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You know I was feeling pretty depressed today. Then I saw how pathetic Tyler was, and I thought, “Well, at least I’m not that guy”, and then my depression went away. Actually, I think Tyler’s luck spread to me the day the stream for it happened, because when I tried watching the stream, my internet started to become really laggy, and so I ended up not being able to watch the stream. If that’s not a sign that fate exists, then I don’t know what is.

Anyways, this is quite a well-written VN that I feel like goes well and beyond with its premise, even if the premise itself and the chain of events are things I’m not too fond of. I still like the VN though. The basic story is basically about a downwards spiral of someone who’s depressed due to bad things happening to him. Form this alone, it’s kinda hard for me to be too invested in the story, because I keep wanting to yell at the protagonist, “Oh my God, stop being a baby, it’s not a big deal.” That’s kinda the point, though. When you’re depressed, even the simplest things seem incredibly hard to do. However, I think there’s a few things that kinda make Tyler a bit hard to sympathize with, at least towards me.

Tyler’s situation is a tad too specific to be relatable towards people. The three things that caused Tyler’s spiral are that his boyfriend dumped him, his DnD campaign ended terribly, and he got laid off. Thing is, it’s established that he had a well-paying job. I feel like most people reading this VN never had a job like that, so it’d be hard to imagine him in his shoes. Combined that with that he somehow lives alone in a nice-ish house, it’s hard to relate to him. Obviously, him getting laid off is a terrible thing and most people understand that. I just think that if you don’t relate to his situation strongly, especially if you have never been depressed, then some of his more depressive behavior loses its impact, and the feeling of “God, you’re being so overdramatic” is intensified. Like, I mentioned that I was feeling depressed today, but not only was I mostly joking, but I’ve never had as bad depression like Tyler has in the VN, and if I had, it’s been a while. But enough about me. It also doesn’t help that we don’t really know much about Tyler. We don’t know what he was like before his depressive episode, what his relationship with Damian was like, his family, how he met any of his friends, and why he feels the need to keep everything a secret or feel like he has to be self-reliant for everything. That makes the disconnect even stronger. That said, if you do relate to Tyler in any way, I imagine that you’d find certain lines hit a lot harder for you than they did for me.

The DnD sections are also mostly unrelated to the main storyline. There are some scenes that directly relate to Tyler’s struggles, but I do feel like the campaign could have been a stronger parallel to what’s going on in real life. As is, a lot of it feels like filler and just an excuse for some plot-relevant banter between members of the friend group. I also don’t like how the conflict for Tyler’s character arc gets resolved. It feels too neat and tidy for something that should have had a lot slower and messier conclusion.

With all of that, the writing really excels here. It’s not perfect, there are instances where it feels like it’s trying too hard. Some of Tyler’s monologue where he’s being self-hating is a bit much. And I don’t mean “Wow, this really sells that he’s self-hating” and more “we get it, you’re a boyfailure, now get on with it”. Some of the humor also falls flat. But for the most part, the writing’s pretty good. It really sells what Tyler’s going through and how the characters around him react to his behavior. All of the characters are pretty likable, excecpt for Josh, but even he’s fine. They’re pretty unique, and you really do feel like they’re all part of one big friend group. Their banter is quite nice. There’s also some neat metaphors done using the butterfly, and it gets the themes and messages of the story through quite well. It does some interesting things with the themes of escapism, and how it can only do so much.

The custom made art is excellent. The butterfly looks great, and so do the backgrounds. I do find it unfortunate that the sprites for Lancelot and Arthur aren’t used beyond the prologue, as they’re the best looking custom sprites. Oh well. To nitpick, though, I do think the sprites could have been used in a more interesting way, as the most done with them are sliding animations and occasionally a camera zoom in. The music also fits very well with the VN.

Overall, if you find the premise of this VN interesting, I definitely recommend reading it, as I enjoyed it even though I’m probably not the right person for this VN. I have seen the writer talk about some of the VN’s shortcomings, which is great, as that means he’s willing to improve.

Category Ratings:

Writing: 5/5

Story: 3/5

Theme: 4/5

Presentation: 4/5

Creativity: 5/5

And with that, that’s all the May Wolf entries reviewed! (Not counting disqualified entries) Woohoo! It was a lot of fun reading each entry and giving my own opinions on them. There were some lows and a lot of highs, but I mostly enjoyed the creativity and diversity of stories we got this year. I unfortuantely couldn’t rate each May Wolf in time, but that’s just how the cookie crumbles. I’m just glad I was able to read every single one this year. I definitely won’t be able to do this every year, but I was glad to have done it at least for one year. Cheers! And may future May Wolfs be even better than this year!

So, I haven’t finished reading this VN yet; however, as the rating period has since passed and the VN is not finished yet, I think it’s better if I just leave my first impressions here and then leave a proper review when it’s finished. So the art’s really nice; I like the pseudo-watercolor style that Spes has. The characters are pretty cool. Evil twink is always appreciated. Solis is very cute, and that’s always good. Lillia also has a lot of depth, which is cool. I do think the story is a bit slow in general, so it feels like not much is happening. Yeah, that’s about it. Again, I’ll leave a full review when it’s finished.

This was a VN I wasn’t initially too keen on, but I eventually warmed up to it. While I liked the basic premise, I didn’t like how much of a dick Ulfor was towards AElla (I’m just going to spell it like that for convenience’s sake) for basically no reason, especially since he did treat Raf kindly. The eagle not being who the other two thought he was basically undermines anything Ulfor says, which is a shame, because some of what he said was pretty cool and justified. I also didn’t like that AElla’s relationship with the other two was developed off-screen. Just kinda feels like the VN just expects me to believe that AElla got along with the others while I wasn’t looking, which was annoying. The section after that was nice, with Raf and AElla discussing tales they’ve heard before, and the banter was cute. Then the sex scene happens, and I just wasn’t really into it, because none of the characters were that attractive to me, although this is just a me thing. After the sex scene, though, I did start caring about the characters and writing a lot more. It’s hard to describe, but I do like the vibes the VN has. As these characters reveal more about themselves, you start to understand why they act the way they do. I liked AElla the most, but the other two were pretty cool as well. There’s a weird sort of hesitant hope in the VN, being compulsively cynical but understanding that being kind towards others and keeping your foot forward is the surest way to keep living. And I fuck with that. I also like how the theme of folklore and stories are used.

