Let's hear oomfie's thoughts on the demo too okay
Okay, sorry for taking so long to answer the question, but I first wanted to reread the first six chapters and then do a comparative read with the VN.
Overall, I really like it ! As you said, there is certainly a bit of lore dumping and Su’s introspectiveness missing, but it still manages to capture the essential.
(I think the lore part could be addressed by expanding a little bit more the VN encyclopedia.)
I really like the production design, in particular the Gilgamesh mural and the first death/joke sequence, too.
The sprites are neat, but I think I want to see them in the murder investigation part to properly judge them.
The music is… fine, as far as I know. To be honest, I just don't have much ear for sound design.
Now, for the more detailed thought:
-I have mixed feelings about the new narrative framing. On one hand, I do think it does a better job preparing the Manse and Dilmum who, let's be honest, weren't that well foreshadowed in the WN before the second part.
On the other hand, the whole “last simulation” framework was kind of necessary to make sense of the meta element of the mystery and the way they appear in the narrative of the novel, so I do wonder how Lurina is planning to adapt them here.
I also remarked that the hint of simulation, like Su’s bad dream and the feeling of déjà-vu are are missing too.
-I’m pretty sure that the “three types of decision” speech comes from later in the novel. In general, I get the impression that a lot of added elements are just later thing moved earlier, but I could be misremembering.
Honestly, I think it mostly works well. Though, in this case, it’s mostly that it never was a particularly subtle scene, so you might as well add Su’s musing on her half-backed attempt.
-Shame it cut the scene short, but “this is the stupidest joke” cut to the title is indeed really funny. Not really sure why Lurina changed the punchline, however.
-I’m absolutely sure that the added bit about the sleepless supremacy through social darwinism came from another part came from another discussion between Kam and Su, but in any case, I do like it. Shame we lose the "debate are like sword fight".
-Ran is probably the one who gets the most changes in terms of interaction and the biggest one is probably the way she actively pushes Su to think about what she would do if she was immortal and actually answer her when she asks back later. The second is her straight up saying that Su doesn’t have to go through with plan if she doesn’t want to at the end of the dinner scene.
-Su presenting herself to us as a selfish, spiteful, and covetous person that would drown the world in stillness instead of primarily a coward and liar is certainly an interesting change. Her description also downplayed her prodigy aspect in favor of the nepo-baby one.
-Going for a third-person perspective that early was a little weird. Especially if Su is supposed to be the narrator. Like, how does she know that, and why is she telling it like this ? Anyway, it, of course, makes the coordinator and everyone he talks to even more sus than the novel.
-I suppose that Ptolema finding them by basically knocking at every door instead of Theo telling her is because it didn’t make that much sense that he would know Su’s secret spot.
-Straight up saying that Su’s incantation can asphyxiate people, hm ?
-Su is a bit much more antagonistic towards Ptolema. In the novel, she just goes “I have a hard time seeing her as an academic but it’s probably my own bias” and push her a little on her (poorly thought) idea on immortality before conceding a few points. While here, she not so subtly implies that her parents bought her diploma and pretty openly mock her for her idea.
-Not much to say about the change in Seth's introduction. Giving him a bit more interaction with Ptolema and adding Theo does give a better grasp on his character, I suppose.
Ran and Su “heterosexual, right ?” moment was cute though.
-A little thing, but it’s interesting Nindar's change in the two types of students does position Su as a sort of detective.
-A lot could be said about the change in Su/Ram's post-interview interaction, but Su insisting on waiting for Ram is actually really sweet. Shame they didn’t keep the “How much did you have to lie ?”
-Like the new emphasis on the fact Su’s mask is slipping more and more here.
There would probably be more to analyse, but I'm going to stop here.
But yeah, really interested in it and I can't wait to see how it develops !
