VN - Ren'Py - Chasing Sunsets [v0.9a] [Stone Fox Studios]

Current game version: 0.7

One of the best looking game I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot! The girls are looking amazing and so do the animations.

The story is interesting although a bit extreme at times. Like 3+ BILLION is a lot of money, and taking the virginity of Erica while her mother is on the same bed is also a bit extreme...

An other thing that this game is missing is story forking the choices doesn't seem to matter much and the replay-ability is limited.

Even though I see a few flows here and there the good FAR outweigh the bad and I have to give it a 5/5.

[Version Reviewed: 0.7]

Enjoyed playing the game. Game has good writing (especially on the erotic aspects). Both shows and tells the sexual tension between the characters in the story. The art rendering is pretty good, but I prefer most of the side girls to the main girls. The animations and music are acceptable.

I do not enjoy the story structure. I feel the background between the characters could have been explained in a prologue before we get into the main part of the story. Like some other reviewers have mentioned, it leads the player to make decisions without knowing the full context of the story (for example: MC blocking his phone number on Jaye's phone, but we know about it only later in the game). I did not enjoy the forced erotic scene between Tara and MC. Thankfully, the devs allowed us to choose the perspective of our choice.

Jaye is a pretty boring LI whose character trait is her obsession with MC. I preferred Mallory. However, the real crime is not having Tara as an LI!

Overall, it's pretty entertaining gameplay with some story structure issues that I did not appreciate. I feel a 4/5 is a fair rating.

Truly one of the most polished VN's I've ever found. Everything is done perfectly, I don't have a single bad thing to say about it. If you haven't tried it you have to pick it up, I guarantee you won't regret it.

Absolutely fantastic.
Great writing, dialogues are top notch with great panctuation and the plot is very interesting. I like most of the characters and I love the fact that each individual has a unique background story.
Renders are as good as they can be, in my opinion. Each character has unique features and the backgrounds are truly well done.
It's probably in my top 5 all time favourite games.

I really wanted to like this game.

The TLDR is:
Production quality is good, with good models, good animations, very good english (no weird phrases or typos), good music and sound effects.
However the MC has some major choices taken away from him and a lot of his agency is removed.
The story is a bit different from most VNs but it is not the marvel that some other reviews make it out to be.

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Longer review now, with some spoilers, stop reading now if you prefer not to be spoiled:

Chasing Sunsets presents itself as serious game, with some porn. It tries to distinguish itself from a simple porn game, and, therefore, I expect more from it.

One of the things that the game tries to market itself as, is a game about choices, and yet, the MC has nearly no agency in his life,. You, the player, are not even allowed to make certain choices, they are made for you.

For example, you can't chose not to fuck Fiona, why not? supposedly because she reminds you of your sister.... ok. This will also be used later as a plot point, however, it would have been more interesting if you had the choice to do it or not, and that then affected the scene where your sister reads your journal.

You are also not given a choice on fucking Linda, which, I may add, I would never have done if given the choice. This doesn't even seem to be a plot point yet, after 6 episodes, and doesn't even have a scene in the game. If it had a scene, I could even imagine this being a "hey, lets throw some sex scene here so the player can see some action". But no, it just happens in a past we are not shown. If this was a normal porn VN, I wouldn't mind, as I accept (and have played and enjoyed) that the MC is nothing more than a dick with legs that is out to fuck everything that moves, but, in a game that tries to be about choices, why am I being robbed of one?

The worst though.... is Tara. I felt revolted by this scene. Again, I am given no choice, they fuck because.... well, they fuck. The excuse that the game tries to give made me roll my eyes, I didn't even use they button to "see Jaye" during this scene as it just made me feel disgusted. I gave Tara at least the small dignity of fucking her, not the idea of Jaye. The character of Tara is totally destroyed in this scene and any connection between myself and the MC is severed here. Again, if this was just a game, like some many others, where I am encouraged to let loose on any woman around, without pretense of a more elevated purpose, this would be no problem, I have played those games and actively tried to get it on with any female character, however, many of those games still give me the choice.

