VN - Ren'Py - Having a HARD Time [v0.4.1] [Quadruple-Q]

The Best Futa Protagonist game I have ever played! It's really good, amazing renders and animations, still a pretty open story line, but it still has quite a way to go. I hope to see it continue to be a well written, well-developed game as it is so far. If you are into this type of game, you really need to play it and see for yourself.

Note:
Reviewed on 2024/03/28; Episode 1-3


TL;DR:
“Having a HARD Time” isn't a character-driven story. If you're more interested in lewds than exploring the MC (Jane) dealing with this life-changing event, then I'd recommend this game.
If you're more interested in exploring Jane's inner world, and shape her story based on your choices, you'll be disappointed. At the time of writing, choices largely only serve to open or close paths of LIs. Most LI in this game are of the thicc(est)-flavor, in case this matters for you.


General:
Having a HARD Time starts with an interesting premise, but fails to make the narrative stick. The promised exploration of the consequences of Jane's physical change never really manifest. While she gets self-conscious about her erection now and then, she just goes about life as if nothing changed.

At the end of episode 3, a total of 42 characters can potentially be introduced (depending on choices about certain activities). In addition to this massive cast, Jane has 10 traits that are influenced by choices the player makes.
This is overwhelming, and when replaying the game it becomes clear that these traits are largely cosmetic, mostly changing only a few lines of text here and there. With a total of 10 episodes planned, I don't see how this cast can be done justice, even less if traits are considered to make scenarios play out differently.

The game has a high production value. It has a customized main screen, sound and music design, in-game achievements, a gallery, and a collectible hidden image mini-game.
The in-game phone app can be used to view a character's profile, the MC's stats, send texts, or interact with the social network.
Text is readable and a configurable textbox is included. Wording and phrasing is clear, with attention to giving each character a unique voice.


Adult:
This game deals with several adult themes apart from the lewd content. Some characters are dealing with severe mental issues, physical abuse, or the use of drugs. So far, all of this is handled tastefully and with nuance. Getting to learn more about what drives each character has been my favorite part of the game. I'm excited to see more of this in future episodes.


Visual:
Visually, the game is gorgeous. The renders are well-made, with attention to detail. Some facial expressions can look uncanny, but overall, they're well done, if not underused. The animations look fine, but don't stand out. Several of them feature positions or feats of strength that aren't realistic.
Character design is a different matter. Most female LI range from thicc to thiccer (curvy is an understatement), with only a select few looking athletic or petite.


Sound:
HaHT features an extensive soundtrack and has sex-sounds. Music is thematically matched to scenes.
The sex-sounds are hit or miss, since they don't line up to what's actually happening on-screen.
Some music tracks have lyrics, which I think detract from the immersive experience.


Novel:
As I mentioned earlier, the premise is interesting. An accident happens that results in a woman growing a penis. The player can control how this woman reacts in different situations, except not really. Often, Jane will make bad/dumb decisions out of the player's control, only because the writer wants an event to happen.
Where I would've loved for the player to control/decide who finds out about Jane's situation, so far, everyone discovers it outside the player's control.
She'll get an erection during class, and instead of waiting it out, she'll head to the bathroom, where she bumps into an LI. She'll go out in a short skirt, and gets found out because her footlong erection sticks out…

Jane doesn't get depressed, scared, angry, frustrated, happy or sad because she suddenly has a penis. She'll wear skin-tight skirts or pants without giving the bulge a second thought. She doesn't question her identity either. Instead, we'll see her getting drunk, with the excuse of relaxing… But it's never shown or driven home how stressed Jane is feeling, or how a player's choices influence her state of mind.

Player choice comes in when these scripted decisions lead to some kind of issue or confrontation, mostly serving to open or close paths of LIs, and to experience or avoid their lewd scenes. These choices can increase or decrease Jane's traits, but then these choices/traits have no effect during events with other characters. Why have a lust stat if Jane is unconditionally horny all the time? Why have a willpower stat if it doesn't open or close alternative ways to deal with her impulses?


