VN - Ren'Py - Being a DIK [v0.10.1] [DrPinkCake]

If basketball has Michael Jordan and LeBron James, boxing has Muhammad Ali, and hockey has Wayne Gretzky, western AVNs have Being A DIK.

DrPinkCake cracked the code with Being A DIK, quite literally. Even if it's still in development, this is already widely regarded as the greatest western AVN of all time, and I actually wholeheartedly agree.

- From its rich college adventure story that's full of fun and crazy college shenanigans, amazing parties, and emotional moments that will pull on your heartstrings, this game perfected the formula for AVNs, especially for college-themed ones.

- The multi-layered writing and attention to detail in this game are also top-notch. The plotline is mapped out so carefully, the main plot points and individual character arcs intertwine so smoothly without losing momentum, and without any loose ends. The goofy humor is also so effective, providing the perfect balance for the game's tone. The relationships also develop naturally and steadily, making the romance feel very organic and well-earned. The use of callbacks and parallelisms are also so brilliant, it'll give you goosebumps whenever it happens.

- This also has the best set of characters in any AVN ever, IMO. They are so well-written and utilized that it makes the game feel more alive and college-like. From the wide array of girls that have their own unique personalities, backstories, and struggles that even the side girls feel like main ones, to the male characters, which will have you feel a strong sense of brotherhood. And so far, this is the only AVN that featured a lot of male characters and has succeeded in utilizing them effectively. Proof of that are the DIKs, especially a guy named Derek, the greatest "best bro" character in any AVN. It also features one of the most complex characters ever, a woman named Quinn. Also, the MC (main character) feels like another character completely, and not just your puppet, which is always a nice bonus in AVNs that prioritizes the story.

- The choices in this game actually matter. Its branching system is one of the game's best strengths because it offers great replay value. You can shape the MC to either be a typical nice guy, be a dick completely (pun intended), or a mix of both. And in shaping your character, it also affects how the MC treats others, allowing or preventing you to do some actions, and enabling or disabling you to pursue certain love interests. It also makes other characters perceive and treat you differently.

- The game's diverse soundtrack is incredible too. From instrumentals, party music, rock music, and to actual songs, this soundtrack takes the (pink)cake in being the greatest in any AVN, IMO. Not just because the songs are great, but also because the usage between instrumentals and actual songs are balanced. Because of that, when an actual song plays, it hits so much more, enhancing the emotions needed by the scenes.

All in all, this is definitely another must-play AVN. It's an excellent treat that's full of adventure, laughs, wholesomeness, romance, and even scenes that might make you tear up. I'm absolutely looking forward to it reaching its conclusion, even if it's still years before that happens.

Rating: 10/10 (5 stars).

Wow, incredible VN! Plenty of choices, a wide variety of characters with depth. The story is well done and definitely keeps you engaged. The sounds/music is top notch too. The developer put a tremendous of time into this and it shows, a well polished game.

I can't think of any complaints, it deserves 5 stars

I have never written or made a reviev on any game on this site, but this game has a special spot in my heart. I seriously belleve this is one of my favorite games of all time, and I don't just mean these type of games, but in general.

This was the first avn I played back when season 2 got released on steam. I only bought season 1 to try it out since it was my first time playing one of these games. But MAN I was Immediately hooked and bought season 2 immediatly after finishing season 1. I think I replayed both seasons like, no joke, thirty times and each time was as enjoyable as the first time.

When it comes to the writing of the characters, it feels like I actually get to know real people and the MC is very likeable and has actual character development, which in my opinion is rare for these games. It also feels like your choices matter, an exampel I can give is if you take money from Jill's room in, I think ep 2, she will confront you about it in ep 10, which in ep2 felt like just any other choice. It's details like this that just makes it all the more fun and engaging.

I have nothing bad to say about the game itself, I think the story is amazing and the characters even better. The only think i disslike is that the development takes such long time. I fully understand that Dr. Pink Cake works alone and is working hard all the time, but I just wish it didn't take upp to 11 months for one episode. But again im not giving Dr. Pink Cake any shit, I love his work, I just wish it didn't take so long.

There is alot more I can prase this game for but that would take forever.
So, would I recommed this game? Hell yes! Even if you have no intrest in these type of games, I still think it's worth a try, just for the story.

Final rating: 10/10.
What can i say, other than that it is a masterpiece.

This shit is a masterpiece.

Version played: 0.10.1

Smut: 0/5
Story: 10/5

If you're looking for pure, degenerate porno filth, this probably won't do it for you. There's amazing animations and very good sex scenes, however it's weaved into an actual story with meaningful choices and decisions.

