Elian, Elisa, ChatAid

Foreword

Sometimes I feel bad about tearing into developers’ hardwork, and Elian, Elisa, ChatAid was one of those titles I felt a little bad about. The developer sent me a free copy of this game, and I had a very bad time reading this visual novel. It was dreadful, much like the last visual novel I read from the developer.

I don’t think that the developer’s native language is English, and it shows.

Based on one or more updates I read on their behalf, I recall that they were making little to no money on their titles (as releasing games on Steam isn’t free). What I don’t understand is why this game (among others) is a game. Given the lack of player agency and artwork, Elian, Elisa, ChatAid could have been represented as a piece of writing on say, a popular writing platform or an eBook. Out of respect for the developer, I wrote a lengthy review on this title, intending to point out the many flaws in this title (to help him improve his writing edge).

He no longer gives me free games.

As a matter of fact, he withdrew outstanding offers for me to review. I have one response to his, and that’s “LOL!” To be fair, I was hesitant to review the other visual novels he sent me, as Elian, Elisa, ChatAid left me weary about devoting another week into visual novels by the same writer. Gosh, I probably sound like a total asshole right now.

I’ll stop now.

Gameplay

There are no choices to make. The stories are linear, and will always end the same way. This application is actually a collection of two books, one called Elian, Elisa, ChatAid and the other Shantalia and Corali’hulu. The latter not only doesn’t share the name of the application, but it also nothing to do with it. Why it is bundled with Elian, Elisa, ChatAid escapes me, but I can think of a way that it could have.

More how later, as it’ll take some background to understand.

out the shell. . .

A standard memory-puzzle game. There are twenty stages total, each a four-by-four board. Though your time and “moves” are counted, there are no limits in place.

Yes! This is a game you can play one-handed!

Story

Elian, Elisa, ChatAid Part 1

This story is broken into two parts, each told from the perspective of a different character. In part one, we follow Elian. He’s a stereotypical lazy student. His classmate Elisa is the opposite, a grade “A” student who excels at everything. One day, Elian’s friends dare him to ask her out. She accepts, offering a library date.

She must really have nothing better to do. Why would she say yes?

They agree to go on a study date in the local HoloLibrary. Elian is quick to grow weary of Elisa’s HoloBooks. He spends his time starin’ at his HoloWatch.

I get it already, it’s the future — and the “holo” jokes don’t end here, they are a recurring theme.

All of the sudden, their HoloWatchs cease functioning, and they each “111:11”. The library has been deserted, and they find out that they are trapped inside in the library. None of the exits are working, and there appears to be no staff to talk to. Alisa asks Sel (the AI which controls the doors) to opening the exit door.

I think what she meant to say was open the exit door.

Sel does not respond. The two decide to head downstairs (to the basement), where they hope to find someone who might be able to help. Instead they come across a strange device. It’s a PC, or personal computer. In this universe, personal computers are considered ancient technology (as everything modern is holographic). A program called “ChatAid” boots on screen. it reads —

“For those who need help, no matter which world they come from!”

ChatAid is controlled using a command line (not dissimilar from Microsoft DOS). Elisa guesses her way through the program, with surprising success.

It’s a good thing that Elisa studies obsolete programming in her downtime. It’s not like command lines aren’t already obsolete.

They encounter Rezso (or “Rez”), a talking wolf who appears to be trapped inside (represented as a wolf avatar). Apparently, he cast a spell to summon a spirit to help him. Instead of a helpful spirit, he got Elian and Elisa. They are able to communicate with him via a keyboard. Rez claims that his father (Valko) devoured his friend (Russel) and his grandfather. Rez also clarifies that Russel is eighteen years old (just out of the blue).

For cough cough legal purposes.

Elian asks if by devour, Rez means rape. How. . . when is rape correlated with the word devour? Rez states that his pa only rapes ladies (foreshadowing mayhaps?) He talks more about Valko’s atrocities, and Elian beats the reader (you) with contrived, over-explained references. Elisa fears Valko, and she happens to wearing red clothes. Elian puts two and two together, and fantasizes about Valko raping her.

Yes, I know about little red riding hood. You shouldn’t have to explain references.

Rez uses a magic stopwatch (which he mentioned when he was first encountered). In exchange for his soul, he can use it to go back in time. With Elisa’s encouragement, he goes back before his father devoured Russel and his uncle. The screen goes blank, and then ChatAid thanks Elian and Elisa for using the program (and the PC shuts down). ChatAid requests that Elian and Elisa come back tomorrow, to save another soul.

