Its rushed, you can feel that much, but it's not as if it's so terrible that it ruins the 85% of the game before it. Overall, the game is still good enough that I'd recommend it if you were already interested.
- Thread starter Charolastra
- Start date
- Jul 25, 2017
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I thought most of was it was worth playing sure there was a small issue here or there I wasn't fond of. But overall I liked it for what it was I just mostly didn't like the end it felt super rushed there.Getting major redditor vibes in this thread the couple last pages.
Is it worth picking up anyway? I've got it on my drive but haven't gotten around to try yet. Like, is it so bad it ruins the first half of the game?
- Nov 15, 2022
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The ending doesn't ruin anything. It doesn't retcon or have the actors make out-of-character decisions... it just ends.Getting major redditor vibes in this thread the couple last pages.
Is it worth picking up anyway? I've got it on my drive but haven't gotten around to try yet. Like, is it so bad it ruins the first half of the game?
No build up, no pay off, it just ends right at where you would expect the story to reach the pinnacle - but without an ending & epilogue.
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Thanks for the replies, in the mean time I've binged it through mainly due to lack of anything worthwhile.
I can only agree with the assessments. Well I had fun the first few hours at least. And if nothing else, I wasn't forced to choose between two main LIs due to a certain house fire
I can only agree with the assessments. Well I had fun the first few hours at least. And if nothing else, I wasn't forced to choose between two main LIs due to a certain house fire
- Aug 30, 2017
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The writers never lost their ability to write the siblings or their unique communication style (especially Haley's), which was always the best part of the entire story, and partially redeems the two big missteps (the Big Traumatic Event and the rushed endings).
But it's definitely not what it could have been, and (to repeat something I've probably written dozens of times in this thread) the way that games are funded and released makes the disappointment so much worse than if this had been a two hour movie of the week on a hypothetical version of The Hallmark Channel that allows incest. We had to wait through the extremely promising buildup and then wait just as long as it all sorta...collapsed into a partially inflated balloon.
People sometimes analogize the Patreon model to episodic TV in the pre-streaming days, but it's not an apt analogy. Even interconnected series with season-long arcs usually told complete stories within the confines of each episode. VNs like this never do; you get the intro, wait a month, get half the first act, wait another month, get the second half of the first act, wait another month, get half of the second act, wait another month, and so forth. Haley's Story was, at least, pretty good about deadlines — this wasn't like Freeloading Family, where everyone had to wait ages for a big pile of terribly disappointing endings — but the period during which the devs lost their enthusiasm was all too obvious, and I knew it was never going to end with the brio with which it was introduced.
Personally, I considered the Sandra + Haley ending to be the particular version of a bearded relationship that the devs preferred, so that was my primary playthrough, though I had saves for all the others, including the sibling-only version. When weekend after weekend passed with the trio visiting the siblings' parents and doing more or less the same things, for no particular reason other than to gradually increase Dad's suspicion, I knew there'd never been a clear and definitive path to ending the story. It's the same thing that happened to Dreaming of Dana, with one key dev in common, so I hope it's something he figures out at some point.
- Nov 15, 2022
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Yeah, when I reached this part (the siblings-only playthrough), the dread set in as I realized that the devs spent God-knows how many hours rendering those scenes (a lot of assets were probably even reused) during which nothing significant happened. You had the dad growing more suspicious, sure, but it felt like he was the only character that actually had something going on.
Meanwhile, the MC and Haley were just jumping between their parent's house and the city repeating every day in some boring version of Groundhog Day.
The ending was absolutely flat. And that is terrible in itself.
- Feb 27, 2018
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I was bored and downloaded this game, had seen it quite a few times before so thought "hey this looks completed so let me give it a try", never thought I would see Alexandra cameo here that it actually made me double check if it was not made by the same dev.
Also yes as the others have stated the story does kind of ends on a cliff hanger like ending, where it feels like some of the fat had been suddenly cut off and forgotten about.
Also yes as the others have stated the story does kind of ends on a cliff hanger like ending, where it feels like some of the fat had been suddenly cut off and forgotten about.
- Dec 27, 2017
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In fact, Ptolemy (the developer of Alexandria) is part of this development team.
Hi, I've got an issue, I'm just past the point where the MC meets up with the blonde friend, and squash partner, of the MC's girlfriend. I saved right at the choice, where you can go home or to the blondes place for sex.
Now I'm past that point where you've decided to start a relationship with Haley, and it's your parents anniversary. Since the previous choice, right up to the phone call with your Mum, I can't Save, Auto, Skip or Back. None of the option and quick menu are visible.
I'm using the Android Port on a Samsung S7
I've tried closing the app, restarting the tablet and even removing the app - reinstalled, and the game goes straight back to the point I'd left off before uninstalling???
There must be a file with settings that doesn't get uninstalled and a way to bring back the quick menu?