The character personalities are all unique and well written; including those with tropes (Mommy-domme teacher, Sexy librarian, etc).

One thing that really stands out about this game is that the minigames are actually quite interesting and fun to play. I haven't played these types of puzzles in so long, it was refreshing to engage in them again.

This VN/Game/Whatever you want to call it was quite enjoyable to play and I look forward to future updates.

edit: I submitted my review before looking at others. Checking now, I've noticed many pt "masterpiece".Do

I concur with other reviewers when they rate this game as a masterpiece, any other rating would be insulting for a game that wipes the floor with the vast majority of the VNs out there in about every possible aspect, especially when it comes to narrative, the attention to detail or inmersion, to name a few. Speaking for myself, I'm not a supporter (yet) so I have absolutely no right to request anything, but if there's just one thing that is not done right is the fact that you can't pursue both Bella and Jill as LIs to the very end and instead you are eventually forced to pick one.

I'm not suggesting having threesomes with them because their personalities don't fit that mindset. It wouldn't feel right no matter how you approach the matter and I wouldn't want any resources spent on such a futile purpose. But seeing as they're so close and both are so likeable it is disheartening having to pick one. I went for Jill on my first playthrough and experienced an amazing fairy tale that previously was only possible on old movies and literature. On my second I literally reached the point where I'm forced to pick one, I selected Bella but honestly, I can't get past that point. No matter how much I want to see how the story goes on with her, the idea of confronting Jill again and put an end to the relationship is simply unthinkable. I can't do that. So this is where I stop playing.

This will probably be worth nothing to the developer but at least it will let the reader have an idea of what they're getting into if they play this for the first time. If so, enjoy.

Being a DIK Review
I’ve played a few indie VNs and thought they were pretty well made. Who knew that VNs that are extremely superior in overall quality existed? I didn’t. The “Being a DIK” gameplay experience was way beyond my expectations. Everything present in the game just screamed “Quality” at you. I was taken aback by the game’s stunning visuals, interesting plotline & amazing sound design accompanied by unique gameplay. It was truly a One-of-a-kind experience!


Storyline
VNs are always story-driven. They rely heavily on the game’s narrative & visual aspects since there isn’t a lot of gameplay involved. The VNs I played before had a very short story that lasted for about 2-3ish hours. I was surprised to see that this game’s storyline could go up to 12 hours depending on your playing speed. Pretty rad if you ask me. You get a lot of content for the price you pay!

Here’s a short overview of the game without any spoilers
A low-income young man leaves his widowed father and his summer love to attend college at Burgmeister & Royce. As he is thrust into freshman life and persuaded to join the up-and-coming fraternity Delta Iota Kappa, he will be introduced to a new world full of conflicts, alcohol, drugs, and sex.

When you launch the game for the first time, the developer & the mascot of the game, Jill (At least I think she is the mascot), ask you a couple of questions like if you are over 18, if you are depressed, etc. This will give you a fair amount of info on what the game’s plot would be like.

I jumped into this game thinking it would mostly revolve around making love & sex. I was completely wrong. There’s so much emotion. It felt as though I was watching an Ecchi anime with drama & a handful of Sex scenes. Unlike other VNs, Being a DIK doesn’t throw all story contents at you in an instant. The entire plot unfolds slowly, giving you room to take in whatever is happening.

Sometimes, I forget I am playing an NSFW game. People usually play such games to get off of them. But here, you will get immersed in the story of the game. The game doesn’t fail in getting you emotionally attached to a character. And obviously, you have a shit tonne of choices to make. This enormously overarching storyline will intersect in an amazing manner. A lot of work & thought has been put into it!

To be honest, there’s nothing more to say. I recommend playing the game & experiencing it all for yourself!


Gameplay Mechanics
It’s a VN Game. Such games usually rely on their plot rather than their overall gameplay mechanics. Let’s be honest, there’s nothing much to do in such games apart from clicking to go to the next scene. It’s a bit different in this game since it has something called “Mini-games”. Well, from the name, you can easily deduce that they are occasional small in-game games (I know, that’s a very childish way to refer to this) that act as an added source of entertainment apart from the storyline. When you start a new game, you get to choose whether you want to play these mini-games or not. They give you special renders, money & trigger some special events. I recommend you play them!

Apart from the Mini-games, ability to free-roam & access to a phone, there’s nothing really unique gameplay-wise. You’ll find everything that you see in other VNs; Auto-Save, auto-scroll between scenes, quick save, etc. In the settings, you have almost full control over the dialogues. This comes in handy as it allows you to alter the speed of the text as per your reading speed allowing you to play the game using auto-scroll & watch it like a movie!

