Banu is back! Lovable and sexy female protagonist. This game is more fast paced than "life in the middle east." The animations and sound effects are way more smoothe than the earlier games. Still in its earlier stages but there's enough adult content already. Definitely gonna be a masterpiece if its as good as "life in the middle east." If you enjoy female protagonist games then give this game a try.
VN - Ren'Py - Banu in the West [v0.01] [LustfulFantasy]
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WhiteSwan1916
Banu in the West Review [0.01]
I normally don’t write reviews this early, but the initial release did have a decent amount of content, and I thoroughly enjoyed the first game (Life in Middle East) and therefore have a good feeling about this one.
The Good:
(+) Banu, the FMC, is stunningly beautiful and has a distinct and unique look.
(+) Banu manages to look amazing even in traditional Muslim clothing with a hijab.
(+) FMC’s Muslim background adds an interesting angle to this AVN.
(+) I love the fact that Banu has her own hypergamous desires and how she reconciles them with her faith/culture. Her internal dialogue is top notch!
(+) Banu has agency and is not condemned to be used by old/ugly/obese men. She shines the most in situations where she asserts control.
(+) It is possible to empathize with the FMC and see the world from her perspective. For those skeptical of FMC stories, this is a great one to try out the genre.
(+) Banu’s lectures at the university are quite insightful and offer an interesting perspective.
(+) The AVN has some legit social commentary without trying too hard.
(+) No forced content so far.
Minor:
(±) Kamil’s illness could have been explained differently, maybe with a regular chronic illness, not an STD or something that was Kami’s fault. In the original game Kamil was not the type of person who would stray from Banu. IIRC he even turned down a golden opportunity from beautiful Humay (in the café), despite living in a sexless marriage at that time.
(±) I think it would be great if Banu also had Muslim women to interact with in the city she lives now, either through contacts with friends from the first game (Nesrin, Hicran) or local new characters, in essence, someone who keeps her grounded or challenges her and responds to her actions especially if Banu starts seeing someone in the West.
(±) Speaking of the West, fleshing out the backstory why Banu is there, and where specifically, could add more flavor to the story.
Opportunities for improvement:
(–) The intro of Tyrell was too extreme. In a situation like this it is hard to just leave the dead body without any police interaction, especially as a guest lecturer in a foreign city. The same effect could have been achieved if Tyrell just knocked the thug out cold (maybe even more impressive).
Conclusion:
I highly recommend this one, definitely worth the download.