VN - Ren'Py - Completed - Chasing Sunsets [v1.0] [Stone Fox Studios]

One of the most promising games out there, if the story could be rated as a 10 on any of them, this would definitely be a 9+ until now and there is a lot more to come I believe and I hope. so.
Graphics and animation one of the best out there with only few games slightly surpassing it and updates from the developers as until now were nothing but just a joy, this is what we all was hoping for from each developer but few could keep it up as until now.
So if you are interested into a nice well said story, this is defiantly a game that you must play.
I hope that it will also get released on Steam eventually so that the developers can earn additional money, as it would definitely beat couple of games out there.

Insane quality renders, some of the best writing in the adult VN business, bar none. Seriously the writing is like NYT best selling author list.
Characters are layered and have depth and evolve.
Plot has humor, an seriousness, and weaves between both almost effortlessly.
Erotic scenes are fantastically well done, the writing is not the usual garbage shot out in the porn VN genre(ie bad penthouse letters written by horny 14yr olds with no talent) so Im not surprised there is a lot of whining about that around here. Its erotic and not vulgar, sometimes sensual even not just 'ugh grunt me hump you good'
My only regret is that I cant afford to back these 2 more than I do

In my honest opinion, this is a really great story. This version [v0.5] , is one of my favorite stories so far. This game has so many unexpected twists and is really intriguing. Keep up the great work!!!

2 points for the great models, but the story is really dull, and off-putting, not to mention the MC looks like he uses girl cosmatics every morning in the bathroom to give him that gloss like look. He looks like Patrick Bateman if Bateman spent his entire day in the bathroom mirror putting girl cosmatics.

The sex scenes are not really erotic, and the dev does not know how to write erotic of tilting banter that does not seem contrived or come at the expense of the MC. Which is a problem with a lot of porn games in F95. The women rendered are all 10/10 gorgeous, and of course, the dev had to pile on them psychological difficulties and mental issues that the MC has to fix first in order to fuck them. The concept of creating a woman who is independent and simply likes the MC without having a train wreck of emotional baggage behind her is alien to most devs here.

Version Review: 0.4a (Patreon Supporter Version w/ patch)

First off, I want to congratulate the developer duo for a VN with actual substance (more on that late). Of the few notable VN's I've tried they all seem to follow a similar script, but the developers behind Chasing Sunsets have the extra mile in fleshing out their own script. With the preamble out of the way I'll get into specific aspects (some good, some bad).

The Story
I'm not sure which of the two developers graduated from school with a Literature degree, but the writing that went into this game is beyond spectacular. The story avoids the use of supernatural elements and completely avoids incest (unless you count stepsiblings participating in sex incest).

The story takes the time to properly setup the background although there is a bit of overreliance on flashbacks early on in the story. However, this appears to be necessary as the plot of the story would completely fall apart without the prior buildup to explain certain events that happen within the story. Despite the info dumps, the pacing of the story doesn't feel rushed nor does it feel like it's dragging on, you're told exactly what you need to know without a single word more.

Characters (Spoilers ahead)
The cast of characters with memorable background, believable motives, and realistic personalities are a testament to a writer that has put theirself in the mind of the character. However, it's apparent that some characters have received special treatment opposed to others as it becomes clear who the stars of the story are.

Let's start of with MC's Mom: the background and personality behind this character feels so natural that it's difficult to tell if she was based on a real life story or the product of incredible character building. She's written in a believable way and interacts with the world in a realistic manner, albeit some of her character development does get rushed early on in order to progress the story. While it's unclear if more of her story will be shared in later chapters the end of her character arc is rather abrupt and leaves significant holes within the story.

My initial impression of James was that he would end up being a stereotypical playboy or an unrealistic super dad. However I was pleasantly surprised that not only does he have his own personality, he's a character with believable actions. It's clear what the writer intended as his role within the story as he receives slightly more treatment than Sarah, but not to the extent that he overshadows her in what is intended as a joint role. This character is by far one of my all time favorites.

MC is a bit of a toss up when it comes to character development. While it's apparent the developers wanted the player to ultimately choose his story this isn't really the case. There are decisions you can make as the MC, but every decision results in an outcome that leads to the same part of the story. Your choices ultimately boil down to who you're going to swoon at any given time as well as who you choose for your partner at the conclusion of the story. However I believe the devs made the right choice when deciding MC's character due to him feeling like a believable character actually living in this world. If the devs continue on with their vision I believe he'll end up as an incredible protagonist that doesn't fall into similar romance novel tropes.

Jaye is another character that feels as though the developers gave her significantly more attention than the rest of the cast. Aside from MC it's painfully clear that she's intended to be the main plot that the story revolves around, as is evident by the revelations made in the available chapters. Her personality, motives, and actions all feel as though she was ripped straight from a real world story of non-biological twins forming strong family and personal bonds. Aside from James she ranks as one of my favorite characters in the story.

