VN - Ren'Py - Esoterika [v0.4b] [Inkshade]

Review for Esoterika (v0.4b)

Story & Writing

Esoterika unfortunately fails to offer anything fresh or engaging within the AVN space, especially for players already familiar with NTR-focused narratives. The game leans heavily on the most overused tropes of the genre, resulting in an experience that feels derivative from the very first scenes.

The MC fits the familiar mold of the oblivious, passive protagonist—more a bystander than an active participant in his own story. Meanwhile, the stereotypical “friend” who checks off every box seen in countless NTR titles: muscular, gym-owning, overly confident, and conveniently endowed. By the end of this update, one of the MC’s two potential love interests is already within NTR territory, leaving little room for subtlety, tension, or emotional buildup. The narrative is predictable, and there’s no attempt to deepen or subvert established tropes.

Visuals

The renders land solidly in the “average” range. They aren’t bad, but they don’t leave a strong impression or elevate the experience. Nothing stands out stylistically or technically.

Audio

There is no music or sound design, which significantly hurts the pacing and atmosphere. Silent scenes that should feel tense, emotional, or erotic instead feel flat and monotonous.

Gameplay & Choices

Choice design is another weak aspect. The decisions you’re given rarely matter and do little to influence the direction of the story. The game feels almost entirely on rails, with player agency being minimal at best.

Summary

Esoterika (0.4b) is a by-the-numbers NTR AVN that brings nothing new to the genre—predictable writing, stock characters, average visuals, no audio, and near-meaningless choices. Unless you’re seeking a straightforward, trope-heavy NTR experience with no surprises or depth, this update doesn’t offer much worth playing.

Most developers just repeat clichés, and the weak, stupid MC is one of them.

He should have reciprocated Celes's blowjob in this update instead of just sleeping, but he couldn't because he's so weak and stupid.

The next problem is Celes's bizarrely romantic thoughts, actions, and reactions towards that weird Black guy. The two of them haven't even spoken for a total of half an hour. Did she fall in love with his bald Black head? Or maybe she's a size queen who prefers a big dick over everything else...

Unfortunately, this game's beautiful renders and characters are going downhill because the developer is relying on lazy, simplistic plot devices just for the sake of simplicity. With good writing, deeper characters, and more interesting motivations (instead of the obsession with big dicks), this game could have been a trending hit.

So, to summarize, the game's weak points are the writing, character development, relationships, and the lack of any new experience

This visual novel is really strong if the subject matter is what you're into. Keep in mind that it's a NTR/NTS game with strong interracial themes. If that may annoy you, don't play it.

Some of the pros/highlights:

• The fantasy-into-the-modern-world setting is done really well. It's a creative concept, and unlike some other reviewers, I think it's good that the author spends some time delving into it. It's an interesting fantasy world to explore but the author manages to switch the focus back to the story when things threaten to become boring. It also lays a lot of groundwork for where the plot could go in the future. I'm a big fan of it.
• The interracial content is interesting and promising. An innocent warrior-sorcerer maiden falls from the sky, only to be tempted by a muscular black man? Hot. The fantasy world seems to have some interracial element too? Creative, and hot.
• Good choices-- I almost feel like they don't need to be color-coded as they're pretty obvious.
• The NTR/NTS content seems right up my alley. I'm excited to see where it progresses. I'm hopeful that even as Celes is tempted and corrupted, she is still trying to love the MC as he loves her.

Cons (mostly a result of the early stage of development:

• Not much explicit sex scenes, especially with the MC and main love interest.
• Definitely a VN! Not a game to play if you're looking for a highly interactive game. I'm fine with that though.
• Story ends right as it begins!

So the only cons are that it's still being developed, and I'm very excited to see where things go!

Poorly written, uninteresting, and largely vapid. A very easily avoidable experience.

I downloaded the 0.1 ages ago and tried to play it, and was surprised about how bad it was. So instead I downloaded the new version, and I saw basically nothing changed in the quality. The story premise is interesting, but it's clear that the creator knows very little about the actual setting in terms of farming...or humans communicating with each other, apparently.

