VN - Ren'Py - Karlsson's Gambit [v0.8.31 TestB] [Grym Gudinna Games]

Category: Visual Novel
Version tested: Ch.2 Final
Visual novel/Script: 5
Gaming experience: 3,5 (quite bunch of in game decisions for a visual novel / linear plot adventure)
Graphic quality: 4
Character development: 5
Xcitement: 4

Considerations: The plot is interesting and complex at the same time. Graphics are adequate, though sometimes locations are quite simple compared with the ambitious story. Lot of in game decisions that affects the story somehow. Lewd content is adequate.
Quite green yet but promising, nice.

Very good I did not like it for the Synopsis but I gave it a chance and I loved the thematic story above all I like the faces of the female characters as they express themselves when they do evil, very good I hope it reaches the end without any setback congratulations to the overwhelming development

I could say its only for femdom lovers.
However its also have a good storyline and freedom of choice and also multiple character. You can be good, can be bad. Can be dom, sub. Your choice.
Hoping that dev won't stop.

This game is one of the best in my list. I'm exploring now femdom thematics, and it really opens these concept much wider for me. Only one tiny minus - is too small font for my eyes. Otherwise - the game is flawless. Always waiting with anticipation for updates. Thank You soo much for pleasure!

One of the best femdom stories I have ever seen, with many choices to define the MC and to defect the outcome. I also really like the idea that you also make choices for the sister from the other side of the fence - and define her too! Can't wait for more updates!

TL;DR = This game is not for everyone. Some themes are really sick.

Story: 1/5
- 4 Daughters compete for the inheritance of their billionare father. Author tried to portray the competition as mysterious, but he didnt succeed like he wished. Sometimes story just feels overly complicated and dumb.
- Also many people praise Femdom as main theme. But BEWARE that this game clearly crossed the line to sick cruelty. Example: man is handcuffed to the wall and let to suffer (and die) from dehydration and starvation. That is way out of definition of femdom. There is absolutely nothing sexual about that.
On multiplay occasions female characters mention death of their victims due to torture. That really ruins the mood for me.

Art: 4/5
+ Renders of girls are hot.
- Unfortunately all males are usually portrayed as some sick and malnourished caricatures without any personality. Only male Main Character feels okay.

Sex stuff: 3/5
+ There is a lot of erotic events.
- Unfortunately there isnt big variety of sex events. Over 90% of erotic events are: girls stepping on guys, girls making guys lick dirty floor, dirty boots or pussy. It gets boring very fast.

Gameplay: 3/5
+ Typical VN with choices.
- Choices range on the scale between "be a good person and suffer" or "be complete evil and be rewarded (with hot renders)". If you try to be a good person, then game will disappoint you, because a lot of sexy stuff is hidden behind Evil choices.

To sum it up:
If femdom is your thing, then you can try this game. But beware of the fact, that game sometimes crosses the border of pointless cruelty.
This game also has some value as CG gallery if you "hold CTRL to skip to good stuff".

+ The characters and their renderings are well done
+ Unique, original and engaging story
+ Impressive, purposeful and non-stereotyped choices
+ The mysterious atmosphere of the game takes you to the depths of the dark and fascinating world of Femdom . A world made by the beautiful mind of a Mistress
+ Everything about this game is fantastic and it is a paradise for submissives that you can not find anywhere else.

I hope in the next updates we can see more of female protagonist storyline

+ Awesome, interesting characters and story
+ Not a single boring h-scene
+ The player chooses the scenes and the direction of the story to a fairly large degree
+ Very high writing quality

- A little short (6-8 hours)

Overall, I'm super impressed. Didn't have much in the way of expectations but the quality of everything blew me away.

I am not much of a reviewer and I usually don't write reviews as I suck in doing so. But after playing this game I had to write one. I am sure the themes presented in this game might not be everyone's cup of tea but I urge everyone to atleast give this game a try before you judge it by the tags and screenshots like most people do. The dev does give everyone a choice on how you want to play the game even if it is not super obvious. Where is the fun in clicking through a set of pictures if the story and choices are not engaging in a VN and this game gets it right, not super complicated also it is not a image slideshow. All I wanna say is give this game a try and you might be surprised. Thanks

Great girls and story, femdom isnt really my thing but you can go a domination route which is nice. one of my faves right now along with being a dik. Animation is solid. Elena is probably my favorite girl. Cant wait to see where this goes.

