-You mention this being sort of based on a manga. I quick looked it up and checked out the first chapter, but it kind of looked different. May I ask how much this game pulls from the manga in terms of art or story?
-To be completely honest, I think this has my favorite UI in an RPG Maker game period. One of the reasons I miss using VX Ace is because the UI looked great and was really easy to change. The different message styles depending on the situation, the gothic font to fit the setting, the frickin' smoothness of it all *chef's kiss*. There were so many little artistic flourishes and whatnot, it really felt like I was playing a professional game.
-The translation was...not great. Most of the time it was okay, but there were a lot of grammatical errors and general weird stuff that made it hard to take the dialogue seriously. "Witched Kid" stuck out to me specifically. Something like "witch's kid" or "witch child" would sound better.
-I played this over 2 days, and when I booted up the game the second time, it had reverted to Japanese. I was able to find the options menu, but it was a hassle.
-The mapping for the game was beautiful. Specifically the convent was absolutely stunning. Really made it feel like an actual location and not just a set, so to speak.
The only exception was the inside of the carriages. They didn't feel like they should match up with the exterior.
-The CG's and busts were quite good. While the game does have the yuri tag, I do wish some more of the dudes had art, especially since the one guy who did was...fairly feminine
:kaoswt2:. It started to feel a little like those gatcha game memes.
-Visual bug right here where the bust goes over a choice.
-The music was really good, but not always fitting. Specifically, when the mother is being executed, the music felt too happy, but not like in a creepy happy way?
-The minigames were, unfortunately, not fun. The QTEs are annoying at best, and the "match the color and Latin name" puzzle was a bit too easy. By far the worst was the sliding block puzzle. I hate those frickn' things, and they never fail to stump me. The skip button was a lifesaver, because I would have quit the game right then and there.
I really think you'd be better off removing at least the QTEs and working on some better puzzles.
-The little arrows to direct you were nice. Didn't feel to intrusive and helped me navigate.
-The transitions between floors was awesome. It's one of those annoying problems with RPG maker, and you managed to handle it really well.
-The chandeliers look like they're on the ground rather than the roof. I honestly thought they were beartraps at first, lol.
-While it does looks pretty cute, most orders would not allow a nun to have bangs that long. Just a little detail you might want to look into.
So, huge disclaimer, I'm not a history expert at all. This is all just my reaction and impressions based on what little I know about the time period, as well as some quick google searches.
Also, I'm not looking to argue about religion IRL, this is all in the context of the game.
-I was surprised at the accuracy and consistency in your portrayal of Christianity (I assume they are supposed to be Catholics or Puritans, although I'm not 100% sure), for the most part. The inclusion of bible verses and real prayers gave it a really authentic vibe.
-I also appreciated the fact that you didn't just add random "lore" for Christianity. All the events and verses (as far as I can tell) mentioned were accurate.
-On to the story. Personally, I wasn't a fan, but I don't know if I fall into this game's target audience, so take all of this with a grain of salt.
-The village folk are so incredibly stupid and evil that it's hard to take seriously. I'm growing weary of that trope. I get that the point of these stories are usually to expose and show the dangers of religion or being too close minded, but the presentation makes it hard to relate.
-I'd really like to see some opposing arguments, so to speak. Make those "bad" people feel human. How did they get here? Do they really think this, or are they just afraid? What's going on in their head? I didn't see any of that from what I played, which in my opinion is a missed opportunity.
-I didn't care for any of the "good" characters as they felt too perfect and unrealistic, in a similar way to the bad guys.
-Since everything was so extreme and over the top, I felt like any themes were lost. The game would be way more compelling if it were either:
1: More fantastical, not attached to any specific religion or events.
2: More accurate and believable that while this specific story never happened, things
like this occurred.
Because, personally, right now it feels like it's in the mushy middle. It doesn't feel like a warning that history will repeat itself (or already is), or allegory for society. Instead, it feels like just a cool story about cute perfect girls sticking it to an obviously evil and corrupt church. Which is fine! For the right audience, that'll work. I'm always up for some dumb fun, but I got the feeling that this was supposed to be a little more serious.
-Other than that, congrats on completing a project! That's really a great accomplishment, especially given the quality and consistency of the game.