Clube das Senhorinhas [EN]

"Life wasn't the best, things weren't perfect. But somehow...everything felt fine." 

Frequently I feel like "older" characters in media are just portrayed as that - "old," or they fall into set archetypes (crochety old man, friendly grandma, etc.) I love how richly characterized each of these characters is. They're all incredibly different and simply portrayed as "people," with their own personalities and backgrounds, even though their years of experience inform their perspectives on life. 

The CGs, without giving any spoilers, are incredibly lovely - I love how they're painted in stylized colors and gradients, which give such a poignant vibe, and the way they're composed is so tender. The music is at times catchy, at times emotional, and overall well-chosen; the pastel palette is really bright and colorful, perfect for setting the tone of the game. 

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I really love how, even at her age, Susan has so many problems - with her self image, thinking that she "owes" it to others to dress well; with her marriage, thinking that she's selfish for wanting affection. She's jealous at Eunice for how easily she gets along with others, and for how optimistic and carefree the other woman is. At first Susan appears prickly, unreasonable even - her judgmental comments are particularly unsavory - until you see how she's treated by her husband. He says that she's worthless, unskilled, undeserving of being paid for work that she's done, and Susan is constantly made to feel as if she is completely dependent on her husband. 

Eunice's Route:

I love how on the playthrough, you can SEE what the right choices are, but you can't pick them. You're forced to drive Susan down this destructive path, where, ironically, not telling Eunice her real feelings leads her to say things that are even worse. However, despite all of the harsh, hurtful things Susan says, Eunice still supports Susan in her time of need, and seeing Susan finally open up to her old friend in a moment of vulnerability is incredibly sweet. After playing through all the routes, I really love how, in this route, Susan seeks out support from all of her friends - it's really fitting for the platonic route. 

Sidney's Route:

I loved how different this route was from Eunice's! While Eunice's route focused on problems that people of any age could experience, Sidney's route specifically focused on problems associated with being elderly, and the loneliness that can cause. Sidney is divorced, and he suffers from serious medical complications. He worries about being a burden on his adult child, as he has started a family of his own, and he feels lonely and isolated. It's a common problem among the elderly, especially as they stop working and have fewer opportunities to meet people. Susan recognizes Sidney's struggles, even though she is in a very different situation - she is still married, but she feels distanced from her husband. Like Sidney, she feels the same loneliness and feeling of being a burden (especially as her husband demeans her, and she is a "housewife", a "burden" - despite working for her husband's business). The moment when she realizes their shared problems is a touching one, as Susan recognizes her own loneliness as she recognizes Sidney's. I appreciate that at the end, they don't immediately start dating, although Susan's divorce is on the horizon - instead just supporting each other.

Bernadette's Route:

I REALLY didn't know what to expect when playing Bernadette's route, but the way it evolved was INCREDIBLY fitting. Bernadette has a grandson and a rocky relationship with her daughter, who disapproves of her mother's "free" attitude - her daughter views Bernadette as a bad influence on her grandson, Eric, and they're at odds because of it. I do like how this route is the only one where Susan directly opens up with someone else about the problems in her marriage. It's an interesting exchange, as it is clear that Bernadette has never espoused traditional gender roles or "wife" duties, while Susan strictly adheres to them. In the end, Susan both disregards Bernadette's opinion because she "simply doesn't understand" while begrudgingly finding some comfort in it.

Despite her rebellious, youthful look, Bernadette has a lot of wisdom LOL it's clear that she has experienced a lot in her lifetime, a lot of abuse and neglect, and she recognizes it in Susan. In the end, they both find freedom with each other - freedom from expectations and duties, able to express themselves how they want, and it's a beautiful conclusion. 

(I also found Bernadette's route particularly interesting in how it illustrated how "cyclical" generational trauma can be. Bernadette's own family was highly religious, so in return she rebelled and became a free spirit. Bernadette's daughter, Lilith, seems to be much more "proper" and "controlled," unlike Bernadette, and Eric, stifled under his mother's strict control, is more like his grandmother, wanting to explore himself without restrictions or rules.)

Overall: 

Overall, I really loved the themes of these routes - they were poignant and well-executed. Even though two of the routes were romance routes, in the end the focus of the game was on friendship and companionship, and how your friendships can support you through rocky patches in your life. All three characters have some distance from their families, but they are able to find comfort and support in the Clube. I liked how the only choice that mattered in you getting the "good ending" or not is whether Susan tolerates her relationship with her abusive husband - her friends/love interests support her through her highs and lows. And in the end of all the routes, Susan's marriage as fallen apart, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that her life is in a state of disrespair. I appreciate that it didn't end with Susan getting her life back together, but finding solace in the fact that she has companions that can help her get through it. It's a particularly fitting theme centered around older characters. 

It was a lovely game; I wanted to cry for Susan the entire way through. And certainly one of the most unique otomes that I have ever played LOL A great concept with fantastic execution, great job by the dev! 

I got Eunice's route and it really touched my heart. She's such a lovely character- I'd be happy to take walks and play dominoes with her and the group :> Great game!!

I LOVE THIS GAME!!!
I haven't played all the routes yet (just bernadette's) but I absolutely ADORED IT!! 
The writing feels really natural and the interactions between characters made me laugh a lot, very very wholesome.

The art is so lovely, the CGs made me clutch my chest like:

also... a solo dev game!?!? INCREDIBLE! I am genuinley in awe at how much you were able to create in just 2 months! 
I hope you are very proud of yourself ^^ wheeeeeeee~ 

- gremlin ^^ 

BERNADETTE'S ROUTE, HELEN. ISTG YOU DFHAKYSJ i loved everything, the art was adorable and you had me crying at some point so that's that ilysm and take a break now that you're done! I'm proud of you! 

i loved it XDDDDD i played eunice's route first, and omgggg!!! she's so amazing, so much wisdom. i'm still gonna play the other routes but i just wanted to leave a comment first. also that ending music???? I LOVE IT