When I typically go to review visual novels I tend to start out on a more sour note, mainly because as a whole the subgenre tends to be represented by titles that may tell decent stories, but feel out of place on a dedicated game system. While I’m aware this style of game has its fans, as someone who considers himself a game reviewer I have an expectation that simply scrolling through walls of text while seeing intermittent images simply doesn’t cut it. Thankfully, there are some titles out there in this general subgenre that understand the assignment though, putting their best foot forward narratively, but then also honoring the concept of there being sufficient interactivity and player agency to help the experience better qualify as truly being a game.

Schrödinger’s Call is an excellent example of this, obviously having a pretty elaborate and ultimately touching story to tell, but also boasting quite a lot of interactivity and at least some illusions of player choice, even if ultimately going down a more fixed path. You’ll play as Mary, a young woman who has been given the task of being the world’s last confidant, essentially taking calls on a mystical telephone to talk to people who have a need to find resolution to some pain of theirs, before their souls are able to move on. The challenge is that in their state on the edge of eternity they’re slowly losing their grasp of who they were and what is causing their pain, so your job will be to be a good listener, take in the details they have to offer, and then help them find peace.

As I mentioned earlier, ultimately this is a game with the illusion of player agency, since you’re often prompted to make decisions about what to do or say. But once you realize that more often than not you’ll still need to explore the alternative choices as well, it mostly ends up being a matter of what sequence you choose, but not with a carried consequence. Regardless of that fact, the game’s visuals and unusual methods of presentation still manage to be compelling, even if at times it can be tough to follow the thread of what’s happening, or what you’re supposed to be doing. In the end that makes for a unique experience that’s visually engrossing while taking you on a bit of an emotional journey, as long as that’s what you’re looking for.