One thing I spotted about myself just lately is how drawn I’m to sapphic horror. I’m a giant fan of horror normally, however there’s one thing further alluring when it pertains to a core a part of my identification.

One other factor I’m a sucker for is fairytale-inspired tales. Whether or not a piece takes apparent inspiration from Alice in Wonderland or Little Crimson Driving Hood, I pay attention to it.

Little Goody Two Sneakers combines each ideas right into a sport, taking a cottagecore lesbian life sim and mixing it with exploration-based survival horror. I by no means knew I wanted a mashup like this till this sport.

Whereas Little Goody Two Sneakers has some flaws, it is perhaps my favourite horror sport of 2023. It’s a daring assertion when relating to the Useless House and Resident Evil 4 remakes, however AstralShift’s Pocket Mirror prequel brings one thing that really stands out within the style.

Little Goody Two Sneakers (PC [reviewed], PS5, Xbox Sequence X|S, Change)
Developer: AstralShift
Writer: Sq. Enix
Launched: November 7, 2023
MSRP: $19.99

A narrative of horror and cottagecore lesbians

Little Goody Two Sneakers follows Elise, a younger lady who works as a maid for Keiferberg Village’s numerous townsfolk. It’s a menial life she desperately needs to flee, believing she deserves extra.

All the things is upended when one other younger lady named Rozenmarine breaks into Elise and her late grandmother’s cabin. Regardless of initially accusing her of thievery, Elise takes her in and the 2 start dwelling collectively.

Quickly after taking in Rozenmarine, Elise stumbles upon a pair of gorgeous pink sneakers that give her a glimpse of the riches she desires of getting. With guarantees of a dream life by an entity often called Him, Elise embarks on a journey to collect items for Him and escape Kieferberg.

In the meantime, as each day disasters start within the sleepy village, paranoia grows over a witch cursing the city. As Elise is essentially the most brazenly argumentative individual in Keiferberg and Rozenmarine is a stranger whose look occurred to coincide with the disasters’ arrival, the previous should additionally work to maintain eyes off of her and her grasping quest. Elise clearly isn’t chargeable for these disasters, however holding others suspicious makes her a handy scapegoat for them.

Little Goody Two Sneakers‘ narrative is my favourite a part of the expertise, partly from the variety of instructions it takes. Between managing relationships with Elise’s three love pursuits and holding suspicions about her actions low, the sport has a shocking quantity of main and minor reactivity primarily based on how conversations go.

Not each determination elements into its endings, nevertheless it’s a pleasant contact seeing future conversations subtly change primarily based on some earlier ones. The writing’s additionally sturdy, successfully dealing with themes of social persecution and what somebody is prepared to surrender. Strengthening this additional is its unabashed queerness, which turns into more and more heartbreaking as Elise’s identification grows in competitors along with her want.

The love pursuits are additionally compelling characters in their very own proper. Rozenmarine is a traveler whose destiny intertwines with Elise’s, and her route tells a candy story of affection bringing soulmates collectively. There’s additionally Lebkuchen, a nun who mirrors Elise in all of the calls for villagers thrust on her, and Freya, a woman who represents a kinder aspect to Keiferberg’s villagers.

My playthrough centered on Rozenmarine, and relying on Elise’s choices, endings vary from genuinely completely satisfied to soul-crushing. I discovered her idea of her and Elise being one another’s soulmates a compelling cause to pursue her, and its payoff is satisfying no matter route that takes.

One of the best ’90s shojo sport launched in 2023

Apart from its narrative, Little Goody Two Sneakers‘ artwork route is a contender for its better part. Even when taking part in on the LED Steam Deck, its pixel artwork environments pop. Locations like Elise’s cottage are appropriately cozy while the woodland areas are tense to stroll via.

Characters additionally look implausible, significantly Elise herself and her love pursuits. Though gameplay takes inspiration from PS1 journey video games, it aesthetically matches ’90s shojo anime. Their monumental eyes and vivid designs make them match proper in with one thing like Cardcaptor Sakura.

Serving to the artwork is the music, with its vocal tracks additionally emulating that shojo really feel and extra ambient items lending themselves to their environments. My favourite is the monitor that performs when exploring Keiferberg through the night. It’s a delicate and sleepy melody that blends completely with the picture of Lebkuchen swinging as moonlight shines on her.

Even with its horror components, Little Goody Two Sneakers is a remarkably cozy sport. Because it primarily takes place outdoors the hazard, the time between the horrors is nice to exist in. Elise’s house is peak cottagecore, and Keiferberg Village itself has an extremely welcoming vibe regardless of its inhabitants’ paranoia.

Its horror segments additionally deserve reward, with the wheat fields particularly filling me with an indescribable dread. Even the opening woodland part is great for giving such a claustrophobic sensation whereas nonetheless in a forest.