I have 3 main points about this game:

Firstly this is a sick game (in a good way) with an absolutely unique premise. The possible ideas for perverted scenarios is unlimited with just the prisoner premise alone, the sister plotline is just the icing on the cake. Now this plotline is not exactly for the squeamish..but if you can handle some themes of dom culture and violence then you will enjoy it even more.

Secondly this game subsists on its writing and plotting alone. What I love about it: brief but descriptive and often sadistic, since many of the characters are evil and twisted. So many choices even in the first two chapters as I write this that REALLY change the potential outcome. Right away as you begin the game you come to understand the universe of characters involved is massive but the game smartly does not throw everything at you at once. They introduce these characters in turn and they do so with their actions and not a million lines of exposition..THANK YOU FOR THIS. This is why as the player you will remain invested despite the confusing backstory..you just need to know it on a basic level, it's not central to understanding what's going on.

Finally I wouldn't say this is a criticism exactly since this is still 5 stars, but the visuals for this game are the weakest point. The scenarios and the lewd scenarios are amazing, unique. The renders..are fine and get the point across. I'm not an expert but I would just say that I don't find them particularly high quality. This is a damn grim story and dark, violent things are happening. In my mind the tone that the images given in a dark game like this require attention to the visuals. In my non-expert opinion: for some of the scenes of tension the lighting has to be darker..the mood has to be desperate and somber..a lot of these scenes have insane things happening but it's just the same high contrast, well lit environments as the other scenes. Again it's not bad but I would say it's about average, and given the quality of everything else this is the weakpoint.

Excellent story and engaging characters. Male Dom is a big part to this game, but with wise choices you can avoid most of that for the MC. I'm not a fan of Male Dom myself, yet there was still plenty here to enjoy. I'm looking forward to having the MC join in the fun and learn more about what's going on along the way. Kudos to the Dev for her vision and efforts in this game!

I must start by saying, Femdom is not one of my favorite kinks, and this game has mostly that. That being said, the game is simply a work of art.
The story is absolutely amazing. The writing is top level and it will keep you engaged every single second... 6/5 rating
The renders are good, but the first chapter can do with a few reworks 4/5 rating
I love the fact that you have real choices about how you want to shape your character as well as your relationships, mainly because of the Femdom story, which may be off-putting to some.
I tried to keep an open mind about the game and I'm so happy I did.
I wouldn't want to have missed the story because of my personal preferences.
Definitely a Developer to follow and support.
(if she has the talent to write a story like this, imagine what she can do with a little more financial support )
Peace V

I really enjoyed this game so far (chapter 2). The women are all absolutely gorgeous - especially Samantha Man is this story dark though. I guess I'm fucked up because I enjoyed every second of it. I'm not sure femdom is a kink I'm particularly into but the story kept me playing to see what sort of twisted shit would happen next. I'll do another play-through as a dom to see how that turns out.

Thank you Dev for an absolute gem!

Downloaded this gem at Chapter 2 Final, and it is an amazing offering. If you love a choice driven story with multiple possible outcomes then this one is sure to please.
The backdrop of the story is a bit far fetched, and certainly dystopian. So the mood has a distinct edge and darkness,and you can feel that throughout.
The cast of characters are diverse, with wildly varying personalities and motivations. Fortunately all the women are beautiful, at least on the outside.
The artwork is nicely done.
The story is clean and the writing is well done as well. The mystery of what is going on and who is trying to do what is quite delicious.
Very much worth a try. But not for the weak of heart.

Promising Game, excelent and a very original history, it remembers me a little bit of The Purge though, but i have never ever seen it in a erotic game, interesting characters, and it's good that you can choice if you want to be more domiant or submissive, because if it was only femdom it would be a completely turn down for me.

Karlsson's Gambit
Review, as of v0.2bb:

This is written as someone who sits on the periphery of enjoying femdom, who has a keen interest in the themes and characters of the genre, and less of a sexual interest.

