Overview: Please Be Blissful Is Cozy and Considerate

I’ve a little bit of a foul monitor document with Studio Élan’s visible novels: each Coronary heart of the Woods and Freeway Blossoms have sat unplayed in my Steam library for years now. That form of candy however subdued Yuri VN must be one thing I completely adore, however one way or the other I’ve bounced off every of those I’ve tried. That’s till Please Be Blissful, which I’m happy to report lastly managed to sink the studio’s hooks into me. And it truly is peak Élan, with a sluggish, cozy tempo and a contemplative temper, with various literary references sprinkled in. For those who’re searching for one thing extra epic, intense, and even comedic then this may not be the sport for you, however if you’d like one thing sedate and considerate then Please Be Blissful is totally value a glance.

The story follows Miho, an itinerant gumiho or fox spirit from Korea, as she travels looking for an unknown determine from her earliest reminiscence. Arriving in Wellington, New Zealand, her preliminary plan to reside in a literal gap within the floor and survive on purloined snacks is derailed when she is successfully taken in by Juliet, an aloof and sleek vampire, and Aspen, an area barista and aspiring author. What follows is the principally laid again, slice-of-life story of Miho integrating right into a society she had beforehand solely moved within the peripheries of, with a couple of issues each romantic and supernatural.

Please Be Blissful initially got here out again in 2021 for PC, however solely made it to consoles this February, 2025. Gameplay smart it’s principally linear with a couple of low stakes selections alongside the best way, later splitting right into a route for every of the two love pursuits with 2 endings every. You’ll additionally frequently get the prospect to choose from a couple of places to hang around in, principally to offer you a selection of which facet tales and characters you wish to interact with however you may also choose empty places for a brief little vignette of Miho on her personal, which is good. The accompanying artwork can also be beautiful with a pleasant subdued palette with numerous heat browns that matches the general tone excellently. Just a few of the facet characters have sprites that may look just a little tough, however the principle solid and backgrounds are nice and I particularly love Miho and Juliet’s outfit designs.

Miho herself is a reasonably clean character, however not less than a part of that’s by design. She’s lived hand-to-mouth her complete life, surviving on intuition and her innate magic powers. A lot so, that she struggles to determine what to do together with her time now that she doesn’t must spend it consistently on the hunt for meals and shelter. As she adjusts to her new circumstances she exhibits herself to be curious and surprisingly empathetic, particularly given her lack of great social interplay, as she warms as much as the brand new folks in her life rapidly. Maybe too rapidly, even, as I used to be form of left wishing Please Be Blissful had just a little extra friction and battle as Miho struggles to unlearn the fight-or-flight intuition that has stored her secure to this point. She thinks about it a good quantity, however past the primary evening or so it doesn’t find yourself affecting issues an excessive amount of. She’s cute and eminently likable in fact, I simply really feel there was potential for some extra characterful hijinks in there to distinction with the sluggish, slice-of-life moments that make up many of the sport.

In the meantime Aspen, the primary of the 2 love pursuits, grew on me immensely throughout the story. She may have so simply have been shy and forgettable, however that’s not her in any respect. She’s variety and caring, sure, but in addition a bit patronizing and self-absorbed, which solely makes her extra plausible as a personality. And her dialogue is admittedly elevated by Anna Chloe Moorey’s voice efficiency, which will get throughout a number of subtlety by means of her intonation and inflection.

In truth a number of the voice work in Please Be Blissful is fairly stellar. There’s even a couple of skills who would go on to work on a lot larger tasks, like Shara Kirby (who’s ‘Cinder’ Carla in Armored Core 6, one other sport with unbelievable voice work) and Molly Zhang (who’s been in a couple of HoYoVerse video games). My one gripe is that typically the recordings themselves may sound muddy, although I don’t know sufficient about sound work to counsel whether or not it’s a recording or mixing challenge.

Lastly there’s Juliet, who takes some time to return into her personal as a personality as a result of she tends to be extra reserved and mysterious. Her design felt completely laser-targeted to my tastes, however I think about somebody much less into attractive girls in princely outfits may not be as instantly as a result of she will really feel a bit absent or with out motivation till a very good chunk of the best way into Please Be Blissful. It feels a bit contrived, for instance, that she would supply somebody she barely is aware of free room and board particularly contemplating how she and Miho meet, however when you begin getting her backstory it does find yourself making sense.

She was initially going to be the primary love curiosity I pursued earlier than I used to be swayed by Aspen, and I do suppose her story finally ends up working a bit higher because the second path to play. That mentioned, I couldn’t assist however want for a route the place Juliet and Aspen get collectively, with Miho as extra of a daughter determine. As a lot as I preferred every of the characters, the chemistry between Miho and the opposite two by no means fairly struck me as romantic and a number of the lovey-dovey elements may typically really feel a bit unearned.

It’s nonetheless candy although, and watching Miho and the ladies bond momentarily sated my limitless thirst for Yuri, however I do respect that Please Be Blissful is greater than only a car for the nice and cozy fuzzies. There’s some good thematic meat to it, and though it may typically be just a little on the nostril there was sufficient compelling stuff in there that my ideas would linger lengthy after I completed a play session. A giant theme for Miho is discovering out who or what she is, and who she desires to turn out to be after studying that, which I believe ought to resonate with anybody who has ties to a diaspora, whereas Juliet’s story usually faucets into the wealthy vein of pathos that’s relationships between mortals and immortals. I’d have preferred a couple of extra moments of battle and pressure, however what’s current there actually added taste to the slower, slice-of-life elements.

Whereas there are temporary moments of intense emotion, Please Be Blissful is generally a really mild story which may not fulfill these searching for an excessively cute or romantic story, as a result of that’s not what it’s. It’s a narrative about slowing down and appreciating what you might have, your self and deciding what it’s you truly wish to do and be. For those who can match its tempo, you’ll discover a satisfying story in a reasonably properly made bundle. The gorgeous anime ladies falling in love is only a bonus.

Please Be Blissful is straight away out there for PC, PS5, Xbox Sequence X/S, and Nintendo Change.