To know a language, know the world, and finally know you.
The core gameplay mechanic challenges players to decipher an unknown language through contextual clues. Upon starting the game, players cannot understand a single word spoken by the female protagonist. By observing her actions, interacting with objects, and piecing together repeated words and phrases, players gradually build an understanding of the language and the unfolding narrative. This creates a highly immersive and rewarding experience as players feel a genuine sense of progress in their language comprehension.
As players start to recognize repeated terms and associate them with specific objects or actions, they experience a strong sense of accomplishment. The game's design encourages this process of discovery, with players expressing joy at being able to communicate more effectively with the protagonist over the course of the seven days.
The narrative is heavily shaped by the player's interpretation of the language. As players uncover more words and their meanings, the story they perceive evolves and changes. Reviewers note that the story they experienced was unique to their own playthrough, with different players potentially arriving at vastly different conclusions about the characters and events. This dynamic approach to storytelling adds to the sense of personal investment and ownership over the narrative.
Due to the open-ended nature of the language deciphering, the game encourages multiple playthroughs. Players report that revisiting the experience with their expanded vocabulary leads to new discoveries and a deeper understanding of the story. The ability to reinterpret the narrative based on their growing linguistic knowledge adds significant replay value to the experience.
While the unique language-based gameplay is widely praised, some players note that it can also be frustratingly difficult at times. Certain words or phrases may lack sufficient contextual clues, leading to confusion and frustration as players struggle to decipher their meanings. Additionally, some reviewers point out minor issues with the game's language system, such as inconsistencies or potential errors, which can hinder the overall experience.