Narcissu 1st & 2nd

Today I played Narcissu 1st & 2nd, a game released in 2007 by the developer stage-nana. The game is relatively short (took me approx. 2.5 hours to go through all parts), works on both Windows and MacOS, and is entirely free! The only thing that costs money is an (entirely optional) OST for $8. 

The game is, at its core, about death. The rituals that surround it, the complex emotions, how it's perceived, and what to do when you've realized you don't have much time left. There is a rule that gets passed down to everyone who has the misfortune of arriving at 7F, and it's that nobody comes back for a fourth visit--essentially, your third is your last. During this timeframe, however short or long, it's recommended that you take the train, skip stop A, and head straight to stop B. From then onwards, how your time is spent is up to you.

The title in itself is a reference to the narcissus flower (which does make an appearance in-game, though specifically in white), which symbolizes hope and devotion; although the game has little-to-no exposition and is quick to jump into the fact that death is imminent and the people around you will view you with pitiful eyes, towards the end there's a sense of newfound hope that can be derived from challenging the people around you- who happen to be in a similar situation- and getting to know them in the way you'd get to know a friend. Such trivial things serve as reminders that not everything is as awful as it seems. 

I don't have much to say since it was relatively short, but if you want something interesting to play that is long enough to kill a decent amount of time, then I would recommend it. The writing wasn't anything superb, but it definitely sticks with you.