The writing took some time to get used to. I ended up reading the VN pretty slowly at first. I think it has a good, elegant flow to it, but there are instances where I do think it doesn’t understand what exactly it’s doing. I can’t really describe it, but sometimes it feels clunky to read. When it locks in, though, it locks in. There are some pretty nice quotes in there.

The presentation is pretty great, especially with the GUI. The unique text boxes for each character and the GUI in general are just gorgeous, and really do a good job of making this VN feel alive. The sprites also look great, although I’m not a fan of Ulfor’s sprite. It looks like someone put a wolf’s head with spaghetti on it on a human’s body. Ulfor looks a lot better in literally every CG depicting him (Okay, maybe not the backstory CG, but still). The CGs are pretty well done. I think the way the VN presents its sprites and uses the camera is pretty neat. The music isn’t my cup of tea, but it’s well made, and it fits the scenes they’re in.

Overall, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I think I enjoyed it less than other people due to my personal preferences, but I still liked it a good amount. If you like people form close bonds in the midst of a war, I’d recommend reading this one.

Ratings for Categories:

Presentation: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Theme: 4/5

Story: 5/5

Creativity: 4/5

This is an interesting VN, one I quite enjoyed with some caveats. I’ll start by talking about what I really enjoyed. Something about the prose was really nice. It was very easy for me to read the story compared to other VNs which, while good, I have issues keeping my undivided attention on. It’s expressive and evocative while also remaining simple. I unfortunately got spoiled on the twist of the VN, which sucks because this and A Wolf In Charleston, which I intentionally spoiled myself on, were the only May Wolf 2026 entries I got spoiled on. Thankfully, I wasn’t aware of the plot details, and the way it was spoiled made me think the plot was going in a completely different direction, and the way I was expecting things to go would have been much worse than what we have now. While not abstract like a bunch of other entries in the jam, it is very atmospheric, with just three characters in one building, albeit with a sprinkling of flashbacks. It’s quite enjoyable seeing these characters interact with each other and seeing their dynamics unfold, as well as the small worldbuilding it has. It’s hard to describe it, but I like the vibe of the writing. Raimondo is my favorite character, just being a laid-back and confident guy, without the nihilism or bum aspects typical of examples of his archetype. The other two are less likeable, particularly Anna, but they’re still interesting in their own right. The plot is very much teenagers (well, young adults, but you get what I mean) being dumb and stupid, so if you don’t like that sort of scenario, this might not be for you. I didn’t mind it, though; however, I would be lying if I said this was one of the few instances where the VN would be better if the main conflict didn’t exist. The way Fede tells Anna his secret is probably the worst way he could have. Like dude, I get where you’re coming from, but time and place.

The sprites and CGs look very nice; Sikyu’s style has a nice way of looking loose yet cozy. The colors in the CGs look very pleasing and have a high amount of energy in their composition. Anna’s sprite does look very skinny, and her fingers are oddly thick compared to the rest of her body, but that’s just a nitpick. What’s not a nitpick, however, is the background used for the scene discussing the portrait looks fucking terrifying. It’s probably a real photo, but the weird thing is that the portrait looks nothing like what the text discusses. It’s not even supposed to be a photo; it’s supposed to be a painting. Why couldn’t it have been art edited onto the photo? Or even real-life animal heads photoshopped onto a painting? Anything would have been better than that fucking portrait. Okay, now that I got that out of my system, one last thing I’ll say about the presentation is that there’s a distinct lack of music. There are times when having no music would be better, but I think the lack of it was noticeable. Which is a shame because the presentation would have been an easy 5/5 if there was more music. Oh, well. Returning to the story, I think my main issue is how fast it wraps up near the end. It feels like every plot thread was either ignored or resolved hurriedly. That’s why I think this VN would have been better if it were about a bunch of friends dicking around in a mansion while reminiscing about their past.

And now I’ll talking spoilers, so if you don’t want to get spoiled, don’t click on the button below.

Despite my complaints, this is a pretty nice read, albeit with a slight sour taste with the ending. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys slower, atmospheric types of VNs.

Here are my category rankings since I didn’t get a chance to rate it during the rating period:

Writing: 5/5

Presentation: 4.5/5 (I would have given it 5 stars during the rating period)

Creativity: 4/5

Story: 4/5

Theme: 3/5

I quite enjoyed this one and it’s unfortunate that this one didn’t get as much attention as it should have had, as well as the fact that I wasn’t able to rate this before the rating period ended. This one has a nice blend between surrealism and concrete plot. It’s a lot like Blue Hour in that sense. The art looks very pretty, especially the CGs towards the end. The music was good and fit with the tone of the story. I liked the worldbuilding of this VN, it was very interesting. Although not much happens, what does happen is pretty fascinating and hard to parse, in a good way. I do think that there’s a distinct lack of conflict, which kinda made the climax anti-climatic, though that’s not too big an issue. There were a bunch of typos, but I can set that aside considering this VN is written in both English and Polish, while also being done during the Jam period. Ignoring the typos, the prose is decent but nothing amazing. I also like the two main leads and their dynamic, though I will say that I much prefer the two leads from Blue Hour. I just think Anpu and Aeron had a lot more character compared to the two main characters here. Overall this was good. If you like surreal-ish VNs, I’d recommend reading this.

Category Rankings: Theme: 5/5 Story: 4/5 Presentation: 5/5 Writing: 4/5 Creativity: 5/5

I have one on my Patreon.

