DRAMAtical Murder

many people's baby's first blvn, which was my case too. i know this one is controversial specially for those who experienced tumblr's obsession with this one, but reading it for the first time back in 2020 (with 2020 eye, too) made me truly appreciate this story.
i think dramatical murder is a super fun vn, everything is extremely delightful. the music, background art and even character design is extremely remarkable. the music very prominently features chiptune elements, which was was popular back in the day but doesn't make it sound dated at all. it's very 2012, but in a good way. the art too - pastel colors, specially the millennium pink along with the light blue, are definitely the main colors you'll see throught the game, through the beautifully created background art and even the character designs - all characters have remarkable silhouettes, which can be hard to execute!
one thing that this vn might lack a little is in the story. which, i know, is the main point of a visual novel, but hear me out! i think the story is good enough. god, i wish - i truly wish this game had a more expansive lore. the setting is so intriguing and captivating, but unfortunately it definitely lacks exploration.
when it comes to character writing, i think aoba is a great and well written protagonist, and all other characters are very captivating, but... i wish mink was written better! i feel like he deserved better. his character is so interesting, but unfortunately his character development is stunted by racist native american tropes...
overall, i think dramatical murder is pretty great for what it is. it's iconic, charming, and captivating.