And that's an added difficulty with telling a game from (mostly) the 1st person perspective. Since we follow Sophia almost exclusively, we can't really get insights into what the other characters are doing when she's not around them. In this particular case Dylan and Ellie are not having sex so we're not missing much, but in general a third-person perspective allows for more flexibility. Like you said, if one character's story needs to move slowly you have the ability to flip over to another character's perspective. Maybe we could have flipped over to see some action between Patricia and Carl. Instead we're stuck in the first person perspective with Sophia and the game's pacing is impacted by it.
This isn't a criticism of L&P, just something I've noticed that I would keep in mind if I was making my own game.
I agree. Some other 1st person perspective VNs with a slow build up/pace (yet not comparable to awam) offer some "side action" while the main plot develops. Sometimes well integrated in the plot, other times you really feel that it is there just as a "candy" while waiting for the main course.
Personally, I don't feel the need of any of this in awam. Sadly, we all know that the curse of this VN is really the slow development cycle. I don't remember who recently posted an enthusiastic post after playing for the first time the whole thing, just to get depressed an instant later when obvious issue has pointed out. I had the same reaction almost one year ago for my first playthrough. If it will ever be completed (big if!), I really envy those (our grandchildren?
) who will have the chance to play it all from the beginning to the end. Well, assuming the general quality and style is maintained, i.e. not becoming the "usual" fuckfest...
That is to say that (IMO) the story works well even or especially because of the 1st person perspective, which I believe gets you more into the story and into the character, her emotions and her thoughts. Coupled with the slow burn/pace, that's what makes the story so engaging, at least for me. Obviously, not perfect, with all the realistic / not realistic, "tasteful" / "not tasteful" (euphemism for what we know) etc discussions that we have here on the forum. But just because we are all here discussing about this or that it means that the story has hit the target.
And I tell you this. My emotional curiosity don't even mind the wait either, especially because I like the discussions going on here on the forum, sometimes interesting, sometimes repetitive, but overall enjoyable, not to mention the wild speculations
.
Clearly my rational side, on the other hand, is screaming every time I open the page. I hope my nursing home will have a decent internet connection when it will be the moment to speculate about Aiden's 8th or 9th task