VN - Ren'Py - Hillside [v0.15.1] [DarkBlue]

Not very much sexual content, though it is certainly titillating. But where it is lacking in pornography, it excels as art. This is one of the best stories in a visual novel. Absolutely worth a play through if story is what you're after.

One of my favourite games right now.

I'm 100 presents invested in the story and the characters.
I pretty much adore all the female characters.

Having said all that, the story is a VERY slow burn. It is also VERY monogamous. I guess, there is some paths where you can possible have sex with more than one LI, but It looks like you can definitely only end up with one LI.

The story is not done, so plenty of unknowns and unexplored relationships still in the game, but it's all part of what keeps me on my toes.

100% recommendation.

Hillside is the most slow-burn AVN I've played to date, and players who want to get to the lewd stuff right away are doubtlessly going to end up frustrated -- but the story is solid and the renders are beautiful.

The renders and character designs in this game are great, and all the characters have interesting backstories, complex personalities, and their own motivation. The narrative head-hops from one character to another, which might not be to everyone's taste, but I found it really deepened the understanding of the characters.

There is also a lot of low-key tension in the story. It gets borderline comical how often in this game a character will go from trusting the MC, to totally distrusting them, and back again, particularly Charlotte, who can't seem to figure out how she feels about MC no matter what. I found this added a lot of fun to the story.

My only real issue is that Emma as a character is meant to be 18 and in college, but that quickly falls apart under scrutiny. She's extremely naive and her "college" is very clearly a high school. The story surrounding her starts out relatively wholesome, but it's obvious she is moving toward LI territory, which could be distasteful to some players.

Not exactly a "con," but the environments in Hillside are generally very limited. A great deal of the game involves the three main characters in the house knocking on doors and checking on each other. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it allows for a more interesting story, but if you dislike lots of long conversations in living rooms and kitchens, this game might annoy you.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with it. Gorgeous game to look at, largely wholesome story. A good time but unlikely to be an all-time favorite.

Okay I have no idea why people rave on about this VN so much.

Storywise it's not bad but getting a bit over the top with the amount of villains who have it in for Charlotte and Emma but I guess we have to have the threat factor an ever constant I suppose. It's almost like a cartoon with baddies coming out of the woodwork. The school stuff just felt silly though.

Also, why would the baddie who went after Emma before MC stops him permanently, tell Charlotte to keep the MC on and not get rid of him...thus making his own plans harder? also why did he recommend MC? it just doesn't make sense.

Characters...okay I'm just going to say it...probably upset all those simping over them but fuck it.

I find Charlotte annoying. I get the whole abuse thing and she hates/distrusts guys because of it but damn I find her schizo persona annoying. I actually tried her path until the part when MC kills the dude and she starts coming out with how she can't be near him but admits to her sister she would have wanted him to kill her attacker...oh ffs. At that point I restarted and went for Lucy who has a more appealing personality - apart from when she bosses the MC around.

Suzi...talk about a massive bitch who needs drop kicked into the nearest waste bin. Her screaming, aggressive rants make her the most unappealing ungrateful stupid bitch ever. I wish MC would tell her to shut the fuck up! I couldn't stand her.

Emma is actually pretty sweet but naive as hell thanks to mommy dearest treating her like a 5 year old. So far it's hard to see her as a LI as she is so immature despite her figure. Feels a bit creepy to be honest.

Lucy is the stereotypical "slut" type of char with a heart of gold underneath but living under big sis's shadow which makes her vulnerable and bitter.
She is fun though, especially compared to the other females in her family.

The chars just swing back and forth too much at times and half the time feel like cliches out of a cheap dime novel. One really annoying thing is how the big bad ass MC acts scared when these women start getting aggressive with him. Really? You can be professional but still not take shit from clients. I doubt most bodyguards would. No way I would take that kind of crap from a client, they would be told to button it or look for a new bodyguard. Suzi would just be told to shut her toxic face..

Renders are very average, nothing that jumps out compared to some games on here. I can live with that if the story and chars really draw me in though but unfortunately in this case, nope.

