Arches

completed the storyline in 7 hours! i binged it, but in hindsight i wish i'd drawn it out for longer.

i picked up arches because of its good rating. i didn't know anything else about it or the echo universe, and this happened to be my first vn. but i am really grateful that this is the first one that i read because my god was it an experience. this is one of those few stories that have managed to make me cry after the initial period of reading it, as i continue to live on in my life and realize how the characters especially cameron and devon relate to my own experiences.

on bad days i listen to the soundtrack, and on good days i hark back to the ending. the characters, even brian, have stuck with me for a while now. i think they will continue to have their impression on me for as long as i live, or until the day i turn 110, at least. haha :p

and to the developers of this tale- thank you so much.

you are all such incredibly talented and gifted creators, and your work is an absolute blessing to grace the eyes, heart, and soul of me and certainly so many others.

cheers and best wishes on all the future projects you guys embark on!

this game got me crying like no game has ever i love it

Gosh, I've read both Echo and Adastra before this one and both made me pretty emotional, but this one made me literally weep after finishing it. The themes in Arches just hit too close to home, dealing with trauma and mental issues, and substance abuse. But what impacted it even more is the undeniably beautiful ending and closeness of the two characters. Both me and my ex partner are going through a very hard time mentally, trying to support each other through it and learn how to communicate again. I just hope we get an ending similar to this story, which is probably why it hit me so hard

Either way, this entire piece is brilliantly written, and the art is just beautiful. Echo Project just never fail to impress with any novel they release. A real and valuable piece of art, thank you so much for this experience

Im crying rn

You cant just tramatize me and rid me of my sigma like that...

I NEED TO KNOW THEY HAD A EVEN HAPPIER LIFE 😭 

jokes aside i loved this story

Howly, you did a fantastic job. You outdid yourself with this one. You're a fantastic writer. The intimacy between Cameron and Devon was really touching. I love Artie as well! The characters were fun, unique, and you manage to do some intense violent fight scenes. I love seeing how Devon is supportive of Cameron. We need more healthy relationships like theirs. Thank you for this experience. I wish you well on your future endeavors!

Camerom and Devon could have had a better life. They finally redeemed each other and would grow old together though they still had a long way to go. Other Camerons from different timeline might be dead and left Devon alone, I felt really sorry for this and it did make me cry a lot, not only for Cam's death but also for Dev's loneliness and regrets, absolutely Devon is a qualified boyfriend, he deserves better endings. This story is literally touching, love this a lot, wish y'all find someone like Devon, who understand you, love you and always be there for you.

Yay more of the echo story cuz i loved echo and echo route 65 thanks for this ima go download this

My heart raced, I cried, this was a lot, I don't know now to describe it to others, I can recommend Echo to people, but this I dunno, I feel like it shard to prepare people for the ride without giving away the story and its both a loss to not experience it new, but also its a lot to take it and I don't think it fair to force it upon people not prepared.

Cameron <3
I finally learned his story after Echo and it made me cry and care way more than I ever cared about Chase and co.

The story was amazing, and the ending was so heartwarming! I think im gonna hold this close to my heart for a while, amazing work!

FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Once again, an Echo Project production that knocks it out of the park.

I'm utterly shattered at how well written and detailed these are. These VNs really make me realize that over the years that I've enjoyed horror and scary games, they pale in comparison that is this. 

Spoilers beyond this point

This story, pulls together everything that the Echo VN is; the good intentions, the closeness, the shock, the grit, the harrowing feeling of what is coming next and finishes it off beautifully.  The bonus in this is the end of their story, the crooked road of recovery. I know, especially in these VNs that a happy ending is rare, in the sense of it being satisfying where it is left.  Despite that, the road to recovery is hard, up-hills are mountains and down-hills are cliffs, none of which stops our two beloved characters from sticking together. I am relieved, to say the least that this story ended, though still saddened by the loss of friendship between Arturo and Cameron. 

I'm left ugly crying at 9:41 PM on a Monday

Amazing Visual novel with beautiful art and beautiful story

There are a LOT of CG and art here, really make you feels the story so much more

Love all the main characther especially Devon (the bear is very sweet)

5/5 would recommend this to anyone who looking for gay furry romance with a taste of horror in it (yes the horror part is real so please take it as a warning)

So, Arches.

 A "Sequel" to Echo but not really, sure characters appeared in both and they deal with similar things but Arches is it's own beast. Cameron and Devon story and by consequence Artie too is a interesting sequel to what Echo already offered, both of them deal with supernatural entities and substance use, how carelessness even in moments you don't think much could harm you.

Arches don't live into Echo's shadow it tries and succeeds in making it's own dram and it's own version of things, it's more brutal then Echo and I will have to say if you had any kind of past with the themes touched in this VN you will empatize with them way more. Overall I think Arches is a fantastic experience one that is worth is it's time, is not that super long but not short either is enjoyable ride.

