Bookbinding – Dark Cozy Sim PC (Build 24386092)

Craft beautiful covers, read between the lines of your customers’ lives, and decide which secrets deserve to stay hidden… including your own. “Bookbinding – Dark Cozy Sim” is clearly a game made with love. Two endings have been found so far (though there may be more), and both stories were enjoyable. The way choices shape the main character’s personality and backstory is immersive, and the different themes explored can be genuinely emotional. The option to play as a young “person” in addition to “man” or “woman,” along with the ability to romance characters regardless of gender (while keeping romance entirely optional), is also a welcome inclusion.

The decorations, like bows and pearls, would be better if they actually looked and behaved like 3D objects. If the option to lie is available, it should have a meaningful impact on the story. Almost every lie just gets undone one way or another, forcing the truth to come out anyway, so the choices feel pointless. There was only one instance where lying had any real consequence. More could have been done with the characters, and honestly the story overall could have used more development, as it all feels a bit messy. And finally… please implement the tarot cards more. The game has such a great system in its hands, but it doesn’t do enough with the cards and magic.

Of course, there are good aspects to the game too. The art style is especially a gem, striking a great balance for the game’s atmosphere. The bookbinding is fun as well, and the characters and story are genuinely interesting. The controls and tools for the actual bookbinding are a bit weak and clunky, but not so bad that creating nice covers isn’t possible. The bookbinding aspect gradually takes a back seat to the story, which is fine, but the story itself is simply too short. Three hours later and it’s over. If the game can be picked up for $8 or less, it’s probably worth playing.

The story is enjoyable overall, although many of the choices don’t feel particularly meaningful. Combined with the short runtime—it ends just as things start getting interesting—that ends up being disappointing. A relatively solid visual novel with light gameplay elements and multiple routes. The characters are artfully crafted, and getting to know them better is enjoyable—or not, since that choice is entirely up to the player. The story is decent, with no major twists or huge surprises (which fits the cozy atmosphere), and the relationships built along the way are worthwhile, even if the ending comes rather abruptly. At least it doesn’t overstay its welcome.