Ren'Py - DropOut Saga [v0.10.0b] [LazyBloodlines]

I'm going to keep this very short as I'm not even finished with the game. The writing is phenomenal.

I repeat: The writing is phenomenal. Any disappointments I've had with the sexual content (currently limited to only a couple characters) is completely outweighed by the quality of the story. Apart from the rare spelling or grammar error, the story is well-written, engaging, and keeps you on your toes. Scenes rarely play out predictably, yet don't feel pretentious or that they're pulling the rug out just to pull the rug out.

Character development is also exceptional. It's rare to see in this medium.

Anyway, that's it for now. Really really good storytelling, and this is coming from an English major.

The story, the choice of music and the narration were great, I am waiting for the continuation of the story. I am sure it will be worth your time.
The choices have not had an effect on the game yet, but I wish they had more. and there are a few more points that need to be improved that will not be considered important for now. I think it will improve over time.

I've only done prologue, but I can already say that this is very good. The game is not particularly consistent, but it is written well, it quite successfully juggles school-setting type of story and mob-novel, and it is clear that it is the labour of love by talented people.

Also, I quite like the soundtrack. To hear Richard Thompson, out of all people, during a shootout which gets quite stressful while being in a RenPy game? Count me in!

(ver0.10.0b)

This game so far has really managed to impress me and turned out to be one of the gems to discover on this site. It is taking its time for world building, character introductions and just the storytelling in general. I for my part really appreciate it. Not having it feel too much of a slow burn through its meaningful storytelling - or feeling rushed through big jumps in time skipping developments which would feel weird. Instead it gives many hours of an interesting read so far already, with the outlook of much more to come. (Still at the beginning of building relationships with some characters and some story threads have just begun to be spun)

The characters come with individual, believable and multi-layered personalities giving the interactions a captivating feeling of depth. This also aids making the characters interesting, wondering what their background and/or motivations are. All this while making a noticeable effort of maintaining their individual traits in conversations which, imo, turned out well so far. Narration and dialogues feel natural and believable while flowing well and, paired with good use of music, maintaining and bolstering immersion.

Looking at the visuals, it's the typical recognizeable HS renders. The quality of them is very good as is the composition. In addition, the expressions of characters during conversations have gotten a lot of care for detail - adding a lot to the overall immersion. The animations are also on the higher quality end from what else I have seen here so far.

One thing to note though is, that if you expect some typical stereotype sex scenes or kinkiness every few clicks - then this is not the game for you. It wouldn't fit the story and storytelling either imo. And personally I'm fine with the current ratio of story to sex scenes - just enough to elevate the significance of some characters without being too deluting overall. I expect it to be a bit more when the relationships with other girls moves forward, but hopefully it doesn't become the main focus.

Another positive thing in my book is that this game belongs to my preferred type of settings, where the view on things and life is not bad or good, black or white but rather subjective/fluid, differentiated, facetted without attempting to hit the reader with some moral hammer about absolute values. It makes for way more interesting plots that tend to be more believable/realistic to me as well - if executed well. And here that's the case so far.

All in all I would definitely recommend giving this game a try.

My experience with DropOut Saga (0.9.1b) was split between the story, and the LIs/sex. As a result, it ended up a 3.5 rating for me because of the large disparity between the two: the Adult portion, and the Novel portion.

+ Chapter 1's renders were much better than the (-) Prologue's
+/- Some improvements overall to how mechanics work in Chapter 1 (but none of them were actually used in Ch 1)
+ Interesting and believable personalities to most LIs
+ Animation quality was higher than stills quality
+ Good English use in text, easy to read
+/- Somewhat decent music, but should be all instrumental (no vocals)
+++ One of the better stories I've seen - no time travel, or aliens, or overuse of humor
++ A really likable and robust main character to play

----- Only /three/ characters to have sex with for the entire current game (and none are the LIs that appear in the school). Additionally - one is dead and appears in a dream sequence, leaving just two total alive for sex.
----- Very few sex sequences at all through 0.9.1b, like count them on one hand.
- Frequent 'hiding' of private parts in sex scenes using some camera angles
--- Pacing of plot and development of story is glacially slow. It's a good story, but unveils itself only bits at a time over hours of reading.