These are three major choices, but there are a lot of small ones, for example, the whole "Han shot first" discussion at the beginning, a smart way to do this would have been to let the player position themselves on one side of the discussion and then position Jaye on the other, but no.... the game places the MC, and therefore you, on the stupid side of the conversation .

Regarding the MC and the other characters.... I didn't find them likeable in general, lets see some of the main ones:

The MC: as I said, the game actively made distance myself from him by forcing choices that I would never have made in a very heavy handed way. But that is not all, I am then told that I roam the world for 5 years while my parents pay my phone bills? what growth as a man has the MC during those 5 years.... none, except becoming a typical american fuckboy. Other characters even call him a fuckboy, and he is one, so I can't blame them. When taunted slightly about his game, once in the yacht, he tries to prove himself by going after the first woman that comes by, and makes an ass of himself. We are given three choices, but the three lead to him being ridiculed. Again, no choice to just not be a fuckboy.... this feels disempowering, emasculating and demeaning, and we have no say in it. This is a character with no agency. And the worst of it is.... his love for Jaye. We are just told he loves her, but why? we have no say in it, we have no control over it, it just is.

Jaye: she is supposed to be the MCs main love interest, and yet, I hate her personality. Her looks... I can see why some reviewers say she is awesome, and I guess it is all a matter of personal taste, however, to me, she personally looks like a fake barbie, her red hair looks fake and her tan.... meh, just doesn't do it for me. But I could look over that if her personality was well fleshed out. It is not. She has swing moods and acts like a loon and, at the same time, like if she was somehow above the MC. I feel all the time like she is acting in an arrogant way against me and yet, somehow, my character loves her. Why? and why does she love him? they way she treats Tara, fucking her in some weird substitute for her brother is also appalling. Her jealousy and capriciousness... I just see nothing here for me to be attracted to.

Mallory: now we are talking. I really liked how the trauma of her father being abusive towards her was presented in the game, his voice inside her was great and made me feel for her. I also liked how she and the MC interacted and I felt protective and attracted to her. The reveal that she is somehow a genetic copy of the mother was a huge disappointment, not because of how the character was being handled, but it made me go "really?" at the writing in this game. It felt stupid and unnecessary. Her personality is great and glossing over the genetic thing I enjoyed the scenes with her and her relationship with the MC,. If only he wasn't such a fuckboy....

The other characters all seem well written in general and believable, no complains here.

Story:
I read a lot of reviews praising the story and, yet, I find myself a bit underwhelmed by it. I liked the part with the company, and the lawsuit and such, however the game has a lot of stereotypical elements in it, from the murdered parents, to the silent and manly special forces mentor to the MC (totally unneeded ending for him, by the way, with a ridiculous scene with the other commandoes appearing...) , but to me the main failing of the story is again the lack of proper choices on the critical elements, and just railroaded into a position in which you either go for your sister or have to behave like a fucking asshole. I would have liked, for example, to be given a choice, at the first meeting in the lawyer's office, to say "no, I don't want my inheritance, I am my own independent man, my spoiled brat of a sister can take the company, I am out of here, enjoy your life". And even if that meant a 30 second montage of how the MCs life went from then on and then game over. Why can't my character make the choice of just walking away?

But the worse is that the game uses a trick that I hate in its storytelling, and that is forcing you to make decisions based on information you should have but you don't. For example, after that first meeting, and Jaye having you blocked on her phone, you are asked to make a decision on whether to respond to her SMS or not. I chose not to, angry that she was a spoiled princes and behaved like an asshole to me, the MC. Then, a while later, it is revealed that it was me who had blocked my own phone on her... what?! are you fucking kidding me?! my character should have had that information and, thus, I should have had it before being made to make a decision like that one.... for a game saying that they do not want to present you with "gotcha" decisions... this was a very low blow.

