VN - Ren'Py - Completed - City of Broken Dreamers [v1.15.0 Ch. 15] [PhillyGames]

City of Broken Dreamers [v1.15.0 Ch. 15] review for Gloria, Victoria and Ellen routes (good ending)

TLDR; This game is just amazing in every aspect. You will be glad if you pick it up.

Visual/Audio; 5/5
Amazing rendering quality with very spicy and intimate sex scenes overall but not flawless only if I decided to nitpick. Extremely sexy love interests and the clothing looks natural if this makes sense. The music choice really fits well with the game's theme even though, with the length of the game, can be repetitive.

Character Appeal; 5/5
I've never seen any VN has the similar consistency and depth of the character personality as is this game.
Gloria develops really well throughout the story, from a scared victim of her own power to a determined, strong, and loving young lady.
Victoria and Ellen also developed similarly. Not to mention that almost all side characters are having pretty solid backgrounds and lore to back them up.

Story/Scenario 5/5
Literally Cyberpunk at home and IMHO heavily inspired. The pacing is really just right.

Enjoyment 5/5
Outstanding story, amazing sex scenes spicy characters. What is the reason not to fall in love with this game?

Final calculation 5/5
This is a true gem of AVNs and is now amongst the top if I would be recommended to be anyone's first VN and will recommend even more for anyone to pick it up.

I think this is a gem here, the story is great, the characters are great, character designs and development are done quite well too. I really enjoyed the story, has multiple endings so has good replay value. Has good volume of lewd scenes, caters to fan of hardcore stuff.
While the positives are there are negatives too. It feels like the dev rushed at latter chapters, some good potential were really wasted.
Would love to see some more story in same universe, if possible connecting some of the characters of this game.
Inspired me to start writing too.

(Review of Ch. 15)

Pretty solid and engaging story with some concepts and style borrowed from Deus Ex (certainly a good source of inspiration) but adding a decent amount of sex scenes, most of them smooth though sometimes certain movements are weird, like the girl is having a seizure or her tits are being pulled in random directions by invisible strings. Presumably this was meant to prevent animations from looking too simplistic and mechanical as seen in the average adult game; the result is certainly better than the average but IMO the amount of truly hot material isn't that large considering the game filesize.

I don't think the models were put to their best use. I mean Victoria is clearly the favourite in promo material and at times it would seem most of the others were just along for the ride. It's not like there's a world of difference between the bodies of most LIs anyway, the only futa character isn't even an LI (sounds like she lost an user poll...) and the love/lust points aren't consistent with the sex you can get with each one. In a way it reminds me of playing GTA IV where you finish the game while the general progress of the story is still at 80% or so, something doesn't add up.

Anyway... There are references to several movies such as Akira, the Terminator or Die Hard, as well as multiple cutscenes that give the game a cinematic touch, including the main menu. A very slick product for sure, understandably ranked among the best the genre has to offer. A complete playthrough should keep you occupied for at least 12 hours.

Holy shit! Philly Games are two for two between this and Depraved Awakening. I love a good Noir story, and especially a good Cyberpunk story! So cool that the bar is called Tech Noir! Been awhile since Sarah Conner was there... Beautiful characters, great sex animations, awesome story, great dialogue. I see why so many people have City of Broken Dreamers in their sig file as a favorite.

The overarching story was quite engaging and it was hard to stop playing in its early chapters. It did become a bit stale in the later chapters though and the ending was a bit lackluster.

My critique is mostly focused on my Ellen centric playthrough. I chose Ellen pretty quickly as my love interest. It was easy for me to get on her route thanks to the MC already having an established open relationship with her. She was also one of the few who actually looked somewhat original and fitting for the futuristic setting, unlike the other LIs who gave me the impression of boring middle aged house wives at first glance. I get that this game was started relatively long time ago so I can somewhat understand the overused DAZ assets, but it's also why devs shouldn't take on such huge projects that take them at least half a decade to finish - they'll look dated by that time. Still, I think the girls in Philly's previous game looked more attractive and had more memorable looks.

