The original version of Ib was created by Kouri in RPG Maker 2000 and released in 2012 as freeware. It was translated into English by vgperson. You can download it here.
Ib is about a young girl who visits an art gallery with her parents and gets lost in it. Along the way she encounters scary paintings and meets a few interesting characters.
I have a lot of nostalgia for Ib, though I got into it later than many other people. Apparently it was very popular amongst YouTube Let's Players, along with other RPG Maker horror games. Initially my opinion on the game was that it was good but a bit overrated. This was partially because in the RPG Maker community, so many people touted it as one of the best games in the genre, so it had high expectations to live up to. It didn't help that at the time I had a slight aversion to anime. However, I eventually found that I enjoyed anime, and I found the art style of Ib charming and unique. Since my first experience with it, I've replayed Ib several times, and I know it very well. I have a lot of fun gazing at all the creative artwork throughout the gallery and learning about the mysterious Guertena.
I like that the game gets you invested in these characters, despite there being many details about them that are left up in the air. We know that Ib comes from a fairly wealthy family, but she tends to be quiet a lot of the time. You'd assume from this that she's fairly stoic in the face of danger, but there are times when the game shows her being frightened and vulnerable. And since she's a child, she has a limited vocabulary and has to rely on Garry to explain certain words to her.
Garry is a young adult who is very much afraid of all the monstrous art pieces in the gallery, but he tries to appear brave. He's very protective of Ib and acts as a bit of an older brother to her. He's the fandom favorite, I suppose because he's a pretty anime boy. However, I think that's an oversimplification of his character.
When Mary is first introduced, Ib and Garry assume that she's another captive of the art gallery. Later on in the game, it's revealed that she's one of Guertena's paintings come to life.
A remake of Ib was released in 2022 for the game's 10th anniversary. It was made in RPG Maker MV.
I had been wanting to play the remake since the moment I heard the announcement about it, but I had to wait a bit for budgeting reasons. But once the game went on sale on Steam (at a slight discount, but a discount nonetheless), I pounced at the chance to grab it. I really enjoy it! It reminds me of why I liked the original game so much, and the graphics are more detailed. There are also some new puzzles that I think are a nice addition. Inevitably some of the old puzzles had to be removed, but I personally didn't miss them. I don't think anybody is clamoring for the return of the math puzzle in the green area, for instance.
I also love the new "talk" button that allows you to speak to Garry in every room. You are also able to speak to Mary during some sections.