Didn’t finish game yet, but gotta say that I, on contrary, actually loved island part. Maybe 'cause it tickled my “When They Cry”/07th expansion nostalgia a little. And both parts of final confrontation against Kitsune were epic.
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Hey, I just catch a typo on my second play.
In the chapter were we have the writing lesson with Mashashi, if, in the waterfall you chose to think of him, it says this:
But mostly I was more interested in Masashi, him family and background.
Shouldn’t that be his family?
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Welp, that was fun. Now let curl up in a ball and cry.
Edit: also, that moment near the end when you check your stats lol I almost had a heart attack.
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i know but maybe they can have a little relationship in the spirit world only. js 
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The amount of vulnerability and uncertainty the MC shows in this book broke me. We’re shown just how much their past is still tied to them. The Ronin identifies with the Jigoku Ittō-ryū- so much so that the absence of the technique, which has defined them for so long, has influenced their self worth as a warrior.
It’s poetic how it felt like the MC had lost themselves without the Jigoku style, when the techniques doctrines are just that: to forget oneself in order to achieve a state of non thought.
Pathetic? No. The MC has been avoiding their past for years, heck, they were literally running away from their problems (Jun/ko). Not confronting their history has influenced our ronins sense of identity. They can console in their companions sure, but a path of self recovery and inner turmoil is a battle that needs to be fought alone.
How can they fully commit to their companions when they have not yet found peace within in themselves?
Despite crying silently in fetal position, I fucking loved this book and I can’t wait for our Ronin’s and possibly Jun/ko’s? redemption in the next.
I also may have just written a 1,500 word essay on Jun/ko’s childhood trauma of sexual abuse and how it may have influenced their mind to create the demon we know now… Whoops.
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I swear to all the divine entities, if we find a way to heal Jun/ko and they end up as our RO, I will be over the moon (and beyond).
Also, this is just a theory, but something tells me Satsuma (the Emperor) might be a villain even if he himself ins’t truly aware of it. Both demons we’ve hunted said we were messing up the balance. Now, an Emperor with the gift of clairvoyance would want to avoid all the bad things that could happen to him but… But what if that’s his destiny? In the end he is not that different from all of royal figures who saught imortality no matter the cost.
He doesn’t want to lose his place so in return he messes up the entire realm to see his plans through. The rebels, for example, were after liberal ideologies, the kind that give power to the people, personally I don’t see how that’s a bad thing (but I’m biased). Yet that’s one of the things he’s trying to avoid… just to keep himself in power. He’s being selfish and narcissistic. I dunno… the way the story is heading I wouldn’t be surprised if in the end Satsuma was the actual mastermind behind it all, the ultimate villain.
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I can’t even…
I seriously can’t word how heartbroken I feel right now. I finally finished my “perfect” play through, and I just feel so frustrated and hyped.
I swear to god, going after Toshio romance, and right at the end, when he falls to his knees and says “a future… With me” it fucking broke me to pieces.
I have 3 plays, one with an impulsive protective ronin, which I hope I can romance Mashashi on future books, another with a quite emotional MC, and equally obsessed for Jun (because I’m a sucker for angst), and then my all blue stats for Toshi.
And I swear to god, the Toshi end got me so bad.
My heart can’t take this 
And now we have to wait ONE year, at least! Im going to obsess over this for so long
Bravo for this book, I felt terrible bad for my ronins on each play, which it must have been your evil objective to write such well written and engaging torture.
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I would read that. It also reminded me of when Jun captured Masashi. He thinks our MC is after the kid because of their “innocence” and “purity”, its a throwback to what happened to himself. What a messed up situation to be in…
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In my game I chose the choice options instead of text inpuit but on my third time replaying it I won’t do anything but text inpuit options
Edit: Deleted and reloaded it works again
do we put any bugs or issues we find here?
Some people already did, so yep.
and what about reviews?
People already have, so it looks copacetic.
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Now we will have to wait for another year. 
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Review:
Okay there’s three major issues with Book 3, but let’s talk about what’s good and what’s great first.
