Agreed. One thing the early game did extremely well and that's gradually been lost after Sierra Lee left is that lots of the sub path felt like Sabia deciding to use sex as one of her best options in situations where she doesn't have many tools. I still like the sub route as porn, but it's makes for a way less interesting story and makes Sabia a way less interesting character, which is a problem when the game still wants to invest a lot of effort in plot. She becomes a lot more passive.
That's the thing. In the beginning it seemed like Sabia actually had a character arc in the sub route, going from headstrong warrior to a more subtle manipulator. Now it just seems like a porn delivery system, without any regard for keeping the situation plausible or making any headway in the plot.
It's just:
Sabia wants something from somebody -> other person wants sex -> Sabia complains but is forced into sex -> Sabia gets what she wanted anyway for some reason because the plot needs to continue.
Sure, some of the scenes are nice, but they come at the cost of the overall story. Probably would have been better if most of those scenes would have been relegated to BAD ENDS, instead of trying to have the plot continue afterwards, as if nothing happened.
Something like Bris finding out that she's secretly Bai Ashi should be a great opening for more of that (Bris pushes Sabia to do things as her, then Sabia has to figure out a way to play along and come out ok), but so far it seems like the sex is all going to be total submission with the turnaround happening elsewhere.
The whole Bris thing should be a way bigger deal than the writing seems to make it out to be. Not only does Sabia suddenly lose control over her biggest asset, but somebody knows her true identity and is trying to control her through it. By all accounts Sabia should be trying to
have Bris killed because she puts everything she's worked for in jeopardy. The situation is inredibly dangerous for Sabia and yet she treats it like something she can salvage with mere words. And then she gets fucked into submission every time she tries.
It may be the most stupid the plot and the character have gotten to justify the porn. They'll probably undo the situation by having Vehelis take care of it, once she gets out of the sex dungeon, because Sabia really can't do shit on her own in the sub-route.
It'll be interesting to see how and if this is touched upon in the dom route. Because it would seem Bris is too scared of Sabia to even try something like that again.
