Apocalypse Lovers, what do you think?

[Sacritik]

Hello,

Just a heads-up, I’m neither a developer nor associated with the game

But I got to play Apocalypse Lovers, and honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Usually, I like games, but not necessarily more than that.
This time, I really liked that the protagonist has choices, decisions that affect certain things, especially how they behave and the consequences that follow.

So, I checked out the Discord and had a little chat with the developer, and I really like her vision for the future. I wanted to talk about it with you all, see if you know the game, if you like this kind of game, why or why not, etc… just discuss the game, basically.

Anyway, as you can tell, it’s my current favorite haha, and if I can help indie games get noticed, I’m all for it

Here’s the game I’m talking about, just in case: https://f95zone.to/threads/apocalypse-lovers-v1-26f-remake-awake.112411/

Hope my post isn’t annoying—if it is, I’ll delete it.

 

[anne O'nymous]

This time, I really liked that the protagonist has choices, decisions that affect certain things, especially how they behave and the consequences that follow.

It's far to be the only games like this, but this one is harmed by the opacity of some choices.

I wanted to talk about it with you all, see if you know the game, if you like this kind of game, why or why not, etc… just discuss the game, basically.

The story is interesting, and not too badly handled, but the game suffer from four defaults.

Firstly it have been restarted too often for a game that, so far, is so short. Especially for a game that contain puzzle-like situations. By themselves the said puzzle-like situations aren't an issue, but having to redo everything every three-four updates quickly turn them into an annoying constraint.

Secondly, as implied above, a lot of choice are a shoot in the dark. It's okay for the get killed/stay alive part when trying to enter the manor, because it fit the context, but the others would benefit from more insight; especially since some bad choice lead to a game over.
But I don't talk about saying what is the good choice, or what is the best choice. It's more about the possible future outcome of the choice, in order for the player to pick the one that actually fit the best with how he want to play the MC.
Take the scene where you discover the girl and help her to clean herself. There's a really thin line between corrupting her and being an abusive bastard, and the clues tend to come after you actually made your choice, when you can't anymore change your mind and return to a more softer approach.

Thirdly, while advertised as a corruption game, so far it focus way to much on the lore than on the girl. By itself it isn't a default, but due to the many restart it leave players who follow the game since its starts with the feeling that there's absolutely no progress outside of the scene I talk about above.

The fourth issue is more subtle, it's how dumb the MC feel. When exploring the house with the ghost that isn't one, all the lead led to the mattress hiding a door. Both the purely visual ones (there's a trail leading to it), and what your imaginary friend tell you, point to it. Even the freshness of some elements are saying that someone currently live here. Yet the MC, that is supposed to have survived unharmed a travel around half the globe in a dying hostile world, is totally clueless until his second stop to the house.
Be noted that the travel itself is unrealistic. It's only a part of the back story, but we are supposed to believe that he was in Japan when the world collapsed, and traveled back to what looks like the USA on his own, either through the Pacific or through Asia, Europe then the Atlantic; both being, as I said above, half of the globe.

The game isn't bad, and better than many, but those four points are really harming it. The restart part being what make the most damage. Partly because it accentuate the others, partly because it highlight a lack a preparation, what is rarely a good omen.

 

[Sacritik]

It's far to be the only games like this, but this one is harmed by the opacity of some choices.

Yeah, I think it probably isn’t the only game like that, and I’ll do some digging

Firstly it have been restarted too often for a game that, so far, is so short. Especially for a game that contain puzzle-like situations. By themselves the said puzzle-like situations aren't an issue, but having to redo everything every three-four updates quickly turn them into an annoying constraint.

I totally agree with you, losing your progress all the time is really frustrating and makes you not want to come back.

Secondly, as implied above, a lot of choice are a shoot in the dark. It's okay for the get killed/stay alive part when trying to enter the manor, because it fit the context, but the others would benefit from more insight; especially since some bad choice lead to a game over.
But I don't talk about saying what is the good choice, or what is the best choice. It's more about the possible future outcome of the choice, in order for the player to pick the one that actually fit the best with how he want to play the MC.
Take the scene where you discover the girl and help her to clean herself. There's a really thin line between corrupting her and being an abusive bastard, and the clues tend to come after you actually made your choice, when you can't anymore change your mind and return to a more softer approach.

Yeah, at first it really surprised me because you see the outcome of what you did or decided… but it’s too late, and sometimes it can be decisive (like death).

The line is really thin, maybe too thin… I like that choices actually affect things and can even lead to disaster, but when the line is so fine and you don’t get much hint to avoid it, it can get frustrating.

Thirdly, while advertised as a corruption game, so far it focus way to much on the lore than on the girl. By itself it isn't a default, but due to the many restart it leave players who follow the game since its starts with the feeling that there's absolutely no progress outside of the scene I talk about above.

Yeah, that’s definitely the point I’d highlight too. A lot of things touch on “corruption” and immerse us in it, but it’s this scene in particular, outside of it, you don’t really get that vibe. The atmosphere is still strong though. I think the next chapter will show more of that side, because so far the story has been the focus (probably to help us understand the world as it is) rather than the characters and their actions.

The fourth issue is more subtle, it's how dumb the MC feel. When exploring the house with the ghost that isn't one, all the lead led to the mattress hiding a door. Both the purely visual ones (there's a trail leading to it), and what your imaginary friend tell you, point to it. Even the freshness of some elements are saying that someone currently live here. Yet the MC, that is supposed to have survived unharmed a travel around half the globe in a dying hostile world, is totally clueless until his second stop to the house.
Be noted that the travel itself is unrealistic. It's only a part of the back story, but we are supposed to believe that he was in Japan when the world collapsed, and traveled back to what looks like the USA on his own, either through the Pacific or through Asia, Europe then the Atlantic; both being, as I said above, half of the globe.

I get what you mean, and yeah, the realism takes a hit there. Honestly, what stuck with me was “he comes from Japan, with nothing, in a destroyed world…” And that keeps popping into my head, like when he gets “easily” caught with the two women, even though he’s supposedly experienced so much…


And yeah, the journey is kinda unrealistic too, even without all the details, it’s hard to picture.

The game isn't bad, and better than many, but those four points are really harming it. The restart part being what make the most damage. Partly because it accentuate the others, partly because it highlight a lack a preparation, what is rarely a good omen.

I totally get that, and honestly, I hadn’t thought of it that way — I mean, having to restart really highlights the downsides, since you go through them over and over…

Thanks for the insight, really helpful !

So why not just talk about it in the games thread?

You mean in the game’s thread itself? I didn’t want to start a whole discussion and clutter the thread, since sometimes people actually need help or other info, and I feel that should come first…

But maybe it would make more sense there — I can move this post if needed.

 

[Cloveron.]

You mean in the game’s thread itself? I didn’t want to start a whole discussion and clutter the thread, since sometimes people actually need help or other info, and I feel that should come first…

The guys in the Badik thread could learn from this.....

Anyway, the game looks neat. I'll give it a try.