VN Ren'Py Heliorise [v0.2.1] [JBReverse]

[Jin-Woo']

Compressed PC version?...

 

[Quetzzz]

Looks like this game isn't for me.
The start was fun, but the forced encounter with Bellona drove home the point that there's little value in roleplay and making conscientious choices.
I can resist smoking and drinking, I can make wholesome and structured choices, and I can tell Bellona I'm not a fan of tats and want something long-term, but the MC turns it into flirting anyway. On the other hand, the point system is overly complex, which contradicts the whole harem thing the game has going on.

For instance, at the party, to score points with Ella, you can't have had two drinks, can't be tipsy, can't be a rebel, and have to pick the right answer. There's another free point if you recited a poem earlier at home.
This combination drives home that Ella is a good girl who's interested in a guy with strong values. But this same guy, still a virgin despite a rough childhood, just jumps on the first girl who opens her legs. There's a weird disconnect between the game's design (the MC wants to chase every girl), the depth of the stats system, and the complexity of choices. And part of this is caused by the player being unable to signal that they aren't interested in a specific character.
Not interested in party girl Helaine, who's rumored to be a whore? Too bad, she has big tits, so the MC can't help himself.

There is a counterargument about the MC being young, dumb, and horny... But does that fly for a guy in his situation and for every choice the player can make? If he was horny and lust-driven, would he have never had the opportunity to fuck some girl at some party? Instead, it signals that he's been careful about what/who he stuck his dick in, and it's not clear why this suddenly changes for Bellona.

 

[Darker than Black]

Looks like this game isn't for me.
The start was fun, but the forced encounter with Bellona drove home the point that there's little value in roleplay and making conscientious choices.
I can resist smoking and drinking, I can make wholesome and structured choices, and I can tell Bellona I'm not a fan of tats and want something long-term, but the MC turns it into flirting anyway. On the other hand, the point system is overly complex, which contradicts the whole harem thing the game has going on.

For instance, at the party, to score points with Ella, you can't have had two drinks, can't be tipsy, can't be a rebel, and have to pick the right answer. There's another free point if you recited a poem earlier at home.
This combination drives home that Ella is a good girl who's interested in a guy with strong values. But this same guy, still a virgin despite a rough childhood, just jumps on the first girl who opens her legs. There's a weird disconnect between the game's design (the MC wants to chase every girl), the depth of the stats system, and the complexity of choices. And part of this is caused by the player being unable to signal that they aren't interested in a specific character.
Not interested in party girl Helaine, who's rumored to be a whore? Too bad, she has big tits, so the MC can't help himself.

There is a counterargument about the MC being young, dumb, and horny... But does that fly for a guy in his situation and for every choice the player can make? If he was horny and lust-driven, would he have never had the opportunity to fuck some girl at some party? Instead, it signals that he's been careful about what/who he stuck his dick in, and it's not clear why this suddenly changes for Bellona.

So here’s the deal this game is fully built around harem. Any points you get from interactions aren’t love points at all they just show what kind of approach you’re taking with each girl. A minus doesn’t always mean bad and a plus doesn’t always mean good.


You mentioned Bellona for example if you get + points with her your relationship becomes all about sex because she tries to avoid her past and just live in the moment through sex. But if you get minus points you’re actually giving her reassurance making her trust you and face her past with you. The + and - basically show what kind of personality each LI has. If you stack + points you keep that LI’s original mindset if you get - you shift her perspective a bit. All the details of this system are explained in the walkthrough.


Honestly the art the music the writing all of it is really damn good to me but I fucking hate the whole harem concept. I always play fully monogamous and there’s zero monogamy here. To be honest I like the point system and the art music concept story all of that is pretty good too. I just wish this stupid fucking harem nonsense wasn’t in the game.

 

[Meiri]

I've only played the prologue but so far this was an amazing discovery, although I am not entirely sure how this personality system is going to work in the long term, is it going to close doors later on with some girls?

 

[Quetzzz]

Honestly the art the music the writing all of it is really damn good to me but I fucking hate the whole harem concept. I always play fully monogamous and there’s zero monogamy here. To be honest I like the point system and the art music concept story all of that is pretty good too. I just wish this stupid fucking harem nonsense wasn’t in the game.

