I love this game so much, all of the characters are so lovable (maybe not Netina or Twyla) and I wish there was more than that ending. I do have a weird question though...
SPOILER I THINK??
For the moth chapter that people have been talking about, can you do it after finishing the game and if so, how? I tried looking in the corners of the last chapter select page and it isn't there??
i made subreddit about this game i was justified but i am so sad i had to come up ideas to break the hearts of my children (i loved certain characters so much thought of them as my children
I keep seeing ppl talk about the secret chapter and how to get it, but the moth doesn’t appear anymore. I think it’s because I already beat the game, but it’s not letting me start over. The “here to eat hearts” title is also still there. Is there a way for me to restart to get the other ending?
Halfway through the game, you; the main character, starts talking in second person, even when you are talking to other characters. There are also multiple spelling mistakes in this game. It is pretty fun regardless, and i really liked seeing Vasilis being reused for this game as you don't see much of her in Cemetery Mary.
I really loved it! I loved to see characters from Cemetery Mary here. Didn't expect the twist and I would really love to see more content regarding this story! Thank you <3
I really liked the experience as a blanket friend making experience, although I think the twist is a bit weird and out of place. (Spoilers, duh)
So we actually want to "kill" everyone we interacted with throughout the duration of the game (not sure if that's the case, it feels both implied and not implied) but it doesn't really get acted on besides some maniacal planning and occasional self gloating. But then Twyla was the murderer of the previous student who occupied our dorm, thing is that also felt swept under the rug by the twist surrounding our actual intentions, and then Twyla's motive isn't even revealed in the slightest and her character development doesn't seem to apply any agenda or "doing it for the lolz" kinda thing. Plus she doesn't feel unhinged enough to not have a reason. Basically each path that culminates into the end of the game is seemingly roadblocked before it can actually properly end. It felt a bit confusing and unresolved.
Although I do think this is partially mitigated by the characters, each of their arcs having an "ending" sort of counteracts how weird the actual ending is. And in a way each of them being presented at a drastically different quality sort of makes sense in emphasizing how strong they would be as actual friends. For example Crowven's path kinda sucks, but it makes sense because he can be a bit of a sucky friend. But Theo's path really surprised me because deep down he has a lot more depth to his character.
So yeah basically by the end I was wishing I could just stay friends with everyone and was kind of let down by how it actually ended, because of how much fun I had getting there. This is really the biggest example of "It's not about the destination, it's about the journey" that I've seen in gaming in general. 7/10.
I just finished this game and i love it so much, ive been playing it since like Twyla and the Intermission chapters came out and ive been streaming it too, and i loved it so much, i am wondering if maybe the secret chapter could possibly cause a secret ending? considering most of arcadekitten's games have multiple endings, so it feels weird that it only has one ending
The art look's good, the presentation is well made. But that's all this is. There is no substance and nothing really unique. Infact this vn makes an active effort to be as opposite to unique as possible.
Based on the other comments I know that what I have said will upset people, that's fine you can hate on me all you want.
Made me have a heartbreak when the game had to end. Also the horror element was very...very unexpected even though I know what type of games you make. :')
Here's the last part of the series I made on this game :))
i loved the game but the night before chapter absolutely broke my heart..... i was hoping for a cute game where you can choose your partner at the end cuz i absolutely loved theo, crowven, vasilis, zapara and jaxter and i was hoping i could get with theo or zapara or jaxter (cuz crowven and vasilis were so adorable together!!) and the game just ended like that.... that was a very unexpected twist but i loved it anyway!!! the characters were so cute, i loved the lil pride flags they had, the frog prince was the cutest<33 like one of the commenters said i would love to see a version where the character is not evil but i still very much enjoyed the game<3
i really did love this!! especially Theo i loved him so much! the cute pet name too!!
Spoiler maybe??
if there are any other endings instead of being killed i will try to find it! and i love how at the end it was like i was interested in Twyla since she said she had no heart i also loved how i realized the librarian was out mom i definitely didnt expect that!!!!
The game is quite interesting. I started playing it as soon as I ended playing Cemetery Mary (by the way, I recommend this game as well). But it seemed to me that the plot there is a little different from what I played in that game. Maybe it was done on purpose.. Okay, not the point
I will add from myself only that Crowven and Theo are simply the best :D
The ending surprised me and made me a little sad at the same time.. I don't know, I expected anything, but not Twyla, who took me to the forest and wanted to kill me" :). Although from the game that I played first, I expected such an attack from her..
are you kidding me i was hoping earlier in the game that we would get to a kissing scene or something but when i got to second to last episode, omg i was hoping for what was i planned to do to not work, im glad our character was murdered after i learned she was EVIL AAHHHH i want a version where we arnt evil and there is a kiss scene im just baffled, 7/10
Honestly i love the ending but i'm just mad it ended off there...Me want more drama....and out of all the names....VANILLA....why not strawberry or chocolate lol, but i really do love it and I've always hated Twyla tbh. Also frog prince(forgot his name)I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!!! anyways Im done now lol<3
Can you download this on mobile with the joiplay anf renpy plugin? Im kinda worn out on nsfw dating sims and need a normal one.. But none exist on mobile on renpy, apparently.
