VN - Ren'Py - Completed - Bare Witness [Ch. 5] [AlterWorlds]

The other reviewer who mentioned the dialogue was kinda cringy piqued my interest so I gave it a shot myself.

aaaaaannnnd while it's not awful, it's enough to give the tab/ctrl keys a good workout.

So overall, artwork/renders are good, characters look unique, thats probably the main reason I kept plowing through it. Animations are hit or miss, some are great and capture subtle details, others feel phoned in.

Dialogue, as mentioned, is a low point. It wouldn't be so bad if like many other games on the site, it was just a translation/cultural issue. But this is clearly written by someone with a strong command of english, making it worse. Whats more, all the female characters speak quite normally and sound organic, which makes the MC's text so more out of place - I could understand a shy mc and shy girls, but the juxtaposition is so jarring...he's constantly whining and apologizing. A good vn shapes the mc based on choices, instead of forcing them into a specific personality.

Anyway, 2/5 - longer game and better dialogue could easily be 4star base on render artwork.

Everything about the game is great. Story & renders all really well done. Every girl so far is really interesting with cuteness overload and compelling backstories. Really difficult to choose between them all.

The characters in this game are by far the most human and realistic you will find in any game, they all have different personalities, like/dislikes, hobbies, reactions and pasts, the MC is just a normal guy who actually acts like a normal human being which in VNs is incredibly rare.

I love that all the choices don't have to do with just sex, some are just how do you want to spend your time/get to know characters it gives you the feeling you can just be friends with some of the girls which is unique, as for if they will direct the game well that remains to be seen, i also like that it gives you the choice of whether or not to do what i would class as creepy things (spying on roommates, staring at boobs, etc...) but still do non creepy things, i.e. going for a run, playing a game, etc

The story its self is again very realistic, the in game days pass quickly but still feel real with the MC doing something unique every day instead of the standard repetitive days most games have even if you don't go for all the girls

Sex scenes are good but could be better as unlike the rest of the game they don't feel natural, the art work is again very good especially in the later parts of the game.

Story 4/5 (interesting)
Sex 4/5 (good but lacks intimacy)
Characters 5/5 (best i have seen)
Art 4/5 (great)
Choices 5/5 (well done)
Kinks 3/5 (enough for the type of game but could use more)

This game has some of the most gorgeous, straight-up sexy females put into a game. Just outstanding work.

And what makes it even better is they have awesome, unique personalities and quirks to match! The storylines on some of the girls actually showcase a good level of writing and character building which, maybe at this pointI shouldn't BE surprised when I find that in a porn game, but I still am.

When a harem game can make me actually forgo all other girls for fear of making my favorite jealous, you know it's damn good.

Played on Version 0.3
Really wanted to leave a Review because this gem right here exceeded all my expectations and is definitely one I'll be supporting whenever I can. First what's great about BareWitness :
+ Interesting and original plot, most things are tied well together and follow a more or less reasonable logic.
+ The characters, in both personality and design, are phenomenal for the most part ( Heidi is just ahh )
+ The music. Well placed, can be touching, and very appropriate for the different situations.
+ The choices actually feel impactful, and if I do something that upsets a certain girl, it succeeds ( perhaps too well ) at making me feel horrible.

As for the negatives, I honestly can't find any major flaw in the game for now, perhaps if I replay enough times I might notice something.
The game is the dev's first project, so I can't praise it enough and minor nitpicks aren't worth mentioning.

I want to like this game but the underlying tone of "men are scum but women are smart and can do no wrong" that keeps popping up coupled with how spineless the MC is just makes me think this was written by a feminist who really views the world like that. I mean there's even one instance he should've been rightfully upset at an accusation but brushes it off because "men are scum and goth girl is strong and scary".
Could honestly deal with the boring dialogue if not for that. I mean the first few times were fine but at some point I just felt like I was getting beat over the head with it.
I play these games to avoid that.
At a certain point, I couldn't even get into it anymore and just started clicking through then realized I might as well just close the game. The sex scenes were also kind of lackluster. It's not like I want a story that's the exact opposite of this with some creep MC because that'd be awful too. I just want ... normal people who touch grass occasionally. I can already feel like there's a good chance its' going to be revealed that the mom is going to be some absolute saint and it's all the dad's fault and he'll die off.
Renders are great though and I still like the overall plot. Played for Heidi and Mora who are great characters. Also, I feel like this might be more of a matter of personal taste than something objective. Which is why I'm giving it a "meh".

