I was a big fan of the first game, along with it’s entirely impossible-to-predict twists and turns that led me into one of the darkest stories I’ve ever read. Holiday Star is, I guess, a side-quel to the first in as much as none of the events from HB1 are considered canon- the characters are all present in an AU of sorts, themed around Christmas.
This time, the story is kinetic and told in chapters that seem to be unrelated. I’ve finished the first and have started the second, and none of the events of chapter one have yet been referenced. I might be wrong about this and it’s certainly the Hatoful way to build up these smaller stories into something much larger and more insidious. As a result though I’d say I’m not as invested yet as I was in the first game.
Fin or Bin:
Absolutely going to Finish this one. The original game had me open-mouthed in suspense wondering just how dark it was going to get before it ended, and I’m sure Holiday Star has the same treatment waiting for me. However- if I’d started with Holiday Star, and wasn’t already acquainted with the characters and lore, I might have a different opinion. You shouldn’t start here.
My fave bird is Yuuya, by the way.