-illusion- - Schoolmate 2 -final-

Veterans will notice the removal of the stat-raising mechanic. In its place is the The more you fall in love with the heroines (Rena, Miki, or the newly added "Ghost" route for Kanon), the quieter the ambient audio becomes. By the final act, the usual upbeat piano tracks are gone, replaced by the hum of a CRT television and the sound of rain hitting a windowpane.

Without giving away the final line of dialogue—which has already become a meme template in Japan for "devastating realization"—it forces you to replay the first game’s opening movie in your head with new, horrifying clarity. SchoolMate 2 -Final- -Illusion-

It is unsettling. It is slow. It is a masterpiece. Veterans will notice the removal of the stat-raising

Did you finally find the truth behind the Illusion? Or did you wish you had stayed in the dream? Let us know in the comments below. Without giving away the final line of dialogue—which

*Docked half a point for the DRM that requires a Japanese Windows locale, but awarded full points for the most haunting credits theme since "I’ve never felt so empty."

SchoolMate 2 -Final- -Illusion- : Saying Goodbye to the Classroom (A Retrospective)