Ren'Py - Onhold - Endara Chronicles: The Apothecary [v0.8d SE] [Soniram]

Wow. That was.. a lot more than I was expecting. I happened to download this from a site that doesn't have a lot of posts or reviews about it (two reviews, both enthusiastic but little detail), so I went into it without a lot of expectations. I enjoy sandbox, harem and fantasy settings so I was hopeful I would enjoy it, but I was not prepared for how good the writing is. My review is probably going to be less useful for people who are mostly interested in how much and how hot the sex is, as I'm mostly going to talk about the author's world building and writing talent.

I just finished playing a character-focused sci-fi RPG/Sandbox game on Steam that currently has an 86% score on Metacritic and is definitely going to be on some best games of the year lists. That game, being strongly influenced by tabletop RPGing, is focused on building a rich, believable universe, populating it with interesting, fully-fleshed characters to interact with, and a compelling story. However, it doesn't do any of those things better than Endara Chronicles: The Apothecary does. Don't get me wrong; that other game is a much more polished experience. The UI and visuals are pristine and the art, done by a Moebius acolyte, is beautiful. Apothecary has the usual limitations of Ren'Py and Koikatsu, but in the important qualities, the central experience of them, I think they're similarly exceptional.

Once I'd finished binging Apothecary, and after immediately subbing to his patreon, I got on his discord and read everything I could find about the game and its development. Turns out it's set in a world created by the Dev and his friends for their tabletop RPGing, which helps explain why it feels so fleshed out and developed. It also makes me think Soniram is/was an exceptionally talented DM/GM, because being a great DM is halfway to being a legit fantasy author. He and his friends have obviously built out the details of their world over a long time, but he's careful to never overload with exposition or info-dump; the world opens up gradually and organically.

I think I first really noticed how well he was doing this during a scene with the MC and a LI in a church. It was a bittersweet moment where their conversation touched on their pasts and their religious views. To this point religion had not really been mentioned, outside of what seem to be the names of various gods being invoked as exclamations and oaths. As the two characters talked, one of them in passing asked the other 'what book did you read from in your church back home?' and (I think) they gave the names of at least a couple of these religious tomes. None of this related to the plot of the story (at least so far) and the books have not been mentioned since. What that technique does though, is use a small snippet of background information to give the reader a quick flash of a greater world outside the confines of the story being told, and allows the imagination to fill this new space with ideas suggested by the reference. Into this rather Spartan, Minecraft-looking church on the game screen come suggestions of revelations, prophets, schisms, maybe even an anti-pope or an inquisition or two.. It's a very effective way to make the world of your story feel more real, but you need to actually have this fully fleshed-out and developed world to refer to, even if most of it won't make it into your tale (Tolkien is the absolute king of this).

The other thing Soniram does extremely well is create a large number of characters with distinct personalities and voices. I won't get into examples this time, I'll just say that most of the important characters have noticeably different personalities and speaking styles, and that this is much harder than it sounds. The love interests are also very likeable and cute, thanks to being so well written, and while I wouldn't call the kk character designs a strength of the game, the stylised anime look of kk is a better fit for this genre than the Daz uncanny valley.

From what I've been able to find out, Soniram has really been going through it the past couple years, but he continues to plug along. I look forward to supporting his work on this and any other games he does, and I kinda wish I'd been in on some of his tabletop campaigns too..

I absolutely love the characters and their stories, the plot involving the guilds is interesting, and the range of kinks (mommy kink, trap, impregnation, and more) is great. My only complaint is that some characters look strange, such as Valkan with his tiny face and Norbent with his drawn on facial hair. Can't wait to play the finished product!

I have no idea what everyone else sees in this game. The story, characters, and dialogue is dull. The character models are some of the ugliest I've ever seen. Like if TES:Oblivion were an anime game kinds of ugly. Gameplay consists of clicking around, collecting random ingredients, and being at the right spot at the right time to see an event, and that's about it for extended periods of time before another event shows up.

In the end, it still gets an extra point for at least being a functional game with open world elements without being buggy.

Story 4/5
Story is very vanilla but for some unknown reason it still cought on to me and couldent stop playing it.