Thanks in advance,
Monk
Now I'm past that point where you've decided to start a relationship with Haley, and it's your parents anniversary. Since the previous choice, right up to the phone call with your Mum, I can't Save, Auto, Skip or Back. None of the option and quick menu are visible.
I'm using the Android Port on a Samsung S7
I've tried closing the app, restarting the tablet and even removing the app - reinstalled, and the game goes straight back to the point I'd left off before uninstalling???
There must be a file with settings that doesn't get uninstalled and a way to bring back the quick menu?
Thanks in advance,
Monk
- Nov 15, 2020
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I came to this party a bit late I guess. I didn't read all of the older posts but:
If a person was caught stealing candy when he was 12, doesn't mean he'll steal cars when he turns 18.
It might be a prediction for future behaviour but it's not black and white.
As for how it might affect Haleys future, you are assuming things without much of a basis. As far as we know, Haley had just one boyfriend (besides what happened with Klaus). That's nothing out of the ordinary. That she tries to supress her feelings for the MC on the other hand, that's pretty normal.
Strong men still want to protect the weak girls.
Strong women might feel some motherly love for weak boys, but that won't likely lead to romance.
I can agree with this.
Yes and no. There is a reason why people below 18 (or whatever) can't vote and why they are judged differently in a court of law.
If a person was caught stealing candy when he was 12, doesn't mean he'll steal cars when he turns 18.
It might be a prediction for future behaviour but it's not black and white.
You still make it sound like Haley is guilty of the rape. She may *think* she is, or is at least complicit, but the *law* rightly says that the adult should have known better. In other words, the adult is ALWAYS in the wrong.
As for how it might affect Haleys future, you are assuming things without much of a basis. As far as we know, Haley had just one boyfriend (besides what happened with Klaus). That's nothing out of the ordinary. That she tries to supress her feelings for the MC on the other hand, that's pretty normal.
I think it doesn't work like that. Gender equality is fine and all, but reality is that meekness is still alluring in girls, while repulsive in boys. In my opinion.
Strong men still want to protect the weak girls.
Strong women might feel some motherly love for weak boys, but that won't likely lead to romance.
Would you accept that the person who stole candy at 12 has a higher probability to steal a car at 18 than the person who did not steal candy at 12?
It is not about the guilt. Imagine this: there is a person that is insanely naive, selfless and kind hearted. Someone who knows this information comes up to them in the street, tells them a sob story and says: ''Could you please give me all your money? I am really struggling and need money'' And being a naive, kind hearted person this person goes and withdraws all their money and gives it away. Now this person becomes homeless and is starving because they gave away all their money, so they have no money for food and rent. I can BLAME the person who took advantage of this kind hearted naive person, and wouldn't necessarily say that the kind naive person is an idiot and they deserve to be homeless and starving, but I wouldn't want to have a relationship with that kind of person, I don't want to deal with those kind of struggles if I become a part of their life on an intimate level.
It works like that for ME, that is my personal preference. I am not attracted to weak / meek girls that I need to protect. Weakness and meekness are repulsive to me. When girls show weakness, cry, sob, are vulnerable etc. I lose attraction to them. A little bit, sometimes is ok, we are all human and sometimes we can be weak, but in general I like strong stoic women. Haley going from this playful cool chick to a traumatized girl is a big turn off.
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- Sep 29, 2023
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While I don't agree with the conclusion about Haley (I don't see her as weak or meek at all, she's a top-tier brat), I can relate with this. A cutesy/doting woman (much like Sandra) will make my balls shrivel. I don't want to be worshiped, and would want an equal partner.
As for Haley, in my playthrough I only learned two things about what happened with Klaus; He manipulated her naïveté to escalate physical contact (the kiss, and his head on the girl's lap), and he "hurt her". We also know that mom put a stop to it, and has a very low opinion of Haley.
Connecting the dots (granted, there isn't much to work with), I suspect Klaus groomed Haley, eventually raped her (hurt her), then normalized what happened with the excuse of them being in a relationship, and it being normal. It's possible that by that time, Haley was fully convinced by Klaus that she seduced him. The 'three weeks' that are mentioned likely don't include the time Klaus spent grooming her, but only the time Haley considered them to be in a sexual relationship. Their mother found out, and blamed Haley as well. Either by Haley's own admission, or by being convinced by Klaus, in her mother's eyes, Haley was guilty.
There's no doubt in my mind that Haley (learned to, or at least partly) liked what was happening with Klaus. Haley loves being manhandled and used sexually, I'm sure that Klaus did plenty of that, and even introduced her to the concept.
Haley's abuse seems to come out of nowhere because it was never framed for the audience. She tells the MC that her teacher was her first lover, and he immediately infers that Haley was groomed and abused. At that point, we, the players, don't have to believe that conclusion yet. Although technically rape, it's still possible that no grooming happened, and that Haley did, in fact, seduce her teacher, and she actually had a crush on him. (She did seduce the MC, cheating on her lover and Sandra, while it being taboo as well, so this isn't far-fetched.) We never saw Haley get triggered, retreat or being vulnerable, instead we get this brat who's jealous and possessive of her brother (insults his look and negs him when he goes out with Sandra, then compliments him when he goes out with her, as an example). It's only after meeting Haley2 that we (the players) are relatively certain that the MC's conclusion is the correct one.
