There's no real objective to the game. You just live day by day for a week. What you choose to do over that time changes your outcome.
Similar to how you travel between different worlds in Deltarune, or a closer example would be Omori, you will be able to travel between worlds in this game. There are two different worlds, the real world, and Koraes fantasy world (AKA the other world). The way you get to the other-world is through Koraes computer.
If you choose to go to the other-world on any given day you're locked out of interactions in the real-world for that day. If you go outside on any given day you're locked out from the other-world until the nightly boss battle for that day.
In the real world you wander town and speak to NPCs. You learn about Korae and the town. The real world has a smoking mechanic that acts similarly to Fran Bows pills. When you smoke in the real world visuals change to a weird-version (weird/dreamcore aesthetics) of the world. The world will stay in that state until a certain number of actions are made.
Korae has a Raspberry phone. You can receive, read, and respond to texts on their phone. The phone is also the games save/exit/setting menu. You can only respond to/send texts when prompted, you get to choose between response options.
Different sizes and strains of joints. If you run out you need to text the plug to get more. When smokes get to their last use they have a chance of crumbling, rendering it useless.
The size will determine how many uses it will last.
They can also come in packs, making them last longer.
You can smoke up to 3 times in a row. Each time you go deeper a level in the weird-version of the world. Each level deeper changes the visuals, what you can interact with, and who you can talk to. The first later is fairly normal with some changes. The third layer is almost a completely different world.
When you smoke you are given a certain number of actions before things turn to normal. Things that count as actions include:
Strains determine how many actions you can take after smoking before the world return to normal. Smoking multiple times in a row stacks your actions up to 3 times.
In the other world you collect cards and customize your deck. You battle enemies and complete quests. At the end of every day, no matter what, you battle that days major boss. If you choose to go to the other-world on any given day, and that day has a secret or mini-boss you can fight them for additional unlocks.
In the Other-World Korae can own various pets. These pets help in combat.
Players will be able to unlock new pets from mini or secret-bosses, Completing hidden puzzles, or befriending an NPC. Players can have up to 2 pets equipped at a time.
Players can own up to 4 pets. If you want a new pet you have to release one.
No pet will be an existing living animal in real life. Extint animals may be used. All pets are representitive of childhood in some form.
Pets will have a mini-game area. Every time a mini-game is complete that pet will gain exp. The higher level your pet, the better it boosts your stats.
First selection (can only be obtained on day 2 pet selection, only one can be obtained per playthrough):
Possibly unlockables:
Players have 20 cards for battles, and 5 reshuffles, making for a deck of 25 total. If you run out of cards before defeating the enemy you automatically lose. Each turn a player can use up to three cards; a pet snack, an item, and a defense/attack. No two cards of the same type can be used in a turn. If a reshuffle is used that's the only action you will perform that turn.
Types of cards:
Card elements:
Once a boss battle is initiated you must play until you defeat it. If you lose you're given a redo if you choose. You could also choose to give up, losing a significant amount of points and altering the outcome of Koraes fantasy world. If you exit the game before a boss battle is complete it's counted as giving up. You will not be able to battle that boss again. If you give up that's it for that run. If you want another go you'd have to restart the game.
If you Give Up on the capitalist cuckoo boss battle he reigns over Koraes fantasy world for the rest of that playthrough. This significantly alters the difficulty. Items become harder to obtain, NPC's become less friendly, a significant amount of points are lost. A major difference becomes needing money to revive if your health is depleted. If you cannot afford the steep prices Korae succombs to capitalism and you lose the game, forcing you to restart from the beginning.
The game will keep track of a hidden score the player can't see. Each dialogue option, place you choose to go, bosses you defeat, etc. will add or subtract from this score. By the end of the game, this score will determine what ending you get. The lower the score the worse the ending.
Your score will also determine how the final battle will go. If your score is too low you won't be able to defeat the boss and will be forced to give up.