MC works as a potion maker and meet a few girls doing the time grinding for flowers and such to make potions.
Each girl has her own story and they are pretty good just like the main story.
One small thing i found weird is how MC has to create a potion so he can have sex with one of the girls since shes a small build, i mean even she can give birth so theres just no reason MC wouldent be able to fit..just saying.... i guess its just a add to make you waste more time since you need to make potions every time you want to fuck her which is a bit idiotic.

It did supprise me with having choices when it comes to relationships, you can pick romance or friendship with the girls and i did not expect that from this type of sandbox/quest system and its very well made when it comes to those choices, you can even say no to lesbian stuff and 3-somes so its just you and the girl you want, almost think its a first for me to see those kind of choices.

The grind is not that bad but it is still a grind but it improves and gets easiere as story moves forward, i did miss having a time skip options when out farming since things can only be collected at set times of the day, so having to move back to house to skip time to go back to farming is a bit annoying.

Girls 2/5
Most of them i found pretty ugly really, there are a few ok looking ones like the goblin and cat girl, but even those two is just meh so guess this character style just isent my taste.

Animations 3/5
Its a bit hit and miss with animations, cam views arent the best, like in one you see MCs ass more then anything else and others dick/pussy is covered by legs and such, but there are a few decent ones to enjoy as well.

Music 3/5
Its pretty standad background music but it changes to diffrent tunes so it dosent get boring.

Choices 5/5
When it comes to relationships you got full freedom to stay friends or lovers, got to say i love that part and it works perfectly.

5/5 game, excellent plot and world building. Characters are interesting and well developed with great dialogue. Slow build to the game but it's more a VN than a game. There is some sandbox grinding at times. Some of the quests and how they trigger could be improved, but the journal often provides enough guidance to work through the next trigger.

If you enjoy interesting characters, plotlines, or an enjoyable story, this is absolutely a good play. Also the music choices are pretty great.

TL: DR - Good characters, great writing, the player has agency, there's things to do in the sandbox, no hand-holding to get to next event, and the story keeps you engaged.

The game starts with one of the strongest introductions to a character that I can remember seeing in any game, and it highlights the main standout for me: personality.
Each character in this game has their unique identity, struggles to overcome, and lewd scenes.
As you get introduced to these characters you naturally get more and more to do, both to advance the overall story, but also to advance each characters own story line and to get to know them better.
It makes the relationships between the Main Character and the Love Interests feel earned, and you might even start to care for these people and their problems.

Over the course of the game you'll slowly learn more and more about the world you inhabit and, to no big surprise, there's more going on than it would appear at first glance.
You get hints here, bigger reveals there, and eventually the MC will get dragged into the story to play an, as of yet unrevealed, bigger part in all of it.

The sandbox part contains a below annoying level of grind, and there are good opportunities to fool around with some of the characters if you wish.
The game might feel like it's holding you back by placing restrictions on how much you can carry, but I feel it’s is there so the player always has something to do during downtime between events.
You also always have a choice on who to pursue romantically, and who you'd rather keep in the friendzone, so if you against all odds find a LI that you don't care for, they won't be pushed down your throat.

It's also through the sandbox that events get triggered, so keep a close eye on your journal so you know what to do (use the "Easy hints" toggle in the games menu if you're still lost). The journal is not always the easiest thing to navigate, but once you get the hang of it you might enjoy reading the entries; they're not written as a walkthrough, but act more as a in-lore helping hand to nudge you in the right direction.

And on the subject of writing, the game does a good job of relaying information to the player without too much exposition. You have conversations with characters, the MC extrapolates from that and adds his own thoughts on the matter, and so on.
But leaving it there would be a disservice to the author, because there's just so much color here. No one talks the same way, the world has it's own slang, and the lore just keeps getting deeper and deeper.

But if all we wanted was a good story with pictures, we wouldn’t be on a site like this. So, the lewd scenes. There really should be something for just about everyone here, as a decent array of fetishes are covered. It’s not all hand-crafted animations, but it does have that as well. The scenes also have interesting angles, which you can chose yourself at times, and there’s a good variety of characters to get it on with. Some scenes are in the sandbox, others you get to experience as you progress with the story and characters.

Overall it’s definitely one of the best game I’ve found on this site. It’s clear that a lot of care and effort has gone into this.

