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It took me a while to get time to finish reading the visual novel and all the letters and the time to sit down to leave a comment. Unlike everyone else my reason is forgetfulness and the grind of fast food work. It's been so long that, and my memory might be wrong, the game description was even changed. I think when I read it last month the description was something along the lines of "understanding your mother's and your own plurality" which made me download the game instantly and rec it to other friends (Hi sesere!) 

My first foray, and what got me interested in reading about mother-daughter relationships, was during this big ice storm that hit my city when I was like 14. My mom downloaded a novel called "The Darkest Child" and she gave it to me to read after she finished it, mainly to go "See how bad other girls get mistreated and yet you complain about me!" There was a period when I was a teen where my mom let me read books about girls being abused by their moms, looking back she was very much trying to get someone to understand her even though it usually came with the caveat of her not trying to understand me. My relationship with my mom was similar to Cori and Rose, enmeshment and groping included. Makes me want to recommend Bernadette to her and see what she thinks, even though I probably won't like what she'll say, also she doesn't read visual novels so its a no go, sadly.  Also sad since "The Darkest Child" also had a mother forcing her daughter into sex work so it would have a been interesting circle coming together pick. 

Getting to the game proper, I genuinely think the game would be incomplete without your letters. The story with context letters is great, but reading your letters on your creative process, your family, and your system just adds so much that the thought of the game without them feels off. I'm not plural, but right from the start when Rose kicks Cori and a gentler alter immediately fronts, the change in hue from a hard red to a soft pink, the character sprites are faceless but I could vividly picture the expression and change in demeanor as Rose, overcome with regret, tended at her Coco-bear. I like how the text color changes to indicate how Cori and Rose shift; it's subtle, but the personality of each alter and the tone of their voice just links together perfectly. Rose is alive in the game, but reading the game and your letters really made me understand how the game is about grief. Not even grief for the end of a life, the grief that comes with the end of certain possibilities. If Rose and Cori were more financially stable their life could have been different; if anyone had tried to give Rose the care she deserved her life could have been different. It feels poetic that one of the final flashbacks in the game, when Red chokes Rose, mirrors the first scene when Rose kicked Cori. Even though the story focuses mainly on Cori, knowing the conditions that lead to plurality, its not hard to figure out that Rose and Cori mirror each other in more ways than one. It's like how in some of your letters where as an adult, close in age to your mother, you reflect on how your experiences mirror her own. I've had the same thoughts as I've gotten older regarding my own mother. 

But Mother, You and I Are Not Bernadette Mayer is also about love, as cliche as talking about grief and love are, but they are a pair that come up together a lot. Love isn't uncomplicated, especially love between mothers and daughters, but it's still here. It may not be able to reach the person it's meant for, but the fact its there for them is enough. 

Mina has replied to a lot of people so I need to help out. I’m Dalys, the writer. Thank you so much for playing our demo and leaving a comment! While writing I wondered if people would pick up the foreshadowing and world building or if I delivered it too boring. Mina handled the sound design and she truly did a great job. Sound design is underrated so I appreciate you noticing her work :)

People underestimate how good sound design can elevate a story. The retching at the very start of the game sounded so wet and guttural, and the footsteps had a nice crunchiness like stepping on gravel. Makes me wonder if you recorded those yourself, if so good job! A short, vivid game on how abuse victims can be driven into a corner. The music speeding up and slowing down as C talks to F and tries to blow off her abuse, anxiety dipping and peaking as she tries her best present an image of normalcy. The interactive sections do a great job putting the player in C's shoes: deciding whether or not to ignore M's calls, dialing for the police, even actions as simple as opening doors have gravity to them with each click. 

The UI was very lovely, the lace border on the menu and brass color of the buttons had a handmade feel. So much was conveyed within the short run of the game. The opening sequence with Locket reading about matriphagy was a strong start; I can relate to how gross just looking at pictures of bugs can be and feeling like they can crawl off the page. "My mother will never love me like this." could be the subtitle of the game. Despite how "close" Locket and his mother seem (sleeping together until 16) it's more about control. Mother allows Locket to move her onto her wheelchair, but only to maintain her image in front of the staff. Once Locket decides to clone Mother I can see how the role reversal starts. Locket is judgmental of the lab of the entire process in the way Mother would have been. Specifying that she wants the clone to lactate, but have no genitals feels more raw than if Locket had decided to leave clone as is.

Poor Esther. Practically a newborn, but has so many expectations on her. This how Locket becomes her Mother and Esther her daughter while Esther has to try to be Locket's replacement mother. The tension between Esther's animal traits and her faint memories of Mother is nicely called back in how Locket calls herself a predator. The matriphagy comes true when Esther begins to desire devouring Locket.

