Line #26 VisualNovel/HerTearsWereMyLight


1	[[quoteright:315:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/space.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:315:Pictured: Space, [[ProneToTears doing what she does best]].]]
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4	''Her Tears Were My Light'' is a YuriGenre VisualNovel made by Creator/NomnomNami for [=NaNoRenO 2016=].
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6	You play as [[MoeAnthropomorphism Time]] and befriend Space, only to encounter a mysterious force, [[BigBad Nil]], that attempts to separate her from you. You must use your ability to travel to different points in time (implemented through unconventional use of the MediaNotes/RenPy game engine's mechanics) to try to save her.
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8	The game can be played on itch.io [[https://nomnomnami.itch.io/her-tears-were-my-light here]].
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10	----
11	!! ''Her Tears Were My Light'' contains examples of:
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13	* AmnesiacLover: Space is this towards Time, due to losing her memories whenever Time resets the timeline. [[spoiler:Time is also this towards Nil, due to Nil erasing Time's memory of their relationship.]]
14	* AmnesiacResonance: Time and Space cannot remember being together, yet they act as if they already know each other. [[spoiler:Time gets the same feeling when speaking with Nil.]]
15	* BigBad: Nil, the dark entity/[[spoiler:personification of nothingness]] that seeks to separate [[MoeAnthropomorphism Space]] from Time. She [[spoiler:[[DarkIsNotEvil isn’t doing it to be evil]], however, but to make Time remember her, as [[LiteralSplitPersonality she is the version of Space that has burned out]], making her a rare example of a non-evil main antagonist]].
16	* TheBigDamnKiss: Time confesses her feelings and has one with [[spoiler:Space and/or Nil]], depending on which route you're on.
17	* BodyHorror: The illustration of Nil and Space [[spoiler:merging together]].
18	* BossRemix: While not part of the game itself, the game's soundtrack includes battle theme remixes of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_wikE4sfj8 the title theme]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEza4Ijab-A Space's theme]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCMImH4IyNw Nil's theme]].
19	* CastFullOfGay: The cast is small and only includes girls who love girls.
20	* CastOfPersonifications: All the characters are the {{Moe Personification}}s of aspects of the universe, namely time, space, and [[spoiler:the void]]. They all have the forms of young women who have powers related to what they personify.
21	* CreationMyth: Told through godlike, [[YuriGenre lesbian]] {{Moe Anthropomorphism}}s of time and space, [[spoiler:as well as nothingness]].
22	* DarkIsNotEvil: [[spoiler:Nil, despite being the antagonist, is actually a rare non-evil BigBad, as she isn't messing with reality to be evil. She's upset that Time has lost her memories of her and is becoming attracted to Space, and Nil wants to be happy with her again.]]
23	* ExoticEyeDesigns: Space has eyes filled with stars.
24	* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: You would normally only use the rewind button in other visual novels to re-read some text that you missed, but here, rewinding is explicitly one of Time's powers. Going back and progressing through the same conversation again with new information can lead to a different outcome. The same goes for reloading from a save point or even restarting the game from the beginning.
25	* GoldenEnding: The true ending, naturally. [[spoiler: Refusing to forget or let go of either part of Nil and Space, Time promises Nil to rewind back to the beginning, but to seek Nil out first rather than beeline straight for Space as she had done previously. Having done so, the two reconcile, share a kiss, and then go to seek out Space together.]]
26	* GroundhogDayLoop: One that exploits the rollback and persistent data mechanics of the MediaNotes/RenPy game engine.
27	* HeKnowsAboutTimedHits: The first time you are required to use Time's rewinding powers, Time will remind you that there is a button that lets you do so.
28	* InterfaceScrew: [[spoiler:Nil's powers]] can prevent Time from rewinding. In other words, your mouse wheel and the "Rewind" button become useless, and you are forced to try other options.
29	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In the path where you [[spoiler:kiss Space, Nil will stop bothering you when she realizes her actions are making Time upset]]. This causes Time to realize there is more to her than meets the eye.
