Part 2: Not Being Friends

Unlike in Hotel Dusk, this game takes place over multiple days, with each day having its own chapter.



(Hey, is that...)

New Music: Overstepped Memory


Welcome to the gameplay. Here we have the map screen, with the bottom (right) screen showing the layout and top (left) screen showing the room itself. We can move by touching the touch screen. The icons on the bottom are the things we can do in the map screen, with 3 of them blacked out because we can't do them right now.



The bag icon shows the items we currently have. We start off with a key and a pager.




Tapping it will show the item's picture and its description. Use and Combine does exactly what you'd think. Not that we can try them now since there's nothing to use/combine.

New Music: Sobering Dream


The notebook icon, meanwhile, brings us to the menu screen. The time here refers to the ingame time.



The 'Characters' section will show the people we've met. So far it's only Ed and Rachel. No Bradley this time.




It's pretty much just what was said in the intro.



Skipping the 'Save/Load' section since it does exactly what you'd think, here's the 'Notes' section. It works just like in Hotel Dusk in that you can write notes in here. You have 5 pages instead of 3 in that game.



I said 5 pages because the 6th can't be written on. It has a code. Unlike most of Hotel Dusk's code, this one isn't randomized.



Next is the 'Map' submenu. It has a map. As you can tell, this place is bigger than Hotel Dusk. Not by much, since each floor in Hotel Dusk is larger.



Standard stuff in the Basement.



The first floor has the entrance and a cafe, with a couple of room blacked out. Originally, Kyle's face is in the top screen with the map on the bottom with a slider to change the view, but I decided to just put both on one image so you don't have to look back and forth.



The second floor has the guest rooms. The resident's name will be shown, so you don't have to remember who lives in which room.



The third floor has more guest rooms.



And the fourth floor has



Next is the 'Summary' section, which is currently empty. Once we complete a chapter, the summary of it will appear here.



And finally, 'Option'. We can't use the rumble feature since we don't have the Rumble Pak. The Handedness just change the orientation to fit how the DS is meant to be hold. The Mic Test is...well...to test your microphone.

Music: Overstepped Memory


The person icon is used to talk to people. Obviously you can do this only if you're near someone. But we're not going to, because.



New Music: Shadowy Men
Well, hey there, Hyde!



What?
"What"? Is that all you can say? You saw me here and just planned on walking right by? That's cold, man!
(Can't believe I let myself get held up by this guy.)

If we talk to him, the only difference is that Kyle called him instead of the other way around.

So, long time no see!
"Long time"? You serious?
It's been, what, three days since we last bumped into each other?
Trust me, seeing you once every three days is plenty.
Come on, man, you're killing me here! Don't be so cold!

Ah, the JerKyle Hyde we all know and love. He totally deserved it.



The nice thing about this game is that Kyle starts off knowing most characters since they're his neighbors.

(A musician. Lives across the hall. Not exactly a platinum seller, though. Schedule full of free time and broke to boot. Living the big free an' easy.)

I'm going to try sum up every character with a smiley. Tony is basically . You'll see why this update.

Just passed a dame in sunglasses on the way in.
She a friend of yours?
Ah, that classy lady in the big hat? Nope, no friend of mine.
Doesn't live here either. Came to visit someone, I guess.
At least, I don't think she lives here, anyway.
Helpful, Tony, real helpful.
Aw, come on, man!



Louie would've answered yes immediately.

No, just curious.
Yeah, sure.
Give that brain cell of yours a rest, why don't you?
Speaking of rest, I got somewhere to be.
So you're taking off already?
Not exactly the chatty type, are you?
No chit-chat for your old pal Tony?



We can influence the conversation with these choices. We can get questions or even Game Overs from choices, but for this one it mostly doesn't matter. I'll show only one branch except if there's a big difference between them. Like this one.

This guy for real? Since when've we been close friends?

Tony, we're just living in the same building...
Doesn't actually make us best friends, you know.



I mean, I live right across from you an' all. Under the same roof for four years now. That's gotta count for something.
I mean, you're like family, man!



Don't you trust that smile?

Hey, that reminds me...
I got this favour to ask. Us being buddies an' all.
This should be good.
Here's the deal. I got this need for a little cash real quick...



Here it comes...

In a nutshell, I need to scrape together $1000 to cover it all.

There it is!

I hate to rain on your parade, pal, but I don't have that kinda money.
And there's me thinking you're swimming in it.
You think I'd be living in a dump like this if I was? Listen, if I had that sort of cash lying around, I'd throw you a bone. But it ain't there.
What a drag.
Back to square one, then. Where am I gonna come up with that kinda cash now? Knew I shoulda gone teetotal...



Now, Tony, why do I get the feeling you're not being entirely straight with me?
Nah, man, you must've heard me wrong, I just wanted to see how much of a friend you were. That's all.
Same old Tony.
You seriously think I've forgotten the crap you pulled two weeks ago?
Don't say it, man. We've been through this.
Only, it wasn't your mom then, it was your "brother". You came to me with some sob story about getting him out to the hospital.
And like a fool, I passed you the taxi fare. And then, what do you know...
That "hospital" was a restaurant, and your "brother" was some broad!

I knew I shouldn't trust that smile!

I said I'm sorry, man. I said it like a million times already.
I wasn't thinking straight. Didn't mean any harm. You know that, right? Cross my heart, I won't try a stunt like that again. You got my word.



Time for the second choice. This one manages to be even worse somehow.

This guy think we're joined at the hip or something?

Have you always been like this, Tony?
Whaddya mean?
Man, I thought we were the best of buds. We've been tight since you invited me in for dinner that time.
Invited?
The way I recall it, you barged your way into my room...
And tried to chow down on my takeout dinner.
Is that how it looked?
Eating another man's food ain't the best way to make friends, you know.
Didn't realise you'd taken it so hard.



Tony is the really annoying kind of neighbor who no one wants to be around.

I'd describe you as many things, Tony, but a friend ain't one of them.
We're just, you know, acquaintances.
That so? I didn't have you pegged as such a cold hombre.
I'm cold all right, especially when dealing with the likes of you.
Now that's harsh, even for you!
I'm not a robot, man. I have feelings, you know!



It's all coming out now, huh?
I told you, I had a drink and it messed with my judgement...

It's a wonder Tony even manages to make Kyle talk to him after that.

A drink? I'd say you pretty much rained the bar's reserves. You were drunk and on a mission, Tony!
You had some funny idea about spray-painting your apartment...
And when I stepped in to stop you, you saw red and went for me.
You sure that's what happened?
Besides, I thought we'd put that little incident behind us.
By my count, that makes three times now. You just lose it when you're drunk, Tony. And the worst part is, I always seem to get pulled into the mayhem.

How did Tony manages to be this bad on the first 30 minutes?

Alright, alright. I get it. I swear I'll never cause you any strife again. Cross my heart, man.

Both choices converge here.



Why have I got a funny feeling of déjà vu right about now?
I ain't no fortune teller, but I predict I'll be hearing it next month too.
Are you for real?
Next month! Yeah, that's rich!
You know damn well there won't be any more of our little chats next month!



Ah, poor localisation. Our dear friend. The localization should probably put '"No more chats"? Meaning?' on the second choice.

"All we got left"? Meaning?

"All we got left"? Meaning?
Are you kidding me?



Our first question! We'll be getting plenty of these throughout the game. Orange question means we have to ask it to a specific person.