Since you're here to actually read our reviews, here I go with a long and messy one that I'm updating as I'm playing the game right now:
Don't expect me to remember every single location that I'm supposed to go to whenever I get the green light of "you now have a REASON to do stuff."
You might hate objective markers, but when your gameplay is so basic that it's like eating a bread sandwich, some form of "your next objective is:" in the menu is mandatory. In fact, even if your gameplay is super awesome, this ain't the 1990s so have basic QoL 101 in your game, for crying out loud.
This includes enemy encounters. How about making it an insta-win if we're strong enough? If I can kill them all with a single dark pulse, then that's plenty strong enough.
Let's tie in the concept of not knowing where to go with: Cutscenes! I skipped paying attention to like three lines of a certain cutscene and then saved afterwards. This is a problem because I realized "wait, where am I supposed to go?" Well, I was 100% screwed because I was supposed to go hunt wolves and like... there is zero indication in the game that it was my goal. The game HAS to be keeping track of this because if you kill 9 wolves, it's not good enough. So why isn't there any form of indicator?
My only option was to start a new game or get lucky that talking to the Village Elder would remind me on what he wanted me to do <- except no one in this game does this very basic 101 thing that's also super convenient. Good thing I had another save right before I talked to him or I would've quit right there.
Speaking of quitting right there, at the veeeeeery beginning, if interacting with my bed didn't tell me what I was supposed to do, guess what I would've done.
When I started typing this, I wanted to ask a question on what to do after getting 1000 gold after leaving my friend and old teacher in a cabin in the woods. I took some breaks while typing to wander into every single possible building until accidentally figuring out what to do.
Oh yeah, the teacher was back in his normal spot and I don't think that was supposed to happen... maybe?
Remember: what's obvious to you, the developer, isn't obvious to anyone else. It's like saying "guess the number in my head." I know I'm thinking of the number eighteen thousand three hundred and seventy three, but it isn't acceptable for me to look at you and think "how did you now know I was thinking that? It's so freakin' obvious!"
Please, if the cutscene is our character being walked from point A to point B because reasons, speed us uuuuuuuuuuup. Instead of it taking 7 seconds (I freakin' counter, and also while I was holding down enter, so it's faster), let it take 1 or 2 seconds. Or skip 99% of the walk and just have the characters appear right before the point where the map shifts -> take 1 step -> and we're there? Maybe include a second button that speeds the entire game up?
Also, for the love of cheese, don't force me to spend money at an inn -> then go to go to the bed -> then click on it -> and then have the default option be "throw away 10 gold" when I'm trying to wait for night. What a massive waste of time.
Frankly, I would've preferred it if I didn't have to go into the inn; just do all that menu'ing outside and make sure to have the "wait until night" option atop the list because it is what you should do every single time you have that option.
That last point with the Inn made me wonder: do you take pleasure knowing you're wasting people's time? Because that would explain why the animations, though nice, loop on and on for three times longer than necessary.
Some logic in the story makes no sense. I was upset that I couldn't go back to the rich guy and maybe have a foursome or something. We needed money and Main Character was willing to prostitute herself IN THE SLUMS, and also a brothel for hilariously less pay than the slums (like an eighth) -> but going to a rich person's house? Never again! hmmmmmmmmm
Lastly, to address the the story more directly: I get it, you wanna tell a story. That's fair. I'm not about to complain on any plot shenanigans on that front. Other than my earlier nag, all I have to say is... just don't make the story 100% linear with no wiggle room -> and then put an Undertale reference.
If this game was like Undertale, I would've started murdering every NPC that looked at me funny from the moment I hit level 2 after killing some wolves; while internally thinking "you're courting death!"
btw, I saw the bottom right corner post-cutscene. lol
All the sprites of the characters used in a cutscene -> are tucked away in the bottom right corner, but you can still see them.
Reading how this is your first game, I thought to type everything that came to mind with some advice on how to improve. I thought about just deleting this several times because I mean, who am I anyway? I dunno how hard it is to implement any of the things I nagged about, but I decided to post it anyway... Take it all with a grain of salt, including the score, and just strive to improve yourself for your next game. You can do it.
uh, 2/5. I like the scenes (dunno what the program is called, but I appreciate it), but the "playing this game" aspect of this game did not spark joy. I probably would've enjoyed it better if it was one of those 3D comics with some animated panels.
I'm not saying that as an insult to your intentions in making games - but that's what I really feel. My thoughts (which will piss some people off) on that VA-11 HALL-A game was "Seeing how gameplay is literally "do I want to succeed or not?" -> it would've been better as a choose-your-own-adventure-book because it really isn't a game." Your game has more game than it, but it needs a lot of work to be a fun game to play.