Viatica

I started Viatica around a month ago and read up to almost the end of Chapter 11 in basically one sitting (although I did get up a few times lol) and only got round to finishing it today. I've laughed and cried (and I'm about to cry again while writing this) and wished death upon certain characters (and the music box ending made that wish come true :D), and I just have to say that this story, your story, is absolutely phenomenal. Through your writing, I grew so attached to these characters and regret none of my choices (except not talking to Heron more in the earlier chapters when I had the chance lol). Even so, however, I think the lack of ability to save was very fitting (even though the lack of save files wasn't a storytelling choice) because it made every choice more important and it prevented me from exploring every option to find out the answer I liked the best. I love how we were given the clear choice on whether we wanted nsfw content and that the sfw options were so lovely and cute and it didn't feel like we were missing out on the plot (because we weren't!) so I happily enjoyed a predominantly fluffy route with Lion. Character deaths were, without spoilers, impactful. I cried (and am about to cry again just thinking about it) because, just...wow. This is the first IF I've played on itch, and it was brilliant that even the way I treated the (technically) side characters had a huge impact (or so I assume, since I've only gotten one ending for now), but it seems to me that every choice holds weight, and I really like that. I am so grateful for the message of hope, even echoed in the journal entries, and it was definitely a message that I personally needed (guess who might actually cry this time) and it is definitely a message the world needs given how messed up things are right now. I just want to say thank you, because this story is a gift that I am glad that I decided to open it up and try it out. I'm definitely going to check out Cantata and the April Fools chapters when I have the time, but I'm still deciding on whether or not I want to try and get another ending, considering how satisfying the ending I just got was. We'll see, I guess. By the way, I also found a few grammatical errors/typos near the end and took some screenshots just in case you wanted to see, but I haven't attached them just in case you don't. Anyways, I want to end again with a thank you. Thank you for sharing this fantastic story with all of us, and thank you for the hope that came with it.

No way to download it? Its only in browser?

I 'FINALLY' somehow stumbled onto this... Oh dear... I have laught, raged, mourned and cried. Everything I love about stories making you FEEL and this was it. I will be replaying it many times, I can tell. Not before the April fool special though XD I need some laughters after those last chapters. Love your work. (Also I had to read without glasses at one point because I was crying too much out of joy in the epilogue)

I’m in emotions , I’M IN TEARS o(〒﹏〒)o.

Such a great and interesting interactive fiction that I read. Heron and Bear are my favorites, such sweethearts. I’ve already gone through three endings, and I think I’ll go through a couple more ✊. Author, thank you so much for this story, I can’t wait for the Cantata to be released in full.

(I’m sorry, English is not my native language, so I wrote it with the help of a translator, I hope I wrote it clearly (つ･･)つ)

Just finished and I have one thing to say to you Fir & Fireweed, I love you 🖤🖤🖤 Jokes aside, I love the story and it was heart breaking what happened to fawn and bison, horrible what happens with the chamber, and im glad its gone. This story was amazing and i plan to play through every character's romance path, robin's was amazing, as we get to navigate their discovery and acceptance of themself and their journey of their fear.

you know, i've never been a fan of dystopias, but this is something else. 

with each page i returned more and more to my childhood. i'm not saying that i've experienced something like this, but about the atmosphere itself. something... dreamlike. something intimate and alive, i would say. this "fantastique" is not hidden here in the magical atmosphere and fiction, respectively, this fantastique of the lines here lies in the hope that you feel while you read, and in the unshakeable faith in the best. you feel the characters, you sympathize with them, you fight and cry shoulder to shoulder with them, you look at this peace from the window with your own eyes, this peace they came to on their own. 

i couldn't stop reading, haha. this short but warm story, and what you, author, have achieved with your word, not everyone can achieve nowadays. 

i'm immensely grateful to you for the rare sense of rightness and peace that you have given me. sorry if my words are not so clear, english is not my native language, but i tried to express my feelings as clearly as possible TT.

if anyone read this comment before going to the story, then i want to tell you that you won't regret it. this is not just fiction. these are pages of hope, this is the story of those in whom this hope has not found its end, those who will continue to pass this hope on to the same burning and passionate souls as themselves.