As my Ellen focused game progressed though, it became increasingly evident that the dev didn't give enough love to her route. Despite that early kiss in chapter 5 nothing came of it besides a couple more quick kisses until the very end of the final chapter when their romance actually seemed to take off. I also thought there would be more to Ellen's path, like a throuple route with Gloria since all the groundwork was there, but nothing came of it.

Maybe the lack of progress was because the dev took a larger bite than he could chew, because the branching was a lot more complex than your usual interactive story game here, and there were a lot of girls: 4 main ones, some side chicks with possible endings and many casual flings. That's a lot of work to juggle for a lone dev. What comes to other technical aspects, then I think the separate LI score and lust points were largely wasted on Ellen and probably some other girls too where the lust points did nothing major. I was quite disappointed to find out I had missed out of a few options during the lewd scenes in Ellen's scenes. The subsequent and bothersome replay of half the game effectively ruined my immersion and getting invested again in the game was difficult after that. I would get if those points caused a major branching on each LI's path but that for such a little change it's pointless. One should not have to rely on a walkthrough to get the most out of a single path.

Coming back to the lack of meaningful progress with Ellen, then I also suspect that the dev was playing favorites or relying too much on the wishes of his Patreon supporters. I already saw Ellen missing in the game's banner nor did I notice her in any promotional images at first, but I became suspicious when I noticed that all the other LIs appeared much more often than Ellen in those secret images you can collect. As it turned out upon closer look into the game files, it was true and even some girl with devil horns, who I'd only seen for a moment in my playthrough, had more pictures. Victoria seems to have gotten the most attention from the dev when you look at the promotional material, the number of scenes involving her in the gallery and more complex branching made for her. I hate when the devs favor one LI over the others.

Other remarks:
- The static renders were pretty good if not too dark at times. Some scenes could have used better lighting.
- I can't decide if the animations were average or just above. The boob physics were definitely better than a lot of games here and the dev liked to flaunt with it in gratuitous scenes at every turn. What I didn't like at all was the way the characters moved. They were stiff, clunky and I often found myself questioning why the characters were flaying their limbs so awkwardly during sex. More simple, fluid and rhythmic movements would be much better.
- The MC could receive blowjobs in every scene but there was a severe lack of going down on women. I don't think the MC performed oral on Ellen even once. It's like the dev is allergic to pussy or something. I know it's an immature porn game but at least give players the option to be a gentlemen and always return the pleasure, be it cunnilingus or orgasm.

Still, it's a decent game and I'll likely check out some other branches in the future. Best Wishes to Phillygames on their upcoming project!

Animations are almost perfect, the music is awesome. Writing and immersion is top-notch. Characters have personality. Played it through twice with different decisions.

I was not let down.

This is a game, many game creators should use as of how games should be done.

This game is really really good, and one of the most beautiful there is, from a technical stand point it is perfect, the renders are gorgeous, and it has the best animations and scenes you will find, but the story and setting just didn't connect with me as well as some others, i didn't connect with many of the girls except one and just had a bit of trouble getting into it, more of a me thing i think, still a really great game and a really talented dev behind the whell

Honestly one of the best games I’ve ever played. Colorful characters, deep plot, great soundtrack, animations are flawless, heroines are majority gorgeous (especially the Doc), and the renders are great with a unique art style. 10/10

Must play AVN. One of, if not the best I have ever played.

Story is good, all the girls are hot and charismatic, and the graphics are top tier
The universe where the game happens is brilliantly done, the game feels very immersive

SPOILER: Just wished we had a better ending for Sonja, she was my MG

One of the greatest adult visual novels I've ever played really nails it when it comes to animation, visuals, music, and user interface. Right from the start, the animation is super smooth and expressive, making the characters feel alive.

It's a top tier game and fap material. Plot is both interesting as it is erotic, with great animations and graphic. Made in cyberpunk setting with private eye as its main protagonist. You can choose: Contract or honor. Love or money. Sex or clean consciousness.

It's a must play, if you play AVN's!