To show that your choices play a major role, the game has a meter that shows your affinity to being a “Chick” or a “DIK”, the former being the good one & vice versa. The scale’s order goes like this: Massive DIK, Huge DIK, DIK, Neutral, Chick, Huge Chick & Massive Chick. The ruder/colder your responses are, the more your affinity to being a DIK increases. How do these affect your gameplay? Well, they change how certain characters approach you. This is vital if you’re trying to establish healthy relationships with all characters. You get the idea, right? So, be careful when making response-related choices.


Visuals & Audio
This is the other charm of the game. This game has outstanding visuals. I couldn’t find any other better word to describe it. Like bro, the character models are so detailed. You can legit see the effort they put in each scene. It’s a high-quality VN for a reason! The animated sex scenes are elaborate & the minute details are what make them visually pleasing. And here I was, thinking the other VNs I played had amazing visuals… A real 10/10!

The sound design is flawless, ngl. I love the Soundtracks they used. It’s, by far, the best I’ve seen in any VN game I played. It’s so vibe-worthy. I usually listen to songs on Spotify when playing such games, but I was forced to close Spotify while playing this game since the soundtracks were amazing by themselves. I really love the main menu theme song! Good work on nailing every aspect possible!

• A very broad storyline that is not only focused on sex & love. It has a lot of drama & emotions infused in it.
• The character design is top-notch. All models & animations are very detailed & a feast to the eyes.
• The audio work is honestly amazing. I love the soundtracks they used!
• Each & every choice you make has an impact on your gameplay experience.
• It gives you more than you asked for. People come to this game for sexual pleasure but stay for the interesting storyline.
• The game is 9-12 hours long. It’s pretty lengthy when you compare it to other VNs.

• I’ve not found anything bad in this game that affects your gameplay experience.

Conclusion
This game blew my mind. It showed me what a premium VN looks like. I always thought VN games were short & were carried by their story alone. Being a DIK introduced so many elements I’ve not yet seen in a VN to date. Well, that may be because I’ve not played a lot of VNs, but still. This game is an easy 10/10. The price, right. I’d have paid more than the game’s base price. It’s worth it! Do not hesitate to spend money on this game even if it’s not on sale unless you have enough patience to wait for a sale.

Rating: 5/5
(This is a gem! would rate higher.)

It's so funny that I had avoided downloading this game for a long time just because of its name. "Being a 'dick'? Seriously dude... Couldn't you come up with a better name?" Also when I first started playing this, it looked like a regular VN with a common story and similar assets. Then the 'free roam' feature confused me. Because I wasn't used to this kind of gameplay. It was neither sandbox nor visual novel. But not long after the game with its art, unique humor, deep characterizations, fine work that done on animations and excellent story just blew my mind.

It's been years, but I finally feel like I understand the genre and this game well enough to leave a five star rating.

More than any other avn here, this game excels at consistency. It is simply the highest quality game in the genre. Characters are consistent, the art is consistent, the pacing, the plotting, everything-- everything feels thought-through, edited, and tested.

It honestly feels wrong to analyze the game further. The game is like Alain Delon in Le Samourai. Or Taylor Swift. It's always beautiful, it's always in control, and it doesn't give a shit about my weird aesthetic or philosophical proclivities. It never tips its hand, it always knows where it's going. An unstoppable force. DPC has a (weird, pervy) job to do, he's the best at his job, and he knows it.

The developer makes magic happen again in this game. The graphics are great, and the women look great with various personalities. There are a lot of women to choose from. The decisions you make matter and will change the outcome of the story. The emotions that you have in relationships in real life are in this game. There is a lot of silly fun in the fraternity you join that could make you laugh. Your fraternity gives you missions that add to gameplay.

Best game on RenPy! And that's no joke.
This is really the game that can perfectly become a guide to the world of visual novels (I don't promise that after DiK there will be a desire to play something else ).
You can see how with every update dev adds new gameplay, new visuals, it doesn't stand still, it tries to progress, and that's cool!
- The quality of the renders is awesome, especially near the end of the actual update.
- The plot is probably the best in the university genre, a lot of things are revealed and shown. And especially near the end of the third season, you can already feel the seriousness and consequences.
- The sex scenes are just the bomb, huge variation, really huge, I can't remember approximately anything similar in other games. Plus they are high quality, you can see that dev dev devotes a lot of time to this aspect.
- And of course the characters and their looks, I don't know who you have to be to not get attached to these girls. Each of them is unique, with their own jokes, problems, I'll say more, even the guys in DiK are perfectly written, they as friends are just the best, each has their own character and potential.
In general, the best game and so far there is no other game that could even come close to this level.
The only thing that is missing is to add new genres a little bit, let's say swing, sharing. Maybe we will see something like this in the future).