Yeah... The whole point system indicated to me (even before glancing the code) that I'd have more say in how relationships play out, or if they even happen at all.
I entirely agree, the art, music and writing is top-notch, but I just can't stand mandatory LIs. Not throwing shade at the dev, it's clear how much talent and effort has already gone into this game... It just isn't for me. Nothing about Bellona makes me want to be with her or get to know her better, so having this forced feels wrong instead of titillating.

You mentioned Bellona for example if you get + points with her your relationship becomes all about sex because she tries to avoid her past and just live in the moment through sex. But if you get minus points you’re actually giving her reassurance making her trust you and face her past with you. The + and - basically show what kind of personality each LI has. If you stack + points you keep that LI’s original mindset if you get - you shift her perspective a bit. All the details of this system are explained in the walkthrough.

That's a pretty inspired way of going about it. Just too bad that there isn't a "no thanks" option. I think destined relationships are incompatible with the freedom of choice we get otherwise.

 

[Quetzzz]

TL;DR: The story keeps forcing the MC into actions and sex scenes that some player personalities would never choose, which breaks immersion and characterization.

I’ve played everything up to v0.2.1, and the single biggest flaw (maybe the only real one) is how the MC behaves during predetermined events.

None of the player’s choices actually prevent or alter:

• Fucking Bellona
• Who you get to know (You have to go outside, and you have to speak with Chloe for whatever reason.)
• That you save Sirius when draining her for power would make sense
• Fucking Sirius immediately after
• That the werewolf gets away
• The fucking dream sequence (sigh) - another example of the game dictating who the player/MC should be attracted to.
• All the mandatory freeroam conversations that are just “talk to this person or you’re stuck,” often without a real motivation other than being able to complete the freeroam.

These events severely undercut the roleplay. I get it, writing out an entire Sirius death branch is a huge amount of work, and I’m not demanding it. My point is simpler: plenty of valid MC personalities would never save her, never mind sleep with her minutes later. Plenty more would be perfectly happy keeping sex rare and meaningful instead of bouncing from bed to bed.
Sirius is introduced as an active threat and antagonist. One throwaway line about “never abandoning someone in need” doesn’t justify the 180° turn. If she has to survive no matter what, fine... but then don’t introduce her as the enemy’s attack dog. Pick one lane.

There's so much attention given to other characters' characterization, but the MC's own often slips through the cracks. In the end, dynamic dialogue aside, he'll be whatever a scene requires him to be. The most goodie-goodie MC will turn into a bastard if the scene demands it.
The dev also has a habit of explaining the MC’s motives after the scene is already over. That works in a novel; it doesn’t work when the player has spent the whole game defining the MC’s personality. By the time the explanation pops up, I’ve already formed my own (often contradictory) read, and the explanation just feels like a retcon.

Ignoring the saving Sirius-thing, nothing in the narrative demands we fuck Bellona, Sirius, or anyone really. We could get along fine platonically with Bellona (her other identities wouldn't be an issue). We could resist Sirius and knock her out to just keep her around as a source of information. Without build-up or value, the intimacy feels like gratuitous filler rather than integrated narrative. For instance, later with Gretchen, we can choose honest rebel or structured liar... but since the earlier fuck wasn't our choice, why does it matter? Imagine validating a player's suspicion if they rejected Bellona... That'd be a payoff.

Piper's and Tracy's scenes can be sabotaged, but the MC turning into a manipulative dick before dicking Tracy feels very out-of-character for some builds.

Personally, I'm looking forward to scenes with Ella and/or Cinthia. They've got depth and build-up; theirs would feel earned, unless the MC just trips from one gash to the next, diluting all meaningful intimacy.

 

[w123t4]

Just think this is similar to kinetic novel that the things will still happen without mc chosing what to do and the only thing we can do is just shaping the mc's personality and how people react towards him.
Although, I kind of agree that sometimes mc seems like having schizophrenia which switch actions from one extreme to another extreme, but it is kind of make sense as the natural mc and normal mc not sharing same memories and personality so what they do is different?