Conclusion:
While I can appreciate the work that went into this game, I feel it isn't enough. The large number of characters make it difficult to care about anyone, and the MC's personality stats create the illusion of choice/influencing the story, while none of it manifests.
Where I would've loved the story to be informed by the player shaping Jane's character and experience, the writer forces events on the player without regard for their previous choices.
The only reason I'll come back to this game is to see if the writer does a better job at characterizing the LI than they do the MC, because their personal stories are by far more interesting.

So far the game make a pretty good premise of the cast, and there's no fixed route too which i think is a good decision for a game like this.

I love the blend between serious and humor direction of the game, though the serious moment could be tone down a bit to fit the ridiculous nature of the theme better. By no mean the serious stuff is ruining the game, in fact it add to the nuance of the character, but they could be handled more behind-the-scenely.

Overall a very promising VN, if the quality can be kept, we could have another being a DIK or even LoF

Goddam, this is one of the best futa games out there, the animation is great, the character are believable and fun. The plot is somewhat interesting, interesting enough to get kinda hooked. 10 outa 10 game, making me wish there is more of it.
p.s Mariane is the best, we need more Mariane!!!

This was a very good game with very attractive models. Looking forward to further updates. Thanks for the game! The plot is enticing to keep one interested throughout the entirety of the game. The creator does a good job with decisions that are fairly self explanatory but not necessarily handed to you like some other games

Ok, first off you gotta be into the content, so if FUTA is a no go for you, just back out now. But if you like that, and like a solid VN, this is that. I liked the pacing, I liked the dialog, I like the scenes. Different face and body styles, while the main is fairly stereotypical. I am very happy with the amount of time I played the game and felt engaged throughout. I recommend it.

Has really good scenes and multiple choices. We need more futanari protagonists. I will keep watching this game and it's updates. Hopefully there are better ways to repeat some of the actions as i don't wan to replay the game just for a singular scene.

A VERY promising lesbian/futa game. By lesbian/futa I mean the MC is a futa, the player has no choice there but by default she's a lesbian chick who becomes a futa due to an accident early in the game. The game feels like a really good lesbian VN with a futa transformation story as backbone and a real cock instead of strap-ons and dildos in the sex scenes. (Probably this sounds really dumb but you'll understand what I mean when you play the game). Extremely recommended for lesbo fans, don't be afraid of the futa tag.

Art 4/5:
Renders are okay. Some parts are really well done (like the partying scene) some parts are a bit meh. But it's perfectly fine, definitely better than average.

Story/writing 4/5:
Writing is really good, dialogues are fun to read in general. There were some boring or dumb parts (like the leprachaun) ofc but no serious issues so far. I wouldn't say it's exceptional but way, WAY better than the average pr0n gaem. We're still early in the story but so far it's good and I'm eagerly awaiting for the next chapter. Especially the background stories of the LIs seem to be interesting.

Characters: 5/5
Probably the best part of the game. A huge amount of characters were introduced in the first 2 chapters, it was a bit off-putting to be honest. But it started to tone down in the 3rd chapter and most of the cast seems to be interesting, with foreshadowed twists in their backstories. I'm okay with a huge cast if we'll have a serious amount (and quality) of content/story for each character. For now it definitely seems like it's the case.

Porn 4/5:
In general it's good. Especially in the 3rd chapter. The main issue I have with some of the scenes that the porn is a bit badly integrated to the story. There's no real buildup for some of the scenes (especially in the first 2 chapters), they happen in a quite dumb "porn flick" fashion. I know it's a funny thing to complain about in a porn VN but hey, if the story is well-written otherwise I would expect the porn part to be well-written too to give 5 stars. Game could be a bit more slow-burn with more teasing to be more realistic.

Others 4/5:
The UI is very well done, I like the phone menu system and I like that by default it's hidden, no distracting crap on the screen during dialogues. I like the character sheets/LI system too. My only complaint is about the stat system, it's not entirely clear what those numbers do, how to improve most of them (do we even need to?), no explanation there.
There's background music and there're some sounds, those are great too I guess but I don't really care about those aspects in a game TBH.

