VN - Ren'Py - Hillside [v0.16.1] [DarkBlue]

This game is....... tricky.

The story is really interesting, the renders look good and the characters are all great.

The problem is that the story is REALLY SLOW. That's not a bad thing unless it's in this medium. The slow burn is fine and feels right, i really enjoyed the story and the time to get to know the characters. But when you consider that in this time of medium you have to wait A LONG TIME for updates, and when those come out, there's usually not alot of content, it starts to get a bit frustrating.

I have played this for a few hours ( 3 to 5 hours, start to finish) and by the end of the current content it felt like very little had advanced in the plot.

This is the type of story that you only enjoy when it's already finished and can play from beginning to end. Until then it's dificult to put up with the constant wait for more content.

On a final note, don't play this if you're looking for adult content (there's almost nothing so far, maybe in the future) or if you want something light and with humor. The story is very interesting but it is heavy on drama.

[Review written for version 0.8]

Hillside is an amazing true crime drama with strong sexual undertones. In the spirit of the best whodunits, my conviction of the perpetrator's identity changes moment by moment as clues are revealed. I can't wait for the next installment.

I put off playing Hillside for a long time because its plot summary seemed to me like the basis for a cheap porno flick. I couldn't have been more wrong. I am very selective of which games I support financially, but against all of my expectations Hillside easily made the list.

I should explain that my rating is based (obviously) on my personal preferences, whereby story is king and sexual content is only a positive factor if it contributes to the story. Gratuitous sexual content is a neutral or negative factor. The raw quantity of sexual content is irrelevant and does not affect my rating.

This game could be excellent or not much at all depending on what you are looking for out of a game. There are things you should know before sinking a bunch of time into it though.

1) After 8 updates there still is no real adult content in this game. The pace is very very very slow. It's like watching paint dry. I take that back, watching paint dry is quicker. There is something to be said for a good slow burn. But that is relative. This may be much slower than you are looking for, or it may be right up your alley.

2) The renders are decent. There are a few standouts, but most are the quite generic 25 year supermodel. The stand outs in my opinion are Lucy who has just a slight pudge in her belly that makes her adorable, Emma because of her somewhat naïve nature that is reflected in her face, and Suzi's roommate with her blemishes and freckles.

3) The dialogue can get overworked, especially between the mom and the MC. There is way too much effort put on how she really just hates men and the MC in particular. Yes we get it, you don't need to spend chapter after chapter re-iterating the same thing over and over. The other thing is this plays off of the old 'let's not communicate with each other or it will ruin our plot points' style of writing that many people find irritating (myself included).

Right now this is more of a story and not an adult game. So go into it knowing that you're not going to be getting adult content out of this.

Pretty Good Game . Nice story telling and character building. It's not just a game with mindless sex scene and Fap materials. And also hope to see this game to be completed. Pleas don't abandoned this project.

And many would say that I gave 5 star rating to every game that's not true. I only reviews those games that I believe is a good game and I only reviews those game who deserves 5 star in my opinion.

Thanks Developer/Developer's for delivering such a Excellent Game.

Thank You Guy's ❤

Phenomenal story and the graphics to match......it's a slow burn as far as sex goes, but I've been so pulled into the story it doesn't matter. My only annoyance now is having to wait between updates......

Keep up the amazing work.....you've got a gift for this....can't wait for the next chapter

V 0.8 : I played the game without skipping the dialogue, so that means that the story was inetersting enough to catch my attention. However, at the end (of V0.8 version), I have to admit the game needs improvement.
Emma is too childish, even with the tragedies that Charlotte has experienced, it is as if she lives on another planet without Internet, without social networks. I would suggest, if the author wants to continue to exploit his kidish side, to move the story to the 80s, (we will have to think about removing cell phones and PCs), this could explain that his mother managed to maintain it in such an airtight bubble. this would also explain the relative impunity of men, because once again in the age of social networks and the me-too movement, how can we still imagine this kind of story ...
About the graphics, they are quite good, except maybe the MC on which I do not stick, it is not at all on the same level as the other characters. It really deserves to be reworked. The head in particular, but the rest of the body would also benefit from being a little drier. It's barely if you don't see him with love handles when he comes out of the shower ... not really something to make you dream of.
But at the end, I have to admit I enjoyed it and I'm waiting for the next update !

