Summary
- A romantic story with an unconventional twist.
- Morally gray characters we can’t help but love.
- Aesthetics and symbolism in the details.
While the otome genre has its own conventions and distinctive features, Saccharine Echo reimagines some of them to create a fresh, cross-genre experience. Out today on Xbox Series X|S, it combines themes uncommon for a romantic visual novel with pixel art and vivid characters, creating a story that leaves a lasting impression.
Through the Looking-Glass and the Fear of Loneliness
At its core, this visual novel draws heavily on the works of Lewis Carroll, but it’s not meant to be a straightforward retelling. Alice’s dreams in “Through the Looking-Glass” are usually interpreted as a product of a child’s vivid imagination—but what if they were those of an adult woman, tired of everyday life and its problems?
As a child, Alice’s adventures had a strong influence on me, captivating me with a sense of wonder — and sometimes even fear — because you never knew what surprises lay in wait in Wonderland or “Through the Looking-Glass”. I wanted to reinterpret these feelings through a more grounded lens, blending them with struggles familiar to many, such as the fear of loneliness and self-rejection. In Saccharine Echo, Alice does not physically travel through imaginary worlds, but at some point, this other world begins to seep into her reality, and for a time, it feels like salvation.
Whether this is a form of escapism or simply taking everything at face value is entirely up to you.
The heroine may see things differently from the player. In the game, I draw a clear distinction between the player and the protagonist, deliberately choosing not to let you play ‘yourself,’ as I believe this approach creates a more cohesive and compelling narrative. Alice has her own problems and fears — ones I hope most people do not share — but it was important to make them understandable to a wide audience.
A Non-Human Creature as a Love Interest
Memorable characters are essential to any romantic story. Love, hate, intrigue — Dinah, a new presence in the heroine’s life, is sure to evoke at least one of these feelings. The only thing that can be said for certain is that Dinah is far from a good person. Vague phrasing, gaslighting, and anger issues are far from a complete list of their “crimes,” yet they remain a romantic interest in Saccharine Echo.
When working on this character, I faced a difficult challenge: making someone whose actions and words are far removed from the idea of “good” appealing to the player.
I approached this largely through Dinah’s appearance, as visual is often the first thing that shapes a player’s perception of a character. Whether they are attractive is a matter of opinion, but Dinah is undoubtedly a striking presence who stands out within the game environment, and their cocky, eccentric personality only reinforces that impression.
Charisma is also an abstract quality, but it remains an important aspect of creating a morally ambiguous character, just as empathy does.
The player needs to understand the difficult circumstances that force a character to reveal the darker side of their personality — or at least understand where it comes from. Dinah is something entirely different, a mysterious creature that does not conform to human boundaries. This character is a prisoner who is clearly insincere and takes too many liberties, but they have their own reasons for acting that way. Most of the time.
Why Pixel Art?
Some of the in-game art is done in pixel art, a style rarely seen in this genre, but I deliberately chose to experiment with it. Beyond optimizing the development process, it also posed a creative challenge that allowed me to fully realize a key aspect of Saccharine Echo: symbolism. You will notice a cohesive color palette built around variations of carmine and gray blue, reflecting the main characters.
Keen-eyed players may also catch a subtle connection in the character design, echoed in the recurring imagery of a rose and a butterfly or make-up choices emphasizing the contrast between the characters while keeping them visually complementary.
Short Story with a Lot of Potential
What fate awaits this Alice?
Your choices shape how she deals with her problems and what she truly wants from life. It takes around two hours on average to reach an ending, and thanks to Skip Mode, those who wish to can easily and quickly explore the alternative ending. At the same time, the game dives into difficult themes, explores the dark sides of the human nature and leaves you with reflection.
See you through the looking glass.
Saccharine Echo
Xitilon
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$4.99
Scotland, 2020. Alice is a young woman struggling through a painful breakup. Hoping to distract herself with online shopping, she buys a vintage mirror; then whispers begin to echo through her flat. Soon, she discovers that a mysterious figure is trapped inside the mirror, and only she can help them break free by forming a deeper connection.
Black nails and lipstick. Theatrical charm wrapped in sweet words.
Who is the creature that watches through the mirror? A ghost? A demon? Something far more dangerous? And what intentions are they hiding behind that smile?
Your choices will shape Alice’s personality, how she copes with her trauma, and the nature of her relationship with the enigmatic entity known as Dinah. Are they a romantic saviour… or a dangerous escape from reality?
Is this true love, manipulation, or something far stranger?
And most importantly — who is Dinah, really?
