VN - Ren'Py - Dreamland [v0.5.0p] [Dokiden]

Wow, talk about a missed opportunity. The renders are just really really well done. Like they stack up with the best out there. The story is fine. There is a reasonable amount of content for a 0.1 initial release. Animations are fine, and i like that many of them are subtly present in normal scenes (ie not H-scenes). The dev really knows what he's doing here when it comes to all that stuff. So whats the issue?

Its hard to overstate how bland and annoying the writing it. The grammar is all great. There are no typos. Either the dev took his English classes very very seriously or he had a good proofreader/grammarly working on his stuff. The problem is that the prose reads like a very grammatically correct well written technical manual with all the excitement that implies. It is utterly lacking in any sort of flair. Every line is robotic and oh so correct. There is no difference in the way each character speaks. The words add absolutely nothing to the game.

Its a real shame. I'm almost more likely to give a pass to the horribly Engrishy English that so many AVNs are written it. Like i said the grammar and spelling is all on point. Its just so damnably bland and lacking any sort of distinct voice. I'm assuming that the writer in not a native English speaker, so I can see giving him a pass. Non-English native readers will probably not have any issues with this, but to us natives, its actually more annoying than truly horrible English. Its like the uncanny valley effect in visual effects. When its really far off its... acceptable if there is effort put in, but as it gets closer to actual native English the shortcomings actually become MORE noticeable.

Like i said, renders are beautiful. The story elements are fine. It all looks so darn good. I just cant be bothered to read it, which is a real issue in a story driven AVN like this one tries to be.

edit Okay, after v0.2.2 I continued. I will say, the the dev has improved the writing a bit. He (or a translater) rewrote much of the old dialogue, so that was somewhat improved. The new content is written even better than chpt 1. Its not great, not the worst either. Went from awful to mediocre. I'd say that merits an extra half star. We'll call it a weak 3.5* for now with room to grow

All in all it is a High Quality Game: Awesome Visuals and the story is not as bad as described before - I would love to see this game getting continued. I really enjoyed it and would recommend to give it a try.

After seeing the renders I was honestly so excited for this, but unfortunately after playing I gotta say I'm disappointed. I'm leaving this review hoping that the game improves because damn, these renders seriously look good.

Starting with the good stuff:
It's very clear that the visuals are amazing - variety of angles, amazing lighting, great UI anims, beautiful characters. Seems like this is the dev's main skill. Another huge plus is that they were able to create the hottest Asian character I've seen in a daz3d VN. Many other games try but end up with a meh looking, overly stereotypical character. Super happy to see this.

Onto the bad stuff:
The writing is so bland. The characters sound like robots with the same style and tone, without any distinct personalities. The characters blend into each other and the dialogue has no charm. All this seems like a huge missed opportunity because the characters look distinct, and there are some signs that the writer tried to give the characters some personality but it just didn't come through.

If the dev can somehow team up with an actual writer this game could be godly. I really want to love this game but can't yet.

Ok I normally I don't have to fill up my reviews to fill the word requirement because my opinion of this one is pretty straightfoward:

TOP renders mixed with ridiculous scenes and bad writing.

If you don't care much about the story this one is for you, jump right in! If you DO care a lot about the story in VNs like I do, it will be a traumatic experience so I can''t recommend it.

Thank you and the best of luck

Version 0.1.2

I'm writing this as of v0.1.2, I don't usually rate games unless I truly believe in the future of the game and want it to succeed. That being said, this game so far is incredible, renders are top notch and the story is unique and could go many different ways.

The update was relatively shorter so I don't have too much to talk about but if the dev is reading I would advise them to take their time on working on a game like this, the last thing we want to happen is a new update being shelled out every other month with little to no character development.

I see some personality in characters like Summer, Mei, and Alex. But I would love to see more one-on-one time with Lea and Danielle so we can really learn more of their story and connect with them on a personal level.

Also, more choices would be ideal so that we as players can resonate with our character more, instead of him acting more so as a bystander that goes with whatever is happening around him.

These aren't complaints just some directions that I would like to see the game go into!

Amazing renders,good looking girls and the story is starting. Hope in the future updates we get more choices, hope choices matter and have impact on the story and the relations with the girls, hope there is more choices to choose (instead of 2 to have 3). congrats on the dev making a interesting game and hope the future updates continue to be amazing.

