Towelket 1

I played Towelket 1 for the first time back in 2021, so while I remembered most of the story beats, I had forgotten many details. In a way, I'm glad I waited this long to play it again. It was a refreshing experience that reminded me why I love Towelket so much.

I think the story is just as good as I remember. It has a very strong start. Right from the beginning, we meet PPU, Lasagna, and Conchelle. Considering how important these three are to the plot, especially Lasagna and Conchelle, this was a good choice. We’re given plenty of time to get to know them and form a bond with them. We are also introduced to the curse of curves , the chibi robots, their plan and some other elements that will pop up later. Seriously it’s a great intro that doesn’t drag and presents us with most of what we should know. I think the length is perfect but wouldn’t have minded if it was a bit longer! I just really liked these 3 and their dynamic.

After this chapter is where the game “begins”, here is where we meet Momen and Arm-tan, both being key characters in the story. I found the 2 very charming and funny. I like how Momen can be seen as calm and collected initially, but just cannot contain himself when it comes to just how much he hates these robots, he becomes a lot sillier after getting the upper hand against the robots. Arm-tan is cute, none of her jokes made me bust out laughing but she kept the mood light.

While I think the overall flow of the story is good, it’s a little bit hindered by the lack of clear directions. There are several times where it’s unclear how to progress, and the provided clues aren’t that helpful. Since the entire map is accessible at any time, it’s easy to waste a lot of time exploring aimlessly before finally interacting with the specific thing that advances the story. It’s not really that terrible and just a pet peeve of mine.

In any case the middle game is very strong too, the retrieval of the bodies, the fight against the robots, Kerbas chapter, the return of Conchelle, retrieving Lasanga. It’s just packed with good stuff.

The Chun chapter is just amazing, even more now that we got a new translation. Definitely, one of my favorite moments in towelket. I always liked how seemingly unrelated it starts, only to tie nicely back into the main story.

The ending was great, just as last time, probably one of the most satisfying endings in towelket, the fact that you can just start again and overpower the robots before they become a problem is amazing, so satisfying.

The themes about the self and what's meant to be "human” or have a “heart” are amazing. During the game we met several “copies” of Conchelle and Lasagna, all with the same thoughts and feelings as them. We are shown and told multiples time through the game, “they are all as real as the originals”. I think this was delivered masterfully during the game. We meet so many Conchelles and Lasagnas during the game that you get a good perspective on what it’s like being in their position. That one Conchellebot dying and screaming that she wanted to see her mom and Moochasu again, all while Kerbas couldn’t do anything to help her got me. Countless Conchelles, all suffering the same fate.

I think this game’s atmosphere is unmatched. Kanao’s depiction of the future Earth, combined with the music, new sprites, and scenarios, is simply too good! It immediately sells you on the world and its story. Kanao really went all out in terms of art, which just becomes better with each chapter. I really like the depiction of the earth billions of years in the future, there’s no music, rather just haunting ambiance, and it’s full of strange plants(?). It feels really alien, but also sad and melancholic as you see all the robots that have ceased to function, and everything is run down.

Speaking about Arm-tan again, she may start as simple but really becomes a better character as the story progresses, and I’m so glad we spend so much time with her that it would’ve been a nightmare if she had been boring.

Conchelle is very likeable in this iteration, she gets a lot of screen time, and she is so fun, funny and helpful, and the way her love endures millions of years, it’s hard not to like her. This aside, I like how Kanao depicted Conchelle at the start as someone not above of lying and trying to make Lasagna worse in Moochasu’s eyes, even if the 2 are friends. I think it’s a realistic depiction of how someone young may handle their first(?) love, and it’s nice to learn she isn’t squeaky clean.

I really wish Lasagna had a bit more screen time. In her chapter, we learn that she has some very dark thoughts about Conchelle born of jealousy, but this isn’t addressed again. It could’ve been interesting to explore this aspect of her character more.

But yeah, these are my disjointed thoughts, but like I said I really liked it, definitely one of the best towelket games.