as a lesbian i want every character in this game and it makes me mad

Peak voice acting and good thoughtful realistic and brutal writing in a disarmingly disposable looking visual story form.

This game is Anne of Green Gables if it was written a century later, the author trying to subvert expectations of dating simulator visual novels instead of Canadian Ann orphan stories, with the main character's best friend do a line of beta blockers instead of getting drunk on currant wine. At the same time, Gus van Sant's Elephant still comes to mind, with the iconic yellow shirt worn by Kelly, Columbine references and sleepy slice of life high school scenes before spiralling into violence and madness. The political and social commentary also reminds me of German satirical comedy Er ist wieder da, with Nicole being compared to a pretty brunette Hitler by Jecka, and the chemistry between Nicole and Jecka is as improbable as Hitler with Sawatzki, but somehow it works ensuring hilarity and hijinks. Also the scene where Nicole is in a straight jacket is eerily similar to the scene where Sawatzki is in a straight jacket in a padded cell.

But all this writing would be pointless if it was not already led by some of the best VA driven led performances I have seen in a video game: I can close my eyes for entire scenes and still picture these characters talking in the hallways of Lake Braddock Secondary in 2008. And of course the same fantastic chemistry between the protagonist and main supporting character: Be our favourite baddie gone-girl-cool-girl Nicole played by Elsie Lovelock as she secretly trudges with the burden of being blamed for her father's suicide and takes it out on the entire world. Hang out with her almost bisexual, Ryan Sheckler aspiring, preppy, "really white" Jecka played by Kayli Mills where she learns how to stealthily draw healthy boundaries with Nicole without getting fired from her job as Nicole's BFF. Finish lunch and experience great supporting performances from Emily by Valerie Rose Lohman (someone give them another award especially in elevating the game in the emotional roller coaster that is Emily's arc), and Ari played by Kira Buckland which really delivers in the Drake and Josh end scene. But of course Jecka played by Kayli Mills really stole so many scenes she is in: from the Date Ari ending scene, to the pill scene, cooking crack scene, to name a few. Expect witty Old Onion style quips by characters in plot lines that is plausible enough to end up on Not The Onion.

This game delivers on its marketing promise to explore the concept of rejection and unironically subverting a player's expectation of a dating simulator typically expected from a visual novel format especially with teenagers in a high school. However, I really like that instead of coming in for wish fulfilment and ego stroking aspect of rejecting others, we also get front row seats in being the recipient of rejection in different flavours. From whom? Your classmates, love interests, your mom, and the most crushing kind of rejection: from Jecka, which often feels like the worst kind of rejection there is, even propelling our antihero Nicole who initially resists but eventually accepts (albeit bitterly) in her end monologue that she crossed a line - 10/10 writing and VA moment.

So want to learn how to write stories like Class of 09? This game also got that covered if you can piece together the subtexts from the various scenes:
- Emily's passionate monologue (the best scene in the entire game) and debate with Ms Ames: a good story needs high stakes, and mortality is the highest of them all.
- Give VAs creative liberty to improvise in case the script is J-Lo after her second kid ass as Nicole puts it, as illustrated in the improv and table reading branches. Also things need to happen, meaning bad things need to happen to characters you like for there to be a story.
- The art teacher Mr Lorre's monologue about characters, and when Jecka asks whether she can "just draw people just hanging out" for their assignment, he suggests to her to focus on the characters motivations and their reason to be hanging out
- Plagiarise a controversial book like Mein Kampf, just update it for a contemporary setting then bait a cryptoracist teacher to reveal her power level in front of the public

Tomar screamed and I got scared.

this cuts deep

More dialogue heavy, but better writing overall. 10/10 masterpiece. It really makes you FEEL like a drug dealer.

It's pretty funny I guess. Kinda makes me want a hot sociopath gf even though I know I shouldn't, but there's just something I can appreciate about Nicole's honesty and raw perspective on life.

I didn't get the point of the story, it's really just more of an experience you can't find anywhere else.

i love cracked out snow bunnies

As a man I can confirm that this is 100% realistic to the life of a teenage girl in 2009, also the characters are hot.

peak ♥♥♥♥

It's better than the first one. There are less endings but this way every route got a lot more attention to detail same with the characters. Its really fun but I also get really depressed playing it...