Summary: game is in early phase so it's hard to score. I would say potentially 4-5 stars but (good) lesbian and/or futa games are quite rare. Niche games start with a +1 star in my book to begin with, so I'll be generous and give 5 stars in advance.

Top 2 Futa games on f95 and top 5 games on f95 in general. The renders are great and so are the character models. The story progression is satisfying. As a strong lover of futa on fem....this gets an easy 5 star.

(episode 3 review) Amazing game combining a decent plot, multiple fetishes (including my favorites, lesbian futa protagonist), hot girl models, good animations and soundtrack. I can only hope the game will improve in the future with more/hotter content.

Great VN. The story is good enough for a porn plot although the tone can get all over the place. The strongest aspect is definitely the characters. Every character stands out and have their own unique quirk. The dialogues are also well-written. Well, this ain't Shakespeare or anything but at least they talk like how normal people would. The face expressions for the characters are a bit hit-and-miss (more hit than miss). At times their face can look weird and jarring but most of the times they look fine and sometimes even really good. They need to improve on the smiles tho. The smiles on the characters are kinda awkward looking.

The flavor texts are also a welcomed addition. You can check your phone for bios of all the characters with unique descriptions that are worth reading. There's also a Instagram-like app that you use to see what all the side characters are doing. All these really adds to the worldbuilding.

There are sandbox like element that I don't think fits this VN considering the linear nature of the game. There's one section of each episode where they will ask you whether you wanna hike, look for a job, workout, etc. If you pick one, then that's it. You'll only get one turn per episode. If they want us to explore, then they should give us more sections to freeroam. This is not a dealbreaker or anything. Just one thing that I think they could expand upon in future updates.

The sex scenes in ep. 1 are kinda rough animation-wise, but ep.2 & 3's animations improved a lot. Content-wise though? They are super hot. The sex scenes are definitely the best thing about this VN and that's the most important thing about a porn game, is it not? They're pretty lenghty and there's a lot of variety for everybody too. Giving climax scene for every sex positions is a great bonus. The extra mini game (where you click on the little dudes) to unlock bonus renders is also a great addition.

All and all, I highly recommend this VN. Don't know if this'll get you into futa (if you're not into it), but I think the sex scenes are at least worth checking out.

Everything about this game is superb. The writing is great and all of the people in it come across as natural and well reasoned. The renders look great and the H-scenes are very well done and hot. There is a good amount of humor without veering into overly wacky or cringe. Honestly I think this VN should be way more popular then it is, as it has quickly shot up to my top 10 of all time.

I've played hundreds of games here and i can say that "Having a HARD time" it is in my top 3 for sure. Everything that is needed in a well made game this game has.
- A really good plot and well developed characters
- Well-written texts (i'm not a native english speaker but i can say this really makes difference)
- Great renders
- Good choice of songs (i hate games without songs)
- FUTA/trans content, one of my favorites!!!!

And this game has one more thing that everyone of my favorite games has: I can enjoy the game without having the necessity of fapping

CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED!

I'm honestly having a HARD time understading how come this beauty hasn't taken off.......It has all the damn elements for an excellent game.

Overview: freak accident makes MC futa and she is struggling with it. (There might me some sort of sinister plot brewing unbeknownst to MC and other people so it's got a tinge of mystery).

Pros:

1. Writing is top notch, along with humor and pop culture references. Lucas is hilarious
2. UI seems very similar to another massively popular title but this game adds its own charm as well. Phone app is really extensive with ringtone settings, social media, texting, Gallery, secret scenes etc.
3. Characters are show-stealers! Absolutely beautiful and unique personalities.
4. Music is so well chosen along with sfx. (Alarm is hilarious ).
5. Mc is nice and empathetic.
6. Has a bunch of choices based on how you want to react.
7. Facial extension changes and H-scenes animations are pretty good. Like I'm mean for real, they have a unique feel to them with how the frame shifts and moves.

Cons: Honestly, I have no complaints or suggestions. Game is early so there's no explicit paths since we are still getting to know em'. I would enjoy more lovey-dovey stuff down the line

Verdict: Abso-fucking-lutely pick it up! It's really good slice of life futa with such likeable cast. Honestly, you will really enjoy it even if you normally play male protagonists. This is really well done! <3

Finally, a good female futa AVN joins the ranks of handful of other games that know how it's done.....

