"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.
======SPOILERS BELOW========
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!
yeah i definitely agree!! as someone who's used to spend time with elders (and my mom being an elder too) it's kinda boring to see them always being represented as. a thing. rather than a human being. and of course my innate need to know how every single person on this planet works and why they think and act the way they do just had to drive me to make a game where i explore the elderly!!!!!!!!!! so demonized and misunderstood most of the time (even if fairly...)
it was really important to me to show them spending time TOGETHER - since most of times elders are either tied to someone younger or their family. i feel like that connection is often too strong and takes away their individuality. so showing a bunch of old people as a group of their own was a very thought out decision.
ahhh i'm glad you liked the colors/music! i feared they would be too "young" or "otome" considering the characters but i'm happy they work well!!
one thing that i often realized when interacting with older people is that many of them hold many regrets and "habits" and views they inherited from their earlier life and communities they've been in. it's a thing that everyone can deduce but people often forget about it. most of these communities are long gone by now and the only memory of it is those people.
some of susan struggles, for example, were based on my mother's, which were based on her own life experiences, communities and points of view. it's kinda insane how some of those stuck susan in her bad marriage situation... it's an intricate system that is hard to cut yourself off, especially considering how long you have been stuck in it. you get so used to the pain that you don't consider it pain anymore. i love how susan is an authentic character like that tbh...
I COOKED WITH THAT NARRATIVE CHOICE NGL......... sometimes you KNOW what you want to say but you just can't bring your self to. it's just too hard (speaking from experience...) and i wanted to bring that up too. and honestly, the first choices were already a bit hard, too. eunice is just too nice (heheh), she wouldn't have it any other way. a girl for the people... AND I ALSO LOVE HOW SUSAN ASKS EVERYONE FOR ADVICE...... IT WAS SO CUTE TO SEE THEIR LITTLE GROUP BEING SO SUPPORTIVE TO EACH OTHER UAUUUGHG
yeah...... i think that from all of the cast, sidney is the most similar (emotionally) to susan. they match in a beautiful and melancholic way that is very nice. they share a lot and they find comfort in that, and even if they like each other romantically, they are satisfied with that, at the time of the ending -- which is also something i heard from elders lol. "[when you are old,] you marry for the company, rather than anything else"
bernadette is crazy, i love her (i wish i had a punk grandma too.....). even if she's a menace to society, her "rebelious" attitude doesn't grow into irresponsibility. i really like that. "freedom" doesn't excuse you being an asshole to others, imo,,,
(SO TRUE.......... i love how it goes full cycle.......... life is so weird........)
you know me, i can't write romance without making it a great friendship story. in the end everything is platonical, i fooled everyone, and all is well. i love writing.......
i hate bad endings, but i had to put this one because it is very meaningful. you can have all the support you want, but in the end, it's up to you to break from toxic cycles you're in. accepting things "as they are" makes any advice you listen useless -- and that stubborness to keep in hurtful situations is also a thing that i've seen a lot of old people in. it's heartbreaking honestly.
and it's kinda nice to see things growing a little better after so much despair.... little by little.....
LMAOOOOOOOOOO I'M HAPPY we need more non-hot old people...... please just make normal elders for us to befriend..........
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~
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa gremlin thank you thank you!!! ^___^
i'm really wanted everything to feel natural and wholesome so i'm happy it turned out that way yee!!! :'"")))))
ALSO YEAH, I HAD THAT SAME REACTION WHILE MAKING THOSE CGS SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN SFNSOIFNIOUFNAOIUEFNA
awwww <33 i'm very proud of my lil game and how much i could achieve in those months. at the end of the jam i was like "huh...... is this even that great?" bc i got used to everything but seeing everyone's comments makes me realize again that yeah...........it was a lot of work.... !!! and i'm happy it turned out the way i wanted :')
SIDFGSIEGESOUNSEROUN YEAH I WAS SO EXCITED WHILE I WAS WRITING IT!!!!!!!!!! it felt so much like a soap opera and i was like DAMN I LOVE THIS I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE EVERYONE'S REACTIONS AND SUNSKDFNKJFNKABGEU anyway ;; thanks again!!!! hope u enjoy the other routes <3
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
![Clube das Senhorinhas [EN]](https://img.itch.zone/aW1nLzkxNDEyMzgucG5n/original/p66NvZ.png)
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"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.
