VN - Ren'Py - Ergi [v0.6.18] [KKChar]

Loving the game a lot! I don't quite understand the complains about the "grinding part". Personally, I like it. Quite challenging yet rewarding with gorgeous images. The guys are hot as hell, so please keep it up! Looking forward to the day when the game will be fully developed.

TLDR: Played v1.8.62, up to Chapter 1 - Summer Solstice quest. I couldn't reach the end of contents of this build, due to the atrocious amount of grinding required. This game has a ton of potential tho-.

Graphics are gorgeous, world building is awesome and characters are very unique, rich with personality and good looking. I especially like the fact that not everyone in the world is trying to fuck you, this is a game with romance foremost, not a sex game like most of the other VNs.

However, the amount of clicking, going around, crafting stuff at specific places, backtracking, remembering recipes, crafting more stuff, going back, rinse & repeat, for one bazillion different items get obnoxious quite fast for me.
Also didn't really like the time gating on missions and the specific conditions to unluck romance options. It just "forces" to follow a walkthrough for you specific love interest, instead of enjoying the game for what it is in a more natural way.

There's a lot going for this game, but there's also a lot to take away from it as well. This feels like more of an actual game, which is a nice change of pace on the site. However, the lack of details and random timing on quests to complete kind of kill the vibe for me. I played all 3 Chapters so far, and the game is still vague and confusing most of the time. I played through Chapter 2 twice, because I didn't know I was going to be completely locked out of side quests on the 15th day. Even then on my second playthrough, two side quests still wouldn't pop for me despite having the requirements because I didn't go on a certain day? I still don't know why they wouldn't complete. I had to play through Chapter 3 3 times to complete the main quests because of random things getting locked out, things not completing, being unable to find quest markers, etc.

The characters are all interesting and have their own quirks and personality that makes them feel different enough. I had a real hard time deciding who I wanted to romance because of this. However, I feel like it's all lacking a bit on depth. As in I feel like the cut scenes only really go surface level and there's nothing that makes you stop and think "Well....damn....that was intense." I felt like this started to happen a little in Chapter 3, but still didn't feel hooked in.

Overall, the gameplay loop is pretty good, but it could do without random gating. If I have the materials and time, the quest should pop for me, and it shouldn't matter what day or time I go visit an area. Cut scenes should be longer and dive more in depth. I want to really like this game, but due to these issues, the game felt like a slog at times.

The Gay Tag Review

Gay needle: 100% gay: the character has 9 potential love interests and they are all male, so no mistake about that. Note: the game isn't shy with nudity, so prepare yourself to see boobs, female pubic hair and the occasional heterosexual intercourse (although not in all its porny details -this is a tasteful game, thank you very much). Yes, also from people that you fancy. It makes sense in context, but so that you are warned. Note also that you have masculine/feminine scores, although they don't impact (yet) your appearance, it's just to determine how appealing you are to those love interests who prefer masculine or feminine qualities.

In a post-apocalyptic Earth, only the extreme north of the world -now habitable- has survived a botched attempt at solving climate change, and the few humans left have reconstructed a society based on Norse ideals, while dealing with issues like a corrupting phenomenon that makes pregnancies deadly risky and various overgrown wild animals (also a produce of botched experiments). You are Britt, a young guy who is conscripted from the relative security of the Alpines (where children and the elderly live) and starts his life in the main settlement in the valley. You'll soon discover that the situation is more complex than you thought and that you are no ordinary conscript.
This game is a gem. The worldbuilding is excellent -I've rarely found a world that is so immersive and addictive, even within professional games-, the story is totally absorbing and all the characters are very well-rounded and interesting. And hot, let's not forget hot. Graphically, it is also pretty spectacular, particularly concerning the rendering of the people. Music is great too.
The developers have taken particular care in showing how the Norse mindset can be different -even alien- from ours, and this will probably impact the stories, so the experience can be slightly disorienting, and people should not expect 'conventional' relationships. If you think that every game must end with you and your love interest in a happy-ever-after monogamous relationship, you might be disappointed (although that is still far away, as we're at chapter 2 and there are 9 chapters).

Beware though: this is not structured as a visual novel. The game mechanics are rather resource building, crafting and some light (but not too easy) puzzling. Each day you consume energy to do these things and you can have encounters with the various people (who can give you side quests) if you visit specific locations. Some people might find it grinding. I don't mind and I actually find the merging between the more "game-y" part and the narrative part a very original approach and quite seamlessly done.

And finally, the developers have the declared goal of introducing sex and all that jazz in a sensible and meaningful way. If you play just to get to the porn scene, this might not be for you (after two chapters, sexual interactions of the main characters have still been pretty limited). Although you would miss some very satisfying interactions.

The game will span nine chapter. Aside from the short prologue, the first two chapters are easily 6-10 hours each, so there's a lot of material already and the final game will be pretty big.

This is a review of the Demo and the first chapter (available via Patreon).

This is a damned good game. Head and shoulders above most 3D art games and containing excellent world-building and characterization. The beefcake art of naked hot guys counterbalances the grimdark post-apocalyptic world of the game nicely.

The Demo is very tight indeed, setting up the world and conflicts nicely. The first chapter is much the same but a lot longer. If you are looking for a game with sex right off the bat, this isn't it. But the sexual tension and the chase are fun and well-written. And the first chapter is very, very click-heavy.

Ergi needs a couple of quality of life tweaks, with fast travel and one-click crafting, perhaps, but the story and art are very much worth the extra work one has to put in right now. Highly recommended.

My only issue was the weird pointer, I couldn't click properly on stuff sometimes. And maybe some labels are needed to know were each path takes you.

But other than that it was amazing! It is a small demo but already so much world building. Can't wait to see more

This game is a masterpiece in the making. I am in awe of the story and how immediately you feel for the characters.

There is so much to look forward to with this title. You should definitely give this one a try it's just that damn good. 10/10 would play the demo again.