Overall - 9.5/10 - completed to - S3 EP10
Great VN all around one of the best VN - must play
College frats + LI + good + funny + serious writing (blends all themes really well)
Characters are really well written - In S2 more in depth character building
Note: S1 - feels kinda long (still good), S2 and hopefully S3 will be amazing
Story - 8/10
College and frats - joining the DIK frat - school drama etc.
Writing is good - each character has their own problems - funny + serious drama
Characters - 10/10
Season 1 - Introduction to characters
Season 2 - Learning more about them in depth -> choosing specific paths
In season 2 - Bonding with LI and getting to know them is done really well - most characters are interesting
Animations - 10/10
All animations are smooth - very little clipping
Hscenes - a lot of options
Note: Season 1 animations are weakest -> To season 3 - you will see a lot of upgrades
Renders - 10/10
All models look amazing
Sound - 9/10
BGM - sets the theme
Playbility - 9/10
Many characters + a lot of LI paths
A lot of good dialogue
S1+2 a little bit of lag - S3 lags decent amount in roaming time
Free roam - finding things can be hard - phone gives objectives is nice - getting lost in free roam will happen
Phone - texting + calling + tweeting - cool extra dialogue

This is the one, this is the gold standard that all other VN style games i have played are measured against and they all fall short.
I wont go very far into depth as i'm not a good reviewer, but this game has some of the best characterization and storytelling i've ever experienced. All the potential love interests are sooo incredible well written and varied. with very real depth. The drama, though exaggerated for comedic effect, feels real.

If you are here mainly for the porn; this game has great scenes with amazing chemistry and real sexual tension and release. Some chararcters don't get all the attention they deserve but man is the quality putting the rest of the industry to shame. But beware, you arent necessarily bombarded by sex scenes, especially if you go for a CHICK playthrough, but all the scenes are very good!

PLAY THIS! and remember to support the creator by buying it!

AVNs over the years and have clearly evolved thanks in part to Being A DIK, and the AVN community is better for it. The story is full of twists and turns, with fully realized characters with faults and motives.

Holy crap, I had no idea what I was missing—this game is phenomenal!

The music is spot-on, the story is gripping, and the branching paths keep things fresh and exciting. Even the minigames, which I usually can't stand, are actually fun here. But the real stars of the show are the characters. Just like in Acting Lessons, they feel incredibly real and multi-dimensional. They really made me care about them.

The game is packed with unexpected twists and hilarious moments that keep you hooked. The writing is sharp, the humor is on point, and the emotional beats hit hard. Sure, sometimes it tries to be emotional and ends up being cringe-worthy, but it’s still a very good game overall.

The most compelling part of BaDIK has to be the characters. Even the minor characters, some of whom are basically just walking tropes, have nuance that make it seem as though DrPinkCake loves them all like his children, it truly brings each character, and the story, to life.
The next best thing is either the render quality or the story. Both really drew me in and made it easy to get immersed, and almost lost in the experience. The story and its twists and turns really had a way of tugging at my heart to a level that other AVNs haven't been able to reach.
Another place that BaDIK's quality shines through is the music choices. Not only is there a good variety of background music for different moods, there are some phenomenal love songs for the romance scenes that can almost bring me to tears on their own.
The last aspect I'll comment on is the gameplay mechanics. While they don't live up to the superb quality of the Characters, Story, Renders, and Music, they are definitely still above average in my (admittedly limited) experience. The variety of minigames keep things interesting, and they give a sense of immersion as they do have some impact on the story. The biggest thing is that the minigame breaks really add to the great pacing of the story. It gives it a hint of realism in the fact that even in the middle of dramatic times there are still those mundane, repetitive tasks that you can distract and ground yourself with.

DrPinkCake and everyone else who worked on BaDIK really outdid themselves. I can't wait for more.

I have been playing this game for a long time and have done all the routes and searched for all the puzzles, pictures, etc. I can say it is the best game I have ever played and with each new chapter I can see how excellent the story will be in the future, thanks to the creator for the great game

This game is simple the best. How do I know that? There are many topics out there about very good games that they doesn't allow you to compare their games to Being a DIK.

The characters have proper depth, and whatever branch you pick, you can easily fall in love with your LI. Also the scenes are pretty good.

Great game with a lot of well written characters that are different enough for everyone to find something suitable to their preference (protect Riona at all costs, thank you).

