VN - Ren'Py - Completed - Chasing Sunsets [v1.01] [Stone Fox Studios]

Review for 0.7a

This is some amazing shit right here which honestly describes the story, characters and the graphics in this game. I honestly feel stupid I held off on playing this game till this version. The major characters are few but because of that very fleshed out.

Story: The story is a very emotional about a journey of a mom and dad and then later their children who reconnect. It's serious and quite heartfelt.

Sex: There is fortunately quite a bit of it without it being out of place. Meaning when the sex happens it largely makes sense in the context of the story.
Con: I however think the sex is also a con in a way because it does not last for as long as I'd like and I've seen it done better but in this game it's not bad by any metric.

Graphics: The women (and men if you are into them) look great and their face looks filled with character. Meaning most of them do not look two dimensional (like a guy meant to just be good looking and a girl just meant to look pretty or ugly). So I am happy about that too.

Bought and played on Steam but gonna review it here anyway for the awesomeness. What a gem. The story is not complete and on sorta climax, but I am satisfied with my 9 hour content (one playthrough in one sitting) anyway, no way they can blunder this masterpiece now.

This is a true adult visual novel, not your typical big cock dumb college kid young adult trope which is abundant. And this is not a PORN VN, this is a EROTIC VN, there are instances of casual sex but the amount is pretty realistic. Up to this point i sort of watched characters make love and flirt rather than have sex. Emotional reasons were there even for casual sex occassions, which is a pretty remarkable effort. There are multiple inner familial conflicts to spice up the story. Realistic writing and dialogues, interesting plot, good pacing, character buildup, character development, flashbacks, foreshadowings are all there. Lots of real life allegories and references. This is truly a novel. Also I appreciate the devs for limiting LIs to a few and filling their backstory and emotional baggage. It makes hard making choices. I almost felt like that last time while playing Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (obvious brunette and redhead allegory). I feel attached to everyone in the story in some way, few products in VN market can do that to me.

The visual aspect is on par with written. Renders are great, facial expressions are there. Backgrounds and settings are well developed and not half-assed like most projects. You will never get bored of looking at this game and never want to skip. The only aspect which can be underwhelming is animations, although I think they are acceptable.

This game needs higher reception overall. Go buy it and support the devs.

First off, I wanna say how lucky I am to finally start the game at chapter 6, because there was no way I could have taken Jaye's teasing.

Ok, now for the actual review. I usually don't do reviews for games with 'overwhelming positive' response, simply because there are literally hundreds or maybe thousands of other positive reviews that mine will just get lost in.

But! This game was just something special, I just couldn't hold back all the feels and thoughts inside me and I had to vomit it out somewhere.

The story, which I consider the most important piece of an AVN, was superbly done. Actual plot(which was pretty damn good too) aside, the pacing, the build-up, the backstories, and the timing which each piece of the puzzles was inserted, absolutely perfect. What WASN'T perfect though, was the exposition dump start at the beginning. But still, as hard as it would be to wrap it up, I am beginning to have faith in the writer to do it.

The renders, do I actually need to say anything? This game has one of the best looking renders and animations amongst even highly rated AVNs. But the thing that stood out for me were the expressions, I don't really have any knowledge about renders and Daz(I'm assuming), but the range of expressions and how well they capture the dialogue captivated me. The smirks, the 'trying not to laugh' faces, the harrowed looks, all of them really breathed life into the characters and did the story justice.

The characters, aside from being outright gorgeous, were amazingly designed, be it their personality or backstory. That made the dynamics between the LIs and the MC interesting and at the same time believable. Even the quirky side characters packed a punch, playing their roles perfectly to a tee. (Tara and Amanda, Ugh, GIVE THEM MORE SCREENTIME ALREADY!)

I don't really have much negatives to point out about most well made games because I'm usually easy to trick into accepting them. But I cannot, for the life of me, imagine why was there even that choice to "backstab" Jaye?! (-100love -100trust) I understand some people enjoy 'choices that matters', but SOMEONE EXPLAIN THAT CHOICE TO ME.

Most games with similarly mature or serious themes can't pull off harems as well as lighthearted ones, or those that are just fun and aren't supposed to take themselves seriously.
The harem route, however much I like them, most of the time just cheapens the experience, story and simply undermines the girls and their personalities. Because it's just that hard to pull in games that strives have a believable plot. That's why it usually came down to choices and multiple endings.

However, based on what I've seen in this game, Mal and Jaye seems to have fun competing with each other for attention, egging each other on, without the usual jealousy and envy (much), which just feels bad for the player.
The dynamics of the 2 main LIs and the MC, the plot revolving around their ties to one another. I wholeheartedly believe this game has that potential to implement that sacrilegious option. Though at the moment, it seems to be heading more towards the 1+1 option on either side. (I don't want to choose...Please don't make me choose between two angels.)

