History YMMV / MysticMessenger

** Quite a lot of fans are annoyed at Yoosung's harsh behavior at V. [[spoiler:In Ray's route, he was able to come to terms and understand why V acted the way he did]].
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Route dispute asides, many players agree that the music used during the course of Another Story mode are amazing.
** From V's route, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5YTeE0mwVU Compass V2]] emotionally sucker punches you when V is overcoming one of the biggest obstacles that plagued him in the entirety of the game.

* BaseBreakingCharacter: All of them. Every single character (except for Seven, possibly) has at least one characteristic about which the fandom argues. V, Rika, and (since the release of V route) Unknown are the most controversial; if any one of the three is brought up in a fandom debate, it ''will'' get ugly.

*** Even more division arose with the release of Ray's route. [[spoiler:Ray spends days 5 and 6 fawning over you, and MC even kisses him at the end of day 6. Some players felt that this was unrealistically fast for a relationship to form, especially considering that he only just revealed that he's been lying to you for days. On Day 7, Rika re-brainwashes him and he shifts to the AxCrazy version of himself we recognize from the original routes. At this point, despite even Rika telling him not "be mean" towards the MC (i.e ignore her at best and discard her at worst), he locks you in your room for ''days'', inappropriately touches you, starves you, emotionally abuses you, and constantly threatens you with torture and death. If you resist him and stay strong despite the abuse, he will eventually become [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone horrified by his own actions]] and apologizes right after you "shove" him away when he's advancing on you once again. Despite the fact that Saeran tells you even ''after'' he settles down that this rage and instability are a very real part of who he is, you have to forgive him to progress toward a good ending, even though in one of the Bad Endings it is shown that he would've continued to emotionally "break" and abuse the MC had she not been strong enough to fight back against him. The sweet romantic scenes after such blatant abuse are disturbing to those fans who are unwilling to write off his behavior at Magenta. There's also the idea that MC saves Saeran with her love, which implies a [[LivingEmotionalCrutch potentially unhealthy dependency on her]]. That said, most players see the ending of his route in a positive light and his route is also given praise for giving some form of closure to some character arcs such as Yoosung's dislike of V and the subplot of Saeyoung and Saeran's father. And answered several of the questions several players had in other routes that didn't get to be answered, such as why V wasn't able to find out that Saeran had been brainwashed by Rika sooner]].

* AwesomeMusic: Route dispute asides, many players agree that the music used during the course of Another Story mode are amazing.

* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Rika, but in a rather unconventional way: she went from [[TheScrappy Scrappydom]] to becoming even ''more'' of a BaseBreakingCharacter than before. Many of the people who hated Rika hate her even more now, mostly because [[spoiler:more of her abuse of V is revealed in his route, and at one point she even stabs him.]] However, a sizable portion of the fanbase seems to have changed their opinions on her, to varying degrees; some people pity her due to [[spoiler: her mental illness, which is shown to be even more severe than what we saw of it before. Rika seems to be teetering on the brink of collapse at several different points throughout the story, and breaks down hysterically crying multiple times--ultimately culminating in either her [[DrivenToSuicide suicide]] at the end of V's normal ending, or institutionalization at the end of V's good ending. This, coupled with more details about her [[ParentalAbandonment terrible]] [[ParentalNeglect childhood]] that are revealed throughout the route, are seen as some fans as a FreudianExcuse that makes her more sympathetic. Rika also spends quite a bit of time on V's route being very friendly with the MC, which some fans received positively.]] It also helps that [[spoiler: she shows both inner conflict and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone remorse]] for many of her actions by the end of the story, since a major complaint about her character in the Secret Endings was the one-dimensional cruelty she showed to people she supposedly cared about, like V and Saeran.]] And yet another group doesn’t quite care about all of the drama and just like her because [[spoiler: of the massive amount of LesYay [[{{Fanservice}} she generates]] between [[GirlOnGirlIsHot herself and the protagonist]] in V’s route]].

* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Rika, but in a rather unconventional way. The V route update didn't necessarily save her from [[TheScrappy Scrappydom]], but is rather even ''more'' of a BaseBreakingCharacter than before. Many of the people who hated Rika hate her even more now, mostly because [[spoiler:more of her abuse of V is revealed in his route, and at one point she even stabs him.]] However, a sizable portion of the fanbase seems to have changed their opinions on her, to varying degrees; some people pity her due to [[spoiler: her mental illness, which is shown to be even more severe than what we saw of it before. Rika seems to be teetering on the brink of collapse at several different points throughout the story, and breaks down hysterically crying multiple times--ultimately culminating in either her [[DrivenToSuicide suicide]] at the end of V's normal ending, or institutionalization at the end of V's good ending. This, coupled with more details about her [[ParentalAbandonment terrible]] [[ParentalNeglect childhood]] that are revealed throughout the route, are seen as some fans as a FreudianExcuse that makes her more sympathetic. Rika also spends quite a bit of time on V's route being very friendly with the MC, which some fans received positively.]] It also helps that [[spoiler: she shows both inner conflict and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone remorse]] for many of her actions by the end of the story, since a major complaint about her character in the Secret Endings was the one-dimensional cruelty she showed to people she supposedly cared about, like V and Saeran.]]

