So I do like the loose continuity of this game with Home, though Lia doesn't seem to be the blacksmith's daughter especially with the lack of mention of having known another alchemist. (And differing hair colour.) And while I do love the care put into the characters, things like the siblings bickering in the beginning and some of the post-ingredient delivery banter does slow down the story, bogging it down with little characterisation details. I was expecting the potion choices to be a bit less straight forward. The set up of Ashe's sleep deprivation seemed perfect for this: the potion descriptions disappearing when Rook has to step in because Ashe has burned out, or being switched with each other because she's extremely tired. Or even having two potions that worked for each scenario, one that works well and one that's just passable enough to gather the ingredient, and choosing the ones that work well means you get to make both potions.
That last screen, where you can see everyone is at home? It filled me with a happy warmth to see them all there, even though I'd been told that Alchemist, Blacksmith and Adventurer were there during the course of the game.
This is such a lovely sweet little game. I like that it's narrative based, though I do wish I could talk again to my housemates, even if it's only a wish for good luck in the mornings or a simple repeat of their last sentence in the evenings. I kind of had an inkling starting out, that the game would be about adding to my house, so I was slightly disappointed that I couldn't do more for the thief. Like invite him and his siblings home.
That being said, I do love this game and the way it gently pokes fun at RPGs, that it's about finding yourself a family, and the positivity in the ending that yes, everyone will stay when spring comes.
 "Deep Forest"){kind=icon}
 "The Alchemist"){kind=icon}
 "The Journey Home"){kind=icon}
 "Home"){kind=icon}
 "Daymare Cat"){kind=icon}