This is easily the best written of, well, ALL of Devon’s works. There were still some small grammar muck ups that only really bothered me, but did NOT detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
Devon, you are phenomenal with coding. The amount of work that’s gone into the detective portion was truly amazing, and I wound up replaying a lot just to see what I could type in and what reactions I would get. It was a lotta fun! Your action scenes are great, and I genuinely enjoy how much you take away from the Ronin: severely injuring last book, and their memory this book was clever and made for interesting changes.
It feels like you also really listened to people’s issues with Book 2 by having the setting change and having the characters interact more. It’s not easy having a large cast of characters, but with the return of Daisuke, Borgia, and Nishi/Yakuza girl, along with all the new faces…they really shined and stole the whole show IMO. When the ending came, I was frazzled nerves cause I wanted everyone to be happy dammit.
And because it feels like you listened to reviews last book, I hope you’ll listen to what I have to say next.
Jun/ko was sexually abused as a child and the rape scene. While I definitely appreciate that you made the latter optional and the former easily missed, I don’t think they should’ve been in the game. ESPECIALLY Jun/ko’s history since --again, because of the memory thing-- it doesn’t come up again and it puts everything from the first two books in a VERY dark light.
Which I get! I understand that was the intention! But here’s the thing: pedophilia and rape are VERY touchy subjects for a LOT of people. I know people who outright refuse to play the game now because they know those two things are in it.
I get the game is dark and gritty, you’ve proven that. But it felt like it was in there, idk, to be edgy?
I understand that Kuniko’s rape is a big moment for Kohaku and for Hatch, but I also believe you’re a good enough writer that some alternative motivation could’ve been found. I genuinely put the game down, went for a walk, and had to decide if I wanted to keep playing the game or if I should give it a chance.
I know there’s the general warning at the beginning of the game, but I think a lot of people would appreciate a "Warning: mention of pedophilia and rape" so people can be…prepared? Especially because, y’know, those are awful things that a lot of people unfortunately are too familiar with.
Also, and this has been something I’ve seen you struggle with since Fatehaven, but your romance scenes need work. Here’s what I mean: the scenes you had (the hot springs with Kohaku, the Massage with Toshie/o, Kissing them) are fine by themselves, but in context they don’t work. People were frustrated in Book 2 because they HAD to take Momoko on a date instead of someone else, and they HAD to meet her at the brothel. Several people with various ronin who either weren’t interested in Toshie/o or had specific stats felt their Ronin was acting very OOC.
There also doesn’t feel like a lot of…buildup, I suppose? Through the last 2 books and for a LOT of the trial portion, there was mutual distrust between the ronin and the ninja. Then hero worship and sexy times.
Kohaku also does a 180 very quickly for one week of knowing the Ronin.
I think it either needs work, or maybe you could collaborate with someone on those?
Please let me know if I’ve overstepped, and I hope some of what I’ve written is constructive.
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I have a similar theory on this. I believe Satsuma himself is an oni and he’s looking to consolidate his power over the entire country. He’s using the MC to get rid of the obstacles and challenges that he have. And once the MC fulfills the contract he will most likely try to purge him. So I believe the final faceoff will be against him. We will be given a chance to replace him with a new and potentially just system although the structure of the said system will be a bit shaky or perhaps maintain the matters as they are. That way there will be no actual change in the life of the ordinary people but the regime will be strong and less susceptible to anarchy or a foreign invasion.
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How do you prevent what happened to Kuniko, like you I literally put the game down for a couple of hours.
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I don’t think you can. Those scenes aren’t just there for their shock value, they help move the plot forward by making Kohaku question his oaths and force Hatch out of his comfort zone and do something he wouldn’t normally do, like taking over Shatao’s position in the hopes of improving things for the people. At least that’s my intrepertation.
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You can’t. Just like the death of Ige this scene is supposed to build resolve for both you and a certain other NPCs.
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@IvoryOwl @Tuhin_Subhra_Maity OK thanks just hate reading about these situations.
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