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was compelled to risk his life daily in pursuance of food and water for both his brother and himself by regularly exposing himself to his father's men who he frequently had to evade since he was little in order to survive, owing to the fact that they were bent on finding them both and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for them, he had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his beloved twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and sacrificing every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd regularly had to run dangerous missions since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a to her a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes even joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he fails to finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die. As his route progresses, he's further compelled to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]] and everything he'd sacrificed for was almost entirely for nothing; even after they get Saeran away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed to the point that he tries to kill Seven repeatedly and nearly strangles him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but questionably still alive; albeit having a very high possibility of being tortured by his father's hands. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was compelled to risk his life daily in pursuance of food and water for both his brother and himself by regularly exposing himself to his father's men who he frequently had to evade since he was little in order to survive, owing to the fact that they were bent on finding them both and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for them, he had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his beloved twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and sacrificing every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd regularly had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a to her a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes even joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he fails to finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die. As his route progresses, he's further compelled to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]] and everything he'd sacrificed for was almost entirely for nothing; even after they get Saeran away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed to the point that he tries to kill Seven repeatedly and nearly strangles him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but questionably still alive; albeit having a very high possibility of being tortured by his father's hands. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was compelled to risk his life daily in pursuance of food and water for both his brother and himself by regularly exposing himself to his father's men who he frequently had to evade since he was little in order to survive, owing to the fact that they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for them, he had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his beloved twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and sacrificing every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd regularly had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a to her a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes even joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he fails to finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die. As his route progresses, he's further compelled to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]] and everything he'd sacrificed for was almost entirely for nothing; even after they get Saeran away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed to the point that he tries to kill Seven repeatedly and nearly strangles him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but questionably still alive; albeit having a very high possibility of being tortured by his father's hands. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was compelled to risk his life daily in pursuance of food and water for both his brother and himself, since he'd had to expose himself to his father's men who he constantly had to evade since he was little in order to survive as they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for them, he had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his beloved twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and sacrificing every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd regularly had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a to her a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes even joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he fails to finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die. As his route progresses, he's further compelled to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]] and everything he'd sacrificed for was almost entirely for nothing; even after they get Saeran away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed to the point that he tries to kill Seven repeatedly and nearly strangles him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but questionably still alive; albeit having a very high possibility of being tortured by his father's hands. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** [[spoiler: Halfway in Ray/Saeran's route, players are treated to a CG of the sweet, insecure, but kind-hearted Ray, turn to the Unknown that players are familiar with from the Casual and Deep story modes and basically, had the MC placed in a position of abuse victim. To some players, that whole section reeks of StockholmSyndrome. Getting the bad ending, by being submissive to him during this part of the route makes the implication even worse, not helped that to get to the good ending, you have to be patient and kind to Saeran at this point of the route regardless of the abuse. You do have the chance to say that you can't forgive Saeran for this very action while understanding his condition, and Saeran himself knows that the MC may find it hard to forgive him for that before you are prompted to choose any of the options mentioned; however, this is made entirely redundant since you have no other choice but to end up in a relationship with Saeran in both the good and normal endings which can arguably be akin to a Karma Houdini. Not to mention, based on his somewhat dismissive attitude of his brother still missing and lack of therapy received before starting a relationship with the MC despite the years of trauma he'd experienced, it can be implied that he is now as emotionally dependent on the MC like he'd once been with his brother and Rika consequitively]].

** [[spoiler: Halfway in Ray/Saeran's route, players are treated to a CG of the sweet, insecure, but kind-hearted Ray, turn to the Unknown that players are familiar with from the Casual and Deep story modes and basically, had the MC placed in a position of abuse victim. To some players, that whole section reeks of StockholmSyndrome. Getting the bad ending, by being submissive to him during this part of the route makes the implication even worse, not helped that to get to the good ending, you have to be patient and kind to Saeran at this point of the route regardless of the abuse. You do have the chance to say that you can't forgive Saeran for this very action while understanding his condition, and Saeran himself knows that the MC may find it hard to forgive him for that before you are prompted to choose any of the options mentioned; however, this is made entirely redundant since you have no other choice but to end up in a relationship with Saeran in both the good and normal endings which can arguably be akin to a Karma Houdini]].