Well, you did a great job, all things considered. As I said, you can always make work that fixes issues in your past work. Scope management is an important skill that you should get good at sooner rather than later. I know all too well about having to bite more than you can chew, so it’s not something you should ignore. Good luck with your future projects!

Lol, I’m glad to see the enthusiasm.

I have heard of GatoRon before through the major crossover fanfic he did, which included one of my characters, so I was very curious about what kinda VN he’d be making for this jam. This is very different from what I was expecting, but in a good way. This is a VN I very much enjoyed. I’ll start with the main issue. There were a bunch of typos in the VN, especially around the middle. Thankfully, the prose itself is good and expressive, but some of the grammatical issues can lessen some of the more important parts of the VN. Now this is a very hard VN to describe, but I’ll try my best. It’s basically xenofiction, focusing on an anglerfish. And wow, does it show the horror of being far deep into the ocean. The atmosphere is immaculate. There were several times when I felt dread over how vast the ocean felt. The VN could be split into two parts. The first focuses on the xenofiction part of the VN and what it’s like living in the deep sea. The second part focuses on the conversation between Otsoa and the Anglerfish. Interestingly enough, the first part appears at both the beginning and the end, while the second part sits right in the middle. Both were good for different reasons. The part where the Anglerfish enters the crystal cave for the first time is visually stunning, has vivid prose, and is so different from the rest of the VN. The conversation is interesting. It is quite risky to have the majority of the VN be one long conversation with an almost black screen, but the VN executes it quite well. I do find the worldbuilding and the ideas it discusses to be pretty fascinating, and it just barely manages not to be pretentious. Whenever it was starting to get boring, something would happen to break up the pace, though I will say that it was on the border of dragging on for too long. And I will say one thing about the ending. Peak. I’d highly recommend you read this if you want to read xenofiction or feel the immense dread of being thousands of meters deep into the ocean. Looking forward to what you cook up next!

This is a visual novel I enjoyed a considerable amount, but I do think it’s held back by some questionable writing decisions. This is kinda hard to review because there’s a bunch of little things going on, so excuse me if I’m a bit scattered here. The friend group is fine for the plot. They have terrible chemistry with each other, but it’s still entertaining, and it’s believable that you’d have a group of people who just hang out with each other because they’re the only people who’d play DnD with each other (And I know it’s not called DnD, but it’s DnD with a different name). I really enjoyed Harvey; he is my trash, as I love divorced dads desperate for love (See Asgore from Undertale/Deltarune and Brendan Baker from By Your Hands). Bias aside, however, he’s not a very deep character and seems to be more of a flat character with various traits assigned to him. That’s basically every character in this VN, more or less. Like, I can’t really imagine any of the characters acting outside of the scenario of the VN. Like, Erza’s character is defined by his situation. He wants revenge on his cheating ex before he realizes that he genuinely wants to fuck his ex’s dad. Take away the scenario, and there’s not much left to him. Also, while the romance between Erza and Harvey is cute, it’s also very rushed and kinda awkward. I’m going to explain that more in the spoiler section, but I just find it hard to believe that these two characters have any chemistry beyond a simple friendship. Before I go into spoilers, I do want to touch on some other things. The presentation is good. It’s nothing crazy, but it works well with the VN. The music’s fine, but it didn’t really add much to the VN. I also find the narration to be a bit odd at times. It’s written in third person, but some lines are written as if they’re from Erza’s perspective. The only reason why it seems to be written in third person is so that it can narrate two scenes outside of Erza’s perspective that could be taken out of the VN without much trouble.

And now for spoilers. If you want to read the VN for yourself, I recommend you don’t read the section below.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this VN, but objectively, it’s just okay. If you want more dadfuckers in the world, I recommend reading it, but don’t expect anything special.

This one is very cute and wholesome. I really enjoyed this one. So I’ll start with the main negative with the VN: the English translation has a lot of typos, grammar mistakes, and spelling errors, and there’s one line late in the VN that’s completely untranslated. On the one hand, these errors could have been easily fixed if there had been a native English-speaking editor willing to address them, or even if just a simple spell-checker program was used. On the other hand, making an entire game jam VN in two languages within a month is quite impressive and something I probably wouldn’t be able to do even if I were fluent in multiple languages. Plus, I think past the typos, the actual prose is pretty nice and lovely to read, which is overall better than (and probably more impressive) than English prose that has no grammar issues but is very stiff.

Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the positives of the game, which is everything else, basically. The art is gorgeous and has a nice comfy style to it. It’s just so warm and feels very human-made. The character designs also look great, with each character honing in on a fantasy with a steampunk aesthetic quite nicely. Shout-outs to Rosso, who dons the femboy look with style, and Bonet, who’s very adorable and looks like he’d give great hugs. The cut-in art is very expressive and cute. The characters are also very entertaining as well. Bonet is, of course, the star of the show, but I also liked Rovere a lot. Helps that he’s a cute bear daddy. Rosso is also endearing in his own way, especially by the end. Even the antagonistic character is pretty interesting and works well as a threat to Rosso, even though her personality is very unlikable. The music is also very good, and fits the setting of the VN. The story is simple but effective. It’s a story about dealing with loss and feeling like you’re too inadequate. I really like the message it sends. By the time the story ends, I was actually wanting more. This was really good! The only other kinda issue with the VN, is that it doesn’t relate to folklore that much. I guess Rosso’s grandma and her stories would be some kind of folklore. Would highly recommend anyone looking for a cozy and wholesome read to read this one. Looking forward to whatever you make next!

