Platform: PC | Demo Length: 1 hour
Siren’s Call: Second Wind is about a wedding. Emil’s wedding day. It should be his happiest day ever. And it is, he’s getting married to the love of his life, his friends are around well- almost, though instead of the sun, there’s a black hole in its place, but everything’s still great… Right?
The game advertises itself as a thought-provoking and atmospheric visual novel and it indeed wastes no time proving that to you as it starts with Emil, our protagonist, contemplating the missing sun over Florida.
We’re then thrown into the after-party as we meet his wife, Adi, her twin sister, Judith, her husband, Oliver, and her best friend, Violet. The notable absence, however, is Ruth, Emil’s best friend, who never made it to the wedding.
This is when the game’s “digression” mechanic comes into play, where you can raise certain questions or abnormalities to those around you, revealing ‘objective truths’ to you and Emil. However, the game adds that because of Emil’s ego, he may choose to interpret these truths differently, thus establishing him as an unreliable narrator.
The other feature is the genre pathway system. You can change the genre of Emil’s ‘soul’ into one of mystery or romance. Dialogue choices can push Emil towards one or the other, affecting how the story plays out.
As the game eloquently puts it, “Ignorance is bliss but knowledge is power.”
As the day goes on, Emil starts to question what is real and what is not. He then finds Ruth in the supermarket near the wedding venue yet she doesn’t acknowledge his wedding so he decides to end their friendship.
Then the day ends, and he wakes up… back in school with Ruth. He questions whether this is a dream but he notes that the sun is up in the sky. So was this a dream or was the other world a dream?
My Impressions
So I’m an absolute coward when it comes to any form of horror-esque thrillers and I didn’t realise that this tiptoed on the line of being one.
It does an incredible job at keeping an unsettling atmosphere throughout the entirety of the demo. I want to highlight particularly the use of sounds and the writing itself. Even when the scene is entirely lighthearted, it inserts lines that make you do a double-take and go “what was that?”
The game’s mechanics of digressing and being able to alternate the genres add further paranoia about whether any of this is real and make you question yourself. As you are playing through Emil’s eyes, it’s easy to just assume whatever Emil says or feels is how you should too. But, as he is an unreliable narrator, you find yourself second–guessing if what he is saying is really part of reality.
Even the index includes key information about places and characters you should learn… but again as they are Emil’s words, you can’t entirely trust that either.
The character art and sprites are nice but you can distinctly tell when they have been done by a different artist which stands out. The CGs are lovely and are also animated which adds a nice touch.
As mentioned, I am easily unnerved but one of my favourite things about the game is that it seems to play on some fourth–wall-breaking elements on different levels. Whether you digress, replay the demo a second time, or even browse through the gallery, there are things you can experience that made me go, “Okay… I’m scared.”
Would I Recommend It? YES! ✓
Siren’s Call: Second Wind is a mind-bender but one I am thoroughly invested in. The demo doesn’t show too much of how your choices would alter the game but teases enough that you know there’s more that meets the eye. It touches on some genuinely thought-provoking philosophical subjects, but presents them in a way that’s easy to follow.
And one thing that is echoed through the demo, “Don’t get distracted”?
I need to know what that means.
You can try out the demo to Siren’s Call: Second Wind on Steam and Itch.io.
This game was reviewed as part of the Fall in Love Visual Novel Festival on Steam.
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