Beautiful!! I loved everything about this game/poem. The writing, graphics, music, and presentation are all so well done! I felt really immersed while playing this! I love the way the ocean's text moves like waves and the way the ocean trembles when it says its own name. I love the day counter and the way the beach changes with the ocean's mood. The writing made me cry and I'm so happy with the way it ended ahkjshkdfjhsdf. I want to give both characters a hug!
I started the game not expecting much, jokingly reading the dialogue to my girlfriend in a funny voice, but quickly became serious fell in love with this. Absolutely beautiful concept, and execution. Really inspiring to see what people can do with restrictive tools like bitsy. Decided to delve into your other games too. Makes me want to make more concious content.
I see this as a remarkable allegory on God and the role humanity plays in environmentalism (not a hot take, but if anyone needs a little push: You play as a bird that wanders and listens, appreciating what the ocean has given them, wanting to listen to it's provider's woes (it's home that is now in pain). The people are angry, they only take what the ocean - a mystic, ever-morphing, almighty force of nature - grants to them (hence the automatic assumption after years of humanity's resource abuse and environmental negligence, that the ocean makes when a new living creature approaches - "you only want me to grant your wish") the bird, this living creature content with merely living in the land it is provided, wishes nothing from the oceans offer beyond continuing the life it lives on Earth.
I dunno, I know it's very black and white, but I just like to sort it out anyways.
This is an incredibly special vignette, worthy of the weight it's message caries.
you will never know how much this means to me. I first encountered Novena a little over a year ago and i keep coming back. Everything about this is just perfect. The music, the pacing, the repetition. I keep coming back to this in low points in my life. I rarely cry and often can't when i really need to, but Novena never fails to produce tears. Eventually I may forget about this, but I won't. I won't because i"ll keep coming back. Someday I'll have this poem on a wall in my house. Not hung up, but painted or carved into the wall itself. I want to pass this on to my kids, I want to share this with my partner someday, I want so much and i'm really just rambling at this point but just know how much this means to me. It really, really does.
thank you so much! im really glad that novena brings you comfort or hope during hard times. my most personal games are very much a form of catharsis for myself and im glad that other people can feel the same kind of release/relief in them. keeps me going! so thanks for your comment.
im glad novena inspired you! this game is the first one i ever made, and it was made with a game engine named bitsy, which is fairly easy to use even if you dont know anything about game development.
So beautiful!! Used everything you could; the art is gorgeous and the text is so sincere and the story is touching and the music is so perfectly suited.
This was a really touching and beautiful story. The soundtrack was amazing, and the simple design was really nice. I liked how the background changed as you kept going back. This was just a stunning creation!
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Very lovely and atmospheric. Simple yet beautiful - love the colors and sound.
it's so beautiful and amazing and sad and happy all at once...*sniff
Beautiful!! I loved everything about this game/poem. The writing, graphics, music, and presentation are all so well done! I felt really immersed while playing this! I love the way the ocean's text moves like waves and the way the ocean trembles when it says its own name. I love the day counter and the way the beach changes with the ocean's mood. The writing made me cry and I'm so happy with the way it ended ahkjshkdfjhsdf. I want to give both characters a hug!
Thank you for making this!
I started the game not expecting much, jokingly reading the dialogue to my girlfriend in a funny voice, but quickly became serious fell in love with this. Absolutely beautiful concept, and execution. Really inspiring to see what people can do with restrictive tools like bitsy. Decided to delve into your other games too. Makes me want to make more concious content.
I see this as a remarkable allegory on God and the role humanity plays in environmentalism (not a hot take, but if anyone needs a little push: You play as a bird that wanders and listens, appreciating what the ocean has given them, wanting to listen to it's provider's woes (it's home that is now in pain). The people are angry, they only take what the ocean - a mystic, ever-morphing, almighty force of nature - grants to them (hence the automatic assumption after years of humanity's resource abuse and environmental negligence, that the ocean makes when a new living creature approaches - "you only want me to grant your wish") the bird, this living creature content with merely living in the land it is provided, wishes nothing from the oceans offer beyond continuing the life it lives on Earth.
I dunno, I know it's very black and white, but I just like to sort it out anyways.
This is an incredibly special vignette, worthy of the weight it's message caries.
quality
So beautiful i needed this <3. This shows how coding is an art form.
i'm seriously crying right now. this hit so hard. thank you for making a game like this. it is truly a masterpiece.
Wow...this is...so calm and yet so deep. I'm at a loss for words...thank you.
I've been struggling with memories childhood abuse recently, and this made me feel better. Thank you.
If you're crying right now, it's definitely us, not just you
A lot has been said and written about this game, but it is not enough. I wish for more from the author and the dev team.
i’ve got more games on my page!
This is such a sweet story!
Really catchy atmosphere and style, cool!
A really sweet game. The pixel-equivalent on a good hug right when you need it. I did wonder, what composition tools are you using for your music?
;_;
this was utterly entrancing
it's a nice poem
it's so beautiful, thank you for those few moments
you will never know how much this means to me. I first encountered Novena a little over a year ago and i keep coming back. Everything about this is just perfect. The music, the pacing, the repetition. I keep coming back to this in low points in my life. I rarely cry and often can't when i really need to, but Novena never fails to produce tears. Eventually I may forget about this, but I won't. I won't because i"ll keep coming back. Someday I'll have this poem on a wall in my house. Not hung up, but painted or carved into the wall itself. I want to pass this on to my kids, I want to share this with my partner someday, I want so much and i'm really just rambling at this point but just know how much this means to me. It really, really does.
thank you so much! im really glad that novena brings you comfort or hope during hard times. my most personal games are very much a form of catharsis for myself and im glad that other people can feel the same kind of release/relief in them. keeps me going! so thanks for your comment.
it's such a nice poem
i cried its so good
I love it, it's such a beautiful story!
This is really beautifull...
awwWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!
this was so good! the interactive parts complemented the poetry parts so well!!
I've played through this many times. The last line... gets me everytime
This is incredible.
Gorgeous and meticulous-- wow!
good
im glad novena inspired you! this game is the first one i ever made, and it was made with a game engine named bitsy, which is fairly easy to use even if you dont know anything about game development.
amazing
Simple, but poignant. I needed to see this. Thank you for your wonderful work!
Nice work!The music and the story are both amazing,and i also like the detail changes of the background.
so beautiful
So beautiful!! Used everything you could; the art is gorgeous and the text is so sincere and the story is touching and the music is so perfectly suited.
Just beautiful, very touching.
Impressively beautiful ♥
This was a really touching and beautiful story. The soundtrack was amazing, and the simple design was really nice. I liked how the background changed as you kept going back. This was just a stunning creation!
Beautiful interactive ballad.