UNDER THE FALSE SKY | [Re]:Idealize

WOW, OKAY, now where do I even begin with this...

I will say that this is one of the most ambitious Nano games that I've played so far. The sheer amount of sprites and locations, the MEATINESS of the script, the full voice acting, the level of polish in the GUI...it's simply insane that a game of this scope was (mostly) made in a single month. The sprites are beautiful, with a lot of thought put into the character design - even though there are a fair number in the military, they all look very distinct, styling their uniforms in different ways according to their personalities. Even though you only meet a few of them for a limited amount of time, they were all extremely memorable and well-characterized. The backgrounds are gorgeous, with a gritty, realistic look to them that fits the world. The CGs are BEAUTIFUL, with a very good use of color and composition, each conveying a completely different vibe. 

The GUI, much like BCS, is really clean and satisfying to use, with the metallic look perfectly matching both the "metallic" mechs as well as the overall "harsh/cold" vibe of the world - it's very fitting. All of the voice actors did a fantastic job, and the various sound effects and overall audio design really ground you in the world and make it feel alive. And of course, the prose is as beautiful as always, particularly the opening narration, and each character has a unique voice.

Like with the previous entry, the worldbuilding, story, and relationships that the game covers here are VERY complex, and it does a good job of delivering it to you fairly naturally in a way that you won't get overwhelmed (and it is kind of insane that practically everything you're introduced to here is COMPLETELY different from what you were introduced to in BCS LOL the dynamics of the royal family, lore about the Arks and the himeras, etc etc)  

===========SPOILERS============

I'll just cover this briefly to start but the opening crawl looks VERY good. It's an incredibly good use of a limited amount of assets that is nonetheless immersive - the black silhouettes with the slight gradient + texture + outline, with the impeccable narration, really keeps you engaged through Shiloh and Nahum's backstory. 

Shiloh's character is an interesting one! At first she comes off as naive and gullible - a pawn to be used for Darius' whims. It appears that her trauma early in life has caused her to be all too eager for affection - ignoring the fact that she might be used. However, in a twist near the end of the story, it is revealed that Shiloh has planned for the destruction of the Ark the entire time, relishing in the death and destruction it will bring. "All these ignorant people...they don't give a damn about the suffering of others!...They deserve to die" - Shiloh proclaims. It is here that the opening crawl detailing Shiloh and Nahum's past gains true significance. After all of that pain, betrayal, and suffering - Shiloh cannot escape her hatred, her desire to destroy everything that made her suffer. The opening crawl also brilliantly foreshadows Shiloh's character, as SHE is the one who eggs Nahum into murdering people to steal from them. One of her lines, telling Nahum that she would rather die than leave him behind - is also ironic, in a tragic, twisted way - in the end, she sacrifices herself, leaving him behind in the end. 

Shiloh's character is really indicative of UTFS' themes as a whole - the end of BCS' synopsis states, "Doesn't watching people discover the darkest depth of their being...excite you?" It's a story about people torn apart by the ruthless world that they live in and the monsters that inhabit it until they become monsters themselves - and there's no better example than Shiloh. And yet, even in her character - you see echoes of hypocrisy, hints that "it didn't have to be this way." In the present day, Shiloh is living happily, with a supportive group of friends and a loving brother, neither of which betray her. She's betrayed by Darius, but it's implied that she never felt much for him to begin with - that she was using him for her own gain the entire time. The fact that she delights in killing Ira suggests that her development is not a natural frustration with the world's cruelty (like it is with Darius), but something more twisted about her. And this is clear with the introduction of Ester's backstory - Ester, who went through as much suffering as Shiloh - sold into experimentation at a young age, and ultimately cast out of the Ark until she joined the rebellion. And yet Ester maintains kindness and empathy for the suffering of others, expressing shock and horror at Shiloh's deeds. She doesn't fall to Shiloh's depths, despite enduring as much as her. (Though, even in Shiloh's twisted ways - there's glimmers of goodness, as she sacrifices herself for her brother in her final moments.)