Very good VN, the plot is engaging, but a bit cliché. There are so many sex scenes that they can be annoying, interrupting the flow of the story. Most of them are quite short, but visually well done. In the end, quantity was prioritized over the length of each scene. But hey, who am I to complain? I didn’t make the VN. The story was what kept me hooked until the end. I recommend it; give it a chance.

There wasn't enough alcohol in this city to drown the memories of this nightmare, but I'd damn well try.
This case would never be closed, I had more questions now than at the start, the irony of being trapped in a postmodern detective story.
The night opened up to welcome me. I walked into her arms. Roll credits.

Click to expand...

Any good Detective Noir story has quotes. A lot of quotes...
So let's dissect this story like any detective would do.

Story: 5 Adamant-Hard Bananas out of 5
City of Broken Dreamers is a detective story based on a cyberpunk setting, with references to the cult classics like Bladerunner and Shadowrun, even one of the founding fathers of the cyberpunk movement is referenced: William Gibson *chef kiss*
Its well written in general, while small talk can feel uninteresting here and there, we all know we aren't here for that. This is an oportunity for PhillyGames to work on his weak points...Since he can build interesting narratives (the hard part) making small talk interesting shouldn't be any issue for him on his future projects.
Good Work PhillyGames.

Characters: 4 Solid Bananas out of 5
Heroines look good according to the context in which they live: A doctor concerned about those who need urgent medical help is not a person who would wear enough makeup to look like a supermodel every day, for a simple matter of pragmatism over hedonism.
While we can agree that a character like Victoria doesnt look attractive enough for her lore, every heroine has her charm, no doubt.
However, PhillyGames commited capital sin with two characters: Shanlon and Teri are the most Redhead Blondes I've seen so far.
But according to my insider, The Redhead Control Bureau (RCB) has issued a [REDACTED] on [REDACTED] alias "PhillyGames" and has extraordinarily granted the title of "honorary redheads" to Shanlon and Teri.
We wont talk about Katie: She is too good for this dystopian future, they dont deserve her.
Ellen, the fixer, is refreshing: A blue-haired girl that doesn't have daddy issues...Real Prime.
The MC, alias "The Ghost" a retired agent who seem to have luck on his side, but he gets his ass kicked sometimes...I like this, it makes him look real, and like any cowboy on a spaghetti western, his luck could run out any minute.

Mechanics: 5 Adamant-Hard Bananas out of 5
Again, no minigames or puzzles. Awesome.
Although I wouldn't mind a first-person shooter minigame for the gunplay sections...But that's just me.

Content: 5 Adamant-Hard Bananas out of 5
Enough renders to make it interesting but not a carnival of flesh.
The AVN delivers the "adult" part with grace.
Shanlon & Teri and Chandra & Abby scenes are the jewel of the crown.

Ending: 5 Adamant-Hard Bananas out of 5
All the main heroines have their own ending. Two of them have a corruption ending that feels appropiate given some circumstances.
It is logical that a free-spirited person is not willing to commit to a stable relationship so I understand why a couple of them wont have a proper exclusive ending with the MC.

While a second chapter isn't looking too justified for my taste, I have no doubt PhillyGames is a really talented creator, so I will expect his new projects, because his alias is being linked to high quality writing.

City of Broken Dreamers is a recommended read to everyone looking for a true novel.

PS: Can't believe how I totally forgot any mention to The V8 Interceptor, shame on me.

City of Broken Dreamers is one of the best. In fact, this novel is exceptional in every way. The original models, beautiful, attractive, and sexy characters with a full range of personalities and body shapes. The sexual scenes are fantastic, long enough, and done in various positions. The best strength of this part is its kinkiness and avoidance of being vanilla. The music is excellent and fits perfectly with the story's atmosphere. The plot is amazing and can engage the audience on its own. This creator knows what he/she is doing. I’m definitely looking forward to him/ her next work

Not much to say, simply one of the best there is.
When it comes to renders they are high quality, one of the best lighting or maybe the best out of all VNs. Characters diverse and at the same time all of them are visually pleasing.

From coding side: smooth transitions, custom GUI which is greatly appreciated.

Story-wise: Got hooked almost from the start, at some point I started skipping lewd scenes, because I just wanted to progress with story haha.

