Recommending A curated list of my favorite games

[Quetzzz]

My favorite games are those with an actual story and character growth. Porn and visuals come second, unless they detract from the story.
Wet blanket MCs are my biggest frustration. I rather have an MC who stands for something I disagree with, than with no opinions at all.
That said, some games on this list, I look at through rose colored glasses.

Top picks:

• Wicked Choices: Book 1
  While there's some criticism to be had, this game has one of the most epic storylines I've had the pleasure to play through.
• Nothing is Forever
  Strong characterization, player choice, and consequences of choices easily make this game a top pick.
• Caribdis' games (Eternum/Once in a Lifetime)
  It's Caribdis. Strong stories, believable characters and gorgeous visuals.
• Leap of Faith
  Sometimes I'll wonder if I'm overrating LoF, but every time I replay it, the emotional impact is still there. If you're wondering if you're dead inside, play this story.
• Ripples
  So far, so good. It's still relatively early in development, so my final opinion will depend on the MC's character growth throughout the story.
• Artemis
  A funny and gripping story, and an MC who has overcome hardship. One of the games that walks the fine line of making good-natured fun of the MC, without it turning mean or degrading.
• Between Two Worlds
  The real world meets epic fantasy. The MC gets the opportunity to man-up with two very diverging (good/evil) paths.
• The Swordbearer
  The MC exists within a world. Women aren't just there to fawn over him, but have their own lives. This story is just beginning, but so far, so good.
• Chasing Sunsets
  This might be one of the most complex games regarding player choice. While the amount of LI are limited, choices have consequences and can lead to an early game-over, or even the death of the MC.
• STWA (The Writer/Unbroken)
  Great storytelling with strong personalities. My biggest gripe with these games, is that the mystery is artificial. The MC knows their history, the player is kept out of the loop.
• Lockheart's games (Avalon/The Judas Ghost/A Petal among Thorns)
  Play Lockheart's games in chronological order. Lockheart doesn't shy away from heavy themes; these games will make you think and feel. 'The Judas Ghost' is a bit more lighthearted, but has Lockheart's undeniable flair.

Great games on all accounts (just not my first picks):

• Pale Carnations
  This game has many character arcs/progression still up in the air. If the dev sticks the landing, this will be a top pick, easily.
• Long Road Home
  Easily the best cuckqueen/harem dynamic of any game I've played so far. I love how the 'first wife' plays an active role in managing or even expanding the harem.
• Sisterly Lust
  Maybe more of a guilty pleasure, it was the first incest game I played. If virgin/deflowering is your kink, this game has one of the most immersive and believable scenes. The story follows an actual arc, and has multiple endings.
• Harem Hotel
  While the early game is a bit rough, the story soon becomes epic in nature. The game deals with slavery and the politics and morals surrounding it. The story itself is a railroad, with gameplay consisting of raising the LIs' stats and progressing their individual stories. Harem Hotel would be a top pick for me, if it incorporated the different activities (Dungeon, exhibitionism, ...) better in the girls' storylines.
• Being a DIK
  Surprise! Not a top pick, but still a great game. BaD deals with slice of life stories that intertwine into something larger when the frat comes into play. I play it through Steam, so I'm a few versions behind. Due to its gamification with personality stats, I'd almost consider it a dating sim, albeit with strong characters and individual stories.
• Acting Lessons
  I can't put my finger on why this isn't a top pick. I don't think there's anything wrong with the game, it just missed some x-factor for me.
• Project ATMOSPHERE
  An MC who grows more capable over time, combined with an intriguing story.
• Summer's Gone
  Another game dealing with heavy topics (depression, erectile dysfunction). It's a slow burn, which I love. I'd even go as far as to say it's not slow enough. Taking the MC's circumstances into account, he becomes too social too fast, after having been a shut-in for years.
• Intertwined
  Strong characters, branching paths, and choices having actual outcomes. What's not to like?
• My New Memories
  While this game has choices, it's more of a railroad. So far, choices only include or exclude scenes, there are no parallel paths.
• Now & Then
  A great game on all accounts. The world and people in it are believable. Characters deal with trauma in their own way. Behind the scenes, many choices decide which of the many endings you'll get.
• A Foreign World
  The main draw for me, is the story's setting with female refugees entering our world, getting adopted by the MC. We're not hit over the head with details about these women or the world they're from. Instead, the story provides many contextual clues regarding what they've been through.
• Lost at Birth
  This story is just getting started. Many story elements are entirely railroaded, but there are some choices regarding the MC's extracurricular activities.
• Above the Clouds
  One of the funniest games I've played. If you like absurd humor, play it.
• Projekt: Passion
  Another hilarious game, that doesn't shy away from dealing with serious topics.
• Tales from the Unending Void
  A game by Perveteer, from Sisterly Lust fame. Like with his first game, character progression and intimacy just make sense. This game puts story first.
• Cyberheart
  I thought this was a Caribdis game at first.

