VN - Ren'Py - Completed - A Summer's End — Hong Kong, 1986 [v1.3] [Oracle and Bone]

lovely writing, original art style, great music. feels really romantic and nostalgic. not quite in the same boat as the horny games on this website, this one is a true work of art. worth supporting the artists on steam/itch if you have the means

A lot of the non-sexual themes hit home for this game. Obviously, I did not grow up in Hong Kong in 1986, but the family and culture dynamics resonate with me.

Every panel of the incredibly aesthetic artwork is a feast for the eyes.

Oftentimes, games on this site have components have feel out of sync with each other. The music, graphic style, story, characters, dialogue, and user interaction don't always work together in harmony. Here, it all fits together like a complete jigsaw puzzle.

I never rate/comment on games (and you'll just have to believe me when I say that I have probably played/tried 100+ games on this site), but if this rating/comment helps even one more person decide to play this, I will be so glad.

A beautiful journey of connection and understanding of two souls infused with sociopolitical realism of conservative societies.

Disclaimer: This is not fap material. This is a story of intimacy and not lust.

If you ever had a conservative upbringing and were confused and conflicted, this piece will hit you the hardest, especially if you come from an Asian society where your family's name, reputation, and status depends on your acts heavily.

Pros:

1. Very realistic for the story's era. Characters have their own personalities and motives.
2. Outstanding art! There's not a lot of different renders for most dialogs so it's up to your imagination but the most important scenes are displayed and they are perfect.
3. Every frame is wallpaper material!
4. Music is so fucking good
5. Writing really shines <3.
6. You get to experience the story thru both characters eyes and it is so well done.

Cons: NONE. Hell I would have been happy if it went for more but I'm happy with what was given.

Verdict: Abso-fucking-lutely pick this up if you are looking for a riveting tale between two girls that were quite different but same at their core.

Short and sweet love story about a woman who meets a girl and is immediately attracted to her but is ashamed by her feelings because of how there society views same sex relationships. This is a true definition of a hidden gem do yourself a favor and play through this if its your thing very simple not many choices to make so u can prolly just play without any guides if that's what your used to using

I've played this a while ago and forgot to rate it.

Summer's End is one of the best lesbian games that you will ever play if your focus is not on lewd scenes but relationships and character development. There is no villain or big adventure going on, but the main character is going through a time of upheaval and develops feelings for another woman, which is really stressing her out, since she had an entirely different upbringing.

How this journey turns out for her is pretty much in your hands and you will find the plot both heartbreaking and wholesome, depending on your choices. Them choices are few, but they do matter and they can make all the difference between a happy end and a missed opportunity.

Art, sound design and writing are all near perfection.
Summer's End is a rare gem that, if you get into it, you will cherish long after your playthrough and you will recommend it to others as one of the best lesbian VN experiences with only one major downside: It's way too short.

Discovering this darling little gem of a game has been such a delight for me. Sure, it's not the typical game you'd find or probably even search for on this site, with there being very little erotic content within it. But in all honesty, the little that there is, felt to me like more than enough and it was so refreshing to have feelings explored during them, a stark contrast to similar scenes in other games, that solely focus on the physical.

This is very much a romance visual novel and an extremely well produced one at that. Full of beautiful art that really did conjure nostalgic memories of the 80's, from some of the fashion choices to seeing old, bulky monitors in the office etc. The music fitted the game extremely well and never felt out of place or intrusive to the scenes. The writing was wonderful too, very clearly written by a proficient female writer. The story takes its time to unravel and you most certainly get to know and understand the gorgeously drawn characters. I found very few errors in the text throughout, although I did spot a mix of English and US English being used, which made me think that the author is very likely Canadian. For me, that was actually a plus as I very rarely find any VN that isn't wholly in American English, so finding such a wonderful one, that had many words spelt 'correctly' was just icing on the cake.

For anyone wanting a touching, sweet story that doesn't only explore the topic of new/first love but also the difficulties of gay relationships in the 80's, the impending hand-over of the territory to China and even dealing with the concepts of trying to live a life that both living and lost parents would still be proud of; I highly recommend this wonderful game and state that I consider one of my all-time favourite VN's.

