A visual novel inspired by real events
Welcome is a free adventure game that was created by an indie developer who goes by the name sammy. It is a short visual novel with an adult slice-of-life theme to it. The story revolves around a transexual woman as she makes her way home late at night after her work.
Just like with He beat her, Welcome tackles some sensitive adult themes in its narrative. As a result, more people can relate to what it’s trying to convey, and it resonates more deeply with them. The story also happens to be based on a true story.
What is it about?
Welcome tells the story of a trans woman on her way home, late at night. After enjoying a few drinks at a local bar, she realizes that the trains have already stopped running and decides to take the bus instead. She patiently waits for the next ride to arrive, headphones on and staring at her phone. Out of nowhere, a man approaches and sits next to her at the bus stop.
She had a gut feeling that this person was bad news and tries her best to avoid confrontation with him. Unfortunately, the man persists and starts up a conversation with her. Thus, begins a terrifying experience for the unsuspecting woman. As mentioned earlier, this story is based on events that happened in real life. As such, the developer used images of real-life locations that add to the realism of it all.
As you play, you can also change some settings in Preference, such as text speed, animations, and skippable scenes and transitions in the game to your liking. A few things to note before you begin. First, the game tackles some sensitive themes that are not suitable for younger audiences. The second is that a playthrough is very short, clocking in at around 5 minutes depending on your pace.
Short but impactful
Overall, despite being such a short experience, Welcome is a game that does not lack in impact. From the story to the choices you make, and how it is presented makes you feel invested as you make decisions and witness how things unfold. It’s a serious and somewhat dark tale that is grounded in fact, not fiction. Recommended.