Moving on to the final character we have Mallory. While it's still early in the story I am disappointed at how shallow her character feels. Leading up to her introduction to MC she felt like an already fleshed out character with a strong personality determined to make it on her own. And yet in less than a day spent with MC she immediately throws out any semblance of a real character and is practically swooning over you. Her romance arc feels both rushed and forced with little option in the way of providing non-romantic support to her. I sincerely hope she get's better treatment in future chapters, because the character that was built up in the intro is truly stellar.

Art and Sound
It's incredible what can be accomplished in the way of breathtaking story visuals that expertly relays information to the player. The music that accompanies most scenes feels atmospheric while also setting the emotional tone for the current story being expressed. When you hear the gentle sound of the piano playing in the background as MC shares extremely personal tales of his adventures is enough to evoke tears, or the soothing strum of the guitar makes you feel blissful as you spend time with Jaye or Mallory.

On a side note, I've seen some mention that the devs have used copyrighted music currently. It seems like this will be changed in future releases so I have high hopes that the audio will continue to improve.

As for the scenes that play out, it was a bit jarring to see the devlopers avoid utilizing rendered videos. Instead we're treated to what I believe is a more satisfying visualization of events leveraging the fact that this game is a VN. We get detailed descriptions of the unfolding events shown in each scene with some scenes flowing in quicker succession. Overall I believe this approach is ultimately why the game is as detailed as it is since the developers avoid spending time on video renderings, leaving the audience more satisfied at the outcome.

Conclusion
This game is a true diamond amongst the mountain of VN games in existence today. If the developers manage to iron out the few kinks that do exist and continue to improve the quality of their story then I have no doubt this game will be a breakout success outside the niche of adult VN games.

To the devs directly: you're the first ever Patreon I've made a pledge to, don't make myself and the 680 or so other Patrons regret making that decision You guys have some serious talent and I look forward to the release of chapter 4!


*Post Chapter 4 edit*

With the release of chapter 4 there are a few changes to the characters that feel more in line with the vision StoneFoxStudio had to begin with. This update won't be split into sections as it's just a brief update for anyone unsure of what kind of VN they're getting.

The character development for both Jaye and MC have continued to improve as the developers have now started implementing the game over aspect of some of the arcs. My initial skepticism of MC has somewhat been laid to rest as you now suffer consequences for specific actions you take. Without spoiling the story it appears that the devs have approached the "game over" aspect of their story in a bit of a dynamic approach, which honestly comes as a shock since the amount of time and effort that goes into writing a branching path story is significant and difficult to do. However, Chapter 4 has proven that the devs have a fairly strong grasp on how to properly implement a dynamic style of game over while allowing themselves the ability to complete the story true to their vision.

On a bit of a more disappointing note, due to how the devs developed Mallory's character she unfortunately has forgotten her entire fleshed out past. The unfortunate reality is that for the story to make sense she's forced into this new character as a product of the initial marketing as choosing between either Jaye or Mallory. There still is time for the devs to correct her character arc in the next few chapters, but only time will tell what happens to her.

As for the story in general, releasing the game in chapters has the unique effect of allowing the devs to write a story that rivals their romantic novel counterparts. I've seen expressed frustration at the lack of sex scenes with the two main characters, but this style of story development is true for a fully fleshed out novel. The pace for how relationships are developing feels natural and obvious with very few exceptions (Mallory serving as that example). For anyone frustrated at the pace in which the story is unfolding, I'd recommend leaving this page bookmarked and returning in a few months after significant development has been made. While not an ideal solution, this VN is roughly 30% - 50% completed and will take time for it to be finished.

On a final note, I'm genuinely impressed and relieved that StoneFoxStudios has stayed true to their word of using their support on Patreon in order to improve and expand on their content added. It's reassuring to all of us when we're able to obviously see the improvements made to the delivery of scenes as well as cosmetics and general improvements to story quality.

To StoneFox directly: keep on this course you guys are on! The past few weeks on Patreon alone have shown proof that you guys are resonating with your supporters.

Horrible game. All of the girls are lovable and all of the conversations are wholesome, making it impossible to choose only one. 1/5

Poor attempt of joking aside, tried restricting myself to one LI in first playthrough and immediately realized the only way to do that is by being complete asshole in the game. It just didn't feel right.

Not a 5 star game, but definitely deserving more than 4, might as well round it up.