Nice mechanics, very good story, beautiful chars, alot of choice for lot of people... and a sweet goblin <3

Sure the game start not so fast, the first few NSFW scene are little bit work, but they are worth it. The Story build up very goot and you learn to hate and love different chars and maybe you will change your mind. Its not easy to have such charakter building but Soniram did it very well. Soniram does it best to answer every bug and try to help if you are stuck.If you accept constructive criticism, Soniram takes it well. Various suggestions that you make are also accepted, and various improvements are the result of ideas from the community.

It's so easy to get lost in this game, randomly have to meet the person a few days later in a specific place and specific time of day after each encounter.
Also random requirements like having certain amount of ingredients or potions before meeting them.

All this leads to one point, the guide/walkthrough is important to check after EVERY STEP. And it's so difficult to navigate and reach every time.
I found myself spamming useless actions like "look around the store" or "do some cleaning" in the shop randomly, hoping some event will pop without having to go read the guide. It's just so boring to check it after every step.. and there are a LOT of steps..

Maybe a small quest UI would be nice... and better connect things together reasonably without having to wait days after each part.
The way this is coded right now is super distracting from the character you're interested in, the story, and the fapping.

Also the cap for potions and ingredients is redundant and is only there to further distract you. Why couldn't I get all the farming and potion making out of the way then play the game?

The garden is an absolute chore, having to click each plant once a day with each click passing time is ridiculous. can't even click all of them in one day because the day would end.

There are some good sandbox/open world games, try to follow their methods, instead of forcing your player to get lost and do chores between quests to gain more gaming time.

P.S. The models and scenes are decent and the variety of fetishes is nice.

v0.5a

Story :

10/10

Played till the latest version, the story is really gripping, i am already waiting for more after finishing it.
The oppression of other species is already shown in a lot of games and is fleshed out, but the way they say will surely affect how well the game pans out and the story telling here is really good.

Characters :

9/10

I think some LI's have more character attribute compared to others, especially the young goblin, our queen is in my opinion the best character, the story between MC & her is really well done. I also love the story between the half elf and the MC, Hope all characters get good stories like these two.

Art :

9/10

The animations and art of the characters are a bit different but not bad, i like it and feel most will too. Animations are not bad too. But there aren't a lot now, i am sure it will surely be improved in later updates.

Overall a great game, definitely a 10/10.

I discovered this game by chance, and my surprise was really good.

Usually I hate sandbox games because very often they are poorly done, but this one with the easy mode that I advise it is quite nice to make the quests and triggers work.

Graphically it's really average but that doesn't really bother me.

The general story is interesting and so are the LI's, especially (for me) the goblin's who is too cute, Cali (Lykura) and Yanwei.

The farming and crafting in the game is ok especially since the recent maj which greatly improved the crafting of potions.
But I think that collecting plants is still quite tedious despite the garden so I usually cheat on this part.

The improvement of the clues could be even better (in easy mode) especially towards the end of version 0.5 which refers to threads instead of giving the information correctly because sometimes it is not all the time clear

But despite all this I give it the note of 5/5 because I really liked this game and I recommend it to you, because it deserves to be more known!

The game is good in terms of story and scene. I also like the character progression of this game. I think the trading and searching potion material can be improved. It's such a waste that making potion only act as a trigger for story event when you can make better use of the trading. The game also features a lot in feet content, I love that feet scene with iris. I don't know about how others think, but the character model in this game looks a bit weird compared to other games.

Review of Build v0.4c
Started the game with the intent of living a simple life as my true goblin fucker self as I tend to my potions and tinctures, but it isn't the focus of the game and has an intriguing story so far that is worth playing the game for.

The art style is definitely unique, but personally I can look past it when it's at it's worst and appreciate its charm. There were a few scenes with Genny where I really liked the design which is largely due to the camera angles which I feel is particularly important to make this art look good rather than the art itself being bad. I couldn't fault you for being turned off by it though.

Fair warning, the sex scenes are there and I'd say there's a fair amount but it isn't the best in terms of animations and such and it would likely be better enjoyed with the mindset of it being a display of intimacy for the characters and developing sexual relations rather than porn for the player. I can get off to anything and did personally enjoy it, but it may be worth lowering those expectations if that's what you're here for.

