Angela He or Zephyo and her works are my ultimate inspiration, especially in her use of 2.5D and aesthetic effects. She has created many acclaimed games and various interactive works and collaborations but I’ll only be exploring two of her most famous works.
You Left Me is a surreal and uniquely interactive visual novel where the player makes decisions for a girl in the aftermath of a devastating loss.
The game explores the dark themes of loneliness and loss in a realistic way. The art is stunning even as the main character goes through their usual daily routine touched by the sadness in a very visually expressive way.
You Left Me is a very well-made visual novel, with care put into every aspect of it and sensitive topics such as suicide and trauma handled well. This game let me see visual novels in a whole new light and inspired me to want to make games in the first place. I saw how the simplest of visual movement and interactivity could make a whole world of difference in how a game is consumed.
Missed Messages is a game where on the surface it seems like a romantic comedy in a visual novel style. However, as the story progresses the dots connect, and the choices the player makes the difference in saving someone’s life.
Similar to Zephyo’s other games, this one also has the themes of love, death, and loss as well as her distinct style beyond simply art and themes. Tackling a serious and sensitive topic such as suicide is not an easy thing but Zephyo executed the entire game perfectly.
This is another game that pushed through with its strong visuals and surface interactivity to tell a mostly narrative-based story with a few different endings. It really shows the importance of art and how even the smallest of animations and interactivity add on to create a beautiful masterpiece.
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