Bishoujo games, also known as gal games, span a wide range of quality and themes. Today, they are so ubiquitously known that games which parodize the genre have arguably surpassed them in popularity. But were all of those surgically-chosen clichés in Doki Doki Literature Club any good to begin with? In a post-irony age, one almost sleepwalks into forgetting just how potent and meaningful they were, and can still be.

This isn't just writing, it's prose poetry. Every word—many of which I needed to look up in a dictionary—was carefully written to accurately describe intimate scenes, imbue characters with personality, and use symbolism delicately. It's also virtually typo-free. The music fits like a glove always, swelling and receding on cue to perfectly evoke the intended mood. It is truly a pièce de résistance. Sometimes the art is merely serviceable, but it really levels up to depict extraordinary moments, including gorgeous animations for each route. On a mechanical level, it contains a satisfying web of choices, branches and endings, and you'll want to pursue all of them.

It's ever tasteful and authentic, never vulgar nor thoughtless, making it such a pleasure to immerse yourself in the protagonist's shoes for hours at a time. It is a seamless, loving dance between player and fiction.

Somehow, Katawa Shoujo is a free game. The Steam version has no adult content, but you can download a patch on the developer's website to add it back, which I recommend. If you're a fan of visual novels or curious to give them a try... open your heart.

I was so unbelievably impressed by this puzzle game that I purchased it even when I didn't have to, just for the sake of having it in my collection and being able to post this review on Steam. Despite over a decade of time passing, its ideas remain fresh and original, always encouraging lateral thinking. I love the art style and music too, an important quality when you're sitting on a screen and pouring over the details. When I play Tetrobot and Co., I feel like I'm seeing how awesome indie games are for the first time again.