The amount of player input is really pleasant to see with plenty of choices in terms of whether you want to romance certain characters, the genitals of a character, and the sexual interest and relationships the player wants for themselves and the other characters. Many of the choices being implied to have an impact on the story as it progresses. I personally hope that doesn't become too much of a chore to deal with as the game progresses both for the players themselves and the developer crafting the game, but so far it's working well and the potential is there.

5/5 enjoyment. I would not recommend it if you are looking for a porn centric game or if the art style will be a strong hindrance for you, but if you are more interested in a story with some sex and romance to spice things up then it's a pleasant experience as of v0.4c. So far I believe it could be a real gem and I hope for the game success.

This was surprisingly much better than my expectations.

Pros:
+Great writing: the characters seem like real people, and you learn more about them over time. I didn't skip through almost any scenes, which is a rarity for me.
+Interesting setting: the land the story takes place in seems like an interesting one, with intrigue and power struggles. The exposition isn't all shoved in your face at once, which is also nice.
+Hint/Journal System: Apart from a few exceptions (which I'm assuming are probably bugs) I never was lost in the game or had no idea what to do.
+UI: While not amazing, I didn't feel like I was fighting against the game to play it.

Cons:
-Sex scene animations: They're there, but...many of them aren't great. Seem to be improving as the game goes.
-Clipping issue: This one may be a bit nitpicky, but it's really noticeable, especially in the beginning. Specifically, when some of the girls close their eyes, you can see their eye through their eyelid.
-Poorly explained systems: This isn't too bad, but things like the garden (why can I only have one plot?), the trading (is there a reason I can trade with Horace? It's always empty), and so on can be confusing.

Personal Preference:
~The girls: I like some of them (the cat girl and the goblin are stand outs) but some of them, (the guard and the slave) are just...not pleasant to look at. I get trying to avoid the standard models, but I feel like it swung too far in the opposite direction.
~The grind: Getting ingredients can be a chore to say the least. The only saving grace is that many times there's not much else to do at a specific time slot, so gathering becomes the default activity.
~Interconnected stories: If you want to advance one character's story, you generally have to advance one or more other character's as well.

Nitpicks:
~Goblin's Eyes: Why the little blue lines around the edges?
~Cat Girl: Why no tail?
~Potion Making: Feels strange I can't make any in the morning or night time...

Overall: I would give it a 3.5 if I could, but I believe there's a lot of potential here, so it's a 4 star rating for me. Looking forward to the future of the game.

This is a gem of a game that deserves a lot more attention. The character models look great for Koikatsu and are more unique looking than the perfectly crafted golden ratio (anime edition) girls we tend to see out of that studio. YMMV of course, but for me I think they have a perfect mix of cute and homely kinda vibes. Also I need a woman that looks at me like Yanwei looks at protag...so seductive, makes me diamonds. The dialogue flows well and feels genuine, and doesn't tend to overstay its welcome. Sandbox, well, I think clicks could be minimalized some but it's certainly not the most annoying system I've seen, and for the most part you can just skip days to get to content. Keep it comin dev

This VN is pretty dope, I like the look of the characters, they all have a unique appearance, personality wise they are all very different, I like the simple set up a lot, for a guy that's handed a small business he seems to be getting into major situations that are going to be playing out later in the story which I found interesting and his overall importance will be shifted up

I'm pretty biased when it comes to harem games and considering this one is filled with virgins, a good story, potential for a big universe and great characters it's already in my favorites

It also looks like it gets updated fairly regularly since it was released in July and has had 2 updates since, it has a heap of content in game already to, if your reading this I'd wait till at least v5 since you'll probably have a lot more enjoyment than I did when I realised I was on my last event on the cusp of exciting things lol now I'm not touching it again until at least v7

Keep up the good work Dev, hopefully I can sub to you on patreon soon

(No ntr/sharing is pretty obvious to which is great, though lesbian content will be there to, not sure if it will be avoidable so not going to confirm it is or isn't without knowledge also the sandbox is repetitive but it's not a grind, it's very simple)

Review was written as of game version v0.2b

First of all, this game is not about quick fap, it's more about building up relationships. If you don't mind a rather slow slice-of-life kinda gameplay, I think it could be rather enjoyable.
Great atmosphere, appealing writing (albeit a bit simple), and a bit ominous setting pulled me in rather quickly and I definitely will return to this one in future updates.