After playing a few Ren'Py games, I realize that it's not easy to finish a story properly. There are a lot of choices to make and I think I have to start from the beginning. I may not have understood the dialogue well enough to make the right decisions, I will take the time to understand in my own language. Personally, I would have given it more trouble to have sex, but it is more work and I am well aware of that. It's a good game and I'm waiting for the next one.

A very enjoyable game with a great set of characters and potential story paths.

The character models are fairly varied and well done.

Each of the characters is well written and although they more or less fall into some archetypes, I dont' think it's a detriment. The different personalities may push you into different choices and I think that's always interesting in a game.

The quality of animations is high as well.

Scenes and the environment are fairly detailed which is good.

The writing is also well done and I don't think there were any particularly jarring sections. Each character's story has good potential for expansion.

I almost never write reviews of games on this site, but this visual novel is a masterpiece. I started playing it in the latest version (chapter 3)
The stunning graphics make it a masterpiece, all the characters look almost natural, it's very nice to look at everyone (Athena is my favorite). What makes this game very different from others of this genre is a very good script. Yes, the hero here is super-strong again and gets everything with ease, the girls want him and all that. But the way it is served distinguishes this game from others - the emotions of the characters are visible. The characters themselves are well spelled out (for example, Mora), it was very nice to watch the plot. I especially want to mention the soundtrack - I think it's the best, it doesn't repeat itself hundreds of times, it sounds appropriate and therefore doesn't annoy (I even saved myself a couple of songs). Once again, this novel deserves the maximum number of points. Sorry for the cringe and my bad English

This is one of the first games I've touched since I started development of my own game. Decided it was time for me to take a break from my development to explore something else, and this was my choice. So, let's get into it.

Graphics/Art: It is obvious that the dev takes great efforts in their art and assets. The character are unique, the environments are fresh. Graphical quality is very high, and the animations are pretty good. There is certainly plenty of eye candy in the game, both in terms of lewd activities, as well as just the "day to day" stuff.

Audio: Bare Witness has full audio, which is great. While many turn off the music and sounds, I personally find that this detracts from games where devs have taken the time to do proper audio engineering. The music isn't the same royalty free stuff that appears in most games. It fits the scenes and the moods quite well. Recommend that you don't turn it off!

Story and writing: The story is quite good, and is accompanied by extremely high quality writing. The relationships with the girls build a LITTLE too quickly for my liking, but that is purely a personal preference, and I would not downrate the game for this. The writing is obviously English first, without a single grammatical error. The Grammar Police will be proud.

Gameplay: This is a choice driven VN. Your choices do have an impact on how things play out. Sometimes, the "right" answer isn't obvious, but that's okay with me. I'm more of a "do what you would actually do" kind of person, and so far, it hasn't led me astray. Sure, you can play with the walkthrough mod if you want, but I'd recommend against it. Just play the game

Final thoughts: The dev obviously cares about the quality of the game. Significant efforts seem to have been taken on pretty much every aspect. If you're looking for a new story driven game to get started on, with cute girls and lot's of options, you won't go wrong with this.

Game is an absolute must play, from a great story to fantastic renders ans music, this game has it all. MC has depth, the girls are fleshed out and the overall plot makes sense. Shout out to Slockie and Storm from the number one Heidi simp.