This was a very cute and sweet story. It’s about a group of friends who are basically only friends due to this online game they play. The game is set in 2011, so it has a very nostalgic vibe, what with Mira’s style of talking and the Morenatsu fanfiction. BTW, I must say, Homecoming: Morenatsu Revisited slander in a May Wolf entry was not on my Bingo 2026 card (Then again I didn’t finish it so…). Anyways, the VN reminds me of Close and Distant from last year’s jam, with the whole queer friends navigating an early 2010s internet. It’s a bittersweet feeling, as things at least felt simpler back then. Things weren’t perfect, but there was a lot to be enjoyed back then, and now it’s long past over. There’s even more bittersweetness to the fact that you have this online game that’s slowly dying, and the only reason they even come back to the game is that it’s the thing they decided they’d spend their time doing every time they want to hang out. I like the chemistry between the three main characters; they do feel like real friends, warts and all. I will say, only Mira is interesting on her own. Which is funny, because she fulfills the “annoying female friend of the gay main characters who is overly comfortable ribbing them” trope, but she’s probably one of the better depictions of the archetype, since she’s got an actual character and causes tension with the other two. Root and Hugo are fine but kinda generic, although I did like Root a bit more. The dialogue is funny, with several good jokes in the VN. There were a few bits of dialogue that didn’t seem right with the year. Like Hugo references the “Maybe the real treasure were the friends we made along the way” meme, which didn’t really pop up until at least the last 10s, although it technically existed on 4chan during the game’s time frame. I will give this a pass, though, because it’s a lot harder to understand the differences of talking between now and 15 years ago, compared to the differences between now and the Middle Ages. There’s also a reference to Leo from Echo, but I dismissed that as more of a funny coincidence than anything. The art’s pretty good, with pleasing character designs that look like a mix between Solatorobo and Morenatsu (fitting), as well as colorful backgrounds. The music’s nice as well, fitting the tone of an early 2010s MMORPG. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. If any of this sounds good to you, I’d definitely recommend reading it.

This one's... weird. First off, the art and character designs are good, but I do find the lack of character expressions to hinder the game's presentation. Speaking of presentation, there's an audio issue where the footsteps sound effect will keep playing even when the party isn't walking. You can fix this by saving and quitting the game, but it's still annoying to deal with. Outside of that, the music's quite good. I'm a sucker for songs that use a Spanish guitar, and this one has it in spades. The writing's also pretty competent, with flowery (Sorry if you're a Deltarune fan) prose that doesn't overstay its welcome.

I'd divide this VN into two parts, with the divide happening somewhere after the sex scene. The first part is enjoyable if a little generic. It's a basic DnD party adventuring to defeat the evil entity (dragon in this case). The characters are pretty interesting and likable and have good chemistry with each other. Oriol is an endearing knight, while Valenti is very fun. The tone, while not cheerful, also felt like a bunch of friends just shooting the shit while adventuring. It's overall a fun ride.

Now the second half. I will get into spoiler territory, so I will put it in its own section. So, read at your own discretion.

The second half is significantly darker, as the stakes are a lot more in the forefront. There are three endings depending on what choices you make after the sex scene. I'll go from worst to best, in terms of how the heroes die. The Possession ending does a good job of showing the consequences of Robert being selfish and not wanting to take responsibility. It's pretty well written, especially with how much Oriol suffers. The Catalyst ending is interesting with how we see Robert turn into the Unity and how Coca brainwashes his victims. It's unsettling, but it's also well written. Then two characters, one of whom wasn't even in the first half and the other just a minor character, defeat Coca themselves and become the heroes instead. I'm mixed on this. On one hand, I like that Robert's party was essential to getting Coca defeated, even though they only played a small part. On the other hand, the main difference between this ending and the last ending, as far as I can tell, is that the two characters killed Coca in one ending and didn't in another, which is a bit anti-climactic. It makes you feel like there's not much of a difference between the two endings. I also feel like the scene with the two characters in both endings also drags on for too long, since we don't have much reason to care about these characters. The last ending, which I forgot the name of, is good, the two characters I mentioned aside. I like how climactic the party went, aside from Rodan, who was done dirty. It definitely was the bittersweet ending you were anticipating since the first choice.
Now, I do want to talk about how there's a bit of a mismatch with the two halves. The first half wants to be a fun adventure with friends, and the second wants to be a serious story that ends in tragedy. I don't think these two halves gel well together. I would get it if the point was that it starts light-hearted but then becomes serious, but I didn't get that impression, as the transition between the two halves is a bit abrupt. Like, I could think of a few stories that do that significantly better, but I also don't want to make any unfair comparisons. The first half wants to end with the heroes having a glorious victory where they all return home and live peaceful lives, while the second half wants set up for a heavier story. As is, the two parts are at odds with each other.

Overall, this was an interesting read, but I think the sum of the two halves leaves a bit to be desired. Hopefully you find this feedback useful for your future projects. Thank you for the VN!

You're welcome. I had a good time reading the VN. Hope you improve in your future writing efforts.

This one's a very unique VN. It's another May Wolf entry that's kinda abstract and kinda not. The protagonist is an enigma, with not much being known about him. This extends to his dialogue not even having a name tag, which was a bit annoying. Some prose structures, like the list structure that was already mentioned before, are repeated several times. It's a bit rough to read, though not unbearable. On the flip side, I quite liked the metaphor of unfinished stories and how the concept of a story is used in the VN. The UI also looks nice. It's simple yet effective. I like the message the VN gives. Overall, this was an interesting VN at the very least, even if it didn't quite hit that sweet spot for me. Would recommend if you like VNs that explore unique concepts.

