VN - Ren'Py - Completed - Leap of Faith [Ch. 8 v1.0.3] [DriftyGames]

Most likely the best AVN that I've ever played, the story is... so fucking good I cried like a bitch multiple times and Cece made me feel things I haven't felt for anything in way too long. I think this is the first time that I genuinely did not care for the sex scenes at all tbh, I was so inside the story, from Cece to our best friend Chris who's a dumbass but I love him all the same (no homo) and Lexi the woman I chose to date, but not just them, our friends and their struggles too, it's all just an amazing experience... it is... truly awesome. One of the best stories I've ever read and one of the best AVNs out there, imo, probably the best I've ever played.

The best story I have ever seen in an AVN.

The sex scene might not be the most extensive or best animated one, the graphics might not be the best of the best, but damn the story is amazing.

I bought this on Steam in the end, because I want to support the dev.

Be warned, the story might hit too hard for some and I strongly suggest to get into a relationship with the obvious main protagonist for the best story experience.

Solid VN that works best if you pick your woman then play through it once.

The story does kinda fall into the "MC IS A GIGACHAD NICE GUY AND WOMEN NEED HIM TO COME SAVE THEM"-cliche to a fairly large extent (don't ever say Florence Nightingale syndrome only applies to women). Still, it's not as bad as other games I've tried. Even being a bit on the nose, the game is excellently written in places and even tackles some pretty heavy themes. Also loved that the game actually lets you wingman for your best buddy. You know, like an actual normal person/friend. Imagine that! A game world where other males also have sex with girls you're not dating. And (as far as I can tell) without a bunch of loons screeching about NTR all over the reviews. Huh.

My main gripe with the game, though, and why I specifially recommend playing through it once, is the somewhat bad and labyrinthine implementation of choices and requirements that drive the story. With one playthrough you'll miss a ton of opportunities but you'll be comletely oblivious, so it kind of just works. Once you delve into the nitty gritty on your 2nd time, however, you start to see some serious cracks, and how the story drives you, not the other way around. The task list on your phone just sucks. It's presented as a quest log you have some kind of agency over, but mostly, you're just railroaded along based on stats and previous choices. The task item that just showed up might have been destined to fail before you even saw it. Occasionally, and in totally dumb locations, you are magically supposed to take out your phone and download music on it or snap a picture (talking about the times there is no prompt unless you enable the walkthrough DLC). Or better yet, told to take out your phone - BUT WAIT - not just yet or you'll miss an opportunity! Dumb shit you'd never find without a walkthrough because it such an inconsistent arbitrary thing. Maybe this sort of gameplay works for Patrons who play each update to exchaustion while waiting months for the next, but it fucking sucks for a start-to-finish playthrough of the complete game, unfortunately.

But hey, there is a build-in walkthrough, which is a huge plus. It's just a shame you totally need it really badly if you want to see most of the stuff.

Aside from these (major) gripes, the rest of the game is... Excellent! My reservations about cliche MC nice guy aside, the writing is great. It's sad, it's moving, it's funny. Renders and animations are well above average even for an oldie, and the music really adds to the atmosphere. If romance VNs are your thing (and you're less sensitive to arbitrary prereqs than me) I definitely recommend giving it a shot.

Bit of a shame Samantha (lettuce-head) wasn't a romanceable character, but hey, can't have it all.

This game is extremely emotionally charged, with plenty of romance and tragedy (TW for themes of self-harm, depression, and suicide), and some comedic chuckles along the way. It has rather good characters, and even though the overall plot is simple, this is a heavily character-focused story, so that doesn't matter much. While the quality of the writing is top-notch, this is still a male-gaze porn-logic game, and these traits can often clash with how otherwise seriously well-made this AVN is.

My first play-through was an exclusive Cece path. There are 6 main LIs in the game, two of which are already in a non-monogamous relationship which you can choose to join. It seems that the game eventually wants you to pick a relationship and stick to it, I don't know if there is a harem-esque ending, but I don't think so, nor do I think it would fit the game.

