Against Yourself

This early demo starts with a premise that genuinely stands out in the genre: a deeply depressed protagonist haunted by survivor’s guilt after his girlfriend’s death in a plane crash, saved at the last second from suicide by a kind stranger who offers him shelter. The opening scenes, the erotic-turned-nightmarish dreams, the raw suicide attempt, the immediate aftermath... are haunting and emotionally affecting. For a moment, it feels like the game might actually grapple with the messy, non-linear reality of grief, depression, and recovery rather than using trauma as a quick backdrop for romance. Unfortunately, that promise fades quickly. Within 48 in-game hours, the protagonist goes from standing on train tracks to accepting praise, basking in new friendships, and even thinking he “already loves” the people helping him. All with minimal internal resistance from the guilt that nearly killed him. Small victories (fixing a leak, getting a job) snowball into steady improvement far too smoothly, and the survivor’s guilt, repeatedly stated as crushing, rarely intrudes on his ability to enjoy kindness or progress. Relapses lead to a premature bad ending that feels punitive rather than tragic, cutting off any deeper exploration of spiraling behavior. Mechanically, the dice-roll system for overcoming temptations is a clever touch. Succeeding gives the same small dopamine hit the character (and player) would feel, but retries are cost-free, and rolls lack memory or momentum, undermining the sense of struggle. Visually, the game is serviceable but unremarkable: basic 3D renders, functional UI, nothing that distracts or particularly impresses. Verdict : The demo has one of the strongest, most affecting openings I’ve seen in an adult VN, and the core concept is ripe for a nuanced, unflinching look at depression and codependency in early recovery. As it stands, however, it retreats into familiar genre territory far too soon, healing the protagonist just quickly enough to shift focus toward relationship-building rather than letting the weight of his grief continue to complicate every step forward. With more commitment to the psychological realism its premise demands, this could be something truly special. Right now, it’s a promising but ultimately frustrating near miss.

The soundtrack is good, the storyline is not bad, you can make the drama a bit longer to make the story more interesting, but this is just right, not too sad, and most importantly, PLS don't forget to introduce Mike to be a boxing coach!!!! Good game, I hope it will be on Steam.