Who's the real monster here?
"I love you for who you are. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you."
— Bell
Robin Hawkins is down on his luck. His relationship with his wife, Sally, is stagnating, and his daughter, Melody, no longer speaks to him. Stuck in an unsatisfying and draining job, Robin's life is one long, monotonous slog... Until he meets the mysterious girl of his dreams in the middle of the night, Bell. However, there is far more to Bell than meets the eye - and Robin's 'dreams' are fast in danger of becoming 'nightmares'.
A short psychological horror Visual Novel by Ebi-hime, creator of The Way We All Go, Strawberry Vinegar, The Sad Story of Emeline Burns, and other indie Visual Novel titles.
A direct sequel, Sweetest Monster Refrain, was released in 2023.
Tropes:
- And I Must Scream: At the end, Bell reveals that Robin's daughter Melody was aware of what was happening while Bell was controlling her...
- Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?: jokingly said by Bell at the beginning of the game.
- Asshole Victim: Robin, in some viewers' eyes. He ignores his family to an alarming degree, to the point that he hasn't talked to his own daughter in months and considers it a 'normal' afternoon when his wife won't talk to him.
- Cats Are Mean: In the flashback, Bell, the cat belonging to Robin's great-aunt would bite and scratch at him. This also applies to Bell as a catgirl as she grows more selfish and cruel.
- Crazy Cat Lady: The protagonist's great-aunt is described like this, albeit in a more tragic way than usual for the trope.
- Cruel Twist Ending: Bell has permanently possessed Robin's daughter Melody, and Robin is probably stuck with her forever.
- Despair Event Horizon: Robin's daughter Melody suffers from anxiety and depression and tried to kill herself before the events of the game. And she decides to die, in a sense, after essentially being raped by her own father, by allowing Bell to forever possess her body.
- Driven to Suicide: Melody recently tried to commit suicide, but was unsuccessful.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Bell, at first.
- Parental Neglect: Robin hasn't even had a proper conversation with his daughter Melody in months. It's so bad he doesn't even realize that Bell is using her body until it's too late.
- Questionable Consent: Bell kisses Robin when he explicitly doesn't want her to, but feels conflicted because he enjoys the feeling of kissing Bell. Eventually, Bell all but corners Robin in the park and has sex with him, despite his initial reluctance he goes along with it.
- Surprise Incest: It turns out that Bell had possessed Melody's body... and then seduced Robin, her father. To his horror.