A very sweet romance story of coming out and accepting a same-sex relationship set in 80's Hong Kong with great stylistic visuals, which encapture the setting really well, and some of the better-written dialogue I read in VN's.

Had a pleasant experience playing this and definitely recommend it if you enjoy a good love story, and it's pretty short and linear so it's a nice read in one go.

Surprisingly enjoyable experience. First time i'm rating an adult VN purely for the story.

Really appreciate the representation of the character archetype like that of Michelle's, which i presume some would find boring or vanilla. Female protagonists from a good number of VNs (i know of) mostly are outgoing, outspoken, or adventurous women/girls, which i find lacking the allure found in someone like Michelle. And i also appreciate the significant involvement of the protagonists' parents and depictions of filial piety, wherein the parents felt more humanized and less of mere nuisance/hindrance to the cliche plot of filial rebellion (like in countless mainstream artforms within the theme of love/romance). I feel these weigh heavily on my scale.

At times the dialogues can be philosophical, which i assume are attempts at exploring mature themes. Due to (let's just say) cultural differences, some of the protagonists' lines (for me) evoke a sense of naivety, despite my presumptions telling me that said lines were attempts at portraying wisdom. I understand that not every art can holistically cater to one's taste, so i cannot have an objective say on this aspect.

I personally feel like Sam's characterization (and development thereof) has been done quite tastefully. I held a prejudiced first impression of Sam, but surprisingly grew to symphatize her after witnessing how genuinely sentimental and caring she can be to someone like Michelle. My real life experiences suppose that a person like Sam is immensely unlikely to exist, since partaking in the rather debauched subculture akin to that which Sam partially dabbles in, empirically tends to morph a woman into acquiring irritable tendencies. But i suppose the purpose of storytelling is to adorn the extraordinary.

As for the lesbian theme, let's just say that in truth i am not most fond of it. Yet, i am confident that i would still be able to appreciate the story all the same had Sam and Michelle been canonically just (best) friends. I feel like the lesbianism has grown to be a pragmatically necessary device to convey closeness/intimacy, yet such literary trend was developed due to the trivialization/deterioration (in the quality) of friendship amongst the female youth. I feel like friendships betwixt women are supposed to be like that of Sam and Michelle's (minus the sexual aspect); authentic, tender and loving, and not a dynamic akin to the stereotypical Bitches Squad.

Lastly, fantastic art style and visuals. Personally, i don't care much for soundtracks since i prefer not to be subliminally dictated to feel a certain way by tunes/melody (i.e. detracts from substance). And yes i feel my appreciation of the VN will remain the same even if no soundtracks were to be implemented.

Gorgeous art, but it's not really something to fap to. It's a story to read. It's not really revolutionary in terms of plotline, the characters are believable and they behave like you would expect normal people to. The storyline and plot is nothing new, however, you've likely seen it/read it before. What makes this one worthwhile is the art and the cute characters which you can't help but root for despite the obstacles. It's not a long game.

After sitting on the list of "games to play" for far too long, I finally came around to giving this game a shot. And I can say that I am positively surprised by the sheer quality of this VN.

The music is funky and enjoyable to listen to, and furthermore, it fits the vibe of the VN very well.

The writing is strong, and I never really felt the need to use the skip feature at any point. However, the story can be slow at times. and while that does not bother me, it is something to keep in mind if it is not something you'd enjoy.

The artwork is, in my personaly opinion, simply astounding. I'm very much a sucker for well crafted 2D artworks, and this style pretty much ticks every box of what I enjoy. my only complaint here is that there isn't more of it in the game. I also appreaciate the fact that the dialogue sprites actually change into different outfits often. They rarely wear the same thing twice.

Finally, the scenes. This games does not have a lot of scenes that display sex, hell there is even a very limited amount of actual nudity. Instead of focussing on the sex aspect, this VN shines its light on intimacy. This, again, is not for everyone, so keep that in mind when you consider giving this game a shot.

Excellent adventure. Why is it even on this website? Whatever, thanks f95 for bringing in such an experience. And the devs, rather to say 2 people who just created an immersive experience.