While there are multiple LIs and I do intend to replay the game at some point to experience those other paths, it does really feel like Cece's is the main path. She oftentimes feels like the real protagonist of the story, her problems are more deeply explored and complex than anyone else's, and her actions have grander impact in the story, be they good or bad, than anyone else's (including you). Her path felt natural and organic to play through and I'm very curious as to how the game will present some of her most serious events if you're not beside her.

I find that the renders and the animations for intimate scenes are well done, but honestly, this is not really a game to fap to as much as it is a story to cry to. If you're just looking for some easily accessible erotic material, this is not the ideal game for it, IMO. The later scenes in a relationship's path are definitely hot, but with far more of a tinge of romance than in a lot of other games of this genre (which to me, is a massive positive). This does, once again, create dissonance with the quite frequent porn-logic moments, where girls are being put in sexualised situations or behaving very horny around you all the time. There's nothing wrong with the latter in a game, but it really does not vibe with the cutesy and romantic or dark and depressing moments.

Overall, this is a story worth experiencing. I would say its one of the highest quality AVNs out there, in good part due to its characters being very likeable and due to its tact and humanity when dealing with very difficult topics. Would love to have seen a version of this game without all the extra porn-logic elements, with the story taking itself as seriously as it could have.

Congratulations to the dev for their incredible work!

I have to say, this is by far ONE OF the best if not #1 for me. This was the game that got me into AVN's and such. Sinc then not 1 game has had an impact on me as much as this game has. Iv played it cuntless times, in fact i revisit it quite often, but yet still when it hit "those" scenes it hits me in the feels.

The story and writing are by far top notch! Not many games can get you so immersed into the story that you feel what the MC feels as if you are experiencing it, or can make you relate this well! Another thing about the story and writing is that and im sure im not alone in this, that there is SOOO much you can relate to the MC with. Specially "those" scenes. There is nothing quite like that feeling... But even with these moments its an amazing game and story!

On the subject of story, its as if the dev had a story they needed to tell, and they used this game to tell it. Im glad they did because im sure even years from this point this game will resonate with others.

Now for the negatives.... I WISH IT WAS LONGER! also that ending . Jokes aside tho, amazing game! I hope to see more of what the dev makes, and i hope they continue to develop games, but even if they dont im happy they shared this story with us all.
Thank you for sharing this with us!

I really wanted to give this game a shot. I just couldn't.

The characters seem well written, which is great, but other factors just totally ruined it.

1. The mechanics were god awful. Impossible to play without a guide if you actually want to experience as much as possible. The Phone and Nuke stuff was interesting, but very poorly implemented, as were the possibilities of gaining stat points needed to take certain actions. No matter what you do, you're going to miss things and have to play again, and you cant even just skip through dialog to get to the choices because you'll miss cues for phone and nuke stuff that you need to do.

2. The render quality and animations are really good, but the characters themselves are godawfully ugly. The only one that was actually attractive and didn't look somehow malformed was Cece. The facial expressions were especially bad in many scenes, and skin texture was also often absolutely terrible.

3. Gigachad MC, literally looks like they took the snapchat filter and made it into a character.

Honestly, I would probably have enjoyed this if all the side LI's were just left out and it was a liner VN entirely focused on Cece and exploring the issues both she and the MC were going through and bringing each other through them.

But unfortunately, as it stands, I can't bring myself to continue playing.

Looking for a good story to immerse myself & cum to, ended up crying like a little bitch twice because of this VN. Absolutely loved it & the epilogue was way too nice.

10/10 bring more tissue than usual.

Story: 6/10
Renders: 5/10
Animation: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Characters: 6/10

A pretty average game; the soundtrack was good, and each track fits the scenes perfectly. The animations in some scenes were really well done, but some of it was jerky and bit weird
Talking about character designs, I didn't like them personally, though that's largely subjective.
The story has its highs and lows; some of it is just absolute nonsense. but there are certain moments that shine, and it ends up making you feel a lot of emotions.
Despite those issues, the game is worth trying just for the sake of the emotional rollercoaster

I love this game. Because of the animation of the character, the fun scenes simply because of everything. The figures are just great their jokes are simply phenomenal and the gameplay is the best that I have seen so far. The music is wonderfully atmospheric and fits every scene. And I have to admit that I jump from the bridge in the scene where cece ... I am a man but I still had tears in my eyes .. I know that sounds like it was really terrible. So it has been the best game so far and that means something. I would like to give more than 5 points if I could.
So I congratulate the team for what they have done and that's what I want to say .. Perfect perfect and perfect

The best visual novel of all. 4 years of development but already after 2 the story was almost complete and the rest were added extras. Very neat graphics, deep characters, spectacular and exciting story. Masterpiece.