What a wonderful read if a bit too fast paced at the end. A few more details would have been nice.

spoilers ahead

Would have been nice to have the proposal shown, a bit of joy to ease the horrors of the torture. For us its mere hours and fresh. (Vividly so if you are like me and manifest yourself into the MCs shoes) and was it a marriage of necessity or actual love? 

In this situation I could see either. Necessity to ease the panic attacks and the separation anxiety that no doubt would have developed shortly after escape, the pandemic possibly compounding on top of it all.

Or love, in which case would be the rock in which got these two through their toughest trials.

On a side note. I'm sad about the Archie/Cam dynamic falling apart. It sucks losing a long time friend simply because both are too scared to take that first step in properly communicating. One distrusting the echo shadow that never left, the other not being honest about his newfound abilities limits or control.

If cam can control it freely at this point in the story, then the fallen friendship would indeed be his fault, if he cannot, there's a chance at reconciliation.

=spoilers ahead!=

CAMERON IS SO FUCKING STUPID BUT LOVEABLE 

EDIT: I've been sobbing for the past two hours. Truly a remarkable VN. The characters are a little tooooo relatable. 

This game is aooo fuck goood!!!!!

I don't care what people say, but for me, this is truly a masterpiece. Everything is just so perfect.

I'm lost and trying to connect all the pieces. Gonna be in my head for the next few months. Don't do it for me, ok, I'll do it. I'll figure it out!

It doesnt let me play it. Evertime I open the app it takes a few seconds for it to crash. (´TωT`)

Someone please help I wanna read it.

-Spoilers ahead-

WOWOWOW couple things:

1- BYE BRIAN FINALLY GOT WHAT HE DESERVES

2- The emotional whiplash of thinking everything is ok months later, suddenly Devon is alone and Cam DEAD, to lol just a dream had me FUCKED. UP.  ECHO PROJECT NOT COOL (jk was well written had me believing and in tears for that moment.)

3- HUSBAND!!! legit screamed when I read that.

Lastly, my favourite line:   ...it doesn't matter, it isn't worth figuring out, and that I need to focus on us. -Devon

This game made me fully ugly cry, 10/10.

Isn't supposed to have a new update today? 

holy shit just played through it, such a rollercoaster of emotions. great vn overall, art, writing and etc., my only real criticism being the lack of player input/choices, but i'm fine with that. i just wonder how it would be if maybe in some parts you had to make a choice, and depending on it, something really bad happens, kinda like the train part in echo, specifically leo's route. but again, i don't mind the lack of player input and really enjoyed this vn, keep it up guys

Wow... Just wow, that's all I have to say. I cried at least 3 times reading this

its shit like this that makes me realize im not immune to horror, its just that most horror is not this well-written

maybe playing echo back to back with arches wasn't a good idea...

Also 10/10, shout out howly and everyone else involved in these games :)

Oh my gooooooood,I can just say  it's the best,it's the best vn.It touched my heart when I read it.I resonate deeply.Oh,It's really tear-jerking.:(

I love it a lot, it's great

Omg its good

Im here to just say good its too good

Ho-lee-sh-

Where do I even start on this one? I only made this account now to comment here. I just...- God. Wow.

This has been a true masterpiece. Something that will forever stay with me. The writing, the story, the characters, the visuals, the sounds, everything is perfect. Everything is so fucking perfect. . .

I resonate especially well with Cameron, having experienced life in really similar ways to him, and Devon has been the exact character I would imagine being together with. So just from the characters, how real everything felt, the connection I have with them on a personal level, I immediately knew that this would be the Novel of my life. Something to always remember as the best one I've read so far. I had read Adastra, I had also read echo, and everything had effects on me that will last an eternity, however this one in particular... I am speechless. I had always delayed reading it. I guess I just felt like I was not ready, and also waited for the final release, but now that I had gone ahead and did it?...

I don't want to do spoilers, just in case others read my comment, therefore I won't say why, but I can say that I had cried and sobbed, and held the edge of my bed , grasping for air in so many places. It has been a true emotional roller coaster, and the way Howly writes, the sudden jumps in time and places, and things real and not real, it really took me to the edge. I cried out of fear, I cried out of anxiety, and I cried of relief, and of happiness. I cried, but I felt the need to move and know what happens next and just hoped the ending would be happy.  And I can't tell here if it was. But I can tell you that when I saw "The End" I knew I want to come and tell how thankful I am for this. It had taken me to places I never thought possible, and it also helped me understand my very own self more. It also serves as a giant inspiration not to give up making a VN myself. I always felt like it probably won't be noticed or that it won't make people feel anything.

But to someone it might be as life changing and beautiful and thrilling and horrifying and euphoric as this one was to me. I cannot begin to talk about how much thankful I am for everyone involved. I- am at a loss of words. Yeah. I don't know. Just read it, if you haven't. And I am eternally thankful for everyone involved in the making of this. As well as releasing it for free. This is a priceless work of art, deserving to be in a digital museum, archived and taught from generation to generation. I cannot rate it with numbers, nor words, as they would be too small to do so. I just. I don't know.

yeah. Thanks.

An eternal fan,
~ Foxoup