A Cozy Visual Novel with Heartwarming Connections?
Visual novels come in many forms, with some taking a realistic approach to broach difficult subjects like The Mermaid of Zennor, whilst others venture down a fantastical route to deliver cosier tales.
There are of course many other kinds in between too, but one of the latest to hit the Xbox store, Please Be Happy, is certainly leaning towards the latter kind. Coming from developers at Studio Élan, Please Be Happy is a slice-of-life visual novel that wants you to feel all relaxed and comfortable reading it.
Should you grab a blanket and indulge in everything Please Be Happy has to offer, or would you be happier saving your cash for something else?
A Fox’s Tale of Friendship and Self-Discovery
Please Be Happy is centered on Miho, who was born into the world as a fox that once resided in the forests of Korea. It’s there that she found kindness in her hour of need from a mysterious traveller, before becoming a gumiho (구미호), gaining the ability to transform into a human at will. Since then, Miho has sought to locate this person, no matter how long it takes, and her next spot to search is Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.
With shapeshifting abilities and a host of cunning ways to deceive humans, Miho will do anything to survive in her new surroundings, even stealing. As luck would have it, nobody remembers she’s the perpetrator of such mischievous acts due to people’s memories being wiped a day after meeting her. It’s an easy, albeit rather solitude, lifestyle that suits Miho. That is until she meets two women. Aspen and Juliet, whose generosity and understanding begin to change her mindset.
A Trio of Bonding
These three characters are at the heart of everything wonderful in Please Be Happy and they complement each other so well. They’re all on a journey of self-discovery and you’re able to witness the paths they take to get there. Miho has never settled down anywhere, nor made any genuine connections, while Aspen is a barista, with a keen interest in people, who’s aspiring to be a writer because of her love for storytelling. And then there’s Juliet, a vampire librarian trying to give back to the community and those in need.
It’s a story of friendship as well as romance really, with genuine connections built between the characters on multiple levels. Those connections stretch to the reader too, and you’ll get to see the relationships flourishing before your eyes. The terrific voice-acting helps this aspect immensely, fleshing out the profiles of the main cast most importantly, but also the supporting roles. Nevertheless, you’ll bear witness to this terrific trio trying to understand their motivations and purposes in life, in addition to them exploring their feelings.
Side Stories and Kooky Characters
Alongside the major narrative arc, are a number of side stories revolving around Miho and other residents or visitors to Wellington. Due to their being a mixture of humans and ‘fabled’ (mythical creatures) involved, expect to meet an array of kooky folks. One of the standouts is Lena, a talkative girl working in the Bellhouse Cafe that brings bundles of energy to every scene. In isolation, the interactions are fascinating, however, you’re probably going to be secretly wishing to return to the main arc.
That’s not a knock against the sub-plots, it’s just easy to get impatient waiting for Miho and her new friends to make progress. The pace is very slow, and even though it’s absolutely worth the wait for every advancement in the blossoming relationship, things could be sped up a little. You’re certainly going to spend hours, I’m talking double figures here, getting through everything on offer, including multiple playthroughs.
Yes, there’s potential to traverse four different story routes for Miho to become friendly, or more, with Aspen and Juliet. This is dependent upon a handful of choices you’ll make throughout proceedings. Once you become attached to the characters, I’ve no doubt you’ll want to experience every possible outcome. What’s cool is that there’s also an opportunity to enjoy extra scenes too; ones you might have missed during moments of downtime, outside of the main plot, where you can actively choose a destination to visit.
Missed Opportunities and Cultural Connections
Unfortunately, one aspect I think Please Be Happy falters with the most is in the way it handles Miho’s heritage. It doesn’t quite do enough with the nine-tailed fox angle, nor does it incorporate much of the Korean culture as a whole. When it attempts to dive into either, it seems like you’re being fed scraps here and there, leaving a lot of untapped potential, which is a shame.
Visually, the characters are well-designed and memorable, with outfits befitting their personalities. The background art depicting the landscape of Wellington itself, the local animal sanctuary, and even the museum, look great in a hand-drawn style. In regards to the audio, the soundtrack is very relaxing and ensures a comfortable atmosphere is created for most situations.
A Heartwarming and Thought-Provoking Visual Novel with Minor Flaws
Overall, Please Be Happy is the kind of visual novel that you’ll think about after finishing it, perhaps encouraging you to look introspectively at your own life. While it does take its sweet time, brilliant relationships are built between the main characters with a story that’s full of depth and quality voice-acting to boot.
Sure, it could do better concerning the pacing and a couple of other aspects, but Please Be Happy is one you should pick up and settle down with at the soonest opportunity.
Find Love and Friendship in Please Be Happy, a Heartwarming Yuri Visual Novel – https://www.thexboxhub.com/find-love-and-friendship-in-please-be-happy-a-heartwarming-yuri-visual-novel/
Buy Please Be Happy on Xbox, fully optimised for Series X|S – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/please-be-happy-xbox-series-x-s/9pj1vwv9nkn6
Or take the Xbox One version – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/please-be-happy/9n60lqsxp3xc