Clearly a competent work which doesn't quite reach the heights it could have. The MC is seriously dull, and the entire premise of the story is yawn inducing. Of the girls, a couple of them are good(Moira, Sadie), but most are forgettable with Valeria as the all knowing MILF especially grating to me for some reason. This sucks because most of the sex scenes are with her. His equation with the roommates is never quite clear and I don't see a believable romance path with either being possible.

Why 4 stars then? The renders are great to look at, well written dialogue, it doesn't have any performance issue, the gameplay is straight forward with no annoying mechanics and you can make meaningful choices in the girl/girls you want to pursue. So overall, definitely worth a playthrough.

Edit after playing till v0.4b: The hot group scenes elevate it to 5 stars lol. The relationship with the girls is unbelievable but playing for the ultimate harem ending is a fun challenge.

I will try to keep it straight and simple. The game is perfect for almost all kinds of people. If you dislike harem, you can go for the monogamous path. If you want a harem, you climb the stairs to it. It isn't as easy to get everyone, in fact it is quite a complicated and a thin line to walk, which makes the game even better and more compelling. There are many branchings to the game which makes it even more intriguing. This is all accompanied by an absolutely bewildering storyline, beautiful girls of all kinds, and something that is the missing key in most games, an absolutely bangable MC. The attention to detail to him is great, it makes the game more sensical since a person with such good looks as him is bound to be getting a harem, unlike other games where the MC is mostly malnourished and/or looks as if he can be beaten into a peach by literally anyone around him. OH and how can I forget, the spectacular renders! The renders in this game always make me drop my jaw to the floor. Magnifique.


TLDR: Suitable for almost all kinds of people, many different kinds of women (all beauties ofc), a lot of branching thus a lot of ways to go, amazing story, one of the most handsome MCs, stunning renders.

Very great game all around. Writing is awesome, graphics are clean without issues, music is good, and last but not least, the girls are awesome. Having Heidie, Athena, and Mora at the same time is a dream. Hoping we can bring the cutiepie cousin sadie into the mix aswell. Will be awaiting the new update patiently! Keep up the great work

The dialogue is so poorly conceived. I'm not sure how this game is praised for its writing. The dialogue feels like it was written by someone who doesn't know how actual conversations between people work, and wrote the dialogue anyway.

Each interaction goes like this: make small talk with girl x100, then suddenly they start wanting to spend time with you and have sex with you. This is despite the MC being totally spineless and uninteresting, because you discuss literally nothing of substance in all the small talk. At least in other convoluted harem VNs when the dialogue is bad it's almost entertaining in a stupid way. But this one is just pages and pages of boring, mind-numbing filler. 0/10 story.

At least the renders are good so I give it +1 star.

My friend had mentioned that this game was wholesome, filled with amazing girls, great writing, and fitting music, and man he was not wrong. Everything about this game is amazing. Heidi and Zenda are probably my two favorite at the moment. Zenda starts off as kinda bitchy, but the more I played, the more I grew to love her. The renders improved greatly from Ch1 to Ch3 (current) and the writing is fantastic overall. Only thing I will say is the animations could be a bit better, but that's an extremely minor complaint. One of my new favorite games and cannot wait for more!

Storyline is great. The writing is so clean, the renders flow smoothly with the story, and you can see how the relationships develop with each of the girls. Plus, the little easter eggs throughout the game are great.

Beautiful women, lovely art, competent if uninspired animations, and a nice-guy MC come together to make "Bare Witness" a solidly fun, sexy experience--at least as of version .3. The lewd content is well done and plentiful, yet there are also some love interests who want to take their time, which keeps patient players salivating as they progress through the story.

The story itself is compelling enough, if more than a little contrived. The MC is
There are a couple of hints that the drama will intensify and the last version ends on a cliffhanger, so I expect the next update will dive more deeply into that aspect of the plot.

The models and artwork are well done and look really good. Lighting, environments, and just about all of the visuals are really top tier. There are some nice details in the art, too. For example, the Sadie character has ample, almost pendulous breasts. As you would expect, her breasts bear some stretch marks and cellulite, which we can just make out on the model. I love it.

