I liked the episode for the same reason I didn’t like the DnG bit or episode 5. DnG was exactly as people predicted, It was all fantasy so did little to progress any characters. A waste of time despite being a fun little adventure game.
That aside, there was actual development for people other than M&J. The date with Jill cemented their relationship as more than just casual dating, with it being the first proper time the MC admits feelings for a girl. The date was romantic too, I’ve always said I don’t mind the blue balling on Jill as long as he shows a real relationship forming and DPC has shown that (albeit truncated).
Side note. I’m calling yet again this whole thing going down like Romeo and Juliette. Said it for ages. Tybalt is literally a character in that who’s in love with Juliette. You get the option to blame Derek for the fire incident and I’m calling that is so it’s setup to play out like the play. For those unaware Mercutio in the play is Romeos fun loving, witty friend. Tybalt sends death threats to Romeo (lawsuit threat anyone?) but Romeo does nothing about it for Juliette’s sake having entered into a secret relationship with her (sound familiar?). Mercutio is annoyed at his passivity and instead confronts Tybalt and in do so ends up dying after Tybalt stabs him with a cheap shot. I’m calling it now that Derek won’t stand for Tybalts shit and will end up in trouble in the MC’s stead.
Anyways, back to it. This episode was the opposite of my least favourite one which was 5. It didn’t homogenise everyone. It didn’t level the playing field between LI, tread water and ultimate go nowhere whilst undoing any decisions we previously made. There’s starting to be consequences.
Sage is single and setup to actually see how much the MC cares about her outside of sex. He’s more than a fuckbuddy.
Jill knows how much the MC cares about her and he finally admits it to himself too. If you’re after everyone he also sees what he’s doing if he chooses to fuck every living female on campus. Consequences are on the horizon.
Bella is coming to terms with it being more than just lust and it’s spiralling her guilt further. She’s going the way I wanted her to (as horrible as it will be) which is exploring the emotions associated with an affair. (I’m not into NTR at all, this is the only way it would be palatable for me and that’s an absent husband and a moral wife).
Quinn got development too, opening up to the MC and setting herself up as a viable LI (or secondary LI).
M&J are... M&J, all purpose plot filler but at least it isn’t all unicorns and rainbows like I was worried. Their conjoined plot line I think is gonna be hampered by needing to mirror itself regardless of your relationship with them as shown in this episode. I’m predicting it will split soon and solo routes will be where the unique development will happen.
Overall, DnG aside, it was a good episode for setting up branches. It was a weird episode but I’m more hopeful for the future than I was at the end of Ep5. This episode needed to happen and is marred by the one before, it had to undo a lot of damage done in that one. But overall, yeah... I liked it. Good indication for things to come.