Not It: Spookiest Edition

About

In "Not It: Spookiest Edition," Katie, a new Easthollow resident, faces a curse threatening her and the townsfolk. This visual novel offers a thrilling, voice-acted story with 33,666+ words, 8 eerie music tracks, and 8 diverse characters. Your choices determine who survives, with 25 possible endings, illustrated backgrounds, CGs, and Steam achievements. Experience two modes: less gore or gore.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

story12 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

The writing is engaging and the characters are well-developed, making the story enjoyable despite its brevity.
The art style is striking and colorful, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
The game features fully voiced dialogue with decent performances, adding depth to the characters and their interactions.

The game is very short, with most playthroughs taking only 20-40 minutes, which may leave players wanting more content.
There are several technical issues, including glitches and inconsistent audio levels, which can detract from the experience.
The pacing is often too fast, leading to a lack of tension and suspense, which is disappointing for a horror-themed visual novel.

story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
58%
8%
The story is engaging and features a sympathetic protagonist, but it suffers from brevity and some cliches, leaving little room for character development. While the narrative offers an interesting mix of light-heartedness and darker themes, it is often overshadowed by minor dialogue issues and a lack of depth. Despite its short length, the game provides multiple endings and branching paths, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate visual novels, though some players may find the pacing and character actions jarring at times.
- “The story is engaging and the protagonist is sympathetic.”
- “The story is an interesting mystery that starts off decently light-hearted but quickly gets darker and darker.”
- “The art is gorgeous and the story is pretty entertaining on a first or second run.”
- “Sadly, it gets bogged down by the mediocre story it happens to be in.”
- “I really wanted to like it, and the story had potential, but I think it was just very short and not enough to give you an actual opinion on the characters.”
- “Maybe my expectations were just set too high, but the story is remarkably short with very little time to grow attached to the characters.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
38%
23%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their striking and appealing art style, which effectively complements the quality voice acting and enhances the emotional weight of the story. The art style adapts to the narrative's tone, creating a jarring yet impactful experience, while the cartoonish aesthetic manages to convey intense scenes that engage players. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's charm and immersive storytelling.
- “The art style and soundtrack for this game really carried the game in my opinion, as they both led to some scenes carrying some genuine weight.”
- “The cartoonish art style is very appealing and blends perfectly with the quality voice acting being featured during dialogues.”
- “Despite the cartoonish aesthetic, there are a lot of intense scenes, and I became genuinely invested in the characters.”
- “E.g. a character that had died in a previous scene is present in the artwork of the next scene.”
- “The art style changes drastically when the tone of the story changes, which is jarring in the best way possible; props to the artists for making CG hunting fun!”
- “Or maybe it's just me, maybe I'm not that easy to frighten because seriously for me it was mainly a cute story with a relaxing art style.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of character performances is criticized for being flat and amateurish, detracting from the intended sense of terror and instead highlighting the characters' blandness. While one character's frantic performance is noted as decent, it ultimately feels more annoying than effective.
- “Sadly, the performances are a little flat and amateurish, and rather than helping convey the terror of characters, they draw attention to their blandness.”
- “One particular character is constantly freaking out, and their performance is decent enough, but it comes off as annoying.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is praised for its chilling quality, effectively enhancing the emotional weight of key scenes alongside the art style and voice acting. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere and impact.
- “The art style and soundtrack for this game really carried the experience, as they both contributed to scenes that held genuine emotional weight.”
- “Good game, great art, chilling music, and wonderful voice acting.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its atmospheric setting, characterized by an eerie and unsettling ambiance that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the choice-based narrative that contributes to a diverse range of endings, further immersing them in the game's haunting atmosphere.
- “This is a choice-based visual novel presenting an atmospheric setting and a vast variety of endings.”
- “The game is very atmospheric overall, as well as eerie; mainly due to the uneasiness of the displayed setting.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has been reported to have several glitches, which may affect the overall experience, although the playtime is relatively short at around 2.5 hours for multiple playthroughs.
- “The game is riddled with glitches that disrupt the experience.”
- “After seven playthroughs, I encountered multiple stability issues that made the game frustrating.”
- “The overall stability of the game is poor, leading to frequent interruptions.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unenjoyable, leading to frustration.
- “So tedious :(”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive.”
- “I spend more time grinding than actually enjoying the game.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game offers a compelling story with psychological elements, but its short length and somewhat repetitive paths limit its replayability. While players appreciate the narrative, they express a desire for more content to enhance the experience. Overall, it is recommended for fans of the genre despite its replayability constraints.
- “I liked it; it's a short game, and while the paths can be a bit similar, the story is still good. I enjoy all the psychological elements. I wish it was longer, and if the 'thing' actually happened, it would have made it more replayable. Still, I would recommend it if you like games like this.”
- “The game offers multiple endings and choices that significantly change the outcome, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
- “With its branching narratives and various character interactions, I found myself wanting to replay it to explore all the different possibilities.”
- “I liked it; I mean, it's a short game. The paths can be a bit samey, but the story is still good. I like all the psychological elements. I wish it was longer, and for the 'thing' to actually happen, it would have made it more replayable. But I still would recommend it if you like things like this.”
- “The game is enjoyable, but once you've completed it, there isn't much incentive to go back. The choices feel limited, and the outcomes don't vary enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
- “While the story is intriguing, the lack of significant branching paths means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an adventure. I found myself skipping through dialogue on my second run.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
The game excels in character development, featuring a small but impactful cast that is brought to life through excellent writing and engaging storytelling. Players are drawn into the world and motivated to explore every narrative path, with the experience leaving them eager for more. Overall, the characters and their development contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a memorable experience.
- “This game caught my eye with its striking art and character designs. I don’t normally play visual novels, but as I played this game, I was sucked into its excellent writing and well-made characters. The cast is small, but they do so much with them and the game's setting. They bring you into their world at the start and make you want to stay with the writing. You’ll want to experience every path the game has to offer. I got the 'true' ending by mistake, and it just made me hungry for more. This is the perfect Halloween game, and the developers should be so proud of what they’ve made. I can’t wait to see what they create next because it has become my yearly Halloween tradition.”
- “The character development feels shallow and one-dimensional, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
- “I found the characters to be stereotypical and lacking depth, which made the overall experience less engaging.”
- “Despite the interesting premise, the character arcs are predictable and fail to evolve throughout the game.”