Okay on to the rest of the characters after talking about Shiloh so much LOL I won't touch on Mari since I think that her characterization here is mainly an extension of her BCS characterization, which was already very good. Nahum, despite his sisconnery, is likeable - he's immature, but it's clear that he cares for his sister, and I even understand why Lydia likes him (in addition to his good looks...) It's IRONIC that, through her death, Shiloh inadvertently sets her brother down the exact same tragic path that she took - ultimately leading to his death. 

Darius is an interesting case; I have a hard time saying that he's a bad guy, although he definitely isn't a good guy. I appreciate him as a subversion of the "member of the nobles/royalty that realizes the error of his ways and goes to the correct side" trope. He DOES recognize the plight of the people - and yet, he still has no real understanding for what they've gone through. His anger at the state of the world is almost theoretical, rooted mainly in his indignation at how he and his mother were treated - and thus he has no qualms about putting innocent people at risk if that will bring about the change he desires. Although he expresses regret at what he has done, I still found his death at Yonah's hands quite cathartic. 

I'll cover all of the side characters briefly. Yonah was one of my favorites, with her level-headed, mature, big sister-like attitude. Lydia was a little ball of sunshine, and although I can't say her death took me entirely by surprise, I was still saddened by it (maybe the most out of any death in Re:Idealize). Zeke was so oddly charming to me LMAO I liked him so much, for his eccentricities and his awkward crush on Lydia (which turned tragic so fast, DANG). I REALLY want to see more of him - and I hope that he appears more in subsequent entries. Ester and Aaron got a lot more depth compared to BCS, and their relationship is touching - this broken man, who believes that he is not worthy of love, being chosen by this young woman, who has also suffered so much in her life. (It's a bit sad that it seems like this was a one-off deal based on their dynamic in BCS fghfhg but alas) Rufus is, without anything else to say - just hateable LMAO Sarai was an interesting case. Like Mari, she seems to be a calm and capable leader, and yet unlike Mari, Sarai's home life is troubled - she shows immense favoritism towards her son, while treating her daughter coldly (unlike Mari, who treated both her son and surrogate daughter with equal amounts of kindness). Ilias was such a loving father, and I was instantly endeared to him and his relationship with Tamara (I was particularly stricken by the fact that Tamara calls Ilias "dad" while she calls Sarai "mother"). Ira was adorable, and his brief scene with Tamara really made me care for him, although I was already aware of his fate (from BCS) - even putting aside the fact that he was a child, the death of such a naive, innocent boy was tragic. I'm very interested to see where Tamara's character goes - while she doesn't get as much development here as characters like Shiloh, I do see the seeds of what her story will be about (her mother's harsh expectations, the loss of her father, her serious personality, etc). I'm also intrigued by Felix, though he appears briefly - I imagine that he and Tamara will have an interesting dynamic, having both lost precious family members during this event. 

I really liked the heavy emphasis on "relationships" here. Re:Idealize is really about the relationships between its characters - both the toxic and the healthy ones. One of the most prominent parallels is the relationship between Shiloh/Darius and the relationship between Aaron/Ester. Both are between younger women (who have been through quite a bit of trauma in their lives) and much older men. However, while Darius is Shiloh's superior and a member of the royal family, holding quite a bit of power over her, Aaron is Ester's equal. Darius and Shiloh both plan their relationship - using it to manipulate each other to accomplish their own toxic ends. Aaron and Ester just end up entangled because of a drunken mistake. It is clear that Darius and Shiloh both hold no genuine affection towards each other, while Aaron and Ester care for each other quite a deal. Another parallel is between Shiloh/Nahum and Lydia/Felix. Both are brother/sister pairs, but while Shiloh and Nahum have an almost unhealthy fixation with each other, Lydia and Felix are much more like normal siblings, caring for each other a healthy amount. Considering both brothers lose their sisters (and seeing where Nahum ends up in BCS), I'm curious to see how Lydia's death will affect Felix's development later on. And, of course, a final parallel is between Darius and Mari - Darius, who uses his subordinates, not necessarily caring if he places them in harms way to get what he wants (although his intentions are good), and Mari, who cares for her subordinates, and would rather put herself in harm's way (taking the more risky job of trailing Shiloh). 