HOLY CRAP THAT ENDING BAFFLED ME! the night before the dance chapter shocked me so so much i was expecting a cute little dating game where i could date the charaters! i was not expecting something like this!! the ending was neatly done good game! 9/10
the end surprised me a lot!! I really like the plot though. The fact that no one knew except Twyla was very unexpected as well. I loved this game so much, keep making games!!!
Really cool story!! I managed to find the secret chapter, but apparently there's a Dance chapter?? I'll have to keep searching. Tysm author!! you made a really cool game :)
I really enjoyed this! I had suspected something was up with dad on our first phone call and wondered why we didnt use our own name (but I mean honestly why Vanilla lol) but it didnt bother me. The game deifnetly got me on the night before the dance, it double surprised me on the night of the dance. I was shocked to find out the murderer. Would def want to get to eat their hearts but alas if we didnt get beaten up we wouldve never learnt our name. It was also very interesting to find our MOM?? That definetly caught me off guard. I would definetly want to learn more about what dad and mom had going on but nevertheless I really enjoyed the game.
Wow. I don't have words to describe how much I love this game, the characters, the designs, the plot... I enjoyed this so much, thank you for all the effort <3
SPOILERS
I wasn't expecting that Twyla was the murderer all this time, so it kinda got me shocked lol. Also when I had to choose how to heartbreak the others got me shocked and I was like so sad xdd but I really enjoyed it.
I'm a bit shocked about the day before. I was really expecting a harem. But after the day before intermission make me expected we're going to break everyones heart but guess the plot got me.
Just...I have no words. I thought I was in love with this game before but...after that ending...
My hat's off to you arcadekitten!! This faaar exceeded all my expectations! I've been following this game since close to the beginning (I want to say around when Theo's route first came out) and it's such a bittersweet feeling to say that it's done. And what an amazing way to end it! While I suppose the ending could be as seen as "wanting," I don't think that's a bad thing--always leave em wanting more, after all!
I deeply enjoyed this game and am very excited to see what you do next! Also
POSSIBLE SPOILER
We really were here for *sweet hearts*, weren't we ;)
Congratulations on bringing HFSH to fruition, Arcadekitten!! Seeing this wonderful adventure inch closer and closer to, and now finally reach its finale, has been such a thrilling experience. The buildup to the culminating duology made the twist all the more spectacular to witness, and its placement in the former of the two chapters created the most wonderful sense of suspense throughout the dance sequence. My heart nearly skipped a beat at the reveal, to the point where I literally got up from where I was sitting, right after the conclusion of the first finale chapter, found the nearest person, and just starting raving about it to them like a madman. I hope that helps put to words how much pure unadulterated fun it was going through the ending! These latest chapters are the very clear culmination of every previous Arcadekitten game, excelling in every facet one could expect after a good few years of experience and improvement. Seeing S.F. reach this point has been honestly inspiring as somebody interested in VN design. Completing HFSH, seeing what can be done and what amazing stories can be told, makes me itch to jump back into Renpy.
Anyways, again, congratulations are in order! The finale was, all in all, something wonderful to behold. I can't overstate how excited this makes me to see what Arcadekitten has in store with Blackout Hospital.
Now, for a more thorough, spoiler-ridden review of the finale....
Again, what a wonderful buildup! The twist is so well-done, and the little hints littered throughout make a second playthrough worth it just so that you can pick up on them. The stark change from the lighthearted menu to the Shyamalan-eat-your-heart-out reveal really pulled the Pathospire exposé together. Not to mention that putting the twist in the former of the two chapters created the most utterly pervasive sense of tension throughout the dance.
It's my opinion that buildup/suspense is really the most important part of a story. It allows the storyteller to act on all the care that the audience should, by now, have for the characters and the plot. And, in that sense, the finale is an exemplar of tension! Going into the dance, I was so ridiculously thrilled, and immensely invested in the story. Everything was leading up to what should have been the most amazing point of the game, the cherry on top, the capitalization on all of that tension....
But that didn't really happen.
The ending is much more of a fizzle than a bang. Now, that's not to say that it wasn't enjoyable. That one issue certainly isn't a heartbreaker, and I still had a lot of fun with Twyla's revenge. It's totally understandable as well---there are a number of reasons to end a story, after all. Following one's heart, moving on to wherever passion takes you, is really important. With Blackout Hospital in the depths of development, I can see why it would be necessary to finish up HFSH, and to focus on something nearer and dearer to S.F.'s heart.
