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To provide some context, Deemo is a Taiwanese rhythm game developed for the iOS and Android by Rayark Games. For the most part, I think this game has escaped the notice from most western otaku. Which honestly would make sense, since it isn't marketed towards Otaku like other rhythm games (notably Love Live and Osu). In fact, the game play is arguably not even the primary purpose of the game. Rather, the songs serve the broader purpose of telling a story together with the visuals. The word "visual novel", by its name suggests a story that emphasizes the visual aspect to express the story. Taking this loose understanding of the term (and not the conventional definition), Deemo certainly qualifies as an interesting example. In fact, Deemo mostly relies on its visuals and audio to convey its story, hardly using much text at all. This aids the experience excellently as the story is quite simple, and most of the experience is emotional. And nothing conveys emotions as well as music. The game begins in a cut scene showing falling sheet music, and a mysterious figure that resembles a walking shadow (Deemo). The next thing we see is Deemo peacefully playing a piano, when he is suddenly interrupted when a girl falls from the sky into his house. Catching her, they then ponder on the best way to return her where she came from (in the sky). It is then that they discover a little sapling growing on the ground, and they realize that when it grows into a large tree, she could climb it up. Thankfully, the tree grows through the power of music, and that is where the game play becomes relevant. The tree grows by playing music, but in order to keep it growing you need to keep discovering new music. This is where the other key game mechanic becomes important. For the most part, you unlock new songs when the tree reaches certain heights. But usually you can only get the music by finding it. So you have to search through Deemo's house to find new songs. In doing so, you discover all sort of other clues that provide hints about Deemo's true identity. As you search through Deemo's house, you are not only discovering new music to progress the game, but also learning about the weird world you are in. Deemo's house, is essentially the whole world in this universe. By exploring, you will inevitably ask yourself 3 questions. Who is Deemo, who is the masked lady, and what is this world? Visual Novels typically use choice structures as a means to direct the story. Similarly, but also quite differently, you guide the story and its progression in Deemo through exploration of the limited areas. There is not much to explore, just like how VNs usually only provide a few branching choices, which provides the same sense of confinement that VNs give. You are given some room to explore and deviate, but you are mostly restricted to a few places. The art cover for each song also adds a level of storytelling as each picture captures an image of Deemo's and the girl's relationship developing. The song itself provides the mood to interpret the picture. In other words, the song is essentially the words. Or another way of thinking about it is that each song could be broken down into musical notes and transcribed on paper as sheet music. Well that sheet music, is the script to this story. The game focuses all the comprehensive aspects of the story to imagery and exploration (with minimal use of text), allowing for character development and all things emotional to be expressed by the music as opposed to text. And while narrative can always communicate plot points more efficiently than music, music trumps narrative in terms of emotional expression. And ultimately Deemo's story is more focused on mood, than it is on plot. The game wants the player to use their imagination to string the plot together by using images and the music as the core tools to do so. In much the same way that novelists want the reader to use their imagination when visualizing descriptions. In this way, I think this music game, captures the true heart of music; emotional expression. The title of this article suggests that I think that Deemo is in some way a visual novel, and using the term loosely, that is true. As I briefly mentioned before, the term “visual novel” implies a story that is primarily expressed through visuals (this is of course ignoring the historical context to how the term was coined in the first place). And I have seldom seen any story that has relied on the visual aspect as much as Deemo. The game almost solely relies on images to express what is going on, and music to infuse emotional meaning to those images. And it is truly impressive how effective a story can be told in this limited way. To the extent where by the end of this journey, I was in tears. And when I return back to replay certain songs, or to view certain cut scenes, the feelings I initially felt are still there.

