I will try not to be unnecessary harsh, or mean. The game isn't for me, and I mainly want to explain what you can await from it, not put in into the ground.
The game isn't sex oriented, that's very clear from the beginning, and I'm OK with that. It's clearly focused on the writing, that has a lot of work put in it. It's mainly character oriented, then event and lore oriented. There is a story going on, but it's mainly a bunch of people imprisoned together in a stressful situation. And least during the first chapters.
And again, I'm OK with that.
What lost me was the main character, the characters, the writing style, and the general behavior of the characters. Which is kind of a problem, as it is the main interest of the game.
The author explained that he wanted to make the MC as generic as possible in order for you to identify him/her as you want. Why not ? But honestly, it's very confusing, especially at the beginning. You are asked your name. OK, but who am I ? Who am I going to play? Then, whoosh! You play as two new characters and won't hear about your MC before several minutes.
Why not introduce him at the point where he appears in the story ? Why not ask me now who I am? What I look like, my gender, etc.
It's OK to expend your MC's life story while talking to other characters. But for his physical appearance… It's kind of weird.
Instead of having a unique screen where you select the several features that define what your character looks like, you are asked during the whole introduction about your eyes, your hair, your skin color, your gender, etc.
Why can't we decide from the first time he appears what he looks like once and for all? It would be so much clearer… Some people even saw it as some woke propaganda, because at some point you are asked if you want your character to be referred as he/her or they. I think it's more a faux-pas than anything, but yes, it is confusing. Because at this point you still have no idea what your characters looks like.
When MC appears, I must admit I had great expectations. You are the government's diplomat send to clean the mess. A highly capable and mysterious character. The necessary evil no one wants to deal with. Feared by all. Trained to interact with foreign species, the result of some dark, secret and unethical superhuman program.
The first dialogue you get get impressed me.
The older captain started to act like a jerk when he first met me, and I admit I took much pleasure to humiliate him in front of his crew for his mistakes.
Oh, you want to play that game Mr Big-Shot? No problem! I can play too.
Do we finally get a game where you can act like a confident adult without being an asshole?
Well… No. Still no.
I'm sorry, but apart from a very few flavor choices where your characters seems to remember who he is supposed to be, you still only have the choice between being a wimp or a mere jerk.
The doctor got on my nerves the second I met her.
No, the reaction of my character got on my nerve the moment I met the doctor. She's fucking too busy and doesn't want to talk to you. Why are you wasting your time, her time, and making a fool of yourself? You don't have to make friends with every one!
But the next day she calmly talks with the captains, goes to the bridge and has a nice chat with everyone… The same character that didn't want to even tell you hello because she had no time...
If at this point I could have locked her in the medbay until she treated all patients, I would have forgive all problem the game has. That would have been so awesome !
You are too busy and need peace to work? No problem, I will make sure no one interrupts you from your work, including yourself.
But no.
You apologize constantly, never put the others back to their place.
The only choices that have consistency is to play as the comforting, diplomatic, passive child you can see everywhere in todays media. Always polite, always kind, always understanding. This is clearly the "official" route. You are a walking ass-kisser. You have a few scenes where you can shine, showing off your capacities, but they are far too few of them. Actually, I'm not sure what justified my presence on the ship.
And it's a shame, because I really don't think that it is was the author had in mind, but that's the end result.
And I don't care about that annoying cat. I don't care about every character's personal life. Am I the only one interested in the power shortage and the strange par---- ? (nah, no spoiler)
Everyone keeps on talking and talking, about their past, their past trauma. Everyone is having a tantrum at one point or another. It kind of breaks the impact after a while.
I'll stop here.
It's definitely not a bad game. The writing isn't bad. There is much work and passion put into it, and it shows off.
But it isn't for me. I'm not into deep character stories. I wanted to play a sci-fi game, meet alien species, live an adventure, you know, that sort of thing? Not hear everyone's excuse to have a PTSD.
But honestly, good luck. I think you're on the right track. You definitely have an audience from what I've seen, and that's great. I hope you will succeed.
Cheers.