Still, the ending remains a little disappointing. It's disheartening to see Twyla knock us over the head with a bat and put such a quick end to all our hard work. I got to a point where I was so invested in the story, in Vanilla and in these wonderful characters, that I was really truly excited to see their hearts broken. Yet that didn't happen.
I see a lot of folks in the comments here saying this ending is bad, or even that the game is made worse for it. And while I can support wearing your heart on your sleeve and voicing your opinions, I don't think that's really true. The game remains as lovely as ever, and the ending is actually quite a good one. But I can sympathize with folks when they say they wish there was more, just some sort of alternative to make it feel like the player's choices matter.
The heart of the problem seems to be in that lack of capitalization on Vanilla's efforts. Their plan is foiled about as quickly as it was revealed. Everything, from Vanilla's odd little quirks, to the reveal and onwards, was building up to something that just isn't there. Personally, I think this could be solved with even just one more ending where Vanilla actually succeeds. That's more of a suggestion to look into in the future, though, as focusing on that at the same time as Blackout Hospital sounds like a wildly difficult workload.
Oh, and of course, like most other people, I'm finding myself longing with all my heart for some more content with Vanilla and Twyla! I have a suspicion that Vanilla might pop up in some future Arcadekitten games, which would certainly provide an opportunity. I'm not really expecting a romantic heart-to-heart---Twyla seems a little too coldhearted for that---but an ongoing rivalry would be so wonderful to see! And, then again, "flirtatious nemeses" is an often-used trope for very good reason. I, for one, would not mind seeing it fulfilled with Vanilla and Twyla. I mean, what a wonderful dynamic, what with Vanilla's playful nature and Twyla's heart of stone! Ooo, what would you call a ship name for that? Twilla? Vanyla? Ah, but I'm getting off track!
Overall, the buildup is stunningly well-done, the writing is even more enjoyable than it has been in past games (which is saying something) and the artwork is gorgeous. Not to mention that the plot and the mechanics twist the traditional dating-sim VN's framework in such a fresh and intriguing way. The ending is missing something, but in truth, that's the only detractor. Even that one issue is almost entirely negated by how compelling the game is otherwise.
So, yeah, congratulations, Arcadekitten!! HFSH was wonderful, it'll always hold a place in my heart, and I'm so excited to see what comes next!
.....
Alright, how many puns did I get in there? Like, 14? That has to be some sort of record!
Thank you Eskija! It's always a joy to hear from you and your opinions on my games! ♡ (Spoilers below, of course!)
I know that not everyone is satisfied with the ending, which like, bummer! But it was always planned to be this way from the very beginning, and I wouldn't change it just because it's not what people were hoping to see.
I guess I'm pretty surprised by people's attitudes towards the ending. I was pretty satisfied with it (it's why I wrote it after all LOL), but even if I did go with the alternative, I don't really think that would be satisfying either. Even if the protagonist did succeed in their plan, well, where would we go from there? What happens next? Just the knowledge that they're going to do it again? I wouldn't be happy with an ending like that, and hence why I didn't write it. I think "bad" endings can be perfectly satisfying, but an ending like that wouldn't satisfy me at all.
It sucks that many people don't seem all that satisfied with it, but in the end I'm proud of the ending I wrote and I wouldn't change it for the world!
Thank you so much for all your kind words, though! I was always double-guessing myself with the writing in this game, wondering if it was too rushed or sloppy or whatever else, so to hear you enjoy it so much means so much to me!
It really means a lot to me to see how much the game has compelled you, to see how you had to get out of your chair to wanting to revisit Ren'Py...the game is hardly different from a standared Ren'Py game in my eyes but to hear you see it as so much more means so much to me!
Thank you so much for all your support this....gosh, over a year its been! I can't wait to have more stuff to share with you soon!! ♡
I absolutely understand that! Your ending is most certainly your ending. I know that I really enjoyed playing through the final two chapters either way. After a few days with the ending in the back of my mind, and after bearing witness to the spectacular art of Twyla and Vanilla both by you and the wonderful community, their relationship(?) seems to be blossoming into something wholly compelling as payoff for HFSH's story. More and more, the ending is starting to feel like it's the beginning of a new story. I am certainly looking forward to seeing if, and where, that develops.
And I do really love the concept of bad endings being satisfying on their own---I'll have to keep that in mind for anything that I write in the future!
Having so much fun with HFSH right alongside its companion games has certainly been more than inspiring. Aside from Ren.Py, I've also begun practicing art, given how key it is as a component of visual novels. Learning to draw is an uphill battle, but I'm certain those words were repeated by every artist during their first forays into the field. And, with the two-year anniversary for CM coming up, it's the perfect opportunity to get some practice in while also making some fanart for the holiday! Gosh, I am really looking forward to seeing what everybody else draws.
