Idols are the most popular thing in the media and the rising idol production company Lyriq has a convention to run this weekend. There is only one catch: the virtual idol named Aiko is malfunctioning. There is only one way to fix Aiko, and that is finding the person who programmed her. But it isn’t easy for a sapient computer program to find her creator–that is, without help. That’s where superfan Hana and a ragtag team of convention attendees come in to save the day.
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First off, the art is really cute for this game! The GUI and most of the aesthetics are centered around various pink colors, which does a great job in connecting it with Aiko and by extension Hana, though her color scheme is more centered around red colors. One thing that took me by surprise was how the controls for reading speed and such were set up and while it took some time to get used to them, it has a sleek design that blends well with the rest of the screen. The background are done nicely, especially when showcasing Hana’s room and her never-ending love for Aiko. However, the problems that come from being an idol are just the tip of the iceberg for this story.
The story starts off with a programmer being yelled at by their boss, as they disappear into the night. The game then moves forward into introducing Hana and her mother, as she waits for her new Aiko figure to arrive. We are shown that Hana loves anything that is related to Aiko, by like any worried parent her mother wants her to go outside more and meet new people — even become an idol if she really wants to! Hana returns to her room and welcomes her new figure to her collection, but while going through the forums something strange catches her attention — someone calling themselves Aiko, who is desperately looking for her programmer. Not really sure of what to believe, Hana seems to be diving head first into a mystery that might lead her to meeting her beloved idol.
Hana seems like a sweet girl, but she is shy and has a tendency of spending more of her time in her room that the outside, though she is fiercely dedicated of Aiko, as shown with how she handles the mysterious message on the forum. It will be interesting to see how she comes to break out of her shell as she meets more people and learns about the truth behind Aiko.
The demo is a good introduction to the main questions that will be at the center of this visual novel and does a good job in showing off Hana’s personality and how she lives before she goes on what seems to be a crazy adventure!
If you like idols and mystery, consider checking out the demo and their kickstarter!
hayurika 