The decent visuals (not great) are the only reason it was 2/5 and not 1/5. The NTR is even lazy compared to how lazy NTR is in general. But even then, the idea to fit NTR into the plot is such a severe clash that it's like there's two different projects forced together into one. The plot of discovering this magic world and how these magic users interact with our world is just totally interrupted by trying to have these women get fucked by other dudes. It's just ridiculous.

this game is fantastic, the character designs are perfect and the story is quite unique where the woman travels to the mc's world. i mean, wow that's a really good idea. some scenes are really good and quite beautiful (especially making the wet clothes scene is hard my friend, it might take a bit of time but you can make it, that's cool).

The models / renderings look great. The plot is fine. Magic to corrupt characters is legit. The plot takes waaay too long to get to the 18+/XXX content. Would’ve been better just to start the game off where the main female character is already living with the protagonist, and have the backstory covered with maybe five renders and some texts

First of all, I don't want to talk about the strengths, as we all know what they are. Imagine I wrote 10 lines about them—there are plenty of strengths : rendering, writing, atmosphere, concept, story, MC, character appearances, relationships, facial expression, physiology, and so on

However, there are two potential weaknesses. The first one hasn't been proven yet, so it's still up in the air, but the second one is a major weaknesses:

1. The implementation of NTR for the MC's sister:
   NTR and corruption through magic is wrong because, quite literally, it causes the person to die, and someone else takes their place. For example, Gwen's mother had a character/personality, but when Bull cast the domination spell on her, she no longer existed as Gwen’s mother—only her body remained, with someone else inside. This new person has no inner appeal. There are many reasons why NTR and corruption through magic and spells are a mistake
   But currently, a simple spell has been cast on the MC's sister, If no other spells are cast, this simple spell can be overlooked
   
   
2. The FMC's personality:
   The FMC's reaction to Bull’s kiss in the truth or dare game shows weakness in her personality. She’s in love with the MC and has confessed to him, but in the game, She got really lost in Bull's kiss and had an inappropriate facial expression, as if she was in love with him. This contradicts her love for the MC—either she loves him, or she’s indifferent. Both can’t exist at the same time. So either she doesn’t love the MC, or she doesn’t love him enough, and that’s not good. The love between the MC and FM is crucial in the NTR genre
   Then, when the MC and FMC said goodbye to Bull and Julia, the FMC seemed overly eager to repeat truth or dare...
   Even from a logical perspective: this facial expression didn’t make sense. It felt like FMC and Bull spent a lot time together, and fallen in love, but they’ve only met each other once before

A great game with good writing and build up to the erotic scenarios.

It has an NTR & an NTS/Cuck path and it's easy to tell which choices lead to which outcome because they are colour coded which is a good idea.

The main LI Celes is amazing, and the other girls are really good too.

I would recommend this to anyone who's a NTR or NTS fan.

[As of version 0.3]
Great game. Really enjoyed the artwork and the animations. It has both NTR and Femdom. Good suspense story.
Would really love to see some femdom scenes from Celes. Also, Julia being taken away from the MC would be nice too.

A brilliant start to an NTR game. Top level renders, models, facial expressions, and writing. It leans into "blacked" fetish stuff, but with believable and well written characters so far, and a somewhat entriguing larger premise with other worlds and magical influence.

Would highly recommend to anyone that likes NTR that's based around seduction rather than blackmail, force, etc, thought there is an element of mind control with the magic side of things.

great game so far. the girls are hot and have distinguishing personalitlies, the NTR is realistic and hot asf, and the story is actually interesting. i didnt really expect to be invested in a story like this, but when you put magic and corruption and interconnected relationships, its genuinely interesting. give it a shot, its quick and has some GREAT foundation to build on.

10/10 NTR Game.

10/10 so far Amazing Game, Amazing Story, Amazing Plot, Fantastic Characters.
All the Characters seem realy interesting so far (with Female Characters with cool designs)

Really Liked the Female Main Character really sexy, One of my Favorite scnes is the Female Main Character in the Gym Showers, was peak.