Let the record show that I am ridiculously excited to have more stuff to enjoy! Playing through every game is always such a thrill, and reviewing them is such a lovely way to process the events that just transpired. What a joy all the way around. I'm very much so looking forward to what comes next!
this game was a trip i enjoyed from start to finish. i loved the design, figuring out how to capture each person's heart, learning the lore, and the entire plot around the killer. the episodic updates really helped build suspense.
~SPOILERS AHEAD~
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i can't help but agree that the ending was slightly unsatisfying. all that build-up, only to have little to no payoff. it.... makes sense for this game though. twyla being "the one who got away/playing hard-to-get" leading into the reveal about her being the killer was a really good way to go about it. and to be completely honest, i didn't want to break their hearts. all my hard work to gain their trust, only to choose how to destroy it. a really good twist to be sure. loved the title screen theme and design change. i wouldn't mind if there's a sequel, but if not, i look forward to your next project!
I loved playing this game and seeing it through until the finish. This was a different type of visual novel but its honestly done so well that I think it deserves more recognition! True, its not a dating sim but friend-sim instead, but that doesn't take away from the story and the writing helps you grow attached to the characters regardless.
SPOILERS
Honestly I agree with more people, I loved the twist but not the actual ending itself. It was cool to see the hints from earlier chapters and the MCs behaviour be explained/come together in the end, but getting nearly killed by Twyla with no option to fight back is a disappointing. Especially since previous chapters require certain choices in order to gain hearts, so having no choices matter in the end was a bit of a bummer. I think multiple endings could be cool, but I also wanna acknowledge how hard the dev worked on this and for how long. So if the dev wants to start a new project and leave this one as is, I totally respect it and look forward to their future work! Even with the ending, this is a really great visual novel that if you're hesitant to check it out, give it a try! You might have fun collecting hearts.
Twlya is so smart I swear. Even though she is a killer, at least she may have the right reasons. Would not be surprised if this was like an old race rivalry thing between the heart-less and the heart-break-eaters. That ending though, I think Vanilla fell in love right there. Her dad watching over her was an interesting thing but not surprising. I loved making all those friends. But I did feel really bad for all the friend's hearts she wanted to break. At least everyone else got their happy ending!
p.s I hope Mary and Reginald get married. And Vasilis and Crowven. Their all very cute together!
First, you have to check out what Vasshole and Crowven are up to. Then, you have to stick around and see what the Headmistress has in store for the two of you. Afaik, there isn't actually a single instance in HFSH where running away works out well. Once you're in the office, figuring out the right choice is a little tricky, but you have to "admit" that it was all your idea, before telling Aesirel that Crowven had nothing to do with it. Obviously, Aesirel isn't buying it, but this buys you more time, leading to the single best interaction in HFSH. After Theo's stunningly cunning disguise saves the day, you have to tell Aesirel that you just wanted Crowven to like you. This seems to have the effect of convincing the universe to take pity on you, as it should be smooth sailing from there, with the player now being locked into succeeding at the route. Have fun! I hope this helped!
The game was honestly amazing, I loved all of the characters and enjoyed the storyline. Not to mention the art is adorable too!
Spoiler for the ending:
I absolutely loved the twist. Mc actually doing all of this to break hearts is an amazing concept, but the ending itself wasn't all that good. It was nice, but I wish there were more endings, or at least just one more where the mc succeeds.
Edit:
It would also be great if we had a sequel full of Twayla's and mc's relationship, whether it be friends or lovers it is interesting, this game truly has more potential than this and I hope that there'll be more to it.
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I love this game so much, all of the characters are so lovable (maybe not Netina or Twyla) and I wish there was more than that ending. I do have a weird question though...
SPOILER I THINK??
For the moth chapter that people have been talking about, can you do it after finishing the game and if so, how? I tried looking in the corners of the last chapter select page and it isn't there??
I think you should be able to go to the secret chapter by clicking the moth in the window before the final chapter.
you can. It should be there. It’s kinda small and hard to tell it’s a moth, but it’s there
I've been here since Crowven and Vasilis were added and now my laptop came up up with this ;-;
Help me please I wanna play the latest chapters
never mind I managed to fix it :D
What a twist... don't know what to feel anymore
Mrs.B is so sweet and cute howw and i love her with all my heart<3
but she doesn't have a heart😭
i made subreddit about this game i was justified but i am so sad i had to come up ideas to break the hearts of my children (i loved certain characters so much thought of them as my children
ok, I played the game once and
(small spoilers)
I keep seeing ppl talk about the secret chapter and how to get it, but the moth doesn’t appear anymore. I think it’s because I already beat the game, but it’s not letting me start over. The “here to eat hearts” title is also still there. Is there a way for me to restart to get the other ending?
nevermind, I found it. I thought you had to click it in the actual “night before” chapter, not the selection screen
could you tell me how to get the secret chapter? im really curious!
when you go to select the two last chapters, there’ll be a moth in the corner of the select screen. If you click that moth you get the chapter
I LOVE THIS GAME SO MUCH IT WAS SO WELL MADE
THE TITLE MAKES SO MUCH MORE SENSE NOW OMG BRO, THE GAME IS SO WELL MADE :DDDDDDDDD
Halfway through the game, you; the main character, starts talking in second person, even when you are talking to other characters. There are also multiple spelling mistakes in this game. It is pretty fun regardless, and i really liked seeing Vasilis being reused for this game as you don't see much of her in Cemetery Mary.
