Set in the fictional city of Liamson in the Philippine National Capital Region, the game follows Mark Borja and his moments of déjà vu months after the events of a global catastrophe known as "The Ruling", which caused widespread damage and casualties across the country.
Upon its release, the game received positive critical reception, who highlighted its interactivity, narrative, and Filipino representation.
[4][6] The player controls Mark Borja, a high school student who lives alone in his family's home as his parents work overseas.
[6] The player can move left and right in the current environment and interact with specific objects to advance the game's story.
[5] In February 2014, a series of natural disasters known as "The Ruling" caused widespread destruction worldwide, including parts of the Philippines.
Later, at a Christmas funfair, he remains uneasy and experiences episodes from what happened earlier, only calming down after meeting Nicole.
While practicing, Mark plays a composition made by Nicole for her best friend Jake, who had disappeared years prior.
Meanwhile, Louise investigates and theorizes that their déjà vu, the mysterious disappearances of students, and The Ruling are from parallel universes colliding with theirs and interacting.
Their spirits, in the form of two butterflies, then appear in front of Mark and Nicole, revealing that each lifetime was an attempt at giving them a better life after their disappearances, but in each one, they still had not stopped looking for them.
The game ends with a shot of Mark and Nicole arriving in the Tadhana Café[b] with their separate dates, with the two butterflies observing through the window and then flying onward to the sky.
"[8] It also features references to the Katipunan LRT-2 station, Quezon Memorial Circle, and numerous parodies of Filipino business names.
[9] This high school setting was chosen to evoke nostalgia among players, according to Nulud and senior environmental artist Pia Demanawa.
Both Nulud and Demanawa also focused on "communication" as one of the main themes of the game,[9][8] while writer Mariel Tuble described it as "coming to terms with change, loss, and the passage of time."
Katharine Castle of Rock Paper Shotgun praised the game's "gorgeous mix of expressive pixel art and 3D environments."
"[7] Thomas Kent of Hardcore Gamer praised the game for its "compelling narrative that explores the intricacies of teenage life.
[14] Jason Rodriguez of Eurogamer described the game as "a coming-of-age story, a tale of love and loss, friendships and fears" and lauded its references to Filipino pop culture.
[6] Mitchell Demorest of Slant Magazine shared this concern, writing that "some phrases coming off too literal", while also raising issues with the game's pacing.
[6][8] Reyes recalled Josie Rizal of the Tekken franchise as a popular yet dated example,[8] while Rodriguez noted the game's "full-on Pinoy representation" since Anito: Defend a Land Enraged.