Review: Pocket Mirror ~ GoldenerTraum

There is a little je ne sais quoi about RPG Maker games, particularly horror that make them very memorable and impactful, and Pocket Mirror: GoldenerTraum isn’t the exception. This is the definitive remaster of the Pocket Mirror, which was originally launched in 2016. While similar to its predecessors, such as The Witchs House, its retro appearance is a wise sign of something valuable. The execution, based on the obvious choice to a storytelling story, can be achieved or escaped.

• Developer: AstralShift, VisuStella
• Publisher: Komodo
• Release: 19 May, 2023

The Goldener Tip is a tale of an amnesiac girl who wakes up in a bizarre castle. As she wanders through it and searching for his name, she finds many strange and hostile girls and entities. All of them seem to know more about her than she does, but they don’t want to explain anything. Through these encounters, the girl becomes more aware of herself, her past and how she is. The story rarely spells out the things you’re thinking of. Most endings and routes never unravel the mystery of the protagonists’ past. This brings more replay value in the game, even if you’re not trying to get all the endings. Those two types of games can make such a bizarre and surreal experience.

The story begins to become clearer in the Lisette and Enjels sections, which are the last and most of the game. That means that, until you watch the second playthrough of yours, the area surrounding Fleta and Harpaes is feeling narratively weak. At just three hours of play time, many characters and plot points don’t have enough time to develop the whole plot and the character alike as to get the best of their ability to. It really rewards players who explore any options and take careful care of the things that are happening. I didn’t recognize the emotion, even though I knew the whole story. The protagonists, after the ladies’ attempts to act on the different girls, reassured me that they should feel something. But it could get very difficult to connect with anyone because I wasn’t always sure what it symbolized.

Even if that story does not look like it suits you, the aesthetic will probably become apparent. This game is one of the most visually pleasing games I have played in 2023. I like the appearance of a Sanrio fan, and especially as a girl from Rozen Maiden and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. The cutesy art combines the intense violence in very funny ways. The sprites look great. In certain scenes the environment, which was already beautiful in 2016, is incredible. In particular, the moonlight corridor near Harpaes is in the bottom of my mind. In your NG+ (new to Pocket Mirror: GoldenerTraum), you can talk to blue pumpkins to read the developer’s diaries about a remaster. Although I never played the original, it was interesting reading the modifications.

The photo gallery that comes out of the photo gallery reminds us of the glory days of the indie RPG cinema. The character cast of colorful characters and the heartwarming message makes her shine. Video games are art, and Pocket Mirror is one of those games that are able to prove that.