Updates are pretty slow for this game and there is very little adult scenes which means probably by the time you get them it will be near end game. For me that's not a problem if the love interest hooks you so much that it's worth it. I don't feel that with any of them in this, so I find it more a case of losing interest over time than being invested.

All in all I just found this a completely average VN that left me wondering what all the hype was about. I also found myself not really caring much about the characters apart from Emma really.

I wont be bothering to check for future updates but good luck to the dev regardless.

The stated focus of the game is emotional connections and I think it achieves that, knocks it out of the park. I felt sympathy, frustration, joy, worry. The love interests are likable and very good looking. The story is good; I want to see how it plays out.

The thing that keeps me from giving it a 5 is the amount of lying/lack of communication between the characters. So many times I thought, "Ack, if they'd just be honest and talk to each other they could solve all their problems!". That can be really effective storytelling up to a point -and it is here. Past that point it can feel contrived. Personally I went from being invested ("I care about these characters, I hope they learn to trust each other") to simply frustrated. It's good to be frustrated at a character because that's a real human emotion. It's not so good if you get to the point of being frustrated at the game itself.

TBH I made it to chapter 8 and I had to express my thoughts. I'm certainly not quitting the game because I like it too much overall. If my view changes by the end, of course I'll adjust my rating.

simply the best adult game/novel I have ever played.
Best characters
Best story, the player is always focused
Best images, girls are designed at the top
Best everything

Please continue in this way. I wait for every update

(Version Reviewed: v0.13)

I loved playing Hillside.

The renders look great and the characters all look perfect for their nature and the environment they're in. There aren't any animations and possibly that is something that the game could improve on.

The premise as well as the story is excellent and quite grounded despite it being set in the in-game equivalent of Hollywood. The characters are well-fleshed out and they have their own growths. Their interactions with the MC have been quite well written.

There is no music in this game, so that counts against Hillside.

The game is a slow-burn especially with the main two LIs and since the MC spends most of his time with them, it is difficult for him to spend time with a girl that would love to have sex with him. The lewd content is quite limited despite it being three years since the game started development. But, it fits the story telling of the game and it's something that will pay off greatly when the story nears completion.

I must admit that I dislike Emma. She's so naïve that it's a turn off. She talks like a child most of the time and the drama surrounding her was quite boring for me. That being said, Charlotte is a great LI. I loved how she's slowly feeling secure about being around the MC after each update.

Overall, I'd rate it at 8/10. The only reason that it isn't a 9 is that Emma irritates me to a frustrating degree. The ones reading this review might not feel the same, so go in expecting a great game all round.

I've never written a review on this site but wow this game is top notch the story the models did i mention the story i was so wrapped up in it one of the best visual novels i think i have ever played.

I really like this game. Visually, it's a top-notch game on this website. The game has amazing models. the women are hot, although sometimes the models seem a bit off. Off the hook! It's a complex plot if you're into that. There are plenty of H-scenes, and they are very nice. A game not to miss. 200 Wow, reviews. It deserves more.

A SLOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW burn, with a ton of heart though. This game is gorgeous and you find yourself really caring for the girls and their shitty situations. This VN is excellent overall, but I think it could use 1 or 2 more crumbs of sexytime while it builds

This game is providing a very good story, strong characters personality and a real amazing rendering. I'm really waiting for more content in the future. But I don't understand why I need to write more than 200

Literally the best VN I've ever played, Shoutout to the dev man, I love slow burning VN's and the dev does it so well. Hell its a slight tear jerker too.
Renders are peak , story is peak, models are gorgeous. Can't fucking wait for the next update

TL;DR: Slow burn. Excellent story and characters. Not a lot of sexy time.

If you're looking for quick sexual gratification then this may not be the game for you. This game is more of a slow burn with beautiful visuals, excellent writing and believable characters. I became quickly invested in the story and can't wait for the next update. Excellent game. Well worth a download!

I just discovered this game and took me a while to catch up with the latest update. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions and there is a lot to unpack. The story is really nice and I like it being a slow burn and more focused on character development and less on the porn part.

That being said I cant help but notice that as I reached the latest chapters it kinda took a weird turn. The MC is shown to be a bit of dumb at some parts of the story but it was ok since we had some say in how to proceed.