Look, devs, if you are going to present the player with a decision that basically kills their relationship with another character, you have to be fair and give me at least the information that my character has. I should know, at that point, that my character was the one blocking his number on his sister phone, I should also know that my character fucked Tara. These two clearly change things. It feels really shitty having to replay the game, to go back to that decision, to take a different one, every time you present new information that I should have had in the first place! that is not good storytelling, it is scummy. It is cheap.

You invested a lot of time on that introduction at the bar which, I must say, I liked as a way of introducing me to the story and the characters, why not make these major decisions a part of that intro? let me chose if I block myself on her phone, let me chose if I fuck Tara, let me fuck Linda or not, let me chose whether to fuck Fiona or not.... and then, once in the game proper, make me pay for the consequences of my actions, make other characters react poorly or not to my decisions. You do this when in the cabin during the storm, and I can decide there whether I want to fuck anyone or not, why not give me that for the other decisions? with a very small tweak your revelations later, the journal reading and all, would still work.

All in all, I do not think this is the masterpiece its score shows it to be. If it was a game with less pretensions of being deep, I could even see it as a 2/3 , but when the game itself tries to tell you how much it is about choices and emotional intelligence.... no, this is not that.

It didn’t look all that great at first from the previews but I saw it got a feminist’s seal of disapproval so I thought I should give it a try since you know everything they hate is usually good and everything they love is usually terrible.

Wasn’t disappointed. Intelligent writing that feels like real people speaking. Every word has meaning and isn’t just filler. Makes me emotionally invested in the characters. The story is weirdly both taboo and endearing at the same time.

I can see how the MC could be seen as some kind of "wish fulfillment fantasy" but I mean he gets humbled by almost every character he meets so it kind of balances out.

Only thing I don't like about it is that you all made Tara too damn hot. Seriously. That character needs some kind of spin-off or just reuse the same character model in the next game, I don't care (but still keep her personality, it reminded me of that old movie "Cruel Intentions" but not as mean. So good-natured but still kind of twisted)

the plot is good, there was no sense of "this could have been removed and nothing would have changed". A little intrigue holds up. The dialogue is interesting to read. The game gives emotion, not just shagging.
The characters are not dumb, with their emotions and characters. The characters behave in their own way, but not once was there a reaction of "what the fuck are you doing" - all their actions lend themselves to logic.
Maximum enjoyment came from the expressions of the characters' faces, they are really lifelike. The game deserves to be read, maybe more than once. I'm so in awe of the way the MC was made. Not a skinny kid with a 30cm bolt. That alone is something to thank the author for. Definitely 10/10

the characters are all very hot, but there's so uch talking and so few choices to be made, not very much sex or kinky situations at all. Lots of work has been put in but it's more of just a romance novel at this point. I wish there was more sex.

Great production quality and decent erotica almost salvage an unbearable story.

The pacing is rough. Chasing Sunsets starts off with a classic exposition dump framing--you're telling your story to your old buddy, the barkeep. And oh boy you'll be sitting at that bar a while. You’ll watch the MC grow up in real time with his step-sister just to get back to the present day. You have to click ten times to see that he left home without telling anyone (but felt real sad about it), despite the scene being no more important than the summary. Even once you’re caught up to present day, you’ll still be stuttered by constant flashbacks, or every time the author decides to give you 5 lines of inner monologue for a feeling that really should be shown through context, (if at all).

Another weakness in the story is the main character, who I wish could be used in English literature classes as a lesson in wish fulfillment. You play a good looking guy who was: a star in sports, got accepted to Stanford, has a trust fund that lets him travel the world, inherits a company worth billions, is respected and welcomed by everyone he meets, constantly has women of all ages and hair colours throwing themselves at him, and has ties with super secret badass ex military dudes... and that’s just the first two chapters. The author made him so "cool" and gave him everything, so now there's nowhere for the character to grow--effectively making him incredibly boring.