======SPOILERS BELOW========
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!
yeah i definitely agree!! as someone who's used to spend time with elders (and my mom being an elder too) it's kinda boring to see them always being represented as. a thing. rather than a human being. and of course my innate need to know how every single person on this planet works and why they think and act the way they do just had to drive me to make a game where i explore the elderly!!!!!!!!!! so demonized and misunderstood most of the time (even if fairly...)
it was really important to me to show them spending time TOGETHER - since most of times elders are either tied to someone younger or their family. i feel like that connection is often too strong and takes away their individuality. so showing a bunch of old people as a group of their own was a very thought out decision.
ahhh i'm glad you liked the colors/music! i feared they would be too "young" or "otome" considering the characters but i'm happy they work well!!
one thing that i often realized when interacting with older people is that many of them hold many regrets and "habits" and views they inherited from their earlier life and communities they've been in. it's a thing that everyone can deduce but people often forget about it. most of these communities are long gone by now and the only memory of it is those people.
some of susan struggles, for example, were based on my mother's, which were based on her own life experiences, communities and points of view. it's kinda insane how some of those stuck susan in her bad marriage situation... it's an intricate system that is hard to cut yourself off, especially considering how long you have been stuck in it. you get so used to the pain that you don't consider it pain anymore. i love how susan is an authentic character like that tbh...
I COOKED WITH THAT NARRATIVE CHOICE NGL......... sometimes you KNOW what you want to say but you just can't bring your self to. it's just too hard (speaking from experience...) and i wanted to bring that up too. and honestly, the first choices were already a bit hard, too.
eunice is just too nice (heheh), she wouldn't have it any other way. a girl for the people... AND I ALSO LOVE HOW SUSAN ASKS EVERYONE FOR ADVICE...... IT WAS SO CUTE TO SEE THEIR LITTLE GROUP BEING SO SUPPORTIVE TO EACH OTHER UAUUUGHG
yeah...... i think that from all of the cast, sidney is the most similar (emotionally) to susan. they match in a beautiful and melancholic way that is very nice. they share a lot and they find comfort in that, and even if they like each other romantically, they are satisfied with that, at the time of the ending -- which is also something i heard from elders lol. "[when you are old,] you marry for the company, rather than anything else"
bernadette is crazy, i love her (i wish i had a punk grandma too.....). even if she's a menace to society, her "rebelious" attitude doesn't grow into irresponsibility. i really like that. "freedom" doesn't excuse you being an asshole to others, imo,,,
(SO TRUE.......... i love how it goes full cycle.......... life is so weird........)
you know me, i can't write romance without making it a great friendship story. in the end everything is platonical, i fooled everyone, and all is well. i love writing.......
i hate bad endings, but i had to put this one because it is very meaningful. you can have all the support you want, but in the end, it's up to you to break from toxic cycles you're in. accepting things "as they are" makes any advice you listen useless -- and that stubborness to keep in hurtful situations is also a thing that i've seen a lot of old people in. it's heartbreaking honestly.
and it's kinda nice to see things growing a little better after so much despair.... little by little.....
LMAOOOOOOOOOO I'M HAPPY we need more non-hot old people...... please just make normal elders for us to befriend..........
thanks for the comment!!
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!!
awnn!! i'm happy you liked her! she's would love to spend time with you :))
thank you for you comment! <3
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 ^^
ALSO!! (I won't spoil it) but the drama reveal ...👀 I audibly GASPED
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa gremlin thank you thank you!!! ^___^
i'm really wanted everything to feel natural and wholesome so i'm happy it turned out that way yee!!! :'"")))))
ALSO YEAH, I HAD THAT SAME REACTION WHILE MAKING THOSE CGS SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN SFNSOIFNIOUFNAOIUEFNA
awwww <33 i'm very proud of my lil game and how much i could achieve in those months. at the end of the jam i was like "huh...... is this even that great?" bc i got used to everything but seeing everyone's comments makes me realize again that yeah...........it was a lot of work.... !!! and i'm happy it turned out the way i wanted :')
SIDFGSIEGESOUNSEROUN YEAH I WAS SO EXCITED WHILE I WAS WRITING IT!!!!!!!!!! it felt so much like a soap opera and i was like DAMN I LOVE THIS I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE EVERYONE'S REACTIONS AND SUNSKDFNKJFNKABGEU anyway ;; thanks again!!!! hope u enjoy the other routes <3
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!
KJNFKSNFFNELUNIEFNSNALIEFNSEL I'M SO GLAD!!!!!!!!!!!! and i hope it were happy tears <33
awnn, i'm taking!! thank you so much for your support <333 ilyy smmm jazziee!!!!!!! <3<3<3
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
sjnlfsdnfjkf i love Eunice so much!!!! thanks for playing :)))
also YEAH, I LOVE THAT SONG!!!! it always get stuck in my head when i listen to it :')