the rough premise of this game is something i wanted to write someday myself.
but since this game already exists and executes it to aplomb, i don't need to.

this game has put me into a parasocial relationship with the invasive weeds in my backyard.

i think im a vegetarian now.

the game starts off very well, an interesting plot combined with amazing audio just immerses you into this hellish world.
BUT as the game progresses it shifts from being an actual horror game to instead become a showcase of the author's disgusting personal fetishes.
it eventually became a chore to finish the game

Saya no Uta is a visual novel often praised as a must-play in the genre. After finally playing through it, I found it to be an interesting experience with sparks of creative ambition, particularly in its music and atmosphere, but one that ultimately falls short in execution, especially when it comes to reflecting on the deeper themes it kindly gestures toward.

I was genuinely surprised by how good the soundtrack was, it’s by far the most compelling part of the game. It is beautiful and horrific. It creates a haunting, claustrophobic atmosphere that reinforces the sense of isolation and distorted reality the protagonist finds himself in. The audio design does an excellent job of conveying how perception shapes experience, arguably better than the writing itself.

The premise, how both the protagonist and Saya (and every other character), perceives the world so differently from everyone else, is a compelling one. It opens thought-provoking questions: How does perception shape morality, love, trauma, or madness? Can morality still apply when one’s reality is fundamentally different? Can morality even apply on the outside? What happens when love forms in total alienation?

These are fascinating ideas, and ones I personally enjoy seeing explored. Unfortunately, the game never fully commits to them. It hints at depth but rarely follows through. Instead of offering real introspection or emotional nuance, it leans heavily on shock value and graphic content, much of which feels unnecessary and distracts from the stronger, more reflective aspects. Many disturbing scenes are depicted in exhaustive detail, often crossing into territory that feels exploitative rather than essential to the story. Media like Lolita or the Monogatari Series already showed often enough that it’s not necessary to show such scenes in graphic detail or at all to convey emotional or thematic impact.

Saya no Uta has moments of brilliance, especially in its audio and atmosphere, but it really struggles to deliver on the questions it raises. It’s a story with potential, but one that prioritizes visceral discomfort over meaningful exploration.

he y why she eating that

psychological horror, yes. glorified rape and pedophilia? absolutely

anyone who swears by this game fails to see that this isn't psychological horror, and it's just a rape fantasy. the writing isn't good enough to convey anything meaningful other than shock horror. there's a vast difference between including dark topics because it's psychological horror, and making it psychological horror so you can do those topics. the characters exist to get either murdered. raped or both. this isn't deep nor is it philosophical, it's popular solely because sayas a cute girl, and the game can put as much rape as they can to pander to a certain audience or say "hey! we can do something crazy too!"

i did, however, enjoy the visuals, saya is beautiful and the music was nice and uneasy at times. but there is more bad than there is good. i'd only ever recommend it for visuals and just to say you read a classic.

haha... no... just no...

peak

заебись

Saya 🪱

(General Spoilers)

What I liked:

Good premise

Good Music

Cute dynamic between the MC and Saya

Central theme of love and attachment and the problems that can stem from it (Even though they never really went deeper with it)


What I didn’t like:

Lack of emotional investment between MC and his friend group. Would’ve liked to see how the MC and his friends were before the accident

Story never connects MCs hallucinations to Saya’s abilities and/or purpose.

SA scenes feel shoehorned

Story shifted focus from personal issues to a science project towards the end (I played all endings).


I think it was a memorable experience, but the way the story played out was nothing to write home about. 7/10