As noted earlier, the MC is a good guy, which I find refreshing. Players are presented with occasional choices, generally limited to whether or not to go on a date, return a kiss, etc. There's no angel/asshole point system to track or anything like that. Nonetheless, there appear to be at least two paths, depending on who you agree to date on nights in which more than one woman wants to go out with you. "Bare Witness" is looking like a harem game, but so far it appears one must choose between harems rather than have one giant harem. Most games aren't really worth playing more than once in order to pursue different branches, but "Bare Witness" manages to be strong enough that I will certainly do another playthrough with different choices.

I like that some LIs are willing and eager to hop into the sack with the MC right away, while others wait. "Bare Witness" strikes a good balance between offering up lewd content early and providing rewards to players who are more patient. With at least one character this felt somewhat contrived, but with Mora, for example, what happens seems in line with what we see of her character.

I feel compelled to add that the writing is above average, and it's clear that the dev is either a native speaker of English or has a very competent editor. Apart from a few minor typos, the game is free from any jarring (or even mildly annoying) grammar or usage oddities.

In fact, I have only two criticisms of the game. One is that this title seems to want to appeal to those players who get into jealous rages if they are not the center of every woman's universe. There are virtually no male characters in the game at all and those who are, are irrelevant as sexual rivals. I realize AVNs are fantasies, but some game storylines conform to a level of sexual jealousy that is just so petty and immature that I find it off putting. "Bare Witness" is not in that category, yet.

My second criticism is linked to the first and it is that most of the dialogue and action are just vehicles for the MC to showcase how awesome and desired he is. We get occasional flashes of insight into these women's lives that have nothing to do with the MC, but they are few and far between.

I was also going to complain that the MC attracts women too easily, but I think that criticism would miss the mark. After all, the MC is nice looking, has a great physique, and is hung like a horse. Even in real life, such a man would no doubt have tons of women throwing themselves at him. The harem configuration is unrealistic, of course, but this is a suspension of disbelief I'll happily engage in for this type of game.

Mixed feelings


The preview pictures of Mora (and Sadie) really got me intrigued - if it wasn't for them, I probably would've never given Bare Witness a try because the story premise didn't sound too promising to me.


Visuals

The renders are overall pretty good, even breathtaking at times (especially close-ups of character faces).
There's also a nice variety of camera angles and use of depth of field effects.

However, renders are also lacking attention to detail.
I can't believe we still have to deal with ugly looking breast clothing morphs in 2021/22. *shudder*
Then there's Athena's protruding pug underwear and ridiculous looking motorcycle helmet, constantly visible areolas, parked cars having their lights on, cocktails defying gravity, etc.).

At the beginning of the story the devs also seemed indecisive if they want to hide the MC's face or not.

Animations are decent (not the best I've seen, but good enough).
I also like the neat little intro sequence.


Sound

The music is sort of a mixed bag.
Some tracks are pretty good and fit the scenes nicely while others are too generic for my liking and feel out of place.
I usually like background music in VNs, but some of the more obtrusive tracks in Bare Witness made me hit the mute button.

Unfortunately, there are no sound effects (phone / door ringing, motor sounds, gunshots, etc).


Characters

There's a good variety of beautiful LIs with diverse personalities, Mora being my favourite - she's smart, decent, attractive, hardworking, open-minded and she loves travelling, history, Civilization and D&D. <3

Kudos for adding a chubby (yet good-looking) girl (Sadie).

In fact there are almost too many potential LIs if you're not interested in building a harem because your LI won't have that much screen time.

Of all the characters the MC is probably the least interesting one.
He looks kinda average (and a bit too old). He also lacks charisma and personality.
Maybe I misread the title of this VN and it's actually called Bore Witness, dunno.

With that said, LIs fall for the MC way too easily - and for no apparent reason.
The MC can't seem to take two steps without a girl (either potential LI or random NPC) staring at / flirting with him. It's ridiculous.
Seems like this VN was made for people with low self-esteem who constantly need to be flattered.