 

[housekinokuni1974]

Just think this is similar to kinetic novel that the things will still happen without mc chosing what to do and the only thing we can do is just shaping the mc's personality and how people react towards him.
Although, I kind of agree that sometimes mc seems like having schizophrenia which switch actions from one extreme to another extreme, but it is kind of make sense as the natural mc and normal mc not sharing same memories and personality so what they do is different?

you mean you're not missing h-scenes whatever choices( wholesome, neutral,etc) you'll pick ?

 

[housekinokuni1974]

i have just started, visuals are good, story and diags not so bad, enough to keep me going.

 

[w123t4]

you mean you're not missing h-scenes whatever choices( wholesome, neutral,etc) you'll pick ?

No really, I think the one with bellona and sirius is unavoidable? Others like sophia's massage, seraphina's filter and drinks with tracey and piper can be missed if you are not interested to them by choosing the other choices?

 

[Quetzzz]

you mean you're not missing h-scenes whatever choices( wholesome, neutral,etc) you'll pick ?

Correct. There are a few lewd scenes that you can avoid or miss through choices, but all personality traits allow for all lewds.
For instance, at a bar, you'll get a drink for a girl. If you give her the "right" drink, she'll go puke and you fuck her in the bathroom. Giving her the "wrong" drink leads to nothing.

 

[w123t4]

Correct. There are a few lewd scenes that you can avoid or miss through choices, but all personality traits allow for all lewds.
For instance, at a bar, you'll get a drink for a girl. If you give her the "right" drink, she'll go puke and you fuck her in the bathroom. Giving her the "wrong" drink leads to nothing.

Just for now. According to the official walkthrough there are three stages for the four personalities, it might lock scenes or paths that required specific level of personality in the future.

 

[Quetzzz]

Just for now. According to the official walkthrough there are three stages for the four personalities, it might lock scenes or paths that required specific level of personality in the future.

Too bad they weren't in effect for Bellora and Sirius
Or they are probably the guaranteed LIs?

 

[Meiri]

TL;DR: The story keeps forcing the MC into actions and sex scenes that some player personalities would never choose, which breaks immersion and characterization.

I’ve played everything up to v0.2.1, and the single biggest flaw (maybe the only real one) is how the MC behaves during predetermined events.

None of the player’s choices actually prevent or alter:

• Fucking Bellona
• Who you get to know (You have to go outside, and you have to speak with Chloe for whatever reason.)
• That you save Sirius when draining her for power would make sense
• Fucking Sirius immediately after
• That the werewolf gets away
• The fucking dream sequence (sigh) - another example of the game dictating who the player/MC should be attracted to.
• All the mandatory freeroam conversations that are just “talk to this person or you’re stuck,” often without a real motivation other than being able to complete the freeroam.

These events severely undercut the roleplay. I get it, writing out an entire Sirius death branch is a huge amount of work, and I’m not demanding it. My point is simpler: plenty of valid MC personalities would never save her, never mind sleep with her minutes later. Plenty more would be perfectly happy keeping sex rare and meaningful instead of bouncing from bed to bed.
Sirius is introduced as an active threat and antagonist. One throwaway line about “never abandoning someone in need” doesn’t justify the 180° turn. If she has to survive no matter what, fine... but then don’t introduce her as the enemy’s attack dog. Pick one lane.

There's so much attention given to other characters' characterization, but the MC's own often slips through the cracks. In the end, dynamic dialogue aside, he'll be whatever a scene requires him to be. The most goodie-goodie MC will turn into a bastard if the scene demands it.
The dev also has a habit of explaining the MC’s motives after the scene is already over. That works in a novel; it doesn’t work when the player has spent the whole game defining the MC’s personality. By the time the explanation pops up, I’ve already formed my own (often contradictory) read, and the explanation just feels like a retcon.

Ignoring the saving Sirius-thing, nothing in the narrative demands we fuck Bellona, Sirius, or anyone really. We could get along fine platonically with Bellona (her other identities wouldn't be an issue). We could resist Sirius and knock her out to just keep her around as a source of information. Without build-up or value, the intimacy feels like gratuitous filler rather than integrated narrative. For instance, later with Gretchen, we can choose honest rebel or structured liar... but since the earlier fuck wasn't our choice, why does it matter? Imagine validating a player's suspicion if they rejected Bellona... That'd be a payoff.