Showing a lot of promise / almost there:

• Jury
  Eager to play the next release, and see how the dev continues the wildly different paths and personalities.
• The Hellcat Lounge
  Absolutely gorgeous. The stories and arcs are still getting set up, so it's too early for me to call.
• How to Fix the Future
• My Time With You
  I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this game. It's undeniably well written, but a core premise of the game (the harem) sometimes falls flat for me. What makes 'Long Road Home' stand out, is missing here. This game's development is at the half point, and I'm eager to see how it all plays out.
• Summer Heat
• Cybernetic Seduction
  A very interesting concept, though the game's mechanics can be abstract at times. The MC has different character traits, but it isn't clear how they impact the overall game yet.
• Milfy Cases
  If BigChungus keeps this up, he'll become one of my favorite devs. Milfy Cases is funny and absurd. If this is your kind of humor, go play.
• Tune in to the Show
  A combination of slice of life and a larger overarching story. It's still in early development, but I'm seeing a strong foundation for storytelling and characterization.
• Alive
  A relatively short story that can be explored through different paths. While there are fixed story beats, the choice of whom to date is your own choice. I've had a lot of fun exploring the different paths and relationships. Choices really do have consequences in this game, even the first story-choice you make can open or close a specific ending. This game is finished, and won't be a top pick for me. While I adore the concept, character/date progression feels rushed.
• The Entrepreneur
  This isn't a porn or harem story. The game is heavy on story and light on erotica, and both are very well done. In my playthrough I ended up with an LI that I rejected before, which was a turn-off.
• Westview Academy
  Too early to call, but so far all the pieces are there.

Guilty Pleasures:

• The Headmaster
• Come Home
• My Bully is my Lover
• The Anomalous Dr Vibes
• A House in the Rift
• Parental Love
• Chronicles of Forgotten Tears
• Fetish Locator
• To Be a King

Short stories/experiences:

• A Girl on a Train
• One Night Stand
• A Date for the Ages
• Lana and the Milking Table

 

[Iamthegoldengod]

Wow, thank you so much for compiling this massive list along with the descriptions. We share a very similar taste among the big titles but there's certainly some here that I would like to try (more than 25% are already in my bookmark from before)

Spoiler: about acting lessons and LoF

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I really wanted to like Unbroken and Nothing is Forever but something just didn't stick and I found myself skipping and not being lost. (Maybe we'll see how they fare in future...especially Rena and Elps in Unbroken).


If you like absurd humor of AtC, then you might enjoy In a Scent by Domiek and my fav Exiles by Time E. Pants (this one is sort of abandoned but still an awesome play).

Camp Klondike, Android LIFE and Unraveling August have really strong humor as well that rely on strong joke setups rather than absurd physical comedy.


Edit: my fav titles are listed in my profile and separated by render, writing strength, and popularity...if you wanted to find any thing that might interest.

 

[Quetzzz]

LoF was good on Cece path but for some reason, maybe the visuals or something...I just never find myself thinking about it..it didn't grow on me as much as it has on others

Cece's path is my least favorite, personally. After she disappears, I think the impact is a lot more profound when on another route. The way the MC overexerts himself but gets supported by this group of friends is the main crux for me.
Without the scenes at the hospital, I wouldn't hold LoF in the same high regard as I do now.

I really wanted to like Unbroken and Nothing is Forever but something just didn't stick and I found myself skipping and not being lost. (Maybe we'll see how they fare in future...especially Rena and Elps in Unbroken).

I can relate. For Unbroken, the story is very frustrating because the player is left in the dark about events that the MC lived through. We don't have all the context, and because of that have to believe what other characters say about the MC and his personality. And, it sometimes conflicts, even with the actions the MC takes with player's choices. Elspeth is a fascinating character, but I don't trust her motivations. Rena, on the other hand, is my personal favorite.

What appealed to me about NiF, is that it's up to the player to decide their morality, and what red flags they're willing to put up with. Every LI in NiF is flawed in some way, or requires the MC to compromise. Unlike Helping the Hotties, where the MC is a wet blanket who gets sexually assaulted, and is always DTF.
NiF also allows the player to have a celibate playthrough, which I appreciate.

If you like absurd humor of AtC, then you might enjoy In a Scent by Domiek and my fav Exiles by Time E. Pants (this one is sort of abandoned but still an awesome play).

Camp Klondike, Android LIFE and Unraveling August have really strong humor as well that rely on strong joke setups rather than absurd physical comedy.

Thank you for those recommendations! I will check them out (eventually)

Edit: my fav titles are listed in my profile and separated by render, writing strength, and popularity...if you wanted to find any thing that might interest.

Thank you, again. Getting recommendations from like-minded people is a huge help with finding other games to play.