Vasilis is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.
I really loved it! I loved to see characters from Cemetery Mary here. Didn't expect the twist and I would really love to see more content regarding this story! Thank you <3
Well technically since Cemetery mary came AFTER here for sweet hearts there for technically they are from here for sweet hearts not Cemetery mary
Oh! Didn't know that. Either way I loved the characters.
Yooo!! Probably the best visual novel I've ever played in my entire fricking life >:3
Something tells me your really cute but you are a threat to humanity or you look like a threat to humanity but your really cute
I really liked the experience as a blanket friend making experience, although I think the twist is a bit weird and out of place. (Spoilers, duh)
So we actually want to "kill" everyone we interacted with throughout the duration of the game (not sure if that's the case, it feels both implied and not implied) but it doesn't really get acted on besides some maniacal planning and occasional self gloating. But then Twyla was the murderer of the previous student who occupied our dorm, thing is that also felt swept under the rug by the twist surrounding our actual intentions, and then Twyla's motive isn't even revealed in the slightest and her character development doesn't seem to apply any agenda or "doing it for the lolz" kinda thing. Plus she doesn't feel unhinged enough to not have a reason. Basically each path that culminates into the end of the game is seemingly roadblocked before it can actually properly end. It felt a bit confusing and unresolved.
Although I do think this is partially mitigated by the characters, each of their arcs having an "ending" sort of counteracts how weird the actual ending is. And in a way each of them being presented at a drastically different quality sort of makes sense in emphasizing how strong they would be as actual friends. For example Crowven's path kinda sucks, but it makes sense because he can be a bit of a sucky friend. But Theo's path really surprised me because deep down he has a lot more depth to his character.
So yeah basically by the end I was wishing I could just stay friends with everyone and was kind of let down by how it actually ended, because of how much fun I had getting there.
This is really the biggest example of "It's not about the destination, it's about the journey" that I've seen in gaming in general. 7/10.
played this game a few weeks back and loved every second of it! i especially loved the twist at the end and the characters are very well created :))
I just finished this game and i love it so much, ive been playing it since like Twyla and the Intermission chapters came out and ive been streaming it too, and i loved it so much, i am wondering if maybe the secret chapter could possibly cause a secret ending? considering most of arcadekitten's games have multiple endings, so it feels weird that it only has one ending
The art look's good, the presentation is well made. But that's all this is. There is no substance and nothing really unique. Infact this vn makes an active effort to be as opposite to unique as possible.
Based on the other comments I know that what I have said will upset people, that's fine you can hate on me all you want.
Chef's kiss.
Made me have a heartbreak when the game had to end. Also the horror element was very...very unexpected even though I know what type of games you make. :')
Here's the last part of the series I made on this game :))
SPOILERS BELOW!!
i loved the game but the night before chapter absolutely broke my heart..... i was hoping for a cute game where you can choose your partner at the end cuz i absolutely loved theo, crowven, vasilis, zapara and jaxter and i was hoping i could get with theo or zapara or jaxter (cuz crowven and vasilis were so adorable together!!) and the game just ended like that.... that was a very unexpected twist but i loved it anyway!!! the characters were so cute, i loved the lil pride flags they had, the frog prince was the cutest<33 like one of the commenters said i would love to see a version where the character is not evil but i still very much enjoyed the game<3
i really did love this!! especially Theo i loved him so much! the cute pet name too!!
Spoiler maybe??if there are any other endings instead of being killed i will try to find it! and i love how at the end it was like i was interested in Twyla since she said she had no heart i also loved how i realized the librarian was out mom i definitely didnt expect that!!!!
The game is quite interesting. I started playing it as soon as I ended playing Cemetery Mary (by the way, I recommend this game as well). But it seemed to me that the plot there is a little different from what I played in that game. Maybe it was done on purpose.. Okay, not the point
I will add from myself only that Crowven and Theo are simply the best :D
! SPOILERS OKAY !
---------------------------------------------------------
The ending surprised me and made me a little sad at the same time.. I don't know, I expected anything, but not Twyla, who took me to the forest and wanted to kill me" :). Although from the game that I played first, I expected such an attack from her..