A second that made me tense up from environment alone occurs within the wheat fields’ opening moments. Separated from Rozenmarine, Elise ventures deeper into the woodland, and the ultimate bridge earlier than the stage’s correct begin offers me shivers. Elise takes every step with warning as crows stare at her and a golden moon follows behind. There aren’t any threats right here, however via imagery and sound, I’m full of dread as somebody I’ve shortly grown near is perhaps damage, or worse.

That’s the ability Little Goody Two Sneakers’ environment has when trying horror. I may need by no means struggled with any explicit second, however its glorious audio and visible route by no means allowed me to maintain my guard down.

Finest to not be scared on an empty abdomen

Since Little Goody Two Sneakers takes inspiration from fairytales, it’s no shock it emulates their taste of horror. Which means much less concentrate on scaring gamers and extra on inspiring deep dread as Elise marches towards an ominous purpose.

To assemble the items Elise is giving Him, she ventures into the eerie woodlands by Keiferberg Village to endure trials. These contain exploring the world and doing a little light-puzzle fixing to progress.

Not one of the puzzles are arduous, and the one actual concern will not be dying to the enemies scattered all through. If errors are made, Elise can expend a therapeutic merchandise to get better.

Managing these therapeutic objects and likewise meals to forestall Elise from ravenous makes up Little Goody Two Sneakers‘ useful resource administration. Whereas therapeutic objects are plentiful sufficient within the woodland, meals is nearly completely purchased with money earned via performing menial duties for villagers. These minigames current themselves as lovable arcade video games, and ranks decide how a lot fee Elise recieves.

Relying on a participant’s efficiency, they are often flush with money and provides, however provided that they do properly. A single unhealthy day can stretch budgets remarkably skinny, and pressure Elise in a troublesome spot. I needed to make a name between persevering with Lebkuchen’s story, bribing the nosy Muffy with costly meals to maintain suspicions down, or ravenous. Since I used to be occupied with Leb’s story and ravenous means dying, I risked the upper suspicion. It wasn’t that prime to start with, nevertheless it was inching towards a spot I wasn’t snug with.

Neither of those will assist towards something immediately killing Elise. These situations pop up most frequently when saying the mistaken factor or throughout chase sequences. Whereas I like the stress a few of them convey, they may also be a supply of frustration. It’s due to some on the spot kill sequences my two gripes with Little Goody Two Sneakers come up.

One is the generally odd save factors. Saving is finished manually at specified factors, and this isn’t a problem as they’re largely beneficiant. It solely will get aggravating when dying on the final second to an instant-kill lure throughout an extended part and needing to restart it.

Compounding that is the very fact these sequences typically happen after unskippable cutscenes. Most different scenes have a skip perform to fast-forward via them, so it’s baffling that scenes that arguably want this characteristic most don’t have it.

These gripes are minor as a result of essentially the most progress I ever misplaced because of deaths is round 10 minutes. It’s truthfully much less about repeating gameplay, and extra about not having the choice to skip dialogue I’ve seen.

A mirror that appears right into a doomed character’s happier alternate options

Little Goody Two Sneakers is one thing particular. It was truthfully an incredible sufficient expertise that after ending, I purchased its predecessor Pocket Mirror to see extra of this universe.

My information of that title is cursory, however seeing how Little Goody Two Sneakers ties into it sinks my coronary heart. It did spoil what a few of Pocket Mirror’s reveals, however that isn’t stopping my enjoyment of that sport.

Whereas I’ve nitpicks, my expertise left me eager to return and see every little thing else Keiferberg has to supply. From its compelling romantic routes, enjoyable gameplay loop, non-obligatory aspect tales, and phenomenal environment, Little Goody Two Sneakers is every little thing I ask for in a sport. Its puzzles are straightforward sufficient to shortly remedy however its threats are current sufficient that it nonetheless has challenges.

It was troublesome figuring out my actual emotions with this title till a scene occurred with Elise and Rozenmarine sitting collectively on a cliff overlooking Keiferberg. It’s introduced superbly as a radiant sundown truffles the surroundings, however the cliff’s placement in addition to Elise’s home powerfully conveys how remoted she is from the remainder of the village.

The subject of soulmates got here up, and whereas I can’t say the way it goes because of spoilers, its conclusion made me notice simply how a lot I like this sport. It additionally makes the ultimate hours considerably extra painful with how Elise’s want seems. Many fairytales finish sadly and accenting Little Goody Two Sneakers’ tragedy is me being chargeable for it.

Total, I’m ecstatic that one thing like Little Goody Two Sneakers exists. Its mixture of sapphic horror in a fairytale setting with a retro shojo artwork fashion makes it splendidly stand out.

Whereas a horror/relationship sim fusion initially sounds odd, its implausible execution helps drive its themes residence in a robust manner. I can solely hope this finds a robust viewers as a result of it completely deserves one. AstralShift has a minimum of discovered a brand new huge fan in me.

[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]