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At the DREAMSCAPE #5 indie game exhibition, creator LIUZHUOXIN showcased "Why Are You Like That," an interactive visual novel. The game follows a girl who, after moving to a new environment, struggles to find a suitable mask to wear in her daily life. According to creator Miaoyunyun, the narrative focuses on the personas individuals feel compelled to adopt within society.
The game features striking visuals, including a protagonist who paints large eyes onto her closed eyelids. Gameplay primarily involves clicking through the story, but it incorporates unique mechanics like sliders. One such segment requires players to adjust the intensity of a smile, reflecting the character's desperate practice in front of a mirror.
The reviewer noted that while the experience initially appears horrific, it evokes empathy by mirroring the universal human tendency to practice social expressions when interpersonal relationships become difficult. Another mechanic uses a slider to represent the protagonist's subjective feeling of being ugly or miserable when surrounded by others, contrasting with her sense of normalcy when alone.
The current demo represents the opening thematic introduction of the project. The developer aims to complete the full title as a two-hour cinematic experience. The story explores the internal conflict of a woman who can neither find a comfortable mask nor return to her original face, ultimately questioning the weight of the personas we all wear.