Well done Game, cant wait for more will follow this series very closely ,
Hope the Dev can produce the story that he has in vision.

Review Version 0.2
Frankly it's to early to judge this game one way or another. But what I have played I liked from a story telling point of view as it's a reverse Iseaki. So far I really like 2 of the characters. If this wasn't a NTR game it would be hard to pick the LI. As I like the redhead the best but wouldn't want to make the blonde cry by breaking up with her. However since this is a NTR game I feel it will be a bit easier to have my cake and eat it to, since I wont feel bad for "cheating" in the future this title since NTR is going to be a theme.

Speaking of the NTR portion of the game. I'm a bit skeptical about it at the current stage of the game, need more updates to see. But right now it barley feels like a NTR game as it's too early as the girls feel like they want a relationship with the MC and not cuck him / NTR him. I'm suspecting the NTR is going to come in a form of the big bad guy doing some magic and not because the girls want to do it because they are having fantasies about other men / it's a fetish of the MC. So for me the NTR element is a wait and see as it's too early to judge it just yet.

There is one thing that is a bit confusing there are blue and red choices through out the game. It's unclear to me if those are different paths or will effect the MC or the girls just yet. As right now those choices don't appear to change any of the scenes all that much.

If I didn't really like what ive seen and the potential for it to get better I would of only given this 3 stars but I really like it so far and can't wait for future updates so for now 4 / 5 stars.

Currently not much content at all, expected of 0.1 of course. The content that there is not bad yet it is going in a bit too fast in to corruption.

Celes is a Fantasy Knight from a mediaeval world with what I assume, naturally, ethics and morals of that period so ı find it unbeliveable that she masturbates to the first guy that flashes her. Now this is most certainly an NTR game, so far the 4 or so choices have no difference between them, it plays like a kinetic novel.

All in all it is promising at least the premise, perhaps slowing the corruption or giving a plausible reason as to why The Main Girl is sliding into it so fast would be required in my opinion.

Promising but for now I suggest to those reading this that they should at least wait around 0.3 or 0.4 to try it out.

If you want to make believable story of a "Medieval" woman in armor breaking in modern house.

You could atleast check what kind of clothing is possible. And not dress girl with a spandex/rubber modern underwear bra, (that is produced with modern oil refinieries and complex chemical equipment) and tight yoga leggings.

I do not mind those, wonders of clothing, but it just destroys all possible immersion into the story, and makes it look bad.

For a first version, it shows alot of promise. The plot is interesting and easy to get into. All the female models are super hot and the render quality is superb. The NTR that is currently being teased appears to be super hot and excited to see what this game has in the future. Just has a few grammatical errors and bugs currently in the first version.

This game is so good and has so much potential. Especially in the NTR or even cheating aspect.

A hot female knight got isekai into your farm and she will be pretending to be your wife so as not to raise suspicions. She is already being targeted by a villain and also your "best friend". There are already some NTR build up and its really hot.

Additionally, you have a cute sister studying abroad and she have a rich friend that is wanting to cheat on her boyfriend for you.

Lots of potential, lots of possibilities, I really enjoyed 0.1 and will be watching this game closely.

This game is already promising, from the female types to the story telling. And OFC the NTR, its a good start with just 0.1 making me want more. I wonder if there is going to be interdimensional world building so there are more women, monsters, bandits etc... Also something else that would be amazing is hidden sex. (i.e, fucking behind closed doors or smashing under sheets without the MC knowing)

Fantastic first release for a game. The game has laid some great foundation with Celes, and all the content in the first update I've seen shows that it has a great story to tell and a bright future ahead. The graphics are quite nice, the plot is interesting, the characters get a huge thumbs up from me, and the future tags are sure to also be awesome stuff. Good luck to the dev!

good models (Celeste 10/10 NTR body)
good seeds for the corruption (sexual curiosity and lack knowledge about the world the girl is in)
hope for nice and steady pacing
im have hope for more personal corruption and not making every girl a cumdump
im in sexual corruption for me 9/10 for the 0.1 update