Furukawa Hirozawa sat there in a daze, motionless, his soul seemingly having been sucked out of him.
Judging from the plot, it was clear that Suzune was an ancient human who had been forced to migrate into the ocean due to environmental changes.
Yamazaki was a lonely boy who had never felt an ounce of warmth, even while living in the human world.
And Suzune, clearly the last mermaid, could not fall in love with a human.
In this world where she could not obtain love, Suzune would have no passion to increase her own kin.
Lonely and exhausted, she became a girl in a world of despair.
Two lonely and desperate individuals had come together, becoming each other's only bond—cruel, yet soul-healing.
But—
That bastard Gen Urobuchi had to make Suzune leave the world in such a way, leaving Yamazaki all alone.
Even after returning to the human world.
What was the use of a world like that, a world without Suzune?
With Suzune unable to survive, what kind of happiness could there be for Yamazaki?
The credits had already started appearing on the TV screen:
Just as expected, the producer column displayed a name Hirozawa Furukawa was unusually familiar with, a name he both loved and hated—
[Kogahara Tsubakiaki]
Kogahara Tsubakiaki!
Die!
Die! Die! Die! Die!
Screenplay: [Gen Urobuchi]
Gen Urobuchi!
Die!
Die! Die! Die! Die!
Gen Urobuchi's style is truly overwhelming.
If Onmyoji 2 left a deep impression last time, then this time, The Mermaid's Heart has intensified that feeling even further—
Gen Urobuchi is a screenwriter who is exceptionally good at building suspense.
In Onmyoji 2, that sense of suspense and the feeling of inner turmoil that only grew as the story progressed were truly addictive.
This is embodied even more thoroughly in The Mermaid's Heart.
Through small details, he makes Hirozawa Furukawa doubt Suzune's identity, a direction he desperately hopes won't come to pass, forcing the player to pray inwardly.
To a certain extent, Gen Urobuchi really knows how to manipulate the player's psychology.
The imagination and creativity of this person truly amazed Hirozawa Furukawa.
But—
It's obvious that both Urobuchi and Kogahara Tsubakiaki are no longer quite normal.
Is this kind of worldview and story something a human being could come up with?
And to be stabbed so thoroughly, yet so beautifully—it really makes one feel both miserable and delighted.
I want to strangle them, really.
Yet, to a certain extent, what makes Furukawa the most angry is that he actually feels these two have served up a truly delicious feast.
A unique worldview, unexpected character settings.
Exquisite visuals, coupled with a moving story.
Delicate prose, heart-healing melodies...
Everything woven together, all of it left Furukawa deeply moved.
By the time he came to his senses, Hirozawa Furukawa realized he had been sitting in the same spot for a long time.
It's over, it's all over.
I suspect that P Corporation is the embodiment of evil, trying to assimilate us players too!
Turning us into terrible masochists.
Hirozawa's teeth were chattering from the cold.
Early Monday morning, Hirozawa, Hayamigawa, and Kinoshita gathered to discuss "The Mermaid's Heart."
"Hey, have you guys cleared it yet?" Hirozawa asked.
"Yeah..."
Both of them looked exceptionally exhausted.
It was clear that this game could truly deal a mental blow.
I have to admit, P Corporation is really skilled at delivering emotional trauma in their galgames.
They do it in all sorts of ways, never repeating the same trick.
The most terrifying part is, even after they've devastated you, you still think their craftsmanship is excellent.
The three of them sat in the smoking room, their souls seemingly drained away.
Hayamigawa passed out cigarettes, and the three of them took a drag in silence.
"Damn it."
"That old thief Furuhara has stopped acting like a human being. In every sense of the word," Hayamigawa said.
The other two nodded, expressing strong agreement.
"How should I put it?" Kinoshita held his cigarette between his index and middle fingers, scratching his head as he recalled the game's scenes. "The sense of suspense in this game is really good. Even though I had my suspicions early on, I still found it hard to believe in the end that Suzune was actually a human."
"Yeah," the other two nodded in agreement. "You can tell from the protagonist's transformation that the mermen in the deep sea were actually early humans too, just affected by certain factors, forcing them to take on the appearance of merfolk to survive in the ocean.
Suzune was so wonderful; it's a pity."
"But even so, Suzune's heart was pure and flawless; she was someone who would die for Yamazaki."
"Yeah, how ironic. Humans couldn't give Yamazaki love or warmth, yet it was a 'mermaid' like Suzune who could truly empathize with him."
"Sigh, actually, in a way, if Yamazaki could have just kept living with Suzune like that, it wouldn't have been a bad thing, would it?"
"What a pity, two lonely individuals who were fundamentally unable to survive in this world."
Sigh.
The group heaved a heavy sigh.
After a brief silence, Kinoshita sniffled, his eyes reddening as he said, "Actually, this is for the best. Even if Yamazaki became one of the merfolk, at least he gained his freedom."
"Huh?"
As soon as Kinoshita finished speaking, the other two looked up at him in confusion.
"No, no, that's not right." Hayamigawa stared at Kinoshita, surprised and amused. "Yamazaki clearly chose to commit suicide after seeing Suzune get killed. Where did you get the idea about him becoming a merman?"
"Huh?" Furukawa Hirozawa asked, puzzled. "Isn't it that Suzune sent Yamazaki Hikaru back to the human world?"
"What are you guys talking about?" Kinoshita was bewildered.
The three of them looked at each other in astonishment.
Two seconds passed.
Their eyes widened in unison.
"Nani?!"
"So 'The Mermaid's Heart' has different endings?!"
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