You know, you come here to this website to fap to a MILF being banged by 3 dudes, at least 2 of which have blood relationship with her. And then you just randomly download A Summer's End. Absolutely different experience that makes you feel that you'll never be able to play all those low-level games, low-level in a way how they address your mere basic fetishes or instincts. Of course, it's not true. We'll keep looking for those diverse experiences.

And we'll forget about those experiences but Hong Kong of 1986 will always stay there, in our memmories and hearts.

This is a true VN, not much a game. There is very limited replay value, you'll play it once and probably never touch it again. But for its part, that one playthrough just might feel like a bit of magic.

The work is visually simple but stunning. Everything is drawn out 2D art, but you can tell there was some care placed in the design. Characters look beautiful but lifelike in their own way. Backgrounds look bright, vibrant, and fit the setting. Every once in a while, in a particularly romantic scene, you'll get full screen drawings that look incredible.

Everything about this VN just fits right. It tells a story that has a very distinct sense of time and place. It can't take place anywhere other than when and where it does. A fascinating intersection of culture and character, the VN leaves you with a profound appreciation for the people and places involved. Even though I've never been to Hong Kong in the 80s, I can envision it clearly through the VN, which is more than you can hope for. You can feel how the setting informs the characters.

The story and setting are memorable and interesting. The VN does an excellent job of bringing the world—with all of its colors and vibrancy—into the story. It establishes characters who feel real and human, with independent dreams and ambitions. You believe in their story, even if it takes place at an extremely accelerated pace, because you believe in the characters as people. The MC is pragmatic and confused. Sam is adventurous and magnetic. The energy when they collide is explosive and the tension on panel comes through the screen.

There are some minor criticisms that probably boil down to matters of taste. The romance progresses very fast—maybe a bit too fast—and skirts on the extreme end of believable. The tension with MC's mother, particularly in the final act, feels like it comes to a head and then is just dropped, with a lot of unexplored potential. The ending/epilogue hits you quick and is probably a touch too abrupt. These things are all nitpicks and potential areas of improvement, but not enough to knock down the rating.

This is one of those stories I'm glad to have played, even if I never play it again. It's short, there's barely any porn in it, and the ending sneaks onto you too fast, but the entire story and its ability to transport you into another world is nothing short of art.

This is a short and simple game focused on a lesbian romance. If that's not for you, this game probably won't be, either.

Within those parameters, this game is nothing short of excellent. The characters are likable and memorable. The story structure gets us up to speed and invested in the Main Character quickly, then allows us to understand the love interest through her. The sounds and music are great and artwork is downright gorgeous. And while I'm a sucker for romance in AVNs, this one was particularly touching.

What especially impressed me is the 'bad ending' if you reject Sam. Rather than try to 'punish' the player or dwell on the pain of the rejection, the game does good job of humanizing it. Both characters lives go on, and in the end the MC will merely wonder about the path not taken. I really liked that touch.

All in all, what this game lacks in size or gameplay elements it more than makes up in quality. Great work!

(For the record, I played the completed Final version.)

The other reviewers already covered everything I want to say, but I will emphasize some points I found important. I'll do my best to avoid spoilers.

The story and plot development are outstanding. For much of the game, I was actually a bit frustrated with the characters, particularly the MC. She frequently came across as unnecessarily fickle and cold. However, as the story unraveled, I really appreciated that the MC was dynamic and deeply human. Just be prepared to be annoyed and frustrated with her.

The art is beautiful. The characters' personalities shine through their facial expressions and dress. Combining a gorgeous art style with the ability to convey the characters' internal conflict in the art is magnificent.

The music isn't particularly my thing, but I still enjoyed most of it, and it fit the aesthetic well. It got a bit repetitive, but given that the soundtrack was original and not the same thing you hear in most indie games, I appreciated it.

If you're on the fence about this game, play it. Yeah, it's not as erotic as most of the other games you'll find here, but it's beautiful and deeply moving.

This is a deeply beautiful story about sexual awakening, lust and falling in love. The MC is particularly well written and multiple times I could feel shivers and butterflies on her behalf. The setting is also really well researched and realized, giving the story a real sense of place and time (and for me also a small personal connection with the story.) If you want great writing in your VNs then I can't recommend this highly enough.