** [[spoiler: Halfway in Ray/Saeran's route, players are treated to a CG of the sweet, insecure, but kind-hearted Ray, turn to the Unknown that players are familiar with from the Casual and Deep story modes and basically, had the MC placed in a position of abuse victim. To some players, that whole section reeks of StockholmSyndrome. Getting the bad ending, by being submissive to him during this part of the route makes the implication even worse, not helped that to get to the good ending, you have to be patient and kind to Saeran at this point of the route regardless of the abuse. You do have the chance to say that you can't forgive Saeran for this very action while understanding his condition, and Saeran himself knows that the MC may find it hard to forgive him for that before you are prompted to choose any of the options mentioned; however, this is made entirely redundant since you have no other choice but to end up in a relationship with Saeran in both the good and normal endings which can be arguably be akin to a Karma Houdini]].

** [[spoiler: Halfway in Ray/Saeran's route, players are treated to a CG of the sweet, insecure, but kind-hearted Ray, turn to the Unknown that players are familiar with from the Casual and Deep story modes and basically, had the MC placed in a position of abuse victim. To some players, that whole section reeks of StockholmSyndrome. Getting the bad ending, by being submissive to him during this part of the route makes the implication even worse, not helped that to get to the good ending, you have to be patient and kind to Saeran at this point of the route regardless of the abuse. You do have the chance to say that you can't forgive Saeran for this very action while understanding his condition, and Saeran himself knows that the MC may find it hard to forgive him for that before you are prompted to choose any of the options mentioned; however, this is made entirely redundant since you have no other choice but to end up in a relationship with Saeran in both the good and normal endings]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was compelled to risk his life daily in pursuance of food and water for both his brother and himself,since he'd had to expose himself to his father's men who he constantly had to evade since he was little in order to survive as they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for them, he had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his beloved twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and sacrificing every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd regularly had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a to her a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes even joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he fails to finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die. As his route progresses, he's further compelled to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]] and everything he'd sacrificed for was almost entirely for nothing; even after they get Saeran away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed to the point that he tries to kill Seven repeatedly and nearly strangles him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but questionably still alive; albeit having a very high possibility of being tortured by his father's hands. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was forced into doing chores in pursuance of food and water for both his brother and himself, which in turn exposed him to his father's men who he constantly had to evade since he was little in order to survive, since they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for him and his brother, Saeyoung had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd often had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly, who also let's his brother nearly strangle him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was forced into doing chores in pursuance of food and water for both his brother and himself, which in turn exposed him to his father's men who he constantly had to evade since he was little in order to survive; as they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for him and his brother, Saeyoung had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd often had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly, who also let's his brother nearly strangle him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was forced into doing chores in pursuance of food and water for his brother and himself, which in turn exposed him to his father's men who he constantly had to evade since he was little in order to survive; as they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for him and his brother, Saeyoung had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd often had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly, who also let's his brother nearly strangle him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was forced into doing chores in pursuance of food and water for his brother and himself, which exposed him to his father's men who he constantly had to evade since he was little in order to survive; as they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for him and his brother, Saeyoung had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd often had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly, who also let's his brother nearly strangle him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was forced into doing chores in pursuance of food and water for his brother and himself, which exposed him to his father's men who he constantly had to evade since he was little in order to survive; as they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for him and his brother, Saeyoung had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his leave his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd often had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly, who also let's his brother nearly strangle him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:(AKA Saeyoung) along with his brother, had a truly horrifying childhood as well. Despite being constantly threatened by his mother about the risks his father posed to both his and his brother's life, he was forced into doing chores, in pursuance of food and water for his brother and himself, which exposed him to his father's men who he constantly had to evade since he was little in order to survive; as they were bent on finding him and his brother and 'erasing' them from the world. With "their mother failing to be a parent" for him and his brother, Saeyoung had to put his brother before himself by 'protecting him' from the abuse their mother had often tried to inflict upon them. However, he was forced to leave his leave his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), by giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and become a secluded secret agent, working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he'd often had to risk his life since the age of 12; which he tells the MC a little bit about when he narrates a story of himself being trapped in a boiler room for three days straight without food or water, and later expressing how he believed that his potential death wouldn't have truly mattered to anyone. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly, who also let's his brother nearly strangle him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:escaped his abusive childhood home, but only by leaving his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and becoming a secluded secret agent working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he's often had to risk his life since the age of 12. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly, who also let's his brother nearly strangle him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:escaped his abusive childhood home, but only by leaving his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and becoming a secluded secret agent working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he's often had to risk his life since the age of 12. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm as well in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly, who also let's his brother nearly strangle him to death. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:escaped his abusive childhood home, but only by leaving his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and becoming a secluded secret agent working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he's often had to risk his life since the age of 12. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, which involved Seven getting shot and nearly dying from blood loss along with almost losing the use of his arm as well in the process, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** Seven [[spoiler:escaped his abusive childhood home, but only by leaving his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and becoming a secluded secret agent working for an abusive and dangerous agency, where he's often had to risk his life since the age of 12. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

