A YEAR OF SPRINGS

Hello!

As I just had a baby, postpartum depression has been kicking my butt so, in my downtime, I was checking out games to play. 
This resonated so much with me.

I claimed a community copy was thrilled to find this such a wonderful playthrough on the various stories. The representation really just made me so happy.

I will purchase a community copy the moment I can. The soundtrack is so pleasing even my baby calms down when they hear it. Thank you so much ^-^

Since there really is no way for me to buy this game yet, I claimed a community copy in hopes of buying your games in the future. I've been a fan of your games since I discovered A tavern for tea, and i must say I really appreciate the work you put in each and every one of them. I attempted to go in as blind as possible and I was incredibly happy to see representation done so well. Can't wait to see more of your work!

btw the ost is absolutely amazing, I'm a sucker for good music in games and this one is gorgeous.

  fuck i just claimed a community copy by accident im so sorry lol what do i do 

wow, the sheer number of times i teared up playing this >.< congratulations on the steam release and good luck / have fun on the tokyo game show! you definitely deserve it.

the best part of this was the three different characters in three stories, and i LOVE how they're all so different, such that everyone in the lgbt+ community can relate in some way. haru that she's trans clearly and deals with the troubles it brings. erika dives right in and finds that she's sapphic and takes it in easily. and manami is clueless and needs a lot of companion and support to realise that she's aroace, and there are so many of those 'i thought you wouldn't support me, i'm so glad you did' kind of moments that just make me yearn for a better future

and the epilogue was SUCH a pleasant surprise! it's like... it gives me hope that there's a good future for us, that things will turn out all right in the end.

thank you so much for making these, i haven't loved a visual novel as much since butterfly soup! the art was simply 🤌 and the music was just lovely. the only thing that i have to comment on is that the music transition is sometimes kind of abrupt, but it was rare and didn't affect the experience much.

these games are phenomenal. they help lgbt+ people to accept and understand themselves and cishet people to learn more and understand their friends. a 10/10 experience.

good luck at the tokyo game show~!

dearest npckc,

i claimed a community copy as i really, really can't afford these games, but i will write a detailed review: 

i've played the original jam versions, but i must say: playing 'a year of spring' after discovering the originals made my heart so happy!! i never stop loving the games you make and the storytelling from the three different perspectives really made me feel like i was part of the whole experience.

in the game, i always choose to be honest with my friends and it's so rewarding to feel the connection that they have, but i also know that in real life, not everyone is as kind. this collection of visual novels provides a safe space for me and so many people, and i'm so happy that it's so pure, cute and relaxing.

i guess i really needed this when life got too stressful? i felt like Erika, Manami and Haru would always be there for me to play through the games and enjoy watching their relationships unfold. the music gave my surroundings such a warm, comforting feeling, yet the games still didn't disconnect me from reality by only portraying happiness and fluffiness and joy and rainbows.

these games show the harsh reality of being part of the lgbtq+ community, especially in an east asian country like where i live. i connected with the story in a way so personal to me that it even helped me understand my own life more. i could understand Erika's frustration at the discrimination, Manami's fear and confusion after realising that she was different and Haru's quiet acceptance of the cruelty directed towards her. 

these experiences that people of the lgbtq+ community go through are painted so beautifully, so simply and so impactfully in the games. they are powerful without being graphic or violently giving the readers the message. 

i feel that everyone should play these visual novels, whether for comfort, education or just fun. i loved interacting with the characters!

all i want to say is thank you so much. these are games that i will play again and again, through sunny mornings, rainy nights, heartbreaks and happiness, and their messages will stay with me for a long time.

祝你幸福。

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story with us. It's really powerful as a trans girl myself to see that experience represented with this kind of sensitivity and care, both to the problems that trans people face and the joys of living life as oneself. I think the game format was really perfect for this and I really can't recommend this game series enough to my friends and family. I might already have gifted it to two other people already ahaha.

And the two sequels! Just a perfect combo too. The exploration of what it means to be an ally in Last Day of Spring was, I think, really powerful, and in a way that felt very personal. 

And I think the self-discovery coming out story in Spring Leaves No Flowers was a very good portrayal of what the coming out process is like (I'm potentially ace-spec myself, but I'm not quite clear) both in that discovery that one's experiences aren't normal, and how it relates to others.

And, of course, the characters! I've talked about the story a lot in broad terms, but I think it's equally important to think of it as a story of three specific girls: Haru, Minami, and Erika. It's amazing how attached I was to them during such a short time, and how real and individual they managed to feel even with the player making choices for them.

Just. Thank you. These games really meant a lot to me. I don't think I'm going to stop recommending this, both as an exploration of queer experiences and as a lovely story about three girls finding their paths, for a long time.