First time i'm commenting on an IF (out of the tons i've read) but this story deserves it, it's simply a masterpiece. At first I was curious about how an author would spin the tale of how such impossibly strict society had come about, then I got hooked by how strongly the writing can captivate and invoke emotion on the reader. Now at the end of it, I've finally realized the sun is raising and I've spent my entire night reading this, I've cried like a baby and laughed hard, seriously I'm moved beyond words with how amaizing this story is. The bread crumbs given through the journal entries painted such a realistic downward spiral, it made me remember my history lessons about slavery here in Brazil, how very few violent and cruel enforcers were enough to make a lot of people bow in submission, deprived of their own culture and language they lost their identity, will and agency. How this scenario was made realistic, the characters are relatable and unique, and the way their emotions and struggles were delivered, all of it was perfect. Congratulations on writing the best, the most engaging IF. Looking forward to more amaizing stories.<3

(PS: forgive my sleepdeprieved ramblings and bad english, in PT-BR i would say in far less words: Parabéns por escrever essa história foda. Obrigada por compartilhar essa joia conosco.)

I have no words... This is so peak chat. The game is also finished so definately recommend giving it a try <3

This was absolutely amazing - I started reading this morning and I only just realised it's past lunchtime! Not many things hook me that much.

The quality of writing was spectacular; I felt in particular the pacing was done perfectly which is not something authors always get right, as well as the description being really great and well balanced. There was a fantastic sense of candidness in the more intimate moments I really connected with - as an ace-spec enby myself I really, really appreciated the inclusive options of character and relationships etc, it helped me immerse myself in the story like not much else has for a long time, which really means an immense amount 💙

I also love how the whole plot is full of symbolism and a very important message about humans working together and respecting their values and differences. I felt the story did a really excellent job of conveying this in a super impactful manner and I sincerely hope it can reach as many people as it can - it has a lot of educational quality.

Sorry if this was a bit of an essay, I just have really high standards for writing and I'm a bit taken aback that something thoroughly surpassed them today. Well done and I can't wait to read your future literature 💙

This story was so much fun to read!

I remember I was reading this about a year ago, I dont remember why I stopped, but I rece tly found it again and wow I’m glad I did!

reminds me of 1984 sm

This story is so creative, the characters so lovable, the only thing I can think bad about this story is how short it felt to me lmao

Anyways, I love your writing and I can't wait to read more about your works, Cantata is so good I can't wait to read the next chapter lol, thanks for your hard work

I really liked that in the end, everyone finally found their voice. I honestly feel like this can relate to some real-world stuff.

Just came after playing your new game! (Despirate for chapter 4 btw) You're amazing at this! Keep up the good work, and don't ever stop (or else i'll be sad and bored)

I love you work so much that I have to stop playing...save it for later🥹🥹

just came from the Cantata demo, LOVED IT! i am so excited to get into this one too!!! great games. i'm sure your kids are very very proud as a fellow teen haha

is it not possible to save or is my screen not wide enough (⁠╯⁠︵⁠╰⁠,⁠)?? i know it's a bit of a stupid question but i'd like to know because the only menu options i see are restart and switch theme?

I really enjoyed the slow seeing how it got to that point between chapters

Truly one of the greatest interactive fiction stories I have ever written! I loved the characters (especially Lion) and the journal entries were amazing. It was so interesting seeing a character watch the slow descent of a civilization into a dystopia.

I’m bawling, screaming, and backflipping all at once. Not ONLY is this IF AMAZING but it’s also FINISHED?!? Truly a rare find. I’m honestly invested in every single one of the characters and I don’t think I’ve ever replayed a novel as much as I did this one. 10/10!!

"Of all the words I've learned, your name is my favourite" Okay you did NOT have to twist the knife. But seriously, absolutely incredible game!!! So incredibly well crafted and made me so emotional, especially Fawn and Bison's sacrifice. Hugehuge fan!!!!! Never stop writing :D

This made me cry twice for two vastly different reasons and I commend you for this incredible story. I love Lion dearly and will likely come back to this story again and again in the future. Thank you for creating this.

just realised i didnt rate viatica after reading it again last time, so i came back now to rate it and decided to read it again. by far my favorite IF of all time, and i'm kicking and pulling my hair out because i cant wait for your other IF to be fully released too hihi. thank you so much for this, it's to die for

This amazing story punched me right in the gut, made me cry, laugh and stare at the wall in deep contemplation after the end. It also sent me a message, that no matter how dire the situation, by finding a community - or even the company of a single person, we can overcome whatever it is, together. With kindness and compassion for one another. 