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Spoiler / complaint
O MY FREAKING GOD
are you kidding me i was hoping earlier in the game that we would get to a kissing scene or something but when i got to second to last episode, omg i was hoping for what was i planned to do to not work, im glad our character was murdered after i learned she was EVIL AAHHHH i want a version where we arnt evil and there is a kiss scene im just baffled, 7/10
spoilers
Honestly i love the ending but i'm just mad it ended off there...Me want more drama....and out of all the names....VANILLA....why not strawberry or chocolate lol, but i really do love it and I've always hated Twyla tbh. Also frog prince(forgot his name)I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!!! anyways Im done now lol<3
Can you download this on mobile with the joiplay anf renpy plugin? Im kinda worn out on nsfw dating sims and need a normal one.. But none exist on mobile on renpy, apparently.
(spoilers!)
HOLY CRAP THAT ENDING BAFFLED ME! the night before the dance chapter shocked me so so much i was expecting a cute little dating game where i could date the charaters! i was not expecting something like this!! the ending was neatly done good game! 9/10
(BIG SPOILERS)
the end surprised me a lot!! I really like the plot though. The fact that no one knew except Twyla was very unexpected as well. I loved this game so much, keep making games!!!
Really cool story!!
I managed to find the secret chapter, but apparently there's a Dance chapter??
I'll have to keep searching. Tysm author!! you made a really cool game :)
wait how do you get to the secret chapter
*Spoiler*
There is a butterfly that you can click on before you get to the ending.
Spoilers?
I really enjoyed this! I had suspected something was up with dad on our first phone call and wondered why we didnt use our own name (but I mean honestly why Vanilla lol) but it didnt bother me. The game deifnetly got me on the night before the dance, it double surprised me on the night of the dance. I was shocked to find out the murderer. Would def want to get to eat their hearts but alas if we didnt get beaten up we wouldve never learnt our name. It was also very interesting to find our MOM?? That definetly caught me off guard. I would definetly want to learn more about what dad and mom had going on but nevertheless I really enjoyed the game.
Wow. I don't have words to describe how much I love this game, the characters, the designs, the plot... I enjoyed this so much, thank you for all the effort <3
SPOILERS
I wasn't expecting that Twyla was the murderer all this time, so it kinda got me shocked lol. Also when I had to choose how to heartbreak the others got me shocked and I was like so sad xdd but I really enjoyed it.
I'm a bit shocked about the day before. I was really expecting a harem. But after the day before intermission make me expected we're going to break everyones heart but guess the plot got me.
Amazing
The day before, tik-tok....
Finale, enjoy....
Oh. My. Gosh.
Just...I have no words. I thought I was in love with this game before but...after that ending...
My hat's off to you arcadekitten!! This faaar exceeded all my expectations! I've been following this game since close to the beginning (I want to say around when Theo's route first came out) and it's such a bittersweet feeling to say that it's done. And what an amazing way to end it! While I suppose the ending could be as seen as "wanting," I don't think that's a bad thing--always leave em wanting more, after all!
I deeply enjoyed this game and am very excited to see what you do next! Also
POSSIBLE SPOILER
We really were here for *sweet hearts*, weren't we ;)
Congratulations on bringing HFSH to fruition, Arcadekitten!! Seeing this wonderful adventure inch closer and closer to, and now finally reach its finale, has been such a thrilling experience. The buildup to the culminating duology made the twist all the more spectacular to witness, and its placement in the former of the two chapters created the most wonderful sense of suspense throughout the dance sequence. My heart nearly skipped a beat at the reveal, to the point where I literally got up from where I was sitting, right after the conclusion of the first finale chapter, found the nearest person, and just starting raving about it to them like a madman. I hope that helps put to words how much pure unadulterated fun it was going through the ending! These latest chapters are the very clear culmination of every previous Arcadekitten game, excelling in every facet one could expect after a good few years of experience and improvement. Seeing S.F. reach this point has been honestly inspiring as somebody interested in VN design. Completing HFSH, seeing what can be done and what amazing stories can be told, makes me itch to jump back into Renpy.
Anyways, again, congratulations are in order! The finale was, all in all, something wonderful to behold. I can't overstate how excited this makes me to see what Arcadekitten has in store with Blackout Hospital.
Now, for a more thorough, spoiler-ridden review of the finale....
Again, what a wonderful buildup! The twist is so well-done, and the little hints littered throughout make a second playthrough worth it just so that you can pick up on them. The stark change from the lighthearted menu to the Shyamalan-eat-your-heart-out reveal really pulled the Pathospire exposé together. Not to mention that putting the twist in the former of the two chapters created the most utterly pervasive sense of tension throughout the dance.