It was also quite interesting, comparing BCS and Re:Idealize, as there were parallels there as well - most notably in Ilias and Gabe's sacrifice. Despite being on opposite sides of the conflict, Ilias and Gabe BOTH make the exact same sacrifice at the end of their respective games - giving up their lives so that their children can live. It really hammers home that, despite being on opposing sides, ultimately there are just humans on either side of the conflict - and showing that there is good on both sides. And it also highlights the sad irony of it all - Nahum and company targeted the rebellion as revenge for the massacre of Re:Idealize - perpetuating the exact same tragedies. 

Overall, I was expecting great things from this game after playing BCS, and it certainly did not disappoint! I'm looking forward to seeing more from this cast of characters - and the tragedies that will inevitably befall them. I wonder - will they fall to the "darkest depths," or will they find the light?

Hey! I played the part of the game which was released so far and OH MY GOD it was actually amazing?????

First, we can't ignore the level of polish this game has, especially for a game developed under a month. It is fully-voiced. The sound-design is impeccable. The coding is engaging. The many beautifully-drawn character sprites bring so much life to it. The character design is gorgeous and immersive. The backgrounds are superb.

First of all, kudos to the sound engineering and the acting direction because, goodness, it was IM-MA-CU-LATE, and that's an understatement. The nuance in the characters' emotions, the sound effects, the speeches being used as such, even the GUI, holy molly, it was amazing!! The interpretation of the characters gave so many layers to their personality, it is insane!!

The music was gorgeous too, very immersive and well-composed! I even stopped myself during my playthrough just to listen to it, because it really was that beautiful.

The game was very polished: first of all, the GUI looks highly professional and is implemented amazingly. But beyond that, the way the game is coded is very immersive: the camera movements were delightful (cf. the mechs walking), the game doesn't hesitate to move the sprites around, use fade to black transition to suggest things. A game has rarely managed, by its coding alone, to make me feel like I was in the shoes of the POV character.

The art was also amazing! The two CGs present so far looked gorgeous, and the way the game presented these CG scenes made it an even more polished experience. But I can't ignore the INSANE amount of sprites?? All this done under a month??? And the characters looked GORGEOUS?? Yonah, Zeke, Shiloh, Nahum, Mari and Ester are so pretty I BLUSHED?????? And even the other characters were beautiful beyond measure (for example, Tamara is too young to make me blush, but she is my favourite character design)? And let's talk about the character design: it was varied, the characters all felt different, the outfits they wear are A-MA-ZING, with a special highlight on the outfits of the royal family and of the military. And if that wasn't enough, some characters have SEVERAL outfits.

So, all these many qualities, and I haven't even started talking about the beautiful writing yet. Ah! the writing! The phrasing was absolutely beautiful, and that's an understatement. I loved how the story managed to show instead of telling, and yet to keep us doubtful, always unsure of the characters and their intentions. This is a story of manipulation, of betrayal, of characters not hating each other and yet being manipulative. Darius is the incarnation of this.

I also adored the balance of the story: it knew how to conjugate its darker topics with light-hearted and even humourous scenes, while still managing, in those scenes, to explore the relationships and inner conflicts of the characters. I loved the relationship the members of the military have with each other. I loved Tamara and Ira's relationship. I loved the nuances of Sarai's relationship with her family. I loved the very twisted relationship between Shiloh and Darius. The obsession Nahum had for his sister. And I could multiply the examples. I loved how, overall, the game didn't shy away from portraying nuanced characters, to explore the toxic dynamics that sometimes exist between them. I loved how you could feel all these characters had a background, a story, something to tell, and that there is more going on about them that the game shows.

The plot itself is also VERY interesting, and I'm curious to see how it will finish because the demo ends on a CLIFFHANGER. And without giving spoilers here, I do love the set-up of everything, of all the relationships, the posts the characters are at, the situation they're in... and I can't way to see everything explode in the climax!

Congrats to all the team for the tremendous work and the high-quality of this work. You rarely encounter a game like this, and I really mean it.