30	* {{Leitmotif}}: The soundtrack has a character theme for Space [[spoiler:and another one for Nil]]. The lower part from Space's theme returns at the end of the happy ending theme.
31	** LoveTheme: There's also music that plays when when Time kisses [[spoiler:either Space or Nil (during the true ending)]].
32	* LiteralSplitPersonality: [[spoiler:Space is the cast-off light from Nil, making them two halves of the same whole. Interestingly, the true ending is not about re-merging the two, but rather helping the two to co-exist with Time.]]
33	* LoveConfession:
34	** AbortedDeclarationOfLove: One possible option when Time is trying to sort out her feelings for Space.
35	** AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: Another possible option.
36	* MoeAnthropomorphism: Time and space [[spoiler:plus nothingness]] as cute girls doing cute and not so cute things.
37	* MultipleEndings: Two normal endings, a true ending, and several different [[NonstandardGameOver Non-Standard Game Overs]].
38	* NavelDeepNeckline: Nil wears an open coat with no shirt underneath, leaving her chest and belly exposed. Given the game's cutesy art style, this is less {{Fanservice}}y than you'd expect.
39	* PaintingTheMedium: Until you reset the timeline, the title screen background will reflect which ending you most recently achieved.
40	** No ending: a dark but starry background [[spoiler:since Space is out there crying and making stars]].
41	** Space's ending: a white background [[spoiler:since Nil goes away and stops bothering Time and Space]].
42	** Nil's ending: a black background since [[spoiler:Nil eliminates Space]].
43	** True ending: [[spoiler:a starry background with a dark upper half representing Nil and a bright lower half representing Space]].
44	* {{Polyamory}}: Implied by the true ending. [[spoiler:After sharing a kiss with Space, and Nil subsequently being chased off, Time instead chooses to follow after her to get the truth of what's going on. Nil explains their history, and Time realizes she loves both Nil ''and'' Space and doesn't want to lose or forget either of them. As proof of her devotion, Nil asks Time to rewind to the beginning again, losing what she already has with Space, and seek Nil out first. Time makes the promise, and does so, telling Nil that Space will not hate her or resent her, leading to a reconciliation and TheBigDamnKiss with Nil before the two of them set out to meet Space together, suggesting all three will become lovers. Granted, Nil and Space are [[LiteralSplitPersonality technically the same person]].]]
45	* PoorCommunicationKills: The cycle of Nil deleting Space and Time bringing her back doesn't stop until Nil takes a moment to explain her motives. The reason she doesn't speak up sooner is because [[spoiler:she secretly hopes that Time will remember her]].
46	* ProneToTears: Space cries to create stars and make herself feel less lonely, which Time finds endearing but also troubling.
47	* ResetButton: Time can reset the current timeline (game) anytime and start from the beginning without losing her own memories. This is a central mechanic of the game.
48	* RippleEffectProofMemory: Time [[spoiler:and Nil]] can retain memories across different timelines (playthroughs).
49	* SaveScumming: Time's ability allows her to do this InUniverse. She explicitly mentions "save points" in her narrations.
50	* TimeTravel: Time's power, of course.
51	* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: [[spoiler:Nil and Space]] have this dynamic going on, being opposites of each other.
52	* WalkingSpoiler: Nil, who is directly responsible for the main conflict but doesn't reveal herself right away, and is [[spoiler:the personification of nothingness who is the LiteralSplitPersonality of Space]].
53	* {{Yandere}}: At the end of all the failed timelines, [[spoiler:[[MurderTheHypotenuse Nil absorbs Space]]]] to get her out of the way and make [[spoiler:Time]] remember their past relationship together.
54	* YinYangClash: Space's very existence contradicts [[spoiler:Nil's]]. In the true ending, Time's goal is to resolve the conflict between them without letting one of them disappear.
55	* YouCantThwartStageOne: You are required to fail at saving Space from Nil and reset the timeline several times, [[spoiler:with both you and Nil]] retaining memories of these events, before you can [[spoiler:hear Nil's side of the story]] and start making better decisions.
56	* YuriGenre: A hallmark of Creator/NomnomNami's games.
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Context VisualNovel / HerTearsWereMyLight