Alas, I dislike games that lets you choose EVERYTHING, because that just hampers the writer's creativity and flow in my opinion. I always enjoyed being swept up into the world a writer has to offer, once I decided that I like what I've seen, of course.

So kudos to the devs for this amazing game, and I look forward to being brought along on this possibly once in a lifetime adventure.

Simply amazing, that's all. This game should be way more popular than it is.

This game has a lot going for it, but the writing is what really stands out. Sure there is still some porn logic, but it's head and shoulders above almost anything else I have seen on this site.

Story: 5/5

What really works for good writing on VNs like this is just the simple trick of actually knowing the general outline of the story beforehand. The writers seem to know what they are going for and have a plan, that alone will do wonders instead of just making things up as you go along.

The pacing is also very good and progresses at just the right pace, and more importantly maintains consistency. I never felt that any parts were dragging on or were too rushed.

Characters and Themes: 5/5

Technically the relationship with Jaye is not really incest, but even still the way their romance develops is extremely well done.

Unlike a lot of AVN MCs, the protagonist here is not just some random good looking dude with no personality. You can actually feel his emotions and understand the appeal of what women see in him (apart from the ripped bod and big dick that is).

Progression and Choices: 5/5
The choices you make actually seem to matter quite a bit, the game gives you a lot of freedom in how you act, towards others and shapes the way other characters react to you.

Afaik, there are no gotcha choices, all choices seem to have realistic consequences and you don't need to religiously follow some walkthrough, just use your brain.


Renders and Animations: 4/5

The renders are very good, the earlier animations are pretty subpar, although they have been steadily improving at a remarkable pace. Which brings me to my next point.

Sex Scenes: 5/5

This is not primarily a fap game, so there aren't too many sex scenes, but the ones that are, they are incredibly hot.
Despite my previous complaint about early animations, the sex scenes still shine incredibly well because of the writing and buildup to it.

So many AVNs make the sex seem so mechanical by just describing what they are showing almost like a transcript.

But this game actually focuses on what the characters are feeling, and that's insanely hot.

Overall (Upto Chapter 6): 5/5

This is a very good game, that I would definitely recommend to anyone that's looking for more than just a quick fap.

Boy this game has a lot going for it!
The renders are great but the models are all the same and a little bland (super tight, toned and beautiful but insecure and all virgins, lol) but this is but a minor setback for me. The body language and facial expressions are very well done, without being too obvious and corny.
I think the story is awesome and original. Of course, there are holes and a bit of nonsense but all in all, very enjoyable!
There is a fair bit of humor in this, even if the main tone is a little more on the serious side and the setup is somewhat believable, which is a very good thing to see in the sea of bland and straight-to-business games on here!
I respect every different culture, gender and beliefs but it's a breath of fresh air to have a very well worded dialogue with almost no errors in it, ha!

I love a slow burn and "real" emotions (must be my romantic side ... says the guy on a fapping game site!) and would be ok if this wrapped up pretty soon after 0.7!

5 stars from me, this might be my favorite game on F95 yet!

There are not a lot of games out there that'll keep you interested in the story, make you laugh, and lead you to empathize with the characters. This game will. I felt like the story started a little bit slow, but the setup was worth it. The artwork is superb, as well.

You'll find plenty of games with the same tired plot lines, the same cheesy dialogue, and even the same character renders. This is NOTHING like that.

Chasing Sunsets is unique. The dialogue works. It reads like it was written by someone who knows how to design a plot, has the talent to translate that into words, AND has a good editor to fix the inevitable screw-ups. Oh, and did I mention the artwork?

I only wish I could play it for the first time again. And again.

So far, I'm enjoying this VN; for some reason, I had skipped it on several occasions, and now that I've played it, I see it was a major mistake. It has a great combination of dark drama and comedy, the visuals are gorgeous, and the plot is excellent. This is going on my "can't wait for the next update" list.

I wonder why this game has not got the sci-fi tag yet.
One of the best story. Specially I like the way of storytelling through flashbacks and journals. The humour in between conversations made me laugh for sure. LI's are so lovable, I mean why will you not love them when they get so good character development.
In conclusion I will definitely recommend this game.

Version 0.7 review

I dunno why I waited so long to start playing this game...
Just finished chapter 3 and I have to say that this game entered my Top 5 with a bang, Goddamn I really love this one!!

This game has:
1. an entertaining story
2. a normal MC
3. lots of banter and giggling moments, also some tragic and sad moments
4. AWESOME renders of the girls with unbelievable taste of detail; goosebumps on skin, wet pussies, hard nipples,... (quality is as good or better then that other well known game )
5. fantastic different locations
6. AIRWOLF!! The sound the chopper made when arriving and landing on the yacht -> very nicely done!
7. Long and interesting chapters
8. Good looking lewd scenes which are not forced upon and happen quite normally
9. Cellphones, dunno why... but I like it when you can message ingame and receive spicy pictures
10. Hank the cute wolf puppy

Like I said this game entered my Top 5 with a bang, not many games can do this because I look at the total package in a game (story, lewd scenes, longetivity, writing and dialogues, pacing, etc..) before starting it.
This one checked all the boxes and more.
One little hickup tho; all girls so far till the end of chapter 3 are smooth down there.... would have loved to see a small red (Jaye) or blond (Tara) landingstrip down there . Would have been the cherry on the cake.