I quite liked this one. The art's great; I really like the watercolor style. The prose is nice, being to the point while avoiding being beige. I do have a few nitpicks with the writing, in that some of the dialogue can be a bit modern for what's supposed to be a seemingly medieval setting, but it's not a big deal. The scene after you talk to Birdie for the first time is very slow, but I think it's intentionally supposed to be boring to show what Mitch is going through. This one actually made me think a lot about the ideas it presented. It does show the effects war can have on a society, how traditions are selectively being passed down to fit the needs of a society's superstitions, and how small towns can be suffocating to someone who doesn't feel like they fit in for one reason or another. There's an allegory with the werewolf, but it isn't necessarily about being queer, but more generally about being othered by the rest of society. I've seen some people say it could be a metaphor for having AIDS, but I also interpreted it as a metaphor for having a drug addiction, weirdly enough. But it could be many things. It could be about having a different faith, being in a taboo subculture (like being goth or a furry), or being gender non-conforming, and I like that you could interpret the allegory in many different ways. It does do a good job showing what it feels like being othered, trying to escape that, and choosing to accept it instead of trying to hide it. I like the overall message in general. Birdie is great; she reminds me of Yuki from Wolf Children, and she's just a cool character. The werewolf is also pretty great, with a chill personality, a tragic backstory, and can take responsibility. Mitch is a little annoying, and he did come across as acting immature for his age, but he does get better by the end of the VN. Overall, would recommend it if you like werewolves or want a bittersweet low-fantasy story to enjoy.

It's kinda nuts how much of an antithesis this is to A Werewolf in Charleston.

Anyway, I liked this VN. One thing this jam made me realize is that I like slow-paced fantasy stories with intricate prose. I'm a bit weird like that. The setting is a little interesting, being set in a post-schism (fun fact: I learned what that means from other people reading this VN) Italy. It's more unique compared to the usual medieval fantasy setting you'd see. Though I use the word "fantasy" lightly, as the story is extremely low-fantasy. The only thing that's fantastical is the wolfman, of course. I will say, for some reason, the game avoids referencing the cross in any way, even though it's based on a Christian story and makes Christian references anyway. That's certainly a questionable writing decision. The beginning is kinda slow and boring, but it does pick up once the wolf appears. I like the style of prose being used. It's very Biblical, which makes it feel a lot more like a folklore story. Something about seeing fancy words like "verily" makes the neurons in my head light up. It's a delight to read. That being said, I'm not a fan of how dialogue tags are used. I like NVL mode, I'm a big fan of Umineko after all, but when a VN is written exactly the same as a paper novel,  you start to wonder why you aren't reading a regular novel. It is a minor gripe overall, though. I also think the pacing at the end drags on for just a little bit, but nothing too major. This is definitely a unique VN that I enjoyed quite a bit. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written folklore tale. 

I quite liked this one. The first half is just a chill road trip with some cryptid elements. The second half focuses more on drama and personal issues. Both sides are good, but I prefer the second half; it's quite sweet and relatable. There are also some funny moments. There's not really much to say; it does what it sets out to do, and it's quite enjoyable. Would recommend if you want some lesbian sweetness. Also, Trent is cute.

This VN is severely held back by the fact that it's a prologue to a larger story; it's hard to make a fair assessment of its characters or story. That said, the setup is decent. It's basically a mystery VN similar to the Ghost Stories anime or Scooby Doo, where a bunch of friends fuck around in a school doing spooky shit, and then they find out. The scene with Seiji and Marcus kinda throws off the pacing of the entire VN, as a VN that's otherwise about a ritual. Maybe it would stick out less in the full game, but I feel like its placement is a bit awkward. Marcus is still a cool character, and I do like him quite a bit. Seiji and Marcus are likable as well, albeit a bit forgettable. Jane, on the other hand, was a bit irritating. She reminds me of Saya from Tennis Ace, where she's basically the sole female friend of the friend group whose personality is supposed to be endearing, but ends up being annoying and rude. The difference between the two is that Saya is from a much longer VN where she has a few moments where she's sweeter and kinder, whereas Jane doesn't have any such moments. Some of the dialogue referencing modern slang can be grating at points. I don't know what about it annoys me, but I just didn't like it. The main twist is interesting, and I'm curious where it heads to, but right now it's just alright. Would recommend if you find the premise interesting.

I quite liked this VN. It's in my top three of this year. It gives me major Frieren vibes, which is fitting, because the author said Frieren was an inspiration for the VN. First off, the art's incredible. The sprites are clean and colorful, while the CGs are jaw-dropping. I like the slower pace of the VN. It feels less like an epic journey and more like a personal journey for Manfrey. Both he and Chris are great characters and have a great foil to each other. I like that the protagonist is primarily a healer; that's pretty interesting, and I haven't seen that in fantasy stories a lot. I like the themes they talk about and how there's a constant struggle between reliability and freedom. Both sides have a point, and while one side will probably win out in the end, it's not black and white. I do think the fight scene drags on for a little too long for my personal tastes, but it's not a huge detriment to the VN. For the theme, it is kinda annoying when, unless the VN spells out what the folklore is, people will just assume the game doesn't fit the theme at all, which is unfortunate because I don't think people should compromise on what VN to make for a game jam just to fit exactly with the theme, since there's a lot of ways to interpret folklore as a theme. I think the folklore in this VN here is quite subtle. My interpretation is that the folklore is about Manfrey and his story will eventually be considered to be a legend in the kingdom in the future: a former prince who ran away from living in a monastery so that he can travel the world and heal whoever needs his help while fighting seemingly unkillable monsters. There are also the traditions that Chris tries to push onto Manfrey, which could be considered folklore, somewhat. Overall, I'm definitely looking forward to how this story develops in the future. Would recommend it to anyone who likes slower-paced fantasy.

I'm not into transformation, but I respect people making VNs just to indulge in their kinks. I enjoyed the campy B-movie horror of the first half; it was both fun and funny. I don't have much to say about it other than I enjoyed it for what it is. Would recommend if you like campy horror or are into transformation.

A pretty nice ghost story! It's very simple and short, but that's not a bad thing at all. I do like how going through the options from top to bottom gives you basically the five stages of grief, which is my personal favorite way of reading this story, but you can just read the happiest ending if you so please. It really does put you into the perspective of a ghost whose lover is still alive and what they'd be going through. There's not much to say about it, but I liked it. Would recommend reading this VN if the premise sounds interesting.