** As of the release of his own route, [[spoiler:Ray/Saeran gets this with the latter parts of the route spelling UnfortunateImplications. While yes, he does feel horrible about it, and he was brainwashed, but with the argument that his anger and violence is real and part of him, [[ReformedButRejected some players find it hard to forgive him even after he admits his faults]]]].

** For most fans, Rika used to be TheScrappy. They absolutely ''hated'' her for [[spoiler:manipulating and abusing Saeran and V (not to mention the many tortured and brainwashed disciples of Mint Eye)]], even taking into account [[spoiler:her own mental trauma]]. It doesn't help that the other characters idolized her and constantly compared her to the player, which could be annoying even to players who ''didn't'' know the whole story, let alone those who did. However, there were people who defended her [[spoiler:because of her mental illness and the fact that she was abused by her adoptive parents. Some claimed that this absolved her from some if not all responsibility, others wholeheartedly despised her regardless, and a third group recognized her story as a tragic one but still saw her actions as inexcusable]]. She became even ''more'' polarizing with the V route update; see her entry under RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap for details.

* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Rika, but in a rather unconventional way. With the new V route update, Rika isn't so much a [[TheScrappy Scrappy]], but is rather even ''more'' of a BaseBreakingCharacter than before. Many of the people who hated Rika hate her even more now, mostly because [[spoiler:more of her abuse of V is revealed in his route, and at one point she even stabs him.]] However, a sizable portion of the fanbase seems to have changed their opinions on her, to varying degrees and for very varying reasons:
** In a similar vein as before, some people pity her due to [[spoiler: her mental illness, which is shown to be even more severe than what we saw of it before. Rika seems to be teetering on the brink of collapse at several different points throughout the story, and breaks down hysterically crying multiple times--ultimately culminating in either her [[DrivenToSuicide suicide]] at the end of V's normal ending, or institutionalization at the end of V's good ending. This, coupled with more details about her [[ParentalAbandonment terrible]] [[ParentalNeglect childhood]] that are revealed throughout the route, are seen as some fans as a FreudianExcuse that makes her more sympathetic. Rika also spends quite a bit of time on V's route being very friendly with the MC, which some fans received positively.]]
*** It also helps that [[spoiler: she shows both inner conflict and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone remorse]] for many of her actions by the end of the story, since a major complaint about her character in the Secret Endings was the one-dimensional cruelty she showed to people she supposedly cared about, like V and Saeran.]]
** The other, and perhaps more vocal, portion of the fandom that's changed its mind about her seems to have done so largely because [[spoiler: of the massive amounts of LesYay Rika generates in V's route. The fact that Rika is very beautiful and seems intent on charming and winning the MC over has spurred a significant number of fans to want to romance her.]] There are even many fans clamoring for a Rika route, which was more or less unheard of before the update.
** Despite it all, the release of the Ray route made fans who already hate her before, hate her even more as the route brought details of the process of [[spoiler:Saeran's ColdBloodedTorture that made him BrainwashedAndCrazy under her hands]]. But not to the point of falling back to the scrappy heap as she still has the same characterization of her inner conflict in this route. Still, another group of fans who at first like her, came to hate her as they see her motives as rather shallow [[spoiler:because it all stemmed from her childhood trauma and secretly wishing to induce the same pain she felt on others all while denying it by saying that she is doing the right thing when its anything but.]].