It's my opinion that buildup/suspense is really the most important part of a story. It allows the storyteller to act on all the care that the audience should, by now, have for the characters and the plot. And, in that sense, the finale is an exemplar of tension! Going into the dance, I was so ridiculously thrilled, and immensely invested in the story. Everything was leading up to what should have been the most amazing point of the game, the cherry on top, the capitalization on all of that tension....
But that didn't really happen.
The ending is much more of a fizzle than a bang. Now, that's not to say that it wasn't enjoyable. That one issue certainly isn't a heartbreaker, and I still had a lot of fun with Twyla's revenge. It's totally understandable as well---there are a number of reasons to end a story, after all. Following one's heart, moving on to wherever passion takes you, is really important. With Blackout Hospital in the depths of development, I can see why it would be necessary to finish up HFSH, and to focus on something nearer and dearer to S.F.'s heart.
Still, the ending remains a little disappointing. It's disheartening to see Twyla knock us over the head with a bat and put such a quick end to all our hard work. I got to a point where I was so invested in the story, in Vanilla and in these wonderful characters, that I was really truly excited to see their hearts broken. Yet that didn't happen.
I see a lot of folks in the comments here saying this ending is bad, or even that the game is made worse for it. And while I can support wearing your heart on your sleeve and voicing your opinions, I don't think that's really true. The game remains as lovely as ever, and the ending is actually quite a good one. But I can sympathize with folks when they say they wish there was more, just some sort of alternative to make it feel like the player's choices matter.
The heart of the problem seems to be in that lack of capitalization on Vanilla's efforts. Their plan is foiled about as quickly as it was revealed. Everything, from Vanilla's odd little quirks, to the reveal and onwards, was building up to something that just isn't there. Personally, I think this could be solved with even just one more ending where Vanilla actually succeeds. That's more of a suggestion to look into in the future, though, as focusing on that at the same time as Blackout Hospital sounds like a wildly difficult workload.
Oh, and of course, like most other people, I'm finding myself longing with all my heart for some more content with Vanilla and Twyla! I have a suspicion that Vanilla might pop up in some future Arcadekitten games, which would certainly provide an opportunity. I'm not really expecting a romantic heart-to-heart---Twyla seems a little too coldhearted for that---but an ongoing rivalry would be so wonderful to see! And, then again, "flirtatious nemeses" is an often-used trope for very good reason. I, for one, would not mind seeing it fulfilled with Vanilla and Twyla. I mean, what a wonderful dynamic, what with Vanilla's playful nature and Twyla's heart of stone! Ooo, what would you call a ship name for that? Twilla? Vanyla? Ah, but I'm getting off track!
Overall, the buildup is stunningly well-done, the writing is even more enjoyable than it has been in past games (which is saying something) and the artwork is gorgeous. Not to mention that the plot and the mechanics twist the traditional dating-sim VN's framework in such a fresh and intriguing way. The ending is missing something, but in truth, that's the only detractor. Even that one issue is almost entirely negated by how compelling the game is otherwise.
So, yeah, congratulations, Arcadekitten!! HFSH was wonderful, it'll always hold a place in my heart, and I'm so excited to see what comes next!
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Alright, how many puns did I get in there? Like, 14? That has to be some sort of record!
Thank you Eskija! It's always a joy to hear from you and your opinions on my games! ♡ (Spoilers below, of course!)
I know that not everyone is satisfied with the ending, which like, bummer! But it was always planned to be this way from the very beginning, and I wouldn't change it just because it's not what people were hoping to see.
I guess I'm pretty surprised by people's attitudes towards the ending. I was pretty satisfied with it (it's why I wrote it after all LOL), but even if I did go with the alternative, I don't really think that would be satisfying either. Even if the protagonist did succeed in their plan, well, where would we go from there? What happens next? Just the knowledge that they're going to do it again? I wouldn't be happy with an ending like that, and hence why I didn't write it. I think "bad" endings can be perfectly satisfying, but an ending like that wouldn't satisfy me at all.
It sucks that many people don't seem all that satisfied with it, but in the end I'm proud of the ending I wrote and I wouldn't change it for the world!
Thank you so much for all your kind words, though! I was always double-guessing myself with the writing in this game, wondering if it was too rushed or sloppy or whatever else, so to hear you enjoy it so much means so much to me!
It really means a lot to me to see how much the game has compelled you, to see how you had to get out of your chair to wanting to revisit Ren'Py...the game is hardly different from a standared Ren'Py game in my eyes but to hear you see it as so much more means so much to me!
Thank you so much for all your support this....gosh, over a year its been! I can't wait to have more stuff to share with you soon!! ♡
I absolutely understand that! Your ending is most certainly your ending. I know that I really enjoyed playing through the final two chapters either way. After a few days with the ending in the back of my mind, and after bearing witness to the spectacular art of Twyla and Vanilla both by you and the wonderful community, their relationship(?) seems to be blossoming into something wholly compelling as payoff for HFSH's story. More and more, the ending is starting to feel like it's the beginning of a new story. I am certainly looking forward to seeing if, and where, that develops.