" Leap of Faith " is a captivating narrative-driven game that masterfully weaves together compelling plots and thoughtful discussions on mental health issues, including suicidal ideation and the complexities of love. From the moment you step into the protagonist's shoes, you're drawn into a richly detailed world where every decision feels weighty and every character interaction brims with emotional depth.
The game's strength lies in its ability to tackle sensitive topics with nuance and care. It doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of the human experience but handles them with a level of maturity that is both refreshing and impactful. The dialogue is sharp, the pacing is impeccable, and the plot twists keep you engaged without feeling forced.
Visually, the game is stunning, with atmospheric art that perfectly complements the mood of each scene. The soundtrack is equally impressive, enhancing the emotional resonance of key moments. While the gameplay mechanics are relatively simple, they never detract from the story, which remains the true star.
" Leap of Faith " is a must-play for anyone who appreciates a game that challenges, provokes, and ultimately leaves you reflecting long after the credits roll. It’s a poignant reminder of the power of video games as a medium for storytelling and emotional exploration.

so I already posted about this back in September of 2024 but back in March of that year a friend of mine tried to commit suicide and this game helped me get through dealing with that, I have no idea what more I can say about this masterpiece of a game so I'm just going to copy & paste most of my original post.

here is a link to that post if you want it
https://f95zone.to/threads/leap-of-faith-ch-8-v1-0-3-driftygames.48734/post-14843174

so I guess the best place to start would be that I've never played a game that had me invested in the characters as much this one, I was so invested it actually hurt so much when Cece tried to kill herself the second time I cried through that entire event, it almost felt like someone close to me had tried to commit suicide and I actually had to process the grief that came with it. that experience somehow ended up helping me process the emotional turmoil I ended up going through when less than 4 months after completing the game a friend of mine tried to take her own life, she survived and is doing better now, but somehow what I experienced playing through the final portion of this game helped me stay stable enough to offer her my support during her recovery instead of breaking down into an emotional mess.

so thank you DriftyGames for making this masterpiece of a game that ended up helping me through one of the worst times of my life.

and remember everyone your life is a precious thing if not to you than it is to someone else, so please if you ever think of doing such a thing, think of what it would do to those who care about you because weather or not you can see it I can guarantee there is someone out there that will grieve for your loss, and if you just need someone to rant at, then I'm sure anyone of us here would be willing to listen.

I absolutely love this game. This review is a long time coming.

Leap of Faith holds a special place in my heart because it was the first VN I played that I can remember being fully complete at the time of me playing it, and what a great VN it is. There are a lot of fantastic girls and routes, and the story and themes are great; there's a reason this is one of the highest-rated games on F95. Cece is one of, if not my favorite heroines in any VN I've played so far, and I've played a pretty good amount. I will say though the scene on Lexis's solo path at the concert at the end was pretty good too. I'd also be remiss if I didn't point out this game has a fantastic music selection and that it's worth downloading the music restoration mod.

Weird fact: I only completed the rest of the girls routes now, not long before typing this review, years after I did my first run-through of the game with Cece's route, because I couldn't bring myself to do the other routes after completing what I felt was a perfect ending. I am glad, though, that I came back for a refresher and completed the rest of the routes along the way. Cece's route is still my favorite, though.

If I had to REALLY nitpick for some negatives, it would be that I wish the sex scenes had sounds other than just music and the Holly/Lexi thing felt really random and out of nowhere since it had pretty much no story setup save for like one small scene. Also, and this might just be the greedy part of me, I wish all the main endings had longer epilogues so we could get a bigger peek into the couple's futures.

A must-try VN if you're interested in something more than just a quick fap and care about story and one that will in my mind always be a great example that AVN's are worth reading and can be about much more than just porn.

This game is obviously a 5 star game. It had me balling my eyes out towards the end, but it was so worth it.
This is a very emotional game and not for everyone as it may be difficult for some people to handle. Very slight spoiler though: There are only happy endings.