A word of warning though - this game doesn't have high-quality renders and animation or anything and can really be slow, especially because of repeating actions when collecting ingredients and making potions. However, the writing was endearing (seriously, I enjoyed reading all the conversations with different characters, and hadn't touched the "skip" button once, which can't be said about every VN out there), the characters are lovable and I'm genuinely intrigued where the plot will lead, mostly because of this sinister vibe that something bad will happen soon and is already happening somewhere off the screen.

To sum it all up: while it is not perfect, the characters and writing got me good. Five stars IMHO (though it probably is a bit of a stretch to rate it that high), mostly because of the potential it has.

Developer, keep up the good work!

P.S. This is my first review here and it was this VN that made me write it. I don't think this game will be for everyone, but if you are a bit sentimental and don't mind the pace - definitely try it out.

Version 0.2a
Graphics: 4/5, picture quality stay the same(no worse/better pics probably due to used models), short animations exists
Music: haven't been really listening to it, mostly relaxing type

Gameplay: There 4 times in a day for player to choose what to do. Gathering is rng and max amount is 5 per material and you cant gather more after getting it(later in the game you can sell mats to merchant for silver, no use of it except buying one potion if you lack material at the current version 0.2a). Events are linear(but have choices for them), not sure if all are connected to other characters or some storylines are linear. You need to wait few days after some of them for next ones. Game ended at day 58 for me.

Possible spoilers:
Amount of content: There is 41 event atm, but about third/fourth of them is sexual the rest are characters introductions, some non-sexual scenes with them, plot scenes(yes the game got plot, seems promising, game mostly lighthearted, at least for me). You are able to choose what character(s) do you want to pursue and the author tells you when you can decide to drop the love interest(mostly at the start, there's one exception). Harems/polyamorous seems normal in the world(you need some license but whatever).

Futa/trans content- there's one girl (Lerran her name) a half elf. You can choose if she is futa(both organs!!!) or female. If you choose futa in the last event in this version you can choose what type of scenes you will be able to watch- "some option" as it sounds some scenes only-"all option" means that there possibility of using her dick, and even some transformative potions in later versions- or you decide to drop the relationship.
What else we got atm: a (furry) catgirl(has scenes), milf(has scenes), slave(a slaverace?)(has scenes), goblin(petite build, has scenes), half elf and someone else(there a scene).
Current sexual interactions: grinding, handjobs, blowjobs, face riding(pussy eating), fingering, lesbian boobgrabbing, kissing, drugs(your potions), now time for thevery lewd +18 ones: ear scratching (for catgirl) and handholding dates.

Spoiler ends here i guess
flaws: the biggest flaw at the moment are: no repleyability(no gallery, you can't have sexual interactions outside of events atm, so saves are needed), gathering system- or more like the way gathering-potion making- storagea amount is atm and that while journal tells you about the scenes in the later game it doesn't specify exact day the event gonna take place. Rest seems fine considering it's barely the second release of the game.
Afterthought:
Honestly a good start for this game, hoping that author gets some subscribers and continue this one.

Decided to rereview the game after 6 months of incredible progress by the Dev.
Version 0.4c
All I can really say is: Soniram, bud. Just...keep doing what you're doing. You're doing a fantastic job of listening to feedback, actively making the game more fun, and engaging.
So far, the story is picking up but at a breathable pace and not immediate insane amounts of drama. Your aunt is finally becoming a proper character, and acting like a proper aunt(instead of kind of just hoisting her old responsibilities on you). We finally get to go to Rilea, and experience the Bordello. So far, its just...its really really good. I can't recommend this game enough after this update.
The major thing I'd say Soniram is doing best is the options he offers to the players of this game: You can CHOOSE to engage in specific fetishes or not. Not all games do this, and the game doesn't judge you or make it weird. Its seamless, and I'm very happy I can make a certain lady chubby and curvy instead of lithe and elvish.
The MC is also not some incompetent idiot half the time, he actually does plan things out and remembers how his potions work. Even his Aunt says hes a better alchemist. He also has balls on him and takes a stand when need be, and will also argue with love interests. Even more refreshing then that? The GIRLS ACT LIKE HUMANS STILL. Not cliches, not HOW DARE YOU ,but "No he's right, I was treating you wrong, and thats on me. I apologize."
Also, I'd just like to say to the dev....The orgasm faces on the girls? mm mm, you're making me a happy man.
Oh, also the Journal update blew my mind. Even more detailed and sophisticated, its great.
Keep it up, bud. I will be supporting this game pretty damn soon. Its the bare minimum you deserve with how creative and great this game has been since freaking day 1.
Good luck, Soniram!(Not like you'll need it)

There have been quite a few changes since the last time I played.

