Ayakashi gohan has been sitting in my backlog for years, but I finally got to play it and I didn’t regret it at all!

Just for the sake of it, since I’m a stupid person, at first I decided to try it blindly and see where my own choices would lead.

It’s embarrassing to say, but my instinct is so bad that I even failed to enter a route, and the game kicked me out in the middle! I didn’t give up tho, until I entered Yomi’s route.

The choices I preferred for childhood Rin led me to the Ayakashi route, and I went for those characters first.

I liked Yomi immediately, because he was reserved and a bit difficult to handle, but not rude.

It was obvious that he just needed some help to trust humans again, and a positive Rin was perfect for him, they were a nice couple.

The fact that the heroine is voiced really adds up to their relationship, it feels more real and it’s easier to empathize with her feelings.

There are many side characters, but none of them bored me; giving them all sprites and even CGs was cool, there’s a lot of work beyond the common route.

I think genki Rin and Yomi are a good match, even if their personality are the opposite: they can understand and support each other, I’m sure that becoming a couple will benefit them both.

It’s sad to know she’s going to die first, but it’s better if they just enjoy the moment without worrying too much about the future. I don’t think there’s a way to turn her in an ayakashi, sadly!

Manatsu’s route was quite tragic, but I enjoyed it a lot; he was really nice and caring, even if he felt more like a big brother to me, instead of a love interest.

Still, he matched the heroine’s brightness, so I don’t complain.

After him, I’ve chosen to try “the other” Rin, the darker one, if we can call her like that.

The heroine, in this game, has a different personality based on the answer you choose when she’s a child; she can grow up and become positive and cheerful, or quiet and lonely.

I understand that this personality probably makes more sense, if you think about her difficult childhood; still, it made me a bit angry sometimes.

People around her were nice, trying to make her feel comfortable in that new situation, but she was always cold; I know, she wasn’t used to deal with people, but it was a bit irritating to watch anyways.

I don’t know, this side of the story looked quite forced to me: in the real world, if a person acts like that, people get tired easily and just leave her alone, or even bully her, at school; but her classmates were unnecessarily nice and caring.

Her relationship with Uta was cute, and I understand how it feels being jealous of a person who can naturally attract people and have friends without even trying.

(maybe sad Rin makes me uncomfortable because she reminds me of my teenage days? Probably).

Suoh’s route was nice, but I don’t think his cat personality is a good match for the sad heroine, who already has communications issues: I think they both would need an optimistic partner, who can help them open up.

I honestly liked Rin more with that senpai who loved reading, they would be such a cute couple, going out to find old books and exchanging them! He seemed so sweet and smart! Sadly, he didn’t even get a sprite.

Haginosuke was a really sweet guy, I liked him from the first moment.

His positive and gentle attitude was perfect to help Rin feeling better and become a little more confident and cheerful too.

Sadly, his route was heavy and painful… who could have predicted that he hid such a tragic past?

The plot became even a bit weird, but I just wanted to see him happy at that point.

I’ve played Asagi last, as obvious, because his route is the most important one.

I was expecting something shocking and sad, but I admit that I had no clue of the truth.

My prediction was completely different, I imagined it involved mostly Rin!(ok, I can say it without spoiling, I thought she was dead and all the happenings in the game were only a dream to keep her “alive”, created by Gin who had pity of her).

I’m really glad that Rin had such an important role in the end, and wasn’t just there waiting to be saved! Obviously, it had to be the “genki” Rin, my favorite!

Would I recommend this game?

Yes! I admit it had a few boring moments, maybe it could have been a little better without all those ayakashi with their secondary story, but I overall enjoyed it a lot.

The truth was not predictable and it made me almost cry, it was well written and I can’t complain about anything!

It’s sad that the FD has such bad reviews, I’d like to play it but I don’t feel motivated enough… well, let’s see, maybe I’ll change my mind in the future.