Worse than being boring, this Larry Stu of an MC also has this weird kind of closeted misogynist world view and the author just keeps putting him in situations where he can soapbox and show off what a good protective guy he is, even though it’s painfully obvious he’s a trust fund fuckboy who hasn’t been tested by a real conflict throughout the entire story. For examples of some of the “conflicts” in this story, you’ll watch the MC: 1) literally punch down on someone—twice and 2) face the existential threat of the billion dollar company he'd inherited not making as many billions.

It's legitimately impressive to me how unlikable this MC is.--At one point I realized I actually wanted to read more because I'd never seen someone try to write such an unlikable, boring douche bag as a hero. Still, I'm baffled by the hype behind this game.

Presents some of the best stories and visuals I've seen in any adult visual novel (AVN). Definitely one of the top AVNs I've played.

It has a extremely interesting story and the writing is quite humorous sometimes.

Some of the characters are very interesting and Jaye, from now, it will be my favourite character of any AVN!!

OMG the redhead is that hotty from the pier in LoF! And she´s really, really nice. Mallory and Jaye are two of the best love interests in any AVN.
They (and the MC, also one of the best) are really great characters with interesting backstories and great chemistry. I am currently on chapter 5 and i´m like "f*ck it, i like them both". Someone will surely have their heart broken and it will break my heart too. This game has incest. The real one, the one you fall in love with the sister you grow up with and it´s been, until now, expertly tackled.
Story, characters and their interactions are excelent, god tier. There are some moments, intimate, that are briliant.
I´ll speak for myself but i bet that are others like me: i didnt play this sooner because this game has a stupid name (really girly) and the intro pic in f95 is not good, Jaye looks average, wich is criminal. She´s one of the hottest characters you´ll find in any AVN.

I usually play female protagonist games but saw the rating for this and liked the renders, then decided to give it a go.

I am glad I did, it's a really enjoyable visual novel that's packed with drama and humor alike. The characters are very likeable and have some funny comments to each other. I loved Jaye! she looks stunning in this and has a really acerbic tongue on her but also can be incredibly sweet if the MC reaches out to her. She's a bad bitch if she gets annoyed though...

The story was interesting and kept my interest. I really wanted the 2 siblings (not biological ones) to get closer and strengthen their bond.

Mallory is fun and sassy too, she adds a nice choice for players who are not into redheads, but how can you not be into Jaye...? the girl is hot!

The slowly revealing pasts of the main characters was quite intriguing and at times, tragic. I was actually surprised to feel sad sometimes during the back stories, damn dem feels

Overall a great visual novel with lively and realistic characters and a healthy dose of drama and comedy. I look forward to more in future updates.

Loves the stories .. very touchy and all
Jaye can be ......*sighs* ( You need a man not a boy... )
Mel...is Sweet and Fun...the way she make him smile and laughs.. Wish Jaye can .. siiiighsMay we see Jaye's Pov While Mc gone Away...Id Love to read more of Jayes.. Noone else ...

One of the best adult games I've played. The writing and pacing is excellent. I don't think I've played a game that shows longing as well as this game. I'm not really a fan of incest but this story had me rooting for the MC's step-sister. There's not as many sex scenes as you might expect by chapter 5 but I didn't really care because they story captures your attention so well. Every sex scene they do have though is amazing, so well written. The renders are beautiful as well. As unbelievable as certain plot points may seem, in the context of this world I think the writers did a good job of making it seem natural. This game feels more like a story than a porno and that is really refreshing, depending on your mood.

The only cons of this game is that if you can't deal with cheating or incest at all then steer clear. The kinks are heavy handed.

Really amazing game. Highly recommend.

A vn with a great storyline, very good character models and good facial expressions. The storyline is believable unlike most vn on this site and very memorable imo. The only downside that I can think of as of the day of this rating is that its not yet completed.

