VN - Ren'Py - Harem Hotel [v0.18.2] [Runey]

  1. 5.00 star(s)

    Nevermourned

    (This game has come a long way since my previous review, which is thoroughly outdated. In appreciation, here's a new one.

    This game, while not perfect, definitely deserves the five star rating on this site, in my opinion. If things were more fine-tuned I'd likely give it a 4.5, or a nine out of ten, but in absence, a five is very appropriate. It is clear that a huge amount of work has gone into this game, and into the characters that populate it. It is much appreciated.

    Firstly, the characters. At first, they all appear to be simple, though endearing, archetypes and fantasies, relatively simple. Most of them though become more apparently complex the more time you spend with them, the more interaction is had. There is more to them than meets the eye, and as quirky and fun as they can be, they can also get really serious, and address deeper problems and themes. They can even show themselves to have desires and needs that you didn't think of, but make sense in retrospect. In my opinion at least. The farther you go with them, the more depth there is, and I appreciate that.

    The world is interesting. It doesn't fascinate me, because it's mainly an alternate universe modern world with more technology and elves, but it is it's own unique world, and that means that there's even more that could be done with it in proper time. Most interesting to me about it is the sexual slavery of elves, for reasons of kink and fetish, and it for me is one of the most interesting storylines, tied in with one of your characters storylines of course.

    The sex scenes are good, in my opinion. Mainly what I like is the aspect of corruption tied to them, how having sex and performing sexual acts with the girls in different ways, leads to them gaining traits that can unlock further lewdness, and change their speech and actions. Not much right now, but that the mechanic's even there at all works for me, and it's a major player in at least one girl's story, just how well sexed she is and in what ways. My favorite sex scenes are the bondage ones, of which there are multiple options when you get to them, though that's my personal fetish.

    The commerce is a bit grindy, though I don't mind that. Money is basically just the way to advance to the next stage when appropriate. And upgrades, to, are more about unlocking story and scene than anything else. If there's one actual flaw I'd put with the game, it's that ultimately, there's only one 'right' way to play, the way that unlocks the girls stories. And that requires your guy to have the personality of a 'pervert with a heart of gold', though really what that means is other options will hurt their opinion slightly and you'll have to buy them gifts or spend time with them to get that opinion back up.

    Ultimately, that is a minor criticism for me. The game's strongest point, and what it's built around, is the girls of the Harem Hotel, your actual 'Harem' as it were, and I think they're done brilliantly. Even one I didn't like, after learning more about what she goes through, I've started to sympathize with, and appreciate. All in all, this is an excellent game, and I think you would be served for playing it.)