I recently saw the game but am glad I saw it. It was clear from the start that the developer put a good effort into his game.
The story is good and deep with some mysteries. The characters and the drawing are also very good.
Although there is no sex yet but I am enjoying the game and the story.
VERY RECOMMENDED.

review after v.0.8

I usually don't give 5 stars (tbh this game is more of a 4-star rating), but i really enjoy this game despite the many flaws i'm going to mention later, and i think more people should play the game and support the dev.

Other reviews have already mention the basic plot of the game so let's get straight to the pros and cons list

Pros
- beautiful renders and models
- a lot of content
- really interesting storyline and excellent writing
- not many models which means you won't need some insane walkthrough to play every outcome
- It's a different story and not again an 18-years old who makes it his life mission to bang his family and the entire town that is the norme nowadays
- the girls are getting along and there's no unbased animosity between them. Sure there's some jealousy here and there, but nothing too much.
- frequent updates

Cons
- The game follows the cliche of naive young sister, dynamic older sister, reluctant mother and slutty aunt, that we see in so many games
- Emma is too childish. There's a difference being shy or introvert or inexperienced, but here she's supposed to be an adult, but she acts completely like a 10-years old. She wants morning hugs from her mommy, they tickle her, she blushes at any form of intimacy, etc. I hope dev will finally stop this and start making her act according her age. There's a good opportunity here after what happened with Zak to prove that's she's ready to show to people that she's not a child and people should stop treating her like one.
- the transition of some scenes is a little rough. e.g. you see two characters interact and next render could be a week later without any warning.
- no music (i don't mind that much but i can understand why it would bother some people)
- There're only a few intimate scenes so far, which wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't already a v0.8. It should have at least a few sex scenes by now.
- I'm not a fan of how this game depicts abusive behaviours. It's very out in the open when in reality, most of those would happen behind closed doors. A famous person wouldn't just grab a famous model in the middle of a party and try to rape her when there're so many people around. Even if this game tries to point out that the way Hillside works, it allows these behaviours, realistically it's not believable. I think dev should try to handle this things better and not have the obvious "haha, i'm an evil dude with power so i'm gonna do anything i want without any consequences". I would prefer if the bad guys would use their power and connections to bring a girl in a difficult situation (e.g. either you let me fuck you or we release you from contract and find another girl to replace you) rather than their muscles. And maybe Charlotte in order to provide for her daughers agreed to some of them, but hates herself for that and tries to warn Kaylah to not take the same road.
- i find it a bit weird that with all the technology and money they have, they still watch movies in dvd-players or Emma only has one pair of running shoes. Small details but still...
- MC is a mystery. We don't really know a lot about the guy and so far he's just following orders or trying not to be offensive. I think it's about time to find out about his past, his personality traits, what he likes, etc.

I might add stuff in future updates, but overall you can see why i think this game is more on the 4-star rating but nevertheless, i enjoyed playing this game and i can't wait for more.

Fantastic game! In short:
A game with stunning characters who have different, well pointed out and complex personalities and great looks and are not the cliche, standard harem characters that jump onto you right away. The renders are beautiful. The story, while not taking you too much away from itself beeing an adult game, takes you in and is very exciting. You connect with the characters and everything feels realistic (there is also jealousy - something you rarely find in adult games). The english is actually really good and the whole concept is working very well. Great build-up so far, without blue-balling. I am really looking forward for the sexual content coming and how the story progresses.

Easily one of the best games on this site!

