Buried Desires [v0.3.5 Xmas] [Betisis]
"Buried Desires" comes with potential to be a well-executed entry in the genre. It boasts a solid story with intricate character interactions, but it does tread familiar ground. The setting, where the protagonist is a teacher tasked with disciplining female students in a school, is a trope often seen in weg's. While this setup can be engaging, it's also one that's been explored in similar games, which might leave some players feeling that it lacks novelty. In particular, the protagonist's assertive and dominant attitude, though consistent with the narrative, can become somewhat repetitive over time. It reminded me of another game, "Shadows Over Manston," which shared a similar premise.
One standout feature of "Buried Desires" is its narrative complexity. The game offers numerous choices and branching paths, allowing for replayability as players can explore different storylines. However, the sheer volume of choices and dialogues can be overwhelming for some, potentially causing decision fatigue. While the depth of narrative options is commendable, it might benefit from better organization to make the experience more accessible.
Character development is a strong point in the game. The students are well-crafted with distinct personalities and some depth, making them engaging to interact with. None of them come across as annoying or obnoxious, which is a definite plus in a genre where character likability can significantly impact the player's experience.
On the flip side, I had mixed feelings about the therapist scenes. While they add a psychological dimension to the game, they occasionally felt out of place or overly explicit, potentially detracting from the overall experience. Striking the right balance between narrative depth and explicit content can be a challenge in weg's.
The dialogue in "Buried Desires" is generally well-crafted and concise, but the frequent fade-to-black transitions between scenes can be somewhat jarring. This is a matter of personal preference, but I found it somewhat disruptive to the flow of the story.
Character models in the game are mostly unique and well-designed, except for one character with black hair whose facial expressions I found off-putting. Consistency in character design is vital to maintain player immersion, so this inconsistency was somewhat disappointing.
One aspect that confused me during my playthrough was a timeline discrepancy. It appeared that the game's timeline had shifted or merged at a certain point, leading to a scene that should have occurred in the future. Such narrative inconsistencies can disrupt the player's immersion and understanding of the story, and they should ideally be addressed in future updates or revisions.
Lastly, I opted to skip the Holiday event, as I often find such events to be a diversion in games. However, I couldn't determine if the point system had been removed by the end of the game, as there wasn't definitive information provided.
In conclusion, "Buried Desires" certainly has its strengths, including a well-developed story and characters. However, it does share similarities with other games in the genre and may overwhelm players with its narrative complexity. The therapist scenes and scene transitions might be divisive, and there are some minor issues with character models and the game's timeline. If you're a fan of weg's, "Buried Desires" is worth a try for its unique blend of storytelling and gameplay mechanics, but be prepared for the challenges and nuances it presents.