I loved so many of the characters lines as well. They were quite simple yet so deep. "It doesn't matter who spoke first, what matters is you listened." Pack me up, send me to the feelings hospital, I am having an emergencyyyyy. 10/10, would etch this into the orbits of my eyes if I could

One of the best IFs I've read, thank you for writing this masterpiece. 👍

Firstly, The premise was absolutely fascinating and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!! The replayability is insane and I absolutely adore every single character 

The RO’s were fleshed out beyond Mc, and the friendships were so intimate that they didn't, ever feel secondary to the romance.

The plot twist!?!?!?! Jaw dropped. The storytelling!?!?!!?! Immaculate. The world building!????!?! Amazing. THE CHARACTERS!?! Chefs kiss. Mc was so wonderfully written, the story was so wonderfully written, the journal entries!!!! Honestly this could be a trilogy and I would read everything. You are a fantastic writer, and you blend soft moments with seriousness in such a smooth way. Its actually wild if you haven't written a novel (edit: Lol I just checked the description and you have- that makes so much sense!!!)

This was beautiful, Im absolutely excited for your other IF. As I said before you're doing great and I hope you continue your awesome work ✨✨✨

I wanted to leave a comment, thanking you for sharing your amazing gift with us. I wasn't expecting to so immersed and attached to the characters and story as I was, yet the way in which you describe the scenery, human struggles, present moral dilemmas, and personalities of everyone is so distinctive and detailed. To add, I greatly enjoyed how you include the player/reader into the narrative. It feels as if the story was crafted with my personality in mind, which for me, allows me to further engulf myself into the plot. There were many times I sat and contemplated over my decisions, as if they had real-life consequences. I'm not sure how you and your team managed to do that, but I appreciate all the time and effort put forth. The soundtrack also added to the emotions you feel during each chapter, heightening the experience.

This game is beautifully compelling and tragic, as if there's almost a deeper meaning behind it.

Sorry to ramble but I wanted to let you know that your hard work (and those who helped you) haven't gone unnoticed. Let this be encouragement and a boost in your confidence as your ability to create engaging stories.

Is it also possible to release the name of the songs used in the game?

Thank you!

okay, as someone who is EXTREMELY picky when it comes to literally anything; This was absolutely amazing…I literally have no other words.

Though….. I do wish that there was a function that allowed you to save and export your progress though… (I’m a really busy person so I had to restart a couple times). I feel like it would also make it easier to get different ending ands try out different LI routes without having to completely restart. But honestly? That’s the only thing I can think of. Otherwise, this was amazingly well written with deep world and character building. Along with being immersive.

please keep up the great work, you’re an amazing author (definitely my favorite IF author by far).

Beautiful game! Played the whole thing in one sitting because I got so into it. I especially loved the little journal entries between chapters. It was so cool getting to see the original progression along with the current, if that makes any sense. If I could rate this 6/5 stars I would have :D

Where can i download it?

Hi, I'm an amateur writer and I just LOVE Viatica!! It's such a perfect, wholesome story. Can I ask how many words it is? I'm trying to write an IF of my own but I think I keep overshooting the length it should be :) 

Hi, loving the story but during the romance with Heron, after the ah..ahem, *wink* scene, there is always an unexpected error that occurs which doesn't let me continue the route. I figured I should bring it up to your attention!

Glad to see it finished. And what an awesome ending. Also, wholesome.

Thank you so much. That was fantastic experience. 

such a beautiful story omg im never gonna stop thinking about this. the world building is so immersive and the characters feel so real. thank you for making this, it made my night

"oh my God Real Men Don't Cry." they clearly  haven't played this game yet. My Hope For Humanity has been restored thank you so much for writing such a beautiful story

thank you for making this!

I'm not afraid to admit that I cried like three times. It's stories like this that gives me faith in humanity, especially these days 🥹 This really should be a movieee!! 

AAAA BEAUTIFUL ITS SO BEAUITUFL AWAOGHSGORH

AHHHH THIS GAME IS SO AMAZING I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT!!!!!!

also I actually started crying when the two lovebirds died TvT THEY WERE MY FAVORITESSSSS ToT VERY HEART WRENCHING 10/10 I LOVE THEM ALL

ALSO YESSSS I LOVE PAPA BEAR [never thought I would like a guard/police officer lol, but he is certainly a special case and I love him]