You've seen the warnings, but I'll repeat them. If you're squeamish leave this game alone. You will need counseling if you don't. So much for the public service announcements.
This game is actually a solid 3.5 that I rounded up instead of down because the complaints about the plot & writing are so wrong it's laughable. For me they prove the point that just because you CAN read doesn't mean you know how. Not every mob story needs to be The Soprano Father. It provides the external conflict necessary to develop the characters.In fact, the writing in this game is stellar on many levels. The MC certainly isn't likeable, but his internal & external conflicts are believable & go a long way toward keeping him from becoming some shambling cartoon character. The other characters have depth & diversity as well, with quirks & motivations that set them apart from each other as they advance the storyline.
Speaking of characters, there is a metaverse that envelops the 3 games that Blackheart Games is developing & the characters in those games cross over often enough that some familiarity with the other 2 games can be helpful. Especially with the more subtle points in the dialogue & exposition.
It's the dialogue that really shines here, which is crucial in any VN. Since the setting & scenes are handled by the pictures, the dialogue has to drive the narrative, highlight character differences & maintain the atmosphere of the overall story. Between the internal conflicts of the 3 (yes 3) personalities in the MC's head to the external sense of dread, tension & mystery, it's the dialogue that turns this story into a true page turner.This is important.
Because the renders simply aren't that good. Especially in the 1st 2/3rds of the game, they're full of mistakes in composition, posing, lighting & shadows. Add the fact that some of the DAZ models just aren't that appealing & the visuals start detracting from the story instead of enhancing it. It also seems that DAZ characters can be extremely tricky when it comes to facial expressions that rely on the mouth. Sadness, anger, fear & disgust all look the same. Mostly because of a lower lip that looks like it could withstand a nuclear strike without moving. The animations are basic, but servicable. They don't hurt the visuals, but they don't enhance them either. Tbh, I was 10 hrs into the game (about 1/2 way) when I realized I hadn't fapped even once. The visuals weren't the only reason for this, but they were part of it for sure. This all changes in the final 3rd of the game. The renders & animations make a leap of light years ahead of where they were & it's a very welcome change.
Then there's the sex. To start with, the 1st 2/3rds of the game features girls that are either 1.) unconcious, or 2.) sobbing uncontrolably. See, the Protag's dick isn't a source of pleasure for him as much as it's a weapon that he stabs girls with. All sex scenes are skippable via 2 choices that range from neutral to very bad. The very bad choice is highlighted with the words "evil up." This implies that your'e building up evil points towards a special skill or something. You aren't. Otherwise, halfway thru the game you'd be summoning Beelzebub from the bowels of Hell every time you farted. Entertaining, but not very practical. There are exceptions of course, & the final 3rd of the game spices things up very nicely thanks to Paige's playful antics, but until then the sleep sex is more like coma sex & every waking victim of the Protag reacts in exactly the same way. If this is your jam you'll be very satisfied all the way thru. Otherwise a little patience is called for.
So, do I reccomend this game? I do. The quality of the writing easily makes it worth your time. But if you're looking for a fap fest, it's the 2nd half of the game that delivers. For me, anyway.