The novel feels like I'm watching a movie, not many games gave me this feeling before.

I can only say to the dev., keep this up... you are working on a masterpiece here.

Version Played : v0.7a

Overall it's a 4.25/5, and what I mean by that is : Story is 5/5, lewds are 3.5/5.

The plot is intriguing and one of the most 'realistic' I have encountered in such games. Choices matter and can and do lead to different outcomes. One of the main positives of the game are character development/progression, it is very well written and the dialogue is a joy to experience, I laughed often.

Visuals are also excellent, animations are average at best but it's not a detractor for me.

My main gripe would be that the lewds, while well crafted and sensual, just don't have that oomph that would make this a porn game.

It's a story-rich experience for adults, but it's not primarily useful for player satisfaction, if you catch my drift - no wankeroni power.

I am looking forward to see how it ends however and how all of the characters complete their arcs.

I did notice quite a glaring inconsistency I would say tho: a modern mobile phone is shown in the 16-years-ago prologue. There were a few others perhaps, but more minor as I forgot all about them.

Overall I am giving a definite recommendation for this game, but as an adult story, not as an 18+ lewdfest.

Only at episode 4 so far. I almost don't want to finish!

Brilliant game. Story, writing, characters, renders. Only thing that would improve is a patch if you know what I mean. I know it's not possible but still.

Only wondering why Jaye has pitch black eyebrows....

A game that perfectly balances impactful choices without, as they put it, "creating gotcha moments" so your choices will pretty much never be mostly useless except to allow for that one pivotal choice.
Great sense of humour, nice art style. Animations might need a little work but that's hardly anything to complain about as the rest is so great.

TLDR: 5 Stars. This is one of the 5 best games on this site.

The writing is relatively well executed; although it has faltered somewhat as the main love-interest(s) and main character have gotten closer. Love language is a very, very hard thing to get right. The animations could be more detailed. Add that with the plot being somewhat predictable, and you have a game that isn't perfect.

HOWEVER, the game's strengths bring it to a height few on this site can reach. The renders are some of the best on the site. As the game has progressed, character posing and facial expressivity have become a gold standard against which other games are measured. The plot is interesting, and occasionally moving. Characters have real depth, and their motivations are appropriate. I particularly enjoy how one character subverts several stereotypes. That surprised me. Yes, a character in a porn game surprised me.

The steamy stuff is set up very well, and while it lacks realism in its attempt to convey pillow talk or dirty talk, it never takes itself too seriously. Fetishes are explored in ways that are fun and interesting, if not very original. But the near-perfect pacing is where the game truly stands out. It has, probably, the exact balance between build-up and pay-off that I look for in a game like this.

Its reputation as one of the best games on the site is well-earned. 5 stars.

The writing, the story, the animation, the choices...all of them are amazing! If just fapping is your thing and you'd prefer to fast forward through then this isn't the game for you. The choices matter. Outcomes can change. And the story is interesting and impactful. This is easily one of the best games on here and I eagerly await new releases!

Story and Sex. Not Story over Sex, nor Sex over Story. Story and Sex.

This is simply one of the most enjoyable -- and at the same time tense -- experiences I've ever had.

Nothing is "easy" ... not the choices you make, nor the results of those choices.

Yet everything makes sense. All the background has been laid masterfully, so the continuing story feels right -- even if it's not what you thought was coming.

Will be waiting on pins and needles between each chapter.

This is the type of game where you play as the Alpha Chad that all the women want to fuck (and they usually do). While there are some interesting bits with Mallory for the most part, she's generic "SMOKING HOT BOMBSHELL that has trauma and insecurities the like of which only MC (and his cock) can cure". Jaye on the other hand has nothing going for her with her ENTIRE personality surrounded around her feelings for her step-bro MC. Lastly. the side characters, of which you won't be surprised are mostly women, only exist to support the main heroines with the MC as well (and fuck him on occasion).

In conclusion, if you're looking for an emotional journey with interesting characters then this isn't it. On the flipside this game has topnotch renders and passable enough writing to give you a quality fap session.

The story's quite good but the main attractions for me are George and David.

George is the definition of "judging a book by it's cover".
His appearance raised a lot of red flags for me, but my god he's a sweet, lovely old man.

David is also a character which sadly was less apparent atleast till this point in story, I'd love to see more of his story,namely his squad. What can I say, I'm a sucker for military-ish stories like Grisaia.

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.