Dreamland [v0.1.2]

Visual wise this game is great. Polished models. Story seems interesting we have to wait and see how it goes. There is sound effects to give more ambience to the game. Biggest positive of the game renders. They are greatly done. The renders when the group was video calling was great. Lightings are done perfectly there. Loved Mei's and summer's models Mei is cute and elegant. Summer is hot and elegant. Summer got two moles on her both side of the face. That being said summer's attitude pissed me off. She called Mc the creep and doubted him even though she knows him for years. In my playthrough I even supported summer when the choices are given. If this accusation was labelled on Alex it's understandable because his behaviour is kinda like that. I love romance in these games but it also depends on other LI's attitude. Lea's attitude is understandable because she don't know Mc well. Now I'm simping hard for Mei. Hoping dev won't mess up her attitude. Dev don't give us lewd scenes for the sake of a porn game. Give us deserved sex scenes. I'm more glad if it is slowburn (personal opinion). I also got issues while playing the animations seems like my system cannot keep up with it. I don't get this issue while playing other renpy games.

Apart from these few issues. I enjoyed the game. Hoping dev will consider it and looking forward to next updates

I love it, the renders are great and the writing seems promising. It might not have the deepest story (yet atleast), it atleast has a more unique concept than "dude goes to college and fucks everyone".

Hi, this is my second? rating about a game in 5 years.
But it has be done, bcs we need more of it.

∎ Gameplay : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
∎ Story : ★ ★ ★ ★
(not sure what "mystery" will mean in the end)
∎ Spelling : ★ ★ ★ ★
(its college spring break and not seducing an advocate or stuff like that)
∎ Renders : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
∎ Animations: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
∎ Potential : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
∎ Temptation : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
∎ Graphic : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
∎ Creativity : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

After the first release
∎ Overall : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Thanks for this enhancement in adult games.


Thanks to @Alteni for the template

Honestly I'm disappointed. Visually this is easily the best Adult Visual Novel I've played. The renders are phenomenal, the video call at the start of the game, the MC's room, the lighting in Mei and Summer's room are just done so well. The game feels cinematic at times, the northern lights and how they weren't over done as I've seen in some other games., the coffee shop and how the sun fades in so nicely but not too much, the trees outside the car during the road trip. The nature at the park in Dreamland itself, how clear the water is like its ridiculous visually what the dev has managed to achieve with this game.

The girls render wise are also done really well, all unique, no LI's that look as if they were taken from the same model or anything and they all look incredible like the rest of the game.

The music choices are also done well, although there is one track that plays a lot throughout the game that can be a little repetitive after a while, but I could use my own music if I need to anyways.

That being said its a porn logic game. The writing is so bad, it actually sometimes hurts to read and it worries me cause this is the first release and the next one's could be much worse than this. Mei for example after meeting the two hitch hikers has "I hope these two girls dont steal my boy" and goes "Yay! He must like me" when the MC agrees with her ideas on something. Mei is written as an intelligent 20 year old woman but when thinking about the MC she reasons like a 12 year old speaking to her first crush. Also Summer who initially hates the hitch-hikers and is openly picking them up is then 30 minutes later willing to offer one of them clothes, a place to stay and willing to have a threesome with her, with someone she met thirty minutes ago! That she openly doesn't trust! I've played harem games with WAY more story building than this. Its honestly jarring.

The game needs a better writer as simple as that. I'm not being harsh to sit on the game, I'm being harsh because for all the effort put into the visual aspect of the game its honestly unforgivable to have writing this bad. If this game had a half decent writer It could easily makes its way as one of the most anticipated and loved games of the community,, cause the potential is high especially because this is the first release. If it doesnt then its gonna fall off eventually and become something similar to Sunshine Love or Free Will.

Hope the writing improves cause it could improve this game A LOT!

My Reaction for this game : Amazing i love it !

★ Gameplay : ✭✭✭✭✭
★ Story : ✭✭✭✭✭
★ Spelling : ✭✭✭✭✭
★ renders : ✭✭✭✭✭
★ Animations: ✭✭✭✭✭
★ Potential : ✭✭✭✭✭
★ Overall : ✭✭✭✭✰
★ Girls physique : ✭✭✭✭✭
★ Graphic : ✭✭✭✭✭
★ Creativity :✭✭✭✭✭

Note :

Definitely you should try it immediately !

◉ All the best to the developer, Amazing game .