This is a visual novel that's okay for what it is, but there's a lot of room for improvement. The art is really good, there's several animations, and even some UI animations, which are cute. Unfortunately they aren't used very efficiently. One of the CGs is reused for different wolves and another animation is reused four times. This isn't inherently bad, but the problem is that they are the only visuals for the sex scene, making it kinda boring. The wolves themselves are also basically the same sprite but with different colors and sizes, which, combined with the lack of personalities of them, make them pretty forgettable. This leads me to a big problem with the VN, which is that the prose and the dialogue are very stilted. I don't mind beige prose, I use beige prose a lot on my writing, but the writing here just doesn't have a lot of personality or creativity to it. After being spoiled by the prose quality of other VNs, it can be hard to read this. The plot's also kinda stupid and contrived. You get invited by a bunch of wolves to a tourist island and then after you arrive, one of the wolves gets the idea to go on the cliff side, and then you guys get lost somehow before you find out you got abandoned by the rest of the tourist group. So the part before the horny parts isn't good, but the horny parts are also only kinda entertaining at best and boring for the most part. There's also the lack of features, but that was already mentioned by other comments, so I won't harp on it. Overall, this VN is mostly harmless. I'm not really attracted by top wolf hunks, so the sex didn't do anything to me. This VN isn't for me in the first place, but even then, I feel like there are a lot of things that could be improved so that someone who is of the target audience could enjoy it better. I may not have particularly liked it, but it's not offensively bad like some other pieces of fiction. It's unfortunate because the artist clearly has a lot of talent, but the sum of its parts doesn't add up to much. If you like the art style and find the wolves hot, consider giving it a go, but temper your expectations. I don't like giving negative reviews because I know there's a human who's creating all of this, but I do want creators to make better pieces of fiction and I hope my feedback contributes in that.

A pretty atmospheric ghost story. The first two-thirds of the story are a comfy mix between mystery and just two boyfriends hanging out. All of the characters are pretty likeable. Obviously, the two main leads have an adorable dynamic with each other, but Mac and Abigail were also pretty cool. Shane's one of the few Wet Blanket characters that works, because he actually has a good point about how what Terry wants to do is dangerous, and Terry isn't a badass hero kicking ass, but just a regular guy. The art's pretty clean, and the gameplay aspects are quite neat. [Insert if I had two nickels meme about how there are two May Wof 2026 entries with Ace Attorney-inspired mechanics]. The music was also a vibe. There is some horror, particularly near the end, but it's not as intense as, say, Echo or Arches. Without spoiling anything, the VN didn't end the way I expected. I will say the ending was a bit rushed, but I think the other comments already mentioned that, so I won't harp on it. Overall, just a chill ghost story that wouldn't be out of place as a Gravity Falls episode. If what I said sounds interesting to you, I definitely recommend reading this.

You know how they say, "Don't judge a book by its cover"? Well, here, it's "Don't judge a FVN by its aggressive wolf sprite". I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical about the VN when I saw the sprite and the choice of music. The music was distracting and didn't fit the tone this VN was going for. Same with the sprite. Once you've looked past those things, however, you've got a pretty solid folklore tale. I've been noticing a pattern with the May Wolf entries this year where there are a lot of entries with surreal or abstract narratives, and this one's no exception. It's nearly as abstract as some other entries, but there is a lot of symbolism within its narrative that you can interpret in many ways. At first, it seems like a bunch of unrelated events happening one after another. As you read, however, you eventually start to realize what's happening. The story flows quite naturally, helped by its competent prose, at a good pace. I do like the themes it explores throughout the story, and it does give me a lot to think about. It's ultimately about a VN about letting go and accepting the harsh reality, which is always a good message. It's unfortunate that the presentation is the way it is because I quite liked this one. I hope I don't come across as overly harsh. I understand that good art and music are hard to make. However, I think my issue with the presentation isn't that they're of low quality or that they're amateurish. You can have beginner-level art in a VN and still be great, just look at Umineko. The problem I have is that the presentation is at odds with the story and writing, which detracts from the experience. The right kind of music and visuals can really elevate a VN from good to excellent. Again, I really like this VN, but I'm just providing my critique so that the author is able to make better VNs in the future. I recommend this VN if you like 

This was a sweet prologue. I'm quite a big fan of romance mixed in with mystery, and this hits the spot for me quite nicely. The introduction had a nice story-tale-like quality to it, reminiscent of Wind Waker's intro. I also like seeing the two main characters grow up near the beginning, it really sells that they're childhood friends. Both the romance and the mystery parts were developed nicely. The chemistry between the two is quite cute. I like the art, although it's unfortunate that there are no alternative expressions for the sprites. Roberto's feet also don't appear when he flies, which is a little awkward. Not much to say, I enjoyed reading this one, and I'm looking forward to the continuation.

This is simultaneously a lovingly-made and beautiful piece of art and a very intense, disturbing, and deeply uncomfortable experience. I'll start with the presentation because it's definitely the most visually distinct May Wolf entry this year. The art style is done with pen and pencil and has a very sketchy feel to it. While some of the CGs are a bit too sketchy for my taste, it more than makes up for it due to the dreamy vibe it gives throughout the entire VN, and with some of the most gorgeous ink drawings I've seen. The amount of CGs gives it a unique feel compared to other VNs. The UI and even the font also help with the tone of the story. Music's also nice and fits the VN. For the story itself, it's hard to describe beyond what I've already said. This is a story about a man who's deeply mentally ill and can't get better even if he gets help. The story starts out slow, focusing on the mundane and the introspective, before things start to really hit. Some might find the slower moments to be boring, but I think the good prose and dialogue do enough to make the scenes engaging. The prose in general is just really pleasant to read, even in the more uncomfortable scenes. I think what really makes it have such a lasting effect on me was due to the few scenes in the VN where it makes you think that things are going to get better for the protagonist, when that doesn't happen. Makes you think of what could have been if only things were different. Honestly, I think I've said enough without getting too deep into spoiler territory. I just think this is a well-made piece of art that sticks with you and makes you feel uneasy, in a good way. I'd definitely recommend reading this if you are fine with getting disturbed. Also, are the furries okay? So far, half of the VNs I've read are really dark and depressing. Do you guys need help? Says the guy whose half of his portfolio deals with mental illness. Oh, I can still be concerned.

