Where the Two Flowers Meet is a psychological mystery in the vein of Nitro+chiral’s Slow Damage and Kenkou Land’s MAMIYA, that will leave players with a mix of complex emotions. Told across two separate time periods, WTTFM follows the tumultuous relationship between Aran Yun and Caleb Ashton. After a tragedy changes their lives forever, parse through their shared past to uncover the truth behind their present.
Game Details
- Genre: Mystery | Drama | Visual Novel
- Developer & Publisher: Sylvan
- Where to Get the Game: itch.io
- Similar Games: Monster of Memory | Dreambound | MAMIYA
Story
“This is simply my punishment, for everything that had happened.”
Aran Yun woke up in a hospital room, heavily injured. He discovered that the year is 2034 and that he doesn’t remember anything from the past 11 years of his life. Wanting to learn more about himself and his past, Aran asked his doctor— Caleb Ashton, for help. The very same doctor who also claimed to be his lover, oddly enough. Caleb agreed to help recount their past and their time together.
However, something doesn’t feel right. There seemed to be something far more sinister lurking beneath the surface.
…would it be better to act as if everything was fine, though?
Where the Two Flowers Meet Review
Artist, Aran Yun wakes up in a hospital room badly injured, with no memories of his past or the accident that caused his injuries. Disoriented, he is relieved to discover his attending physician, Caleb Ashton is more than willing to help him fill in the gaps in his memories. What’s more, Caleb reveals that he’s not just Aran’s doctor, but also his lover.
The revelation does little to ease Aran’s worries. But with no other options, he agrees to let Caleb share stories of their past in hopes of jogging his memories. Told across two different timelines, 11 years apart. We follow the relationship between Caleb and Aran from their first meeting at Caleb’s grandfather’s house in 2024 to their budding friendship through their eventual romance to their current situation in 2034.
While I wouldn’t call Where the Two Flowers Meet a boys love romance in the traditional sense, it does spend a lot of time exploring the complexities of Aran and Caleb’s relationship. Both in the past and present. The flashbacks serve as a context for Caleb’s claims that he and Aran are lovers. While also establishing an emotional through line for their relationship in the present.
Each flashback unveils a small piece of the overarching story. Offering answers to our questions about Aran and Caleb, while also creating more questions. The past is not as black and white as we are led to believe, and while Caleb claims to be telling the truth, it becomes more apparent that he is withholding key details. Secrets that have huge implications in the present. Whatever his motivations are for withholding that information, it’s always clear that he is doing so with Aran’s best interest at heart.
But, it’s hard to ignore the inconsistencies between Caleb’s stories of the past and his actions in the present. And it is this that drives the story of Where the Two Flowers Meet. There is a bittersweetness that undercuts the happiness of the past memories. Ramping up a feeling of unease that never quite goes away. This is made all the more jarring by the stiff, sanitized interactions between Aran and Caleb in the present that make you question everything that’s being told to us. With each new revelation bringing us and Aran closer to an inescapable truth.
Where the Two Flowers Meet is clearly an ambitious visual novel. It deals with an emotionally charged story and quite a few heavy themes. So, be sure to check the content warnings. This is a game that will make you feel all the emotions. Much like the journey the main characters embark on, despite the pain and heartbreak, WTTFM is a story you want to see through to the end.
But, I’d be lying if I said this game was perfect. Some of the plot elements introduced in the later stages of the story, don’t jive well with the earlier character driven storytelling. There’s an attempt to give a complex explanation for the mystery that kind of detracts from emotions and tone of the first half of the story.
That said, where Where the Two Flowers Meet really shines is in it’s characterization of Aran and Caleb. While Aran is technically the “main” character and the point of view we are meant to experience the story through. Both Caleb and Aran are treated as sympathetic characters.
Caleb’s feelings for Aran are overwhelming, which lends itself to the overall sense of foreboding early on. While Aran seems to be reacting to Caleb’s intense devotion. But as the story progresses you start to see there’s more of a give and take on both sides. Some of the strongest writing in the game is when the story is conveying the blend of emotions these characters have for one another.
Where the Two Flowers Meet packs a punch. Its warm and inviting flashbacks sequences lull you into a false sense of security, before ripping your heart out with its emotionally complex story and characters. It’s a story that will leave you emotionally wrecked. But ultimately satisfied no matter which of the game’s ten endings you unlock. Trust me you’ll want to see them all. Though be warned some of the endings are intense. Where the Two Flowers Meet is an emotionally resonant and poignant game that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon!
Awesome review. I really like how this sets up the mystery and intrigue of the game.
Thank you for reading! It’s such an interesting mystery, I seriously needed to know what was going to happen next!