On Your Tail is one of those stories I regret completing and would never wish to experience again. Not because of how bad it may be, but rather how great it is. It is one of the rare games that put me through so much emotional shock by the end that it feels as though I am mourning the loss of a relative or dear friend.

While the game itself is rough around the edges, I can only forgive those issues for the bigger picture makes it more than worth playing. The cosy atmosphere with occult mysteries sprinkled on top were the cherries on top of a great story packed with lovable and interesting characters, sublimed by a captivating narrative. This game also achieved something very few could do: turning its location into its own character. One you don't want to leave behind, one you grow to know like the back of your hand, and eventually fall in love with. Maybe this is what Diana's grandmother felt too?

Our adventures in this corner of Italy aren't exactly the best looking ones: it suffers from a few graphical glitches here and there like textures not loading in properly, shadows flickering as they cannot decide which resolution to use... But this, I can forgive. I haven't encountered major issues souring my enjoyment of the game. Nonetheless, I would have liked to have more graphical options than choosing between a few anti-aliasing solutions and three different kinds of camera noise. Being able to turn bloom off would have been a great addition alongside a brightness slider. Another minor nitpick I have encountered is the very basic ultrawide monitor support (I played it on a 21:9 monitor) where each cutscenes and unlockable artworks are stretched to the edges of the monitor. The HUD elements are fine however.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere coming from the game's visual presentation is all too powerful for me not to forgive those issues. The soundtrack compliments this blissfully as well as its leitmotif now resonates in my head over and over again. It makes you want to stay there a little longer. It has an air of melancholy to it, as if the show was almost over, and yet you get drawn in by it the further you go.

But still, a few things almost stopped me in my tracks: the puzzles. There are a lot of them in this game: from reconstructing events, to sorting a tool bag... I felt like many had really far fetched solutions. The four interrogations you encounter are more of a guess work than anything, the tool bag sorting riddles tend to be completely unclear at times, and rebuilding past events felt like pure guess work as well - especially one of the final ones. But still, I charged through for the story's sake.

And what a story that was. I am still shaken up by its ending. While it has a few plot holes here and there, again the bigger picture won me over. This is a story I would never want to end. One I regret closing off. It didn't have the same effect as Death Stranding, Yakuza 0, or Stray, which almost made me physically unable to complete them... But its memory will continue to wreck me. You very easily get attached to Borgo Marina and its inhabitants. Whether it's the friends you meet along the way, the people hosting you, or those helping you along the way... They all have a little something to like. Something to cling on to. And, without trying to spoil the game, all of them have a reason to follow you.

On Your Tail is an experience worth playing. The slice-of-life stories mingled into the investigations of a mysterious thief and their motives helped create a perfect blend that is all too rare to see. This game was made with pure unfiltered love, and it shows. And for that, I can forgive anything for it. I am not sure if I should wish for a sequel, or if I want it to end here. Part of me wants to stop this sense of grief, another wants to dive back into this town and meet with familiar faces once more.

And so that's it. I wish I could stay, or I wish they would follow me out of town. The way this game made me feel is the true mark of a labour of love, and the hallmark of a brilliant game. Thank you for this experience.