What a great day for the world of erotic VN's (and storytelling in general)...VengeanceXXX is back !!! I am so, so glad that you are in a happier place now, and even more pleased that you are creating again. Ethan's Legacy really introduced me to the genre, gave me enormous pleasure and remains my favourite VN to date. I am saddened that you feel no pride in what you achieved, and, of course, the negative effect it had on you, but it sounds like you have overcome the worst now. Can I just say, for what it's worth, that because of what you created in Ethan's Legacy my own life has been improved. So heartfelt thanks from me!
Anyway, I have just played Dancer And A Lustrous Stage and His Legacy and enjoyed every moment of them both (of course there were moments of the latter that I also simultaneously hated, but there always are). So good to see Karen (always my favourite), Sonic and Violet back as beautiful as ever, if not more so (in fact significantly more so in Sonic's case). The storytelling is just as gripping and immersive as I would expect from
@V3X and the worldbuilding as dark, nuanced and complex as ever. So all round fantastic little games.
Sorry to go on so much but I get very invested in a story as good and immersive as this, so I will end with a few comments.
There have been a few hints that Maria may have engaged in prostitution (Dexter's joke that Ethan would have to pay if he'd been deep inside her, kissing being prohibited [very common with prostitutes], her fame with amorous ways to put it politely etc.). If this is the case then bear in mind that many players do not like to see their potential love interest having sex with other people, and I am definitely one of them. I would much rather hear about it than see it. The preview you posted of Maria being intimate with an unknown girl gives me qualms in this regard (and I remember from Ethan's Legacy a lengthy scene where Sonic fucks a man for information - I knew this kind of thing went on with all the girls but as soon as I saw it Sonic dropped to the bottom of my likes list).
Also Ethan's passivity and acceptance of things is not my preferred style (this is a criticism that also applied to Ethan's Legacy, at least until the brief but spectacular appearance of Super Ethan). For example, when Dexter throws him to the Mafia wolves (and I fully understand why he did that ) Ethan just forgives him instantly whereas I would never be able to trust him as a friend again (well I suppose he does have a crappy track record when it comes to judging friends).
There are so many questions needing answers in this story that I am severely psyched for the next update: what is the connection between Adam and Marcus ?; why, Madison, why ? (I mean there must have been some compelling reason but...what a bitch); Karen's husband; will Gina see Ethan regularly or be sent away (for her own protection); more superpowers ?; has Rose been told to recruit Ethan in order to discredit him as a gangster ?; what will become of poor Heather ? etc. etc. And most importantly will I get some of that super sexy Sonic loving ?
I hope I haven't come across as too negative (I tend to focus on things I don't like) but let me stress that I am with this gripping story to the end (even if you have Ethan marry Rose, Maria throw an orgy at Club High, turn Ethan into a murdering heroin dealer and kill off Gina).
The gaming world is a brighter, and yet darker, place for the return of
@V3X !