I really enjoy where this VN is headed, a little disappointed at how early in the story it still is.

The renders are really great, nearly all the characters are very attractive. The animations are...different. In some ways they are nice and smooth, but in the loops the transitions get really staccato. Also, in many of the animations the bodily motions seem almost unnatural. Its not enough of an issue to detract from enjoying a playthrough. Its just an area the dev hopefully improves with more experience.

The writing is good, the premise (though far-fetched) is interesting, and the story so far is enjoyable. Even though its quite early there are a large number of characters set up to further develop and get some fun scenes with. It seems like the next update will likely be where the lewdy good times really get started, though I'll likely wait a few updates before jumping back in to make sure.

5/5




Art: The models are very gorgeous, with a good range of diversity among the girls.

Story: It's simple - the female MC grows a penis because of a scientific experiment, but the dialogues are actually good and make you interested in the girls.

Gameplay: I haven't seen a single error, it runs pretty smoothly in terms of a VN.

Female protagonist/Futa protagonist: Thank God it's a VN with good-looking models and the MC is not some bimbo whose only purpose is to open her legs to some dudes. She can actually choose to romance other girls.

Also, "Wincest" is there.

There are several good futa protagonist games out there and this is one of them. It's not the best, for various reasons, but it's enjoyable and shows some signs that it might climb up my personal ranking when the plot starts to move forward.

Firstly, the MC is a tall lady and this is referenced in the plot. I liked that she is not just the cutie next door as is typical for many of those games. Depending how you play her she definitely has some character to her.

Secondly, there are interesting character dynamics in this game. The relationship with the mother is rather superficial, but loving nonetheless. Some of the close friends and even some of the meanies in this novel show great signs that they are going through a character transition and that they have multiple layers to them.

Third, it's a very slow-paced game, which I appreciate. The novel starts out as a lesbian corruption game and turns into a futa game due to a certain event that I don't want to spoil here.

Finally, there are plenty of secrets yet to be revealed, which keeps the suspense. Especially towards the end you get the impression that the developer has many things in store and that, maybe after chapter 2 we are just starting to see what is really happening behind the scenes.

I would recommend this as a very solid futa protagonist VN with lots of potential. It's a bit uninspired at times, feels more like a corruption game than a true character study, there is a questionable rape scene on which the MC reflects though. It shocked me a bit but felt less triggering as the plot progressed. Also, with the futa lore (so to speak) that so many AVNs share, things like that have to be expected.

After I convinced myself that this wasn't Jill from 'Being A DIK'...I started to enjoy this game. The 'experiment gone wrong' scenario, was a bit daft and slightly absurd but it was funny. However, the game darkened after that event and there was a definite change in atmosphere between the characters. I finished this version of the game feeling slightly perplexed...
I look forward to future updates and I wish the developer good luck moving forward.
[Edit] Just played Episode 3 and it was brilliant...this game has taken off! What an absolutely beautiful episode that was! I am definitely going to support this developer, they really hit the nail on the head, got their shit together and learned from their previous failings...the ending to that episode is wow! Seriously wow! You have to play it to understand.
It also has a sinister, supernatural feel to it...the 'family' of blue-eyed people who aren't related to each other...and, of course, Pippin...the Praiseworthy, Omnipresent, Philanthropic, Pharmaceutical, Inspirational, Non-Prescription Sugardaddy, who, happens to be a leprechaun...with rainbows and shit!
Wild! I can't wait for Episode 4!

This game is great in every way :
rendering
Physiology
Animation
At least 5 very attractive girls
Simple, attractive and original story
Write
Events
Lack of grindy
Male characters in the game
Etc

But if the possibility of MC's relationship with other men was added (that is, other men faked MC), it would be even better, then it would become a masterpiece.

Great Futa game... Great writing and graphics, developer shows some emotional and funny side, showing a human way to treat som situations and not making everything about sex. I'm really looking forward for chapter 3.