PAH was off to a good
start, it really
was; but that was before the writers took a couple of unfathomable and
painfully uninspired decisions, messily soiling their own work in the process. PAH
had the potential to be a true gem, one of the very best VNs out there;
instead, it ends up being merely passable, and here's why. (Spoilers!)
— The ties with Black
Butterfly. This is simply the single worst decision pertaining to
PAH's story: not only does the link between the two stories come
somewhat out of left field and feel shoehorned into the story, but it creates a
milling mass of plotholes that wouldn't have existed otherwise. It's also
really just cheap fan-service, when you think of it: so Kagiha, Hikage and
Usagi from PBB are now stranded in PAH's world under a slightly
different guise because reasons, and I'm supposed to cream my pants at
the mere sight of them? Even though making Usagi an actual rabbit is
possibly the worst case of dumb literal interpretation I've ever encountered?
Am I also supposed to lose it when discovering the cast of PAH in school
uniforms in the Girl Ending? To me, this is nothing but lame pandering to the
current trend of unifying videogame series under a single narrative flag by
forcing together games and stories that were conceived as separate entries.
(I'm looking at you, Pokemon and your stupid parallel universes, Zelda
and your ridiculous timelines.) Or, in PAH's case, should
have been conceived as separate entries: using the Psychedelica concept in
different and totally independent settings would have worked beautifully, and
even opened the door for sequels and appetizing variations of said
concept.
— Hugh. Not only is that guy's design bland and his characterization
flat, but he's also the worst case of Deus ex Machina I've seen this side of
the Akashic Records in Period
Cube. Heck, the
writers didn't even try to hide the fact that he's a narrative device on
legs: he can teleport, talk to people in their dreams, modify his appearance at
will, and generally do anything that's required to get the characters and the
story out of a bind. Oh, and he pops up out of thin air to deliver the story's
MacGuffin to Jed — because hey, why not? To add insult to injury, we're
not even treated to a juicy and meaty explanation regarding his identity and
the reason behind his amazing powers. It's been speculated that a third Psychedelica
game was in the making and would provide answers regarding those matters;
however, two years have passed since PAH's release, and it's becoming
less and less likely that this fabled sequel will ever see the light of day.
— Confusing is thy name: Unlike Black Butterfly, Ashen Hawk
does a really poor job at explaining the ins and outs of its story — when it
actually tries to explain them. I have to admit that some plot points
remain a mystery to me, and I'm not too sure that I would be able to recap the
whole thing if I had to. Were the jewels removed from the Kaleido-Via in the
'real' world or in the Psychedelica? Is Jed's red eye ultimately to blame on
the jewel stuck in it, or is it a trait inherited from her mother? If everybody
remain stuck in the Psychedelica in all endings but the Girl Ending, as the
game seems to imply, why does the Psychedelica remain unchanged in some endings
yet deteriorates in others? How can there be so-called ghosts in the
Psychedelica, when all its inhabitants are already disembodied spirits?
Clearing a second run might shed light on those murky matters, granted; but I
really shouldn't have to do that in the first place. A story that doesn't leave
the reader with a clear view of what happened is just a case of bad
storytelling, period.
— In for the (cheap) thrill: Some of the story's twists and turns come
seriously out of left field, and undermine other genuinely good plot twists in
the process. For instance, the reveal of Francesca's scheming nature was a
excellent development: as the head of one of the towns' leading factions, it
made perfect sense for her to be involved in some dirty machinations and to be
a shrewd operator behind her kind facade. On the other hand, making her kill
Aria out of sheer jealousy is a step too far and doesn't square with the calmness
and sangfroid she displays throughout the story — not to mention her affection
towards Jed, the very daughter of the woman she hated. Likewise, discovering
that kind, responsible and collected Lavan harbours a burning hate for his
father and a desperate drive to avoid becoming like him adds some welcome depth
to his character; on the other hand, learning that jolly, happy-go-lucky Levi
is a serial killer with an unquenchable lust for blood feels far-fetched and
solely designed to upset the reader. And then we have all sorts of
incoherencies and out of character behaviours, such as Olgar remaining cold to
Jed after learning that she is his daughter, Jed ruthlessly manipulating Tee or
Lavan behaving like a brooding, sullen douche in his dedicated ending.
— Too little, too fast: All the endings, without exception, are rushed
and unfulfilling. It's really a pity and a shame to see all the game's patient
exposition squandered and spoiled in unsatisfying endings that don't do justice
to the characters. The 'romantic' endings are particularly nasty in that
regard: after all the expertly handled steamy moments between Jed and the beaus
over the course of the story, it stings to be slapped in the face with those
depressing outcomes that hardly show a shred of affection between Jed and her
beau du jour.
At the end of the day, PAH is a VN that started well yet ran out
of steam at the worst possible moment. I was thoroughly disappointed by the
endings and the big reveals that came along with them; and yet, somehow, I
still love that game. The characters, the art and the whole atmophere left
a huge mark on my heart; and although I would have wanted a different outcome
for the whole story, I don't regret my purchase one bit and I'll certainly
replay PAH someday. And this, dear fellow gamers, is the end of my
'Summer of Mystery' adventures. Will I ever get to play another localized otome
game? Only time will tell! Thanks for reading, and be my guest anytime!
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