And I do really love the concept of bad endings being satisfying on their own---I'll have to keep that in mind for anything that I write in the future!
Having so much fun with HFSH right alongside its companion games has certainly been more than inspiring. Aside from Ren.Py, I've also begun practicing art, given how key it is as a component of visual novels. Learning to draw is an uphill battle, but I'm certain those words were repeated by every artist during their first forays into the field. And, with the two-year anniversary for CM coming up, it's the perfect opportunity to get some practice in while also making some fanart for the holiday! Gosh, I am really looking forward to seeing what everybody else draws.
Let the record show that I am ridiculously excited to have more stuff to enjoy! Playing through every game is always such a thrill, and reviewing them is such a lovely way to process the events that just transpired. What a joy all the way around. I'm very much so looking forward to what comes next!
this game was a trip i enjoyed from start to finish. i loved the design, figuring out how to capture each person's heart, learning the lore, and the entire plot around the killer. the episodic updates really helped build suspense.
~SPOILERS AHEAD~
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i can't help but agree that the ending was slightly unsatisfying. all that build-up, only to have little to no payoff. it.... makes sense for this game though. twyla being "the one who got away/playing hard-to-get" leading into the reveal about her being the killer was a really good way to go about it. and to be completely honest, i didn't want to break their hearts. all my hard work to gain their trust, only to choose how to destroy it. a really good twist to be sure. loved the title screen theme and design change. i wouldn't mind if there's a sequel, but if not, i look forward to your next project!
final score: 8.5/10
Omg its finally finished <3 congratulations╰(⸝⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝⸝)╯
I loved playing this game and seeing it through until the finish. This was a different type of visual novel but its honestly done so well that I think it deserves more recognition! True, its not a dating sim but friend-sim instead, but that doesn't take away from the story and the writing helps you grow attached to the characters regardless.
SPOILERS
Honestly I agree with more people, I loved the twist but not the actual ending itself. It was cool to see the hints from earlier chapters and the MCs behaviour be explained/come together in the end, but getting nearly killed by Twyla with no option to fight back is a disappointing. Especially since previous chapters require certain choices in order to gain hearts, so having no choices matter in the end was a bit of a bummer. I think multiple endings could be cool, but I also wanna acknowledge how hard the dev worked on this and for how long. So if the dev wants to start a new project and leave this one as is, I totally respect it and look forward to their future work! Even with the ending, this is a really great visual novel that if you're hesitant to check it out, give it a try! You might have fun collecting hearts.
I LOVED that ending!
Spoilers ahead
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Twlya is so smart I swear. Even though she is a killer, at least she may have the right reasons. Would not be surprised if this was like an old race rivalry thing between the heart-less and the heart-break-eaters. That ending though, I think Vanilla fell in love right there. Her dad watching over her was an interesting thing but not surprising. I loved making all those friends. But I did feel really bad for all the friend's hearts she wanted to break. At least everyone else got their happy ending!
p.s I hope Mary and Reginald get married. And Vasilis and Crowven. Their all very cute together!
Spoilers for Crowven's route!!
First, you have to check out what Vas
sholeand Crowven are up to. Then, you have to stick around and see what the Headmistress has in store for the two of you. Afaik, there isn't actually a single instance in HFSH where running away works out well. Once you're in the office, figuring out the right choice is a little tricky, but you have to "admit" that it was all your idea, before telling Aesirel that Crowven had nothing to do with it. Obviously, Aesirel isn't buying it, but this buys you more time, leading to the single best interaction in HFSH. After Theo's stunningly cunning disguise saves the day, you have to tell Aesirel that you just wanted Crowven to like you. This seems to have the effect of convincing the universe to take pity on you, as it should be smooth sailing from there, with the player now being locked into succeeding at the route. Have fun! I hope this helped!i showed my friend the characters and she thinks mary is adorable :]
also REGI, REGi, regi.
I HAVE A FEELING YOU KILLED Yk
I HAVE PLAYED CEMETARY MARY AND IK YOUR PERSONALITY FROM THAT SO I LOVE BUT DONT TRUST YOU ok <3
also great game, keep up the good work! <3
The game was honestly amazing, I loved all of the characters and enjoyed the storyline. Not to mention the art is adorable too!
Spoiler for the ending:
I absolutely loved the twist. Mc actually doing all of this to break hearts is an amazing concept, but the ending itself wasn't all that good. It was nice, but I wish there were more endings, or at least just one more where the mc succeeds.
Edit:
It would also be great if we had a sequel full of Twayla's and mc's relationship, whether it be friends or lovers it is interesting, this game truly has more potential than this and I hope that there'll be more to it.