As I queer (or LGBT+) person I normally turn to art which shows our struggles in very harsh ways, since I often cant relate to a fairy tale story, especially since the world is, still, very hostile to LGBT+ people.

This beautiful collection of heartwarming games manages to be extremely hopeful and comforting because it doesnt shy away from the hardships of our lives, but rather it totally revolves around them. The story of these three amazing women shows us that we dont need to live in a fairy tale to be happy, we only need friends (and maybe even lovers) to support us in our journey though life.

Thank you for making these games! 

I just finished the epilogue.  I'm AroAce and trans and I teared up during Haru and Manami's stories.

First of all, I love this game so much! The art was so cute (Erika's v-shaped smile omg) and the theme of friendship and acceptance were someting I really enjoyed.

I played most of it yesterday night and then came back to it today to get all of Manami's endings and read the epilogue.  When I started playing I didn't expect to fall in love with all three of the characters the way I did in such a short period of time but here I am, writing this comment with tears in my eyes hahaha. Manami's story especially touched me because I'm also aroace and her relationship with Tatsuya and the way she talked about love was something I could relate to. 

Thanks for creating this game ^-^ I'm looking forward to your future projects!!

Hi! I'm enjoying the game in Korean.(sorry to my poor English😥)I couldn't buy the bundle because I didn't have a way to pay for it, but I played all the spring trilogy in three hours as an Android version.

I joined itch.io because I really wanted to leave an impression of this great game!! It was so much fun because I was able to immerse myself deeply in the story while playing the game. I loved all the characters, and the illustrations and soundtracks of the game made me feel comfortable and happy.

I'm cisgender woman and also heterosexual, so maybe I can't fully understand people with different identities and directions from me. But through this game, I think I'll be able to get as close to queer as possible, even if it's not perfect.

It would be a great pleasure if many non-queers can understand queers through these games and to be able to accept them as members of society. Thank you so much for making a great game!!!

i was able to get a community copy a few months back and was yet to write a review/comment on the game until now

I absolutely loved the games!! thank you so so much for making them ;;o;; besides myself, I know some people who are trans and my own partner is trans as well - I couldn't help but relate quite a bit to erika about her relationship with haru and how she tried her very best to make things safe and comfortable for haru aaaaaaa-- 

all I can say is: these games are a HUGE comfort for me and i hope others will feel the same as i do 💙👉👈 thank you once again for making this wonderful trilogy!! i am very much looking forward to seeing more games or stories with the girls once more!! :D i hope you have a day as lovely as you!! <3 

Thanks for making these games! I honestly don't think I've ever related to a character as much as Haru and her internal decision making process, and I cried a fair bit at just how familiar some of the scenarios she found herself in were. amazing, amazing, amazing games that I'm sure I'll find myself coming back to time and time again

tl;dr: im in this photo and i like it

Thank you for making these games! I just finished and I really appreciate the message in the Special Thanks. Hopefully the world continues to grow to be a better place for us all :)

Has anyone else had trouble running the game? for some reason the game starts just fine but all the text is unreadable. there's just blurry lines where it should be. i downloaded the right version for my computer so it's not that. i have the game jam version of One Night, Hot Springs and that works so idk what's up.

Aww, what a beautiful ending.  I played the first game on steam about a year ago and I'm so glad I got the trilogy.  Very sweet and wholesome!  Very much looking forward to any games you make in the future.

After having played all the stories separately (starting with 'Spring leaves no flowers') I was excited to see this compilation released.

It offers a wonderful opportunity to share the struggles in vulnerability of 3 friends presented in a non-judgmental, relatable and comforting way with a touch of light-hearted humour. The added epilogue is just icing on the cake and a well-deserved happy end for the characters. Absolutely loved every moment of it.

I am glad to support such touching and earnest work. I appreciate the effort that went into creating such an expressive, unique style both in graphics and music. Small touches in font selection and sound effects (button bops ^^) really add to the charming and cozy tone. Also loved the animated gallery and music player (the ringtones are fire and I think they suit each personality).

But there is more than just the art style - I believe games can test not only our minds and reflexes but also our capacity to relate and empathize with others, as clearly demonstrated here (I had similar experience with an old Flash visual novel 'Air Pressure').

Finally, if it's ok with you, I would be delighted if you shared your thoughts on motivation and production process (I am familiar with Ren'py and FL studio, but would like to get into jam culture).

Once again thank you for the time and effort you put in your work. Surely this becomes a ray of hope for so many individuals, who will find the representation and acceptance they so badly need. People like you remind me to be open about our environment and craft. Ultimately, I hope stories like these will inspire us to be true to ourselves and share what's best in us.

