My rating is based solely on my evaluation of the quality of experience I've enjoyed (or otherwise) so far. This may change in future following subsequent releases.
How many who have gone house hunting have never gone further than looking at the outside of it or maybe only the first room they encounter inside before downgrading it as a potential buy or worse dismissing it completely?
I don't understand what some of the other reviewers are on about pretty much dismissing this title before it's even had a fair chance of showing its paces.
Surely, the only really valid judgment anyone can make about a first release is the quality of the graphics because that, unlike everything else is unlikely to change radically for better and certainly not, in my experience, for worse. Beyond this, the creator has had no chance to really set anything of significance up. To judge him and rate his work based on that judgment is, in my view, just plain wrong and unfair.
How can you give a one or two star rating saying that the graphics, the one feature that is most likely to be an enduring feature throughout the story, are fantastic, but you nevertheless don't think much of it or worse wouldn't recommend it to others based on elements that have scarcely been touched upon; not only relationships that have yet to develop, but characters who have probably yet to even meet or interact with each other?
I give my 5 stars primarily for the graphics, which I already know whether they subsequently improve or not are virtually certain at least to remain five star quality. That rating is not then reduced at all by the little I have seen so far of the rest of the story, namely, characters, backgrounds, glimpses of personality, initial perception of self image, displayed attitude to and outlook upon both their own circumstances and those closest to and most influential upon them and, I guess a few other things like;
the degree of character stereotypical-ity (Lyam-Maeve-Tiffany)
the "Oohh! She looks cute... watch this space" eye-catchers (Receptionist)
the seemingly probable, likely or implied relationships (Paris and Mei)
left-fielders (Portia) although cynics might group this under stereotypical.
potentially intriguing hook-ups (Idika),
possible romantic encounters (Katrine),
evolutionary match-ups (close friend/roommate Paris),
square offs and conflicts (Maeve and no doubt others)
intriguing (and fantastically figured) yet-to-meet characters (the girl in the face mask and the girl with the purple hair and, for whatever reason, horrendously disfigured mouth)
all the other equally drop-dead gorgeous girls in the banner.
For me and for the reasons given, there's all to play for. Yuno has done a very fine job and merits the majority of the high star ratings every bit as much as he does not, in my opinion and for the reasons stated, merit the low star, unduly harsh, rush-to-judgment ratings.
I've really enjoyed everything about "Acquainted" so far and I'm looking forward excitedly and optimistically to ensuing chapters. I'm also, in my deliberations, looking Patreon-ward too