** [[spoiler: Halfway in Ray/Saeran's route, players are treated to a CG of the sweet, insecure, but kind-hearted Ray, turn to the Unknown that players are familiar with from the Casual and Deep story modes and basically, had the MC placed in a position of abuse victim. To some players, that whole section reeks of StockholmSyndrome. Getting the bad ending, by being submissive to him during this part of the route makes the implication even worse, not helped that to get to the good ending, you have to be patient and kind to Saeran at this point of the route regardless of the abuse. On the other hand, though, you are given the choice to fight back against the abuse hurled your way, which is necessary to reach the good ending. Causing Saeran to realize that treating the MC badly doesn't make him any different from his abusers and by the end of the route, tries to make up to it. Noted that should you choose an option where you actually like being in that position of a victim after passing this route branch, [[EveryoneHasStandards Saeran gets very disturbed at the thought of the MC enjoying such thing]]. Additionally, you also have the chance to say that you can't forgive Saeran for this very action yet despite understanding his condition, and Saeran himself knows that the MC may find it hard to forgive him for that before you are prompted to choose any of the options mentioned; however, this is made entirely redundant since you have no other choice but to end up in a relationship with Saeran in both the good and normal endings]].

** Seven [[spoiler:escaped his abusive childhood home, but only by leaving his fragile twin brother behind (who he was promised would receive love and care), giving up his name and every piece of his life except for V and Rika, and becoming a secluded secret agent working for a dangerous agency where he often risks his life. He's filled with anxiety and guilt, hides his fears behind [[StepfordSmiler wacky behavior and jokes]] by sometimes joking about how he might get 'tortured in a basement' if he doesn't finish up his assignments for the agency and wanting to die, and tries to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim break your heart to save you]] from the dangers of being in his life. It gets so, ''so'' much worse when he finds out that Saeran is [[BrainwashedAndCrazy far from safe]]; even after they get him away from Rika's cult, he's psychologically destroyed and tries to kill Seven repeatedly. In V's route, despite his growing suspicions, he is left completely unaware that the brother he had sacrificed everything to keep safe [[DrivenToSuicide had intentionally stayed inside the Mint Eye's headquarters while detonating it]]. In Saeran's route, he gets kidnapped after being found by his father and in the normal ending, heavily implied to be dead. The good ending has him missing, but alive. But with how he still worked in his agency at this point of the ending, the chance of reuniting with Saeran is slim]].

* TheWoobie: Most of them have Woobie moments, but [[IronWoobie V]], [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Unknown]] and Seven probably have it worst.

** [[spoiler: Halfway in Ray/Saeran's route, players are treated to a CG of the sweet, insecure, but kind-hearted Ray, turn to the Unknown that players are familiar with from the Casual and Deep story modes and basically, had the MC placed in a position of abuse victim. To some players, that whole section reeks of StockholmSyndrome. Getting the bad ending, by being submissive to him during this part of the route makes the implication even worse, not helped that to get to the good ending, you have to be patient and kind to Saeran at this point of the route regardless of the abuse. On the other hand, though, you are given the choice to fight back against the abuse hurled your way, which is necessary to reach the good ending. Causing Saeran to realize that treating the MC badly doesn't make him any different from his abusers and by the end of the route, tries to make up to it. Noted that should you choose an option where you actually like being in that position of a victim after passing this route branch, [[EveryoneHasStandards Saeran gets very disturbed at the thought of the MC enjoying such thing]]. Additionally, you also have the chance to say that you can't forgive Saeran for this very action yet despite understanding his condition, and Saeran himself knows that the MC may find it hard to forgive him for that before you are prompted to choose any of the options mentioned; however, this is made entirely redundant since you have no other choice but to end up in a relationship with unknown in both the good and normal endings]].

** [[spoiler: Halfway in Ray/Saeran's route, players are treated to a CG of the sweet, insecure, but kind-hearted Ray, turn to the Unknown that players are familiar with from the Casual and Deep story modes and basically, had the MC placed in a position of abuse victim. To some players, that whole section reeks of StockholmSyndrome. Getting the bad ending, by being submissive to him during this part of the route makes the implication even worse, not helped that to get to the good ending, you have to be patient and kind to Saeran at this point of the route regardless of the abuse. On the other hand, though, you are given the choice to fight back against the abuse hurled your way, which is necessary to reach the good ending. Causing Saeran to realize that treating the MC badly doesn't make him any different from his abusers and by the end of the route, tries to make up to it. Noted that should you choose an option where you actually like being in that position of a victim after passing this route branch, [[EveryoneHasStandards Saeran gets very disturbed at the thought of the MC enjoying such thing]]. Additionally, you also have the chance to say that you can't forgive Saeran for this very action yet despite understanding his condition, and Saeran himself knows that the MC may find it hard to forgive him for that before you are prompted to choose any of the options mentioned]].

** [[spoiler:Saeran's abuse of the protagonist during his route (see BaseBreakingCharacter entry above); even with the argument that Rika brainwashed him, his rage and violence are ''terrifying'', and he says afterward that this Saeran is part of who he is. Some players are unable to forgive him and do ''not'' want a relationship no matter how remorseful he is]].