Poetry has a wonderful ability to convey emotion in few words, and illustration has the wonderful ability to convey emotion in no words. This multi media project combined the strengths of both mediums. I'm projecting a bit, but the choice to use an orange and pink gradient evokes the image of the lesbian flag, which I thought was cool. The way the colors and the speakers mirror and merge was an excellent way to convey how they contrast against each other, but also resemble each other. Their shared frustration with their own bodies and ability to pleasure themselves and their partner was tangible. As much as they love each other, jealousy and dysphoria wears them out. Affection becomes acrimony. "I've decided to hate your body as much as I hate mine" is a very poignant line to end on. 

The MARTA slander tag made me play this game instantly; I just pick up anything set in ATL. I like how the chat sections and regular VN sections are paced. Naomi's room being so dark contrasted a lot with the real world. It was disorienting in a good way, like how Naomi felt. The chats with Julia had me on edge. The way she used proper grammar was unnerving, and the contrast with how young Naomi typed made me even more dreadful about when the other shoe would inevitably drop. The mirroring of how in the beginning Naomi tells Cynthia her room is upstairs, first door on the right, and then Julia tells Naomi the exact same thing. Amazing game, congrats on winning first place and 1,000 downloads, you deserve it. 

This feels redundant to say, but this was such a theatrical VN. The Understudy's soliloquy slash monologue was amazing; the use of the stage lights and curtains to transition between scenes and the far away shots to the understudy on stage really felt like I was watching a play. This novel was indeed very visual. Understudy breaking character from maintaining her bombastic persona of being inhuman to call use her name, Adelaide, to steady herself and speak casually was great character writing. The ending was breath taking. I didn't want her to die, and I'm glad it seems everyone else is reaching out to her, but I also felt her frustration at her plan failing. Wonderful game, was shocked that I really did finish reading this within an hour. Just felt so engrossed in the story.

This game has been on my radar after playing Wishbleed. I was looking for more stories about mothers and daughters and this caught my eye. So it was a funny coincidence when you mentioned Wishbleed in Kastel's article. I don't want to make this review a comparison between Wishbleed so the last thing I'll say is that I think you succeeded in forming a literary community by drawing from your influences and creating something. 

The atmosphere is really nice. All of the backgrounds being monochrome add to the winter setting, and how colorful the characters are (in design and personality) highlights how oppressive the setting is while showing how much joy Char and Noel bring each other. They love each other very much and its a bond born from being mother and daughter. The scene where Noel comforts Char when she's depressed from being isolated was one of many highlights in a great game. Noel criticizing how society ostracizes women who don't fit in with what's normal, drawing the connection between being disabled and being a lesbian, came from a deep and personal place. They give each other unconditional love, and as the description states they've known each other their entire lives. They give each other what society and other people have denied them. Noel well and truly treasures Char, and the scene where Noel tells Char about her conception to let her know that she loves Char with all her heart and doesn't regret having her was heart-wrenchingly beautiful. The pain and rejection Noel endured and the way Char was able to empathize with that as her daughter. That's how strong their bond is. Beautiful game!

I played this and was left thinking "Wow, what a great game. I wonder about the mystery between Evie's and her father's glow and the glow in the cave that's allegedly the source?" and realized I played the demo. Its a really solid foundation; it almost made me think it was a finished game! Playing from the perspective of each woman and learning their personality and backstory was great. Everyone feels so distinctive with their own biases: Odette's fixation on Evie, Evie's self-loathing, and Ada's cynicism. I was expecting Ada to do the title drop so seeing Evie say some variant of "Your mother disgusts me" was surprising, but also fitting considering how close her and Odette are. Being candid, its nice to see video games exploring incest with darkskinned women, especially one where their racial identity is a part of their character. I'm black and Evie seems to be desi, but its still nice. 

I wish I found this game earlier, but what's important is that I found it. My first choice was "My name is Angel and calling me her made me happy" so I didn't notice the lack of choice until the outfit selection. Sad Angel couldn't wear the maid dress, but it also adds to the feeling of how Demi pushes Angel to be open about her preferences... but only if they're choices Demi accepts. That's one of the subtleties of being groomed. You feel like you're being guided to what you want, but its only the wants that overlap with what the Other wants. I wanted Angel to get as far away from Demi as possible, but I also wanted Angel to stay since she seemed so happy, even though she was slowly being eaten alive. There's irony in how Angel accepts Demi's other half, but Demi rejects her and is disgusted by her acceptance. Once I finished the game I immediately played it again to see if there was another ending. I think Demi sunk her fangs into me.

I ended up with a very nautical doll! Makes sense with all the sea themed items I chose. The descriptions for each item were very lovely; they were very personal yet they also sounded like something that I would own (like the museum pamphlet). The minigame to pick which items to make the doll was cute. I was stumped at times because each item, despite the short descriptions and time I owned them, were hard to part with.

Right after I got the first ending [missed] I immediately linked the game to my friends. The UI is smooth, the art absolutely gorgeous, and there were times where I teared up - I felt for all of the characters involved.