It's ok to have a dramatic turn of events, every medium has it.
But MJ route is just one struggle after the other.
I personally don't need so much struggles in an AVN route.
But this is what I was saying, I don't see it that way. People focus on the perceived negatives too much that they blow it out of all proportions.
The only issue really facing them is Patrick holding Maya's finances and her future hostage. That's it. They don't get hit with "one struggle after the other", it's just this one thing and some things tied to it, like Maya and Josy not feeling they can go public with their relationship.
And again, this really is not much of an issue because, like I said, DPC does not labour over it in every single moment with M&J. The good moments with them where this isn't being referenced and isn't front of mind far outweigh the moments where it's brought up for story arc purposes.
In my opinion, it's an overblown falsehood that the "issues" of this relationship are present and referenced at all times, because they are not.
Is Maya a victim? Hell yeah. Is DPC forcing the most drama possible in the MJ route for the sake of forced drama plots in the game? Hell yeah.
But at the end of the day, she's a fictional character.
So when I pick to play other paths, even Others path;
I don't like the game shoving her drama and plot in every route there is.
Maya and her drama is inevitable like Leah(from AL) so far.
So like I said, I respect you. And do enjoy what you like.
The thing is, almost all games with a plot force you to do things in order to progress the game. People may not like having to do a certain action, or see something happen to a character they like, or the way the game ends, etc, but that's how the game is and how the developer(s) have designed it. It's their story to tell and they're going to tell it their way.
The other thing I think people often overlook when it comes to their argument that she is "forced in every route" is that, at the end of the day, the MC is not the player. He is an avatar which the players have some control over, but certain things will always be universally true, and one of those things is that the MC is still friends with Maya and Josy and so he will be there for them at certain times when required. They're also all freshmen together and so have classes together, and they also have a connection through the DIKs and HOTs and the fact that they will be at parties together too. This is all perfectly natural for these characters, not unnaturally "forced", as is them meeting and interacting outside of these places due to the aforementioned friendship they have.
This, therefore, makes them the most prominent girls in his life by both simple proximity and friendship. Most of the others are somewhat distanced from a lot of this, but DPC still finds a way to bring them in to the MC's orbit. And let's not overlook the fact there are parts of other MG stories that are, were, and will be forced too, like Sage and Chad, Jill and Tybalt, and Bella and James.
Is it nice that we are "kicking someone when he's down"?
Nah, but give me the option to ignore her in-game, and problem solved.
But nope, MJ and Maya drama is a flagship for this game's plot.
Again, this comes back to the point about control. It's not up to you decide that because you don't have total control. DPC has established that they have a friendship and people need to accept that.
At the end of the day, whilst I can understand people having reasons for not liking this route such as not being a fan of non-monogamous relationships, one or both girls aren't their type, or simply thinking of them better as friends. But I feel that the harsher criticisms are often ranging from nitpicky grudges to downright reprehensible views. I'm not saying anything about where you fall in that spectrum because I don't know you and I won't make aspersions, but I fully get that you have certain views on cheating. I personally see it very differently and with a lot more caveats, but I won't get into it.
I think people just need to enjoy, or at least try to enjoy, this game for what it is. There's things that are going to happen and are going to be the case that people won't like, but when all is said and done, it's a story, and like all stories, it will foster different views in people based on their outlooks on life and their personal analysis of the storytelling. But people spending all their energy denegrating and dunking on one thing, especially something or someone that the story does a fair bit of dunking on itself, for the same worn-out reasons becomes both tedious and depressively irritating after a while, and the toxicity in this portion of the community becomes a real blight on the whole thing.