VN - Ren'Py - Hooked! [v0.4.5] [BlenderKnight]

Stop reading this review, and go play this one. Better yet, go support it.

But feel free to keep reading if you need more convincing. I'm about to glaze the shit out of this game, because it deserves it.

I'm prone to long-winded reviews and harsh criticism. I love to hear myself talk, and I'm hard to please. Also, I don't rate games based on their potential, but instead on what I'm given. I'm not arrogant enough to disregard the scope of a project, and I'm definitely not expecting an early version of a game to be perfect. I just don't believe in rating something with 5 stars, unless I walk away genuinely impressed.

Hooked is beyond impressive.

It's charming, has great humor, writing, choices, fantastic animations/renders, and great pacing. It's not a long, over-bearing trudge before your first scene, but it's also not slamming you with porn gifs on launch like they're a Subway Surfers video under a TikTok. (Yes, I am talking about literally every abandonware HTML/DAZ3D VN that bloats this fucking website.) Everything progresses in a way that feels natural without being so realistic that it becomes annoying.

This is one of the only VNs on F95 that I can actually enjoy. The writing is intelligent and mature, because it's not trying to convince the reader of its identity. There's no unnecessary edge. There's no random ass plot twists. There's no attempts to hamfist a narrative. You're shown the characters personalities, not told. They have flaws that are written organically, without dipping over into obnoxious.

It's a character-driven story, which can be scary if the author has never had a healthy relationship with someone, more or less a woman.

Great news! The author has clearly had healthy relationships, and understands how a character can be stylized without being two-dimensional. The interactions are human, and written by somebody that touches grass, takes showers, and doesn't think women are just sex dolls. (If your response to that is, "But they're doing poooorrrnnn, and having seeexxxx, they are sex dolls!" Then you have a horrible concept of nuance, and humanity. Yes, it is that deep. Please, go to therapy.)

It feels so good to read a story that isn't written by some incel 4chan user. Hooked is a great example of writing with self-awareness without going too far and becoming a Marvel movie.

You know how in many of these games, you're given dialogue and rewarded for picking choices that feel like they were written by somebody too young to even be on this site, let alone be developing a game for it? Hooked is the opposite of that.

Yes, the scenario is juvenile, no shit. However, in what might be a first on F95, our MC manages to be goofy, dorky, and nerdy, while also being socially adept. As it turns out, you can be a giant nerd without being fucking unbearable if you just exercise basic empathy without ulterior motives.

You have a few hours of content here (more if you aren't returning after an update, ofc), but the replayability is also much higher than you'd think. The characters are so charismatic that I genuinely wish this was a full-length visual novel/dating sim.

A lovely, well-made, well-written game. It is beyond refreshing to see a 3DCG offering with an original art style. No characters that look like they were brought to life in the Women's Intimates department at an abandoned Sears; the cast are realistic enough to be sexy, but not so much that they slide into the Uncanny Valley. The backgrounds and GUI perfectly complement the models' aesthetic.

The writing is adorable. So many games feature characters who read like a single personality applied to different roles: quippy coworker who doesn't mind palling around with the guys, sister's quippy friend who doesn't mind palling around with the guys, quippy barista who doesn't mind palling around with the guys, ad nauseum. The characters here have personalities that don't distinguish themselves entirely by their circumstances. The dopey protagonist is a riot, and the comic relief nerd is present enough to provide levity while remaining appropriately unobtrusive for a porn game. There's some genuinely very funny material.

The sex scenes are likewise impressively written. Awkwardness and nervous energy can be huge turn-ons, and they're used quite effectively.

Nothing but promise so far. I'm excited to see where things go from here.

Very few games in our little corner of interest manage to write the characters so well you find yourself actually caring. This is one of them. It's a fun, goofy setup that drops you into 3 very different, waiting girls arms with their own unique backstories and personalities. The very unique, almost cel-shaded art style does a lot to make it stand out too.

Came for the porn, stayed for the plot. I only wish there was so much more of it.

I was firstly struck by the commitment to the aesthetic - delightful early Windows vibes, but luckily no Blue Screen of Death so far!

The cartoon style works really well and, most impressively, the erotic scenes are incredibly sexy, with great use of the cartoon form, framing and animation to make some seriously hot moments.

If you're fond of "seduction" situations where the MC is particularly naive, then this will be an extra bonus for you, as your character is rather unsure of himself and the premise of the plot (tenuously, sure) justifies his deflowerment.

So. Overall this is a great looking, well written, humorous game that is also pretty damn horny and has left me seriously eager for the next instalment

Great game design, great animations/art style, the characters have fun and distinct personalities, and the dialogue is pretty fun and natural too
Definitely the work of someone who knows what they're doing and is having fun with

Game with top tier potential tbh, one of the few games here on f95 that I feel inclined to join the creator Patreon. I don't know if this game will have full voice acting, but even without it, it's a banger!!

This Is what I wish all Ren'py games are like.

Great Graphics and a cool art style.
The characters are fun and engaging.
The goth/emo one was my favorite so far.
Its worth a play at least, I am looking forward to all future updates.

Nice dialogue awesome animations.
Very unique and appealing style.