- Nov 15, 2020
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As per the latest wisdom from Harvard, "it depends on the circumstances".
But seriously: perhaps. It does depend on the circumstances. If stealing the candy at 12 was for fun, or due to peer pressure, they got caught and it was made very clear that it was bad, then perhaps they would change their mind so that stealing a car at 18 would actually be less likely. If they did it out of poverty and nobody ever told them it's wrong, then maybe stealing a car would be more likely.
In the case of Haley however, the circumstances where the thing with Klaus happened, didn't happen again and are unlikely to happen again (she's not a schoolgirl anymore). In case something similar would happen (e.g. with a boss or something) she would now be in a stronger position and now know what's going on.
All in all, I am somewhat worried about the trauma but not about it happening again.
Honestly, while I understand your position, I do find it a bit too cynical for my taste.
In the end, everybody has some things that happened in the past that they are not proud of. Everybody has made poor decisions and/or experienced some kind of set backs. Not all in the same magnitude of course. But making mistakes and learning from them is a key part of human experience.
Personal preference is what it is, can't argue with that. And I do understand you being turned off by Haley showing her true self.
But personally, while I didn't like the plot twist as such (I felt bad that the MC couldn't protect her) I do think it really deepened Haley's character and as such it's really great writing. Too many characters in adult VN's remain flat, one-dimensional stereotypes. In reality everybody has multiple sides, including several ways in which they present themselves depending on the circumstances.
@Yngling
The reason I don't think she changed is because of her boyfriend. Like she still hasn't learned to say ''no''. She dances around trying to ''please'' him and not breakup for a long time, instead of just telling him it is over, when she wants to get out of that relationship, and it seems a lot like the kind of pressure she was under when she was groomed, she didn't want to disappoint the poor teacher, she felt bad for him. She can't stand up for herself in front of the parents. She can't say what she wants and is just sulking when you go for another girl. She is a peoples pleaser and will please people at her own detriment. I very much doubt that she won't cheat if she goes on a business trip with some boss that will pressure her, because she is exactly the kind of person that will. I don't want to safe-guard her all her life. A little bit of alcohol, a bit of pressure and she will cheat on the MC, she won't want to do it, she will regret it, she will blame herself, but she will do it, because she can't say ''no'' and can't communicate her boundaries clearly. I've known people like that IRL. I don't blame these people, that is just the kind of person they are, but never will I ever get into a relationship with one.
The reason I don't think she changed is because of her boyfriend. Like she still hasn't learned to say ''no''. She dances around trying to ''please'' him and not breakup for a long time, instead of just telling him it is over, when she wants to get out of that relationship, and it seems a lot like the kind of pressure she was under when she was groomed, she didn't want to disappoint the poor teacher, she felt bad for him. She can't stand up for herself in front of the parents. She can't say what she wants and is just sulking when you go for another girl. She is a peoples pleaser and will please people at her own detriment. I very much doubt that she won't cheat if she goes on a business trip with some boss that will pressure her, because she is exactly the kind of person that will. I don't want to safe-guard her all her life. A little bit of alcohol, a bit of pressure and she will cheat on the MC, she won't want to do it, she will regret it, she will blame herself, but she will do it, because she can't say ''no'' and can't communicate her boundaries clearly. I've known people like that IRL. I don't blame these people, that is just the kind of person they are, but never will I ever get into a relationship with one.
- Apr 4, 2018
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Try Red Lucy - this (amongst others) has B/S-incest with a smoking hot sister.
- Sep 29, 2023
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The 'never' was meant in the context of the story before the sexual abuse was revealed. We never got hints that Haley was fighting with her inner demons, or that it impacted her life in any way. As for the therapy sessions themselves, we only experience them tangentially, except for the one where we were briefly present (at least in my playthrough, I don't know if other paths have more therapy content.)
I appreciated the MC stepping up and pushing his sister to get therapy, though, being the brat she is, it was predictable that she'd make a mockery out of it at first. In that regard, I also think the game/story failed at conveying how damaging the experience with Klaus was. Haley refuses to talk about what she experienced or feels about it, so the players are left entirely in the dark as well. All we get to experience is her (being in) denial.
The conclusion of the therapy sessions wasn't satisfactory for me either. After a breakthrough, a therapist will want to check up on their patient a bit more, instead of less. I also got the impression that Haley became even more manic than she was at the start of the game (Komodo Dragon, being irresponsible and evasive about birth control). I would expect that successful therapy would make her more grounded, and in touch with reality. To me, her behavior in the dad-arc seemed more like that of a teenage girl, instead of an adult.