Piper's and Tracy's scenes can be sabotaged, but the MC turning into a manipulative dick before dicking Tracy feels very out-of-character for some builds.

Personally, I'm looking forward to scenes with Ella and/or Cinthia. They've got depth and build-up; theirs would feel earned, unless the MC just trips from one gash to the next, diluting all meaningful intimacy.

Yeah, after playing everything I have to agree pretty much with everything you said here, It's a shame because I really liked the prologue but chapter 1 has tempered my expectations quite a bit.

I think most of these problems are because he's trying to force sex scenes too early into the story just because this is an AVN and having them like this conflicts with the whole personality system as they are pretty much happening just after meeting the girls... This happens specially with Seraphina, Sirius and Bellona, at least in Seraphina's case you can avoid her if you ignore her but for the other two it's a bit weird that you are forced into a sex scene the moment you meet them, it kinda defeats the purpose of the game if we already get the reward the moment we meet them, I am missing the buildup for all of them.

I also don't like the dynamic with Eiseth, it seems like we go from hard Femdom to Maledom, I wish we could make some sort of compromise with her and maybe leave the door open for a more normal relationship in the future.

The Gretchen / Bellona reveal was a big disappointment, it kinda ruined Bellona for me

So I have mixed feelings now, but I will continue playing, if anything I am still interested in Ella, Cinthia and Helaine.

 

[Quetzzz]

So I have mixed feelings now, but I will continue playing, if anything I am still interested in Ella, Cinthia and Helaine.

Same here, I'll keep playing as well, at least for a few more updates. I hope that the dev is genuinely interested in feedback and not averse to some retroactive adjustments, should he agree with us.

 

[RandyPhoenix]

MC's power is his fugly face, and big AF forehead it seems

 

[KhunAguero]

MC's power is his fugly face, and big AF forehead it seems
View attachment 5517405

Seems like Megamind has competition

 

[pipi1818]

Yeah, after playing everything I have to agree pretty much with everything you said here, It's a shame because I really liked the prologue but chapter 1 has tempered my expectations quite a bit.

I think most of these problems are because he's trying to force sex scenes too early into the story just because this is an AVN and having them like this conflicts with the whole personality system as they are pretty much happening just after meeting the girls... This happens specially with Seraphina, Sirius and Bellona, at least in Seraphina's case you can avoid her if you ignore her but for the other two it's a bit weird that you are forced into a sex scene the moment you meet them, it kinda defeats the purpose of the game if we already get the reward the moment we meet them, I am missing the buildup for all of them.

I also don't like the dynamic with Eiseth, it seems like we go from hard Femdom to Maledom, I wish we could make some sort of compromise with her and maybe leave the door open for a more normal relationship in the future.

The Gretchen / Bellona reveal was a big disappointment, it kinda ruined Bellona for me

So I have mixed feelings now, but I will continue playing, if anything I am still interested in Ella, Cinthia and Helaine.

The dev is doing right dude , this is an Audult Game not a novel，of course sex scenes should be put first .
Story is important but not that important.

 

[Quetzzz]

The dev is doing right dude , this is an Audult Game not a novel，of course sex scenes should be put first .
Story is important but not that important.

I'm not going to argue your opinion, it's perfectly valid. But if you'd look at the complexity of how choices impact the MC's personality and this personality changes dialogue... You wouldn't call this game just an Adult Game. Its focus isn't on telling a mediocre story just to serve lewd scenes. It's clear that this story has been crafted and worked on extensively.

Nobody has argued there are too many lewds either, but that these lewds could all be gated behind player choice.

 

[Meiri]

The dev is doing right dude , this is an Audult Game not a novel，of course sex scenes should be put first .
Story is important but not that important.

The developer notes say this:

HELIORISE is a harem-style visual novel game. But instead of a fuckfest where everyone humps like animals, it puts a strong focus on story, character development and branching. Your choices don’t just affect the ending, they also shape how the story unfolds. For people who enjoy dramatic conflict, emotional immersion, humor, fantasy, and even a bit of thriller, this game is here to give you an unforgettable journey.

So of course I expect the story to be as important or more than the sex scenes, if I only cared about the later I would probably choose a different media.