Monday, May 31, 2021

"Our Personal Space" Review

Publisher:  metasepia games

Genre:  Visual Novel

Summary:  A newly-married couple is part of a new planetary settlement.

Gameplay:  Names can be chosen, but appearances can not be customized.  A couple different jobs can be chosen for the main character and the game will vary a bit based on this.  After a bit of introduction and getting to the planet, the game consists of twenty-five months.  

At the beginning of each month you can choose what skill to focus on, whether to focus on work, and how to spend free time.  This will influence the events of the month (though some are set), although you can choose responses within events as well.  Your choices affect the main character's relationship with her husband, skills, and correspondingly the overall story.

Style:  The character art is a little rough, but the characters are distinct.  Backgrounds are likewise simple but effective.  The music is nice.

Story:  "Our Personal Space" stands out for being a story of marriage instead of beginning romance; a rarity, it feels.  Also rare is the almost relaxed (but still dramatic) tale of the space colony.  There is no horrible alien invasion or murderous rebellion, just the hard work of trying to survive and get along while settling an alien frontier, which is interesting enough.  Add in working through (or not, depending on your choices) a new marriage, and "Our Personal Space" is an intriguing tale indeed.