Well, I guess no one cares about my opinion, but I have to vent. I don't agree with bigdick in all of his points, but I think he has a point in many things.
So, I don't want to sound like a hater (I'm not at all) but I feel disappointed with this episode, and therefore, with the direction that the game is taking. Okay, we all love the fact that it's not just a sex game, but come on... Is all this drama and talkative scenes really necessary, considering each update is too short? What about the dating sim, the main aspect of the game? I've always thought that only talk-irrelevant-scenes are super necessary as they make the game larger and benefit immersion, but the dev should combine that with more scenes and more fun. It makes no sense to me that there are only a few scenes per path, and each patch feels so empty.
I feel that PinkCake is so focused on making a very complete game that he's getting overwhelmed by so many romance storylines. Can you imagine how long and enjoyable it could be, not only this update but also some of the previous ones, and therefore, the game itself, if perhaps there were fewer paths (I personally could do without Jill) or if at least the single path could be combined with one of the others (meaning you could cheat or whatever, and thus enjoy more scenes in a single playthrough)? I know this is the developer's decision and the plot he creates, but I think the essence of the game is being lost, and it's evolving into more drama that many people aren't interested in. I don't mind the complexity that DrPinkCake wants to bring to the plot (because it's beneficial even for the realism and excitement of the more sexual part of the game), but it's clear that waiting a year for an update that, let's be honest, falls short (even though there's a lot of work and excellent work behind it, I agree with some who say that the Dev has spent too much time on things that we don't care about today. An example is the aquariums or some absurd mini-games. While I like activating the option to play them, I think they don't add anything today and only waste time that could have been spent on more sexual scenes or more interesting scenes.)
We have Becky, who supposedly wants to fuck us, Tiffany, Tara, Sally, etc., and we can't do anything with them, even though we've been waiting a long time for a scene with them. Also, I think many of us were hoping to progress with Heather, either through another sex scene, a message, or something beyond a simple chat in the yoga class about what happened that night at the party. On the other hand, a lot of teasing with Elena, but nothing happens either. Is there really space for so many mini-games (don't repeat that you can play without this option) and for absurd scenes like the guy who gets fired from work, but there was no room in this episode for something to happen with Elena? Then, we have Lily, with whom we can start a "relationship," but we barely have a couple of talks and a blowjob in the field. Did we really not have more space for these girls? I go back to what I said about "just talking" scenes, scenes that initially don't add anything, but add immersion, that I think the developer should have added many more. Why not make more scenes like that, where you can talk (even about irrelevant things) with these girls or whoever, instead of shit like that scene with the guy who gets fired from work (which may be important in the future, but I don't know... I think the developer is going a bit crazy with some aspects of the plot and the game itself). And also, why so few text messages with the characters? Why so little Rooster? I don't understand. As far as I know, it's not exactly the most difficult or time-consuming thing to do, and it would fit into what I mean by "irrelevant chats." They add time, realism, and immersion to the game, and it wouldn't cost DrPinkCake anything...
And regarding those who followed the path of a specific girl, don't you also think that it falls a bit short in certain aspects? If you chose that, you knew what you were exposing yourself to in terms of limitations, but even if there were the option to cheat and therefore access the scenes of the single path, don't you think there is little development/depth in the banality of a relationship itself?
For me, the key to this game was that combination of a good plot, many characters and beautiful girls, elaborate characters with their own personality, the great freedom of action that the MC has, etc., as well as the majestic American Pie essence that the creator gives it. But the fact of being a playboy was essential... I understand that some choose a romance path with Bella, Sage, Josy, and Maya, etc., but it's clear that the single path is very empty because it should be something similar to what the initial chapters were, and it's not. We have many girls, and the chapter opens up various possibilities, but they are not taken advantage of. I don't understand, also, things like you can't get the blowjob from Heather if you were with Josy and Maya (if I'm not mistaken, this is how it is), even if you decided to be single at the end of chapter 8.
In the end, there is a feeling that there is a lot of content but very scattered, and, as I mentioned before, it would be much more practical to have cut paths or combined some. Although it sounds repetitive, does really no one think about how incredible it would have been to be with Sage, Jill, or whoever, but still be able to access sex scenes with other girls (like finishing the Halloween party with Mel and Sarah)? They would be cheating, but that's the freedom that should characterize a VN, right? This way, we could be screwing Sage, for example, and having romantic scenes but without losing content with other girls... all this, logically, subject to the player's decision, who could decide NOT to cheat. I don't know... what is clear is that each path on its own falls very short, and together, if we combined exclusive scenes from each path, we would have a brutal chapter, even missing many scenes with the girls I mention (Becky, Sally, Elena, Heather...)
Considering that by far it's my favorite VN, and practically the only one I play today, and that I can only thank DrPinkCake for such a masterpiece... I have to say that, as I mentioned before, lately, the direction the game is taking is disappointing, and also, I honestly think DrPinkCake is getting complacent. In my humble opinion, I think the wait benefits him because the anticipation generates more people's eagerness, and therefore more support both economically and publicity-wise. But this is not going to last forever, and people can end up getting tired. Maybe many of us who have so many expectations for this game end up disappointed... but oh well. Clearly, it's a great game, and it must be insane to do all this alone. But I think DrPinkCake needs to change the development system, as well as the direction the game is taking because personally, I'm losing interest since it's really the only adult VN that has me so hooked and addicted, but it gets tiring to wait a year for this... I think the episodes should be longer, or on the other hand, release one every 4-5 months, not every year. He makes a lot of money with Patreon for what he's offering today, even if it bothers many of you. It's my humble opinion.
While I usually don't write here, I had to vent. I would appreciate it if you respected my opinion, and I'm open to chatting about all this with anyone. Greetings!