In detail:

PRO's:

• Great Story and balance - the story is really exciting, while not beeing to extensive and all over the place. There is no grind and placeholders to distract from the fact that the game is an adult game. That leads to the next point:
• No blue-balling - while there is a huge build-up with two of the main characters the protagonist gets some action with the third main character.
• Focus and character dev. - the games focuses on three main LI's - a perfect number to stay detailed in character development and on the other hand have three very different characters to fall for. The three of them are very different in behavior, looks and personality. I think this is one of the greatest strengths of this game. There is also a variety of side characters who are sexy and interesting and fit the story. One more thing I want to add here is that the clothing of the characters is breathtaking. Absolutely beautiful!!
• Beautiful renders - while not doing soemething over the top and beeing too exaggerative (games with such graphics never make any progress) the standard of the game is very high. The models are hand-made and each one is a stand alone. Only the protagonist could have got a bit more attention.
• Realism and setting - the premise of the story - falling in love with a famous actress who is acting like an ice queen almost not reachable gets me personally totally excited. I find absolutely no joy in all those harem games around here, where every LI jumps on you in no time. The LI's are also jealous of another and I am really looking forward how those conflicts are solved.
• Development and updates - the updates have a very good pace and are full of content (maybe not always in terms of sexual content - but the game is still in the build up). The dev's of this game give me reason to believe that the game becomes finished once.
• Sexual content and scenes - very good so far. Beautiful details, beliveable physics and good content. There could be a bit more content though. The main content with the two other LI's is yet to come - I hope the dev's find a good balance between story progression and sexual content. It could definitly shift more in favor of sexual content, especially later in the game.

CON's:

• Protagonist - could have got a tad more attention. But he's alright.
• Big premise - the game is great so far, has a beautifully detailed build-up and a variety of different characters. I really hope that the dev's can keep this level of detail and do not rush the game or the sexual content. For that I would highly recommend to not add more characters and stay focused on those already implemented.
• No gallery - just that.

After all, this game is an easy 5-star game and I can totally recommend the game to anyone and especially to those who have enough of all the harem games that are just all the same.

Wish the best of luck to the devs, a big thank you and keep on the beautiful work!!

Great renders

Not so great story, though good grammar and sentence structure

Characters are nice but it stops as far as apperance since personality wise and acts are not so great either.


The slow burn is no problem at all but wish the plot would at least move faster.

This is not a 5 star game. I understand the love for the beautiful renders, but the rest of this game is less than good. Outside the flawless images, this game has a story problem and a serious character problem.

I'll start with the story. We're supposed to believe that a top model that is deathly afraid of and hates men, is still in the modelling industry. An industry where the majority of photographers, agents, and designers are MEN. We're supposed to believe this frigid woman is somehow still in an industry that in this game's world is filled with rapists, molesters, and other slime. She somehow manages to keep her profession when she's assaulted multiple times?! I will leave the story there, because it's unbelievable to say the least.

Now, the characters. None of them outside the youngest daughter are likable. I cannot count how many times I wanted a third option to be presented so the MC could completely avoid the other women in the game. The MC is treated like trash no matter what he does, is looked down upon, distrusted for doing his job, and everything he says or does is misconstrued by his employer. A woman, so unlikable, that I would have left that job on day one. Yet, we're supposed to develop a relationship with this shrew?!

The renders are 5 out of 5. Some of the best I've ever seen in a Ren'Py game. The rest of this game though? Average at best.

Edited for .9: I had this rated as a 3/5 due to the renders. I decided to check in after a few updates to see if the characters have gotten believable at least, but instead found it's even more unrealistic. There is no way this game is even worth a 3 at this point. The renders are beautiful, but honestly do yourself a favor and just look at them if you want. Unless, you're a masochist, this story is going to anger you almost at every turn. It's honestly amazing how frustrating it is.