Now this is a prime example of class writing cuz the writing is crisp & enjoyable , which alone was more than enough to compensate the lack of animations in the beginning sex scenes as the dialogues were really errotic. The Story is really interesting & is portrayed in an exciting manner. The major characters r well written with interesting backstories though limiting urself to 2 LI was a tad harsh as there were other intriguing characters who could've received a lil more attention(in my opinion).
The only fault i.e holding it back against it's better predecessors is the lack of sex animations cuz that alone could've taken it to a whole new level.
Anyways congrats Dev to creating this beauty & hope CS reaches zenith with each update
PS- I really liked how u added characters from other AVN's too especially how Anne from TAC commenting about her husband's fetish

This one's a fcukin bomb, one of the best romance novel out here any day of the week. Bloody gorgeous girl that Jhaye is,. Completely immersed with the way story progressed and the friend of mc who died was emotional moment for me. You gotta feel sad that Mallory is in the same universe. Just give the option of damn throuple with Jhaye and Mallory. Animations and renders are sleek. Can't wait for the next update.

TL/DR: This is a game everyone needs to play, if you're into deep story that pulls you in wanting for more for and for characters that feel alive due to their dynamic personalities that really immerses you into the world.

Chasing Sunsets is one of the gems on this website its amazing the writing and artwork with its attention to detail is on another level; The renders are gorgeous and the superb writing to go alongside it really does combine to make an awesome combo for a very enjoyable playing experience.

The characters are fantastic, all have unique personalities and personality traits that all help them stand out as individuals in the game no character is alike, and the character designs are gorgeous and you will not find these characters in any other game with their likeness unique and extremely gorgeous.

This is not the typical game you will find on this site, this game has complexity and an amazing layered story that will pull all types of player emotions out of you.

This game is amazing and it deserves all of the love its getting, the Stone fox team deserves alot of praise and love for this masterpiece keep it up, gents.

10/10

Gosh, this game is tough story-wise. The MC does a typical stupid 8 year old thing that lasts for literally two days and this causes the deuteragonist to be hateful, harsh and aggressive towards him for almost 20 years. That would be fine, sure, if she didn't secretly love him the whole time? What the hell. The MC isn't a saint, certainly, but playing through this game I don't want to do the options that give the best results with the girl. I've never had that reaction before playing any game in this format. This is not a criticism - the writing is incredible, and it has made me really detest the deuteragonist.

The story is extremely well-written but the central conceit is so frustrating in the context of an h-game. I'm writing this in the middle of playing chapter 1 and I'm very much hoping that there's a satisfying way to tell Jaye to fuck off at the end of this story road. I'm so engaged with this game that I seriously don't even care if there's any lewd content on the (clearly superior to MC/Jaye) "don't reconcile" path.

I don't know what the dev's perspective and goals were when writing this, but it's very emotionally engaging and I applaud their ability to write an interesting story. Renders are very well-done. The different characters aren't obvious minor adaptations on stock characters. As of the midpoint of chapter 1 (of 3 chapters currently with an epic-length prologue) I have not seen a true animation, though there are several short loops of a set of 3-5 rendered images. The production quality, writing, and engagement are all top tier. I am very excited to see more from this developer and became a supporter despite the way I feel about the focal character of this story.

Ohhh... Step sister, step brother ohhh this is some cliche incest game. If you are thinking like that you are completely wrong. This ain't some cliche incest shit. Game got good story plot. Excellent writing. Good renders,And yeah romancable models. Story is unveiling more through the updates. If you like playing story based adult visual novel games. Don't expect big fuck feast this one is a slowburn. So if you love it go for it.

Great renders and polished models are big pro point of the game. There is some sciene and medical shit going on the game. Some times it's hard to believe this one is a porn game. It gives some cinematic vibes. If you are here only for porn part you may feel disappointed. Well if you are here for story you can enjoy this game

This is a great game, no doubt about it. Graphics are amazing, characters are well fleshed out, dialogues feel natural. The plot though, seems pretty lame at times and most of the drama feels artificial and forced.

Some examples


That said I love the game, I just wished there was a little more thought put into the screenplay, 'cause right now is a dev capable of making amazing visuals, who writes well, makes interesting characters but all these great skills are put into a poor script.

After the credits, I had to jump on and review this one.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it. The story is interesting and layered, and really seems to building toward something you can just being to see the shape of.

The girls are lovely and expressive. These aren't cookie-cutter fuck dolls, but are imbued with their own agendas and motivations. The sex scenes aren't super plentiful, but they make sense where they happen in the story.

I won't lie, the game starts off on a bit of a heavy note, but gets much more lighthearted as it progresses. The banter feels natural and engaging to me, and I find myself taking an unusual amount of time for this sort of game to digest each line.

If I had to sum it up in one word, I'd say cinematic. There is quality and setup here that feels truly out of place in the genre....in a very good way for me.

I'm eagerly awaiting the next update, and will be sponsoring this dev going forward. Easily in my top 5 favorites right now!

A 'story-driven porn game'. Starts with a pointless backstory flashback, establishing characters who are dead so won't feature in the story itself.

