Plodding Recovery

Plodding Recovery follows Koishi, who has long ignored the emotional weight building inside him. The game begins two weeks after he breaks down, mentally and physically, and follows him over 60 days as he writes in his diary, rests, meets people and chooses what he can manage each day. Through these daily routines, he gradually comes to understand the part of himself he had neglected and collects Words Worth Keeping.

Daily choices

Each day, you choose how Koishi spends his time. He can write in a diary no one else will read, try to sleep, take an easy activity such as walking, watching videos or reading manga, go to places such as a bookstore, bathhouse or laundromat, or spend time with someone.

Koishi’s diary

In a quiet inner space deep in Koishi’s heart, likened to the bottom of the ocean, you put feelings into words. Through text and choices, you reflect as you write the pages of his diary. Koishi can also use the diary to explore what his collected Words Worth Keeping mean to him; these words come from restful activities, conversations and quiet moments.

Conversations

Meeting a character starts a dialogue minigame that advances through choices. Each response uses Heart (HP), and you clear the minigame by raising the other person’s satisfaction.

Personal outlooks

Koishi’s daily actions and choices gradually develop four personal outlooks:

• Oh Well: being able to think “this is fine” even when things are not perfect.
• Know Yourself: slowly becoming aware of his feelings and patterns of mind.
• Don’t Overdo It: not pushing past his limits and resting when things get hard.
• Frivolous: bending the rules a little on purpose to protect himself.

Heart and condition

Heart (HP) reflects how much Koishi has left in him; when it runs low, he may not be able to go out. Today’s Feeling reflects his condition on a given day and affects how quickly his Heart changes and how well he sleeps.