Spyret's Blog

No piano today, sorry! I’m preparing to head back to school, and I’ve been crazy working on something special!

For the first time in my life, I read Soul of Sovereignty around three days ago. And if you’ve been paying any attention to me at all, I have not been the same since. Blog post!

So, yes, I did have a reason to read it, first of all. My love for UNDERTALE and DELTARUNE lead me to mysterious and very circus-like, sexy places. (Can I go back in time and stop myself from saying that before I post this?) I can name many times this happened, separately, not circus-like or sexy at the same time, but finally those two paths have converged, and I’m truly on my way to becoming the person I was always meant to be. Soul of Sovereignty, it’s safe to say, is the best visual novel I’ve ever read. And it may be my third favorite game ever. Its elements of storytelling through the flower glossary and cast portraits, the character designs, the frightening brightness of Ysme and the warmer-toned, calm blue wash over Loic, the really cute alligator, the music, the worldbuilding… sigh. I could only dream of making something like this.

I first heard about SOULSOV (abbreviation) from Toby Fox, in his newsletter interview with the VN’s creator, GGDG. I think I was maybe around 17 at the time, maybe closer to 16? Hearing him describe his friend’s awesome work, looking at the art with Ralsei and Jevil (and the bit about these characters existing for over a decade really resonated with me), I became enamored by the concept and really wanted to play.

But, and you may not know this about me… I’m not really a rebel. You’re probably rolling your eyes at me and going “ughhh, Spyret, you could have easily just picked up the game instead of waiting to be exactly eighteen… you’re such a goody-two-shoes!!” OKAY!!!!!!!! WHATEVER!!!!!! I’ve never even done drugs, did you know that?! 100% honesty! I’ve never even tasted alcohol!! I don’t know what being high is like!!! And I’m 19 years old!!! I’m taking life slow!! My first R-rated film in theatres was IRON LUNG!!! If I want to follow GGDG’s unenforced rule of being an adult to the letter, then damn it, I’m going to be the best rule follower ever!! I’m not a rule-breaker!!

Anyway, I’m not very happy I waited. Because I waited about a year longer than I intended to… upon my eighteenth birthday, I was in the middle of playing the new chapters of DELTARUNE. That had my heart for a while, and of course it did. But then, Soul of Sovereignty was on sale over my birthday week this year! So I was like, what the hell! I’ve got a few days until I head back to school. I can kill time with this really cool-looking thing.

(stands there in silence covered in blood, absolutely haggard and exhausted, sweat dripping down my face, eyes widened, fists clenched and shaking, in the frame of a big door that says chapter 3 soulsov)

So, Gigi, what did you put in this thing? Crack? I’ve actually never done drugs before, so I can’t be sure.

I immediately fell in love with one of the two main characters, Loic, when we first met onscreen. He was the aforementioned “flower dad” in all of the advertisements on Tumblr, and I could read that off him. Most of all, he had the potential to be one of the characters I like who has a soft heart and keeps getting filled with milk and thrown against the wall. I can say with confidence that I was right, but there was so much more to him. I really am a sucker for characters like him, who have been through such a heavy amount of pain, and try to stay kind and loving through it all. I was cheering for him to snap a little bit, but I often wanted to just hug him instead. He really goes through it! And he has earned his place in my heart as one of my most favorite heroes. I’m trying to save you the spoilers so I can convince you to read it, but trust me when I say, you will love Loic.

Ysme, on the other hand… ohhh boy. Ohhh boy. I’m incredibly sapphic. (Strong start)

The other main character is Ysme, who I refuse to spoil anything about. Her story is a long and meticulous one, and I eat her up. She’s funny, and actually evil, and does a lot of questionable things–I’ve been 100% on Loic’s side a few times, namely that one thing she did–but she’s so great. Such a perfect, well-written character. Instead of taking the pain in her life and choosing to be better than it, she leans into it, weaponizing her most desirable traits and cleverly cheating the mindsets of her adversaries, holding herself to a higher standard than the worst she’s ever been through because no one can hurt her on her own pedestal. And that’s just my own reading of her character! Her chasing the highest point of power there is in the world… God forbid women do ANYTHING. The music that plays at the end of Chapter 1, when she does the thing, and Loic is looking at her doing the thing, is my favorite song in the whole OST. It’s called “Light and Hunger”. I love it.

I can’t tell you anything else now. You have to go get it. At least play the demo, which is free, but the ten bucks is incredibly worth it. I’m going to replay it again very soon. @pallisia on Tumblr, GGDG’s official account, has the itch.io pinned. Go buy it! Go!!

And, remember when I said, “the bit about these characters existing for over a decade really resonated with me”? Well… I’ve had the same situation. Forgive me for diving into another topic, but, I’d love for you to hear this.

For seven years, the story of a young girl given an unfair hand at life has been circling in my brain. She loves her friends, and wants to tell their story. We’ve tried together for many years to tell it, when I decided on a visual novel format back in January of 2026.

I discovered quickly that I had a knack for coding in Renpy’s very intuitive format, and I had a rush of excitement seeing it all come together. My four main characters, finally on my screen, talking back to me. Formatting their music to fit their rooms and paths. Seeing that young girl travel through universes I laughed at for hours. I was confident then, and I’m confident now, that I can make their stories real at last. And reading Soul of Sovereignty lit the fire under my ass to begin.

I’ll have something short for you to play here very soon. I want to show you what I’ve had in my mind since 2019. She’s ready to get your attention.

Until next time. ❤