This is a stereotypical example of trying to compensate for lackluster writing with extremely well done renders. Which are very well done, top 10 in games I've played. However, the game would be more impressive if the player wasn't such a passive participant in the story, unfortunately in the current release there aren't any meaningful choices to be made, the characters don't seem to behave in a logically consistent manner, and the best friend is so focused on the first set of big tits he sees that he lies to his friends in order to have the tits travel with them. The ending of the first episode leaves off with the MC blamed for the actions of someone else and staring at some new woman with gigantic tits. As if he and his idiot friend are incapable of thinking when confronted with breasts larger than a b cup. It is likely that in the second installment the MC will once again be ridiculed by his friends and strangers in an attempt at humor. It would be nice if the developer surprised me and didn't go for the lowest common denominator.
This game in terms of plot and dialogue is very cliche, if you don't care about that and just want to see some very well done renders this is the game for you.

The visuals and animations are such an eyecandy. Stunning. Gorgeous.
Girls look incredible.
Good variety of assets.

Story is simple and nice, but current release is very short so nothing to add.
Very pleasant writing.

There's nice background music.

One small thing: there's some weird glowing, moving effect on the clothes (mostly on tops) during some conversations. Catches the eye.

I didn't say this ever about other AVN, although there're a lot of good, quality games, but I'm really impressed with this one. Insane work. I'm so fckn thirsty for more..

I rarely put a mark on a game as it requires writing a long enough text to comment, but... damn! I had to give this game some visibility.

First the renders look absolutely fantastic and the art is pretty unique in this industry, I love it with the slideshow effects smoothing the entire experience. The colors are warm and appealing with a good fluency in lights. The animations are well realised and top tier, even more when compared to other games around.

The other strength of this game is the models which are simply stunning. A particular mention for Lea who is simply a godess and looks sexy as fuck. Not exagerated tiddies for all of them but a good balance instead. For those who are more into sweet girls, Mey will do perfectly and is beautiful as well.

As we are still at the beginning of the story I won't put a judgement for now but the story seems ok and funny with a little plot in it that has to be developped before I give my opinion on it.

This VN has great potential and has to emphasises its story in order to make it interesting on the long run.

I m looking forward to see more of it

Big potential. At the moment its still too early to tell how the story will go like if it will suddenly add dramatic elements like the reason for the missing girls alluded to by the girls in the cafe but so far it seems like the story of the mc going on a fun road trip to a town for some kind of event /party with hot girls and with his two hot female friends, a guy friend and picking up two hot hitch hikers otw. Things are kinda linear right now with the inability to make choices in places where I felt there should be (like stopping lea from grinding on you or getting a choice to sound happy or disinterested that mia made you a bracelet) but the inability to make choices didnt bother me in these scenarios overall for now. It is undeniable that the models look amazing and have hot and smooth animations.

Worth keeping an eye on! Giving it 5 stars to encourage the devs not to abandon it and have more people give it a chance. Hope to see more updates!

Review as of 0.1.1

This game definitely has huge potential. Great start to the game, not too many choices as of now, but it is understandable, it is only the first version. Love the linear storytelling, hopefully it doesn't go into the sandbox version with crazy grinding in the future. Can't wait to follow this all the way to the end.

Unbelievable render quality, amazing depth in character, the storyline is looking good, not sure where the missing person plot is gonna lead to, but hopefully nothing too magical or crazy. The LI setup is great, one girl who seems to have a crush on MC and there's one cheerleader, with 2 more bombshells hitchhikers.

There are a lot of sexy scenes, and with the way it goes, it seems like we don't have to work too hard to get to them. Depending on the users, some like it, and some don't. I personally love it a lot, there is a good amount of sexy scenes, no sex scene yet as of this version.

Summary:

Plot: Good start with some mysterious elements.

Character depth: Great, we get to experience what each character is thinking and feeling.

Gameplay: A couple of choices here and there that affect the dialogues, but no major change in the storyline. Pretty linear.

Renders: Super amazing! One of the best on this site.

The 5/5 is considering that this is just the 1st chapter. There is little to no choices and is to early to judge the writing(we could say it is only "ok"), everything else is a freaking 10.
- Great girls.
- Great animations
- Great scene-lighting (this is something I feel is often overlooked)
- Great angles(again, this is something that a lot of devs don't get right)
- MC doesn't have a punchable face , and he doesn't look like a puber. And that is honestly all I care.