If I thought about it more, DropOut Saga might strike me as a Novel trying to masquerade as an Adult Novel due to the scarcity of sex. You literally only have two love interests who engage with you in any sort of sexual encounters - all of the other LIs haven't even begun to interact with the MC (after what seems like 12+ hours in the story).

Make no mistake - it is a good read due to having a lot to like in it. But the sex comes off as an afterthought - there are so few love interests involved, and so few scenes, that 99.9% of what you do will be reading the story. For that reason, despite having a great story and MC, I can't give it any more than a 3.5, and if the frequency of sex scenes and availability of love interests doesn't improve, I'll probably end up dropping that to a 3.0 or lower.

Sidenote: I'm also very fearful for the game's eventual completion. None of the mechanics that were 'upgraded' for the school between the Prologue and Chapter 1 were even used in the current build of the game. Chapter 1 was far more story (kinetic novel) than it was interacting with the LIs at the school.

-Google trad-

I'm really happy to have found this AVN, it's just the kind of story I like. With a mature, cool and badass MC, beautifuls LIs with different personalities and the right dose of sex. The music sets the mood, and the story is interesting. Well written, despite the fact that English is not my first language, I appreciate the dialogues.
In short, I plan to support the author.

After kind of a rough start, this turned out to be a real hidden gem. The story is great, characters mostly consistent and interesting, no weird deus ex machina moments, great highs, worrying lows, tear inducing drama... all in all an amazing experience.

Amazing game. Deserves more recognition.

It is cool, badass and epic !

The MC´s struggle with himself adds to the depth of the story, brings realistic aspect of what psychical stress can do, but not in obnoxious or obtrusive way. It makes him more baddas xD. (Yet, I still prefer green eyes MC´s personality, yet sometimes situations require blue D_D)

I love both aspects of this AVN: the College and the Mafia one.

Love Ava, and Jasmine, Julie. Lila and Sophie are also cute and endearing :3

Music is not your typical AVN type, but is well executed and fits the scenes idealy (The song "That´s gonna kill me" in the halloween shootout was perfect).

Really hope you get more recognition with this one, as it is not stereotypical corruption (albeit it can be, but I went love route everywhere, heh :3), but offers a lot more.

So, we have: Badass MC, interesting, thrilling and gripping story, beautiful characters and great music, which together complements this into a whole, thought-out SAGA .

Thank you Lazy Bloodlines for this AVN and good luck in future.

Review for V0.9.1b
When I first came across this game I did not feel like playing it. I thought it was going to be a cliche headmaster story but after good ratings I could not ignore this game any longer. I guess you could say that I was proved wrong.

Storylines
"DropOut Saga" offers an interesting and unique story that is well-executed throughout the game. The general plot is engaging and holds your attention from start to finish.

The individual stories for each love interest are also very compelling. Each character has a defining personality, making them feel well-developed and unique. This adds a lot of depth to the game and keeps you invested in the characters.

Good Graphics and Settings
The graphics in "DropOut Saga" are quite good as well. The settings are well-designed and make sense within the context of the story. The love interests look amazing, and the sex scenes are decently animated, which is a plus.

Meaningful Choices and Replayability
Another positive feature of the game is the meaningful choices. You can play as two different personalities, which adds a layer of complexity and increases the replayability of the game. Your decisions truly matter and affect the outcome, making each playthrough unique.

Mixed Romance Quality
The romance in "DropOut Saga" is the only subject Im not so positive about. Some romances, like with Sophia, are very well worked out. Their relationship has a backstory that makes the romance feel wholesome and believable. However, other romances developed during the game are less realistic and lack the same depth. The romance with Ava, for example, feels extremely odd and unconvincing as she seems to be into the MC for no apparent reason. On the other hand, the developing romance with Jasmin feels much more realistic. It progresses slowly and naturally, with shared moments and made sacrifices by the MC that make the increasing romantic interest believable.

Conclusion
Overall, "DropOut Saga" is a game with a lot of strengths. It offers a unique and well-developed story, engaging individual love interests, good graphics, and meaningful choices that enhance replayability. While the romance can be hit or miss, with some relationships feeling less realistic than others, the game still provides a compelling and enjoyable experience. I would definitely recommend giving this game a go.

Do you remember that VN that got you so hooked you were day after day looking forward to your playing time? This is one of those.

