This review pertains to version 11a. A TL;DR is at the bottom.
Doom is Sindel is a game with a lot of promise that suffers from a few slight problems that I suspect will be ironed out in the development process. Overall, though, it is a solid start on what looks to be a loving gay porn take on Ravenloft, one of the classic D&D settings.
The Good:
This is a game that puts 'game' right up front and center. You have to roll for certain things and there is a (at the moment rudimentary) combat system. I have to admit that I like that. I love story and smut, but chucking some virtual dice makes me happy too.
The writing is good. The characters seem interesting, the aforementioned smut is top notch and the flow between scenes is handled well, in the introduction. I noticed a few typos and a few cases of slightly sloppy grammar, but nothing that jarred me out of the game and sent me looking for my editorial red pencil.
The visual aesthetic is quite nice, I'd go as far as to say somehow 'classy', though my reservations about how that mixes with real porn images are down in 'the ugly'.
The Bad
The randomization engine is wildly erratic. Having what seems (at least at low-levels) to be a slightly stat weighted system with a roll of 1-20 randomizing it means that you end up with wildly varying results. This is especially evident in combat, where you can hit for only a point or two of damage or do 20+ per shot. It is literally a crapshoot.
I tend to prefer a more stat-weighted resolution system, something with a bell curve (X number of dice) or both, but if you don't mind spikes of good or bad luck determining success, this might not bother you.
The Ugly
Not much to say about this except that the real life porn is a little jarring when juxtaposed with the fantasy story, which seems kinda Regency or Victorian in flavor. Obviously, there isn't a a lot of gay porn out there in period garb, so I can get that. But it might help to pick photos where the models are wearing less in some cases.
All in all, though, this is a game to watch for. It is best defined as saying it has potential. A lot of potential! Definitely worth keeping on the radar.
TL; DR version: With hints of a good story, a fun atmosphere and well-done smut, Doom of Sindel is worth checking out and sticking with as it grows into something even better. It does need improvement in a few areas, but if this is what the designers do with their first few updates, what follows will surely be damned impressive. Recommended.
Doom is Sindel is a game with a lot of promise that suffers from a few slight problems that I suspect will be ironed out in the development process. Overall, though, it is a solid start on what looks to be a loving gay porn take on Ravenloft, one of the classic D&D settings.
The Good:
This is a game that puts 'game' right up front and center. You have to roll for certain things and there is a (at the moment rudimentary) combat system. I have to admit that I like that. I love story and smut, but chucking some virtual dice makes me happy too.
The writing is good. The characters seem interesting, the aforementioned smut is top notch and the flow between scenes is handled well, in the introduction. I noticed a few typos and a few cases of slightly sloppy grammar, but nothing that jarred me out of the game and sent me looking for my editorial red pencil.
The visual aesthetic is quite nice, I'd go as far as to say somehow 'classy', though my reservations about how that mixes with real porn images are down in 'the ugly'.
The Bad
The randomization engine is wildly erratic. Having what seems (at least at low-levels) to be a slightly stat weighted system with a roll of 1-20 randomizing it means that you end up with wildly varying results. This is especially evident in combat, where you can hit for only a point or two of damage or do 20+ per shot. It is literally a crapshoot.
I tend to prefer a more stat-weighted resolution system, something with a bell curve (X number of dice) or both, but if you don't mind spikes of good or bad luck determining success, this might not bother you.
The Ugly
Not much to say about this except that the real life porn is a little jarring when juxtaposed with the fantasy story, which seems kinda Regency or Victorian in flavor. Obviously, there isn't a a lot of gay porn out there in period garb, so I can get that. But it might help to pick photos where the models are wearing less in some cases.
All in all, though, this is a game to watch for. It is best defined as saying it has potential. A lot of potential! Definitely worth keeping on the radar.
TL; DR version: With hints of a good story, a fun atmosphere and well-done smut, Doom of Sindel is worth checking out and sticking with as it grows into something even better. It does need improvement in a few areas, but if this is what the designers do with their first few updates, what follows will surely be damned impressive. Recommended.
