it extensively as I've been creating it, so she's very familiar with the story, themes and characters. We've also been friends for decades so she has a pretty good idea of how my brain works and my general sensibilities, lol. I feel like she always manages to nail the feeling I'm going for, even though I give her little to no direction. I'm really lucky to have her as a friend and composer!
Thank you again for this discussion, I enjoyed it ^^
Finished my first playthrough (Mikail, romantic, Empathy + I talked to him to the very end and did exactly what he suggested). Loved it, loved everything about it. The passion and all the thought that went into this, the aesthetics, the fact that the puzzles were easy enough even for me ;-), the fact that everytime I thought "oh, I've got this, I know what this game wants from me" I was soon proven wrong and I had to think about my answers and action. I was invested in the characters (in Mikail the most, of course), and I feel that I wouldn't be able to simply recreate the story that I have just experienced, which makes it unique. It also makes me look forward to the next unique story as I try again. I wonder what happens if I try to ascend through logic with Keska as a friend by my side. I'm not good with elegant complements (which is maybe why I could easily identify with Ilyon ;-) ), but I just wanted to say that you should be really proud of this game.
Hi there,
I'm so glad that you enjoyed your first play through. I spent a lot of time brewing over the characters and themes explored and I really hoped to create an overall introspective experience. I'm planning to go back and refine and focus my themes for clarity and impact. I hope you enjoy your next delve with Keska, and continue to watch this project grow in the future. Thank you again so much for trying out my game and taking the time to share your thoughts. It means a lot to me.
Ahhh I just finished my first playthrough (I went for a Mikhail+Romance+Logic route), and I think the best way to describe how I feel about Soul Union is just totally enamoured!! I really really love how you get to explore the map and poke around everywhere for clues, and it's awesome how the music and the art and the animation all come together to make a really immersive, beautiful, and mysterious experience. The characters are honestly the greatest too, and it's super fun to see their personalities shine through with their dialogue as they banter and interact with each other! I can't wait to try out Keska's route and eventually check out all the endings! :DDD
Also, I was wondering if it would be alright if I made fanart of Soul Union? I'll be sure to credit you if I post it, but it's totally cool if you say no too!
I'm so glad that you enjoyed what you've played so far and I hope you also enjoy Keska's route. I definitely want to revisit and develop this story and characters some more in the future. I would absolutely looove to see a fanart if you're so inclined! Thank you so much!!
Thank you so much for trying out the game. I'm so glad that you enjoyed it. I hope you will continue to follow these games as I continue to expand on this world.
I love this game so much. I don't even know how to begin, lol.
The art is amazing, and I love the little animations and the characters ( especially their design ). The story is very captivating, well-written and interesting. The music is so cool and good to listen to! It is an amazing work.
To be honest, at first I wasn't really keen of the game. But after I gave it a try... I am totally hooked on it.
This is an art piece, truly. <3
SPOILERS BELOW -
i just wanted to know; can you give a hint to how finish chapter 3 w/ Mikail? I am revisiting all the places over and over again, but I can't seem to find a option to go thru the gate with him. :( thx for the help !!
Thank you so much for your comment and im so glad that you gave my game a chance. I know theres endless choices with how you chose to spend your free time so im honored. As for your question about chapter 3...Spoilers
Because Mikail did not enter the ritual seeking enlightenment, he cannot pass through the door. If your friendship or romance bond is solid and confirmed, its possible to be reunited on the other side.
ohh, i see!!
spoiler below !!
i got a bit scared that going thru the door would put an end in the relationship ( due to the warning that the relationship would reach an ending ), but if i understood correctly, that means that the relationship will just end in that "world", right?
thank you for replying !! <3
I apologize if the warning was unclear. Allow me to clarify.* Spoilers*
Once you go through the door, your relationship bond is set. There are no more oppertunities past the door to increase bond. I hope that helps clarify. Let me know if you have any more questions or concerns.
I know I'm a little late to the party, but... can I just say, this is easily one of the best visual novels I've ever played. I won't lie, the primary reason that I got this game was because I had the opportunity to be gay; few are the opportunities where I can fully express my identity in a way I feel comfortable with - no scenes that were too heated, it just felt lovely!
But the game itself? Wow. Just astounding. At first I was baffled; why was I being asked questions that would ultimately lead nowhere? Baffled, but honestly a bit pleased as well; while visual novels should have an important aspect that shows that your choices matter, sometimes choices that DON'T matter can be just as refreshing, as reminders that sometimes actions simply end and that is that.
But that's the thing! The choices DID matter! They matter so much, because they subtly shape who Ilyon is; a calculating intellect? A seeker of power and influence? An emotionally-connected, empathetic man? Its honestly just incredible how the choices posed aren't ones that make me scratch my head and look up a walkthrough - they're the kind that leave me staring at the screen for 5 minutes, wondering what I would pick as a person and how I would want to proceed through this delve.
This game genuinely made me introspective, looking into core traits of both Ilyon and myself and wondering how they came to be; was there any way to change them? If different choices were made in the past, would that have changed things, too? Incredible, simply incredible.