I am really enjoying the story.
The graphics is your usual HS, and the animations and scenes honestly nothing out of this world. But everything is made up by having super cute girls, with very hot relations with the MC that flow naturally and feel right. Nothing rushed, or nothing overly tedious where you feel you have to skip text.

The game has a lot of content. I honestly lost track of the amount of days I've linked playing. More than a week for sure.
But after playing up until 0.9 I am a bit confused as I feel half of the story is still missing but also it might only receive another update to complete and reach 1.0?
I hope it's not the case because I'd love to see the story developing with the rest of the students properly.
I will for sure follow this creator in Patreon and for sure consider supporting.

Ah, and playing the Prologue is a must.

I played through the prologue and the game up to v0.9.1b in a few evenings, and found it quite enjoyable. The dev has most of the skills needed to make a great VN, and with some more polishing perhaps this one could reach five stars. A few things hold it back, in my opinion:

1. The MC might as well be wearing a Guy Faulks mask for all the range of expression he shows.

2. The separate prologue with no way to import a save into the main game—requiring one to remember and enter their choices manually—feels really amateurish.

3. The pacing is often erratic, e.g. when a prolonged low-intensity dream sequence interrupts a high-intensity action sequence.

4. I think the dev falls a little short in the originality department. This game feels like a mashup of two or three other games one can find on this site. Everyone recycles ideas they have encountered before, but here it feels like the borrowing is in overlarge chunks, which then do not integrate well with one another.

5. The MC’s erratic mental problems make him less than enjoyable to relate to. It could be worse: at least he isn’t suffering from erectile dysfunction….

Overall I think this game is quite good, and I would recommend it to anyone who isn’t afraid of some psychological darkness and bloodshed.

seriously a phenomenal game! i honestly cant recommend it enough. An engaging and interesting story! Well developed characters and an awesome MC with a very cool and creative personality.

Obviously the porn side of the game is amazing, fantastic renders and smooth animations through out. Also the romance is believable and not too fast nor too slow. Cant wait for the next update. Ill play through this even if it had no porn at all

This is the first review I've done, so I'm sorry if I'm not very objective or if I'm wrong about something, apart from the fact that English is not my native language, so I'm sorry again in advance!! I loved the improvement in the graphics, the history of the world for now seems to be very well done, as well as musical taste that fits at the right time, the narrative of the story has me intrigued and I can't wait to find out how it goes!! . It's been a while since something like this happened to me with a game.

The music goes perfect with the scenes and loving the story!! in my top 5 for sure. The art style is fair and you really start to "feel" each persons char and it isnt like alot of these VN's where it a "hi nice to meet ya lets fuck" you got to be smart

A very well written game overall.

An interesting story with a good world building - developing conflict between warring gangs, political intrigue, a strong and smart MC, but who is struggling mentally (although to much of a schizo for my liking), diverging paths (love or corruption, with which faction to gain respect and etc.) and likable and diverse girls.

Sex scenes are quite good, they are animated, but there is a lot of dialog and story telling in between them, so if you're looking for a quick relief and/or story overview does not interest you, this game might not be for you.

The only reason why I'm giving this 4/5 is that girls fall too easily for the MC and prologue has some awful jokes (and weird dialog overall), UI is pretty awful and some girl interactions seems uncanny.

as someone who has come late to this VNs party i have to say it cropped up as something i was gonna try but opted not to for so long.. What a fucking idiot i was.. Im unsure how far into the total prologue i currently am (currently walking jasmine home after the day you train her in MMA) and the previous misconceptions i had about this title have all but evaporated..
I'll be honest i assumed it was a corruption title and like many headmaster games just exactly that.. But on the love route for this and where i'll stay i found such a warm and enjoyable story with some truly great moments and action (not just the erotic kind).. Amazing work and if the prologue is anything to go by i cant wait to see wat awaits in the 2nd volume.. The humour is great, the music choices are perfect and beautifully used and the characters are lovable and you want to get to know their stories..
Truly addictive

I checked out the prologue as recommended and it didn't take too long for me to be put off by poor writing and cringe faux edginess. If the game proper is actually any better then you've done yourselves a disservice directing folk to the prologue. I rarely read other reviews but out of curiosity I did this time and sure enough, there are folk recommending you skip it.

So I was prepared to give it a second chance, I downloaded the actual game and one of the first things the game asks is "What does Sophie call you?" and I'm like fuck man you tell me, I don't know the chick. I have zero context for this. And I figured I might as well save myself the hassle and drop it there, working under the assumption that I could expect more of that going forward.