Thanks for the game, I really Loved and cry with the perfect story i really want the poster now but i have a question why don't Have brazilian portuguese Language in google play we can play in portuguese

Thank you for the games, they're all very adorable and informative, and the last game, Spring Leaves No Flowers made me realize I was aro/ace. :)

it's 1am and i am crying. thank you.

Such a heartwarming and emotional experience! This game collection is just so comforting and yet it doesn't slow down when it comes to its themes. It brings in such a great representation! I have nothing aside from endless positive comments about this.

I Plan on buying this bundle soon to have this trilogy on all of my devices. But I just need to say how much I love the storytelling and characters. I relate to Haru the most because of her personality and how she acts towards Manami and Erika. I see some of my friends in the other characters but overall I think this game is amazing and I will continue to support the creator throughout the rest of their games.

unfortunately i cannot buy this bundle as i don't have any way to pay, but i played the three games individually and i love the way you showed each character !! personally i related to erika and haru the most. it was also very eyeopening, because in australia it's more accepted (which isn't saying much, honestly) to be trans (or non-binary, like myself) unlike in japan. also the graphics were adorable and it was just very pretty games overall !!!

Your work is amazing. Thank you for sharing such an honest and moving story. 

ahh this series made me feel a lot of emotions <3 even if i am not a transgender person as haru, i identified so much with her anxious personality. seeing my social anxiety reflected in her character gives me a lot of comfort.

thanks for creating a year of springs!! and reminding me that the world can be kind too ♡

It's been quite an experience playing this series since the first jam when you submitted One Night, Hot Springs. I'm happy how far this series has come! Just wanted to say thank you for what you've done~ <3

Played the jam versions at first but ended buying this trilogy.

Cute and creative art, heartwarming experience and got me on the shoes of a trans person.

Congratulations and thank you for making these games, looking forward your future works!

I loved the game simply amazing that three short games were much more impactful for me than anything I've followed for a long time, I loved your work all characters are extremely well done and at every part of the game I felt inside the story and as if each character there was real and someone close to me the relationship between each character is amazing and very developed and hopefully that one day a sequel is made even though the ending was already perfect for the game I just loved it all, I'm glad I got to know this game, I wish I could help by buying this game amazing although i can't hope that one day i can help the amazing person who made this game which was one of the best things i have had the experience to try, sorry if my english was not very good i'm not american and i can't speak english♥️♥️

thank you so much for making these games and for the community copy, I'm a trans person from south america and I just wanted to let you know how much your work inspires me. I wish I had read/played stories like these when I was growing up and not knowing where I belonged. <3

These games had such a profound impact on me, when I saw they got released all together I had to buy them! I remember I had downloaded One Night, Hot Springs on Steam, and I was without internet so I was going through my library to play things I had been meaning to. And... I loved it so much. I went and bought all of them with the art books, and downloaded them through my pretty limited mobile data, I was that taken by them. I hope with this collection, it'll bring these wonderful, heartfelt stories to more people. <3

I love these games so much😊They are so sweet and positive despite dealing with some very real issues that lgbt people face. Manami's story caught me off guard especially since ace people are often ignored by the rest of the LGBT community. Overall I think I'm in love with every npckc game. Probably the most lovely and thoughtful developer on itch.io.

I love all three of the games! If I could I would so get a community copy to see the epilogue, but being a child and all I can't attach that non-existent PayPal or card to this account I made a minute ago so I can't even get the community copy. Sad times.

Other than that, all three games are absolutely amazing. Each one was able to make me cry on the first play, especially Spring Leaves No Flowers. Played it again recently since I've been questioning whether I myself an ace or aro, and Manami's experience really hits hard now c*:

Can I just say that I regret not finding this game earlier!! Never have I ever relate much to a character in a visual novel before, much less her situation. All my life I thought I am the strange one out whenever my friends talk about their crushes or their bf/gf/partners, and I have nothing to contribute because I never felt physical and/or romantic attraction towards others before. Everyone tells me that I am just a late-bloomer or "you will know once you meet them", but I know deep down that its not it. I tried fitting in, but it just made me uncomfortable and more unsure of myself. Especially when my family and peers keep telling me that I'm not going to find a lifelong partner at the rate I'm going. Seeing Manami, her story and her friends validating her being (spoiler!) aro/ace really warms my heart. "It's okay, that's also normal" - these are just the words I've always wanted see/hear as an aro/ace, that what I am is normal too. And that even if we're aro/ace, we can find meaningful relationships too in friendships and platonic love. 

Oh wow I really rambled my life story there hahaha, anyways thanks for making this game! I'll be sure to recommend this out! 

i wanna say thanks for making this game! Its a new experience for me ....eventhough i feel guilty for not payying it....BTW recommended to those who loves story based lovers and thank you once more!