Writing

The English is overall decent with only few typos and grammar mistakes.

Bare Witness involves a typical slice-of-life story which I honestly didn't find that interesting.
The story feels like a string of random scenes where stuff simply happens for the sake of meeting as many potential LIs as possible.

There is also an overarching frame story of a witness protection program which doesn't feel overly credible, but rather like a bolt-on to induce some drama.

I didn't like that there are too many superfluous explanations like "Heidi hugs Mira" (I can perfectly *see* they are hugging, thanks).

The dialogue on the other hand is pretty well written and even quite humorous / amusing at times.

What I also didn't like:

• Val's route seems nothing but a crowd pleaser to provide cheap sex early on. Hard pass.
• Stale porn tropes (Athena being unaware she's topless or mentioning MC's hard-on after taking a motorcycle ride with her).
• Mora still being a virgin - even after living with her ex for months. I smell bullshit (and another fan service).
• Some scenes end rather abruptly (MC spending the night at Mora).
• Breaking the 4th wall (posters and cameos of other adult game characters).

The explicit scenes involving Mora and Athena are pretty well written and erotic - the ones with Val and Zenda not so much.


Choices

The choice system is probably my biggest gripe regarding Bare Witness.
At first I was quite fond of the amount of choices and it seemed like we have full control over which LI(s) to pursue or ignore.
Well, turns out this isn't really the case - the more time I spent with Bare Witness the more I got frustrated.
You won't notice these issues if you're on a harem route, but as soon as you try to pursue a single LI the problems become quite apparent.

In my first playthrough I pursued Mora and tried to remain friendly with everyone else.

Zenda:
We meet her on a train ride and can chat with her. Sure, why not. The MC and her end up exchanging phone numbers.
A few days later she calls him and suggests to go out. Sure, why not.
Well, turns out you simply can't end the night on a friendly note - you either go full alpha (and have sex with her), remain chill (that's what I did) and get belittled (still ending the night with an unavoidable kissing scene) or leave without a word like an angry kid.
I didn't like any of these outcomes, so I went back to the phone call scene and told her I wasn't interested - which angered her.
Guess what I did in the end? I started anew and ignored her right on the train.

Athena:
I kept being friendly towards her (playing video games, etc.).
At one point she and the MC started cuddling and - in a later scene - even kissing without me having a say in it.
I had to start anew.
In her case it's especially implausible because she explicitly told the MC not to hurt Mora.

Mora herself:
In one of the first scenes the MC kisses her on the cheek (without a choice).
In a later scene we are asked if he should kiss her on the cheek or not. What?
It would make perfect sense if it was the other way round, but this... makes no sense at all?

Long story short:
The choice system in its current form is half-baked and inconsistent.
Way too often Bare Witness seems to mistake friendly behaviour for something more and assumes we are willing to get romantically involved. A frustrating experience.
A VN should never assume, but always make sure.


User Interface

The text box is unobtrusive and the font (mostly) well readable.

We can name save pages as well as individual save files. Commendable.

As a bonus feature there's an unlockable scene gallery.


Conclusion

Bare Witness is one of those VNs which make me wish we had a more precise rating system available.
It's clearly above average, but the absence of a well written / interesting story in combination with several other issues mentioned above prevents it from passing as an actual good VN in my opinion.
If I could, I would give it a 7/10 (or 3.5/5) rating, but for now I'm awarding 3 stars because I'd rather add than subtract a star with future updates.

Gameplay : ✭✭✭✭✰
Story : ✭✭✭✭✭
Spelling : ✭✭✭✭✰
renders : ✭✭✭✭✰
Animations: ✭✭✭✭✰
Potential : ✭✭✭✭✭
Overall : ✭✭✭✭✰
Girls physique : ✭✭✭✭✰
Graphic : ✭✭✭✭✰
Sex Content : ✭✭✭✭✰
Creativity :✭✭✭✭✰
Note :
I love it ! just perfect !

All the best to the developer.