It starts off with a disclaimer that all your choices matter and you can't rewind back to them. While there are ways around this, I can respect at least trying to set up the expectation that your choices have some meaning. I tend not to care for choices much in VNs because a lot of the time they are so minor. If you do have choices in a VN, make them impactful. That doesn't mean they have to be explosive right away, just that it has a moment you can connect a big event to a choice.

The MC is Dan, an anxious hyena that most likely has deeper issues of depression or something and lives with his dad. And we have the first choice of the game: to brush your teeth before or after eating. This feels strange in a game where it tries to state that your choices matter, but I have to assume at this point your wrong answer will anger the gods and have you struck down for your arrogance.

Dan and his dad talk for a bit about how he should meet their new neighbors, who are boars, and Dan had some trauma happen to him that made him very socially anxious. His dad also wants him to talk to his best friend, Tyson, as they kind of drifted apart, seemingly because Tyson was busy, so the MC gave up after a while, and Tyson never reached out either.

So to recap, we have depressive yeen MC, boar neighbors, and a Tyson. I can see what someone else was talking about the game having Password vibes and feeling very inspired by it. Hopefully it won't end up as disappointing.

On my next choice, I choose to help dad instead of meeting the piggers. Dad is revealed to be a pack rat. His dad doesn't want to let anything go, and Dan finds a box he is extra defensive about. It is soon figured out by the MC that it belonged to his mother. The woman that abandoned them, in his own words. Dan has a panic attack after the events of his dad snapping at him and crying.

They ignore the problem as they settle down and get a ring at the door by the boar man about Dan's age. They meet, and dad comes back out to talk to him, and the Boar named Chris wants to hang out, and dad is happy to shove Dan off after what happened.

He and Chris talk about Chris, that he moved around a lot and his dad is a mechanic. Dan also says that his dad is an attorney that takes on non-crime cases to avoid the danger of them. They both like anime and seem to be shut-ins. Chris says he likes Isekai, and Dan is thinking it is boring for all being the same. Bold words from an FVN that has been pretty standard so far outside of Dan's early meltdown.

They bond a bit over anime and video games and how Chris uses Beastube to watch videos of games because he doesn't have a PC. They are both in college and happen to be at the same school. So everything is lining up for this to be the love interest. Chris seems very interested in Dan, even if Dan doesn't feel the same.

They get into the cafe they were going to and meet a wolf named Hunter. You get a choice of drink, and I can't help but notice most of the choices seem pretty plain for a game that tries to sell that your choices matter. It makes it feel like it was blowing itself up about that. I most likely wouldn't mind if it didn't point that out at the start. Because if these choices do matter, it feels stupid; like major plot events happening because of your drink choice would feel random.

They also talk about how Dan's mom left them while he was three because she never wanted a kid. And how he says he is fine, but his inner thoughts say he didn't move on. Dan's dad texts, and he gets called back home. He freaks out a bit, but Chris comforts him.

Dan and his dad make up, and pretty much what was expected happened. He didn't want to engage with the box and took it out on Dan because of it while Dan was being stubborn about it. His dad hasn't moved on and still most likely loves her to this day, and Dan wants to be loved like that. There is still time for the incest route, but I don't think this game would go that way with how hard it is shipping him with Chris. I still want the yeen dad.

They move past that quickly as they start talking about Chris and anime, and Dan is, of course, the type of person that gets offended if you call anime cartoons. Because anime to him is art and has depth. Terminal weeb, I'm afraid. They talk about Dan's first day and how it was awful for him and he locked himself in his room for days after it.

Dad asks more about Chris, and Dan starts daydreaming about him and how he wants to be held by him. Leading up to the fact that this is the first time Dan has wanted to meet someone in a while. Since he fell out with Tyson and the gang. Dave, I mean Dan, really closed himself off after his trauma, and his dad warned him about going too fast. They start to plan to go shopping and get a bite to eat for the rest of the night.

I'm going to take a pause from mostly recapping because I don't really have too much extra to say. It feels like the FVN is pretty average in a lot of ways. I'm kind of expecting some twist to shake things up, but so far it's mostly just what I would expect. Like if you are looking for a ball of nerves character trying to get his life back on track, it might be for you. For me, however, I guess I'm just disappointed because I was expecting more from the game, yet it feels like it oversold its hand too early and expects me to keep guessing if the drink choice or how Dan brushes his teeth really matters. I don't know what it all impacts, but the game set an expectation and took out a feature to sell how important the choice is. Maybe mankind is already doomed when you pick the wrong milkshake flavor, but I would rather cut those choices because they feel like fluff.

This most likely could have been avoided if the game didn't set up the expectation that the choices mattered at the start. It just comes off as what the FVN wants, because it wants to keep the reader guessing what each could mean, but you should make a strong first impression and make a choice that is important first so you gaslight the reader a bit into thinking the smaller ones make a difference in the end.

Back to the story, they have been talking about their food shopping for a while. Until his dad looks at some flowers and wants to liven up the place, and that sticks with Dan. He also runs off to get one more thing before crashing into a lion at the store. You can either argue or say you are sorry, and again, I don't really feel like I care about this either way.

They get to the place they want to eat, and his dad is giving him a hard time about Dan wanting fast food. His dad is the cook of the house and would rather be making something for them instead. He spends the whole time being petty about the whole thing. But he comes around when Dan shares his chicken. They also talk about Hunter and his rocky past, but it goes nowhere. Dan keeps pushing, and dad snaps again just like before.

It keeps saying that this isn't like them, but it seems to be their relationship. Fine for the most part, but there are a few mines to avoid. They get home, and Dan and Chris decide to meet up tomorrow to go to class together. Hunter is also coming over after he is done with work.

Dan mentioned before that he views Hunter like an older brother or uncle. He also came out to him of all people. Dan is open to him all the time, and Hunter isn't, so they fight about that. They also use the term speciest. They talk about their pasts for a bit and how you can't let the past control you and all that stuff.

Also, Chris was being openly gay to Dan in a place that I guess beats people up or worse for being gay. Hunter leaves after their talk, and Dan tries to sleep but can't because of stress, so he starts jerking it in the first animation of the game.

The next day Dan gets up and heads to Chris' house, and he is being yelled at by his dad for not being like Evan. They get to the metro, and they have to pay two creds for a ride. Maybe it is a good deal or a rip-off, but who knows with fake currency? The FVN gives us a lesson on the area using train lines. Not super interesting either.

They go about getting to their class and the lion Dan bumped into at the store happens to be their new professor. When he sees Dan he berates him and gives out a test on the first day. A test you are meant to answer and it is kind of stupid and that is the end of the build.

The Shattering is alright, not really excited for more so not sure if I will come back to it. Maybe it just shot itself in the foot with me and I don't really care about exploring the game more because of it. It wasn't as slow paced as other games, but it feels like it doesn't do anything really interesting yet.

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Pub: 27 Feb 2026 16:22 UTC

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