The rating speaks for itself. Hillside is in the upper echelon of VN games on the site with its above average renders and story telling. There is a very limited amount of sexual content but given the premise of the plot, it is entirely understandable and all the more realistic.

Charlotte feels well overprotective and holds an established distrust of men in general given her past experiences, both of which are well warranted given Emma is studying in the same industry and at a rather naive age. This has led to Emma living a sheltered life, unaware of the bullying that can run rampant in society. Charlotte struggles with knowing that she needs to have a stronger sense of safety for her and Emma while knowing that she likely needs to have someone watch over them, even if it goes against every bone in her body.

All of this also plays into the very solemn truth that this shit does get pulled quite often irl but just doesnt get documented and I'm sure a situation of this relevance has occurred before on some scale.

Hillside is easily one of the most realistic and well made games the site has to offer. The best games on the site aren't the ones with the most sexual content. Of course animations/renders goes without saying in determining the visual quality of a game...but those that can balance both the sexual content and plot driven events fluidly and invoke some thought/emotion while we play it are truly what ties it all together

0.14
This story is amazing
i know it's slow but i don't mind
Its one of this games where you don't need sex to make a game good
It reminds me alot of another game , where having sex with one of the main cast takes long . But you have a great story that would just be ruined by forced sex scenes
But when that moment comes the sex scenes just doesn't feel forced
No bugs
haven't played with sound

Character, character, character: all sorts of narrative flaws are forgivable, if the Dev creates a believable character that players care about.

I believe in Charlotte Lloyd: her strengths, her vulnerabilities, her fully rounded self. Thank you, Dev, for making her.

The MC means well and he has done nothing but be supportive and helpful (particularly as I am playing him); she does not believe in his good intentions. Given her experiences, that distrust is entirely understandable. In other words, she is true to herself. I love that: it reflects the way people actually behave.

How do strangers, with different life experiences and all sorts of reasons to distrust other people become genuine friends... or even a family? How does fear and skepticism transmute, slowly, into love and respect?

The fact that this porn game has caused me to ask myself these questions means that it has already succeeded, as far as I'm concerned.

So this is not one of those games you should seek out for a quick fap. Those games can be great, too. This is something more special.

What I like most about the game is that it evokes my emotions. I care for and want to protect the love interests and want to build lasting relationships. Normally, I play my first walkthrough in every game as a manwhore to see all content, but in Hillside I just couldn't bear to hurt any of the characters.
Maybe that makes me a White Knight, but I really enjoy playing the protector role which I haven't seen many other games do without being creepy. The emotional investment makes Hillside my favourite game and the first I support on patreon.

This game is amazing!

It's very slow in the develop of the emotions, and that makes it great. This is not your usual quick fap session, is an emotional journey with a tough mc (but extremely respectful toward women) and a cast of beautiful women with their own issues. You'll be emotionally attached to them

Give this a try, you won't regret it

Great game with really nice story and natural looking models. Nice fluent story too. There is also a funny aspect in their behavior, which i like. I would also like to add that this developer deserves a lot more credit becouse he is one of few that actually trying to release update once a month. So thank you and well done.

I gave this game today a try and I was positive surprised by it. The story goes slowly forward and the plot is really nice and natural. By the many choices the player have, you can infulence the story a lot. It is more romantic then a fap game, but anyway very good. The graphic and the girls are really nice and unique. I will keep an eye on this game. Looking forward to see many more updates... 5 of 5 stars so far.

The writing is excellent. There's a lot of mystery and suspense, that makes you want to read more. Besides that, the story is deep enough that you can start drawing conclusions on things that happen, which is always interesting.

Characters are multidimensional, which is the best part of the game. They act differently, have their own motivations, and are interesting to learn about. Looking forward to more!

amazing story!

just played the 1st scenarios (have not even finished it) and feel like buying a plane ticket get some freaking napalm on a plane and do a few pleasure cruises over Hollywood!

that is how much the story can get under your skin and evoke the most primal instincts