I really liked this one. The prose is superb. It's intricate and so pleasing to read. Prose this good is rare among FVNs, let alone jam FVNs. This VN does a good job exploring dementia and the trauma of both the victim and the people close to the victim. There are a lot of interesting topics that are touched upon, especially in the stories Cael tells. I like that there are a lot of ways you can interpret the story. You'll likely have a different experience from someone else who read the story. I think how it presents the stories works well, as folklore works very well. That being said, the presentation is unfortunately a little lacking. Most of the game has one song looping throughout it, and while it's ambient enough not to get grating, a bit more audio variety could have helped. The same goes for the visuals, as it's just a black silhouette on top of a background for most of the game. This works for the themes of the game, but it doesn't really use much of the medium. I think NVL mode would be more appropriate for this VN. Don't get it twisted, though, this is a very wonderful VN that I can't recommend enough.

Bittersweet is the best word to describe this VN. There's a lot of melancholy and loneliness in this VN, but there's also a lot of hope and sweetness mixed in as well. I won't spoil it, but the VN really is about accepting the circumstances you've been given, and it does it pretty well. El is a pretty likeable and sweet character(s) while Kali is complex and deep. They work well together. The themes of the VN are also incorporated quite nicely, with the idea of stories and how they shape your understanding of the world, also incorporating the theme of the jam well. One small complaint is that the second half of the story kinda drags a bit. Not too much, but I feel like some areas could have been tightened up. But overall, it's a pretty enjoyable VN. I'd recommend it if you like bittersweet stories. 

This one was pretty fun! The main premise of this VN is that you have an old person retell old folktale stories, but then the protagonist questions how accurate they are, using the power of primary sources, adaptations, and logic and reasoning. It plays like a courtroom case in the Ace Attorney games, so if you ever played those games, you'll be very familiar with this type of gameplay. The folktale stories themselves are very reminiscent of classic mythological folk tales, and the different interpretations the player can go through add some uniqueness to each playthrough of the VN, while also being a commentary on how there are usually many different versions of ancient myths, which is pretty neat! Art's nice, and the animations are quite quirky and fun. I do have one minor gripe in that Chayon can get annoying at times. Sure, the character overall is charming and quirky, but the wolf can be pretty sensitive if you question the old animal too much. And while sometimes it's understandable, it is annoying that you can't get a retelling of any of the folktales that's completely divergent from the telling the senior citizen gives you. And while the oddities can be endearing at times, like with the insistence that the robot wanted a cock (it makes sense in context), it does feel like the canine is projecting personal identity, nostalgia, and biases towards these tales and being hesitant to admit that they're being twisted, which can be frustrating. The set-ups are also kinda abrupt in hindsight. Homeka gets invited to a cool person's house and then is like, "Cool story oldie, but everything you knew was a lie". Overall, I enjoyed this VN, and I think I liked this one a lot more than your previous May Wolf. Good job!

A tight, realistic horror experience. A lot of the eeriness and discomfort comes from how uncanny it feels. Mary's a girl who's just living her regular life, but then has to deal with the ever-present trauma of having to do everything her brother says, even if it means that some unspeakable things will happen. The music does an effective job of hammering this in. The lie ending hits a lot harder, especially that last line, but the truth ending isn't bad. I don't feel like Lucy's that interesting compared to Mary, but she does have her moments. I like how the VN gives you just enough information so you can interpret what's going on as bad as you think it is. I also like that the theme of folklore comes through with how Mary's actions are known among the student body, that people have been spreading rumors about her (rumors that turn out to be true). My main complaint is that I feel like there's too little of the story. I wanted there to be more meat for me to sink my teeth into. But I think what we have here is good.

A pretty short and sweet VN, albeit a bit too short for my taste. It's really a VN about nothing in particular, which is interesting in its own way. The dialogue is pretty charming and humorous, and the characters are pretty unique. Overall it feels like it ended before it got going, which is unfortunate, but sometimes it's nice to have something that's short and to the point. Also cute foot easter egg. Unfortunately there isn't much folklore in this game jam about folklore. The music's nice, though.

So this is an interesting story. Ren is a very interesting character, acting very particular in a way that sparks attention, while also being very mysterious and charismatic. Lucan is very much the opposite, being forced into a life he didn't want and desperate for any type of affection at all. The twist about Ren works pretty well, and you do feel pretty bad for Lucan by the end. The main problem I have with this VN is that it feels very unfinished. I have read other jam VNs that did end up only part of a greater story, but a lot of them still worked because they still worked on their own. This one, however, felt like it was setting up something that didn't happen, and so it really needs a continuation for it to feel complete. To be fair, the author did say that this is Part 1, so there's likely going to be a continuation soon. As an introduction, it does its job well, but on its own, it's a bit lacking. Some other issues were that it used the {nw} tag a lot, without a wait tag beforehand, which means you have to use the history screen a lot, which doesn't lead to a very intuitive reading experience. The music's good though. The art is also pretty expressive and sets the mood for the story pretty well. For the theme, I have an idea of what part of the story counts as folklore, but I think it's something that the story's leading up to, rather than anything within the story itself, which is unfortunate. I'll definitely be interested in seeing how the story unfolds.

This one was a really cute story, which is really refreshing after all the depression from the other entries I've read. The characters are all endearing due to their positivity and energy. I will say, the pacing is a bit uneven. The section before the wolf appears is quite slow, and it kinda meanders near the end. Not much happens, but I think that's fine for the VN. The prose is simplistic, but it works well with the game. The art also has that early 2010s Deviantart feel, and I say that in a good way. It's also neat to have a game that focuses on Hindu mythology. That's pretty cool, as I have a friend who's very interested in those myths. Overall, it's just chill and fun vibes the whole way through. If you want something short and sweet, I'd give this a try.

