This review assumes you have played Neil’s main route (detailed review found here) and makes no attempt to keep the plot unspoiled.
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Positives
- Shakespeare quotes are everywhere. I may have played through it twice in twenty-four hours to find all the quotes.
- Neil’s tangent on Sherlock made me laugh because it’s accurate. I’m improving, but I’ve certainly gone off on an author or historical event and then realized the other person’s shell-shocked.
- Having an unwelcome ghost accompany Neil allows him to preserve his stand-offish attitude from the main route and explores his history without it becoming a straight info-dump. That it’s a common device Shakespeare employed is also a bonus.
- Alton, the ghost, spends most of his time needling Neil. I was disappointed when he stopped appearing. Come back, Alton!
- The flashbacks featuring Lillie, Neil’s former fiance, are done well. They are brief and show how much WWI affected Neil and his generation without smacking me about the head. It’s also a whole lot more believable than the “I’ve never loved anyone before you” nonsense some other routes try to sell.
- Lillie has her own distinctive sprite.
- The POV route gives context as to why Neil shares his past with the MC at specific moments.
- The MC matches the main route’s – focused and smart but not a know-it-all. Her mentioning that she picked up the Shakespeare quote from her father is a nice touch. Even if her family’s more old-fashioned than she is, they aren’t dismissed as uneducated.
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Negatives
- The music does not change. Having Broody relate his nightmares or snog a girl while upbeat music plays kills the mood. Mute before loading.
- Half the time she appears onscreen, the MC wears an unfortunate startled face.
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Wait-a-Minute Moments
- Lillie’s parents and Neil’s younger sister are mentioned, but his parents are not addressed at all. Wouldn’t they feel something about their engagement or the break up?
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Overall: Highly recommended. I loved Neil’s main route for the MC. I like this one for Neil himself.
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Voltage Entertainment USA’s Speakeasy Tonight is available on iOS.
myladylydia 
Short response: Thanks very much. Favorite thing about this story: got to put my theatre degrees to some use! I too am not a fan of the startle-face in the game — for ANY of the characters.
You’re welcome; I could tell you had fun. I’m still politely prodding Voltage USA every time I have the opportunity about odd sprite expressions. There’s one of Neil early in Vince’s POV route that still haunts me. XD
I loved Neil too!
I couldn’t understand either why she was surprised most of the time. She’s supposed to be smart and quick witted but the face just made her look she was taken by surprise by every sentence he spoke.
And Lillie! The guy is 32, can we really believe there was no one before? I was a great addition to the story.
And Alton! I was sad when he was gone too. Hehehe