It’s time. Clear your thoughts, sit down, plop a piece of paper into the typewriter, think to yourself, I Hope This Letter Finds You, and get to it. Before you know it, a string of choices has shaped a short letter to your father.
That’s really all there is to this one, but as I’m sure you can imagine, the branching narrative is a vital component. Virtually every single paragraph is prefaced with a choice, and as far as I can tell, there are two different endings, maybe more. The way the choice-based system is handled, each ‘route’ featuring only brief glimpses of overlap, means there’s certainly reason to restart once the credits roll and find out what else can happen, or rather, what else can be said. Or not said.
But it’s what you can’t say that makes all the difference.
In a perfect world, letters to parents – whether it be one’s father, mother, or both – aren’t difficult to write. You know exactly what you want to tell them, so you put pen to paper finger to typewriter and words simply flow onto the page; no worries and no second-guessing. At all. But… what if? A lot can come between a parent and their child. Especially as both grow older. A letter can do many things, both good and bad, and that’s definitely something to keep in mind.
Given its short runtime, I’m surprised at just how much it got me thinking about certain aspects of life, although to say more would undeniably enter spoiler territory. This is most certainly a positive, however, and another way of saying I would recommend grabbing a copy and experiencing this visual novel yourself. Oh, and whenever you find yourself writing (with the intent to send), be sure to make room for this thought in your head during: I Hope This Letter Finds You.
I Hope This Letter Finds You is available on itch.io.