Oh, and the icing on the cake, the soul contract characters. I'll be honest, I can't really speak about anyone but Mikail, but I will die for this thief who stole both mine and Ilyon's heart. He is so wonderfully grounded in reality; while Ilyon would stand there, saying "hmm yes, I do wonder on how something like this shaft might be a representation of my mind!" and Mikail would just be like "...okay, yeah, but lets be careful, the dirt is soft and the supports on this tunnel might not be stable." They just... balance each other out and they understand each other and ugh they're wonderful, I love love love them. The epilogue was fantastic, and I love the way the characters are designed. My run was Empathy with Romantic Bond Mikail, though I may go back and do something different one of these days!
...By different, I mean, like, Intellect Ilyon with Romantic Bond Mikail, there's no way I could ever bring myself to put Ilyon with anyone but Mikail haha
Oh, and if I do that, you know what? I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything! I know I'm not the normal audience for a visual novel with romance elements; if I find a love interest (while there was no such choice in this one, I will admit to being soft for the childhood-friends-to-lovers trope lol), I latch on to them and don't let go. All of the other routes are now sacrilege and I will genuinely, honestly feel horrible and guilty if I play a different romance route - indicative of severe emotional issues? Almost certainly! But I can't help it; I find my fulfillment in visual novels with one character, and often just leave it there. The issue, of course, is that I often feel like I'm... missing out, somehow? Like, I don't WANT to pursue the other routes, but I almost feel like I have to. This game? Didn't even consider it for a second. Mikail and Mikail only, and it amazes me that the creator of this game has even more routes to choose from, Mikail's just felt so fantastic and whole, and when I completed the route I genuinely felt like I did it; I had no feelings of disappointment that I wouldn't know every route, I felt happy and content and would gladly do it again just for fun.
Anyway, yeah, this comment ended up being more of a rambling expression of my love than anything; I am so amazed by this game, it is easily in my top 5 visual novels of all time. And I'm picky! I need things to be at least a little gay, that already removes, like, 90% of all visual novels! I am so glad you made this game, and I often go back just to play over certain scenes again and see Mikail and Ilyon being dorks with each other.
*SPOILERS, MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*
Okay, so like, this has been bothering me a bit and I genuinely spent an hour looking for a way to bring Mikail through The Door(tm) with me in the Catacombs because I couldn't bear the thought of leaving him behind. Is there a way to bring him as well? I know, I know, I should be happy with the Epilogue, but a part of me is sad that it seems like Mikail ended up hurt when Ilyon walks through The Door(tm) without him. Unless, of course, The Door(tm) is meant to represent something different from what I thought? I dunno, i'd be glad to hear from anyone!
hi there and thanks so much for taking the time to share your experiences and thoughts about the characters, story and game. Truly this is why I am making these games ^_^. Im going to jump straight into spoilers so I dont forget to address your questions! Be warned spoilers ahead!
The garden, tunnels and fortess are loose references to persona, ego and shadow. Ilyons outer mask of a calm and rational person, his understanding of himself as a person who has always desired to escape his sense of helplessness and his shame of being born somewhat a freak of nature. The door is representative of his minds eye opening to beyond his sense of self. Mikail in his current reality cannot follow him through the door because he is not seeking enlightenment, but was coerced into the ritual. Yet somehow their bond transcends the singular reality and another Mikail who was searching for enlightenment and choose to be there was able to help Ilyon beyond the door. He didnt become a different person, so he has somewhere in himself that same desire to find a higher meaning to his life and existence in the version that didnt pass the door, he just never pursued it. It becomes a curious question, at what point does decisions and experiences completely change who you are? In the case of power, empathy or logic, ilyon is still a variation of himself. But when his parents and cousin live, there is a different person "Caylis" whom Mikail does not recognize. Yet somehow both Caylis and Ilyon ended up in the ritual so maybe they are not so different lol. I'll let you decide ^_~
Wow, that is honestly awesome! As I suspected, the areas are significant aspects to his character, I was at least correct with my thoughts on the Garden haha; but everything else is very enlightening, and I'm glad to know that there is so much thought put into this that I am finding myself quite ignorant! You have, perhaps inadvertently, convinced me to play through the game again hahaha - I love this game and the symbolism it provides, I will definitely play through it again and probably obsess over details again. Thank you for the response, you did fantastic!
Oh i forgot to mention, if you are only wanting to play mikails story i reccommend giving his friendship routes a chance as well. I strongly believe that friendships can be just as deep as romantic bonds and I tried very much to make all 6 possible endings with each companion unique, satisifying and reveal different aspects of their character. I made sure to enable the skip function everywhere i could XD.
Haha, I will certainly consider it without a doubt! Mikail's story is so fascinating to me, i would love to delve into it with a new or altered perspective! When I play Soul Union once more, I will have many playthroughs to consider hahaha
Hi, I have a question about the comic.
Is it a prequel of the game or is it a first adaptation of the same story that the game, please?
I haven't played the game yet but I wanted to know if I should read the comic first to better understand the story.