Depraved Awakening and this one set an example how to make VNs, hats off to PhillyGames. Waiting for another one, hopefully there will be.

Excellent story and great writing. The world is well crafted and the art is excellent. Really this game stands on it's own as a visual novel. It doesn't even need the sex. The scenes are good though and the different love interests all feel unique and defined. Game has multiple paths and endings and I played through many and they were all good. Really just a fantastic AVN.

This game is gold standard for visual novels. The renders are beautiful, the girls are great and have their own personality. Your choices matter in a story that is extremely well written and exciting. It really catches the Cyberpunk-vibes (and I loved the genre before Cyberpunk 2077 nearly ruined it and then made it cool). Hard to find anything better and I really hope devs will continue their great work!

WOW! A movie in slideshow format and I mean that in a positive way.
Every scene looks so damn good and has an absolutely high quality, including shadow and post-processing effects, depth of field and particle effects that you could easily use every image as wallpaper.

The music in the game is also perfectly staged. There were moments when I just let the song with the current scene play for 5 minutes without clicking any further because it created such a good atmosphere.

I really hope that the developer/creator delivers what is promised (as many characters in the game more than obviously say and also give reasons for it like Todd) at the end of the game. That this is not the end and that you will see everyone again.

In the end, I wish I could have chosen Chandy and Abby as the LI ending. The two characters broke me the most. Especially the last scene with them - I would have loved to never get up again and stay in bed with them forever - if I had the chance to do so as a player.

I don't know why does this game have 5 stars.
The dialogues were useless and repetitive most of the time and sometimes cringy. The characters are ugly and I don't know why would the dev chose to do that, they clearly can make good looking ones. The MC felt like a spectator to me I was looking forward to john wick type MC too bad. Finally the choices were unclear and useless most of the times why even bother.
this game gets 1 star for Chandra.

9/10

Hands down the best experience I ever had with a Novel.
Great MC, great characters, very good characterization (could have worked a little more with it because it makes no sense that every girl has no problem being naked in front of MC and the other girls), great musics too (2 of them especially, Beyond Memory and Doves).

H-Scenes, great. There were a lot of scenes and even though I would have liked if there were even more, what I would have liked the most was there being scenes with the main antagonist (you can't give me hope by letting us see her masturbating while screaming our name and then nothing), which I'm not going to spoil the name of.

I dunno how all the endings are but I got the one with Gloria and it was great, there's just one problem which I'm going to explain now.
So for some reasons the game pushes you to follow Gloria's route, and nothing bad 'till here, problem is that MC has "special" relationships even with other girls, especially with Ellen and Katie. The game other than pushing for Gloria route really seemed to push at the same time for Katie and Ellen so 3 together... Which is bad. I don't quite like this decision because it doesn't make sense in terms of characterization (but it may just be me so I didn't count this at all in the final rating).
At the end of the game, now again I'm talking about Gloria ending, you have the chance to fuck other characters, which I'm not going to spoil, but that doesn't make sense because you take much before a choice that BLOCKS other routes and point I want to make is, you said several times that you love Gloria, why tf would you cheat on her? I don't judge it but it makes no sense to me.

Another 3 problems, Red Moon guy at the end, everyone that played the game knows what I'm talking about. You don't talk out a guy like that. He got convinced BEFORE you showed him proof... I won't spoil anything. Who played understood.
Another problem, sound... This is a HUGE problem for eroge games. It doesn't need to be voiced and it doesn't need to have moans but AT LEAST sex-sound... I mean any eroge needs to HAVE them, otherwise H-Scenes don't feel the same at all.
Least but not last at the end of the game, this is no spoiler so no worries, while you fight you have the choice to either shoot most of your ammos or to throw your LAST grenade... I decided to shoot the ammos and to use the last grenade later in case it was needed, problem is that it seems like MC totally forgot he had a grenade...

Overall the game is nearly perfect, the animations are good and I'm gonna replay it now, using MODs of course, so that I can see what the other choices take you at.

Congrats to the DEV for making this. The amount of time he put behind everything, especially the animations (not talking about the H-scenes) is unbelievable and makes everything just better.