The free roams and mini games might be too much for your tastes but I found them rather entertaining and the ideas behind them are interesting, even though they were a bit invasive in season 3.

As for the scenario, it relies a bit on the MC having MDS (Magic Dick Syndrom) and had a few overcomplicated twists at some points, but nothing dumb enugh to prevent enjoyment. Replaying it for all the paths also has value since the decisions genuinely matter and the branches are legit different.

I'm looking forward to playing the next episodes.

Edit : Also the soundtrack is pretty awesome.

I'm quite conflicted about BaDik.

The characters and the setting are great, even if you think the college thing has been overdone. A lot of the character interactions and little subtle details are extremely well done and really flesh out the overall feel of the game. That complexity and attention to detail is key to the experience.

At the same time, it goes completely overboard, which you will mostly notice when you replay the game to tryout different paths.

1. The minigames & general sandbox. I don't mind minigames, but there are way too many and they require too much 'cognitive effort' and general grindy feel.

DrP seemingly wants to remain as a solo dev despite the massive backing the game receives, but that means you need to prioritise what you're doing. Why on earth would i want to spend every single free roam feeding fish? And if i decide not to do it then i have to take a hit to my DIKs relationship. Is it just a way to keep the 'pocket money' relevant? Because what an insane waste of dev time and effort.

Similarly why would i want to do tedious chemistry experiments? As someone that spent up to 30 hours a week in the lab during uni, even i don't have the patience for that nonsense. The same with the other class tests. I can play 'brain games' on my phone if i want to. I'm here to be entertained, not to think too hard. Then you have brawler, which is just too much like hard work and i ignore as much as possible.... even though you're forced to use it at one point.

If DrP insists on having this level of detail (which isn't a bad thing) then it would be much better if it was spent on fleshing out the world more. instead of tests, make grades dynamic with your use of 'study time' during free roams. Have a 'hit the gym' option during some free roams instead of having to use brawler for character development. Do we need a full beer pong game?

Add more messaging/rooster/ other options during free roams rather than rooster engagements being so limited as they are now instead coding mini games. I'd much rather spend my time mocking tybalt or chatting shit with derek.

Also wrt the free roams, a lot of the time you can only engage with certain characters if you're on a specific path with them, meaning in some paths the free roams are actually just really bad with minimal content (e.g. BBQ on bella path). I feel like fleshing out these interactions may be a bettter priority.

The free roams also REQUIRE the official guide, because otherwise you have no idea what to do and you'd just waste hours of your life aimlessly clicking around and going back and forth between rooms. That strikes me as poor design.

2. Whilst i love the general character interactions, the story is a bit questionable at times.

The MC could have basically ended the Maya-tuition story arc in episode 1/2, rather than letting it continue for 8 episodes. It took active effort on his part to not tell Maya about Quinn's 'activities'. Even if he didn't want to be explicit he could have just forcefully stated that there was no free tuition.

Similarly the Mora/ stephen storyline, where the MC sees her in distress (he must have known she was refusing to prostitute herself), she disappears and then everyone basically just forgets about her. I can suspend disbelief, but the trope of characters overtly refusing to communicate things for plot-armour purposes is annoying. Especially for an MC that ostensibly is a good communicator. The MC knows exactly what is going on in any reasonable plotline, but somehow he can't connect the very simple dots despite the wife also calling out stephen.

The MC's naive about relationships, he's not a moron. He's also caring and supportive, so would've gone after mora to see if she was ok.

3. Relationships.

I have no issues with the throuple, but given Josy's character in all the non-throuple paths, it's a bit mad that there isn't a josy solo path where she breaks up with maya *early on*. In most playthroughs it's clear that she cares more about the MC than Maya, so why wouldn't she have broken up with maya earlier, especially given her feelings when she first arrives at B&R. I get the feeling DrP is setting us up for a later josy solo path, but it feels a bit forced

I'm not really sure what purpose the jock/nerd/rich fucks relationship points have? There doesn't seem to be an option to reconcile or get on well with any of them. I know it's sacrilegious and i don't have much use for it, but i'm imagining an amusing scene where you're dating Sage and she realises you're friends with Tybalt (for example) if you're not on the jill path.


Tl;dr: It's a great game with fun/ interesting/ diverse characters and lots of complexity. However it's let down by some questionable plot points and having additional complexity where it's frankly not needed and serves no purpose.

This game is the best game on this site, you won't find anything better. The excellent storytelling, character building, the animations, the scenes, everything is perfect. The only bad side about this game is the wait time for every episode, which has nothing to do with the gameplay and is understandable considering how good this game is which takes time.