I wanted to give this game one star, but out of respect for the sheer amount of effort that was put into this game I simply can't. Also, I realize that many reasons why I don't like this game could be considered personal preferences rather than objective observations. That being said, I'm going to make an argument that personal preferences are a perfectly prudent for porn. People often read reviews to find out if a game has content they find to be objectionable or a turn-off. Porn is personal to everyone. What is incredibly erotic to some, is traumatizing to others. Just to be clear I won't actually be criticizing any of the adult content (tags) in this game, but rather other decisions by the author which affected my experience in a negative way.

Firstly, many of the reviews here gush over the models and storytelling in this game. The models are nice, but so are the models for tons of other games on this site. I didn't find them to be uniquely special in any way. Similarly the writing is merely competent. This particular criticism may be the result of the overly generous reviews I read before playing. Reader beware, lowered expectations will serve you better here.

The MC's face is on constant display in this game. If this doesn't bother you then great, but for many people this will cause a complete immersion break. I know this sounds like a personal preference, but it is undeniable that many people can't immerse themselves in games when constantly faced with a MC that looks nothing like them. This is a fact that every author needs to realize will affect people during the creative process.

One of the very first choices in the game has the same immediate outcome no matter which choice you make. I'm certain that the author has stats and story lines changing in the background, but they make a big deal about choices mattering and not being "gotcha" decisions, so I was expecting a different outcome for a different choice. Also I get frustrated with games where there are obvious better decisions which don't exist that anyone with half a brain could make, but our MC cannot for some reason. Between this and my previous point, this game infidelity feels more like an on-rails experience with some track switches rather than anything immersive.

Lastly, I don't like the inclusion or mockery of religious iconography when it has nothing to do with the story. For those struggling to understand why this is a problem for some readers, imagine your dead grandmother pops up suddenly and without warning in this game. A grandmother you have both fond and deeply troubling memories of. Who wants to be reminded of their dead grandmother in a porn game? It smacks of edginess and contempt for readers.

I would probably have more things to say here, but I couldn't make it very far into the game. Just too many turn-offs. Hopefully my review will serve as a warning to those who look for the things I mentioned, as well to those wondering if this very highly rated game is really deserving of all those stars.

These are the most gorgeous models of any game on f95zone, by a good margin -- Jaye is otherworldly, but even the minor characters are unique and breathtaking. Fun story with high quality writing. Choices have real, predictable(ish), and lasting ramifications. Enjoyable achievement system in game. Chasing sunsets is truly a cut above. Kudos, Stone Fox

Amazing Game.

Hot Models. A great Story that is surprisingly deep. Already a good amount of content and still the possibility for a lot more to come.

If there is one negative it's the suspension of disbelief required to accept that every female person the MC meets is smoking hot (and many are outright throwing themselves at him).
BUT
the dev did a great job forming these women into actual people with great stories and great personalities to the point where you wish you could meet them in real life even if you coulnd't sleep with them.

Also i can't overstate how impressed i am that the dev pulled of making the MC almost unrealistically perfect and still giving him a personality that makes you want him as your bad boy for life.

I am hooked.

Till Version 0.6 (Chapter 5)
The facial expressions alone make it worthy for all stars possible.

One of the rarest AVN, you enjoy every moment of it. The story is intriguing and while in later chapters it might get bit difficult to follow everything, Mal and Amanda presence will make it so easy to follow.

The characters are well drawn and so is the visuals. The dialogues are top notch and so does the pop-culture references and smart innuendos. It's a choice driven game so be careful.

In some erotic scenes, the animations feels a bit off especially in one of Mal and Lisa.

Some of the best writing and visuals I've seen in any adult visual novel (AVN). Definitely one of the top AVNs I've played thus far (v0.6).

It has a genuinely interesting story and the writing is witty/clever and quite humorous at times. Some of the characters are interesting and well written...Jaye, in particular, may be my favourite (and sexiest) character of any AVN and I typically prefer brunettes and blondes.