Interactions between characters are fun.
It seems like there may be a few future paths from little that i got to play.
I love the style from the second i opened the game the idea of building up your own studio might turn out to be fun especislly if the game will get adventorous with character interactions
I hope it gets completed very promising.

Really enjoyable game with nice art, good writing and engaging characters. Has a nice mix of bizarre/serious/playfullness mood. My biggest gripe is there wasn't more of it to enjoy. Best of luck to the dev.

I can tell there is a lot of passion and talent behind this game. The animations are great, the models are well crafted and beautiful, the backgrounds and set dressing feel good to look at. Its also a breath of fresh air to read dialogue that doesn't seem like it was written by someone with English as their fourth language. If the creator keeps up the work on this project, I could easily see this being one of the top games on the site.

the story if you can call it that is whatever, the forced pausing in dialogue is very annoying ,MC is a clules nerd but play a miniscule part in the game.
branching is kind of annoying as there is no point to it yet ?
The game is very hot, all the girls and the scenes are hot with a unique visual

A game that's well worth playing, only real downside is it isn't finished yet.

The art is all really nice, the characters are interesting, overall a visual novel that shows a lot of promise. So nice playing a game that has soul rather than the same same AI genrated images present in so many other titles.

Instantly played through the entire game after downloading. Multiples hours of my life I will never get back. So worth it.

Cute as fuck heroines, no need to have a depressing over arching plot, and an utter lack of seriousness. An instant favorite which I and many others will be checking for updates for a long time to come.

for the version 0.4.0

brilliant game, very interesting and captivating storyline, very good storytelling, absolute banger style of models, interesting dialogues, incredible animations, incredible and unique renders.

for the proposal of this game, i really have nothing to criticize about

in love with this game, looking foward for it

Basically, a perfect game. Incredible unique model designs with a cute story and a oddly romantic approach to an adult film partnership. The animations, dialogue, and sounds feel very unique and character-appropriate. This is possibly the best game I have ever played at this point in development with the right mix of sensual, sexual, and tease in a very organic story.

You nailed this work of art, the 2000s theme catches my attention, the character designers are really cool, congratulations to the creator of this work, it would be really cool, if it were possible to have a part of the game focused on managing a future office of the main characters, giving players greater freedom, choosing which character you want to get closer to. basically a freeroom.

Ok this having 120 mostly 5 star reviews the day it releases on the site is really fishy.

That aside i did like the game, the writing was quirky but i liked it. Animations are great. The story is a bit hit and miss. But overall a good start. It's enjoyable with a good balance between scenes and text.

Okay this creator knows how to make a hot scene.

There are well-made games but then there are well made games that are constructed really well from a story and pacing perspective.

The writer knows exactly how to keep you at the edge of your seat for many of these scenes.

And most importantly, the animation is probably one of the best. The screenshot of the banner doesn't do it justice. You have to see it in movement and the designs of the women are just so good.

Hooked-0.4.0-pc

Writing managed to turn me away by reaching the interview scene with the 3 fems, as it is so dull and uninspired you would think its created by AI with just not enough parameters.

Art design though is very interesting, but just not good enough to hook me any longer to endure through this desert of writing skill.

Anyway GL

Graphics: 4/5
Writing: 1/5
Plot: 1/5
Lewd: nn
Audio: yes

PS: And this title as more pages of reviews than it has actual comments in the release thread ...

Just wow. I was convinced I couldn't be impressed by any new VNs (since I've played so many and most are kinda shit imo) but this one was a very pleasant surprise in all aspects. The devs of this one are very talented and deserve to be praised.

I usually don't like this type of animation, I prefer a more realistic style but this one is very well done and the girls are all beautiful. The design of the menus and the overall retro look of the game is also great imo. It's quite refreshing having a game that takes place in a different decade.

The three girls are very well written so far and I like how each kinda has different a type of body. A short and thick, a busty blonde and slim goth brunnette. So far (up to Ch 3) you only get to see one of the girls naked and I like how her body is amazing yet very close to reality. It's not one of those absolutely perfect bodies all the girls have in all VNs that kinda look fake?

The MC is likeable enough. He is a nerd, but kind, funny in his own way and definitely a bit stupid (maybe too stupid in certain ocassions; like, to a point where it almost doesn't make sense imo. But that was just a couple of times).

There are only a couple of sex interactions so far and they are, for the most part, well executed. They feel natural and somewhat realistic, let's say. I would have liked the first one with Hannah to be delayed a bit or maybe just milder? Like, if it wasn't because something happened, they could have ended up fucking, which I think doesn't go in line with Hannah's character and her attitude towards the MC. The sex scene with Helen in the car also feels extremely forced and not in character. It's like, she blows you just because she is bored and wants you to spill the beans. She was kinda shy during the interview, you hardly spend any time with her and suddenly she just wants your dick in her mouth without ever flirting with you. Idk.

The devs kinda make the same mistake all VNs make which is pretending that a huge dick will make all girls want to sleep with you. I think you should've spend some more time with both girls and win them over a bit more before something like that could happen. Also, what the fuck with the deformed dick of the MC. I don't like dicks xd but I'm sure both gay men and women would agree that that dick is a pretty ugly one haha.

I'm being neat picky and well, these things are mostly subjective. Overall, this is a very fucking good VN. Not excellent, tho.