The game is rated highly enough that I gotta assume there's something worthwhile here but wasting my time with a poor prologue and not doing a better job of easing players into the actual game should they try to give you the benefit of the doubt in trying the full game regardless of said prologue don't sit well with me.

The game has potential to be a solid 5 stars game. But here's the main problem imo if you are new to the game:

Don't play the prologue. Even when the dev insists on the fact that you should, it clearly had an initial idea that never ends up happening, it basically promises a love route and a corruption/blackmail one for the students, but at some point (even the dev clarifies it) it turns out in what we can see in the next game, a love route with all the students, in which you can have different lewd scenes depending on the love/corruption points that you have with them.

That is cool, the problem is that for half of the prologue the game leads you to the false belief that you are about to go into certain route (for instance with Ash when you discover Tom cheating on her) just for the other half to go with another approach that is the one than the actual game now follows. So I would advise you to not lose time and go play directly the new game. Plus it has waaaaay better renders.

That being said, here are my pros/cons:

PROS:

• The MC is very likeable, is not your average Gary Sue, it has flaws, fears, weaknesses but a lot of personality, inteligence and charisma.
• Nice writing, good point to the dev.
• Likeable women with different personalities, Ash, Sophie and Asuna for instance are neither a topic from a porn game or a copypaste between them.
• Different body types, love it.
• Nice soundtrack.
• Cool plot with two routes, the mafia one and the one in collegue.

CONS:

• Very few sex/lewd content, whereas I can understand the slow burn with students, it got a bit frustating with Ava, it needs to step forward in the future before falling in the list of games with excesive slow burn.
• The few sex scenes that it has could improve, different angles, more positions, some options...
• Sorry but there's an attemp of a touching moment (not going to spoil) where the autor makes a reference of a very famous gif from a very famous anime that totally killed my inmersion, please don't do that ever again on a serious moment, one thing is to put some reference like the "Stand amongst the ashes of a trillion dead souls, ..." or a movie phrase that you like (subtle) but that was horrible, I would even reccomend to change that scene in future updates.

So far the game looks promising, I would update my rating to 5 stars in the future if the game keeps improving.

Story 10 / 10
Storytelling 10 / 10
Characters 10 / 10
Humor 10 / 10
Pacing 5 / 10 ( If you are here to quickly bust a nut leave)
V 0.8.7b

Edit 1: 21.04.24
V 0.9.0b
New content is good and also well balanced previous ratings still stand but I gotta add a new one.

Music 10/10
(Hearing Lilium again after years in an emotional support scene beautiful, truly made me smile and cry at the same time.)




It really deserves 5 Stars take it from a pro Palmtree Wrestler.

I would like to give this game a higher rating but it is too ambitious. I think the quality of the parts are mostly 4 star worthy, but the sum is two stars.

The plot setting: Alpha male all the girls want no matter the player decisions, who not only is a mobster but a headmaster who spends all his time with female students.

Having a generic plot is fine, but it means the writing needs to be exceptional to stand out. The writing here is above average compared to most AVN, but its pretty forgettable since most of the dialogue is the MC's conscience. At this point in time the LI cast are largely unknowns outside of the girlfriend forced on the MC to start the game. There are semi-frequent spelling mistakes, including in the opening scenes of the prologue.

The biggest problem with this game is its ambition. There are way too many LIs in this game, and there are effectively two plots going on instead of a single coherent story (as a mobster and as a headmaster). There should have been a focus on either mobster (and just the two primary LI), or a story of a headmaster (no primary LI and just the students).

The rate of content coming out means this game would take at least a decade to finish. There are roughly a dozen LI in this game, and there is very little content with the vast majority of them, there are only two characters who have meaningful dialogue content and they are the only characters with sexual scenes.

The plot and the MC's relationships are moving slowly. The inciting incident should have been the Halloween Party scene, instead we got a second inciting incident in basically a repeat of the prior scene (MC getting shot). The second inciting incident went on forever (~1/4 of the current content), and provided minimally to advancing the plot.

After two years of development there is just not enough here, there is a couple hours of content total. Given that the MC's opponent/antagonist of the story has not even been revealed yet, I just don't see a scenario where this gets finished.