But other than that I'm glad I gave this one a try and I really wonder how it goes from there.

Excellent movie slow paced development of affection and emotion. Some teasing comes here and there so the story always makes you to move forward. the graphics are good with face emotions and good luck to the dev team.

The graphics in Hillside are charming and colorful, with a beautiful countryside setting that perfectly captures the romantic atmosphere of the game. The music is also pleasant and sets the mood for each scene.

The game's writing is engaging, with well-written dialogue that helps players connect with the characters and feel invested in the story. The choices that players make throughout the game have significant consequences, affecting not only Amelia's romantic relationships but also her relationships with other characters in the game.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Hillside is the depth of its characters. Each character has a distinct personality, and players can explore various routes to discover more about them. This makes each playthrough of the game feel unique and provides excellent replay value.

[v0.12.1]

Promising start: pretty good looking characters, interesting set up and the whole concept sets the possibilities and potential for a good game.

But that comes crashing down really fast once the MC starts his job as the bodyguard. Girl he is bodyguarding, Emma, is supposed to be 18 year old college student, yet she looks, talks, acts, thinks and is even treated like an 8 year old elementary schooler. The whole school setup and plot around is also so bad and cringeworthy that it makes you think if the writer even knows what kind of people goes to college and what happens in there. Or maybe it's presented as such due to Patreon's guidelines? Anyway, what a way to kill a promising game with absolutely horrible writing.

The mother of the girl, Charlotte, is supposed to have so bad trauma from earlier experiences with men that she just simply "hates all men" and can't be around them at all. But oh boy does she get over these traumas easily just within a few weeks according to the script when this prisoner looking supposed to be ex military goon arrives. He indeed left his balls to the military, since he is being ordered around in the house "to go stay in his room" bu Charlotte like some young school boy.

Older sister is supposed to be stereotypical "bad bitch" that you have to tame, but she also just suddenly changes her attitude towards the MC out of the damn blue. Makes you wonder if all the family members are just retarded, because they act like that.

Charlotte's sister, Lucy, is this "easy chick" who just throws herself on the MC "just because" with no other personality than just a basic slut. This same concept happens with another model too, which is just ridiculous.

The game so far gets two stars: one for the renders and one for the original concept that it has. Unfortunately the whole thing just comes crashing down hard due to retarded characters and terrible writing which is the result of the fact that the developer apparently is just trying way too hard and trying to do way too much. Not sure if I will even play any of the later versions, as finishing this nonsense was already way too painful.

I really enjoyed the general plot of this VN.

Initially I was intending to give a full review about it, But fact that this is still an unfinished product, I will forgo pointing out what I believe you're already aware of IE: Bad expressions, the obvious bulk word correction used in some places and other basic unworthy criticisms. Because none of it will impact my rating of 3/5 stars. But I will point out why I gave it a 3/5 stars and that mostly rests upon the massive excess of "inner monologues" used. WAAAAYYYYYY too much "voices in the head" subtexts..

Beyond pointing that out, all I'd have to say about this VN is it's very intriguing. The character arcs all seem decent so far (can't wait to see how they develop further with the exception of Emma, a supposed 18yr old that behaves literally like a 12 yr old.. I'm still scratching my head about her character, but bleh, onward we go).

I like the originality of the story, and how 'lewdness' is kept to a very strict minimum (Not that I have a huge problem with it, it's just that many creators just overdo it in a shamefull way). This really gives a sense that there's an actual adult trying to publish a serious work, and not a flesh-fest trying to replace google-porn. So thank you for that!

Keep up the good work, I enjoy reading so if you need some help with proof reading stuff, I might actually enjoy that (Ok that's me trying to find a way to find out how it'll all end before everyone else LOL).

This is a real gem...I don't usually like the Male Protag power/pimp fantasy nonsense but you get to help the girls in this one so its cool...Like the story, like the characters. Amongst some of the more dreadful writing in these Novel RenPy Games this is REALLY GOOD quality. Thanks, not sure why this story hit the spot for me so hard but it did...ty. Art and Graphics are very good also. This needs to be a movie or a book or both .