What happened to Rez is never touched on again.

Elian, Elisa, ChatAid Part 2

Part Two starts here, told from Elisa’s viewpoint. The fact that the story is written from different viewpoints provides little additional information. The whole story could have been told by Elian, and nothing of importance would have been missed.

I think the only reason we see through Elisa’s eyes is for a later sex scene.

They meet up at the library the following day. Once again their watches read “111:11”, and they rush to the basement. This time, ChatAid lets them know that they’ve unlocked new options; now, the may select souls’ change and souls’ POV. The former allows a user to communicate to multiple souls, and the latter allows a user to look through a soul’s eyes (also barring communication with them).

The downside of souls’ POV plays no part in the story, and can be forgetten.

This time, a pack of souls are trapped in The Pleasure Paradise. Danieru, Guy, William and Abigaelle are being hunted by a crazy cat girl. Danieru ceases communication to make a break for it. After switching to Guy’s POV, he’s revealed to be very dead, and his manly bits slicked in white fluid.

Hmm, somethin’s afoot. Also, I didn’t know dead people can still see!

From William’s POV, he watches Abigaille being brutally raped by a man (presumed to be a friend of the cat girl). It is at this point that Elisa bails out, unable to witness forceful penetration. She retreats to the upper library, and Elian finishes what they started.

The man and cat girl kill-rape the last surviving souls. Nice one Elian.

Following Elisa’s traumatic experience, they decide to discontinue their ChatAid adventures. Elian pushes his luck and asks Elisa out on a “real” date, with sex included. She says fuck this, I’ll do it, and agrees. A brief (and bad) sex scene ensues. Afterwards, they live their lives as if no dates ever occurred. They agree to be strangers once again.

That is, until ChatAid goes viral.

A new option called soulswap is causing people from around the world to disappear. They begin their way back the basement, and Elisa investigates a soul named Princess Lolira, and her encounters with an undead sorcerer.

Loli – ra. . . ? Uh oh. She never clarified that she’s eighteen! Where’s Rez when you need him?

She spends her days bein’ violated by the undead sorcerer. Alice is her psychologist (or did Elian mean psychiatrist. . . ?) Turns out, the soul that really needs saved is Alice, as Lolira’s stories have messed up her mental state. The two students rush to the library and Elian fills Elisa in on the meaty details regarding Lolira’s situation.

. . . and the story ends.

Wombat Thoughts

The story is overall flawed. I had no investment into the characters, and I couldn’t care less who died or was kill-raped. This is the result of shallow character development. There isn’t much between both protagonists other than their educational practices and sexual fantasies. Speaking of sexual fantansies, I don’t understand what purpose the sex scenes served in this novel. They weren’t arousing or shocking, they seemed like filler. There was a lot of fluff in this piece, portions would could have been removed without taking away from the story.

This game lacks player interactivity. It would have been cool to interact with the souls provided by ChatAid. The endings which could result by player choice would encourage multiple playthroughs, and may help increase player connection to the characters. The bonus novel, Shantalia and Corali’hulu, could have been directly linked to the main title, Elian, Elisa, ChatAid. What if the events of Shantalia and Corali’hulu were directly tied to the events (or maybe even player decisions) of the aformentioned tale? Just a thought.

. . . but yes, this is a game you can play one handed.

Visuals

The titlemenu looks awful. It’s the cheapest menu I’ve ever seen. I did like the font and the text boxes which encapsulated dialogue. Audio and display preferences can be adjusted from “options”. It’s your choice between English and French.

The character portraits were no better than RPGMaker defaults. You’d think for a game without sprites, more budget could be placed into custom portraits. Busts or headshots aren’t expensive to commission. The backgrounds were terrible. They looked like stock photos with filters smacked on them.

The Goods

There are three sex scenes in Elian, Elisa, ChatAid. They are short and poorly written. I don’t think they are intended to be sexual arousing, and if they are, they failed miserably.

. . . expect beast, male-on-female consensual, and non-consensual intercourse.

Verdict

I don’t recommend this game. I didn’t enjoy the story or visuals, and I don’t think this game needed to be a game. Elian, Elisa, ChatAid could have been shared as a piece of text, and the only detail that might have been lost would have been the red riding hood reference. But that ain’t nothin’ good writing can’t fix.

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