Before anyone asks, no I'm not translating this VN as a whole. For one thing, it is long and I'm lazy. For another, it actually has a small chance of coming over here, so I'm not going to do something that will spoil the whole game for them (I want this officially localized). This is a fully narrated version (narrated by the poster of the video) of the first few scenes of Hapymaher, which was my VN of the Year 2013. This VN has ridiculously good music... and a frequently heartbreaking story. 2:38-14:42 The youtube guy voices the narration and the protagonist, in a way that is pretty good... and this is a translation. There is no need for you to do anything. Just leave everything to me. Also, when it comes to your 'true desires', they are something you just think you understand. Misfortune, happiness, difficulties, weeping, pain, pleasure, and fun… I will provide them all. I know for certain what to do to make it so, after all. But even so, you will still force yourself to go on. You like to give up as well, don’t you? That’s why I’ll capture you. You like that as well, don’t you? You always need to be looked after, after all. That place was an extravagant room. In the center was a wide, heavily-built table. Upon the table, a pot with steam wafting from it and colorful candies and treats were lined up. The fluffy couch and the handwoven rug upon the floor were all intended for the guests that came here. Here, the preparations for a tea party are always complete. That room, which seemed like it had lept out of a dream or a story, looked like a bad joke to me. That was because of the coloring… black, white, red, purple, pink, blue… all the colors I could see were vivid ones. It was as if the room were decorated like a butterfly. Though it was a room that seemed as if it was from an aristocrat’s mansion, the color made it seem as if it had tossed aside all forms of dignity. It wasn’t just the inside of the room that was strange. Outside the window, vegetation grew so thickly that it was if it were a botanical garden. The only light was the flickering light of the stars and the moon. However, even that was blocked by the thick growth of the forest. Thin trees, thick trees, flowers blooming despite the fact that it was night, and the overgrowth of grass, vines, and leaves. The excess of plant growth around the room seemed to indicate that no human hand had intervened there in centuries. However, the room itself was new, in all ways. That strange place was filled with the silence of the forest and the presence of living things. Suddenly, a single shadow appeared in the room. Roses, which were not amongst the flowers blooming outside, began to bloom as if in order to conceal the shadow. The white roses, which seemed to grow in fast forward, began to give off the sweet smell of burning honey as they bloomed, as if someone had set fire to them. The roses spread slowly like spilled water, giving off the scents of tea, honey, sweets, and the deep forest. And then the shadow took on the form of a young girl and stood there as if she had been there from the beginning. The girl who stood amongst the white roses laughed quietly. “Since I’ve been called, I must treat you to my hospitality.” With a mien of mixed enjoyment and sorrow she whispered. Opening Second Scene And so, I dream once again today. When I came to, I was lying in the forest at night. “Why am I dreaming this dream again…?” There is no point in complaining. I rise and begin to walk through the forest in my dreams. I walk, I walk. In that deep forest, the light of the stars and moon filtered through the trees is all the ilumination. Even though the forest holds the sense of no presence other than “ours”, even though it is perfectly silent… Even so, I can’t seem to believe there is no one else there. A beast, a bird, a person, or perhaps even something like a ghost. I’m not sure, but I sought to leave that forest, holding her hand amidst the intense sensation that something is there. I almost trip over thick roots and stumble over buried stones. Even so, I continue to walk holding the hand of the silent presence following me. I know that this is a dream. In the end, a dream is a dream. I know. This is the past. Even if this actually occurred in the past, what I am seeing is merely a dream. So, what I am seeing here is utterly meaningless. This is a dream. I know that better than anyone. I know! However, even so. No matter how well I know it is meaningless, I can’t bring myself to let go of this hand I'm holding. “It will be all right ______. Let’s return home.” There is no answer, nor is there a sense of a nod. However, I don’t release that hand. I know what will happen after this. It is a dream I’ve seen countless times. I can leave this forest. It is a dark forest where I can’t figure out where I am, but I can return. However… “Ah… will we be able to go home?” The direction of the light changes changes. The forest goes from deep forest of the inside to the shallow forest of that which is close to the outside. The trees are thin, the young ones begin to stand out, and the light filtering through the trees increases. “We will return for sure this time… together this time for sure…!” My legs shiver from walking through the forest, and I’m not sure my voice is coming out. Even so, the sensation of the hand gripping mine was there. -I know what happens after this. ---Please stop. I can also here my own voice screaming those words. However, I also think ‘this time for sure’. .It’s just a dream! Why give up if it is only a dream?! Even if it is just in a dream…! We walk, step by step, toward the outside. If we get through this forest, we can return home. The light from the outside gets stronger. The area becomes brighter. And when I exited the forest… … the hand I was supposed to be holding was no longer there. “Why?! Why…?!” I knew it. I knew it would be this way. Only I can leave the forest. We will never be able to return together. “Why...?!” You gave up didn’t you? You know, don’t you? I should already know… know that only I returned. It took me a long time to understand and I caused a lot of trouble in the process, but shouldn’t I have figured this out by now? “That’s… even so…!” And… Even if you returned together in the dream --- it isn’t like she’ll come back, will she? After all, this is just a dream. It changes nothing. It is just self-satisfaction. Even if I know it is a dream, it can’t have any effect on reality. Yes, I know. In the end, a dream is a dream. I can’t return with her… “Then, if you could return with her?”