While not a game, per se, the story is excellent. Seeing how things unfolded from both characters was a nice touch, as well.

While going through the story, I kept getting this feeling and wondering, if this was all coming from personal experience. It was as if the dev was writing from their own diary. It is very touching, heartfelt, and beautiful, even when it hits you in the feels.

There were even a few times where I got annoyed with the MC with her wishy washy decisions, then it all came together. For someone who is straight, such as myself, this really made me think about the difficulty and shame that someone coming out dealt with. And that is saying something for someone who was a teenager during the 80's. *yes, dated myself*

Devs, I don' t know if you read these, but if you do, THANK YOU for a great story.

TL;DR A sweet, beautiful and erotic short game about a summer love between girls. This is at the edge between porn and art.

PROS:

• Beautiful art
• Compelling and well-written story
• Interesting characters
• Immersive setting and atmosphere

CONS:

• Feels

This is a full edit of my review.

At first I rated this 2 stars because the start is a long monologue and it was not what I expected.
Then someone sent me a PM making a plea for this game, saying that I may have missed the game's purpose and I promised to try it back.

Which I just did.

Let me say that I loved the romance story. The two main characters are well written.
The story felt real, and since it's a game set in a fixed past (1986, before the "handover" of HK from UK to China and the current troubles there are there), I felt a political statement. It is well a goal of the devs and as such, they succeed.

It will not mean this game is perfect.

First the main issue (which i find not being an issue) is that it's more of a novel than a game. You have like 5 choices in the whole game. I don't even know if they matter or not because i didn't try to "redo" choices. I wanted to feel the normal evolution of story.

Then my real issues are 2:
- the music is great. But then it cuts at random places, scenes are without it... and that feels not right.
- the main issue I had is that sometimes, the text changes but the background image remains and there is no character in the screen. I would have loved to see the characters more, or even just see the text put in images, actions.

It's short, and even if the issues of the time (lesbians in HK in 1986), I felt the problems are only touched from afar. I would have loved to have more "meat" on those issues, more discussions, evolutions...

Other than that, it is a touching story and the visuals are beautiful.
So my new rating will be a 4 stars.

This might be my favorite game on this site. It's rare to find a really well written lesbian love story around here. I've only seen a few. And this one might take the cake. It's a really cute game. The art and soundtrack are amazing. Just a really great experience all around.

What a beautiful game.

I am so glad i played this. This is easily in my top3 story driven VN's i've played. I just wished it never ended. This was so good that 3-4 hours of playtime isnt enough for me, i wished it were a bit longer!

If you want a beautiful, heartwarming, well written lesbian romantic story with great artwork, good music, this is the game for you, PLEASE do not skip this.

If you want sex scenes or lewdness, this aint for you.

If we could give half stars or if the rating would go to 10 stars, i would give this a 4.5/5 or 8.5/10 rating.
There is nothing bad about this VN but some things could have been better. More about these at the last part of this review.

Its funny because i first tried to play this a month ago. I saw it was highly rated and at the time i was looking for games with a female protagonist.
For some reason, the game didnt click with me then. I spent maybe 15-20 minutes with it and then i stopped.

Month passed and here i am again. This time i finished it and oh my god, what a beautiful romantic story!

The writing is really good. The drawings are beautiful.

This is one of the most heartwarming stories ive read/played so far
I both cried of sadness and of joy throughout this story. It was an emotional rollercoaster

I dont know how to best describe this. Beautiful is the word that comes to mine when i think about this VN.


Of course, nothing is perfect.
There one major thing that could have been MUCH better.

There needs to be more renders/drawings of scenes. There are just so few in the game.
Especially lacking are the intimate/hot scenes between the 2 main characters, even with the "adult patch".

It would have been a perfect game/story for me if there would have been some more explicit drawings/renders/scenes (however you want to call them)

Thats the only things that was not so good for me. Even so, this is one of the best romantic VN's ive played in my life. Hell, this rivals some of the romantic books ive read so far which i thought were amazing.


Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!