If there were one word to describe this VN, it would be "chill". This is a very cozy and chill game. It feels like hanging out with your co-workers and just having fun with the cute, new guy you just met. All of the character designs are a vibe. Especially the protagonist, I love faded goats. The protagonist's crush on the wolf is very cute and relatable, and the wolf himself feels like someone you can hang out with and not have to worry about a thing. I don't really know how this VN is folklore-y, so unfortunately, I do have to dock points for that. But no, this is very chill, and there's not much for me to say. Would recommend if you want something lowkey and chill.

This is one of those FVNs that makes you want to cry if you're not a creative and makes you want to kill yourself if you are one. Not because it's bad or depressing, but because the pain of knowing you don't have the skills to make a game that can affect someone so deeply is too much of a burden to bear. Also, I'm being hyperbolic. Don't kill yourself, kids. I'm serious. Anyways, it's really hard to describe the game without spoiling it, as it's really short and really hard to describe in general, so I'll just say that it makes you think about a lot of things and about what you're doing in life. It's really good with its theming, in a way that I can't describe without spoiling everything. While the actual events of the story are easy to understand, there are a lot of ways you can interpret what the VN is trying to say. It's not as abstract as something like Clam Story, but what you get from the VN still depends heavily on the type of person you are, which is pretty cool since linear VNs like this are rarely able to achieve that. Some people might take away that this was a sad story, but for me personally, I really liked how hopeful Lucas was despite his whole standing; that's something that's really inspiring to me. The prose is cathartic, being intricate without being overbearing. It actually makes you feel the weight of how somber the situation is. The presentation, while not as impressive as some other entries, fits perfectly with the VN. The only complaint I have with the VN is that the sound effect that plays near the end of the VN is quite loud, in an obnoxious way. I understand why it's loud, considering what the SFX is supposed to be, but it didn't have to be that loud. Still, that's just a tiny nitpick compared to everything else. Just play it. It's short, it sticks with you for a long time, and it's really good.

I'll be honest, I really thought I wasn't going to like it at first. I didn't care for the characters, and it seemed to be trying to be a game that's about mundane depression. Not that there's anything wrong with VNs that have realistic depictions of depression, but it's just not my thing. However, the second half of the story actually managed to hook me in. It's quite good. I don't want to spoil what happens, but it basically shifts genre as the VN goes on. This VN makes me realize that I really like both surreal stories and suspense. I like being given puzzles and figuring out how to solve them. The art style is also very misleading. Don't let the simplicity fool you; there is a lot of great animation in this, making it feel more like a movie than anything. I will say, I do think the genre shift could have been foreshadowed better, but it's not bad. I liked the more surreal parts a lot more than the mundane parts, and I wish there were less mundane stuff. That's just a personal thing, though. I'm sure other people like the mundane stuff, and I'm just weird. Overall, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Would recommend it if you like surreal stories.

A pretty tight supernatural horror experience. The setting of Brazil under the dictatorship is pretty interesting, as I took a Latin American Art History class in college, and the professor for that class was Brazilian. She was old enough to have lived through the dictatorship when she was very young. So it's cool to see a VN take place in that period of time. For the VN itself, I liked how the first half was very low-key and casual, as if it was just a glimpse of someone's normal life. Then the second half is very atmospheric with its horror. I was very hooked and wanted to see what direction the VN was taking. I do agree with others that the ending was a bit rushed and it could have savoured in the atmosphere just a bit, but what we have is still very excellent. It also incorporates the folklore very smoothly. I also think there could have been more audio, like more sound effects and more ambience, it would have added to the VN while also making it feel less empty. Definitely want to see more horror stories from you. I especially want to see longer horror VNs from you. The direction of the story was also a little predictable with some of the conversations in the early parts basically spelling out what will happen, but the journey was still enjoyable, and I'd rather have a predictable story than a mundane contemporary presenting VN going all supernatural on me halfway through (not trying to @ anyone, I'm just saying). Definitely recommend if you enjoy a good ghost story.

This one's a pretty wholesome and sweet story. It kinda starts out a little slow, but as it went on I became invested in the characters. Their relationship is pretty sweet, because on the surface, it looks cold and distant, but they actually do care about each other. The folklore is actually pretty interesting, what with the implications of the Wasgo being married off to other families to bring good luck and fortune. It's heartbreaking, but it's also sweet how William still loves Brock despite it all. I thought it was going to end up in a sad direction, but that wasn't the case. The ending was pretty sweet and even has a neat little book end. Overall a sweet and short story, and pretty solid all around. Very few complaints from me other than me wanting more.

This one is half fascinating world-building and half hot wolf sex. The homophobia plotline, while not the most original, is well done and leads to a satisfying conclusion. Both Solus and Lucius are likeable and endearing characters, and their chemistry is quite lovely. The art's also well done, looking both polished and expressive. I'd say this is definitely Ventkazemaru's best work so far. There are even blinking and talking animations, as well as talking sound effects, which help make the experience more interactive. I will say, having the sex scene happen right after Lucius gives an emotional and tearful speech to Solus was definitely a choice. It is apparent that the point of the VN is hot wolf sex, but honestly, the folklore and worldbuilding were a lot more interesting to me, though this is a personal thing, as I'm not a fan of twink-y or twunk-y guys (INB4 someone gets mad at me for calling Lucius a twunk lol). I'm going to try to avoid spoilers, but I think the situation that Lucius and Solus are in is quite fascinating and lets the reader give a lot of interpretations on what's going on, which I fuck with. The people I was reading had a lot of questions, but in a good way. I would love to learn more about the setting. Overall, I would recommend reading this, with the caveat that you can skim through the sex scene if you don't find either of the main leads attractive.