Pros

• First and foremost, the atmosphere. This is where Karlsson's Gambit excels. The world is drab and the characters range from coldly calculating to unrepentantly vicious, with a credibility of tone for what is an otherwise incredible setting.
• Next, the intrigue. The titular Karlsson's Gambit, and the question of the what and how the protagonist and his family fits into it, is a mystery with many pieces involved.
• Choices that make you work for it. Choices are presented in a compelling, dramatic, and sometimes even obfuscated fashion that encourages the player to think through their logical outcomes. The protagonist's test in episode 2 is just so, so, SO tightly designed from a point perspective.
• The presentation of sound. Deliberate care has been put into the music and SFX, all of which is appropriate and never distracting.
• A story told from multiple perspectives, with multiple protagonists. This is one of the really stand out things for me and a testament to the game dev's imagination. The way brother(s) and sister are placed within the story, woefully apart from one another and faced with their own challenges, is a compelling plot device that gets you thinking about the eventual intersection of the choices you make as all two/three characters.
• The cruelty. The game pulls no punches about what it is and what it shows and I admire that.
• Pat and Sam, the two prison guards. I just really like them!

Neutral

• The lack of a textbox means there's a spot or two where text can be hard to read.

Cons

• Graphical limitations.

All in all, this is one if not the only game in development on f95 that actually has me pulled in irrespective of the smut - which I might add, is also pretty good! Two versions in and I'm fully invested in the mystery and looking forward to seeing the interplay between the Karlsson daughters unfold.

There is not a lot I can say about this game that has not already been said in reviews or in the thread. If you know me, I very much like developers who aren't afraid to take a chance. Someone who is willing to write what they are passionate about, as opposed to what might sell better. This is on full display in Karlsson's Gambit. Tess is fearless in her approach to the narrative and is cognizant of the minutia of every aspect of the game. From how she wants the renders to look, to subtle plot twists and more. This does not look, sound or feel like the work of a first time developer, but rather a seasoned one. I believe her passion for this project is unrivaled by anyone else I have encountered in game development. You know this is her baby and she is going to take care of it, and shape it how she pleases, in an unapologetic and uncompromising manner. The content of this game will probably make it so it will never be on the first page of the trending list. However, that doesn't mean it's quality is not deserving of it. I can't say enough about the developer and the game itself. It, and she are just simply uncompromising, and that is always the touchstone of great art. If you haven't played this gem. Please give it a try with an open mind, and willingness to discover something that is not average, but extraordinary.

Also, what an amazing job, Tess! The writing is on par with some of the best on here. It's complex enough to invoke heavy thought, but not over the top. Characters look amazing, especially considering the limitations you mentioned due to your hardware. As for story, I was immediately pulled in, to the extent that I really thought about each decision and choice I made. The story remains interesting and there always seems to be an ominous atmosphere that makes me doubly careful about my choices.
If you can maintain this level of quality, I can safely say this may be one of the best games to date that I have played here at F95. Great job!!

Like all the other reviews on here I am singing my praises with this superb fem-dom game. I played the first version when it came out a couple of months ago, but wanted to hold off rating it until another update had come out. First of all what makes this so impressive of being the dev's first is that they had no experience of coding etc. This is something they have learned as they have gone through and even though they do get some help with this game, a lot of it is on them.

It's a testament that the rendering is superb. From the characters themselves (the different women look gorgeous and are unique models that I haven't seen used in any other games I've played) to the environments they are in. It is of extremely high quality and that is impressive for a first time developer.

Even though women mainly dominate in this. You actually get the option to have the male MC dominate and even for his sister to act submissive. There is a wonderful mixture of choice as you play these two different MC's. You can choose to be either a dom or sub, good or evil, neutral or a mixture of them all. This determines how your character's journey will go as well as relationships with other characters (who all have interesting qualities) where you will eventually be able to engage romantically with them, be a sub to them or dominate them. You will in later updates be able to get single partners or even harems by the end.

This gives you the advantage of tailoring the MC's to your liking and does give the great flavour of high replayability. I have already gone through this game on the sub and dom routes, which gives you the choice to be extreme in the kinks or punishments or lighter. I enjoyed both routes, mainly loved making the sister a dom and the male submissive as there is a lovely moderation of feet/foot fetishism which fits wonderfully with the fem-dom in this game. So the kinks/fetishes in this are right up my alley.

The story itself is really interesting and complex with some hints of what's happening, but that you can't figure out just yet. The main two characters you play and the others get a nice balanced amount of time in these updates as the pacing and build up is perfect. The dialogue itself is really well written and feels natural when reading it from these characters with very few grammatical mistakes. I also really like the variety of music, which fits well within the scenes of the game of whatever situation is unfolding.

I can't praise this game and the dev highly enough and am currently supporting them on patreon. The time between updates so far has been pretty great with a decent amount of content for both chapters. I will definitely be continuing on with this in the next update as I loved every minute of playing it. I highly recommend playing this amazing game!