All Things Teal And Terrible

First of all, I didn't have a lot of predictions, but even so, I was so surprised by everything! I didn't expect any of this so it was truly an amazing experience, you did a great job! Oh geez, where do I even start hahaha

About the mechanics: I really like the new mixing system. It's definitely more interactive and gives you the feeling that you're really mixing something new each time. I got a bit confused by the ingredients because I thought we were only allowed to use one thing from each shelf (I can't read, don't mind me), and I also didn't notice that you have to mix each cocktail three times before being able to mix it automatically, but I got the hang of it eventually! The new clue board is also way better since it has almost unlimited space, that was a pleasant surprise. Oh, and the phone is such an interesting feature! I'm really looking forward to using it more in the game!

About the characters: I'm absolutely in love with every single one of them! Their sprites are so cool, their designs are incredible, and I'm really intrigued by the narrative so far. They feel complicated and I love it. I can already get a rough picture of the upcoming conflicts, and I admit some of them feel really new. I've never seen anything like this before, that's really cool!

Now that I got the refined review out of my mind, let me scream for a bit

ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS GORGEOUS SWEET ANGEL IS REECE AND KILLIAN'S SON??? THEY ARE MARRIED AND HAVE A CHILD?? I CAN'T BELIEVE MY BABIES GOT SO FAR, I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!! I had my suspicions from the start, especially when Alfie mentioned his parents are artistic and kinda freaky. I knew I was onto something, but I kept doubting myself hahaha. It's such a lovely surprise. I love their dynamic so much, and seeing their "best work" being their own son made me so emotional, thank you for bringing me so much joy. I understand they have their own conflict now, and I think this is by far one of the most intriguing things for me, but I have a good feeling about it. Also, I would absolutely die for Alfie. He's adorable and deserves the world! (Also, he looks like me when I was 18 and it makes me even more emotionally attached lol)

My second favourite so far is definitely Ram. He made me laugh so much, you funny little broke man. So far he's been so sweet and innocent, and I wonder if that's going to stay true in the end. Regardless, I really like his design and his slightly weird personality, I'm so easy to please hahaha (Also, fun fact: the first time he came to the bar, I fucked up his cocktail because I confused orange juice with triple sec and felt incredibly guilty. We had a great start lol)

Leon is a really interesting character, he looks absolutely gorgeous and has a charming personality. I definitely see why he's someone's favourite boy 👀 I'm a bit suspicious of him because a man this hot can't possibly be that innocent, but honestly, who cares? I'd love him even more with a murder body count or something hahaha Can't wait to see more of him!!

Surprisingly (or not), I got really attached to Mel. I love her design and sad backstory (at least from what we know so far). I like that we got to see her softer side in the demo. I'm just weak for the "cold but caring" type, and I really hope she's going to be okay. Her tattoos are cool as fuck, now I want a snake with a sword too

Peter and James are such a fun duo, I absolutely love their dynamic! Surprisingly, Peter being a detective doesn't sound odd anymore. He looks so natural in the role of a mentor, that was such a well-written change! Him hating paperwork and admitting he stole all of his stationery from work felt so endearing and just so... Peter. I missed him so much, and I'm so glad to see him again💜

Okay, now I can't avoid this topic anymore even though I really want to. Hugo's death reveal left me devastated, I really can't say much rn. Partly because I'm delusional and want to believe he'll still make it somehow because I'm not ready to say goodbye yet, he means the world to me. But also because I don't want to jump to conclusions and assume things. I want to know the whole story and let the game give me the full experience before I spiral, so I'll try to stay optimistic and trust you guys. (Even if my brain wants to give in to the angst so badly, I promise to restrain myself)

I have a bunch of screenshots and little comments I'll probably post later, but for now I just wanted to say thank you for this demo! It was a great teaser, and I absolutely can't wait to see more. You're doing great!

As for the little hiccups I had, I'm gonna list a few just in case they might be useful feedback for you guys, but they're minimal and could just be personal preferences, so don't take them too seriously! Both of them are related to sound design. Firstly, I got jumpscared by the new quick save sound 😭 I guess I got used to the soft bells from the BSC, but it took me a while to stop flinching every time I pressed the button. It just felt a bit sudden and heavy compared to the relaxed background music.

The second one is the sound indicating that the cocktail was made correctly (the one that plays right before it's handed to the customer). The first time I heard it I was distracted and wasn't looking at the screen, so I got the impression that I messed something up again and got confused. It happened a few more times, I just couldn't immediately tell it was supposed to be a positive indicator from the way it sounds. Maybe something softer would work better? Just my thoughts!