Let me say first, that from all (over 100, I think) games from F95Zone and TFGames, that I have played, no other game has made me to identify so much with the main character, and to care so much for folks close to her. Not only I have skipped many otherwise very interesting fap choices (like camgirl or erotic star with Danny) thinking about Ashley's future, but I have also done so because I have cared about her friends.
Thinking about 3 similar games, that I've played, in Life Choices this had a limited impact on my gameplay, and Hard Times in Hornstown and Girl's Life I've played 50/50 like a fap and VN/adventure game. In contrast my play through GGGB very early on turned to be driven almost exclusively by caring for the protagonists.
It was the emotional highlight of the game for me, when self-assured Ashley, at the very top of the sexy path, was confidently speaking on TV Show about her previous insecurities, being a free woman, stopping short of doing things which would make her uncomfortable (like fully nude shots), being bisexual (actually predominantly lesbian), and encouraging others to become whoever they truly want to be.
I'm really glad, that after the initial "wild self-exploration" period, the choices that I've made for her have led her there, and I was not regretting them at the end, even though she has somewhat run of luck and opportunities by then, having her live a pretty normal, a bit boring and single life, with all those, that she really cared for doing at least as well, as she did.
So in my opinion it is a very good visual novel on it's own rights, that even on Steam I would heartily recommend, which is something which I could not say even about Hard Times in Hornstown and Girl's Life, playing of which I have also enjoyed very much.
I sure will play it quite a few more times, possibly messing up with the variables, to explore some of the other paths, and taking more risks, but still guided much more by me seeing Ash like my daughter, than by curiosity about fap material hidden in the depths. I did not, for example, go the erotic website road, not because I found it beyond Ashley's acceptable bounds, but because I did not trust Danny enough, but that's something I will sure try. I was also quite sorry to say "No" to returning Eric (especially in the way, that it has been written), but at that time (because of her seeing what the marriage has done to her parents), it was obvious to me, that she was set on building a steady relationship with a woman... something, that I can turn around the next time
. She was open to Nat or even Jasmine, but really fell for Jessica, for some reason no longer getting any option (and no explanation, why it was no longer happening) to be intimate with her, but even if I have to play directly with the variables, I certainly want to see, how it would work.
On the other hand, even though some scenes, that I really like to see in porn games are likely to be present and even abundant in the Wilson path, I sure care too much for Ash to ever explore them
.
There are also very few bugs and technical problem, that I've encountered in the game, which is quite unusual for this site. I can't say much about the "culture of the code", but the end result works almost flawlessly, especially for a Patreon game.
Actually I have found only 2 bugs, and they are really minuscule:
1) receiving 2nd (?) internet gift package (169R) I was wearing Sexy Ash 3 outfit (black bra-like top and US flag shorts) and I've received the 4th Good Ash outfit (pink top, white skirt), in which "I finally felt totally comfortable with my looks"... but there was no option to start wearing it, and I kept wearing my old Sexy Ash outfit till the end;
2) buying the compact car (and being alone) I've got my money decreased by 6 (as expected), but I've received a wrong message, about "Money decreased by 4!".
The biggest problem, that I had, was with the story flow, and with the abrupt and unexplained end to my sexual encounters/romance with Jessica. Just before renting my own apartment I have visited her at her parent's house (169Jes, jessfriend3, jessgood2, no boy/girlfriend), and as usually landed in bed with her, which ended with "Each time we do it, it's even better." As she has already decided to stay with her parents, I could not rent an apartment with her, so I've rented my own, and since them, without any explanation, seeing her for a few more times, I've had no option to be intimate with her. Sure, becoming more responsible, she could have decided to go 100% straight on sex as well, but shouldn't she at least tell her past lover a word about this? Or shouldn't I have a chance to ask? But that's the only illogical "story barricade", that I have run into.
I have also found a very small, but a bit anticlimactic problem with the Gossip article picture, when Kevin shows Ash the article on the campus. When the large text (on pink backgrounds) seems to be properly personalized (nice job here), the small (but still easily readable) print isn't. It's a bit shocking, making your mind to be a lesbian, to read, that "Well, the most important thing is for my partner to have a big dick, ha, ha!" Personalizing all those small print paragraphs may be too much work, but how about greying out all the small text?
Thinking about possible game improvements, though it would be a large task to undertake, I would like to give Ashley more chances to actively guide her life (actually, that may be the biggest weakness of this game, that she really doesn't guide her life, just makes choices based on what others offer to her). I think, that the best way to do this would be to give her a chance (like once or twice per month) to make a 3-4 phone calls to any of the people, that have so far contacted her.
I would like her to be able to decide, with whom she wants to spend the weekend, or with whom and how she wants to grieve after someone's death... or at least have a chance to show interest in the potential sexual partners by calling them, and to inquire about job possibilities with folks, that she has already worked for (like asking Jack for some additional time at the club, because she wants money for a new tattoo, or checking with Super Gossip, if she could not do some additional shots for them... and maybe hear, that sure, but this time they would have to be nude).
Last, as I have seen a few posts about methods of reading/editing the variables, I would like to recommend the simplest and well working tool to deal with them (at least, if you are willing to guess their meaning based on their names, which is mostly easy for this game). It's the free online tool at
You must be registered to see the links
, which currently supports *.rvdata2, *.rpgsave, *.dat, *.sav, *.save, *.rsv, *.qsp, *.rvdata, *.rxdata, *.lsd, *.sol files for Adobe Flash, QSP, Rags Player 2.4, Ren'Py, RPGMaker 2000/2003/XP/MV/VX/VX Ace, Unity3D, Unreal Engine, The Witcher 3 and Wolf RPG Editor.