Note: This post is an edited version of a comment I originally posted on Reddit’s r/visualnovels.

I was lucky enough to win a free key for The Window Box in a giveaway the developer had on Twitter (for every 5 retweets a particular tweet got, a random follower got a free Steam key). I read it in a single sitting, and it’s a hell of an emotional trip.

The cast of The Window Box: Sophie, Margot, Elsa, Paige, and Finley

First off, I adore the art style. It’s like a mix of anime and art nouveau—colorful and stylized without falling into the uncanny valley. There’s a lot of nice touches, like the Small Talk Slot Machine and Margot and Sophie’s “adult” conversation.

Sometimes I wish my conversations could be this organized

The story starts off a bit on the slow side—just some college friends hanging out after a few years apart—but things gradually start to get stranger and more unsettling. All five women have their own issues that they deal with over the course of the game.

Read the full post at Pixels, Polygons, Prose