Man I Just Wanna Go Home – One Evening, Many Thrills

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• DEVELOPER: JZPS Games 
• PUBLISHER: JZPS Games   
• PLATFORMS: PC 
• GENRE: Visual novel 
• RELEASE DATE: July 12th, 2024 
• STARTING PRICE: 2,99€ 
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC 

What do we get when we combine a noir crime story, hand-drawn illustrations made in MS Paint, and life-or-death decisions? The only way to find out is by playing Man I Just Wanna Go Home, a short but rich visual novel in which no choice is what it seems. 

The Quest to Return Home 

Man I Just Wanna Go Home starts off pretty casually: we’re a delivery person who finds themselves in an unfamiliar part of the city on a heavily rainy evening. With a dead phone, a few coins, and no way to get around, we head into a nearby, nearly empty café where we meet a friendly barista named Rita. From this point on, every choice we make will matter – not only in finding a way home, but also in navigating the mysterious and unsettling events hidden within the night. 

This setup opens up many possibilities for how the story will unfold, and the game is well aware of this and strives to make the most of it. Alongside our character’s difficult circumstances – which in and of themselves can evoke unease and tension – we’re presented with a murder mystery that weaves its way through different routes. We quickly realize what’s going on here, which is why every choice we’re presented with takes on greater significance and may have a hidden meaning: for example, what might seem like a reasonable or honest course of action leads us to a tragic ending, while the bizarre and suspicious options turn out to be the best ones. 

This unpredictability of the outcome pairs well with the fast pace of the narrative. It’s worth noting here that, despite the 13 endings, all of them can be reached in about 60–70 minutes, since the entire story revolves around the murder. There are pros and cons to this approach, which are very evident in this game. On the positive side, we get right to the point, follow the natural flow of events, and maintain a sense of intensity while keeping the player curious enough to try out all the options – even though some choices and dialogues repeat, each choice actually leads to a unique ending. 

While we have to piece the story together ourselves and don’t get any real answers to the strange things that happen, trying out different paths doesn’t really provide any deeper insight. It’s true that we have the chance to visit new locations and meet people who offer their perspective, but their input doesn’t add much that’s new to what we already know, other than finding ourselves in a different place at a different time. 

Murder in comic book panels 

There’s no denying that one of this game’s major strengths is its aesthetics: a story filled with crime, death, and suspense told through MS Paint graphics is certainly an interesting choice that lends it not only a unique quality but also a sense of uncanniness. I liked how these illustrations were combined with the comic book aesthetic, telling the story through a series of consecutive panels at key moments. 

Sound plays a key role in building tension, and this game makes good use of that—the ’80s-inspired soundtrack captures the story’s atmosphere, and the audio design skillfully employs ambient sounds, silence, and alarming noises. What’s more, the game, in every aspect, not only strives to capture the atmosphere of a crime thriller but also adds humor through unconventional solutions and their effects, which creates some hilarious moments. 

Review copy provided by the publisher