The character designs are the same, I didn't expect them to change. But at least now the MC doesn't constantly say how attracted he is to every character in the game. On that same not, I personally thought the MC was way to juvenile in the way his inner monologue was written. The way it's handled now is a big improvement in my opinion. There were still a few areas that bugged me but it was much less than before. And moving on to the inner monologue, there is A LOT of it. I'd say that half of the actual conversations are the MC talking to himself. A lot of it is just little quips and one liners that don't even really contribute to anything. One character will say something he'll think to himself, another character will have a line he'll think to himself... and it just repeats like that and the only thing it does is throw roadblocks into the scene.

The lewd scenes that are there are pretty standard KK animations that you have see elsewhere but there are so few of them right now that it's not a huge deal. They are also very short and play out with no player options, it's just a scene you watch. The lewd dialogue on the other hand leaves a lot to be desired. It's mostly just a bunch of ...'s and random letters. "Oh gods... HHnnKKng.... GGgkk." is something you would see and they are all like that.

The whole apothecary aspect is about the same as well. There is still a hard cap on the carry amount that quickly make you just pass time until the next even, which may be days later. Collecting the ingredients has become even more of a chore now as well. Before you tried to pick a random ingredient at set locations. You didn't always find what you were after but you could do it any time of day. Now for some unknown reason that makes no sense at all you can look for specific ingredients in the different areas but only at set times of day for each plant. A clover plant doesn't disappear when the sun goes down does it?

To give it credit the player agency is a lot better than it used to be. Before it was all or nothing, now you can pursue anyone or no one. It's nice to have that option now. Not every player will go for a harem playstyle and it never a good idea to force someone into a situation they may not like. These games are used for escapism for may people after all.

Long story short, there have been many changes. I think some are better than others. No game it perfect for everyone so give it a shot and see for yourself if it's your thing.

(OLD REVIEW OF FIRST RELEASE)

I'm not sure what this game is trying to be. It's set up as a free roam but the only thing to do in them is gather ingredients, that's literally the only option you have. Doing so also seems to be down to RNG so a lot of the time you don't find anything. That may have been a problem if you didn't hit the max carry amount after just a few visits. And once you do the free roam interactions are unavailable. You then just have to skip time until the next event happens.

There is a journal to give you hints on where to go and when to start events so that's at least helpful but the events themselves are almost completely scripted. You have a few choices that slightly change them but no real say in what happens. Aside from picking flowers the game is largely kinetic. The MC is also very, very opinionated and thinks like a thirteen year old the way his inner monologue is, it's very off putting to me but I'm sure others wont mind it as much. He also thinks every single female in the game is attractive and wants to jump them no mater what, regardless of how the player feels about them. Some of the character designs are pretty unique we'll say and they will definitely not be for everyone so when the MC says "she's cute" it will have some player rolling their eyes thinking "She is?".

I didn't see every scene because it got to "just click" for me but the ones I did the MC and whoever else was involved had already made up their minds and it was just back to a linear event to click through until the next player interaction of occasionally picking flowers waiting for the next event, just rinse and repeat. If there isn't going to be any player agency just make a KN and save the people that don't like that the trouble. There is also a lot of explanatory inner monologue like "She's not wearing her helmet this time." and "She falling!", things that the player couldn't possibly have sussed out on their own just looking at the picture right in front of them I guess. There are also many interruptions by the dev that happen out of nowhere that make it painfully obvious that you are playing a game.

From what I gather the story, for lack of a better word is about you taking over an apothecary from your aunt. That's well, about it really. After the introduction the MC just does random thing at random times with do direction at all. There is no harem tag but all of the LI's events are tied to each other so you have to go through them to see one from someone you are actually interested in. Again one hundred percent linear.

This is still early so anything could happen but as it is if your looking for a game with at least a little player agency and a steady story then you should look elsewhere. If you want to play a KN with free roam elements then you may like it but I didn't.