The good: Wonderfully written. Great renders. Quality sex scenes. There is a story, but it is more focused on the characters and their interpersonal relationships than on some wider story.
There is so much more good, but I feel like if I say too much, I will spoil the experience.

The bad: You are forced to choose your LI very early on, and if this is your first playthrough, it's too early to know who to choose. Therefore, it is necessary to setup multiple saves for each playthrough for each LI.
It was shorter than expected, which in itself was not a bad thing, but it is missing a final sex scene with each of the girls. There is this build up at the end as your relationship has evolved, and it feels like it needs to be cemented between MC and your LI. Often, the final sex scene does this, but unfortunately, that is lacking.

Very powerful message in this VN and it has some great characters: MC, Ceci, Lexi, Holly and the brodie with the powerful stashe. The developer delivers with his writing and comedy. But the story got major plot holes and the renders and animations honestly very average.

The music in this is just right, perfectly executed.

The gameplay during free roam is somewhat clunky and find hidden actions is easily missed.

I would say this one is like Acting Lessons, the first couple of chapters was amazing then it all fell apart story wise.

Linear storytelling vn with hard locked options.
It's solid written story with great staging. You'll get realistic fem bodies and sex scenes where they should be. It evokes many emotions but leaves unpleasant feelings. I felt guilted and obliged while playing.

Graphics and animations are ok. It's strange that Linda's face was reworked after first episodes.

The biggest problem is a lack of any sounds even in sex scenes. There are only repeated music. Sometimes it well-placed and creates an atmosphere but sometimes it annoys and it feels that was made somehow.

Many options are not intuitive and seems unnecessary like mobile phone. There are no familiar pauses between character interactions so you could easily miss opportunity to respond to a message.

If you choose wrong answer then in the next dialogue with the character some answers will be blocked. Because of it a few times it remains only one answer to choose, all others were blocked. And these were not some silly jokes or other unnecessary options. You can't choose obvious answers and "try your luck" it just blocked and it destroys immersion and interest to continue the story.
You get some tasks but you can't complete them cause earlier you failed with some choices. There should be more options especially for neutral playstyle.
Then you start feeling that devs encourage you to make options not only in some scripted order by blocking other answers but by moral choices.

It's not like in other games where you can choose your love in the end of the game while you get to know with characters throughout your play. You should make your choices from the start when you're not familiar enough with characters.

my favorite VN of all time. A deep and moving story worthy of a good movie, credible and in-depth characters (you will love most of them), excellent graphics, choices that matter. I really don't know how to describe more this masterpiece (but I still have to fill 200 characters and I don't know what to write).I can only compliment the developer.

Has a lot of VN compared to AVN but its a very nice story. Quality characters and good use of emotion. Visuals are top tier for games or this sort. No bugs or issues. Plenty of content for replays as well if you make saves at opportune points.

The biggest compliment I can give this game is that it made me want to go out and live a little. It's so easy to relate to what the MC was feeling at the start of the game, that sense of helplessness, the belief that nothing will ever improve... It's such a simple trap to fall into, yet so hard to escape.

I really loved this story, and it even inspired me to write my own. The characters are full of heart and attention to detail, making them easy to care about. Despite not having the best renders, the game makes up for it with its amazing themes, characters, and storytelling. With a perfect balance of comedy and drama, it's probably one of the best in the genre.

I believe more adult games like this should exist.

Review of [Ch. 8 v1.0.3]

I recently discovered this world of games for adults and I have to say that this was one of the first I played.

In my personal opinion a MASTERPIECE.

The game makes you laugh, it makes you enjoy the renders and the entire story, it even brings the odd tear to your eye. The whole history of CECE is amazing.

• The soundtrack and songs are great
• Incredible story with different paths and different ending
• All the characters have a lot of charisma and are very funny
• The protagonist and the co-star are funny and have charisma
• The renders and the sexual animations are very good
  
  CONS​
  
  
• The animation are without moans or any sexual sound
  
  RATING :
  
  Content: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  Graphics: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  Renders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  Animations: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  
  Final conclusion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ MASTERPIECE Hightly recommend to Play