The PC is your standard porno all-rounder alpha but has 'character flaws' that are some combination of inconsequential, indirectly self-congratulatory, and a product of contrived behaviour or circumstances.

Example: 12/13 y o discovers sis is getting bullied by peers for being too close to him, and his first solution is to just start alienating her with no explanation/prelude in order to get her to be sociable? WAT. Not only is it not a believable thing for a teen kid to think up as a remedy for that situation, it's just a terrible idea in and of itself. His parents however think it's a precociously brilliant idea and urge him on. WAAAAT?!! To top it all off that incident is immediately played off as not a big deal, when in real life terms it's a stupidly callous and cruel thing to do.

Just goes on like this for however long it takes to finish the content without skipping. The sis despises the PC, while also madly in love with him which makes her hate him even more. She's so thirsty for him, mere physical contact during a fight makes her cum, and surprisingly that doesn't make her mad (because it'd be femdommy...?) Through all this, neither of them tries to reconcile or just talk. The story's explanation for this is 'love and hate are intertwined'. Thanks Schopenhauer! However, actual humans don't process emotions like variables in code. Circumstances change, negative feelings burn out, close friends/family/lovers mutually reach out after a while... there are any number of reasons for them not to be mad but the plot demands otherwise. Or I should say, the fetish of hot psycho sis demands otherwise.

Meanwhile the parents are bafflingly absent in all of this. Btw the stepsis seems to be cool with the parents even though they were basically responsible for the thing that made her mad.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Not to mention, MAYBE CALL FROM ANOTHER FUCKING NUMBER YOU INSUFFERABLE BRATS?

I've ranted enough. Basically it's all a setup for a 'destiny wants us to be together despite everything' type romance. Just the execution misfires at every step. They reconcile in the end with the right choices, and then a generic corporate espionage plot happens which I didn't care for.

Renders are 3-4/5, only saw 1 animation of close-up dick/cunt action. H-scenes didn't do much for me.

v0.4a

The pace was slow, I didn't really like any of the characters, and I found the plot dull. It might just be me, other folks seem to enjoy it. but I felt like it needed something to grab my attention and it didn't have that.

This game is hard to sum up in a few words. It looks great, no doubt about that! But the thing that really made this game stand out to me was the writing. The story is great and the dialogue feels natural. It made me feel all these emotions and stuff, even though I just came here for pretty renders. I've rarely been this happy to not get what I expected. I'm so fucking invested now, the wait for further chapters will be agony! I can't recommend trying this game enough. Don't expect lots of quick and easy lewd scenes though. They exist and they're good, but this game tells an actual story, and the scenes come when they make sense. Even if that would usually be a reason for you not to try a game though, I urge you to reconsider for this one. Trust me, it's worth it!

not that this game needs my review, i felt compelled to give it anyway. the renders are exquisite and the story is unique and quite good. language is on point as well. there are even very nice touches, such as the diary reenactment scene where you can switch between the actual girl and the one imagined. I loved this, especially since i am not a fan of a first sexual experience with someone being in a dream or the like. anyway, 5 stars for me, great work. i wish i could afford to support this game.

One of the few VNs I still play these days. Chasing Sunsets has some of the best writing and art out there for an adult visual novel. The balance between fantasy and seriousness is really well done and the character development between LIs are satisfying. One of the few VNs pushing the envelope and I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

This is one of my perennial favorites. It's not a porn game per se, it's more of a story with porn elements. That's not a bad thing for my tastes by any means.

The story and character build-up takes center stage here and everything is so intricately interwoven, I'm honestly not sure what's a hint for future content and what's a red herring.

The girls are somewhat limited compared to many competing games, but again, it's not a bad thing. The girls that are here are hot, interesting, and very fleshed out. I legitimately look forward to the relationship with each of them escalating.

The art is really a cut above what can generally be expected on this site. While animations are lacking, nearly every line of dialogue has its own render and facial expression. I don't see that very often, and it makes the style of this VN more cinematic than I'm accustomed to.

The writing feels organic and consistent for each of the characters, and there's a fair amount of drama, angst, and humor thrown in to really balance the game out.

The sexual content is kind of hard to categorize. The scenes aren't as frequent or as graphic as they can be in some games, but they're definitely layered and thoughtful.

Spending some time on the devs' Discord has been illuminating. I rarely see devs as engaged with their fans as these guys are. I hope that doesn't change as they increase in popularity.

My only fear is as the story becomes more intricate that it may be difficult to scale or tie up all of the loose ends, but I haven't seen any signs so far that they've lost control of the narrative.

Definitely one of my favorite games. This is a case where I quite literally came for the porn and stayed for the story. I can't wait to see how this shakes out!

I'm honestly ticked off i didnt play this sooner. very well written, will make you feel, step sister is a 10 forsure, and visuals are outstanding. It's basically a movie, thats how high quality this is.

I can't wait for chapter 4!